After hearing his sister's words, the limping boy looked at Qingchen in astonishment.
He never expected that this man possessed such astonishing strength.
Subduing the burly man in one round—this ability was probably no less than that of the leader of the Twin Eagles Society.
Moreover, he had a dagger hanging from his waist; he was likely a ruthless person as well.
Qingchen didn't immediately make a promise. Instead, he posed a question:
"Tell me, besides forcing you to beg for money, does the Twin Eagles Society usually make you do anything else? Like serving tea and water, cleaning the courtyard?"
"Yes...sometimes!"
The boy nodded hurriedly, "Especially when they're drinking, they'll have us go in and serve them."
Qingchen nodded; this was exactly the answer he wanted.
"Very good."
Qing Chen's expression was cold as he stared directly into the boy's eyes. "Do you want to personally crush those who bullied you? If so, then follow my instructions."
Su Tong trembled, his suppressed rage instantly overwhelming his reason. His features contorted with fury as he roared:
"I want to! I want it so badly! I dream about it! I want them dead! I wish I could tear them apart and make them kneel before me!"
"Very good!" Qing Chen nodded. "To seek revenge, hatred alone isn't enough; you also need brains."
He turned to Qing Jie, who was waiting nearby, and instructed:
"Second brother, first take this sister back to the city and settle her in the Qing residence. Remember, be extremely careful and don't let anyone notice."
Then, he looked back at the boy, his expression turning serious:
“You will continue begging as usual, and under no circumstances should you have any dealings with the Qing family. If the Double Eagles target you, not only will your life be in danger, but your sister will also be implicated.”
As he spoke, he pulled out a dozen copper coins from his pocket and handed them to the young Su Tong: “Take these coins to complete your task.”
Watching Qing Jie lead the young woman away, and the boy dragging his injured leg silently towards the shack area, Qing Chen gave a strange laugh.
He still had something to deal with.
The blazing sun cast long shadows from the large locust tree.
Qing Chen arrived at the hillside several miles away as agreed. Er Huzi was already waiting under the tree, his face plastered with a fawning smile.
“Brother Chen, didn’t you handle things well? That kid’s bruised and battered, but he didn’t make a single mistake!”
Qing Chen didn’t speak, but simply tossed a money bag over.
Erhuzi caught it, weighed it in his hand, and his face lit up with a grin: "Hey, Brother Chen is so straightforward! How about I treat you to some fun at the alley entrance?"
Qingchen's voice was calm: "I'm asking you, did you mention this to anyone else?"
Erhuzi patted his chest and assured him: "Beating up beggars and robbing people, I can handle that all by myself, why would I need to call anyone else! Next time you need a job like this, you'll still come to me..."
"There won't be a next time." Qingchen's voice was calm and unwavering.
Erhuzi was stunned: "What?"
Before he finished speaking, Qingchen moved, his aura suddenly changing, his Jade Forging Technique surging through his meridians.
Before Erhuzi could react, Qingchen had already moved forward like lightning, his right fist slamming into Erhuzi's chest without any fancy moves.
With a muffled "bang," Erhuzi flew several feet away, crashing heavily to the ground, blood gushing from his mouth and nose.
Before Erhuzi could even struggle to get up...
Qingchen took a step in front of him and knocked him unconscious with a palm strike.
In chaotic times, ruthlessness is essential for success.
To control the [Twin Eagles Society], he needed to kill.
Therefore, Erhuzi had to die.
First: Use him as a sacrifice to bolster his courage; Qingchen wanted to know what it felt like to kill for the first time.
Second: The lame boy was crucial; he had to ensure no one was left to cause trouble, making him completely loyal to him.
A flash of cold light, and Qingchen's dagger was already pressed against Erhuzi's throat.
His face was expressionless, his eyes filled with icy coldness. With a flick of his wrist, the sharp dagger instantly plunged into Erhuzi's throat, blood gushing out.
Blood splattered, landing on Qingchen's face.
He stared at the lifeless Erhuzi, blood still dripping from the dagger in his hand.
He had expected his first kill to cause a turmoil of emotions.
But in reality, Qingchen felt no nausea; instead, an uncontrollable excitement surged in his chest.
"Could it be that I've always been a pervert?"
He wiped the blood from the dagger with Erhuzi's clothes, confirming the man was truly dead, then ransacked him of all his money and left.
...
Two months passed quietly amidst the undercurrents of Jincheng's underworld.
During these two months, the lame boy Su Tong became Qing Chen's eyes and ears within the Shuangying Society.
Following Qing Chen's instructions, he gathered information on the Shuangying Society members;
—from the martial arts skills of ordinary henchmen to the fighting styles of the two leaders, and their dealings with other forces and the government.
Little by little, this information was compiled and passed on to Qing Chen through Qing Jie.
At this moment, in the west courtyard of the Qing residence, an oil lamp flickered dimly.
Qing Chen lay on the couch, sunlight streaming through the wooden window, illuminating his bronze skin, sweat pouring down his face.
A voluptuous woman lay languidly beside him, her hair disheveled, cheeks flushed, and she asked breathlessly,
"Brother Chen, how has my little brother been doing these past few days? Has he caused you any trouble?"
Qing Chen's eyes were slightly closed, a satisfied smile playing on his lips, lost in thought.
The scene was evocative:
Warm sunlight streamed through the western window of the house, A bronze bronze patina reflected in the soft light.
Qing Chen's skin, glistening with sweat, was like amber, The beautiful woman's temples were streaked with gray, her face like frost.
A gentle smile held tender affection in her eyes, A soft moan, tinged with breathlessness, conveyed a sense of wistful longing.
Past sorrows were temporarily set aside, This moment of joy was unforgettable.
He took a breath before saying, "Hmm, this kid's quite clever, even better than I expected.
Those two leaders of the Twin Eagles Society only know how to rake in money, but they don't understand how to share profits. The gang is internally divided, and resentment has been building for a long time.
We just need to concentrate our forces on dealing with these two leaders. Once we succeed, the rest will surrender without a second thought."
As he said this, a cold glint flashed in Qing Chen's eyes, revealing his killing intent.
In reality, he didn't reveal his true thoughts.
Born of humble origins, he coveted the priceless treasure of Beiman Mountain.
But with his current strength, going to Beiman Mountain to seize the treasure would be tantamount to suicide.
Beimang Mountain was heavily guarded and never accepted anyone of unknown identity.
Any stranger was killed without exception.
To successfully seize the treasure, he had to improve his martial arts skills as soon as possible.
This requires money, medicinal herbs, and even more cannon fodder to pave the way for him!