The Handbook

"Two adjustable wrenches, a pair of pipe wrenches, and a packet of beef jerky, is that all you want?"

The shopkeeper asked—

Jiang Xueming echoed in response.

Yes, that's all.

While purchasing tools, he chatted with the people of St. Monica Street, the City of Tears, as if they had endless things to talk about. Xue Ming had always been a talkative person, only remaining absolutely silent in tense and exciting high-pressure combat environments.

Silence can be a very useful tool. As Lu Xun once said, "When you speak, you feel empty; when you are silent, you feel fulfilled."

During this time, Xue Ming began to rethink the intrinsic meaning of the identity of "Zhang Congfeng".

To better portray this role, he read many scriptures and sang many hymns, from the Gloria to the Lamb. These religious texts made him speak more like a gentle and polite priest, rather than a Night Demon who looked like he had taken more than ten thousand lives.

The owner was also a talkative person, picking and choosing from the shelves while chatting about everyday matters with the out-of-town monk who was reciting local scriptures.

"Which kind of beef do you want? Dry or wet?"

Jiang Xueming: "There's also the concept of 'dry' and 'wet'?"

"Of course!" the shopkeeper replied excitedly. "The local specialties of the City of Tears are all special. Other shops won't tell you this, but I, Armstrong, am an honest, trustworthy, and warm-hearted person! Dried meat is one price, cured meat with fat is another price, and they taste different too. There are even swindlers who sell duck meat as beef!"

"That's why I'm saying, Father, please don't think I'm being long-winded. Although we're located in London, a developed and civilized country, when it comes to making money, it's a completely different story."

Xue Ming calmly put the wrench into the doctor's bag, tightened the pipe wrench, and clipped it to the belt clip.

"I'll take about 700 grams of dried meat, thank you."

"Hey! Why are you being so polite? Don't use such a formal address." The shopkeeper picked up two strings of dried meat from the shelf, took them in his hand, and used a knife to cut off a piece of purplish-red jerky. Although the beef had lost its moisture, it still smelled of spices. Just as the shopkeeper said, this was the local specialty of Tear City —in the earlier Pioneering Era, the ancestors of the people in the lower city used this method to process meat, which was a staple food carried with them on long journeys.

Seven hundred grams of dried meat could fill the entire doctor's bag, which exceeded Xue Ming's expectations. He had thought that a pound and a half of meat wouldn't take up too much space, but he didn't expect there to be so much.

"What's wrong, can't take any more?" the shopkeeper asked.

Jiang Xueming: "Less, please."

Shopkeeper: "I'll give you 500 grams! Consider the extra a gift! Including the wrench and pliers, that's a total of 177 Hui Stone Currency."

Xue Ming took out some change from his bag and saw the shopkeeper find another cloth bag for buying groceries, carefully wrapping all the dry food in it. Then he heard the shopkeeper ask curiously.

"Father, can you sing hymns? Can you celebrate Mass? Would you be willing to perform a ceremony for my daughter?"

Xue Ming quickly replied, "I know a little, but I'm not an expert."

The boss continued, "Oh! No need for any complicated ceremony. My daughter, Armstrong's (a direct translation of Armstrong's name) daughter, has recently run into a little trouble—she's pregnant."

"You want me to baptize the newborn child?" Xue Ming asked.

The boss shook his head. "No, no, no, we strong families don't have that custom. You can tell from how well I speak Chinese that I'm not some old European—we don't follow that."

Xue Ming then asked, "What does that mean?"

The boss sighed, "It's like she's under a spell, fallen in love with a low-ranking member of the King's Gang. She's madly in love, and before she's even married, she can't wait to have this gang member's child."

Xue Ming: "Do you want me to break his legs?"

The boss had a strange expression.

Xue Ming quickly changed his tune. "What I mean is, you want this gang member to take responsibility?"

"No, no, what are you thinking?" The shopkeeper denied it repeatedly. "I'm not some traditional patriarch whose daughter can love whomever she wants! When she Quack, my wife and I weren't even married yet! I finally managed to scrape together some money from Silver Bay, going from a penniless bachelor to the manager of this grocery store—maybe it's my wife's gentle gaze that made me want to settle down and live a peaceful life."

Xue Ming: "Hmm."

The shop owner said, "I just wanted to ask you, Father, to sing a song for my unborn grandson. I hope this little life will grow up healthy and strong, just like a birthday blessing."

Xue Ming: "No problem."

The boss nodded repeatedly, putting down his work. He called his daughter Aisha, and asked her and her future husband Oliver, to come and listen to the priest's singing.

But that's life; it often doesn't go as planned.

Aisha works at a laundromat and doesn't have time until after 6 p. m. She's already showing and has to work hard to make a living despite her large belly.

Oliver is a handyman for the King's Gang. This boy is six years younger than Aisha and just turned nineteen this year. We know that the King's Gang has always considered Silver Bay their rival. Oliver is a member of the King's Gang, while the strong-armed guy is a member of Silver Bay. The relationship between father-in-law and son-in-law is definitely not good.

While waiting for the newlyweds, the burly boss chatted with the priest about life.

"Father, what is your view of God?"

Jiang Xueming: "To me, it's a dog."

The muscular man was quite surprised. "Huh? Why?"

Jiang Xueming: "This world has spiritual energy and spiritual bodies, just like the opposite symmetry of chiral molecules. God and Dog are also a kind of chiral arrangement."

The burly man scratched his head, puzzled.

Jiang Xueming continued, "The Bible is a reference book that teaches people how to guide themselves away from suffering. It seems that the source of wisdom lies within it. Fifteen thousand years ago, dogs and humans became friends, and even today, lapis lazuli dogs are our good friends. These warriors who have shed their blood all have divine blood flowing through their veins—if God is truly omnipresent and omnipotent, then dogs are also a part of God."

Strong-armed. "This is so complicated!"

Jiang Xueming: "Is it complicated? Think about it, dogs can understand human speech, dogs have feelings, they'll be sad when you're sad, and happy when you're happy. Dogs know everything, but they can't speak. Dogs don't mind if you're poor, and they won't eat you just because they're hungry. Dogs won't lie to you, and they won't betray you. After giving birth to puppies, a dog will bring them to you immediately. You have many, many people in your world, but its world only has you—a dog won't discriminate against you because you're white, black, or Asian. A dog doesn't care about your gender, and it certainly won't argue or quarrel with you because of your religion. Its world is simple, full of divinity."

The muscular man asked, "Father, do you keep dogs?"

Jiang Xueming: "I used to raise them."

During Xue Ming's most painful childhood years at the Jiang family's old house, only a nameless "dog" lived with him and looked after Bailu. As for the two old bastards in the Jiang family, they were a different kind of extreme mental torture and could not be called life.

The strong-armed man said, "I'll go buy one when I have time. I think if Aisha and Oliver break up, I'll have to find a partner too."

"Are you divorced?" Jiang Xueming asked in return.

The burly man, looking embarrassed, said, "I've never been married. My wife gave birth to Aisha, but she ran away before this grocery store even opened—she looked down on me."

Jiang Xueming: "You haven't gone to see her?"

The burly man's face immediately darkened. "She's not coming to find me? Why should I be the one to go to her?"

Jiang Xueming: "Perhaps she's like you, waiting for you to take the initiative?"

Strong-armed. "Really?"

Jiang Xueming: "Life is always about waiting, endless waiting—that's just how it is, and people love to wait. The one waiting always thinks they are in control, just like me, I'm waiting for someone right now."

The burly man asked, "Who are you waiting for?"

Just then, a black Volga stopped next to shop number thirteen. After several attempts to back up, the clumsy driver finally managed to back the car into the parking space.

A one-eyed man stepped out of the car; it was Mr. Cock of the King's Gang. His face was extremely grim. He had just returned from the Police Department, presumably regarding the matter of several sentries in the Northwest Building complex. He was going to pay bail to get them released.

"I'm going to take care of something, my arms are strong." Jiang Xueming left the cloth bag on the small seat in front of the grocery store; the dry food simply wouldn't fit in the doctor's bag. "Take care of my things, and come back soon. When your daughter Aisha returns, I'll sing for you."

The burly man immediately smiled and replied, "Okay!"

As he said this, Xue Ming hurriedly followed Cock. The new guy who parked the car for the King's Gang officers happened to be Oliver. Several sentries at the gang's branch were injured, and this small gang needed fresh blood to fill in, so he, the laborer, became Mr. Cock's driver.

Oliver was a terrible driver and was viciously scolded by Mr. Cock. In his anger, he saw a priest carrying a Bible slowly walking towards his father-in-law, who seemed to be heading towards the card room. So he went up to ask him.

What do you do?

Jiang Xueming replied, "Let's play cards."

As he said this, he took out a business card—the card contained the information of telephone operator Luo Kang.

The long-time residents of St. Monica Street don't have many entertainment options. Aside from watching games, going to internet cafes, and scrolling through their phones, they spend their time in this small card room. Everyone has their own relatively closed community and generally doesn't welcome newcomers—to avoid their wages ending up in outsiders' pockets through the card table.

Oliver replied impatiently, "Go somewhere else. You're not welcome here."

Jiang Xueming had no choice. If he couldn't get into the card room, he wouldn't be able to see Cock. And if he couldn't see Cock, the wrench and pipe wrench in the doctor's bag would be useless.

He didn't want to climb over walls, break through windows, or force his way in. This outfit was a gift from Daphne, and he had to take good care of it. If it had a few more bullet holes, he wouldn't be able to explain to the Qingjin Police Department where he got his bulletproof monk skills when he gave his statement.

"I'm looking for Cock." Jiang Xueming decided to get straight to the point.

Oliver paused for a moment, then immediately asked, "You're here to buy appetizers?"

Jiang Xueming: "I don't do drugs."

Oliver: "Which branch are you from? Since when do churches need appetizers?"

In the Post-Gunsmith Era, the soft drugs sold by the King's Gang have actually changed in several ways, evolving into different varieties and functions to meet different needs.

The City of Tears mainly sells several types of hallucinogens, primarily food-grade flavorings. For example, some bakeries in the City of Tears always have a special aroma that makes people's mouths water, but the bread you buy doesn't have that aroma at all. This is the hallucinogenic flavoring that the King's Gang sells privately. Its effects are weak and it is even difficult to make people addicted, but the raw material is still a soft drug.

This aromatherapy product runs rampant in the pet restaurants of downtown, selling "happiness" to customers alongside cats and dogs. It doesn't even harm people's mucous membranes or nerves. Ultimately, it's part of the black market. The King's Gang now only dares to sell appetizers. This is a small worker left behind by Lawrence Madison's chemical drug empire. It has transformed from Mr. Pan's small workshop into the King's Gang.

Oliver assumed the priest had come to buy appetizers; perhaps the priest also needed these spices to add a touch of dreamy allure to the church.

"I'm from Brenwell, and I work at Evangelical Church," Jiang Xueming introduced herself without any hesitation. "I'd like to see Mr. Cock."

Oliver didn't think anything was wrong and let Jiang Xueming in. When he got to the telephone operator's position, he talked to the new guy about it, and the telephone operator who took over Luo Kang's position immediately notified the boss Cock, that there was a new customer.

Xue Ming crouched down, lifted the beaded curtain at the back door, went inside, and went up the small staircase on the left. He climbed to the third floor and squeezed through a low door. The building was like a maze, and it was built in the early days of Tear City for the short and thin hybrid of the disaster beasts.

Upon reaching the corridor on the third floor, Xue Ming saw thugs smoking on both sides. Passing through four doors, he saw armed personnel resting in the rooms. After clearly seeing the weapon configuration and personnel distribution, Xue Ming went to the boss's office and politely knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Cock called out.

"Hello! Mr. Cock!" Jiang Xueming greeted him with a beaming smile, commencing business operations.

Cock was short in stature with a protruding face, looking exactly like a rat hybrid, with pointed ears as well. When this rat-man saw the new guest, he immediately cleared the gloom off his face.

"Oh! Hello! You can speak Spanish?"

Jiang Xueming: "Yes, I noticed that the calendars here are all in Spanish."

This made Cock feel incredibly honored and flattered; it had been a very long time since he had had such a polite guest.

"Please! Please sit down! Let's talk while you're seated!"

Jiang Xueming sat opposite Cock, the narrow chair not quite fitting him, but he still sat upright.

"Oliver told me you came from that muscular guy's grocery store?" Cock asked.

Jiang Xueming: "Yes, I needed to buy some things on short notice, and I didn't expect the shop owner to be your driver's father-in-law. What a coincidence!"

Cock immediately perked up. "Hahahaha! That store will belong to Oliver sooner or later, and to the King's Gang sooner or later—Lady Luck always favors the brave! Just like you meeting me!"

"Indeed," Jiang Xueming replied with a smile, "Before discussing business, I'd like to ask..."

Cock: "Please speak."

Jiang Xueming: "How did Oliver and Aisha meet?"

Cock: "That kid's an orphan, grew up in a juvenile detention center, and the girl with the big arms works there as a caregiver—everyone in the neighborhood knows that."

Jiang Xueming: "Oh."

Cock continued, "He was six years younger than Aisha, and treated Aisha like a sister and a mother. He said Aisha was the only light in his life. Aisha read stories to him, took him along, and sang plays at the nursing home. They fell in love—all the brothers were happy for them! It's just that Aisha's old man, that big old man, was such an eyesore!"

Jiang Xueming: "Hmm"

Cock: "I heard from Oliver that you are a priest?"

Jiang Xueming: "Yes."

Cock: "Oh! Our old telephone operator has gone mad, apparently he's run into a priest too."

At this point, the rat-man Cock immediately waved his hand in denial, trying to explain something and distance himself from the situation.

"Of course! Of course I'm not talking about you. Someone as elegant and noble as you would never have anything to do with this."

"Luo Kang called and said that a priest broke a few of his bones, and then he suddenly went crazy and started talking nonsense—he's quitting too. It's really unbelievable. These days, it's not easy to find a reliable telephone operator. You have to be good at reading people and know what those lackeys of the Police Department are doing in the city. Luo Kang also likes to be on duty. Actually, he doesn't have to be on duty. There are some jobs he doesn't have to do. It's a pity that the boss likes him so much."

Jiang Xueming took out a business card from his doctor's bag. "Indeed."

Cock took the business card. "Let's get back to the business. Let me take a look."

At this point, the rat-man finally came to his senses.

"Brenwell Evangelical Church"

The priest that Luo Kang mentioned is the same person.

"When people are in a life-or-death situation," Jiang Xueming took a wrench and pipe wrench from his doctor's bag and put them back on the table, "God will give them a chance, Mr. Cock."

Screams like pigs being slaughtered came from the third-floor room, followed by the sounds of pots and pans being smashed and iron being struck, and occasional gunshots.

In front of the grocery store not far away, the burly man looked at the King's Gang's branch building with a puzzled expression. Immediately, vehicles from the Police Department arrived, followed by an ambulance from the medical clinic.

One by one, the gang's thugs were carried out horizontally. Although they were all seriously injured with broken bones but not dead, they were still worried about the safety of their future son-in-law, so they crowded into the crowd to look around.

But Oliver was unharmed. The young man walked out standing up, his legs trembling as he wet himself, his eyes unfocused, overwhelmed by the terror of violence and the threat of death, barely able to think.

The Lapis Lazuli Guards who came to investigate conducted a brief review and then let the timid driver go.

The strong man helped his future son-in-law back to the grocery store. Oliver had just sat down when he heard a loud and powerful singing voice—the fierce priest who used to smash skulls in the room was now standing in front of him, singing as if nothing had happened.

"Non! Je ne regrette rien"

No, I don't regret it at all.

"Ni le bien, qu'on m'a faitNi le mal, touta m'est bienégal!"

Whether people are good to me or bad to me, it's all the same to me.

"Non! Rien de rien"

No, it's nothing.

"Non! Je ne regrette rien"

No, I don't regret it at all.

"Car ma vie, car mes joies"

Because of my life, my joy

"Aujourd'hui, a commence avec toi!"

[Starting today, let's begin anew together!]

Oliver: "Dad."

The burly man asked, "What did you call me?"

Oliver: "Daddy, Daddy, I want to marry Aisha! I want to stay in this shop! I'm not going anywhere else, Daddy!"

Strong-armed man. "This is fucking a ghost!"

The boss was completely baffled, so he went to the priest, tugged at the priest's sleeve, and told Xue Ming to stop singing.

"What's going on?! Father!"

Jiang Xueming replied with a kind and gentle expression.

"--This is a miracle."

The burly man said with a hint of doubt, "You're not lying to me!"

"I swear in the name of God." Jiang Xueming made the sign of the cross with one hand in front of his chest, slung the bloodstained wrench and the deformed pipe wrench behind his back, "This is a miracle."