Chapter 57: Accidentally Becoming the Boss

There weren't many of them, barely twenty-odd people in total.

However,

This was a foundational crew!

Unlike the rickshaw pullers at the Ximen Transport Agency who needed to provide for their families, these men formed Ghost-Leg Liu's true core team.

These spirited young men were fierce characters who dared to fight and scrap, the kind of ruthless individuals who wouldn't hesitate to risk their lives the moment they stepped out.

With Liu Qi leading the way, these men instantly found their backbone.

They had drive, ruthlessness, a clear goal, and no fear of death—classic "spirited youths" with limitless potential.

The foundation of the Ximen Transport Agency was thus established.

Paved with money, as long as the right opportunity arose, they would definitely grow and make a name for themselves in a single battle.

Just as Liu Qi was feeling inspired by his own motivational speech and brimming with energy,

Suddenly,

His gaze turned cold, and he barked fiercely toward the outside:

"Who's there! Get the hell out!"

A powerful sixth sense had allowed him to perceive that Chen Jie was eavesdropping from over a dozen meters away.

"Liu Qi!" Chen Jie called out as he stepped out of his hiding place.

Hearing Chen Jie's voice, Liu Qi immediately cried out in pleasant surprise:

"Big Brother!? What are you doing here?"

Chen Jie gave a hearty laugh and said, "I just came out to Ximen Street and saw you heading in this way. I got curious, so I followed along to take a look!"

"What are you up to? Are these all brothers you've made recently?"

Liu Qi let out a silly chuckle, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Then,

He stood up and shouted to everyone, "Snap to attention, everyone! This is my big brother, and the boss of our Ximen Transport Agency!"

"Boss!"

All the spirited young men shouted in unison toward Chen Jie.

Hiss—!

Chen Jie couldn't help but wipe the sweat from his forehead.

How did he accidentally become a boss?

Liu Qi seemed extremely excited and completely failed to notice Chen Jie's awkwardness.

At this moment, his heart was swelling with fighting spirit. He pulled Chen Jie over and said,

"Big Brother, you've come at just the right time. Tonight, we're planning to go to war with the Flying Eagle Transport Agency!"

"I've tolerated Tu Feiying, the boss of the Flying Eagle Transport Agency, for a long time. Relying on the backing of the Tiger Gate Guild, this bastard throws his weight around on Ximen Street. If we don't wipe them out, it will be hard for our Ximen Transport Agency to ever get ahead!"

Hearing this, Chen Jie was momentarily stunned.

"Tu Feiying of the Flying Eagle Transport Agency?"

He genuinely knew nothing about the other factions on Ximen Street, nor did he have any idea who Tu Feiying was.

A young man standing beside Liu Qi, as thin as a monkey, wore a smiling face as he explained:

"The Flying Eagle Transport Agency is a bit larger than our Ximen Transport Agency. That bastard Tu Feiying has over thirty men under him!"

"They're used to being bullies and always think they're the bosses of all the transport agencies in Ximen. If anyone disobeys them, they crush them!"

"We've been bullied by him many times. Tonight, Brother Qi made an appointment with Tu Feiying, and we're planning to have a major showdown in the open ground outside Ximen City!"

"Whoever loses gets out of Ximen Street for good!"

Oh—good grief!

Chen Jie almost blurted out Teacher Zixuan's catchphrase.

They were starting a gang war just like that!?

For a moment, Chen Jie didn't know how to describe his feelings.

Just a few days ago, he had been discussing how to develop a faction with Liu Qi, but he hadn't expected Liu Qi's execution efficiency to be so high.

In just a few days, Liu Qi had gathered a whole gang of men.

The skinny young man continued:

"Boss, we've heard Brother Qi talk about you for a long time. You're a wealthy young master, well-read, studied abroad, and extremely knowledgeable!"

"Under your leadership, our Ximen Transport Agency will definitely dominate Ximen, sweep across the capital, and stand supreme above all!"

Hearing this, Chen Jie broke out in a cold sweat!

Stand supreme above all!

To be able to shout out a slogan like that, this kid had a future!

At that moment, Chen Jie also understood why Liu Qi and the people around him showed him such deep respect.

Everything boiled down to two words—rich!

Having wealth and power meant you could thrive in any world and swagger about unchecked!

Even Liu Qi and the skinny fellow, whose martial arts had both broken through to the "Bronze-Skin Manifested-Force" realm, were willing to act as his underlings in front of him.

To be honest, though, it was a good thing for Liu Qi to grow and start building his own faction.
Once he achieved success, his destiny would be completely rewritten, and he would never become the legendary gold-medal hitman "Ghost-Leg Liu" of the Peace Guild!

After chatting with everyone for a while and getting acquainted,

Chen Jie learned that this skinny, wolf-fierce fellow was named Xue Qian.

Don't let his small stature and lack of meat fool you; in terms of sanda and combat weight classes, Xue Qian belonged to the lowest flyweight category.

However,

He was a "Bronze-Skin Manifested-Force" master just like Liu Qi. Among these people, aside from Liu Qi, he was the deadliest fighter.

One had to admit that the faction had just been formed and possessed nothing at all.

This period should have been a time for biding one's time, keeping a low profile, and training to improve strength.

Instead, before even forming any real combat effectiveness, they were already rushing off to fight a gang war.

Given Chen Jie's personality, he certainly wouldn't have done such a thing.

Liu Qi was different, however. He had been fond of valor and brawling since childhood; he was young, hot-blooded, had fought in life-or-death underground rings, and had experienced the edge of mortality.

Ever since Chen Jie talked to him, he had found a goal and was brimming with drive.

Right now, a raging fire was burning in Liu Qi's heart—how could he possibly wait to bide his time and keep a low profile?

Hoo—!

Chen Jie took a deep breath. Since this was their first gang war, they absolutely could not lose!

If they lost, everything would go completely down the drain.

Chen Jie carefully looked over the "spirited youths" around him!

Though they looked sallow and malnourished,

The fierce edge emanating from them showed they were hot-headed reckless youth who truly dared to risk their lives.

With a few martial arts experts leading the way, the combat power they formed could definitely not be underestimated.

The appointed time for the gang war was rapidly approaching.

Although Liu Qi repeatedly asked Chen Jie not to follow along,

Human nature is naturally curious!

With so many people calling him "Boss," how could Chen Jie possibly miss this opportunity?

Though his martial arts skills weren't high and he hadn't even truly entered the path, a boss didn't necessarily have to charge into battle personally.

After thinking it over and fearing that Liu Qi might suffer a loss, Chen Jie followed him outside the Ximen city walls.

Outside the Ximen city gates lay a vast stretch of open ground, surrounded by reed marshes with a moat flowing in front.

For Ximen Street, this place was undoubtedly an ideal spot for a gang war and bloodshed.

Liu Qi's band of brothers was clearly very familiar with this location.

Without wasting time, Liu Qi led everyone straight into the depths of the reed marsh.

The surrounding reed marshes spanned a massive area; let alone twenty-odd people hiding inside, even two hundred people could conceal themselves without anyone noticing them at a glance.

Half an hour passed without the slightest sound in the surroundings.

Seeing the tense expression on Chen Jie's face, Liu Qi couldn't help but reassure him: "Big Brother, you don't need to worry. Once Tu Feiying and his men arrive, just stay right here and don't go out. We'll slaughter them!"

He was "Ghost-Leg Liu," after all; ever since he was a child, he had never lost a fight.

Though he was a few years younger than Chen Jie, he had killed men, seen blood, and possessed an extremely steady mental state.

Chen Jie had never experienced a scene like this before, so naturally, he was nervous.

Swish—rustle—!

Just as Chen Jie was about to speak, he suddenly heard the sound of footsteps coming from afar.

"Shh! They're here!" Liu Qi made a silencing gesture to those around him.

In an instant,

The surroundings fell into a dead silence, so quiet a pin drop could be heard.

Under the moonlight, a tall, burly man could be seen swaggering into the open clearing from afar.

Behind him followed more than thirty men, holding torches in one hand while wielding broadswords, iron clubs, spiked maces, and other lethal weapons in the other.

Unlike the sallow and malnourished spirited youths Liu Qi had gathered, these fellows were all fierce-looking, brawny thugs.

Judging by their swaggering strides and aggressive, swaggering gaits,

They were clearly a gang accustomed to running amok and acting as tyrants.