“I…”

Some unsettling thoughts entered my mind. In that instant, I actually doubted Master Rong.

“And you just got out—how would you have a knife on you?” Master Tong took the knife from my hand and examined it carefully. “This knife has been meticulously sharpened, exceptionally sharp, enough to kill someone. But that bastard didn’t expect you’d be foolish enough to try using this knife on yourself.”

I didn’t understand Master Tong’s meaning, only that what he was saying was definitely not good.

He was wrongly accusing Master Rong.

“A’Jin, I have a way to settle accounts between me and that bastard Gambling Rong once and for all.” He waved his hand, dismissing the people who had been holding me down.

I straightened up, loosened my muscles and bones, and asked, “What way?”

“You come work for me, and I’ll give you food to eat.”

Seeing that I didn’t respond, he continued:

“I can also let you learn boxing. You have a criminal record, so you can’t become a professional fighter, but I’ll recommend you to underground fight clubs. Everything Gambling Rong could give you, I can give you. Follow me from now on.”

I was slightly stunned.

“Master Tong, I, A’Jin, am just a worthless person—can I really be worth two million?”

“You’re not just a worthless person.” Master Tong shook his head. “Besides you, where would I find a lackey who can both fight and is loyal?”

I seemed to understand.

So the plane ticket from before really was Master Tong’s idea.

Not only would he not kill me, he actually wanted to recruit me?

“You were in prison for four years, and I greased palms both high and low.” Master Tong continued smoking, speaking in that low voice of his. “All these years, no one gave you any trouble, right?”

This was true. For four years, no one had caused me problems.

“Master Tong…” I bowed deeply to Master Tong. “I’m honored by your favor, but my boss is Master Rong. As long as he’s still around, I cannot acknowledge a second boss.”

After hearing this, Master Tong remained silent for a long time.

He slowly stood up. His height only reached my shoulder, yet his entire being emanated an oppressive aura.

“A’Jin, I feel I’ve given you plenty of face.”

“Yes.” I nodded. “Master Tong’s great kindness and virtue, I will never forget. But I’ve always regarded Master Rong as a father. With something this serious happening to him, I can’t ignore it.”

“Good lad, you’ve got guts.” Master Tong reached out and slapped my face twice hard, slapping me painfully.

With Master Rong standing between us, how could I possibly acknowledge him as my boss?

Master Tong lingered beside me for a moment, then turned and walked to the window to look at the scenery.

I could never figure out what this man was thinking.

“Master Tong… what exactly happened with that two million?”

Hearing my question, Master Tong let out an unpleasant laugh.

“Heh heh… speaking of people in the underworld these days, they’re really quite interesting. When borrowing money, they agree to everything, but when it’s time to pay it back, they start crying poverty.”

Master Tong took a drag on his cigarette, glanced at the bustling traffic outside the window, then continued in his low voice, “Gambling Rong called me a devil, said I was cold-blooded. But that bastard should also think from another angle—when he was most helpless and most in need of money, it was I who extended a helping hand. When no institution would lend him money, it was I who lent it to him. To him, I’m not a devil but a savior.”

I still felt I didn’t quite understand. Master Rong actually borrowed money from Master Tong—didn’t A’Jiu stop him?

“But how did he treat me, his savior? He cried poverty everywhere, saying how difficult things were for him, that the two million he borrowed was also swindled away. He denounced me, A’Tong, for being so cold-blooded, trying to use the sympathy of the old-timers in the gang to resolve his predicament.”

“But when he borrowed the money, we signed a contract. All the interest was clearly explained to him. Now he can’t pay it back—is that my problem?”

The more Master Tong spoke, the more agitated he became. His entire body seemed to be trembling.

“What does he think I am? Whether that two million was swindled away or not—don’t I know?”

Hearing these words, I lowered my head. I didn’t know the actual situation and dared not make rash judgments.

“Master Tong… I heard Jiu Ge left together with Master Rong. Is that true?”

“Yes.” Master Tong nodded. “I heard Gambling Rong wanted to cultivate A’Jiu into the next White Paper Fan. He’s really ambitious enough—keeping a Red Pole and a Paper Fan under him, really thinking of himself as the Dragon Head.”

“A’Jiu is my brother,” I said to Master Tong. “I want to go see them. If possible, I’ll have Master Rong return the money to you.”

Hearing this, Master Tong was clearly somewhat angry.

“Very well. If you want to leave, then try leaving.” Master Tong nodded, then waved his hand.

The two people behind him slowly walked forward and stood before me.

“A’Jin, you call yourself a Four-Two-Six Red Pole. I think you’re being modest.” Master Tong took two steps back and sat on the sofa.

“Then Master Tong’s meaning is…?”

“These two are Double Flower Red Poles under me.” Master Tong casually pulled out another cigarette and lit it. “I wonder which of you is more ruthless?”

I smiled slightly, instantly lifting my left foot to kick one of them in the knee. He let out a wail and knelt down, and I immediately flew up my right knee to strike his chin.

In a flash, I also swung out my right hand to strike the other person’s abdomen.

Taking advantage of him bending over, I grabbed his hair and slammed him hard into the wall.

With a dull thud, blood splattered all over the wall.

Seeing the first person about to get up, I released my grip, mounted the first person, and sent a flurry of punches flying at his face.

He finally reacted and began curving his arms to protect his cheeks, but this was useless against me.

The defensive range of arms is limited, but my attack range is unlimited.

If he blocked his chin, I’d hit his temples. If he blocked the sides, I’d hit his nose.

He kept blocking, I kept hitting, every punch landing on flesh.

I worked even harder than usual, as if I wanted to vent all the emotions I’d suppressed over these four years.

The Red Pole I’d slammed into the wall earlier also regained consciousness and immediately grabbed me from behind.

But he didn’t immediately adjust his stance properly. If he could have locked my throat in the first moment, perhaps he might have had a chance at victory.

I reached out to grip his elbow and twisted it in the opposite direction. At this point, he only had two choices—either let go or dislocate.

But a Red Pole is still a Red Pole. If he could submit to force, he wouldn’t deserve the title.

That man had his joint forcibly dislocated by me, yet still gritting his teeth, he used his other hand to grip my throat.

I knew I couldn’t continue applying force, or else his arm would be ruined.

So I released the person on the ground, extended my elbow to strike the ribs of the person behind me, and taking advantage of his distraction, I used the back of my head to strike his nose.

His nose had just been smashed into the wall, and now struck again by my skull, he was in unbearable pain and finally let go.

I turned around with a sweeping kick and brought this person down. Now both men were on the ground.

While they still couldn’t move, I dragged the two together like stacking Arhats, exposing their faces on the left and right sides, then pressed my body down on them.

Then I unleashed a flurry of punches.

Left hand, one punch to the left face. Right hand, one punch to the right face.

The people in this world are perfectly fine, yet they insist on having two faces.

You all have one face in front of people, another face behind people.

Can you tell me… which one is your real face?!

Master Rong, did you deceive me?

Jiu Ge, did you also deceive me?

“Enough,” Master Tong said coldly.

But I didn’t stop. There was too much bitterness in my heart.

“I said enough.”

I don’t know how long I kept hitting before I was finally restrained.

Looking back, it was actually Brother Chong. I didn’t know when he’d entered the room, but now he was leading a group of younger brothers pulling me back.

I looked down to find that those two Red Poles had been beaten into pig heads by me.

Fortunately, I hadn’t gone for the kill, otherwise they wouldn’t have a single tooth left now.

“Good lad, ruthless enough. One person taking down two Double Flower Red Poles, and you still call yourself Four-Two-Six?” Master Tong stood up and walked toward me with a stern expression.

“I apologize, Master Tong.” I bowed my head to him, showing guilt on my face.

Master Tong looked at me with very profound eyes. I had no idea what he was thinking.

He finally waved his hand and turned away.

“A’Chong, tell him to leave.”

“Yes, Master Tong.”