"This wasn't me provoking them..."
Eren gave a wry smile and carefully recounted the events in a way that downplayed the risks, following Uncle Yuan's guidance.
As expected, Seventh Uncle's expression darkened with rage as he listened.
"How dare they!"
The old man's claw-like hand slammed down on the redwood table before him, shattering it into splinters with a deafening crack.
The sound startled Eren, making him jump. He stared in disbelief at the frail-looking elder, unable to reconcile the image of the feeble old man with the sheer destructive force he had just witnessed.
Even the others in the room flinched, falling silent like frightened quails.
Finally, Uncle Yuan spoke up. "Seventh Uncle, please calm down. Those people have been eyeing Chinatown for a long time. There's no need to get worked up and risk your health."
"Hmph!" Seventh Uncle snorted. "The foundation our ancestors built will not fall into the hands of outsiders while I'm alive."
His sharp, hawk-like eyes turned toward the three bruised and bound men in the center of the room, fixing them with a glare that could have flayed them alive.
"Yuan Li, deal with these three and send the Shui Gui Gang a warning," Seventh Uncle commanded. "Let them know that Chinatown is ours."
"Yes!"
Uncle Yuan barked an acknowledgment and signaled for a few men to haul the three captives out.
After they left, Seventh Uncle's fury subsided somewhat. He turned his gaze to Eren, his tone now colder. "Out of respect for Yuan Li, Zhong Yi Hall will take on this trouble for you. But since you brought this matter to us, you must show some gratitude."
As the leader of Zhong Yi Hall, Seventh Uncle had seen through Eren and Uncle Yuan's plan from the start.
However, as Uncle Yuan had pointed out, Chinatown was their turf, and no self-respecting Chinese gang would allow outsiders to encroach on it. Still, while he was willing to give Uncle Yuan face, Eren wouldn't get off without contributing something in return.
Eren wasn't surprised by this demand. Zhong Yi Hall wasn't a charity, and he wasn't naïve enough to expect a free ride.
"Please, Seventh Uncle, guide me," Eren replied solemnly.
Seventh Uncle's eyes glimmered with approval. "Good. I like smart people. I'll give you two options."
"First, join Zhong Yi Hall. If you're one of us, the hall will back you fully, and no one will question it."
"Second, if you don't want to be part of a gang, pay $100,000. That will cover the cost of our intervention. After Yuan Li warns the Shui Gui Gang, you'll have some peace for a while. And as long as you stay in Chinatown, Zhong Yi Hall will ensure your safety."
Having said his piece, Seventh Uncle sipped his tea and waited for Eren's decision.
Eren didn't hesitate. Joining Zhong Yi Hall was out of the question.
Although the hall wasn't particularly powerful, its strict hierarchy made it an unsuitable environment for someone like him. Even if he wanted to dabble in gang life, Zhong Yi Hall wouldn't be his first choice.
"I'll take the second option," Eren said decisively.
Seventh Uncle nodded, unsurprised but slightly regretful. "Fine. Have the money ready in three days. I'll send someone to collect it."
With that, the conversation ended. Seventh Uncle lost interest in continuing the discussion and waved Eren off.
Stepping out of Zhong Yi Hall, Eren felt a mixture of relief and pain.
The $100,000 "protection fee" was a heavy blow to his finances, cutting his wealth in half. Still, safety was worth far more to him than money.
Shortly after leaving, Eren's phone rang. It was Uncle Yuan.
"Kid, just sit tight. Once we warn those cowardly Shui Gui Gang scumbags, they won't dare touch you. Relax, hahaha…"
Before Eren could respond, he heard the muffled sounds of shouting and pleading on the other end of the line.
"Shut up, you cowards!" Uncle Yuan barked at someone off-screen before returning to the call. "Alright, I've got my hands full. Talk later."
The call ended abruptly.
"Well, that's… an unexpected bonus," Eren muttered, pocketing his phone with a smile.
He had prepared himself for a hellish start in this world but found himself pleasantly surprised by the twists of fate. First Pepper Potts, now Zhong Yi Hall—they were all playing in his favor.
After leaving Zhong Yi Hall, Eren treated himself to a simple breakfast at a nearby noodle shop and called Pepper to reassure her of his safety.
A short while later, he spotted Uncle Yuan and thirty men from Zhong Yi Hall piling into five vans and driving off in a hurry.
Curious, Eren hailed a taxi and followed them.
At first, the driver refused, unwilling to take such a suspicious fare. But when Eren flashed $500 in cash, the man quickly changed his tune, promising not to lose sight of the vans.
Half an hour later, they arrived outside a bar near the docks.
Eren watched as the men from Zhong Yi Hall stormed into the establishment, their movements swift and deliberate.
Looking at the sign above the entrance, Eren noted the bar's name: Morning Star.
"Morning Star? Is this their base of operations?"
Memorizing the name and location, Eren instructed the taxi driver to head back.
For a Seer, after all, battle wasn't limited to the physical realm.
Returning to Chinatown, Eren immediately found a new, anonymous motel and checked in under a pseudonym.
The ease with which Zhong Yi Hall had located him earlier left him feeling uneasy.
If they could find him so quickly, who's to say the Shui Gui Gang couldn't do the same?
(End of Chapter)
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