The very beginning, as I mentioned, was about what I was worst at... undoubtedly, fighting.
Because when I was learning the art of deception from Uncle Tuo, besides eating and sleeping, I spent almost all my free time perfecting my skills.
This resulted in my combat ability being extremely limited whenever I encountered danger.
Just like those players in online games who wreak havoc in the新手村 (novice village).
Once they leave the novice village, they're completely useless! But...
Even the most useless player always has one or two life-saving skills.
For example, when I later learned self-defense from Uncle Tuo, I managed to pick up a few moves.
As for what they are, you'll find out as we continue...
..................
The events I've experienced during this period are usually scenes and plotlines seen in Hong Kong gangster films.
Including being held at gunpoint in public today, it was just like the confrontations and clashes between the main villain and the protagonist in movies.
Before coming to Longxi, these experiences were something I couldn't even dream of.
To say I wasn't nervous or scared, don't think you'd believe me... even I wouldn't believe it!
After all, in the end, I'm just a young man in his early twenties.
Although due to family and environmental factors, I'm a tiny bit more mature than my peers, in front of a dark gun barrel... it's all for naught!
Just as my mind was racing with how to escape the dark gun barrel and subdue Cao Hongliang, a sudden change occurred!
Seeing that I was still standing there motionless, Cao Hongliang immediately berated me in a deep voice, "What are you looking at?! I told you to kneel! Did you hear me?"
"If you don't kneel, I'll blow your knees off and make you kneel to your death!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Cao Hongliang grabbed the gun stock and smashed it twice towards my head.
Then, still feeling unsatisfied, Cao Hongliang's right hand, holding the gun, suddenly shifted towards my knees.
It was at this moment that I... moved!
As a "useless fighter," one of the few self-defense moves I learned from Uncle Tuo was specifically designed to deal with this kind of situation.
Ignoring the intermittent dizziness in my head, I seized the opportunity as Cao Hongliang lowered the gun and, with the speed of lightning and the force of thunder, grabbed his gun-wielding wrist.
At the same time, I grabbed Cao Hongliang by his collar with my other hand and executed a perfect over-the-shoulder throw, slamming him heavily to the ground.
And with that, I also disarmed him.
"Get them!!!"
A scholar can be killed, but not humiliated!
You want to kill me and humiliate me? Go to hell!
In a flash, before Cao Hongliang and his men could react, I dropped this sentence, grabbed the gun stock, pulled Cao Hongliang by his collar, and smashed it repeatedly against his head.
Bang, bang, bang...
At this moment, Cheng Minglang, who was a step faster, instantly drew his extendable baton and charged directly at the middle-aged man in Cao Hongliang's team.
Capture the king first!
With the king subdued, the most threatening person in Cao Hongliang's team was the middle-aged man, the "fire general."
As long as the middle-aged man was also subdued... the crisis would be resolved!
Cheng Minglang, having fought the middle-aged man before, immediately locked onto him as his target.
As for Han Jinlun, he went straight for the tall, slender woman...
When Cheng Minglang's baton struck the middle-aged man's face heavily, Cao Hongliang's team finally came to their senses and reacted.
Unfortunately, it was too late!
In less than two minutes, the middle-aged man and the stout uncle were consecutively knocked down by Cheng Minglang's baton.
And the tall, slender woman was knocked to the ground by Han Jinlun with several slaps, crying and wailing with her face red and swollen.
Judging by her reaction, I guessed the tall, slender woman never expected anyone would actually slap her, a woman, directly.
As for "Hao Ge," who was dressed so ostentatiously, he was completely stunned in place.
The coldness on his face was gone, replaced by endless bewilderment, fear, and shock.
Seeing this guy's expression, I knew we had likely been sold out by him.
"Loyalty often comes from the humble?" Heh heh...
In this world today, a prerequisite for loyalty is that the money must be right.
As long as the money is right, even a woman will sleep with you!
Damn these江湖 (jianghu) people! Damn this江湖!
Thinking this, I directly opened the safety of the pistol, aimed the muzzle at Cao Hongliang's head, and said in a flat tone, "I don't have any extra nonsense to say."
"Within ten counts, if I don't see you kneel before me..."
"Starting with you, I'll send all of you on your way, one by one!"
"Kill me? Heh heh! Don't you want to leave Jinling alive?" Cao Hongliang said with a forced calm smile, rubbing his slightly aching head.
"Since you all don't intend to let me live, what's the point of leaving or not?"
"It's just a matter of who goes first and who goes last!"
"But no matter who goes first or last, at least the first one to die... won't be me!"
"And you've already wasted five seconds," I said unhurriedly.
Hearing this, Cao Hongliang was instantly stunned.
After regaining his senses, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and Cao Hongliang immediately turned to look at the middle-aged man and the others, roaring with all his might, "Don't mind me! Fight them!!!"
Cao Hongliang's words caused the middle-aged man and the stout uncle to pause for a moment, but then they fearlessly charged at Cheng Minglang again.
Only the tall, slender woman stood frozen in place, wanting to move but not daring to.
Seeing this situation, I didn't say a word and directly grabbed Cao Hongliang by the neck.
As I lowered the muzzle, I coldly commanded, "Everyone, stop moving!!!"
Before I finished speaking, I pulled the trigger.
Bang!!!
The moment the gunshot rang out, Cao Hongliang clutched his right knee and knelt on the ground, screaming in agony.
"Kneel down! Call me master!!!"
"Otherwise, I'll send you on your way right now!"
After saying this, I once again pressed the muzzle to Cao Hongliang's head.
Ever since the incident with Yu Shuang, I had understood one principle.
Before one's strength is sufficient, there are no other shortcuts to survival in the jianghu.
There's only one word: ruthless!!!
I wasn't ruthless before because I hadn't understood.
But now, I've grasped it.
To be in the jianghu... one must pay a price.
You want my life? Then I'll make you bleed first!
This time, without any hesitation, enduring the piercing pain from his knee, Cao Hongliang hunched over on the ground and said with a trembling voice, "Master, I, I... surrender!"
"Let me go, and I'll escort you out of Jinling, deal?"