Chapter 22

On the way back, Master Li learned from Master Hu the details of what had transpired in the main hall, which made him slap his thigh in frustration.

Su Xin had played his move so smoothly, turning the trial against him into a power struggle within the Flying Eagle Gang.

From the very beginning, Su Xin did not defend himself but instead positioned himself as a hero who had broken the gang rules by fighting the Green Bamboo Gang to protect his brothers.

Although some might not believe this, it was enough that Lin Fuhu, the head of the Combat Hall, who was simple-minded and strong, believed it. He would naturally speak up for Su Xin.

From the moment Lin Fuhu spoke, the matter was no longer about Su Xin but had turned into a conflict among the three hall heads.

Lin Fuhu had old grievances with Dong Chengwu, and he would support anything Dong opposed.

Dong Chengwu had taken action against the Benevolence Hall, blocking the financial path of Hall Head Zhuang Li, so Zhuang Li would not consider right or wrong and would naturally stand against Dong Chengwu.

A simple play had ensnared the three hall heads of the Flying Eagle Gang. Master Li found it increasingly ingenious and could not help but clap in admiration.

However, seeing the dark expression on Master Hu's face, Master Li could only follow silently behind him.

Previously, Master Hu had secretly made moves against Su Xin and was eager to distance himself from Su Xin, which had almost led to a falling out. Now that Su Xin was unharmed, it was strange for Master Hu to be happy.

Master Li vaguely felt that Master Hu had made a bad move.

For a promising young man like Su Xin, if he had supported him, he could have gained some benefits through the father-son relationship. But by choosing to suppress him, it had become a difficult situation.

Meanwhile, Huang Bingcheng, who had returned to Happy Forest with Su Xin, was drenched in cold sweat.

He had not seen the confrontation in the main hall, but just hearing Su Xin's description made him shudder. If he had been in Su Xin's position, he would have been too scared to speak, let alone talk confidently.

"Bro, you've got some serious guts to act in front of the gang leader and the three hall heads. What if the gang leader saw through it?" Huang Bingcheng asked, still shaken.

Su Xin shook his head and said, "It's not that he might see through it, but that he already did. Everyone present, except for Lin Fuhu, who is simple-minded despite his age, saw through it.

I am confident in my acting skills, but I couldn't fool Shafei Ying, who founded the Flying Eagle Gang, or Dong Chengwu and the shrewd Zhuang Li."

Huang Bingcheng was speechless. "He... saw through it? Then why did the gang leader speak in your favor?"

"Let me correct that. The gang leader wasn't speaking in my favor, but in Lin Fuhu's favor."

Su Xin explained, "Lin Fuhu and Dong Chengwu had a dispute, and Zhuang Li added fuel to the fire. As the gang leader, he had to choose a side. If he tried to be neutral, he would anger both parties."

"What if the gang leader had supported Dong Chengwu?" Huang Bingcheng asked doubtfully.

Su Xin shook his head. "He wouldn't. The gang leader would definitely support Lin Fuhu."

"Why?"

"Because among the three hall heads, only Lin Fuhu is the gang leader's confidant!"

Su Xin said solemnly, "Why does Lin Fuhu control the Combat Hall, the strongest force in the gang? Is it because he is the strongest? No, it's because he is the simplest to control among the three hall heads!"

Huang Bingcheng was stunned. Although he was known as the Flying Eagle Gang's information gatherer, he had never heard such a theory before.

"The Combat Hall is the strongest force in the Flying Eagle Gang, so it must be managed by a reliable person. Among the three hall heads, Zhuang Li is slick and cunning, and the gang leader wouldn't trust him. Dong Chengwu may appear impartial, but no one knows what he truly thinks.

Only Lin Fuhu is a simple-minded and strong person. Although he is not the strongest, Shafei Ying trusts him the most because he is easier to control than the other two.

You once said that Dong Chengwu publicly punished a Combat Hall disciple for breaking the rules, and the gang leader did not intervene, indicating that he supported Dong Chengwu at the time.

If the gang leader had supported Dong Chengwu again this time, it would have disappointed Lin Fuhu, so he had to support Lin Fuhu this time."

Huang Bingcheng was speechless. He realized that Su Xin's greatest strength was not his martial arts but his ability to read people's minds.

However, Su Xin had one thing he didn't say. All of this was predicated on having the strength. Without strength, no matter how much scheming he did, it would be in vain.

If he had failed to kill Dai Chong and returned after a failed assassination, no amount of excuses would have helped.

By killing Dai Chong, he had crippled the Green Bamboo Gang, significantly weakening their strength.

If the Green Bamboo Gang were to fight the Flying Eagle Gang again, they would be at a disadvantage.

So, Su Xin's actions did not bring trouble to the gang as Ji Gang and others had imagined.

The main issue regarding Su Xin was whether he had violated the gang rules and deserved punishment.

With this issue resolved, it was much easier to handle. A single act had solved everything.

However, there were downsides.

The gang leader, Shafei Ying, and Dong Chengwu had clearly remembered Su Xin. If he tried to act again, it would not be as easy to get away with it.

Upon returning to Happy Forest and learning that Su Xin was unharmed, his subordinates cheered.

This incident had greatly increased the cohesion among Su Xin's followers.

Following a generous and protective leader was not easy, and following a leader who stood up for his subordinates was even harder.

So, seeing Su Xin return safely, everyone was happy, except for Ji Gang.

Su Xin ignored him.

Ji Gang was Master Hu's man, and since Su Xin and Master Hu had not yet fallen out, as long as Ji Gang did not overstep, Su Xin would not take action against him.

Taking advantage of everyone's joy, Su Xin threw out 100 taels of silver and took everyone to a restaurant, where they drank until nightfall.

But as soon as he entered the door, he was pushed out by Xing'er.

"Brother, you smell so bad. Why did you drink so much? Go take a bath first. No cleaning, no entry!" Xing'er pinched her nose, looking disgusted.

"Alright, alright, I'll go." Su Xin had to smile bitterly and go take a bath.

When they lived in the shabby house in Changley Fang, Xing'er didn't have so many complaints. Now that they had moved to a new home, her cleanliness obsession had become more apparent.

If there was a stain on Su Xin's clothes, Xing'er would forcibly take them off.

After heating the water and pouring it into the bathtub, Su Xin jumped in and sighed contentedly.

Although he hadn't fought anyone that day, the mental stress of acting with the senior members of the Flying Eagle Gang was exhausting.

People like Lin Fuhu, who were simple-minded, were rare. These old men, who had lived for decades, were as cunning as his former black-hearted superiors. One wrong word could be seized upon.

While soaking in the bath, Su Xin's mind entered the system space.

Originally, Su Xin planned to accumulate more chances to draw together or directly save up for a high-level draw.

However, the battle with Dai Chong made Su Xin realize that his strength was still lacking. He urgently needed to improve his strength, and saving up for three months to get a high-level draw was not practical.

Who knew what might happen in these three months? Temporarily improving his strength was the most important thing.

In the misty system space, Su Xin asked, "How many draws do I have now?"

The system replied, "The host currently has 35 chances for a basic draw and 1 chance for an intermediate draw."

"Convert them into three intermediate draws."

The probability of getting good items from a basic draw was too low. Su Xin needed a high-level skill like Jing Wu Ming's fast sword, not a low-level skill below two stars.

"Conversion successful. Would the host like to draw now?"

"Draw, and remove the empty options."

On the large screen in the middle, the wheel slowly turned, the needle sliding past the skill section and landing on the medicine section.

"Congratulations, the host has drawn a bottle of Kai Ling Powder, rated two stars."

A white porcelain bottle appeared in front of Su Xin, and the description naturally appeared in his mind.

"Kai Ling Powder, clears the mind, brightens the eyes, and refines the blood to nourish the qi. Suitable for martial artists to refine true qi. Long-term use can slightly aid in advancing to the innate stage."

Su Xin looked at the medicine bottle. "It's a bit of a chicken rib. The effect is good, but it requires long-term use. Otherwise, it's not much different from the Qi Nourishing Pill."

"Continue drawing, and remove the empty options."

The wheel started spinning again. This time, it finally landed on the skill section as Su Xin had hoped.

A middle-aged beggar in tattered but clean clothes appeared on the screen. He looked refined and scholarly, not like a beggar but like a scholar.

"Congratulations, the host has drawn the character Quan Guanqing, who possesses the incomplete Beggar's Staff Technique. No further draws are needed. The skill is rated half a star."

Su Xin almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

Drawing a half-star skill with an intermediate draw, what was this about?

If this was luck, then Quan Guanqing, as an elder of the Beggar Gang, was only worth half a star?

Su Xin wanted to protest but closed his mouth just as he opened it.

The Jin Pai martial world was a low-level martial world, and Quan Guanqing mostly used underhanded tactics. His martial arts were indeed quite poor.

But there was one thing Su Xin couldn't accept. The Beggar's Staff Technique was already bad enough, but an incomplete version? Su Xin immediately protested.

The system explained, "The Beggar's Staff Technique is a secret skill of the Beggar Gang. Ordinary disciples learn it, but only in incomplete form. Although Quan Guanqing is an elder of the Beggar Gang, he still does not have the qualifications to learn the complete version, so it is an incomplete version.

This can happen with other skills as well. For example, the genuine Nine Yin Manual is rated four stars. If the host draws Ouyang Feng, the skill obtained would be the reverse-practiced Nine Yin Manual, rated three stars."

Su Xin smiled bitterly. The system's rules were truly flawless, leaving no room for any loopholes.