Middle-Aged People Always Have Strange Ailments

Chen Gu was just about to regroup and detail the benefits of joining the Fire Hammer Squad to Luo Zhe once more, hoping to win him over.

However, Wu Tong, who had been chatting happily with his former captain on the edge of the crowd, suddenly walked over. This made Chen Gu nervous; he hoped this old fox wasn't here to poach his recruit!

"Luo Zhe, I was just about to call you." Wu Tong walked up to Luo Zhe with a smile and patted him on the shoulder. "Come, come, let me introduce you to a new friend."

With that, Wu Tong reached out to usher Luo Zhe toward the crowd.

Chen Gu couldn't sit still any longer. He immediately stepped forward to intercept Wu Tong, spreading his arms wide like a mother hen protecting her chicks. "Brother Wu, poaching someone right in front of me? That's not very honorable!"

Hearing this, Wu Tong was completely bewildered. How was he poaching anyone?

"Old Chen, what are you talking about? What do you mean poaching in front of you? Besides, when have I ever stolen your people? I was just taking Luo Zhe to..." As he spoke, Wu Tong glanced at Luo Zhe, suddenly realized what was happening, and gave Chen Gu an annoyed look.

"Look at how stingy you are. Luo Zhe is part of your Fire Hammer Squad; he isn't going anywhere. No one is trying to take him from you."

Chen Gu didn't care about being called stingy. Hearing the words "Luo Zhe is part of your Fire Hammer Squad" made him ecstatic. Right now, he was dead set on getting Luo Zhe into the squad, and as long as no one was poaching him, everything else was negotiable.

"You promised, then! If your captain tries to snatch Luo Zhe away, I'm coming to your house for dinner every single day until I eat you out of house and home!"

Wu Tong quickly raised his hands in surrender. "Fine, fine, no poaching! Who would dare steal a man from you, Master Chen? I'd be the first to object, alright!?"

It really is true that a rogue isn't scary, but a rogue with an education is—especially one like Chen Gu, who had both an education and patience. Who could handle that?

Luo Zhe stood by, speechless. He had thought his former neighbor, Aunt Xiao, was the most unreasonable person in the world, but after meeting Chen Gu, he realized that record had just been broken.

Having finally managed to shake off Chen Gu, Wu Tong hurriedly pulled Luo Zhe away, fearing that if he stayed, Chen Gu might have another inexplicable change of heart.

Wu Tong didn't lead Luo Zhe into the thick of the crowd, but instead brought him to the edge, where a silver-haired man in a black robe stood—the same person he had been talking to earlier.

Wu Tong addressed the silver-haired man, "Captain, this is the genius our Extreme Martial Arts Hall recruited this year, Luo Zhe."

Captain?

Luo Zhe curiously sized up the silver-haired man. Wu Tong was the head of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall in Yangzhou City and held a very high status. If even he had to call this man "Captain," what kind of status did this person have?

At that moment, the silver-haired man swept his gaze over Luo Zhe. His eyes felt like an endless starry sky, enveloping Luo Zhe entirely. Under that gaze, Luo Zhe felt as if he had been stripped bare.

Before Luo Zhe could react, the silver-haired man suddenly laughed, and the feeling of being exposed vanished instantly.

"Not bad, he's a good seedling."

The silver-haired man was the first to extend his hand. "Let me introduce myself. I am Zhou Yu, captain of the War Shadow Squad. Are you interested in joining..."

Before Zhou Yu could finish, Wu Tong quickly grabbed his hand and whispered into his ear, "Captain, Luo Zhe is a genius martial artist personally recruited by Director Zhuge. The director instructed me to have him join the Fire Hammer Squad first for some tempering, and once he grows a bit, he can move on to a better War General-level squad."

Zhou Yu understood immediately. So, he's a young master with backing, and his career path is already mapped out. With that, Zhou Yu stopped mentioning joining his squad, and the warmth in his smile dimmed slightly.

Seeing this, Wu Tong realized his captain had misunderstood, but he couldn't explain much in front of Luo Zhe. He could only force a smile and introduce them. "Luo Zhe, this is Zhou Yu, the captain of my former squad. He is a powerful War General-level martial artist. Perhaps you'll have the chance to work together in the wilderness area in the future."

Luo Zhe looked at Zhou Yu with curiosity. This was the third War General-level martial artist he had met since arriving at the Bright Moon Residential Area, and he seemed much stronger than both Wu Tong and Chen Gu.

However, after whatever Wu Tong had whispered to him, Luo Zhe clearly felt the man's attitude shift 180 degrees, as if he were a completely different person.

If Luo Zhe knew that Wu Tong had accidentally labeled him a "wealthy young master," he would probably have died of embarrassment in the bathroom.

"Hello, Captain Zhou Yu. I am Luo Zhe. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise, likewise. Maybe we'll have a chance to work together later."

Zhou Yu narrowed his eyes and took a long look at Luo Zhe. At first glance, he didn't seem to have the bad habits of a spoiled rich kid, but having seen too many "second-generation" martial artists who relied on their family background to act recklessly, Zhou Yu internally downgraded his assessment of Luo Zhe. Naturally, he didn't feel like starting a conversation.

Seeing that Zhou Yu had no desire to chat further, Luo Zhe was happy to stay quiet and stand to the side.

The atmosphere turned cold. Wu Tong knew it was his own fault for speaking out of turn, but he couldn't think of a way to liven things up.

"Ding!" Just then, the elevator reached the sixth floor.

The doors opened, and under the guidance of Qiu Yi, the eight candidates for the quasi-martial artist examination entered the training hall. Wu Tong, desperate for an excuse to break the tension, stepped forward and addressed the onlookers: "They're here, stop chatting."

"Qiu Yi, prepare the test," Wu Tong ordered, then turned to Luo Zhe and Zhou Yu. "Captain, Luo Zhe, you two keep talking. I have to go conduct the quasi-martial artist test for them."

Zhou Yu nodded, and Luo Zhe spoke up, "It's fine, Uncle Wu, go ahead and do your work."

Uncle Wu!?

Hearing how Luo Zhe addressed Wu Tong, Zhou Yu couldn't help but chuckle. He shook his head, thinking, I'm a middle-aged man myself, why am I getting worked up over a kid? If he was born into a good family, that's his own capability. Why was I being so petty about his wealth?

Luo Zhe watched as Zhou Yu laughed to himself and shook his head, wondering what was wrong with him. He asked with concern, "Captain Zhou Yu, are you alright?"

Zhou Yu smiled and shook his head. "I'm fine. I just suddenly realized something."

Looking at Luo Zhe, who had retreated to his spot, Zhou Yu patted him on the shoulder. "Don't call me Captain Zhou Yu anymore. Just call me Uncle Zhou, haha."

"Oh." Seeing Zhou Yu's smile, Luo Zhe subconsciously took a step to the side.

Maybe they have psychological issues from killing too many monsters, Luo Zhe thought. Chen Gu is like that, and this Captain Zhou Yu is the same.

Thinking this, he stopped worrying about the change in Zhou Yu's attitude.

After all, these middle-aged men were under a lot of life pressure, and they were losing their hair; it was understandable that their moods fluctuated. It was probably just menopause—forgivable.

At this moment, Wu Tong had already collected the ID cards of the eight candidates and was ready to begin the quasi-martial artist examination.