Sun Family Treasure Ship

"Just saying a few words and you want Brother Shen Wu to teach you boxing? Where could there be such a good thing?"

After Wei Luo rejected Li Yue and the others, they went to Shen Wu instead.

After they explained their intentions, Shen Wu had yet to say anything when Luo Sanhu beside him immediately sneered in disdain.

Luo Sanhu was also one of the five who had passed the assessment, but his result was even worse than Wei Luo's. He had only barely passed by the skin of his teeth at the ten-breath mark.

Although his comprehension was poor, his mind was fairly nimble.

Shen Wu had good innate talent and comprehension, and his martial arts progress left everyone else far behind.

Thus, from the very first days after entering the compound, Luo Sanhu had deliberately befriended Shen Wu and called him "Big Brother."

It was also thanks to Shen Wu's guidance that he had managed to pass the assessment.

The people who wanted to learn boxing grew anxious and hurriedly asked, "Then what would it take for you to teach us the fist techniques?"

Luo Sanhu immediately held up three fingers.

"Three hundred copper coins per person for one lesson of the fist technique."

"Th-three hundred copper coins?! That's far too expensive. We might as well find someone else."

Everyone looked stunned. They had not expected Luo Sanhu to open his mouth like a lion.

"That's already too expensive for you? Then wait until you pass the assessment before learning boxing."

Luo Sanhu spoke with an unconcerned look.

After a bout of inner struggle, they ultimately nodded one after another and agreed.

Three hundred copper coins was no small sum to them, but who could guarantee that they would definitely pass the next assessment?

One step slow, every step slow. They were already one step behind, and they desperately wanted to use this method to catch up to Wei Luo and the others.

After all, once the two months were up, if they had not even gotten started with the fist techniques, they would truly have to work for the Sun Family for three years without pay.

Just as several of them took out their money, the remaining girl spoke pitifully.

"But... I really don't have any money. We're all poor fishing folk, Brother Shen Wu. Could you take pity on me?"

Her apricot-blossom eyes shimmered with tears as Li Yue lowered her gaze toward Shen Wu beside her, once again using her old trick.

The moment Luo Sanhu heard that she had no money, his brows shot up.

"No money, then what the hell are you talking for?"

But Shen Wu, who had been watching from the side, suddenly spoke up.

"Hey, Sanhu, that's not right.

"She's right. We're all poor people, so we should help each other. Don't charge her."

A month ago, Shen Wu had still been a shy youth. But now, as his exceptional innate talent showed itself and his strength gradually emerged,

he had become confident all over. Every gesture carried the spirit of youth and the air of a promising young man.

Hearing this, Luo Sanhu looked at Li Yue's delicate face, then at her ample bosom, and immediately caught on. He changed his tune.

"Big Brother Shen Wu is right. Why aren't you thanking Big Brother Shen Wu?"

"Thank you, Brother Shen Wu. Brother Shen Wu truly is different from everyone else."

Li Yue immediately revealed a delighted expression and repeatedly thanked Shen Wu. Her watery eyes would always meet Shen Wu's by accident, before she quickly "lowered her head shyly."

The others who had paid also took the opportunity to shower Shen Wu with praise. Perhaps because they felt somewhat humiliated after being rejected by Wei Luo, someone else spoke up.

"Brother Shen Wu is much easier to get along with. Unlike Wei Luo, who's arrogant beyond measure."

Luo Sanhu glanced at Wei Luo and immediately mocked him.

"Good thing you didn't learn boxing from him. He can only barely pass the assessment himself; he probably doesn't even understand the fist techniques."

The group promptly echoed him, saying outright that only by learning boxing from Shen Wu would they have any hope of becoming crewmen.

Seeing this, Bighead smiled at Wei Luo.

"See? You didn't make any money, and people are even looking down on you."

Wei Luo frowned slightly. This had originally been none of his business, but Luo Sanhu stepping on him again just to make money was rather irritating.

At that moment, someone came over and said, "Making such a fuss over earning this little bit of money—I'd say you've got the cart before the horse.

"Get started with the fist techniques early. Once you become crewmen, there'll be plenty of chances to make money. Earning ten-odd taels of silver on one voyage would be no trouble at all!"

This man was the tall, thin fellow from earlier. His name was Zhang Chi, and he had already been a Sun Family crewman for two years.

"Isn't the monthly pay only half a tael of silver? How could you make that much money? Brother Chi, tell us about it."

When Bighead heard that a single voyage could earn so much, he immediately became excited.

Zhang Chi seemed to have been waiting for him to ask and leisurely said, "The Sun Family has several treasure ships that can withstand great winds and towering waves. They go to dangerous places on the Hun River that few know of to fish. You should know about that, right?"

The two nodded. After entering the Sun Family, they had heard other crewmen talk about it.

But what Zhang Chi said next left them stunned.

"The Sun Family has a special method for catching treasure fish. Bringing in dozens of treasure fish on a single voyage would be no trouble at all."

At these words, Wei Luo's gaze immediately sharpened.

In his impression, treasure fish were things one could encounter only by chance.

He had once used the [Great Thousand Revelation] to deduce a treasure fish, and it had taken at least ten days to half a month. The Sun Family actually had a specialized method for catching treasure fish?

Having whetted their appetites enough, Zhang Chi finally continued.

"You may not be crewmen yet, but I have another way to catch treasure fish. I'm still short a few people.

"If things go smoothly, earning three to five taels of silver would be no trouble. Are you interested?"

Bighead was an orphan to begin with, with bare walls in his home. After hearing this, he nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking grain.

"Of course I'm interested! Brother Chi, count me in!"

A satisfied smile immediately appeared at the corner of Zhang Chi's mouth. Then he turned to look at Wei Luo.

But Wei Luo sneered inwardly and directly waved him off.

"Thank you for the offer, Brother Chi, but I've caught a chill recently and can't go into the water."

Earn three to five taels of silver so easily? And they just happened to be short a few people?

There was no need to deduce anything. Wei Luo understood that if such a pie-from-the-sky opportunity were real, there had to be something fishy about it.

Seeing Wei Luo refuse, Zhang Chi frowned and wanted to say something more, but Wei Luo gave him no chance. He got up and went to practice his boxing.

"Brother Chi, don't mind him. Wei Luo's just naturally at odds with money. Isn't there still me?"

Bighead immediately said with a smile.

A strange glint flashed through Zhang Chi's eyes. Then he patted Bighead on the shoulder.

"No rush. Once I've prepared everything, I'll let you know. It'll probably take around half a month."

After settling the matter, the two chatted for a while longer before Bighead finally remembered to start practicing boxing.

Wei Luo glanced at Bighead and gently shook his head.

Saying more would be useless and would only make others annoyed, so he continued honing his fist techniques.

Fish-Dragon Gang headquarters.

Li Dadao sat before a wine table, attended by scantily clad women.

By all rights, with wine in hand and beauties in his arms, he ought to have been in high spirits. Yet Li Dadao was restless and irritated.

"Hall Master, why aren't you drinking? Come on, have a drink~"

A woman raised her cup to urge him, only for Li Dadao to slap her to the ground. Half her face immediately swelled.

"Fuck, you're so slutty but have no flavor at all. Get the hell out!"

With Li Dadao's furious roar, the woman turned pale with fright and hurriedly withdrew.

"It's been days already. Where the hell did Feng Hao go? Why is there still no news?"

Seeing him lose his temper, the lackey standing nearby gathered his courage and replied, "Hall Master, we've turned Pingjiang Town upside down these past few days, but we couldn't find Feng Hao. Most likely... he's dead."

In times like these, there was no need to think too much about it. Disappearance meant death.

Hearing this result, Li Dadao slammed the table, his face twisting viciously.

With Feng Hao dead, the matter of threatening Wei Luo's mother had fallen through. How could he still speak of winning the beauty?

"Hall Master, if it really comes down to it, I can just tie her up and bring her here for you."

Seeing his hall master so furious, the lackey immediately suggested the most direct solution.

Li Dadao looked at him with disdain.

"A forcibly twisted melon isn't sweet, what the hell do you know? I need to think of a way to make this woman willingly become my wife."

Just as Li Dadao furrowed his brows in thought, a group of hurried lackeys rushed in from outside.

"Hall Master, the Gang Master has given the order! We're to begin collecting this year's Fish-Dragon Tax!"

At this, a cruel gleam appeared in Li Dadao's eyes.

"Collecting taxes?

"Haha, that's a good thing. Pass the word immediately—put everything else aside and start collecting the Fish-Dragon Tax!"

The lackey who had just suggested kidnapping the woman asked again, "Hall Master, what about the Zhao Clan?"

Li Dadao hesitated for a moment, then immediately said in a low voice, "Collecting the Fish-Dragon Tax takes priority. We'll discuss that matter afterward."