Seeing the pickpocket's smug and self-righteous attitude, the fat woman who had just chased her away with the broom rolled her eyes in exasperation...
All of this came into my view, which made me quite amused, and I couldn't help but feel a little more affection for this little girl.
Hmm, not bad, not bad. They still dare to be so arrogant, just like my temperament!
Xiluo and I were drinking and eating heartily, occasionally glancing at the little girl. She had ordered quite a bit of food. After wolfing it down, she tossed some money to the owner, then swayed back towards us, still not daring to bother me, just putting on that pitiful expression again. She squatted by the roadside, occasionally looking at me with her big, dark eyes.
What a sly little brat! I was both annoyed and amused. This girl seemed to have latched onto me like this.
To be honest, people who've risen to my position don't care about morality anymore. I'm a big boss in the underworld, not some good guy. What I do and say is mostly based on my own whims. Although I don't like causing trouble, this girl is quite interesting, and I couldn't help but soften a bit. I had a fleeting thought: helping her wouldn't be a bad idea, since it's just a matter of me saying a few words.
But at that moment, the situation changed.
From afar, I saw a group of people emerge from a shop. The leader was bald, with a large forehead, a fat face, and big ears. He wore a large t-shirt, baggy shorts, revealing his hairy thighs, and slippers. He had a thuggish air about him, and a thick gold chain hung around his neck. Behind him followed five henchmen… Clearly, judging from their appearance, they were either thugs or gangsters.
As the bald, fat man walked along, his thieving eyes immediately spotted the little girl squatting to the side. He paused for a moment, then quickly led his men to surround her. The little girl clearly recognized the bald man and seemed quite afraid of him; her face immediately turned pale with fright, and she stood up as if to run away, but was quickly stopped by the bald, fat man's men.
The fat man grinned maliciously as he walked over. One of his men had already brought over a stool, and he sat down with an air of superiority, giving the little girl a cold look. The little girl's eyes darted around, but she quickly put on a humble and ingratiating smile. However, she was shoved by one of the fat man's henchmen behind her and immediately fell to her knees on the ground.
The bald, fat man sat on a stool, looking down at the little girl with a sneer, and scolded, "Little Wu, what brings you to your Uncle Ma's territory today?"
I've practiced martial arts, so my senses are better than most people's. When that bald, fat guy said that, I almost spat out the beer I was drinking.
Xiao Wuzi? Damn, this little girl is called Xiao Wu?
The young girl's eyes darted around, but she pretended to be calm and forced a smile, saying, "Uncle Ma, I just came here to stroll around and buy some food... It's so hot, why are you bringing people to patrol the streets? It's getting late, I'll go back now..." After saying that, she stood up and tried to slip away, but one of her henchmen grabbed her by the back of her collar and pushed her hard, causing her to fall back to the ground.
The little girl stumbled and fell, her eyebrows furrowing in pain, but she still managed a forced smile and said, "Ouch, ouch, it was my fault. I should have bowed to Uncle Ma first... You're a magnanimous man, you won't hold a grudge against a child like me, will you... Hmm?" After saying that, she bowed repeatedly to the fat man, jumped up and tried to run away, but was still blocked by a henchman.
"Hey Xiao Wu," the fat man said sarcastically, "you really think you can fool your Uncle Ma? Don't think I don't know, your whole gang was taken down by the cops this noon. Heh heh... What happened? Now you're begging for food on your Uncle Ma's turf? Little girl, it's not that your Uncle Ma is heartless, but you should know the rules, right?"
Upon hearing this, the little girl turned pale with fright, her forehead covered in cold sweat. She forced a quick smile and said, "Um... Uncle Ma. I'm just a child, why bother with me?"
The bald, fat man's smile grew even more sinister as he squinted and said, "Rules are rules. You came to my territory, you're asking for death... Fine, I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of your uncles and elders. Hehe, but it's all the same now. I heard your group messed with some powerful figures today and got taken down by the cops. Sigh, I always said those wanted criminals should have come and joined me. But they insisted on fighting me to the death, and now look what happened... Hehe, where do you think you can run to now? Tomorrow I'll send people to take over that street. Even if your uncles and elders get out of the cops' detention center, they'll only be able to go back to their hometowns to farm. As for you, little girl, Uncle Ma still quite likes clever people like you. I won't make things difficult for you today; I'll leave you one of your tools of the trade, according to the rules."
The fat man waved his large hand, and immediately two henchmen rushed over, pinned the girl to the ground, and, despite her struggles, grabbed her right hand, forcefully pried open her palm, and pressed it tightly onto the table…
The struggle and commotion immediately attracted sidelong glances from those nearby. However, the fat man seemed to be a local tyrant, and the shop owners only glanced at him twice before quickly looking away, not daring to look any longer.
The fat man glanced sideways, and one of his henchmen grabbed a small stool from the ground. He raised it and slammed it down on the little girl's hand. If it hit, the girl's hand would be ruined. She was already trembling with fear, her eyes darting around, but there was nothing she could do. Finally, as the stool came crashing down, she closed her eyes and screamed, "Oh my god!!"
Whoosh! Bang!!
Just then, a beer bottle
It flew over and hit the henchman who was holding a small stool directly on the forehead. It shattered with a bang. The henchman yelled, and beer mixed with his blood immediately flowed all over his head and face. He covered his face and squatted down.
The fat man was shocked, and his men were also stunned. The fat man jumped up, his eyes wide, and looked around furiously, shouting, "Who! Who! Who the hell did this?!"
I flicked my wrist and chuckled lazily. Hmm, not bad. Although the beer bottle was heavier than the knife, my aim was still quite satisfactory.
Xiluo, Lei Xiaohu, and Hammer, who were sitting next to me, had already seen me make a move. I'm their leader, and since I've taken action, they immediately put down their chopsticks and food, and stood up. However, there were quite a few people around, and Fatty didn't notice us.
"Xiro, go and bring that little girl to me. Anyone who dares to stop you, just beat them to a pulp." I smiled faintly.
Xiluo immediately walked over with a smile, cracking his knuckles with slight excitement. This kid had been itching for a fight for a long time. He'd been training hard with his senior brother recently and felt his skills had improved considerably, but he hadn't had a chance to fight anyone. After all, with the situation in Vancouver settled, who would dare to clash with us? Besides, he was my second-in-command; even if a fight broke out, it wouldn't be his place as the second boss.
Seeing a fight break out, Xiluo was naturally overjoyed and rushed over. The fat man and his men saw Xiluo approach, and immediately the bald fat man shouted, "Kid, you did this..."
Before he could finish speaking, Xiluo swiftly struck one of the henchmen on the neck, knocking him down instantly. Then, he kicked another henchman, sending him flying and crashing into a row of tables nearby. The fat man's other two henchmen went berserk, grabbing beer bottles and charging at Xiluo, but they were easily taken down with just a few punches and kicks.
The bald, fat man's face changed drastically. Seeing his henchmen so easily dealt with, he was already terrified. His expression shifted several times in an instant. He looked at Xiluo, backing away step by step, still uttering threats, but his bravado was clearly weak: "Kid! You dare touch me! You...you do you know who I am..."
Why would Xiluo even look at him?
With his current status, Ciro is practically the second-in-command in Vancouver's underworld! Even gang leaders treat him with utmost respect. I've assigned him to run the port's smuggling business, giving him immense power. He commands hundreds of ruthless henchmen who are capable of anything, the kind who wouldn't flinch even if they were firing AK-47s indiscriminately—to exaggerate a bit. Ciro is practically a local tyrant now, his smuggling operations worth hundreds of thousands per second… A street thug isn't even worthy of speaking to him. Why would he waste his breath on him?
He went straight up and grabbed the fat man by the neck, slapping him a dozen times, his face turning into a pig's head. Then, Xiluo threw him to the ground with a groan, grabbed the stunned little girl and pulled her up without saying a word, leading her over to me.
Seeing me sitting calmly at the table, the little girl was stunned. Her body trembled, but she seemed afraid to look at me.
That bald, fat man was quite the rogue. After getting up from the ground, he mumbled two harsh words, but didn't dare to approach. Then, he led his men and stumbled away.
The little girl was a bit stunned, just staring blankly at me. Even when Xiluo pressed her down to sit, she didn't react. I didn't say anything either. I casually finished a bottle of beer, ate some food, and then sighed contentedly, "I'm full!"
Hammer and Xiluo were still happily eating and drinking nearby. Buck-toothed Zhou, however, maintained his pretentious air, pretending to savor a cup of tea. Only Lei Xiaohu seemed genuinely interested, constantly observing the little girl.
"Little girl, didn't you have a lot to say to me? Are you crazy?" I finally spoke, giving her a brief, indifferent look.
The girl swallowed hard, stared at me for a long time, and then suddenly said, "How come everyone here is so good at fighting?!"
She pointed at the hammer, then at Xiluo. But she didn't dare point at me, stammering, "He, him, and you, who are you people... Good heavens! That fat Ma isn't a coward! You hit him, now get out of here! If you stay, he'll bring his men!"
I just shrugged, completely ignoring what she said, but instead glanced at her and asked, "How old are you? What's your name?"
“My older brother calls me Xiao Wu, I… am sixteen years old!” She hesitated for a moment when she said her age, then rolled her eyes, deliberately puffed out her chest, and said loudly.
I smiled slightly: "I'm not a policeman, and I'm not checking your ID. You don't need to lie to me. Besides... there's no benefit for you in lying to me. If you tell me honestly, it might be very beneficial for you... Okay, how old are you anyway?"
"Ten... fifteen. Ah no no no..." She only managed to say two words before seeing my frown, and quickly corrected herself, "Ten... thirteen." Seeing my still indifferent expression, she said dejectedly, "Okay, okay... I'm only twelve, but thirteen by the Chinese age reckoning!"
"Your name is Xiao Wu?" I had just asked the question when Xi Luo burst out laughing. I gave him a hard tap on the forehead: "What are you laughing at? Is this name funny?"
Xiluo covered his forehead, but still said aggrievedly, "Why isn't it funny? If someone suddenly jumped out here and said his name was Xiluo, wouldn't you laugh?"
The little girl finally calmed down, but after her eyes darted around a few times, she suddenly stood up again... I knew what she was going to do as soon as I saw her movement, and said calmly, "Don't move! This is a public place. If you dare to kneel down and kowtow again, believe me, I'll throw you out right now."
Seeing the little girl flinch and glance at me with some fear, I sighed and changed to a slightly calmer tone: "Alright, consider yourself lucky. I'm in a good mood right now. So, didn't you have something to say to me, something to ask of me? I'll give you five minutes, you can speak now."
The little girl was immediately delighted upon hearing this, and then gave me a deep look...
I was looking at her too, and for some reason, the more I looked at this little girl, the more I felt a growing fondness for her.
The real reason, among everyone present, is known only to myself.
It's actually quite simple. This little girl, judging from her features, bears a slight resemblance to someone—though only a very slight one.
But more than anything, it was the hint of wildness that always lingered in her eyes, whether intentionally or unintentionally… a youthful, rebellious, untamed wildness…
All of this combined made her seem to me quite like Ni Duoduo when I first met her... that little delinquent girl back then, full of wildness, rebellion, and the cunning of a young girl.
"Can I... really say anything?" The little girl thought for a moment, then looked at me with some fear.
My feelings were a bit complicated at that moment. I looked at the girl and smiled, "Don't go too far. I'm just in a good mood and I like you. If you make any unreasonable demands, I can't guarantee that I'll still be in such a good mood."
"Um...this..." The little girl's eyes darted around, then she suddenly mustered her courage, looked at me, and said loudly, "You...you'll take me as your apprentice, okay?"
Chapter 121 of Part Two: The Road to Success is very similar.
"Disciple?"
I was stunned. Xiluo Hammer and Lei Xiaohu next to me were also stunned, staring at the little girl as if she were an alien creature.
The first to speak wasn't me, but rather Buck-toothed Zhou. He paused for a moment, his expression incredibly strange. He looked at me carefully, then at the little girl, and finally slammed his hand on the table, bursting into laughter.
I was also a little surprised. I frowned and looked at the little girl. I originally thought she would continue to beg me to use my connections with the police to release her accomplices, but I didn't expect her to suddenly make such a request.
After making this request, the little girl looked somewhat uneasy, but her eyes were still full of intelligence, and she darted around, secretly observing me.
"Hmm...you're not going to save your companions anymore?" I looked at her deliberately and smiled faintly.
Before the little girl could speak, the buck-toothed Zhou beside her saw through her scheme: "Hehe, at such a young age, you're quite resourceful and quick-witted. What a cunning little girl! Your plan is that you've decided this gentleman is someone important, and if you become his disciple, you'll probably have a bright future. Moreover... once you become his disciple, you won't even need to mention saving your accomplices. As a master, how could you just stand by and watch your disciple suffer? Right? At such a young age, to be able to come up with such a way to kill two birds with one stone in such a short time is quite clever."
The little girl blushed slightly after her thoughts were exposed, but she showed no fear whatsoever. She still looked directly at me: "You told me to say it, so I said what I thought. You can't get angry..."
She only showed a slight hint of fear when she looked at me.
I was in a good mood. Wanting to tease her a bit, I chuckled and asked, "Why do you want to become my disciple?"
"Look... this person has already said it, sir. You're so amazing, and your skills are so good. You must be a very important person! I'm just a little girl who makes a living on the streets. If I follow you, I'll definitely have a chance to get ahead, right? Hehe, even the blind fortune teller on Second Street said I'll meet a benefactor this year!" The little girl's face couldn't help but show some excitement when she saw that I didn't refuse outright.
I shook my head. Looking at her, I said, "Don't be too happy yet. I haven't agreed to anything. It's just that you look a lot like a friend of mine, and you seem to suit my taste. Here's what we'll do. I'm telling you, I won't help you get your accomplices in the police station out. Anyway, I'm telling you, they'll be out in a few days. Most of them weren't caught in the act of committing the crime. With thefts like this, unless you're caught red-handed, it's hard to find evidence. Most people are released after 24 hours at most. As for the few who are caught with evidence or deported, haven't you experienced this kind of thing enough? You must have ways of dealing with it."
"Oh, I know... but it won't work." The little girl's face immediately fell, revealing a hint of anxiety. She looked at me and pleaded, "Sir, you don't know our situation here. I know everything you've said, but in this situation, if we wait a few more days, we're all doomed!"
She paused for a moment, then continued, “In this area, it’s all about groups of people occupying a territory to make a living. We’re all from the same place, mostly from the same hometown. Although there aren’t many of us, we’re united. Occupying the flower market area is a great place to make money. But naturally, people from other areas don’t like us and always want to come and take over this lucrative business… Look, that fat, bald guy you just saw, his surname is Ma…”
Xiluo interjected, "Is that the guy from earlier? Just some lowly scum."
"No, no, no, that's not how it is." The little girl waved her hands repeatedly: "I know you must have connections, and you're not afraid of this fat pig, but this fat pig is just a small fry. He has powerful backers. His third uncle is very famous in this area; he owns almost all the territory in this district! That man's surname is also Ma, and we all call him Lord Ma behind his back! His nickname is Three Eyes! He's incredibly powerful! He has many men under him, and I've even heard that he has guns!"
I nodded: "Oh? Anything else?"
I'm not surprised to see guns... what's a gun anyway? In Canada, which gang doesn't have one? Although it's rare for gangs to own firearms under China's gun control policies, don't forget this is Yunnan. It's a border province, close to Vietnam and Myanmar... and beyond that lies the infamous Golden Triangle, a major drug-producing region. Judging from the underworld situation, many are probably involved with drugs, making it a key area for police crackdowns. So, it's not surprising that the gangs here are more powerful than those in many parts of mainland China, and that they possess a small number of firearms.
"That fat pig is Lord Ma's nephew. Lord Ma has almost completely taken over this area. We are one of the few who still retain independence, but that fat pig often comes to harass us. Moreover... that guy is a bastard. Not only do he have people with golden fingers who steal money, but he also has people who act as pimps!" As she said the last few words, the little girl's face showed a hint of undisguised contempt.
I smiled and didn't say anything. I'm involved in organized crime myself, and I don't think there's any difference in status or value between theft and prostitution. They're both just shady dealings.
Hearing this, I glanced at Bucktooth Zhou. Although he still seemed relaxed, he advised me, "Since that's the case, I didn't know that fat pig had any connections when we were fighting. Well, he's just a local gang leader, but we're out of town, so it's better to avoid trouble. Fifth Master, he's been beaten up, and he might bring people back for revenge. We're not afraid, but if they really have guns, it could cause us some trouble. Let's go back to the hotel after we've finished eating." Bucktooth Zhou shrugged, "But don't worry, most of the underworld in China is still in its early, lowest stages. They rarely have strong connections in the legitimate world. Even with hard work, they can only win over a few low-level officials at most. Unlike Western organized crime groups, which are so deeply entrenched. This 'Master Ma' is just a gang leader, I think. We're here as investors, and the government will protect us. This guy called Master Ma shouldn't dare to do anything reckless..."
Xiluo chuckled: "So what if he does something reckless? I'm itching for a fight. If he does something reckless, I'll just sneak into his house and cut his head off."
I smiled, glanced at Xiluo, and said, "That's true, we certainly don't need to worry about such third-rate trash. It's just that if it were just a few of us men out here, we wouldn't be afraid of causing any trouble. But Yan Di is with us, and if something really happens, I have some concerns." After saying that, I patted my clothes, stood up, and smiled, "Now that we've eaten and drunk our fill, let's go back to the hotel."
I asked the shopkeeper to pack some food for me. I glanced at the little girl who was looking at me with pleading eyes and said, "Girl, I didn't agree to you becoming my apprentice. But I think you're quite interesting. Come back with us. Otherwise, if we leave, you'll be left without anyone to rely on. You might get retaliated against and even be beaten to death without anyone to save you."
Although I hadn't given my consent yet, just saying that made the little girl cheer and jump for joy. She became even more eager to please me. She took the packaged food from my hand and skipped and hopped along with us back to the hotel.
They booked another room for the little girl at the hotel. It has to be said, walking into a five-star hotel, and a luxury suite at that, the girl was completely dumbfounded…
After entering the room, she kept climbing and exploring, stomping and tapping on the soft, thick carpet, touching and squeezing the sofa, and jumping up to try and reach the crystal chandelier on the ceiling… When she finally saw the enormous bedroom with its 180-degree panoramic view, and the huge bed that was as white as velvet and as soft as a cloud, the girl let out a scream: “Ah…!!!”
Then he pounced on her, his body spread out in a starfish shape, burying his head deep in the bed, and muttered, "God! That felt amazing! It was so incredibly amazing!!"
She screamed for a while before jumping out of bed, turning to look at me with a look of astonishment: "You...you guys are so rich? My God, is this the kind of life rich people live?"
Her face was filled with barely suppressed excitement; she touched almost every corner of the suite, and finally lingered in the bathroom, refusing to move an inch...
The enormous bathtub, a high-end product with various massage water jets, made the little girl's eyes almost pop out of their sockets.
She muttered to herself, "Am I dreaming...? I, Xiao Wu, actually live in a place like this..."
Then, her eyes suddenly reddened, she squatted down, covered her face with her hands, and burst into tears.
With a calm expression, I slowly walked behind her, looked at the girl who was squatting on the ground crying, and said slowly, "Are you very excited? Let me tell you a secret. I also worked my way up from the very bottom. I once met a benefactor who gave me the opportunity to enter this life of luxury. My reaction at the time was similar to yours; I was almost completely stunned. It's just that I'm a bit older than you, so I was able to restrain myself on the surface. To be honest, I don't know why I find you so pleasing to the eye. Now that I think about it, you're not only like my friend, but also somewhat like me, especially the way you look when you speak and the way you have that wildness and that restless spirit, which is very much like me back then."
Part Two: The Road to Success, Chapter 122: Lord Ma
The little girl was still squatting on the ground, but after hearing what I said, she raised the back of her hand and vigorously wiped her eyes, looking at me curiously: "You? You said you also came from a poor background?"