Chapter 20: The Young Master of the Black Tiger Gang - Young Noble Be Monster Slaying

Chapter 20: The Young Master of the Black Tiger Gang Chu Liang stared at Lin Bei. Lin Bei stared back at Chu Liang. This awkward situation lasted for quite some time before Lin Bei sheepishly scratched his head and said, "Right, I mostly need to investigate the situation regarding the haunted case." Fine. At least you still remember. Chu Liang gave a mental mock complaint. Lin Bei continued, "There are indeed quite a few rumors about the haunting at Nanshan Academy this time. It's said that a girl named Si Tu Yan, after being bullied in school, threw herself into the lake behind the mountain." "Si Tu Yan..." Chu Liang repeated the name thoughtfully. "And then, seven days later, two more students' bodies were found in the lake, their deaths extraordinarily gruesome and terrifying," Lin Bei added. "There's a rumor in the academy that it's Si Tu Yan's ghost transformed into a vengeful spirit, returning to take revenge on those classmates who used to bully her." "If it's a vengeful spirit causing trouble, then it shouldn't be too difficult to handle," Chu Liang nodded in agreement. "But why is Li Jue so afraid? Did he possibly bully Si Tu Yan in the past as well?" He continued to find Li Jue and his father’s reaction somewhat abnormal. "With that wooden personality of his, could he really bully anyone?" Lin Bei sneered. "He's more likely to be the one bullied, don't you think?" Before they could finish their conversation, they saw Li Jue blocked by someone in a corner not too far away. The one blocking him was the boy named Yan Xiao Hu from earlier, along with his two attendants. Called attendants, they were actually two burly men over eight feet tall, more like bodyguards, with fierce countenances. Li Jue, cornered by them, said nothing but pulled a hefty piece of silver from his pocket. Yan Xiao Hu weighed it in his hand with a grin before leaving with his men. It seemed to confirm Lin Bei's words. "Shall we go help?" Lin Bei suggested, starting to stand. "No need," Chu Liang shook his head gently, continuing to enjoy his meal. "Are we just ignoring this?" Lin Bei asked indignantly. "The practiced way Li Jue handed over the money suggests he's no stranger to being bullied. If we rush to help now, we might expose our connection to him. Besides, we don't know much about Yan Xiao Hu; best not to complicate matters prematurely," Chu Liang reasoned. "Alright then." Lin Bei relented, turning back. "As long as these people don't mess with me... or else..." Smack. Before he could finish his sentence, someone slapped him hard on the back of his head, and a few dark figures surrounded them. It was Yan Xiao Hu and his two imposing attendants. "Newcomers," the burly youth patted Chu Liang's shoulder. "It's your first day here, so you might not know the rules of Nanshan Academy, right?" "What rules?" Chu Liang inquired. "It's simple: if you want to stay safe here, you need to pay five taels of silver monthly as a protection fee. My young master will ensure your safety," one of the burly attendants explained. "Five taels of silver?" Lin Bei tilted his head. "You might as well be robbing us!" Although they rarely used money in the sect, they understood that five taels of silver could sustain a typical household for months—no small amount. Even if Nanshan Academy was filled with the rich offspring of noble families, this demand was quite audacious. "Not convinced, are you?" The other burly attendant smacked Lin Bei's head again. "I swear—" Lin Bei was about to explode with anger. "Hey—" Chu Liang quickly restrained him with a raised hand, smiling as he handed over a ten-tael piece of silver to Yan Xiao Hu, "Since it's a rule, we naturally have to follow it. I'll pay for two months upfront. Please look out for us, Brother Xiao Hu." "Ah, you know how to behave," Yan Xiao Hu chuckled as he accepted the silver. "Don't worry, from now on, you're my brother here at Nanshan Academy. Mention my name, Yan Xiao Hu, and you'll be able to walk unimpeded." "Brother Xiao Hu is impressive," Chu Liang flattered him, then asked, "So, beyond Nanshan Academy, can Brother Xiao Hu also protect us in Yanjiao City?" "No worries about that..." one of the burly attendants reassured. "Our young master is the young leader of the Black Tiger Gang. You can ask around—our Black Tiger Gang is a branch of the Whale Gang, understand? Befriend our young master, and you can do as you please across Yanjiao City." "Oh, the young master of the Black Tiger Gang, my apologies for not recognizing you," Chu Liang played along, giving Yan Xiao Hu a look of admiration. With a few words of flattery, Yan Xiao Hu departed in high spirits. Once they were gone, Lin Bei rubbed the back of his head with a sullen expression, saying, "These people may have some martial prowess but are no more than at the body-tempering stage. I could take care of them in no time. Why didn't you let me?" "We don't want to invite trouble without understanding the situation fully," Chu Liang advised. "This Black Tiger Gang seems like a local bully. If we indeed provoke people from the Whale Gang, our task will become difficult." "Okay. We haven't even earned our task reward yet and already lost ten taels..." Lin Bei sighed, lamenting their loss. "You can report the expenses to Master Li later," Chu Liang chuckled. The Whale Gang, also known as the Four Seas Whale Gang, ranked among the top ten forces and was the only such organization among the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths that wasn't a sect but could rival them all. Its power was immense. With members throughout the four seas, numbering in the tens of thousands, they monopolized canal transport and harbor operations, a truly colossal entity. If the Black Tiger Gang was indeed affiliated with the Whale Gang, Yan Xiao Hu's arrogance made more sense. However... Back in the classroom, Chu Liang leaned over to Li Jue, "Are you okay? Need our help with Yan Xiao Hu?" "No need," Li Jue shook his head gently, speaking softly, "I've grown used to it, besides... he won't live long anyway." Just as Chu Liang was about to turn away, he caught the added comment and asked, intrigued, "What do you mean?" "Nothing..." Li Jue quickly shook his head again, falling silent. But Chu Liang's curiosity was piqued. The rest of the afternoon passed uneventfully. As they followed Li Jue down the mountain towards Yanjiao City after school, Lin Bei reported what he had discovered to Chu Liang: "The Black Tiger Gang, allegedly a branch under the Whale Gang, is mostly just using the name. I’ve never seen the Whale Gang get involved with their affairs." "In Yanjiao City, they are indeed a major gang, with dozens of martial artists, mostly at the first stage, a few second-stage leaders, and only the leader at the third stage." Chu Liang nodded slowly. In a place like Yanjiao City, such a group could indeed indulge in some lawlessness. After all, local power and hired muscle aren't the same. Master Li could spend a fortune to hire someone at the divine will level for a short time, but he couldn't afford such permanent retainers. Plus, disciples of Mount Shu, when they act, always uphold justice—they handle demons and monsters, not human disputes. A gang with the means to maintain dozens of martial artists and a third-stage practitioner wasn't weak, but that was its limit. With a clear understanding of the situation, Chu Liang looked around until he spotted Yan Xiao Hu just leaving the academy. "Brother Xiao Hu," Chu Liang greeted with a smile as he approached with Lin Bei. "Little Chu, what's up?" Yan Xiao Hu, now regarding Chu Liang as a smart potential follower, seemed rather fond of him. "Earlier, you asked me to find out about the Black Tiger Gang, so I did," Chu Liang replied, smiling. "Hmm? So, what are you planning now?" Yan Xiao Hu sensed something off in Chu Liang's grin. Chu Liang then said, "So now I'm here to take my silver back."