Forty years old, awakening attribute panel

Chapter 279 Extra 03
"If I had known this, I would have never done it." Jiang Sheng thought to himself with self-mockery. Looking back now, every word of Moon Hyo-ri's words is precious. In that world, all material pursuits are ultimately vain, and only knowledge and ability are lasting wealth. This experience made him completely let go of his obsession with material things and instead focus on improving himself and exploring more unknown possibilities.

Walking in the bustling crowd, Jiang Sheng's eyes became firm and deep. He knew that although he could not take away the physical objects, the experience and growth would be his most precious gains. In the future, whether he reentered the plane or struggled in the real world, he would take this understanding with him and move forward more calmly and courageously.

Jiang Sheng was lucky enough to escape the shadow of death this time. He knew that the goddess of luck would not always favor the same person. Therefore, he was determined to ensure that his mother's remaining life could be properly arranged and to be with her as much as possible before the next unknown challenge came. But the premise for realizing all these beautiful visions is to have a sufficient economic foundation as support.

Standing alone in an empty alley, Jiang Sheng clenched his fists, feeling the explosive power gained from his experience, and a sneer crept up on the corners of his mouth. In this world where the strong prey on the weak, strength is not only a guarantee of survival, but also a pass to wealth. People without strength find it difficult to grasp even the most basic opportunities and can only struggle to survive in the quagmire of life.

Jiang Sheng knew that with his current strength, it would not be difficult to accumulate wealth. For him, those "fat sheep" who were rich but unkind were not only easy prey, but also an opportunity to improve his mother's living conditions. With just one move, his mother would have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of her life. However, this thought only flashed through his mind, because he knew that even if the money obtained through illegal means could temporarily solve the problem at hand, it would not win his mother's approval, and would even burden him with the shackles of conscience.

In addition, there is another way, which is also full of risks but walks on the edge of the law, that is - gambling. In Hedong Youfang Street, a place where good and bad people are mixed, gambling is prevalent, and many people become rich or bankrupt overnight. Jiang Sheng's eyes became more severe in contemplation. He decided to use his sensitivity to numbers and insight into people's hearts to try to find opportunities at the gambling table.

Back at his rented apartment on Youfang Street, Jiang Sheng quickly changed into clothes that were easy to move in, carefully put away important items such as his ID card, and left those unimportant items aside. He chose a familiar food stall, ordered a table of sumptuous dishes, and ate them alone, as if cheering for the upcoming adventure.

It was still early, just after nine o'clock, and the owner of the food stall squatted at the door of the store in his spare time, sorting vegetables and chatting with Jiang Sheng. "Little brother, you don't look like a local, where are you from?" The owner's curiosity was aroused.

"Xicheng." Jiang Sheng responded simply.

"Oh, Xicheng is a good place. I heard that people there are quite wealthy. Why did they come to our small place?" the boss joked.

Jiang Sheng replied casually: "There are poor people everywhere. Even a big country like the United States has homeless people all over the streets." His words revealed his insight into social reality, which made the boss think deeply. Although the boss, who is nearly 40 years old, has dark skin, his white teeth when he smiles are impressive, as if telling people to stay optimistic even in difficult situations.

Jiang Sheng finished his meal, paid the bill and left, with a plan in mind. Every step forward would be a test of his wisdom and courage. He had to find his own path in this complex world, ensuring his mother's happiness while also sticking to his bottom line and not letting anything taint the love between mother and son.

After finishing the last sip of cold beer, Jiang Sheng sighed with satisfaction. On the plate in front of him, several plates of carefully cooked meat had been swept away by him, leaving only a few lonely vegetable leaves and a few tiny bones. Then, he picked up the bowl of slightly stale rice and began to eat it. Although this rice was left over from yesterday, after a night of settling, it unexpectedly took on a unique flavor. The fresh rice had just been put into the pot and the aroma was fragrant, but Jiang Sheng didn't mind getting rid of the remaining food first. For him, filling his stomach was the top priority at the moment.

When the last grain of rice was put into his mouth, Jiang Sheng casually wiped the corner of his mouth with his hand, showing a satisfied smile, and then asked the boss for the bill. "Boss, how much is this meal?" There was a bit of generosity in his voice, as if he didn't care about the number he was about to know.

Hearing this, the boss took out a yellowed menu from behind the bar and calculated skillfully. "A total of 95 yuan. The rice is leftover from yesterday, so I'll treat it as a free gift. I won't charge you for it." The boss's voice was gentle and kind, revealing the simplicity and kindness of a small business owner.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Sheng took out a crumpled hundred-dollar bill from his pocket and handed it directly to the boss, saying casually: "No need for change. These are all small businesses. It's not easy." His words were full of understanding and respect for small business owners.

The boss took the money, checked it carefully to make sure it was real, and smiled gratefully. "Thank you very much." The boss' tone was full of sincere gratitude.

Just as Jiang Sheng was about to leave, a commotion suddenly came from the food stall next door. It was the noise of throwing stools and smashing iron pots, mixed with men's cursing and women's crying. Even through a thin layer of plastic sheeting, the chaotic scene was still clearly visible.

"What are you doing?" Jiang Sheng asked puzzledly.

Upon hearing this, the boss's face flashed with a trace of ordinary citizen's vigilance, and he lowered his voice to explain: "The man is addicted to gambling. He lost all his savings and owed a lot of loan sharks. Now he comes to the store every day to make trouble, and the business of us neighbors is also affected."

Jiang Sheng was not moved when he heard this, but he felt sorry for this self-degrading behavior. He nodded slightly to the boss, then turned and left.

When passing by the food stall next door, the scene there was even worse. A few thugs with tattoos were sitting at the door, shouting and cursing loudly, using vulgar and obscene language, which made passers-by look at them sideways.

"If you don't have money to pay off your debts, let your wife become a prostitute and your son sell his ass. When you pay off the debts, we'll be done with it."

"Haha, your wife is pretty. Don't worry. We have plenty of connections. We can help those rich people get in touch with her. It's a good deal for a thousand dollars a night. How about it?"

"Oh, and your daughter, I heard she's in the third year of junior high school. Take her with you. I promise that within three months, your debt will be written off."

These words were like the tongue of a poisonous snake, cold and cruel. Jiang Sheng frowned as he listened to them, and his heart was filled with unspeakable anger and sorrow. He quickened his pace, unwilling to stay in this place of right and wrong. In his opinion, there may be many injustices in this world, but everyone has the right to choose how to face difficulties. And he, Jiang Sheng, would never let himself or his family fall into such an unbearable situation. This determination, like a raging fire, burned in his chest, illuminating his way forward.

In the big melting pot of society, people can always see all kinds of characters. Among them, those who are mixed in the underworld are mostly reckless and short-sighted. They may not have enough ability to achieve a career, but they have an amazing talent for making trouble. Once someone violates their so-called "rules", these people may not confront them head-on, but they are good at using all means to make the opponent's life uneasy until you are forced to bow your head, so as to regain their "face" in the small circle. However, when a mixed-up person is publicly humiliated in front of everyone, but dares not even resist, this is undoubtedly the best interpretation of the confidence of the strong - real power is enough to make the opponent afraid and dare not act rashly, and this kind of confidence cannot be measured by any wealth.

Jiang Sheng smiled contentedly, hailed a taxi, and told the driver to go to the 1912 block. Compared with the bustling scene of dim lights and bustling crowds at night, the 1912 Bar Street in the daytime seemed particularly quiet, especially in this hot summer. As one of the "four furnaces", Jinling's high temperature made the streets almost deserted, and only sparse tree shadows swayed on the cobblestone road of the bar street.

He got off the bus at the entrance of the pedestrian street and walked briskly towards the "Love Night" bar in his memory. He had spent an unforgettable summer vacation there, and his part-time experience left a deep impression on him. In particular, a bartender in the bar once vaguely mentioned an underground black market boxing club on the outskirts of Jinling during a casual chat. Although Jiang Sheng did not investigate further at the time, it has now become the information he urgently needs.

Unfortunately, when he arrived, the bar was not open yet and the door was closed. The quiet air was filled with the prelude to the night's revelry. In desperation, he had to call the contact number through the recruitment advertisement posted at the door. Fortunately, he remembered the bartender's name, and the HR manager verified his identity over the phone and provided the contact information.

Jiang Sheng had a long conversation with the bartender over the phone, and sent a 100-yuan red envelope via WeChat to show his sincerity. In the end, he got valuable information from the bartender. It turned out that the news about the black market boxing was also learned by the bartender from a regular customer who was drunk. The regular customer was the owner of a company in Hexi. As for the specific location of the club, I'm afraid I have to ask the owner directly.

In the past, Jiang Sheng might have been hesitant about such an exploration, fearing that he would get involved in unnecessary trouble. But now he is fearless and decides to find out. So he took a car to the business district in Hexi again. On the way, a call from the company manager interrupted his thoughts, asking why he did not show up at work today. Jiang Sheng responded lightly, "I have resigned automatically," and hung up the phone without hesitation, continuing his journey, his heart full of desire and determination for unknown challenges.

The company of this insider Zhou Lile is located on Yanshan Road. Just because he is involved in the field of petroleum supporting equipment, we can roughly infer that his financial resources are not insignificant. This industry is usually associated with huge capital flows and high profits, and entrepreneurs involved in it often have impressive backgrounds and strengths.

When Jiang Sheng took the elevator to the 18th floor, he saw the glittering gold characters of "Jessming Petroleum Drilling Equipment Co., Ltd." and couldn't help but smile. Jiang Sheng was no stranger to Jessming. Last month, their company, as a downstream contractor, had completed several transactions with the company. Zhou Lile, the boss of Jessming, was a native of Jinling. At a young age, he already had a fortune of hundreds of millions and was known for his extravagance in the industry. His success was largely due to his father, who held an important position in the city's petrochemical company, which undoubtedly laid a solid foundation for his business path.

Although Jessming is already a well-known company in the industry, Zhou Lile's business empire is far more than that. It is rumored that he also controls more than a dozen profitable gas stations, with annual net profits of tens of millions of yuan. Jiang Sheng did not show much interest in these. He knew that everyone's destiny was different. Some people were born with a silver spoon in their mouths, and some had elders who dared to fight. These were facts he could not change. Jiang Sheng was only concerned about whether Zhou Lile could tell him the location of the underground black market boxing ring so that he could earn some "pocket money" in this way.

Surprisingly, Zhou Lile is not the kind of rich kid who only knows how to enjoy himself. He still personally participates in the daily operations of the company. When Jiang Sheng broke into the office despite the obstruction of the front desk secretary, Zhou Lile, who seemed to be a rich second-generation but was actually shrewd, looked at him with vigilant eyes.

"Are you Zhou Lile?" Jiang Sheng asked directly.

"Who are you?" Zhou Lile asked back, with a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

At this time, three security guards rushed in from the office door and tried to carry Jiang Sheng out. However, they tried several times but failed to shake Jiang Sheng. Just as they were about to take tougher measures, Jiang Sheng calmly said, "Do you know where the underground black boxing club is? I want to go there to earn some pocket money."

Zhou Lile raised his eyebrows when he heard this, and signaled the security guards to leave: "All of you go out."

The secretary and the security guard hesitated for a moment, glared at Jiang Sheng with dissatisfaction, and then left the office.

Zhou Lile carefully looked at the young man in front of him, with a hint of joking on his lips: "With your appearance, you want to fight in the black market?" His words were full of doubt, and he obviously had reservations about Jiang Sheng's ability. However, Jiang Sheng's appearance and the questions he asked also aroused Zhou Lile's curiosity, and he decided to explore further.

Jiang Sheng looked around and his eyes fell on the crystal ashtray with a diameter of more than 20 cm on the reception table on the left. It was shining coldly under the soft light. Without any hesitation, he strode towards the ashtray and easily picked it up. He clenched his right hand into a fist and aimed it at the bottom of the ashtray. A force ready to be released gathered in his fist. With a crisp "click", the expensive crystal ashtray instantly turned into pieces and scattered all over the floor, demonstrating Jiang Sheng's extraordinary arm strength and determination.

Zhou Liyue, who was sitting behind his desk, witnessed this scene and couldn't help swallowing his saliva. He managed a dry laugh and applauded, "Great, great! You are really a hidden talent!" His words showed both recognition of Jiang Sheng's strength and surprise at this sudden display. Jiang Sheng carelessly threw the broken ashtray into the trash can, turned around and slowly walked towards Zhou Liyue, with his hands on the valuable Brazilian rosewood desk, looking directly at Zhou Liyue, his eyes revealing a firmness and determination that cannot be ignored. Zhou Liyue, a successful businessman in his thirties, dressed in a custom-made Armani suit, showed dignity and confidence in his every move. Jiang Sheng secretly sighed in his heart that the gap between people is sometimes so big that people can't help but sigh at the unfairness of fate.

Zhou Lile felt uncomfortable under Jiang Sheng's sharp gaze, and he couldn't help regretting his decision to let the security guard leave. He felt an unprecedented sense of oppression, as if the young man opposite could put him in a disadvantageous position at any time.

Seeing this, Jiang Sheng said softly, "Boss Zhou, don't worry. I'm not a desperate criminal looking for trouble, and I have no intention of killing for money. I'm here just to find out where the underground boxing ring is."

Zhou Lile was somewhat embarrassed by Jiang Sheng's frankness. He laughed dryly and tried to lighten the mood: "Haha, I misunderstood. I was just very surprised by your skills just now."

After Jiang Sheng sat down, Zhou Lile asked cautiously, "Are you really planning to participate in the underground boxing match?"

Jiang Sheng still had that half-smile on his face, which made Zhou Lile feel helpless: "It's not that I don't want to tell you, but even if you go, it won't make any difference. Because the boxers there all have their own bosses behind them, and the competition is essentially a private gambling activity between several bosses, do you understand?"

After a pause, Zhou Lile added: "Of course, if you just want to go and gamble, it can be arranged. But if you want to go in person, I'm afraid it will be a bit difficult."

Jiang Sheng frowned, obviously dissatisfied with the answer: "Is there really no other way?" His voice revealed unwillingness and persistence, as if he had some kind of obsession with entering that mysterious underground world.

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"It's not that there is no way, it's just..." Before Zhou Lile finished his words, he glanced at Jiang Sheng cunningly, as if testing his reaction.

Jiang Sheng understood and smiled, "You want to be my boss behind the scenes?"

"It's easy to talk to smart people." Zhou Lile nodded in appreciation, as if he had found a like-minded partner. His emotions rose, and he snapped his fingers, his eyes flashing with excitement. "I lost no less than five million in that boxing ring. If you can help me win it back, I'm willing to give you half."

"Deal!" Jiang Sheng answered promptly and without hesitation. Zhou Lile was a little surprised by his decisiveness. He thought he would need some persuasion to reach an agreement.

Zhou Lile was stunned for a moment, then quickly adjusted his state and reminded him seriously: "You may not know yet, underground black boxing is not the kind of regulated competition on TV. There are no referees, no fairness, and sometimes you may even pay the price of your life."

"I know." Jiang Sheng answered calmly and firmly, as if he had been prepared for this.

Zhou Lile found it difficult to digest this sudden decision for a while. He rubbed his hands and asked with a hint of uncertainty: "Then when do you think the time is suitable?"

"Tonight!" Jiang Sheng's answer was concise and clear, revealing an unquestionable determination.

"Ah... tonight?" Zhou Lile obviously didn't expect it to happen so soon.

Jiang Sheng chuckled and asked, "Is there a problem?"

"Of course there is no problem, but...how sure are you?" Zhou Lile seemed a little uneasy. After all, this involved not only money but also life safety.

"One hundred percent." Jiang Sheng's confidence was evident in his words, as if victory was a foregone conclusion.

Seeing how confident he was, Zhou Lile had to put aside his doubts for now, and said with a smile, "You know, you'll always be more suspicious after doing business for a long time."

Seeing Jiang Sheng remained silent, Zhou Lile stood up and suggested, "Let's go eat first and talk while we eat."

Although it was only two hours since his last meal, Jiang Sheng's appetite was surprisingly good. He ate two large bowls of rice, a plate of tempting braised pork, and a bowl of delicious old duck soup in succession. He ate with gusto, which made Zhou Lile, who was standing beside him, nod his head repeatedly.

"People who can fight should eat this much." Zhou Lile's admiration was mixed with a hint of recognition.

Jiang Sheng was somewhat helpless about his amazing appetite. He was not a natural food lover, but his body had been consuming too much recently. He felt a headache when he thought that he might be sent to an unknown doomsday world with food shortage by the Rubik's Cube at any time. At that time, how to fill his stomach would become a severe challenge he had to face. But at this moment, he could only put aside these worries temporarily and concentrate on dealing with the upcoming underground black boxing challenge.

After a sumptuous lunch, Zhou Lile led Jiang Sheng to a luxuriously decorated high-end health club, obviously wanting him to relax before the big fight. Two handsome and skilled technicians were summoned to provide massage services for Jiang Sheng, while Zhou Lile took the opportunity to withdraw, claiming to arrange matters for the evening's game.

"Remember, although they can provide additional services, I hope you can stay sober and save your energy for tonight, okay?" Zhou Lile did not forget to remind them before leaving, with a playful and cautious look in his eyes.

Jiang Sheng just smiled when he heard this. If he hadn't been so confident, how could he easily find Zhou Liyue and propose such a cooperation? Since he had decided to embark on this adventure, he would naturally not be disturbed by the temptation in front of him. He closed his eyes and let the technicians' fingers jump on his muscles, but his thoughts had drifted away, and he began to plan what necessities he should bring back to his mother once he returned safely.

Zhou Lile, though he said he was going to contact the competition, actually had other plans. As a businessman with a net worth of over 100 million, how could he easily trust a stranger who suddenly appeared and made such a bold request? Not to mention betting millions or even tens of millions of dollars on this. Zhou Lile's caution and suspicion prompted him to find out Jiang Sheng's background first.

In the Mercedes-Benz, Zhou Lile turned his head to ask Wu Jun beside him. Wu Jun, who was both his driver and his personal bodyguard, had a muscular figure, and his muscle lines were clearly visible under his tight T-shirt, giving people a sense of security that should not be underestimated.

"How's the investigation going? Have you figured out his background?" Zhou Lile's voice was low and urgent.

Wu Jun pondered for a moment and reported slowly: "This man is called Jiang Sheng, from Xicheng. He lost his father when he was young, and currently only his mother lives in Xicheng. He completed his studies at a second-tier college in Jinling, and has been working for Shuangyifeng Paint Co., Ltd. since graduation. It is worth noting that..."

Wu Jun paused deliberately and emphasized his tone: "Just yesterday, he was still working in the company as usual, but today he suddenly resigned without any signs."

Zhou Lile heard this and gently stroked his chin with his fingers, thinking. "I see..." He then asked, "Have you carefully checked the ashtray? Is there anything unusual?"

Wu Jun quickly replied: "No problem. The fracture point of the ashtray is indeed concentrated in the middle, showing typical scattered cracks caused by external impact, which shows that it was indeed a real hard work."

After hearing this, Zhou Lile's eyes flashed with a barely perceptible satisfaction. Jiang Sheng's skills and sudden resignation seemed to indicate something, and he needed such a bet to verify his guess and find an outlet for his curiosity. However, would this underground black boxing bet really be as simple and clear as he wished? Zhou Lile felt a little uneasy, but no matter what, the chess game had been set, and everything would be clear when night fell.

"Are you sure?" Zhou Lile asked Wu Jun again. He needed a definite answer.

"Well..." Wu Jun shook his head, forcing a bitter smile, "I'm not sure." This answer made Zhou Lile frown. He recalled the conversation with Jiang Sheng at noon. Jiang Sheng once said that his martial arts came from a reclusive master. Because his master warned him not to pass it on easily, he has always been low-key despite his high skills. Zhou Lile was skeptical about this statement. After all, it sounded like the plot in a martial arts novel. But considering the cruelty of the underground boxing ring - only victory and defeat are recognized, regardless of life and death, he believed that if Jiang Sheng did not have a certain level of strength, he would not risk his life.

However, the key question is whether he should gamble on such an unknown number by investing huge sums of money as agreed? How much should he gamble? This is a difficult decision.

Wu Jun seemed to see through Zhou Lile's hesitation and volunteered: "Boss, how about I go and test him? See how strong he is."

Zhou Lile weighed the pros and cons again and again, and finally nodded in agreement with the proposal: "Okay, but remember, stop at a certain point and don't hurt the relationship."

(End of this chapter)