https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-35-An-Unusual-First-Day-of-School/12979086/
Chapter 36: The Old Campsite
Chapter 36: The Old Campsite
The Tuo Tu sedan continued along the highway, soon arriving at the outskirts of Dongbao District. The area was adjacent to a national highway that led directly to the outer city and even all the way to Central City.
This highway was initially constructed when Yangzhi City served as a logistics hub, and it was military-grade, not only sturdy and wide but also capable of accommodating tanks.
However, beyond the road, the area was rather desolate, and in the distance, several hills could be seen on the left. Atop and around the foothills were scattered makeshift shacks and buildings.
On top of one of the hills stood an old watchtower, and as the sedan approached, a person inside used a telescope to observe. Then, they changed the flag at the top.
As the sedan drew closer, a small campsite came into view, surrounded by scattered sentry posts. Inside, young men and women with their jackets open were standing guard, holding crossbows. Their clothes and chests were marked with five blood-red scratches painted on with spray paint.
When the sedan reached the front, it stopped at the roadblock at the entrance. The crossbow arrows shifted, subtly aiming at the vehicle. A muscular, bald woman chewing gum approached, knocked on the car window, and asked, "Where are you from?"
Wei Chang'an rolled down the car window and handed her a name card, saying, "The Lu Wei Office has made an appointment with your boss for this morning."
The bald woman took the name card, clicked her tongue, and said to the young men behind her, "Go and tell the boss that the people he's waiting for have arrived."
After a while, someone waved from behind, and the bald woman stepped aside, shouting, "Let them through!"
The roadblock in front was removed, and the two iron gates of the campsite were opened.
Wei Chang'an noticed that the ground ahead was uneven, with potholes and muddy puddles, causing his mouth to twitch slightly. However, he endured the pain and drove through.
Once inside the campsite, he kept an eye on the road while instructing Chen Chuan, "Junior, when you see Guo Pangzi, the boss here, later, try not to speak. Let me handle the negotiations with them."
Chen Chuan replied, "Okay, Brother Wei."
Wei Chang'an glanced at him and smiled, "But don't be afraid. We're here on a mandate, and we have the backing of the Mo Lan Corporation and the upper echelons of the Bloodstain Gang. Guo Pangzi won't dare to cause trouble. But I guess he'll use some tricks later, so just play it by ear."
The car drove into an open space, and inside the campsite was a larger area, probably once used for morning exercises.
To the side was a dilapidated lattice phone booth, and along the edges were stacked concrete drain pipes, on which several members of the Bloodstain Gang sat casually.
These men wore yellow and red plaid shirts, most of them with brass knuckles and daggers tucked into their waistbands. They eyed the sedan passing in front of them with ill intent.
In the middle of the campsite was a larger two-story barracks. In front of it sat a man over two meters tall, with a bald head and a tight-fitting vest that squeezed out his flesh. He had five torn claw marks painted on his chest, and next to him stood a man in a white coat and a face mask.
Not far away, several small white sheep were tethered with ropes, with bells around their necks and well-groomed, silky fur, appearing more like pets.
Wei Chang'an said, "That's Guo Pangzi, one of the leaders of the Bloodstain Gang."
Chen Chuan took a closer look and noticed that this man's breath was very calm, indicating he had trained in the Breath Regulation Technique. What was particularly striking was that each of the five fingers on his right hand was adorned with a shiny, eye-catching brass knuckle.
When the car stopped in front of them, Wei Chang'an and Chen Chuan stepped out. Guo Pangzi also stood up, spreading his arms, and said, "People from the Lu Wei Office, we've been waiting for you for a long time."
After getting out of the car, Wei Chang'an stood not far from the car's hood, holding up the name card as a signal. Chen Chuan stood by the car door, with one hand in his pocket, where he had two prepared pebbles.
Guo Pangzi said, "So, you're the young men from the Lu Wei Office. Why don't you come in and have a drink first?"
Wei Chang'an declined, "Mr. Guo, I'm sorry, but we're not here to make friends. The Lu Wei Office should have informed you. We're here to take the person, and we'll leave without disturbing your business."
Guo Pangzi's eyes shifted, and with his fleshy face, his eyes appeared especially small, giving him a sly look. He nodded and said, "I'm saying that I'll hand over the person to you, but if you just take him away like this, I'll lose face in the gang."
Wei Chang'an asked, "Oh? Mr. Guo, are you having second thoughts?"
Guo Pangzi waved his fat palm and said, "I won't go back on my word. I, Guo, am a man of my word. But..." He took a couple of steps forward and looked down at Wei Chang'an, "I'll give face to the Lu Wei Office, but that doesn't mean I'll give it to you. Whether you get to see the person depends on your ability."
Wei Chang'an had expected this, which was why he hadn't given the other party any face from the start. The more he showed weakness, the more they would think he was easy to bully. He scoffed, "Mr. Guo, that sounds like your style. Come on, what do you want?"
Guo Pangzi seemed to get excited, stepping back a little and rubbing his thick arms together, "It's simple. I heard you're from Wu University. How about a fight with my men? If you win, I'll let the person go with you. Fair enough?"
Wei Chang'an frowned slightly. Although he was from Wu University, he didn't like fighting in front of many people, as he found it undignified.
However, he knew that if he didn't agree, he didn't know how long it would take, so he didn't waste time and started to take off his watch, saying, "Where's the person?
"That's more like it!"
Guo Fat quickly added, "But I get to choose the location for the fight."
Wei Chang'an paused and stared at him, "Where do you have in mind, Mr. Guo? Don't cause any trouble, or else don't blame me for not giving you face."
"Of course, of course. You're from the Lu Wei Office, so you should consider his reputation..."
Guo Fat chuckled and pointed to the dilapidated phone booth not far away, "How about in there?"
Wei Chang'an furrowed his brows but didn't refuse. He began to take off his outer coat and then walked to the car, throwing everything inside.
Guo Fat clapped his hands towards the sky, and with a "Whoosh," a drummer on the sidelines immediately started beating the drums with both hands. Amidst the rhythmic sounds, a skinny man in his thirties, covered in scars, emerged.
He first glared at Wei Chang'an with a fierce gaze, then sneezed into his hand and wiped it on his pants. Smiling, he entered the phone booth directly.
Wei Chang'an felt a bit disgusted. He said to Chen Chuan, "Junior, I'll handle this. Remember to act according to the situation."
Chen Chuan remained calm and said, "Okay."
Wei Chang'an glanced at him with appreciation. Having been a newcomer himself and having trained newcomers, he knew that it was normal to feel nervous when coming to such a place for the first time. It was rare to see someone as composed as Chen Chuan.
Wei Chang'an walked over and squeezed into the phone booth. Then, someone came and pushed the door shut, locking it from the outside. This was usually done to prevent the two people from squeezing out during a scuffle.
Chen Chuan looked inside; the phone booth was very cramped. The two men were almost face-to-face, with less than half a foot between them. This made it impossible to grapple or use long-range weapons, so the most effective technique in such close quarters was elbow strikes.
However, it would be difficult for both of them to dodge or exert force, so it would come down to who was more ferocious and who could punch faster. Even if one person was stronger than their opponent, they would still likely get injured, making it an additional restriction.
But after some thought, he unbuttoned his shirt, took off his coat, and threw it into the car.
As Wei Chang'an stood there, his gaze became indifferent. He showed no reaction to the dirt on his opponent or the foul smell coming from his mouth, as if the clean and respectable city elite had vanished, leaving only a pure fighter.
The drumming paused, and Guo Fat raised his hands and shouted, "Begin!" The drums immediately resumed their rapid beating.
The skinny man reacted swiftly. In the instant the sound of the drums faded, he swung a punch upwards.
As the sound rang out, Wei Chang'an slightly tilted his head back and then suddenly brought it down in a hammer-like strike!
One could see his legs firmly planted on the ground, his entire body like a whip, and his head, at that moment, seemed to be the tip of the whip. Despite the small movement, the power surged from his feet, through his knees to his waist, from his waist to his spine, and from his spine to his neck.
His head pierced through the shadow of the fist, colliding with his opponent's head a moment before the punch landed. A dull thud reverberated, causing the phone booth to shake slightly. The skinny man's eyes rolled back, and he slid down like mud.
The cheers from outside abruptly stopped, and even the drummer couldn't help but hit the drums a few extra times. No one expected the exciting show to end so quickly.
Wei Chang'an, still having some leisure, straightened his tie and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. He called out, "Mr. Guo, can we take him now?"
Guo Fat stared at him with his bean-sized eyes for a moment. "Of course, of course." He turned and shouted to the outside, "Go get him out of there!"
Soon, a man in his forties, small and skinny, with a full beard, emerged. He was accompanied by three bodyguards, one of whom surveyed the surroundings with a sinister gaze.
"What's up, Boss Guo?"
Guo Fat chuckled, "Chou Huizi, it's not that I won't protect you," he pointed at Wei Chang'an and Chen Chuan, "but these guys from the Lu Wei Office want to take you back to the police station for questioning."
Chou Huizi's face changed, and he cursed. He ordered the two bodyguards beside him, "Stop them." Then, he took off running towards a parked sedan.
Wei Chang'an's expression changed as he watched. He pushed against the door and said, "Guo Fat?"
Guo Fat spread his hands and said, "I said I'd give you the man, and now I've brought him to you. Whether you can take him back is up to you."
Wei Chang'an knew that if Chou Huizi made it to the car, it would be difficult to catch him. He took a deep breath and slammed his fist against the door, but the phone booth didn't budge.
Guo Fat chuckled.
When Chen Chuan saw Wei Chang'an enter the phone booth and get locked inside, he anticipated that things might change, so he had prepared himself mentally. Now, without hesitation, he leaped forward, sprinting in the direction Chou Huizi had fled.
Wei Chang'an saw his movement and called out, "Hey, don't go! His companion is Zhai Wu from the Black Arena!" But Chen Chuan ran extremely fast, not slowing down as if he hadn't heard.
Wei Chang'an looked at the door, now even more crowded with another person, making it harder to exert force.
There was nothing he could do.
With a sigh, he tilted his head back and slammed his forehead against the door.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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