Chapter Thirty-Nine: Leading a Difficult Team
The pure friendship between men, aside from the renowned Four Pillars of Brotherhood, is perhaps best embodied by the slightly lesser but still formidable Three Steels. Sharing cigarettes, drinking together, and boasting side by side—these are the marks of such camaraderie.
After chatting with these eccentric fellows over a meal and a few rounds of drinks, I found I’d memorized every one of their names and nicknames with absolute clarity.
Li Changfu, nicknamed “Mighty Giant,” was a wild fighter who feared nothing, skilled in every manner of brawling, and only grew fiercer as the fight dragged on.
Cui Xiping, known as “Bamboo Pole,” was tall and gangly, with the look of an honest man plastered all over him. His face habitually wore an aggrieved expression, as if silently suffering.
The twin brothers Cheng Yuan and Cheng Hao were in perfect sync, their teamwork unrivaled—few could stand against their twin blades. If ever there was a dispute, it was settled by seeing who could pee the farthest.
Liu Yaozong, nicknamed “Iron-Head,” was completely bald and fought using his skull as a battering ram.
Zhou Yunfa, called “Big Bear,” was short and stout, his bear-like hands unbeatable, his iron palm strikes fierce and domineering.
Lu Kun: ...
What a joke!
Of the seven of us, only Stone seemed remotely normal.
Lu Kun truly wanted to ask if they were the legendary Seven Brothers, each more bizarre than the last.
To think he’d have to build an enterprise with this motley crew gave Lu Kun a headache. He shot a sidelong glance at Stone, a hint of murderous intent in his eyes.
“Ahem...” Stone looked embarrassed too.
“Stone, Kun, you guys should eat as well...” The others glanced curiously at Lu Kun and Stone, who sat unmoving.
Lu Kun said nothing.
...
“To brotherhood...”
“Three stars shining...”
“Fortune in all seasons...”
“Five champions...”
“Six, six, six...”
“Iron-Head, you’re wrong, drink up!”
...
I had to admit, these eccentrics made for excellent drinking companions.
County H. Agricultural Market.
Early morning.
With Stone leading his six Brothers, Lu Kun felt emboldened and drove his tractor straight into the market.
The seven men formed a protective circle, with Lu Kun at the center.
A gust of wind blew, and they all shivered involuntarily.
Lu Kun: ...
A troupe of drama kings! Could they stop overacting? There weren’t even many people around at this hour, and yet they surrounded him as if fending off a crowd.
“Stone, why don’t the others grab some breakfast first?” Lu Kun suggested, resigned.
Stone shook his head. “That won’t do. You’re the boss—how could the employees eat while the boss works? Right, brothers?”
“Yes!” they all replied in unison.
“But don’t you think you’re scaring off my customers like this?” Lu Kun gestured at the ginger sellers who’d fled in fright.
Another cold wind swept through.
They shivered again.
“Alright, alright, you lot go have breakfast. I can handle things here. Just eat at that shop across the street, and I’ll call you if I need anything,” Stone said, reaching for some money.
“Here, take this. It’s cold—have some hot porridge to warm up, and spend the rest however you like,” Lu Kun said, handing over a small wad of bills—more than enough for breakfast.
...
It was a while before anyone came to ask the price.
“Brother, how much for your ginger?”
The man asking was a friendly-looking fellow in his forties.
Stone stepped beside Lu Kun, standing like a sentinel.
Lu Kun glanced at Stone and noticed his wary gaze fixed on the man.
His hands...
Lu Kun’s eyes narrowed. The man’s right middle, ring, and little fingers were notably more bent and callused than those on his left.
A seasoned gunman.
His accent, too, was a forced imitation of the local dialect.
Lu Kun swallowed, forcing down his alarm.
No need to panic—surely the man was wary too. After all, Lu Kun had a crowd with him. Even if this was a double-cross, it wouldn’t be easy.
Lu Kun signaled ten with his fingers, indicating the ginger was ten yuan per jin.
While Lu Kun conversed with the man, Stone stealthily signaled the brothers in the breakfast shop across the street.
The man seemed to notice and glanced at the shop.
“Your brothers are impressive,” he said with a smile that made Lu Kun’s heart leap into his throat.
They could fight, yes—but it depended on their opponent. This man might well be a notorious criminal from the wanted list.
Best not to provoke him—this was a true gunman.
“Alright then, ten it is,” the man agreed without haggling, but his look grew unreadable.
Was that a warning?
Lu Kun broke out in cold sweat, deeply unsettled.
Perhaps, back in Fengyang City, he had already caught the attention of certain people. So much time had passed—they had likely dug up everything about him by now.
Lu Kun exhaled, steadying his nerves.
Thank goodness he’d brought his brothers along today, or he might have been finished.
The thugs from the other day were probably their handiwork too.
He’d thought it odd at the time, but dismissed it as nothing more than a few new toughs in town.
“Don’t overthink it—they’re gone. Here, the money’s all here,” Stone said, clapping Lu Kun on the shoulder.
Lu Kun let out a long breath, saying nothing more.
To Stone, it was just an encounter with an unknown but skilled gunman.
“Let’s gather the brothers and head back,” Lu Kun said, not daring to return alone. One wrong move and he wouldn’t even know how he’d been shot.
They made it safely back to their rented courtyard in County Gui A.
Lu Kun decided to bring Liu Liping back to Ping’an Village as well.
It was simply too unsafe for her to live alone in that rented place. If anyone meant her harm, she’d have no one to call for help.
It was better to return to the village, where the community could look out for her. If needed, Stone himself could keep watch.
After all this, Lu Kun finally understood.
The powers behind the scenes were displeased. Everyone else was desperately driving up prices, but he was the spoiler, the troublemaker, who’d already pocketed nearly a million!