Mastering the Sword Manual, sweeping across the globe

A tall, thin guy was lying on the lower bunk by the window, playing on his phone. He looked up and glanced at me, which was a kind of greeting.

A slightly older man with dark skin was sitting on the lower bunk against the wall, eating instant noodles at a small folding table. He gave Zhang Qiliang a simple and honest smile.

There was also a boy who looked the youngest, probably only eighteen or nineteen years old, sitting on the lower bunk near the door, looking a little reserved.

Xiao Chen introduced, "This is the new kitchen colleague, Liu Wei. Liu Wei, this is Brother Zhao (eating instant noodles), that's Qiangzi (playing on his phone), and that's Xiao Fang (the youngest)." He pointed to each person.

Zhang Qiliang nodded briefly to them: "Hello."

"Hello, hello," Brother Zhao said politely, swallowing his instant noodles.

Qiangzi hummed in agreement and continued looking at his phone.

Xiao Fang then whispered "Hello".

Zhang Qiliang placed his backpack and tote bag next to his upper bunk and began tidying up quickly.

He placed the newly bought basin, towels, and other items in the designated spot under the bed, and stuffed the non-woven bag containing the hardware tools into the inner corner next to his pillow, covering it slightly with the blanket.

The room was quiet for a moment, with only the faint game sound effects coming from Qiangzi's phone and the sound of Brother Zhao eating noodles.

Perhaps sensing the atmosphere was a bit awkward, Brother Zhao took the initiative to strike up a conversation: "Liu Wei, where are you from?"

"From H province," Zhang Qiliang stated the province on his driver's license, without specifying the city.

"Oh, that's quite far. What made you decide to work here?"

"Find something to do," Zhang Qiliang replied briefly.

"The kitchen is tiring, especially our new store, it gets really tough when things get busy," Brother Zhao said, speaking from experience.

"It's alright." Zhang Qiliang laid out the sheets and sat on the edge of the bed to test the firmness.

At this moment, Qiangzi suddenly put down his phone and gestured with his chin towards Xiao Fang, who was sitting on the lower bunk by the door: "Xiao Fang, go buy me a pack of cigarettes, Liqun, the soft kind."

Xiao Fang seemed to stiffen for a moment, then looked up, a troubled expression on his face, and whispered, "Brother Qiang... I... I don't have any change..."

"No change? I'll transfer it to you via WeChat later, what are you dawdling for? Hurry up." Qiangzi frowned, a little impatient. "And bring me a bottle of iced tea while you're at it."

Xiao Fang glanced at Qiangzi, then lowered her head again. Finally, she slowly stood up, her voice even softer: "...Okay."

Brother Zhao glanced at it, said nothing, and continued eating his noodles as if he hadn't seen anything.

Zhang Qiliang paused slightly as he tidied his things, his gaze sweeping indifferently over Qiangzi and Xiaofang.

Qiangzi was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old. He was more robust than Xiao Fang, with a bit of a fleshy face, and an arrogant air about him that suggested he was "getting along" in this small environment.

Xiao Fang, on the other hand, was clearly timid and dared not resist.

This is a very common form of minor bullying that exists in countless dormitories. It doesn't involve violence and is more like a form of bossing around and taking advantage of others based on "seniority" or "prestige".

Zhang Qiliang saw it clearly, but said nothing.

Without saying anything to stop him, nor showing any dissatisfaction or sympathy, he calmly folded his few changes of clothes and stuffed them under the bottom bunk.

Xiao Fang slowly went out, and Qiangzi picked up his phone again, a satisfied look on his face.

There are still about ten minutes before I have to go to work.

Zhang Qiliang had finished tidying up and sat quietly on the edge of the bed, gazing out the window at the old residential buildings, seemingly lost in thought, or perhaps planning something.

The dormitory has temporarily returned to its previous tranquility.

Beneath this calm surface, however, the insignificant, skewed power dynamics had already been noticed and remembered by Zhang Qiliang, but that was all.

At 8:55 a.m. sharp, Zhang Qiliang appeared in the kitchen of Shuxianglou Restaurant.

Head Chef Li was already there, giving instructions to several early-arriving prep cooks. When he saw Zhang Qiliang come in, he looked up at the wall clock and said, "You're pretty accurate... You must be Liu Wei, right? Okay, you'll be working with Lao Zhao for now. There'll be a lot of work this morning, like moving things, tidying up, and preparing the basic ingredients. Just follow my instructions."

The first day of work began immediately and quickly entered a high-intensity rhythm.

All the lights were turned on, illuminating every corner, and the air was filled with the mixed smells of fresh ingredients and cleaning agents.

Nine to ten o'clock is the time for basic preparations and cleaning before opening.

Old Zhao handed Zhang Qiliang a clean set of work clothes and a rubber apron, and pointed to the area near the back door: "First, help me put these goods that were brought in last night back in their places, and put the boxes on the warehouse shelves according to the labels. Then we need to thoroughly clean the floor and countertops. We were in a rush to finish last night, so some places weren't cleaned properly."

Zhang Qiliang nodded.

Boxes of dried goods, seasonings, and disposable supplies were piled on the ground. Just as Lao Zhao picked up a box of fermented soybean paste, Zhang Qiliang was already carrying a heavier box of cooking oil in each hand. He walked steadily toward the warehouse, put it away, and came back. Then he easily picked up two 50-pound bags of flour.

He moved swiftly and neatly, arranging everything in a tidy manner. What would normally take two people half an hour to do, he accomplished in just ten minutes by himself.

Next came scrubbing the floor. The heavy long-handled brush and degreaser seemed as light as a feather in Zhang Qiliang's hands. He swept the brush with large, even strokes and a constant speed, and the greasy floor quickly revealed its true color. His efficiency was so high that Old Zhao didn't even need to wipe his sweat; he only needed to follow behind him and rinse with clean water.

From 10:00 to 11:30, the food pre-processing stage begins.

Zhang Qiliang was called to help out in the vegetable section.

The mountains of potatoes, eggplants, and green peppers need to be sorted, washed, and preliminarily processed.

Water splashed around the washing pool as Zhang Qiliang was responsible for sorting and transporting the preliminarily washed vegetables to the various cutting and preparation stations.

He is quick-witted and agile; he can catch a rolling potato in an instant, lift a full basin of water without spilling a drop, and navigate the increasingly crowded kitchen aisle with perfect skill, avoiding others as if he were a fish swimming with ease.

Occasionally, he would help carry the pre-cut semi-finished product boxes, those heavy stainless steel boxes. While others would carry them with both hands, he could sometimes lift two boxes with one hand, and do so very steadily.

While preparing the ingredients, Chef Wang couldn't help but mutter to Chef Li, "Chief Li, this new guy, Xiao Liu, is really strong and works very steadily."

From 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., the lunch market gradually enters its peak.

Zhang Qiliang's work became more fragmented and flexible.

He appears immediately wherever restocking is needed; he replaces trash cans before they're full; he mops up any water or oil stains on the floor; and he quickly clears away and transports the dirty plates that pile up at the food serving area to the dishwashing room.

At the busiest times, he could even juggle two or three tasks at the same time, moving empty oil drums out the back door while simultaneously using his feet to put trash cans back in their place, and catching spice jars that slipped off.

Despite the high-intensity, fast-paced continuous work, his breathing remained steady until the afternoon when the customer flow subsided, though there was a fine layer of sweat on his forehead. Compared to other kitchen staff who were exhausted and panting, their backs soaked with sweat, his composure stood out.

As they finished cleaning up, the head chef came over and looked at the gleaming floor that Zhang Qiliang had scrubbed and the neatly organized storage area. He praised, "Not bad, Xiao Liu. You did a solid job, you're observant and quick. Continue with the evening service this afternoon, just be there before four o'clock."

Zhang Qiliang simply nodded calmly: "Okay, head chef."

The lunch break ends at 2 PM.

Zhang Qiliang returned to his dormitory.

Qiangzi and Zhao Ge, who share a room with me, are still taking a nap or playing on their phones.

He quietly grabbed his toiletries, quickly took a shower in the bathroom to wash away the grease and sweat, and changed into clean clothes.

He didn't linger in the dormitory, nor did he participate in any afternoon chats or games.

After simply washing and drying the obvious oil stains on my work clothes from the morning, I quietly left the dormitory with my small waist bag (containing cash, the small folding knife, and a small piece of discarded but sharp-edged thin stainless steel sheet that I had "noticed" in the kitchen that morning).

The afternoon sun was quite scorching, and there weren't many pedestrians on the street.

Instead of heading towards the bustling or main road, Zhang Qiliang walked towards a quieter area, the opposite of the commercial district.

It was a nearly blank corner on the city map, with low and old buildings, mostly bungalows slated for demolition, old walls, and small abandoned yards.

The road surface is mostly uneven cement, streetlights are sparse, and cameras are even rarer.

Occasionally, stray dogs would dart by, or the faint sound of machinery could be heard in the distance, highlighting the emptiness and alienation of the place.

Zhang Qiliang's footsteps trod on the dusty and gravelly road, his gaze slowly sweeping over the mottled walls, rusty iron gates, and overgrown weeds.

In this world, injustice and unpleasant things are everywhere. It's hard to get rich, but it's too easy to find something that makes you feel frustrated or upset.

9 stray dogs

really.

In less than ten minutes, Zhang Qiliang was already feeling confused.

About thirty meters ahead, in the open space of an abandoned small auto repair shop, there was a little girl who looked about seven or eight years old.

She was wearing a faded old dress, carrying a patched cloth satchel, and shivering as she pressed herself against a broken wall.

Less than two meters away from her, a large brown dog, almost as tall as the little girl at the shoulder, was circling around her.

It was a large, muscular Rottweiler with a leather collar around its neck, but it wasn't on a leash.

It kept emitting low, threatening "groans," sometimes lunging forward and then stopping abruptly, bursting into short, fierce barks at the little girl, drool dripping from the corners of its mouth.

The little girl was terrified, her face turned pale, her big eyes filled with tears, and she pressed her lips tightly together, afraid to cry out. Her small body was paralyzed with fear.

A dozen or so steps away, a middle-aged woman wearing floral pajamas and with disheveled hair was leaning against the window of a second-floor self-built house, eating sunflower seeds.

She glanced over casually, then called out in a drawn-out tone, "Simi—! Come back! Don't scare people!"

When the Rottweiler named "Simi" heard the call, it wagged its tail perfunctorily, turned its head and trotted a few steps toward its owner, but did not go upstairs. It just stopped by the pile of clutter downstairs.

The little girl felt as if she had been granted a pardon and quickly tried to walk around the open space by hugging the wall.

But just then, the woman's phone rang.

She glanced down at the screen, a smile spreading across her face. She immediately answered, her voice booming, "Hello? Third Sister!... Oh yes, that's the place!... Sigh, my luck's terrible, I lost another three hundred yesterday..."

Her attention was completely drawn to the phone call, and she no longer looked down at the open space.

As the Rottweiler saw the toy about to slip away, its animalistic instincts instantly overwhelmed the insignificant scolding it had just given.

It let out an excited hissing sound from its throat, then suddenly leaped out again, catching up with the little girl in a few steps. This time, it blocked her path directly in front of her, its massive body slightly lowered, its head stretched forward, revealing its gleaming white teeth, and it barked even more fiercely. It even tentatively lunged forward, its claws almost scratching the girl's calves.

The little girl let out a short scream, took a step back, and slammed her back heavily against the rough brick wall, with nowhere left to retreat.

The extreme fear made her forget to cry. She just stared wide-eyed at the ferocious dog head that was approaching her, spitting everywhere. Her small body trembled like a leaf in the autumn wind.

Zhang Qiliang stepped forward and calmly stood between the girl and the vicious dog, blocking their path.

He bent down slightly and gently placed his right hand on the little girl's trembling, clenched fist.

Her small hands were cold and damp, and her knuckles were white from exertion.

“Little sister,” Zhang Qiliang pulled the girl closer to him for safety, “Don’t be afraid…”

How could he not be afraid? The girl's hands were still trembling violently in his palm.

“Don’t worry…” Zhang Qiliang continued, without even glancing at the Rottweiler that was becoming increasingly agitated because of his intervention, “It doesn’t bite.”

Before the words were even finished, as if to directly refute the lie, or perhaps because the prey was obscured and aroused greater hostility, the Rottweiler's bark suddenly rose eight octaves, full of aggressive warning.

It abandoned its attempt to scare the little girl, lowered its head, and stared intently at Zhang Qiliang with its cloudy eyes. Its strong forelimbs pawed at the ground, and its hind leg muscles were taut, clearly poised to pounce. A foul stench filled the air.

"Don't look," Zhang Qiliang said calmly, raising his left hand so that his large palm completely blocked the little girl's view of the vicious dog.

Then, Zhang Qiliang raised his right leg.

There was no whistling wind, only a short, muffled thud, as if a heavy sandbag had been struck by a tremendous force.

"Oh!"

The whole world became quiet instantly.

All the barking, whimpering, and threatening growls abruptly ceased.

Zhang Qiliang landed his foot decisively, the sole of his shoe landing precisely on the Rottweiler's neck where its head connects to its skull.

The immense force poured vertically downwards, forming an absolutely perpendicular angle with the solid ground.

The next second, a sickeningly faint sound of bones cracking could be heard.

The thick, once powerful neck underwent an instantaneous and irreversible deformation under immense pressure—collapsed from a cylinder supporting the head into a twisted plane.

The Rottweiler didn't even have time to let out a complete howl before its massive body stiffened abruptly, then went completely limp. Its limbs twitched unconsciously a couple of times before falling silent again. Its tongue lolled out, and its cloudy eyes quickly lost their luster.

The entire process, from lifting the leg to death, took only one or two breaths.

There was no unnecessary venting, only the culmination of absolute efficiency.

Zhang Qiliang withdrew his foot and glanced at the little girl behind him.

The girl didn't seem to fully understand what had happened; fear lingered in her large eyes as she stared blankly at him.

Zhang Qiliang gently patted the girl's shoulder, pointed in a direction away from the woman's house and the dog's corpse, and whispered, "Go home quickly."

The little girl seemed to wake from a dream. She looked at the big dog that was no longer moving on the ground, then at Zhang Qiliang, and finally burst into tears. At the same time, she nodded vigorously, hugged her schoolbag, and staggered away.

She ran hurriedly and frantically, her small figure bouncing on the bumpy road.

She had only run a dozen steps or so, almost turning into another alley, when she suddenly seemed to remember something, abruptly stopped, and turned around.

Through her teary eyes, she looked at her tall brother who was still standing there, sniffled, and said in a heartfelt voice with heavy sobs, "Thank... thank you, brother...!"

Zhang Qiliang smiled and waved, signaling the little girl to go home quickly.

The little girl then turned around again.