Chapter 37

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Yesterday, Dong Qingshan received guidance from Lin Wanrong and was given twenty taels of silver. Having won the fight today and solidifying his position as the top brother in the southern city, he was naturally overjoyed. He brought a group of his followers to Meiwei Restaurant and prepared a feast, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their boss.

As soon as Lin Wanrong appeared in the restaurant, Dong Qingshan and his followers immediately stood up straight and respectfully greeted him, "Boss—"

It was clear that they had rehearsed this beforehand; their uniform voices caused Lin Wanrong's eardrums to throb with pain. He looked at his subordinates, their faces filled with admiration, and sighed inwardly. It seemed that his position as boss was now firmly established. If only these men knew that their boss had become a servant in the Xiao residence, he wondered how they would ridicule him.

Dong Qingshan had reserved a large room on the second floor of the restaurant, sparing no expense. In the underworld, if you played your cards right, you wouldn't have to pay for meals. However, Dong Qingshan had not yet grasped this concept, and since this place was under his protection, he felt it inappropriate to ask the owner to waive the bill.

Lin Wanrong looked at Dong Qingshan's followers. There had been fewer than twenty of them during the fight, but in just a few hours, their numbers had doubled. Were they all just hangers-on, interested only in food and drink?

Lin Wanrong felt concern for Dong Qingshan as he looked at these men. It seemed that maintaining the purity of the gang was indeed necessary. He now felt a bit like a godfather, guiding Dong Qingshan to grow stronger and expand – a rather thrilling experience.

Lin Wanrong pulled Dong Qingshan aside and whispered, "Qingshan, what's going on? So many people have joined us all of a sudden."

A glint appeared in Dong Qingshan's eyes as he replied, "Big brother, this afternoon we raided Li Ergou's old hideout and found several hundred taels of silver. Some of these men were Li Ergou's former subordinates, and some are new recruits. They saw that we defeated Li Ergou and wanted to join us. I figured we needed to expand our forces, so I accepted them all."

Lin Wanrong frowned and said, "Qingshan, expanding our forces is good, but how can you be sure they're all loyal to you? Your current power may not be strong, but your actions have certainly attracted attention. How can you be certain there aren't any undercover agents sent by other bosses among them?"

Dong Qingshan was young and inexperienced in the ways of the underworld. How could he have anticipated the possibility of moles? Upon hearing Lin Wanrong's words, it was as if he had been enlightened, and his mind instantly cleared. He emerged from his victorious euphoria, his body covered in cold sweat.

Lin Wanrong knew that Dong Qingshan was only sixteen years old and still had much to learn. It seemed that he was destined to take on the role of godfather.

"Big brother, what should we do?" Dong Qingshan looked at Lin Wanrong, full of hope.

He had an almost worshipful trust in his big brother, who was cunning, resourceful, and ruthless. Following such a leader would give them a chance to rise in the underworld.

"Form—a—gang," Lin Wanrong said, emphasizing each word. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the NʘvᴇlFirᴇ.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

"A gang?" Dong Qingshan was unfamiliar with the term.

"Simply put, a gang is an organization similar to a faction. First, we need to build a framework with trustworthy brothers, who will form the elite core of our gang. For example, those who fought with us against Li Ergou today are the backbone of our gang. It's like a tree: first, you need a trunk before you can have branches. Choose respected brothers from among them to establish different branches, each led by one of them, and slowly expand their forces. Remember, it's the quality, not quantity, of soldiers that matters. We cannot focus solely on blind expansion; we must cultivate the backbone. With these core members, they can achieve the strength of ten, and as the backbone develops, our gang will grow stronger, making it harder for our enemies to defeat us."

Lin Wanrong finished speaking in one breath, took a sip of tea, and allowed Dong Qingshan some time to think.

Dong Qingshan let out a long sigh, his eyes filled with determination. "Big brother, I understand your meaning. But when choosing branch leaders, we must be cautious. They may be incompetent, but they must be absolutely loyal. Power must always remain in our hands."

Lin Wanrong cast an approving glance at Dong Qingshan, who had finally begun to think critically about the situation.

Using his finger dipped in tea, Lin Wanrong drew the gang's organizational structure on the table for Dong Qingshan. His initial intention was to make the gang as flat as possible, with Dong Qingshan overseeing it vertically. However, considering the difficulties in coordinating multiple branches, he decided to start with three branches and expand later.

When Lin Wanrong and Dong Qingshan returned to their followers, Li Beidou was passionately discussing something with them. Seeing Lin Wanrong return, he immediately asked, "Boss, what should we name our gang?"

As everyone's eyes turned to him, Lin Wanrong stood up and surveyed those present, his gaze penetrating their souls.

A few men secretly lowered their heads, and the silent Dong Qingshan noticed their unusual behavior, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Indeed, we are called a gang, but does anyone know why we call ourselves a gang?" Lin Wanrong looked around, noticing that everyone was listening attentively to his words. It seemed that being a gang leader still carried some prestige, he thought with a smirk.

"Perhaps you come from a poor family, or maybe you're an orphan, or even a little beggar. None of that matters, as long as you're brave and loyal, the gang will be your strongest support. A gang unites all of us brothers, holding us tightly together, so others dare not bully us. And we can casually bully others. If anyone defies us, we'll beat them until they cry for their parents, until they can't recognize their own family but must recognize us. Our goal is to walk with swagger in Jinling City," Lin Wanrong wickedly incited.

The followers laughed heartily, but their eyes were filled with burning desire – a longing for a "bright future."

"We won't actively bully others, but if anyone dares to provoke us, we'll take action. We'll cut them, we'll mutilate their genitals, we'll rob their silver, their women, and their ancestors for eighteen generations," Lin Wanrong said with a sinister smile, infecting everyone present.

"Rob their silver, their women, and their ancestors for eighteen generations!" Emboldened by alcohol, the followers finally began to let loose. With just a few words, Lin Wanrong had these would-be gangsters fully immersed in their new lifestyle.

"Big brother, what will our gang be called?" Dong Qingshan asked.

"Let's call it Hung Hing," Lin Wanrong said slowly, a strange expression appearing on his face, as if he was suppressing laughter.

To Dong Qingshan, his big brother's expression seemed quite eerie, as if he had just stolen something from someone and felt triumphant.

(Hung Hing is a well-known Triad society in Hong Kong, which was established in the early 20th century. The society has been involved in various illegal activities, including drug trafficking, extortion, and money laundering. The name "Hung Hing" may symbolize the society's goal to become powerful and wealthy, and its willingness to use violence and illegal means to achieve that goal.In the modern entertainment, the gang Hung Hing was shown as the main gang in the movie “Young and Dangerous.”)

After drinking a lot of alcohol, Lin Wanrong didn't feel the burning pain on his back until he reached his doorstep. The wound from the afternoon brawl was still swollen and had not been treated.

As Lin Wanrong entered the courtyard, he saw a figure sitting motionless in front of his house.

"Who is it?" Lin Wanrong shouted. In Jinling City, he could count the number of people he knew on one hand.

"Big Brother Lin, you're back," a crisp voice replied, filled with a touch of surprise and delight.

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