After Su Xin had left, a middle-aged man in his forties, dressed as a scholar, came out from behind the screen, sighing audibly: "This young man is really extraordinary. He may not even be twenty years old, right? Third Master, are you sure about entrusting Happy Forest to him? Aren't you afraid he might turn into another Chen Dao?"
"Afraid? I'm afraid he won't turn into another Chen Dao!"
Third Master Tiger's mouth curled up in an inscrutable smile: "That kid was right. I'm getting old and can't fight anymore. If I stay in this position for another ten years, I'll have to retire.
The Gang Leader is getting old too, he has already started grooming the Young Gang Leader. When the Young Gang Leader takes over, and as the saying goes 'new king, new ministers', do you think he will look kindly on us old fellows? Better to step down early, so as not to be an eyesore to some people.
By then, Su Xin should have grown up as well. With him in power, I have no fear of being forsaken when I lose my power. At least, I can preserve the wealth and rank I have for the latter half of my life."
The middle-aged scholar was still hesitant: "But Third Master, it's hard to know the heart by merely knowing the face. This young man has such a profound mind. Aren't you afraid that he will bite the hand that feeds him?"
"He's a smart man; he won't do that. If he betrays me, he will receive nothing but the reputation of being ungrateful. We, who are in the Jianghu, depend on our reputation. If it's tarnished, who would still follow you? So betraying me would bring him no benefits.
I'm still alive and well. My prestige over these years can help him suppress the old fellows in the gang, allowing him to smoothly take over my power. After he comes to power, he will also gain the attention of the Young Gang Leader. Therefore, he will not only avoid betraying me but also treat me nicely."
"Third Master, you are indeed far-sighted. I'm impressed."
The middle-aged scholar bowed in admiration. He now understood why Third Master Tiger had surprisingly adopted Su Xin as his godson. He had considered so far into the future.
Third Master Tiger waved his hand, withdrawing his smile, and said: "Scheming and calculative? I suppose I am. I wouldn't have survived so long if I didn't have any strategies. Just now, I told Su Xin that the Flying Eagle Gang had barely thirty members at first, and now just more than ten old fellows remained.
But do you think that the ones who died were all killed in gang fights?"
The chilling gaze from Third Master Tiger made the middle-aged scholar shudder. He wouldn't dare to listen to any more secrets relating to the early years of the Flying Eagle Gang.
Outside Third Master Tiger's residence, Su Xin bowed to Ji Gang and Li Huai, saying: "It's an honor for me, Su Xin, to have both of you two here to aid me. From now on, we are all brothers."
Li Huai, with a cold face, said: "Third Master asked me to assist you, merely to stabilize your position within the Flying Eagle Gang. Don't expect me to obey you like a minion and take you as my boss!"
Having said that, Li Huai turned and walked away, not giving Su Xin a second glance.
"Hey! Watch your words! Boss Su is Third Master's newly-adopted godson!"
Seeing Li Huai's attitude, Huang Bingcheng felt instantly infuriated.
Who knows if it was because Li Huai didn't respect Su Xin or the word 'minion' that had triggered him.
Ji Gang, grinning, saluted Su Xin, "Boss Su, don't mind him, he's just like that. I'll go talk to him."
After saying that, Ji Gang went to chase after Li Huai.
Huang Bingcheng muttered disdainfully: "What's there to show off? Just because he's good at fighting doesn't mean he's all that."
"Do you know those two men?" Su Xin suddenly asked.
Huang Bingcheng scratched his head: "I've heard of them. This Li Huai is the top fighter under Third Master Tiger. Though he just rose to prominence in the past few years, he is known within our Flying Eagle Gang for his cruel fighting style and fearlessness of death.
Ji Gang plays a similar role to Li Huai, they are both relatively young fighters under Third Master Tiger. However, compared to Li Huai, he isn't very well-known."
When talking about Li Huai, Huang Bingcheng still looked resentful: "Humph! Li Huai is quite arrogant. Who does he think he is? He's not even a gang leader yet! He looks down on the minions, but isn't he just a minion himself?
Look at Ji Gang, who's in the same position. He's much more modest. Unlike Li Huai, who behaves as though he ranks second under heaven."
Su Xin gave a faint shake of his head: "You don't understand. Dogs that bite, usually don't bark."
Huang Bingcheng scratched his head in confusion, not understanding the meaning of Su Xin's words.
Seeing Su Xin was already walking away, he instantly followed.
After they returned to Happy Forest, the former gang members started treating Su Xin differently. Seeing him return safely from the Third Master Tiger's and bringing back two influential fighters, they knew Su Xin had now firmly secured his position within the Flying Eagle Gang.
In the gang world, unlike in the sect, it's not a big deal to replace the gang leader as long as those above don't object.
"Congratulations to the host for completing the novice task. Reward: 10 Villain points and one Low-Level Qi-nourishing Pill."
Just as he stepped foot into Happy Forest, a voice from the System rang in Su Xin's mind.
He stored the Qi-nourishing pill into the System. It wasn't the right time to consume it.
"Are Ji Gang and Li Huai settled?" Su Xin asked.
Huang Bingcheng hurriedly replied: "Everything is arranged. Their accommodations are in the best rooms in Rising East Inn, costing a silver or two per day."
Though Ji Gang and Li Huai were nominally under Su Xin, they were essentially Third Master Tiger's men.
Before Su Xin could fully extend his wings, he had to make sure to keep up appearances.
"Boss, I have also arranged your house. It's ready for you to move in anytime."
Huang Bingcheng wore a servile smile on his face, respecting his boss greatly.
In just a day, Su Xin had gone from being a gang member who had murdered the gang leader and had an uncertain future to being the youngest gang leader and godson of Third Master Tiger in the Flying Eagle Gang.
Such a thing, Huang Bingcheng had never seen in his half a lifetime.
"I have my own house?"
Huang Bingcheng explained: "This was left over by the Green Bamboo Gang. Now that Happy Forest is ours, this place naturally belongs to you, boss."
Su Xin nodded.
Happy Forest always belonged to the Green Bamboo Gang's territory, but for some reason, the Flying Eagle Gang had instigated a war with them not long ago, thereby seizing this place.
Thinking about his shabby old house, Su Xin didn't want to waste any more time with Huang Bingcheng. He immediately left Happy Forest.
Xin'er is still at Grandma Wang's noodle stand for now.
"Brother! You're back!"
At the sight of Su Xin, Xin'er ran over, clinging to him like an adorable sloth.
"Alright, alright, you're a girl already, don't you feel shy?" Su Xin patted Xin'er's little head: "Let's go, brother will take you to our new home."
Su Xin picked up Su Xing'er and left a tael of silver on Grandma Wang's table. It wasn't because Su Xin didn't want to give more, but in shantytowns like Changle Square, being rich was a crime in itself.
If Su Xin were to give Grandma Wang more money, he would be harming her.
Although they were moving, there wasn't much to move from their old home.
The most valuable thing in the house was probably the land it was built on.
So Su Xin only packed up some clothes and called it a day.
Speaking of which Xin'er, where's the bracelet mom left behind?"
Su Xin remembered that his mother had left a bracelet, which he had given to Su Xing'er to keep safe. It was the only valuable thing they had left, even at the poorest times; he never thought of pawning the bracelet.
"The bracelet...the bracelet..." Xin'er's little face was filled with fear, and she couldn't get the words out.
Patting her head gently, Su Xin murmured: "Don't be scared, Xin'er. Tell brother what happened to the bracelet. Did you lose it?"
With tears glittering in her eyes, Su Xing'er bit her lip and said, "The bracelet is not lost. I saw brother was hurt before, and I wanted to steal some medicine from the pharmacy, but I was caught by the shopkeeper.
He said I had to compensate for his loss, and he took the bracelet away. Brother, am I really useless?"
Looking at Su Xing'er like this invoked a feeling of fury in Su Xin.
But he gently reassured, "Don't worry, tomorrow your brother will help you get the bracelet back. Let's now go check out our new home."
Huang Bingcheng of Happy Forest had arranged everything; now they just had to move in.
The house was next to Happy Forest. Though not a lavish mansion, it was a fairly large courtyard house.
Su Xing'er, who had grown up in the slums, moved into such a 'luxurious' place and couldn't contain her excitement. She was joyful the whole afternoon, her eyes crinkling like crescent moons.
After settling Xin'er down to rest, Su Xin returned to his room and took out the Elementary Qi-nourishing Pill.
Compared to the previous Qi-nourishing Pill, this one looked much better and was rated one star.
Swallowing it in one gulp, Su Xin immediately felt a warm flow circulating in his Dantian.
As Third Master Tiger said, for a martial artist in the Postnatal Stage, refining one's acupoints is of utmost importance.
There are a hundred and eight acupoints in the human body, coinciding with the number of heavenly stars and earthly fiends.
With each refinement, the strength, vigor, and True Qi of the body tremendously improve.
Third Master Tiger said refining acupoints is exceptionally difficult. Su Xin both agrees and disagrees with this.
For some mediocre people, even with Inner Strength, refining acupoints is indeed not easy.
Third Master Tiger did not have a mentor to guide him, and his own Inner Strength was not very advanced. Coupled with his mediocre talent in martial arts, it was expected of him to focus on external skills like the Iron Sand Palm and take forty years to refine thirteen acupoints.
But Su Xin was different; he had the Big Villain System and an abundance of resources. Moreover, he had countless powerful skills within him. If he was still stuck in the Postnatal Realm, it would be pointless to continue cultivation - he might as well hang himself with a hair.
Employing the powerful True Qi provided by the Qi-nourishing Pill, Su Xin quickly launched an attack towards the first acupoint in his body.
Under the influence of the Qi-nourishing Pill, the acupoint was quickly dissolved by the True Qi. The blood flowing through the acupoint instantly became richer and more viscous, and the passage of True Qi there was also unobstructed, without any hint of obscurity.
Just by opening one acupoint made such a big change in Su Xin. He was eager to see how powerful he would become after refining all the hundred and eight acupoints at the Postnatal Perfection.
"Creak"
The door was pushed open and Xin'er walked in timidly.
"What's wrong?" Seeing Xin'er walk in, Su Xin stopped his training.
"I'm scared to be alone in the room, brother. Can I sleep with you?"
Xin'er was blinking her big eyes at Su Xin, her expression saying she'd cry if he did not agree.
Looking outside, Su Xin didn't realize it was already dark.
"Alright, but you have to behave yourself when you sleep and not wet the bed."
Back when Su Xin's family only had one room and one bed, Xin'er naturally slept with him.
The little girl did not feel secure. She was indeed not used to being alone in a room.
"Brother, you're mean!"
Xin'er's little face turned red immediately.
When she was small, her mother had to work to make ends meet. Su Xin was always the one taking care of her, so every time she was naughty, Su Xin would use her childhood bed-wetting as a tease.
After settling Xin'er down, Su Xin also laid down to sleep.