Longjin Road, Chen's Rice Noodle Factory.
"Aunt-in-law, I'm back." When Li Xiuwen returned, his aunt-in-law was making dinner.
"Perfect timing. I made some sea cucumber congee today," she said with a smile.
"Now that's a feast!"
"It's your first day of Fist Training. We have to celebrate and get some good nourishment into you."
"Thanks, Aunt-in-law, but don't spend so much next time. As long as I get enough to eat, that's fine. I don't need rich supplements in the early stages of training."
Li Xiuwen felt a little guilty.
Of course, nourishing food would be better.
But his family couldn't afford it... It wasn't as if he played football.
"Did your training go well today?"
"I haven't started yet. Today was about learning the basics before we begin practicing."
"You have to study, too? Those Fist Masters in the Grand Arena don't look particularly educated. I never knew there was so much to learning Fist Training."
"Where's Uncle-in-law?"
"Working overtime."
Li Xiuwen knew his uncle-in-law wanted to save up enough money as soon as possible so he and his aunt-in-law could move somewhere better.
But Fragrant Sea had too many people and too little land. Every inch was worth a fortune. Even an ordinary apartment outside the Enclave was a dream beyond most people's reach.
While they ate, his aunt-in-law casually said, "A Wen, I got a phone call from someone called Zhao Dalong. He said he was a friend from your hometown who came over illegally with you?"
Li Xiuwen looked up as memories surfaced. "Yes. What did he want?"
"He said he'd tracked down a few friends who came over with you and escaped the Snake Den. He wants everyone to get together at Fortune Tower outside the Enclave."
"All right." Memories welled up in Li Xiuwen's mind.
Zhao Dalong, Ding Shao, Li Nanshu... He wondered how those friends who had shared his hardships were doing.
It was ten that night before his uncle-in-law came home, a blood-soaked adhesive bandage stuck to his forehead.
"How did you get hurt?" His aunt-in-law helped him take off his jacket, her face full of concern.
"It's nothing. I talked to Third Master about the protection money, and Brother Ji brought a few Street Thugs over and gave me a little cut," his uncle-in-law said.
"Brother Ji again? What's he playing at?" His aunt-in-law's expression darkened.
"He told me to pay the protection money directly to him from now on..." His uncle-in-law frowned.
"So we have to pay Third Master and Brother Ji? That Street Thug doesn't respect the rules at all. If he pushes us too far, we'll fight him to the death!" his aunt-in-law cursed.
"You said it yourself—he's a Street Thug. Those bastards live one day at a time. They don't give a damn about the rules." His uncle-in-law looked troubled.
"If only you'd learned to fight back then," his aunt-in-law sighed.
"I'm not cut out for Fist Training. Besides, times have changed. An ordinary person could train all his life and still end up getting shot."
"I'm pinning my hopes on A Wen. If he manages to learn something useful, we won't have to live in fear here anymore."
"Get to bed early. You can have anything in your dreams... Don't tell A Wen about today. Young men who've just started martial arts are the most likely to act rashly."
"What about the cut on your head?"
"Tell him I fell."
Wu Jun Hair Salon.
"Brother Jun."
"Here for work? I heard you've taken up boxing."
"I've only just started learning."
"Once you've learned enough, stop working as my assistant. Watch the place for me instead. If nothing happens, I'll pay you two hundred a month. Anything that does happen, we'll settle separately."
"Seriously?" Two hundred was quite a lot. Li Xiuwen was tempted. He wouldn't even have to come in to work-Brother Jun would only need to call him over if something happened.
"The Enclave's been restless these past few years. The Everjoy Society has its hands full. Little places like mine have practically been abandoned."
"What's going on?" Li Xiuwen had also felt the Enclave growing more unsettled lately.
Although the Walled City lay outside the authorities' jurisdiction, it had once been relatively stable under the protection of Mr. Ming and its largest gang, the Everjoy Society.
In his aunt-in-law's memories, the Walled City had even been a warm, friendly place in earlier years, with neighbors living in harmony.
In recent years, enormous quantities of opium had flooded into the Walled City. Dragon-Chasing Dukes proliferated, turning the Enclave into a foul mess and making life miserable for its people.
Groups of Street Thugs like the Children's Gang and the Thirteen Guardians, who ignored the underworld's rules, had also begun emerging and growing increasingly brazen.
"I don't know the details. An old friend in the United Heroes told me it's probably some huge gang outside the Enclave trying to get its hands on the Walled City."
"Which one?"
"Heaven's Will."
"So this is a clash between titans..." Li Xiuwen murmured.
The Everjoy Society was the largest gang in the Walled City. Most of the gangs inside the Enclave were actually its branches.
Heaven's Will, meanwhile, belonged to one of the three great families of the underworld outside the Walled City. Its boss, Heaven's Will Hao, was an influential figure throughout Fragrant Sea.
"Heaven's Will has been secretly driving the increase in Dragon-Chasing Dukes in the Enclave these past few years. Rumor has it Heaven's Will Hao controls half the opium trade in Fragrant Sea."
"Then I hope the Everjoy Society wins."
"Exactly. Mr. Ming strictly forbids his people from dealing in opium. He has limits and is easier to deal with... I hear that Heaven's Will Hao is a madman!"
"But you must think pretty highly of me, Brother Jun, asking me to watch your place." Li Xiuwen smiled as he worked.
"You had the guts to follow people over to Fragrant Sea illegally at such a young age, and you survived the Snake Den. You've got luck on your side! I reckon you can make something of yourself," Brother Jun joked.
"Won't that friend of yours in the United Heroes help you?"
"The United Heroes is just a third-rate gang outside the Enclave. They wouldn't dare come in here and get mixed up in something like this," Brother Jun said.
"Then a small fry like me should be even less willing to try," Li Xiuwen said.
"That's different. You're from the Enclave. Mr. Ming said residents could help each other watch their little businesses. Ever Joy won't interfere-they'll even back you up."
"Oh? There's a rule like that?"
Brother Jun lit a cigarette and sat down before saying:
"A Wen, you have to understand that even though we haven't joined the Everjoy Society,
"the moment we chose to settle in the Walled City, we joined Ever Joy's side in a sense.
"Small merchants and vendors like us pay the Everjoy Society 'Ever Joy money' every year.
"It's essentially protection money, too, just lower than what other gangs charge.
"And it's much lower than the Colonial Government's taxes.
"Since we've paid, the Everjoy Society ought to keep us safe.
"And that's what they used to do.
"But in recent years, powerful enemies have been circling outside the Enclave,
"while addicts and punks have been gathering inside it. The Everjoy Society has its hands full, too.
"If you watch my place, you'll be taking some pressure off Ever Joy. Naturally, they won't interfere."
Li Xiuwen smiled.
"I understand, Brother Jun."
Brother Jun continued, "The Walled City's outside the authorities' control partly because of historical issues, but Mr. Ming deserves some credit, too.
"Because of him, we don't have to pay taxes to the Colonial Government, and we can support ourselves.
"Because of him, the big gangs outside don't dare stroll in here and push us around.
"The Walled City may be a little chaotic, but for poor people, it's the best haven there is.
"Without the Walled City, could Fragrant Sea, where every inch of land costs a fortune, accommodate hundreds of thousands of people at the bottom like us?"
After thinking it over, Li Xiuwen said, "Brother Jun, let me consider it. I haven't even gotten anywhere with my training yet."
"I was only putting it out there... Learning martial arts is hard. I thought about it when I was young, too. The master said I had a Servant Physique, so I took my money and ran. To hell with training."
"Um, Brother Jun, could I get next month's wages in advance? I'm still a little short of the Martial Arts Hall's meal fees. Training makes me eat more, and dry rations don't fill me up."
"Here. Take it."
"Brother Jun, this is two hundred. You've given me seventy extra."
"Consider it my contribution to your training. Pay me back when you start making money."
"You're a true friend, Brother Jun!"
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