You promised steampunk martial arts, but you've got an internal combustion engine in your chest

Chapter 51 Fourth Leader

Baili Jing kept saying he would "take it slow," but once the delicacies were served, he started wolfing them down without stopping.

Although the food and drink at this banquet were far inferior to the previous monster meat, they were plentiful and filling.

Large bowls of meat and fish fell into his stomach, instantly digested by his blood and flesh furnace, turning into a torrent of heat that flowed into the internal combustion engine.

He could clearly feel the power gradually building up inside the internal combustion engine.

Of course, that's not important. Baili Jing didn't come here to fight today; he was genuinely enjoying the meal.

Not counting his past life, the best meal he had ever eaten in this life was the "last meal" he had the night before last.

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But the meal at the table before him was far more exquisite than the one he had in prison. Baili Jing ate with gusto, his mouth greasy and his mood excellent.

However, even as he ate, his eyes never left the faces of Zhou Erquan, Huang Qixiu, and Ding Yan.

Interestingly, after the old woman was taken away, the three important figures never mentioned what had just happened again.

Instead, they acted like old friends who hadn't seen each other for years, toasting each other and chatting about official matters and trivial matters, creating a very warm atmosphere.

That's not surprising; this kind of person likes to do this kind of thing.

Baili Jing took a bowl of braised pork knuckle and shoveled it all into his own bowl.

He was very satisfied with his performance just now.

When Ding Yan was about to stab the old woman to death with chopsticks, he had no choice but to kick her.

At the time, he didn't feel the need to save anyone, nor did he have time to consider the consequences.

But he knew one thing: he absolutely couldn't let Gong Yan set the pace.

If that chopstick had actually landed, and the old woman had died on the spot, the matter would have been settled, and Ding Yan would have had the final say, leaving me in a passive position.

Therefore, he had to abruptly interrupt everything, forcibly cut off Ding Yan's rhythm, and delay the situation.

As for how to break the deadlock after the delay—

After finishing a large piece of pork knuckle, Baili Jing turned his head to look at his younger brother and said casually, "Xiao Jie, come on, come with me to relieve myself. I've had too much good food and wine, I'm feeling really uncomfortable."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Erquan couldn't help but laugh and teased, "Brother Baili, you're such a big hero, why do you need someone to accompany you to relieve yourself?"

'

Baili Jing chuckled, completely unconcerned: "Second Master, you don't know this, but my younger brother is really inexperienced. If I left him sitting alone at this table, he probably wouldn't even know where to put his hands and feet, and he would be trembling with nervousness. So I took him out for some fresh air."

""

Baili Jie also stood up in compliance, bowed slightly with a hint of shyness, and said politely, "Excuse me."

The two brothers then left the private room side by side.

As soon as they left, the lively atmosphere in the private room instantly cooled down.

Ding Yan put down his chopsticks, picked up a handkerchief to wipe the corner of his mouth, stared at Zhou Erquan, and smiled somewhat sinisterly: "Second brother, when do you plan to bring that matter up in the open?"

"Zhou Erquan calmly picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and said in a cold tone, "That's about enough. When Baili Jing comes back in a little while, we can tell him what my eldest sister means."

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Ding Yan sneered and leaned forward: "How much business is your eldest sister planning to give him? You haven't even discussed this with me yet."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Erquan slightly raised his eyelids, a half-smile on his face: "Third brother, are you forgetful? Don't forget, you haven't truly paid for your crime tonight. How that old woman will handle the trial and the verdict will depend on the Baili brothers' attitude—how much business can Baili Jing take away—"

Haha, as the older brother, we still have a lot to talk about.

Upon hearing this, Ding Yan's smile remained, but a hint of resentment flashed in the corner of his eye.

At this moment, Huang Qixiu laughed at the opportune moment.

He picked up the wine pot and filled the cups of both men: "Oh dear, we're brothers, why ruin our relationship over such a small thing? Come, come, let's drink tea and wine! We can talk about everything when the main person comes back!"

'

In the backyard of Jiangshan Fengyulou, next to a secluded outhouse.

After relieving themselves quickly and efficiently, Baili Jing and Baili Jie straightened their clothes and headed back.

Baili Jie looked at his older brother with a smile on his face and exclaimed in a low voice, "Brother, that kick you just made up there was absolutely beautiful!"

'

Baili Jing raised his eyebrows smugly and chuckled:

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"Isn't it beautiful? I think so too—but I'm actually a little unsure how to proceed with the next act."

1

"Brother, no need to rush."

Bai Lijie said softly, "This meal today is definitely not just to apologize to you. The pretty sister said before that as long as you return to Shencheng alive, you will become a big shot in the Canal Gang."

The young man paused, then smiled slyly: "Moreover, the fact that Master Zhou treated you as an equal from the very beginning today means that they must have reached some kind of consensus and will give you an identity. As long as they are willing to give you an identity, the initiative will be entirely in your hands. You can make a big deal out of this new identity."

Baili Jing understood somewhat, but still didn't quite understand: "Identity? Now that I have this identity, how should I proceed?"

""

Upon hearing this, Baili Jie chuckled softly: "Brother, think about it. They made a mistake first, and now they need your help. They need you to go to the Chaosheng Association, which is your biggest bargaining chip. When they set their terms later—just ask for the moon!"

""

"Anything you dare to ask for, just go for it! Even if the price you ask for isn't right, Second Master and Prefect Huang will help you negotiate with Ding Yan! They definitely have their own prices in mind, so just speak up and let them decide the rest!"

""

After hearing this, Baili Jing suddenly realized: "I understand now that you say so! Okay, let's quickly discuss how to start later." The two brothers whispered among themselves and made some plans before slowly walking back up to the third floor.

When they returned to the door of the private room on the third floor, Baili Jing and his younger brother had just finished their conversation and couldn't help but laugh heartily for a while.

They pushed open the door while laughing.

Huang Qixiu stroked his beard and laughed, teasingly saying, "Haha, Brother Baili, what happy event has you encountered? We could hear you two laughing so loudly outside, we could hear it all from inside the house."

Baili Jing sat back in his chair and casually said, "Oh dear, Brother Huang, please forgive my rudeness! It's just that we brothers have never had such a delicious meal in all our years of life!"

Once a person has eaten their fill of an unparalleled delicacy and is in a good mood, they can't help but laugh a few more times, haha!

Upon hearing this, Zhou Erquan smiled slightly and said, "Brother Baili, you are too easily satisfied. Your good days have only just begun. If you are willing, from now on, you can eat meals like this every day, every meal, and in different ways. It's just a matter of talking to yourself."

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Upon hearing this, Baili Jing felt a slight stirring in his heart, thinking to himself that the real show was finally about to begin.

But on his face, he still pretended to be stupid: "Second Master, please stop teasing me. I'm just a laborer. Even if I become a cultivator, I'll only be a bodyguard at most. How could I possibly afford to eat gourmet meals every day? Please don't make fun of me."

Huang Qixiu then chimed in, laughing, "Brother Baili, you're too modest. In just a few days, you've already made a name for yourself in Shencheng and are making a bright future. Your future is limitless. Brother Zhou and Brother Ding are true heroes who cherish talent like their own lives. How could they possibly want you to do any manual labor or be a bodyguard in the future?"

Upon hearing this, Baili Jing looked at Zhou Erquan and asked with feigned disbelief, "Oh? Is that so?! Then—so what can I do according to this? Could it be—that Second Master will reward me with a prestigious position as the head of the docks? Managing hundreds of people?!"

""

Hearing these words, Ding Yan's eyelids twitched slightly.

Zhou Erquan remained calm. He took a deep breath and slowly spoke: "Brother Baili, you underestimate the magnanimity of the Shanghai Canal Gang. Tonight, with the Prefect here as a witness, I will make my point clear: the leader of the Canal Gang has given the order, which will be conveyed by me and my third brother."

"From now on, you, Baili Jing, will be the fourth leader of our Shencheng Canal Gang!"

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