Zhou Man

The Wild Wolf Gang was located in the southwestern corner of Cloudwater City, with two Martial Artists at the peak of the Skin-Flesh Realm holding down the fort.

In Cloudwater City, it counted as a force neither too large nor too small.

Inside the Wild Wolf Gang's main hall, the light was dim, and the air was laced with the scent of wine and roasted meat. Dozens of oil lamps swayed and flickered, their firelight brightening and dimming as it stretched the figure seated in the place of honor into something long and twisted.

Jackal prostrated himself before the chief seat, his expression panicked.

Taking down True Intent Martial Hall had been the first important task the gang had entrusted to him.

Now that he had botched it, not only had he failed the gang leader's trust, but even his own prestige as a Martial Artist had fallen considerably within the gang.

Chen Dao sat boldly in a broad beast-hide chair, continuously stuffing a roasted lamb leg into his mouth.

The dull sounds of tearing and chewing flesh echoed through the empty hall.

Chen Dao looked down at Jackal, his eyes indifferent.

Only after a long while did he speak. "You're saying Wu Yi went to True Intent Martial Hall?"

Upon hearing this, Jackal hurriedly said, "It's absolutely true, Gang Leader. I was just about to deal with Li Kuai, that True Intent Martial Hall disciple, when Wu Yi unexpectedly turned out to be hiding inside the hall and even kicked this underling."

Hearing this, Chen Dao turned to look at the second-in-command seated to his left. Their gazes met, as though they were silently exchanging words.

After a moment of silence, Chen Dao's voice sounded beside Jackal again, and what he said filled Jackal with delight.

"All right, you've worked hard on this task.

The position of fourth chief is still vacant in the gang. I think highly of you, Jackal. Go collect your reward."

Upon hearing this, Jackal kowtowed several times.

"Many thanks, Gang Leader."

After watching Jackal leave, Chen Dao closed his eyes and leaned back in the beast-hide chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the armrest.

"Speak, Second."

The second-in-command beside him looked at Chen Dao in the chief seat. After a moment of silence, he slowly uttered several words.

"Big Brother, I suspect the current Wu Yi isn't human at all."

That one short sentence broke Chen Dao out in a cold sweat.

"Are you sure you didn't make a mistake?"

Chen Dao looked toward Second, and the sound of his fingers tapping the armrest gradually faded.

"Big Brother, you know me. I personally checked him on the spot. At the time, his breath had completely ceased."

Chen Dao knew his second-in-command well. Though he appeared dull and sparing with words, he was a ruthless man who, once he started something, would see it through without hesitation.

Seeing how firm his second-in-command was, Chen Dao inwardly cursed. This was bad.

If it truly was one of those filthy things, then...

At that thought, Chen Dao immediately rose to his feet, picked up the saber at his side, and turned grave.

Seeing his big brother like this, Second also rose at once.

"Second, we must make preparations early. If it really is one of those filthy things, it may have already remembered your aura. Go arrange the gang's defenses.

I'll go take a look at the Zhang Household."

"Don't worry, Big Brother. Leave everything in the gang to me."

Hearing those words, Chen Dao finally felt at ease.

This was the importance of having a good teammate.

Elsewhere, Wu Yi arrived at Zhou Man's home.

Seeing the bare walls and impoverished state before him, Wu Yi could not help but feel guilty.

He had still shown too little concern for his disciples.

"Is... is Man'er back?"

A weak woman's voice came from within.

Following the sound, Wu Yi saw Zhou Man's mother, who had been bedridden for many days, lying on the bed.

The room was dimly lit, and the figure beneath the thin quilt looked especially frail. Each shallow breath revealed the helplessness of a body worn down by long illness.

"Auntie, I'm Zhou Man's hall master. Zhou Man hadn't come to the martial hall for a long time today, so I specially came to check on him."

Wu Yi slowly walked over to Auntie Zhou, his tone gentle.

Upon hearing that he was the hall master, Auntie Zhou hurriedly tried to get up, but Wu Yi stopped her.

"So it is Hall Master Wu. This humble woman has been discourteous..."

"Auntie, your body is weak. There's no need for such formality."

"I came to see Zhou Man. Auntie, do you know where Zhou Man went?"

"Man'er... let me think..."

Auntie Zhou slightly closed her eyes and slowed her breathing, as though she had sunk into her memories.

"I remember now, Hall Master Wu. It seemed Man'er mentioned this morning that he was going to some wharf to earn money..."

As she spoke, Auntie Zhou began coughing without pause.

Having received the answer he wanted, Wu Yi decided not to stay any longer.

"Auntie, these are the medicines I brought for you. When Zhou Man returns, remember to have him brew them for you to drink."

"Many thanks, Hall Master Wu. I've troubled you to worry over this..."

After setting the medicine packet aside, Wu Yi walked to the door. He turned back to look at Auntie Zhou, his eyes complicated.

Birth, aging, sickness, and death—was this the life every person had to go through...

Cloudwater Wharf lay within territory under the Wild Wolf Gang's control.

Merchant ships often docked here, and plenty of profit could be skimmed from them.

How could a mere Wild Wolf Gang have taken Cloudwater Wharf for itself without making people doubtful?

It was said that behind the Wild Wolf Gang stood the Zhang Household, one of Cloudwater City's two great aristocratic families.

Once, a gang had tried to seize this fat cut of meat from the Wild Wolf Gang. The outcome was easy to imagine: overnight, the gang was wiped out.

It was said that not even a blade of grass remained on the gang's grounds, and even the bird eggs in the trees had been shaken loose.

Zhou Man carried three huge sacks over his shoulders, panting heavily as he followed the laborers ahead of him step by step toward the warehouse in front.

"Put them here. Put them all here."

"Hey, put them down more carefully! If you damage them, selling your whole family still wouldn't be enough to compensate for it."

"Sorry, sorry, sir. I'll definitely be more careful next time."

Zhou Man looked toward the sound.

He saw an elderly laborer with a slightly stooped back repeatedly bowing and scraping before a Wild Wolf Gang member holding a long whip.

"What the hell are you all looking at? Hurry up and carry them! If you carry even one sack less, you won't get paid today!"

Hearing this, many laborers who were panting from exhaustion could only force themselves to keep going and quicken their pace.

"Come on, Xiao Man."

The one who spoke was Brother Liu.

Over the past few days, he had been the one looking after Zhou Man, the newcomer.

"Mm, all right, Brother Liu."

Zhou Man did not look any longer. Instead, he followed Brother Liu back toward the cargo ship.

In truth, Zhou Man had already been working at Cloudwater Wharf for four or five days.

Ever since his mother's illness had worsened again, Zhou Man had been working as a laborer at Cloudwater Wharf while continuing to train at the martial hall.

Brother Liu was Zhou Man's neighbor and had watched him grow up. Knowing that Zhou Man's family was becoming ever more destitute, he had introduced Zhou Man to work as a laborer at Cloudwater Wharf to earn money.

As a Martial Disciple, Zhou Man naturally had considerable strength. Since his family only relied on growing a little grain, he simply agreed to Brother Liu's proposal.

Everything had been fine at first,

Until one day, several people suddenly came to his home and claimed that Zhou Man owed the Wild Wolf Gang a huge debt, demanding that he sell himself to repay it.

Zhou Man was no fool. Wasn't this outright extortion? How could he possibly agree?

So he fought with them. Though Zhou Man had not entered the Skin-Flesh Realm, in the hot blood of youth, he believed he could still hold his own against anyone below that realm.

In the end, the other side had no martial virtue at all. They had hidden a Skin-Flesh Realm Martial Artist among them, and a single punch knocked him flat.

Under their threats and inducements, Zhou Man was ultimately forced to sign a contract selling himself.

And the place they ordered him to work was none other than Cloudwater Wharf.

Zhou Man did not know what the other side was planning, but he was alone while they were numerous and powerful. How could he possibly fight them?

If only... if only I could break through to the Skin-Flesh Realm...

Thinking this, Zhou Man hoisted another three enormous sacks onto his shoulders.