Chapter 70

On Garden Road, He Ping and Dong Dapeng stood in front of the tallest and most luxurious building in the area. The words "Golden Dragon Club" were written in bold, flowing characters. According to the information they had obtained from the young man, the first two floors and the basement of this building were leased by the so-called Uncle Long. Above that was a hotel, with the first and second floors being the main part of the Golden Dragon Club, a KTV, and the basement being a billiard hall. The billiard hall had no prominent sign, indicating that the owner only wanted to do business with regular customers.

He Ping came here mainly because he didn't want to make a wasted trip, hoping to find someone useful by chance. Originally, his plan was to find someone involved in a gang, preferably with a few blemishes on their record. Such a person would have no connections with his parents and would be easier to control. As long as he used a combination of kindness and authority, manipulating such a person would be quite simple. As for their abilities, it didn't matter much; he needed a proxy, a puppet, not an assistant.

He Ping glanced at Dong Dapeng and felt a sense of relief. Dong Dapeng was more excited than nervous, and there was hardly any fear left. It seemed that the impression left on him that day had changed his character. At his age, personality was still forming, and the experiences he had now would be crucial for his future growth. With more training, He Ping believed Dong Dapeng would not disappoint him.

He Ping led the way, and the two teenagers, who looked completely out of place, entered the Golden Dragon Club. Despite it being a weekend, it was still daytime, and the KTV, though open, had very few customers. The place was deserted. He Ping looked around and then headed straight for the basement. Even before they entered, they could hear the lively chatter from inside. It seemed there were more people down there than upstairs.

The basement door creaked open, and the inside was well-lit. He Ping was prepared, but Dong Dapeng seemed momentarily blinded by the bright lights and covered his eyes, rubbing them. After a moment, he adjusted and saw the scene inside. The basement was quite spacious, with about thirty to forty billiard tables of various sizes. Since sunlight couldn't reach here and billiards required good lighting, there were many fluorescent tubes installed on the ceiling and above the tables.

At that moment, about a third of the billiard tables were occupied, with others watching, resting, or chatting. There were about thirty to forty people in total, mostly young men in their twenties, with a few middle-aged men in their thirties and forties. Most were men, with only a few women. Due to the many smokers and poor ventilation, the entire basement was filled with smoke.

The moment the two entered, everyone in the basement stopped what they were doing and looked over. They were used to seeing regulars, so when they heard the door, they naturally wanted to see who had come in. However, instead of a familiar face, they saw two well-dressed children standing at the door, looking around.

Everyone was stunned. Whose children were these? Were they the children or relatives of someone present? They looked at each other and quickly realized that they didn't recognize these children. They weren't related to anyone here. Could they have wandered in by mistake? It was possible, but the sign "Golden Dragon Club" should be easy enough for elementary school students to read.

Before anyone could speak, He Ping said, "You're the so-called Golden Dragon Gang? You look like a bunch of ragtag hooligans. Forget it, who's the best fighter here? Come out and spar with me." Being able to fight was a key requirement for the proxy He Ping was looking for. He would have more and more tasks in the future and couldn't always handle everything himself.

Hearing He Ping's words, everyone was first stunned, then burst into laughter. What did this kid say? The best fighter should come out and spar with him? What was this, a movie? The "Golden Dragon Gang" was just what outsiders called them; they didn't use that name themselves. They had no obligation to correct outsiders, so the name stuck. They didn't expect even a child to know it.

"Kid, go home and drink your milk. This isn't a place for little brats like you," a thin, young man near He Ping and Dong Dapeng said with a laugh.

He Ping frowned and casually picked up a billiard ball from an unoccupied table. Before anyone could react, the ball disappeared from his hand, and a moment later, a scream echoed. The thin young man who had spoken was lying on the ground, clutching his foot and rolling in pain. The billiard ball rolled to the side.

"Watch your mouth. Next time, it won't be so light," He Ping said coldly. He had held back; with his strength and his maxed-out skill in ranged weapons, a billiard ball could easily become a lethal weapon. If he hadn't learned that this was just a mutual aid group, he would have used more force. Even so, the thin young man's foot was now bruised and swollen, and he would be in pain for days.

When He Ping made his move, the laughter stopped, and everyone's eyes widened in surprise. They hadn't even seen the ball leave his hand, but the result was undeniable. He Ping was still some distance from the thin young man, and even they couldn't hit a target with such accuracy, speed, and force from that distance. But the kid seemed to do it effortlessly.

"Who are you? Who sent you?" A middle-aged man, who looked the oldest with graying hair and a rugged appearance, spoke up. He was nearly fifty but still very fit.

"Are you Uncle Long?" He Ping guessed his identity and didn't waste words. He picked up a cue from a nearby table, twirled it a couple of times, and felt it was quite handy. With his maxed-out skill in long weapons, the cue was suitable as either a staff or a spear.

"I already said, who's the best fighter here? Come out and spar with me. As for who I am and who sent me, you don't need to know. Just treat me as someone here to cause trouble. If you lack confidence, come at me all at once; I don't mind the numbers."

[PS: First update of the day!]

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