The Water Transport Gang

The Water Transport Gang... heh.

Rumored to have committed every evil imaginable, kicking down widows' doors and digging up the graves of the childless...

"Alright, many thanks, Brother Du Feng. I understand."

Zhou Kai offered his thanks, then shifted the tone of the conversation, lowering his voice: "There is one more question. I can't figure it out myself, so I must ask you, Senior Brother."

Du Feng's neck shrank back abruptly, his eyes instinctively darting toward the door: "Y-you... speak."

Zhou Kai stared into his eyes, asking word by word: "Do the people from the Water Transport Gang have guns?"

Du Feng gave a dry laugh: "Not to that extent... the Red Star Republic has very strict bans on firearms, though... one shouldn't say never."

"Anyway... anyway, the quantity certainly won't be high. I expect they are all gripped in the hands of those big bosses."

Zhou Kai grinned: "Is that so? That's good then."

Facing trash like the Water Transport Gang...

As long as they weren't armed with an AK in every hand, Zhou Kai reckoned that playing around with them wouldn't be impossible.

Back in university, thanks to a ruthless roommate, he had been exposed to firearms quite early on.

"Senior Brother, I'm heading out. See you tonight."

Zhou Kai raised his hand and patted Du Feng lightly on the shoulder.

Du Feng, however, acted as if he had been electrocuted, grabbing Zhou Kai with one hand.

"Are you insane? I've said all that, and you're still going to throw your life away?"

Zhou Kai didn't even look, simply prying Du Feng's hand off in a leisurely manner.

"I took on some private work, teaching a few apprentices to earn some extra cash."

"Now, it's time."

In this era, as long as one is willing to spend the money, the results medical technology can achieve are nothing short of miraculous.

After undergoing a series of expensive, specialized treatments, Wang Jinquan was discharged that very afternoon.

South of Xishan City, Xiangping District.

Shangpinzhai Teahouse.

The air was filled with the faint, elegant fragrance of top-tier Dahongpao tea, though unfortunately, it was all ruined by the stench of cheap alcohol clinging to Wang Jinquan.

"Uncle Yuanzheng, I truly can't fucking understand it. How can this world be so unfair!" He tilted his head back and downed the wine in his cup in one gulp.

"Why? I have money, I have talent, yet that Falcon Wing Boxing Gym still treats me like a dog!"

"They teach one move and hide another, dragging things out for months, years... No wonder Ancient Martial Arts are doomed to perish. They deserve it!"

Wang Yuanzheng cast a cold, indifferent glance.

He extended two fingers and, with an expression of disgust, pushed the cup his nephew had touched to the corner of the table, frowning: "Jinquan, endure it a little longer. The things at Falcon Wing Martial Arts Hall are different."

"How are they different? It's just boxing, and I still have to fucking take medicine!"

Wang Jinquan stiffened his neck, the rolls of fat on his face twitching from alcohol and rage, making him look even older than his uncle.

"What's the difference between taking medicine and getting injections? If I'd known it was this much trouble, I would have just gone straight for that Lyle Federation stuff!"

Wang Yuanzheng's voice turned abruptly stern: "If you want to drink in the future, go somewhere else. Don't come to my teahouse and dirty my floor!"

"Wang Jinquan, I will emphasize this to you one more time."

"In the entire Red Star Republic, the only Ancient Martial Arts schools with complete lineages that are confirmed to stably reach the higher realms are the Broken Wing Style, the Blue Leopard Style, and the Fish Dragon Style."

"Our Wang Family needs a true martial artist!"

He lowered his voice, speaking coldly: "You should know that a martial artist and those augmented humans created by injections are not the same thing at all..."

Wang Jinquan fell silent. After a long while, he muttered unwillingly: "But even if I become a martial artist, don't I still have to be transformed into an augmented human? Why go through all this effort?"

Wang Yuanzheng shook his head, a trace of contempt flashing in his eyes.

"The compatibility of augmentation serums and various implants varies wildly from person to person. If an ordinary person undergoes direct modification, at best they become a Level 2 augmented human—nothing more than a slightly stronger consumable."

"However, as long as one is a martial artist who has entered the True Energy stage, their starting point after modification is a stable Level 3."

"Level 3, in a place like Xishan, is enough to let the Wang Family... catch its breath for a few more years."

Wang Jinquan scratched his hair in frustration.

In his generation, he was the only male heir left in the Wang Family.

He enjoyed everything the Wang Family provided, so naturally, he had to shoulder the Wang Family's expectations.

Practice martial arts step by step, break through to True Energy, and once there is no further progress, lie on the operating table to utilize the Lyle Federation's human modification technology to take the next step.

Then, in this increasingly chaotic world, extend the life of the Wang Family's sinking ship for a few more years.

He muttered under his breath.

"Level 3 augmented human... not even afraid of guns. Is it really that mysterious?"

Wang Yuanzheng could no longer be bothered to answer such a foolish question from Wang Jinquan.

He simply kept a cold face and waved his hand as if shooing away a fly.

"Get out. The stench of alcohol on you doesn't suit my tea. Next time you want to come, wash yourself clean first."

"Also, I've already found people to deal with that brat who hit you," Wang Yuanzheng said, his tone flat and devoid of any ripples.

"You just focus on your training. The Wang Family won't let anyone stand in your way."

"The only thing that can hinder your progress in the martial path is yourself!"

The drunkenness on Wang Jinquan's face vanished in an instant, and he bared his teeth in a grin that grew wider and wider.

He hadn't taken a single word of the exhortation to heart, but he had heard the part about teaching Zhou Kai a lesson loud and clear.

He had only hired a few thugs to smash up Zhou Kai's home as a warning.

His own uncle was actually far more ruthless than he was.

He could already imagine the scene of that brat surnamed Zhou being sunk into the Xishan River to feed the fish.

When his uncle took action, he always left behind corpses, never survivors.

Xishan City Chaomu Camping Park.

The barbecue sizzled on the iron grate, grease dripping down and igniting small, fragrant flames.

Zhou Kai was almost amused to the point of laughter.

He had just met up with Fischl and her group, only to find that these young masters and misses had no intention of studying whatsoever; they had simply dragged him out here to go camping.

Zhou Kai didn't have the leisure to go wild with them, so he chatted with the bodyguard Yang Hao while absentmindedly flipping the meat.

They were still talking about martial artists and augmented humans.

There was no helping it; information was heavily restricted these days. Anything about these core secrets on the internet was at most a few unsubstantiated rumors, and it was impossible to find any systematic information.

Chen Ping had gone missing again today, so if Zhou Kai wanted to resolve the doubts in his heart, he had no choice but to ask Yang Hao, with whom he had become acquainted through a fight.

Upon hearing this, Yang Hao gave him a strange look and sized him up: "I heard from the young miss that you're from the Falcon Wing Boxing Gym, right? A martial artist who doesn't know the secrets of martial artists—does that even make sense?"

"I reckon even those little brats like Xiao Ma and Xiao Yuan know the basics."

Zhou Kai spread his hands, looking innocent: "Don't believe me? I only started a few days ago."

Yang Hao feigned annoyance: "Stop with the humble-bragging, kid! With your build, and that raw strength you showed the other day... you're not far from grasping True Energy, are you?"

"What level have you reached in your Fundamental Method? Proficiency? Or Great Success?"

Zhou Kai was truly bewildered: "What is a Fundamental Method?"

Yang Hao gasped, clicking his tongue in wonder as he looked at him: "Since you joined Falcon Wing, you must be practicing the Falcon Strike Technique... fine, I get it now. You really don't know anything."

"I don't know how your master has been teaching you."

But Zhou Kai hadn't even taken a master yet...

Seeing the conversation drifting further and further away, Zhou Kai waved his hand with a smile, urging Yang Hao to get back to the point.

He wanted to hear about the specific ins and outs of martial artists and augmented humans.

Still, Yang Hao felt quite satisfied.

It was true that this kid Zhou Kai could fight better than him, but when it came to experience, he was still a greenhorn.

He took a swig of ice-cold beer, leaned back comfortably in his chair, adopted the air of a senior expert, cleared his throat, and spoke as concisely as possible.

"Ancient martial arts are mainly practiced by us in the Red Star Republic, though a few neighboring countries in the same cultural sphere have similar paths, like Bushido, and... Damo Gong."

"As far as I know, the martial path is divided into two realms. The first realm is True Energy; the second is Qi Induction."

"Generally, once a martial artist reaches the True Energy stage, their physique completely crushes that of an ordinary person. Throw them into a crowd, and it's like a tiger entering a flock of sheep—one punch for every kid."

"Mind you, when I say they can take on ten or fifty men, that's based on people like me who have trained. Ordinary people? Even a hundred of them would just be serving themselves up on a platter."

When speaking of the second realm, Yang Hao shook his head, his face showing a bit more reverence.

"The second realm, Qi Induction... I've only heard the name, I've never seen a living soul who has actually reached this level."

"In any case, it's definitely far stronger than the True Energy stage."

Zhou Kai's interest was piqued; he picked up a sizzling, half-cooked steak and shoved it into his mouth, the meaty flavor exploding in his mouth instantly.

As he chewed, he gestured for Yang Hao to continue.

"What about augmented humans? What's the situation with them?"