Bug Fixes

The Brain AI in his mind gave another disdainful snort at Zhang Xianyang's words.

In truth, this training regimen provided by the Intelligent Optical Brain was nothing more than something like radio calisthenics used by children aged six to twelve in schools across its extraterrestrial domain. But Zhang Xianyang felt that saying so would be far too embarrassing, so he took it upon himself to embellish it just a tiny bit.

After speaking, Zhang Xianyang got up and went upstairs. He took another stack of documents from his desk drawer, then turned and headed back down.

Zhang Linmo and his sons accepted the documents from Zhang Xianyang and examined them carefully. Due to the special nature of the Zhang Family's standing, the Zhang men had begun learning the martial arts passed down by their ancestors from a young age. The Zhang Family also secretly controlled a mysterious armed force. Therefore, Zhang Linmo and his sons could recognize the merits of this set of "Military Body Fist" and "troop training methods."

It could be said that the more advanced technology became, the deeper people's understanding of themselves and the world grew. Therefore, the extraterrestrial domain where the Intelligent Optical Brain existed, with technology countless times more advanced than Earth's, must naturally have conducted far more extensive research into the human body. Although this "Military Body Fist Manual" and "troop training methods" were the most commonplace things in the Brain AI's domain, for the far less developed people of Earth, they were already the most advanced things they could accept.

The Zhang men studied the documents in their hands for a long while. They felt that this material was more scientific, comprehensive, and worthy of reference than their current methods of training troops, and immediately decided to begin practicing it. As for whether it should be promoted throughout the entire gang...

After pondering for a long time, Zhang Linmo said, "Call your second uncle and cousin over for dinner tonight. Give him a copy to take back. Let the people within our Old Zhang Family start training with it first. If there are no problems, promote it among the Shadow Guards and the Council of Elders after one year, then throughout the entire gang after three years."

Clearly, Zhang Linmo intended to preserve the Old Zhang Family's exclusivity and superiority within the gang. No matter when or where, Zhang Linmo would never allow anything in the Old District to slip beyond his control. This was the domineering and flamboyant creed the Old District Zhang Family had always upheld.

Seeing this, Zhang Xianyang could only reveal a little more. "Wouldn't that be inappropriate? If we drag it out for too long, I'm afraid the others in the gang will have objections."

With a wickedly domineering wave of his hand, Zhang Linmo said, "Their opinions don't matter."

Zhang Xianyang nearly laughed out loud. He could only explain bluntly, "Don't worry, Dad. What we have now is only the most basic training method. Once everyone has adapted to this fist manual, I'll gradually bring out better training programs."

Zhang Linmo and his sons' eyes lit up, and they immediately changed their tune. "In that case, the Old Zhang Family should still train with it first. If there are no lingering problems, we'll implement it throughout the gang after a year."

With that, the matter of martial training came to a temporary end. The Zhang family members unconsciously glanced at the luxurious grandfather clock in the corner of the living room. It was obviously already past the time for Zhang Muyang and his brothers to go to school. Zhang Linmo simply said, "Then don't go to school today. Someone from the city will be coming later, and you can listen in as well."

Zhang Muyang and his brothers immediately stood up. They first pulled Zhang Xianyang along to put the documents on the tea table into the safe in the study. Then they returned to their rooms, set down their schoolbags, changed out of their uniforms, and came downstairs again. By then, Auntie Li, who had gone out to "buy groceries," had already returned and was carrying teacups over to serve a guest who had somehow appeared in the living room.

Zhang Xianyang raised his wrist to check the time. The hands had just passed eight o'clock. This mayor was certainly diligent at his job.

Gu Zhaohuan sat upright on the soft, comfortable sofa, his back straight. The atmosphere around him was quiet, yet it vaguely made him feel a trace of pressure. Across from him sat a middle-aged man with one leg crossed over the other, looking utterly languid. One hand propped up his chin while the other unconsciously tapped against the sofa armrest. His eyes occasionally drifted upstairs. He was like a great tiger that had just eaten its fill and was lying drowsily in the grass—dangerous, yet harmless.

Perhaps because he was more relaxed at home, Gu Zhaohuan keenly noticed that Zhang Linmo, dressed in casual home clothes, did not radiate the unique oppressive, ruthless, arrogant, and domineering aura he displayed within the gang. Without that vicious air suggesting he might pull out a blade and start hacking people apart at any moment, the idly waiting Gu Zhaohuan was able to calmly observe this Zhang Family boss, whose fame had shaken the Old District for years.

Only upon looking closely did Gu Zhaohuan discover that this infamous Zhang Family boss was actually quite handsome and refined, with regular features and fair skin. Judging by looks alone, this Old District boss, whose terrible reputation was practically enough to stop children from crying, was no less attractive than the movie stars active on screen.

There was only a deep scar stretching from the corner of his right eye to his cheekbone. It appeared to be old, as though it had been viciously scraped by a blunt weapon. The healed wound had twisted into an irregular shape, lending him a bloodthirsty, ruthless air. For some reason, Gu Zhaohuan actually felt a flash of regret. It was like seeing a priceless piece of porcelain chipped—a melancholy disappointment at something beautiful being damaged.

A series of footsteps came from upstairs, interrupting Gu Zhaohuan's wandering thoughts. He instinctively turned his head and saw three handsome, gentle-tempered youths descending the stairs one after another. All three bore a sixty- to seventy-percent resemblance to Zhang Linmo, making their blood relation clear. Especially the frail, younger boy at the very end, whose delicate beauty was so crystalline that it was almost startling.

Gu Zhaohuan blinked and once again lamented the Old Zhang Family's excellent genes. Yet this whole family, blessed with such faces, was engaged in such a detestable profession. Gu Zhaohuan sighed, feeling that life had become a little less beautiful.

Zhang Muyang and his brothers stopped before the sofa. Seeing the mayor's somewhat mournful expression, they were filled with suspicion. Still, everyone assumed the mayor's mood stemmed from his distress over the long-delayed plan to renovate the Old District. Like younger members of an ordinary family, the three politely greeted him, then, at Zhang Linmo's signal, took seats one after another on the sofa opposite. Gu Zhaohuan found it all utterly baffling.

Zhang Linmo kindly explained, "It's an Old Zhang Family rule. Whenever there's an important matter, the younger generation must also sit in and listen."

Gu Zhaohuan blinked, then nodded with a smile.

Author's note: Ahem, ahem. Writing this chapter suddenly made me realize that everyone is adorable~~~~

With all attendees present, although the mayor tactfully expressed his fondness for the Zhang family and his hope for further cordial small talk, Zhang Linmo still went straight to the point. "I know Mayor Gu came here to discuss the specific details of renovating the old section of the Old District. But I hope you first understand one thing: the Old District Zhang Family Compound belongs to our Zhang Family. It has belonged to us for a hundred years. All the property deeds are in the Old Zhang Family's safe, and they are absolutely legally valid."

The smile on Gu Zhaohuan's face did not change in the slightest as he replied calmly, "According to the latest Land Management Law issued by our country, land within urban areas belongs to the state."

Zhang Linmo raised a brow. His long phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and his entire aura abruptly turned wild and dangerous. He chuckled, leaned forward a little, and asked in a low but imposing tone, "Does Mayor Gu intend to discuss with me exactly who the Old District Zhang Family Compound belongs to?"

Gu Zhaohuan paused slightly. His gaze swept imperceptibly across Zhang Linmo's face as he said with an unchanged smile, "Clearly, that is not my intention. I merely wish to say that renovating the Old District would benefit both of us."

In his previous life, Zhang Linmo had absolutely opposed the plan to renovate the Old District. He had not even allowed the city representatives to finish speaking before directly sending people to beat the mayor out, then publicly threatening that anyone who dared mention renovating the Old District again would be making an enemy of Zhang Linmo and the Old Zhang Family. Thus, no one had dared mention a single word of the matter before the Zhang Family. Even with such concessions, Zhang Linmo had still used extreme measures to force the newly appointed mayor to be transferred away from the Old District in disgrace. The officials appointed afterward learned from their predecessor's lesson and avoided provoking him even more. Until the Old District Zhang Family was plotted against and destroyed ten years later, the people in the city never dared stroke the tiger's whiskers.

In this life, Zhang Linmo still harbored doubts about renovating the Old District. But when he thought of the blueprints for renovating the Zhang Family Secret Passage stored in his safe, as well as his three sons sitting nearby and observing, the impatient Zhang Linmo took a deep breath and stiffly forced out a single word.

"Speak!"

Gu Zhaohuan looked at Zhang Linmo, who was practically bristling, and wisely held back the laughter that nearly spilled from his lips. Sitting properly, he said, "Over the past twenty years, our country's economy has developed rapidly. Large numbers of people from rural and surrounding areas have poured into the cities, placing tremendous pressure on the original urban structure. In L City alone, apart from the old city area around the Old District, development in the city center and the eastern, western, southern, and northern districts can all be described as changing with each passing day..."

Zhang Linmo shook his slightly dizzy head and raised a hand to interrupt Gu Zhaohuan's report. "Can you speak plainly?"

Gu Zhaohuan: "..."

Zhang Xianyang, seated nearby, cleared his throat and said, "My dad means that you can get straight to the point without all this buildup..." Nonsense.

With a wooden expression, Gu Zhaohuan stated bluntly, "What I mean is that although the Old District is not L City's largest urban district, it is its oldest. If the Old District can be successfully renovated, its value to L City's development will be immeasurable."

Resting his chin on his hand, Zhang Linmo tossed out a sentence. "What does that have to do with me?"

Gu Zhaohuan had clearly already adjusted his mood. He immediately smiled and continued, "The Zhang Family is the family power that has existed in the Old District the longest. Over the past century, the Zhang Family has played a vital role in the development, stability, and unity of the Old District. During the war of invasion, the Zhang Family made tremendous contributions to victory by mobilizing civilians to donate money and supplies, even personally organizing armed forces to resist the invaders. Our Party remembers all these past deeds. We also hope there can be more families like the Zhang Family that maintain such enthusiasm for the country."

Zhang Linmo gave a timely cold snort but did not respond.

Gu Zhaohuan pretended not to hear it and took a stack of documents from his briefcase, placing them on the tea table. This was a report on how to carry out demolition and renovation in the Old District, outlining the broad direction for rectification decided upon at the city's meeting last month. Such documents ordinarily did not need to be shown to the people affected by demolition, but given the Old Zhang Family's special nature, Gu Zhaohuan had brought it along as a gesture of sincerity.

Other than correcting his sons' homework, what Zhang Linmo hated most in his life was reading this sort of official document packed with empty formalities and nonsense. However, out of respect for his guest, he endured his impatience and began reading. When he saw the proposal to flatten every building in the Old District and rebuild them all, Zhang Linmo's frown deepened. He said with obvious displeasure, "Most of the buildings in the Old District have been around since the Qing Dynasty. There are also foreign-style villas and mansions built by foreigners during the Republican Era, as well as the municipal government office building constructed under the Northern Expedition Government, and so on. Whether in terms of historical significance or the buildings themselves, they are a hundred times better than those uncultured high-rises in the city center. Now, for the sake of temporary political achievements, you want to tear down and rebuild every building in the Old District. We simply cannot accept such a proposal."

Gu Zhaohuan quietly listened to Zhang Linmo, feeling extremely surprised and also a strangely inappropriate sense of dissonance. He had not expected Zhang Linmo, a gangster boss who lived by the blade, to raise the matter straight to the level of history and cultural heritage. It made him reassess the man before him.

Zhang Linmo did not notice what Gu Zhaohuan was thinking and continued, "Especially the old Western-style houses and traditional courtyard compounds around the Old District Zhang Family Compound. The Zhang Family and the elders of the gang have lived there for generations. Now you say they must be demolished, just like that. Where do you intend to drive us? How am I supposed to explain this to the people in the gang?"