Chapter 37 Black Water Gang
"Huang Sheng from the Black Water Gang?"
Doctor Xu glanced at the newcomer, Zhong Lin, and nodded: "Who else could it be? It used to be the government taking twenty percent and the gangs thirty. Now it's the other way round. Times are getting tougher."
What Doctor Xu meant by "the government taking twenty and the gangs thirty" was that the legitimate government took twenty percent as taxes, which could at least save you some money if you scrimp a bit, while the latter was a protection fee you had no choice but to pay; the gangs were much nastier than the government when it came to enforcement.
Zhong Lin was quite grateful that he was noticed by the government and became an artist for the government office. Though he was just an auxiliary staff member, nobody dared to ask him for a protection fee.
"Let's not talk about that. Did you get the elixir?"
Zhong Lin clenched his fist, feeling a strength greater than before, and said with satisfaction: "Very good."
"Must be expensive too, right?"
The smile on Zhong Lin's face stiffened, hitting him where it hurt.
Xu Le sighed: "When I was young, I was an apprentice at the Hundred Herbs Hall in Tianyang County. Unfortunately, I wasn't talented enough to advance to be a pharmacist. That's a more magical domain, gathering the essence of hundreds of herbs into one pill. It's a pity!"
"Did you learn to make the Eight Treasures Blood Building Soup there as well?"
"Yes, technically, the Eight Treasures Blood Building Soup should be called the Eight Treasures Blood Building Powder, a diluted version of the Blood Replenishing Pill. It was something apprentices at Hundred Herbs Hall practiced with; only when you successfully make a true Blood Replenishing Pill do you qualify to be a pharmacist there. I was so close, just a little bit short!"
Doctor Xu's face was filled with regret, much like those classmates of Zhong Lin in his previous life who failed their college entrance exams and struggled through society.
"Ah! Stop fighting, stop fighting."
As the two were conversing, they heard screams from outside.
Zhong Lin and Doctor Xu exchanged a glance and stepped outside simultaneously to watch.
Across the street from the clinic, Huang Sheng was commanding his thugs to beat up a father and son; the screams just now came from them.
"Isn't that... Old Wang and his son?"
Huang Sheng stood in the street and loudly declared to the onlookers: "Old Wang and his son resisting the payment is resisting me, Huang Sheng, and the Black Water Gang. Especially since he dared to lay hands on me..."
"Pah! That Old Wang and his son are as meek as dough; how could they dare lay hands on him? He's doing it on purpose, trying to make an example of them." Doctor Xu cursed under his breath, his face full of anger.
Sure enough, Old Wang opened his mouth as if trying to explain.
With a thud, Huang Sheng kicked Old Wang hard, sending him tumbling to the ground, crying out in pain.
"Drag them down and beat them hard. They dared to defy the Black Water Gang; today I'm going to show them the meaning of death."
Two of Huang Sheng's followers quickly stepped up, kicking and beating the father and son, making them scream continuously.
"No, if they keep hitting them like that, they'll be killed for real."
Doctor Xu pushed through the crowd and rushed up, cupping his hands towards Huang Sheng: "Master Huang, please have mercy, please have mercy! If you keep beating them, there'll be casualties."
"Old Xu, looks like you're not afraid to die either!"
Seeing someone daring to interfere, a chill spread across Huang Sheng's face.
"I dare not, I dare not," Doctor Xu quickly said: "Old Wang just had a serious illness a few days ago, and his body hasn't fully recovered. Beating him could really result in death! There are also government people watching!"
Then he subtly glanced at Zhong Lin, who stood at the back of the crowd.
Huang Sheng followed the glance and, upon seeing Zhong Lin, his expression grew even darker; it was clear he recognized Zhong Lin's identity.
Zhong Lin didn't expect to be used as a scapegoat; it instantly made him want to smack Xu LeWu to death.
Huang Sheng cupped his hands from a distance towards Zhong Lin: "Ah, it's Artist Zhong in person. Then I'll grant Artist Zhong a favor today. Let's go."
With that, he turned around with his thugs and quickly left the street.
"Master Huang, isn't that person just an artist for the government office? Why do you need to give him face?" a thug asked, full of confusion.
Huang Sheng snorted coldly: "An artist? He's no ordinary artist. Have you heard of Chi Yan?"
"You mean that constable who gambled a lot at Kuaihuo Workshop? Isn't he dead?" another thug interjected.
"Exactly, the Eighth Rank Muscle Strengthening Realm Martial Artist, killed by that very artist."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the thugs around Huang Sheng gasped.
As thugs, they also knew about ranked martial artists. Their own Master Huang was a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, otherwise, he wouldn't have become a small leader managing a street.
Eighth Rank was stronger than Ninth Grade, yet now it had been killed by a seemingly frail artist; it was truly unbelievable.
Ignoring the conversation among Huang Sheng and his men, Zhong Lin stood expressionlessly in the clinic, looking at Xu Le.
Xu Le knew he had just done something underhanded and might have made an enemy for Zhong Lin. Sheepishly, he said: "Couldn't just stand by and watch Old Wang being beaten to death! He really has no money left. He got seriously ill some time ago, and the family's savings went into buying medicine."
"So you used me as leverage?"
"How could I! It was an act of desperation..."
"Doctor Xu, do you want to make money?"
Xu Le was stunned, not expecting Zhong Lin to switch topics so swiftly, from confronting him to immediately asking about making money.
"I asked if you want to make money?" Zhong Lin repeated.
Xu Le looked at Zhong Lin warily, shaking his head: "I don't make dirty money."
Xu Le was the doctor at the clinic, and if he wanted to make some dirty money, it would be easy, like using inferior herbs or prescribing unnecessary medicine.
But although Xu Le had a hot temper, he still had principles and didn't want to make money that went against his conscience.
Zhong Lin rolled his eyes helplessly and said: "Don't worry, neither do I."
"Then what do you have in mind?"
"Eight Treasures Blood Building Soup."
"Hah! I thought you were up to something new! Were you thinking of selling the Eight Treasures Blood Building Soup to those martial arts schools? It's useless, every martial arts school has their own secret medicine, which is no less effective than the Eight Treasures Blood Building Soup, and those schools wouldn't allow it either; you'd be cutting into their business."
Xu Le waved his hand, thinking Zhong Lin had some great idea.
"Who said I was going to sell to the martial arts schools? There's another place to sell."
Upon hearing this, Xu Le was momentarily stunned. His mind spun with the idea's feasibility as his eyes shone brighter and brighter.
The black market was a mix of all kinds of characters, some even unable to show themselves in town during the day, let alone buy medicine openly; these medicines could be just for them.
"You handle the production, I'll handle getting it to the black market for sale. Split fifty-fifty, how about it?"
Zhong Lin spoke with a smile, presenting his plan.
"Why fifty-fifty? I'm the one providing the herbs and making the medicine; you're just doing the legwork. That's too much of a cut for you."