Chapter 29: Under the Influence of the “Chinese Restaurant,” a New Rule Was Quietly Taking Shape
Heads held high and spirits soaring, the crowd marched back inside the city walls in a grand, unified procession.
A sizable crowd had gathered inside the West Gate, waiting anxiously.
These were the folks who had intended to visit the “Chinese Restaurant” that morning, only to spot Rong Na’s crew lingering near the perimeter of the white light.
Though no one knew why Mad Dog’s men had been barred outside the barrier, the rabid gang had refused to let anyone else pass either, driving everyone away.
They had looked thoroughly livid… God only knew who had provoked them.
Grumbling under their breath, the turned-away scavengers had retreated inside the city.
Speculation had run rampant ever since: How had Rong Na caught wind of what was happening beyond the West Wall? Who leaked it?
Given how those lunatics operated, would they seize the Chinese Restaurant for themselves and bar everyone else from buying food?
It was very likely!
Then again, the mysterious boss and the diners inside surely wouldn’t take that lying down. Would the two sides come to blows?
They had certainly heard heated shouting when they were chased off…
The waiting crowd had paced and fretted until the city bells finally tolled.
And what greeted their eyes was the main contingent marching back in high spirits, practically glowing with triumphant joy.
Only after this grand procession had fully entered the gates did Mad Dog’s crew limp in behind them.
Every single one of them was a battered, wretched mess, covered in bruises and leaning on one another for support.
Rong Na’s face was an exquisite mosaic of blue and purple contusions blended into the sickly green undertone of his skin. His face cloth had gone missing entirely.
Aulier, Pat… all those ruthless syndicate heavies who used to strut around the East Wall like lords had been thoroughly stripped of their swagger. The moment they noticed people staring, they scurried off toward the residential quarter with their heads tucked low.
Pfft… Someone in the crowd couldn’t help snickering.
Though they had no idea what had transpired, watching that pack of bullies choke on their own medicine was utterly hilarious.
Judging by the stark contrast between the two groups, Mad Dog’s gang had clearly lost, hadn’t they?!
And by the looks of it, they had lost disastrously!
No way—missing out on such prime entertainment was unacceptable; they had to find someone to ask!
Before long, the curious onlookers dispersed in every direction, seeking out acquaintances to dig up the truth about what had unfolded beyond the West Wall today.
“You have no idea! Mad Dog and his thugs showed up packing a gun! They barged in, snarling and ruthless, trying to seize the stall by force—nearly blew away a guy queuing for roasted potatoes!”
“What?! They had a gun?! Then what happened? What happened next?!”
“Just at that critical moment! The mysterious boss narrowed her eyes, didn’t move an inch, and simply flexed her mind! Suddenly, our vision blurred, and Mad Dog’s men—poof!—vanished into thin air!”
“???!”
“When we looked again, they were already tossed completely outside the white light! That light—which you can see but never feel—suddenly turned solid, as impenetrable as our city walls, locking those lunatics out for good! The boss gave a cold sneer and declared: Your gun belongs to me now! None of you will ever step foot in here again!“
The middle-aged man recounted the morning’s drama with vivid, sweeping gestures to those who had missed it.
“Whoa?! What kind of ability is that? Is the boss an Awakener?! I’ve never heard of a power like that before.”
The middle-aged man flashed an enigmatic smile. “An Awakener? Her background is far more unfathomable than that! Have you ever seen an Awakener who can whip up so much divine food out of thin air?”
“Then… then what is her true identity?”
The middle-aged man wagged a finger. “Someone asked that exact question today, but the boss merely smiled faintly and said, ‘I am merely the proprietor of the Chinese Restaurant.’ Do you get it now?! That is the mark of a true, reclusive master! A real powerhouse never flaunts her strength!”
“That makes total sense! Incredible!” Several listeners nodded vehemently in agreement.
“Who cares what her background is? What matters is that she chose to set up shop right outside our walls, letting us buy real food for dirt-cheap prices. How could we ask for more?”
“Amen to that! So, Mad Dog and his thugs got thrashed by the boss until they learned their place, and that’s how you all came back safely?”
“Not quite.” The middle-aged man shook his head. “The expert boss guarantees our safety within the white light, but once we step outside, we have to stand on our own two feet.”
“Huh? Those lunatics took a beating—didn’t they try to get payback?”
“Of course they did!” The middle-aged man’s face lit up with animated triumph. “And that brings us to the most glorious part: how we banded together, united as one, and beat Mad Dog’s pack of dogs into the dirt! Let me tell you every single detail!”
Outside another wooden shack:
“Sister Yun, how are we supposed to go tomorrow? We were terrified of getting jumped by Mad Dog’s men today, so we turned straight back after leaving the gate. Even though they took a beating… won’t they be waiting for a chance to ambush us?” a middle-aged woman asked anxiously.
“Nothing to fear! I came over specifically to let you know: starting tomorrow, once the morning bells toll, there will be three designated group departure times! Eight o’clock, ten o’clock, and noon sharp. Everyone heading out will assemble inside the West Gate and march out together! If you don’t have a wristwatch, just check the clock in the central plaza!” Auntie Yun explained.
This was the solution Long Qian had hashed out with everyone inside the white light today.
Fighting and brawling were strictly forbidden inside the city walls, where the guards maintained strict order.
Even if Rong Na wanted revenge, they couldn’t make a move within the perimeter.
By gathering into groups three times a day, each party would number at least twenty to thirty people. Even if they crossed paths with gang members outside the gates, they wouldn’t have to back down.
“That’s fantastic! Gathering in a large group means we can watch each other’s backs.”
“Exactly! You should have seen how satisfying it was when we beat the snot out of that Rong Na today!” Auntie Yun chuckled at the memory. “Don’t fret. We all have two hands and two feet—grab a weapon and fight! Even if we take a scrape or two, we can just buy some of the boss’s food to heal right up!”
“That’s so true!”
“Alright, now that you know, I need to hurry and spread the word to the others. Help pass it along to anyone planning to visit the Chinese Restaurant tomorrow! I’m off.”
Auntie Yun hurried away, briskly passing the uninhabited shacks to notify every acquaintance she could find.
“Jia Wen!”
A knock sounded on the brothers’ door. Jia Wen stood up to answer it, revealing Lina and Lilin bounding eagerly on the doorstep.
“What time are you two heading out tomorrow?”
Jia Wen glanced back at his little brother, who was tidying their cot. “We’re aiming for the earliest slot. We’ll assemble at the gate the moment the bells toll.”
“Great! Sister and I are going in the morning too! Remember to bring your wooden trowels—we’re digging up potatoes together again tomorrow!”
Earlier today, the two pairs had crossed paths in the overgrown fields. The sisters had realized the brothers were shockingly efficient at unearthing potatoes with their wooden trowels, while the brothers had discovered that the sisters’ improvised drag-sacks could haul produce at blistering speed.
They had teamed up on the spot: the boys dug, while the girls hauled the crops back to cash them in. Working together, they had out-earned even the grown adults!
After a full day of “cooperation,” splitting the earnings down the middle had netted each of them over thirty City Coins!
By late afternoon, all four of them had happily treated themselves to steaming bowls of the hearty one-pot stew.
“Got it!” Jia Si shouted enthusiastically from the cot. “Don’t forget to bring something for self-defense!”
“Mhm, we have a baseball bat at home. I’ll bring it along tomorrow,” Lilin said.
“That’s right! If that Mad Dog tries anything again, we’ll beat them together!” Lina added, giving a fierce little punch in the air.
There was strength in numbers.
Even the weak, the young, and those with little combat prowess could stand shoulder to shoulder, using the power of solidarity to protect themselves.
On this day, Ling Jing had demonstrated the absolute law of her own domain to the unruly gangs.
At the same time, under the influence of the “Chinese Restaurant,” a brand-new rule of order was quietly taking shape.
