Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Chen Zhan held his teacup, but didn't reply immediately. He took a sip of tea, put down the cup, and looked at Wu Jianglong.

"What does the Green Dragon Gang do?"

Wu Jianglong smiled, leaned back in his chair, and tucked his hands into his sleeves.

"Making a living in Kowloon Walled City involved boxing rings, gambling dens, dockside portering jobs, and some shady dealings. We weren't a big gang, but we carried some weight in the city."

"Who is your older brother?"

Wu Jianglong glanced at Chen Zhan and made no attempt to hide anything.

"My elder brother's name is Han Shouyi. He's from the north and was a member of the Chinese Martial Arts Federation in his early years in mainland China."

Chen Zhan's finger paused briefly on the rim of the teacup.

"Chinese Wushu Federation?"

“Yes.” Wu Jianglong nodded. “Mr. Chen, have you heard of him?”

"I've heard some of it."

Wu Jianglong didn't press further and continued speaking.

"My elder brother isn't a big shot in the Chinese Alliance; he's just an ordinary martial artist who works for the alliance. But he has an emotional attachment to the alliance and has been with it for many years."

He reached for the cigar on the table, tapped it in the ashtray, didn't light it, and just twirled it in his hand.

"Ten years ago, a major split occurred within the Chinese Alliance. The eldest brother didn't elaborate on the specifics, only saying that the two sides were embroiled in fierce conflict, their ideologies clashing, and their paths diverging. He didn't want to stand on either side, feeling neither was right, so he led a few brothers south to Hong Kong."

"And then?"

“After arriving, I started from scratch.” Wu Jianglong’s tone carried a hint of reminiscence. “Back then, the city had nothing but shacks and refugees. Nobody cared, nobody asked.”

"Our leader and his brothers started by moving goods at the docks. They carried sacks during the day and slept in shacks at night, earning a few cents for each box of goods. They saved up little by little. Later, they opened a gambling den and a boxing ring, and recruited a group of local brothers. After more than ten years, the Green Dragon Gang had established itself in the walled city."

He spoke with respect as he said this, clearly showing his great admiration for his elder brother.

Chen Zhan listened without interrupting, never expecting that the 'Chinese Alliance' had actually split.
What is the current situation of the Chinese Wushu Federation?

Wu Jianglong shook his head. "It's now called the Chinese Martial Arts Federation, but the current Chinese Martial Arts Federation is not the same as the Chinese Alliance of yesteryear."

"How so?"

Wu Jianglong's expression changed slightly, and the smile on his lips faded.

"After the split of the Chinese Alliance, many members defected to the Green Robe Society. The Green Robe Society already had some foundation, and with the help of these people and the connections they brought, it grew in power in the martial arts world. Now, the Chinese Martial Arts Federation is basically controlled by the Green Robe Society. From the president to the vice president, everyone is a member of the Green Robe Society. They wear the nameplate of the Chinese Martial Arts Federation, but they are doing the work of the Green Robe Society."

"What is the background of the Tsing Yi Society?"

“They’re close to the Kuomintang.” Wu Jianglong lowered his voice, habitually speaking softly even though there were only two people in the room. “They have a lot of influence in Hong Kong, not just in the martial arts world, but also in the docks, the chambers of commerce, and even the Hong Kong British government. Compared to the Green Dragon Gang and the Green Yi Society, we’re nothing. If they sneeze, we’ll tremble.”

He put the cigar back in the ashtray and sighed.

"My brother's exact words were, 'Back then, we left the Chinese Alliance because we didn't want to get involved in those things. If we came to Hong Kong and still ended up licking other people's boots, what was the point of leaving? So we don't provoke the Tsing Yi Society, and the Tsing Yi Society is too lazy to bother with our little businesses in the Walled City. We each go our own way.'"

Chen Zhan remained silent for a few moments.

The Chinese Alliance split, with some members joining the Tsing Yi Society. The Tsing Yi Society grew in power and took control of the Chinese Martial Arts Federation.

He was certainly aware of the existence of the "Blue Dress Society," and had even briefly collaborated with Chen Zuyan in Beiping back then.

However, before going to Japan, a development direction was set for the Chinese Alliance.

It seems that in the past ten years or so, despite wars and turmoil, the internal changes within the Chinese Alliance have been even greater, and it seems that they have not followed the path he left behind at all.

"Well, Mr. Chen, I'll tell you everything. You are a great master, and it's a bit of a waste for you to join my Green Dragon Gang. I originally wanted to make you a Red Pole, but it seems you wouldn't be interested."

"How about this? The Green Dragon Gang won't sign any agreements or follow any gang rules. You're welcome to come and try your hand here anytime, or it's fine if you don't. It'll be HK$10,000 a month. Whenever a master challenges me and I can't handle it, you can step in and help me out."

"How about I give you another five thousand Hong Kong dollars for each sale?"

Chen Zhan picked up his teacup and drank the last sip of tea.

"I'll think about joining the gang some more."

Wu Jianglong nodded without asking further questions, as this kind of matter couldn't be decided in a single sentence.

“However,” Chen Zhan put down his teacup, “I would like to meet Han Shouyi.”

Wu Jianglong glanced at him: "See my older brother?"

"Hmm. I'm a little curious about the Chinese Wushu Federation."

Wu Jianglong thought about it and did not refuse.

“My elder brother doesn’t live in the fortress; he has a place outside, but he comes to visit every few days.” He paused for a moment. “How about this, tomorrow night, still here, I’ll have my elder brother come over.”

Chen Zhan nodded: "Okay."

Just then, someone knocked twice on the door. Wu Jianglong responded, and the door opened. A subordinate came in carrying a wooden box and placed it on the table.

Wu Jianglong opened the box, inside which was a layer of red velvet cloth. On the red velvet cloth was a small gold bar, about two fingers wide and four inches long, dark yellow in color and heavy.

"The gold equivalent of five hundred and forty taels of silver, please verify it."

Chen Zhan picked up the gold bar and weighed it in his hand. It was heavy and of the correct purity. He put the gold bar into his pocket and stood up.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Wu, for tonight."

Wu Jianglong stood up and saw him to the door.

Chen Zhan didn't say much, turned around and walked into the narrow corridor. He walked through the corridor, through the dark passage, down the stairs, pushed open a tin door, and outside was the alley of the walled city.

Late at night.

Most of the lights in the alley were off, with only a few remaining, casting dim, yellowish light on the damp walls in patches.

As Chen Zhan walked through the dark alley, he could still hear muffled sounds coming from the tin warehouse of the boxing ring in the distance. It was several layers of sheds away, and he couldn't make out what was being shouted.

I turned into that narrow alley and returned to the shack I had rented during the day.

The landlord's name was Wang Zhihui. He had been asleep for a long time. I could hear muffled snoring coming from the next room, even through the metal sheet.

Chen Zhan pushed aside the oilcloth curtain and entered the room.

The room wasn't big, but it was fairly clean. The tattered blanket on the wooden bed was neatly folded, and the drafty corner of the wall had been covered with newspaper, probably cleaned by the landlord during the day.

He sat cross-legged on the wooden bed.

He fought three Dan-level warriors alone, and carved a bloody path through the enemy ranks, from the Forbidden City to the Western Hills, and from the Western Hills to the streets of the capital, sustaining numerous sword and knife wounds.

Although the injuries were all superficial and the internal organs and bones were not damaged, the mental strain from the time travel was far greater than the physical strain.

Close your eyes and look inward at yourself.

When one's boxing skills reach a certain level, one can perceive the entire body's flesh, muscles, and bones with a single thought.

No detail can be hidden, from the slightest tear in the muscle fibers, the blockage in the meridians, or the hidden injury to the periosteum.

As Qi and blood circulate, the internal energy in the dantian flows slowly along the meridians, passing over the damaged areas to nourish, repair, and unblock them.

This is the benefit of the Core Formation Realm. Ordinary martial artists begin to decline in health after the age of forty, and no matter how fiercely they fight, they cannot maintain their peak condition for more than a few years.

After achieving the Elixir of Immortality, one's internal energy nourishes the body and repairs itself, extending peak condition for decades.

Chen Zhan sat up all night and opened his eyes at dawn.

Most of the hidden injuries on my body have been healed, and my spirits have also recovered considerably.

As dawn broke, there was already activity in the alleys outside. People in the shantytown woke up early and started working before daybreak.

"Bang bang bang."

The door was knocked on a few times.

"Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen, I said I'd take you to get your ID today."

Wang Zhihui's voice came in from outside, speaking Mandarin with a Cantonese accent, and it was very warm and friendly.

The oilcloth curtain was lifted, and Chen Zhan came out.

She was dressed the same as yesterday: a gray cardigan, coarse cloth trousers, cloth shoes, her hair pulled back, and her face unremarkable.

Wang Zhihui stood at the door waiting. He was short and stout with a round face. When he smiled, his eyes narrowed into slits, giving off an air of affability and prosperity.

He was wearing a faded undershirt, an apron around his waist, and carrying an oil paper package, which he handed to Chen Zhan.

"Barbecued pork buns, hot, to eat on the way."

Chen Zhan took it, took a bite, and found that the filling was sweet and the crust was a bit hard, but it was considered pretty good for the walled city.

The two walked out one after the other.

Wang Zhihui kept talking the whole way.

He came from Guangdong and Guangxi in his early years. He speaks some Mandarin and Cantonese and has been a sub-landlord for more than ten years. He has seven or eight shacks under his management that he rents out to people and makes a profit from the difference.

He was very shrewd; he knew exactly who was in the stronghold, what they lacked, and so on.

“Mr. Chen, things are different here than on the mainland. Once you leave the Walled City, although the Hong Kong British government doesn't check the Walled City much, if you get questioned by the police outside, you'll be in trouble if you don't have an identity card.”

"Identity card?"

"It's an identity document, a piece of paper with your name, photo, address, and a stamp. Having this makes moving around Hong Kong much easier, and it's also easier to negotiate for a job."

As he spoke, he walked deeper into the alley, turned several corners, crossed an open space where clothes were drying, and then disappeared into a dark alley.

"I know someone who specializes in getting these done. His prices are fair, and the products he makes work. Many people from the mainland come to him; he's a long-established business in the city."

When Wang Zhihui said these things, his tone was warm, his face was smiling, and he seemed to be thinking of Chen Zhan in every way.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, we arrived at a shed.

This shed was larger than the surrounding ones. A wooden board hung at the entrance, with the words "Document Service" written on it in calligraphy, and a crooked seal pattern drawn next to it.

Wang Zhihui pushed the door open and went in; there was a person sitting inside.

He was thin, in his forties, with a small mustache, and wore round-framed glasses with lenses as thick as bottle bottoms. On the table were pens, ink, ink pads, several bronze seals, a stack of blank papers, and an old camera with a lens covered in dust.

"Old debtor, we've brought him." Wang Zhihui greeted him with a smile.

Lai Dechang leaned forward slightly from his chair, adjusted his glasses, glanced at Chen Zhan, and smiled.

"Is this gentleman from mainland China? Does he need to apply for an identity card?"

Chen Zhan glanced around the room.

There were five or six bronze badges on the table, of varying sizes, and the inscriptions were not very clear. The paper was ordinary white paper, not official document paper. The camera was very old, with dust on the lens cap; it was unclear whether it was still usable.

A handwritten price list was pasted on the wall, in traditional Chinese characters, written in a crooked and messy hand:
"Identity document - HKD 2,000."

"Household registration - HK$1,500."

"Replacement of Good Citizen Certificate - HKD 3,000."

Two thousand Hong Kong dollars.

In Hong Kong in 1946, two thousand Hong Kong dollars was enough to feed a family for several months, while carrying goods in the Kowloon Walled City for a day could only earn a few dozen dollars.

Lai Dechang spoke with a smile.

"Getting an identity card costs two thousand dollars, including photo, stamping, and registration. It looks exactly like a real one and works in Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories."

Chen Zhan remained silent.

He glanced at Lai Dechang, then at Wang Zhihui.

Wang Zhihui stood to the side, smiling, his hands tucked under his apron. His eyes involuntarily drifted towards Lai Dechang before returning, his smile unchanged, but the curve of his lips froze for a moment.

Chen Zhan instantly realized that there was something going on between the two men.

Wang Zhihui led his men over, and Lai Dechang quoted a price to rip them off. After they were done, they split the money between the two men.

Many of the people living in the walled city were people who had fled from the mainland. They were unfamiliar with the place and didn't know the market. They were easily fooled by these sales pitches and handed over their money without even realizing it.

The so-called identity certificate is nothing more than a blank piece of paper with a name written on it and a fake stamp. They might not even take a photo of you.

Whether it's useful or not depends entirely on luck.

Hong Kong in 1946 was not decades later. Although there was a British Hong Kong government outside the Walled City, identity checks were not strict. No one would carefully examine genuine or fake IDs. It was purely a way to deceive people from the mainland who did not know.

Chen Zhan spoke up.

"Two thousand yuan? I don't have that."

Lai Dechang's smile was still on his face: "It's negotiable, 1,800 is fine, 1,500 is the lowest. Any lower and I really can't do it, the costs are there."

Wang Zhihui chimed in, "Mr. Chen, this price is really fair. Some places outside are asking for three or four thousand."

Chen Zhan ignored him.

He took the gold bar out of his pocket.

The gold bars lay on Lai Dechang's table, their dark yellow luster particularly striking in the dimly lit shed.

Lai Dechang's eyes lit up instantly, his pupils dilated, and his gaze was fixed on the gold bars. His Adam's apple bobbed.

Wang Zhihui was also stunned, his mouth opened and then closed again.

Chen Zhan placed his right index finger on the top of the gold bar, making no forceful movement, just lightly tapping it downwards with a single finger.

"puff--!"

The gold bar sank in.

The tabletop was a single, thick wooden board, at least two inches thick, made of hardwood, and very sturdy. The gold bar was embedded in the tabletop, like a knife inserted into tofu, smooth and even, without a single speck of wood popping out.

The gold bar, about two fingers wide, was completely submerged in the table, fitting perfectly as if it had been naturally placed there. (End of Chapter)