I achieved mastery of martial arts during the Republic of China era.

Chapter 49 Local People Embrace Foreigners, Guests Fill the Door

Zhou Tong remained silent, his gaze slowly sweeping over the shopkeepers.

The wind blew through the brick wall of the police station's backyard, carrying the dampness of the moss in the corner and the smell of cooking oil drifting from the distant streets.

The shopkeepers stood at the foot of the courtyard wall, the hems of their silk robes swaying slightly in the wind. They all had smiles on their faces, but their eyes were darting around, revealing their guilty conscience.

"Gentlemen, there's no need to be so hasty. My family is also in business, and I am well aware of your predicaments."

Zhou Tong spoke calmly, his gaze peaceful, even showing a hint of understanding:

"The common people can't fight with officials. Captain Sun is wearing this uniform, and since the other party has spoken, it's only natural that you wouldn't dare to offend him. Zhou is not an unreasonable person."

Upon hearing this, the shopkeepers felt as if they had been granted a pardon, and their tense shoulders relaxed.

Manager Wang of Fulong Cloth Shop was the first to react, and hurriedly cupped his hands in greeting:

"Captain Zhou, you are wise! Captain Zhou, you are magnanimous! We were truly... truly had no other choice!"

"Yes, yes, Captain Zhou is very considerate of our small businesses..."

"Captain Zhou is truly understanding..."

Flattery filled the air, and the courtyard came alive again.

But just then—

The gentleness on Zhou Tong's face vanished as quickly as a thin mist blown away by the wind.

His expression suddenly darkened, his eyes sharpening like knives as his gaze swept across each face:

"But!"

Those two words, like two nails, nailed everyone's words to their throats.

The courtyard fell silent again, with only the sound of the wind remaining.

Zhou Tong's voice turned cold, each word sounding as if it were wrapped in ice:

"Gentlemen, as the saying goes, even if a deal falls through, goodwill should remain. If you're looking to move on to another business, shouldn't you... send someone to inform me?"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Manager Wang's suddenly deathly pale face, and then over the cold sweat beading on the foreheads of the other managers:

"To do it so quietly, without even a greeting, isn't that a bit too impolite?"

These words, spoken in a plain tone, struck like a blunt object, hitting everyone hard in the heart.

The color drained completely from the faces of the shopkeepers.

Manager Wang's lips trembled; he wanted to say something, but no sound came out.

Manager Li's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down, his voice trembling as he said:

"Captain Zhou...we were so foolish! So foolish! Please, Captain, have mercy..."

"Please, Captain, forgive me this time!"

"We'll never do it again..."

The cries for mercy rose in a chaotic cacophony.

Their eyes were filled with fear. Zhou Tong had just dealt with Sun Wei with swift and decisive action, clearly indicating he was not someone to be trifled with. And now he was putting on this show...

Zhou Tong raised his hand.

With just a simple movement, all sound came to an abrupt halt.

"This is my first time dealing with you all, and as the saying goes, 'a meeting at first sight fosters good relationships.'"

He looked at everyone calmly, his tone returning to its previous indifference, revealing no emotion: "This time, let it go."

The shopkeepers were just about to breathe a sigh of relief—

"but!"

Zhou Tong then changed his tone again: "So that everyone knows, I, Zhou, speak reasonably, but only to those who are reasonable. Those who are not reasonable..."

He shook his head slightly, not continuing, his gaze pressing down on each person with an almost tangible intensity:

"I don't want the same thing to happen again in the future."

He didn't say "what would happen if it happened again," didn't make any harsh statements, and didn't even raise his voice in the slightest.

Even such a calm statement sent chills down the spines of all the shopkeepers, and cold sweat instantly soaked through their inner shirts.

"Don't worry, Captain Zhou! There will never be a next time!"

"From now on, we will follow Captain Zhou's lead without question!"

"..."

Zhou Tong raised his hand again, interrupting these voices eager to show their loyalty.

Anyone can say nice things.

His gaze swept over the trembling faces, and he said calmly, "I don't want to hear about this. I only care about what you do in the future."

After saying that, Zhou Tong withdrew his gaze and waved his hand: "Everyone, disperse."

The shopkeepers breathed a sigh of relief, bowed deeply, and didn't dare to say goodbye. They turned around hastily and left the courtyard as if they were fleeing.

Seeing that Zhou Tong had finished dealing with the matter, Chen Yan walked over with a ruddy complexion, holding the two thick stacks of silver notes.

Li Kang, Zhao Hu, and other team members also gathered around.

Their gazes toward Zhou Tong were burning hot, as if they wanted to set him on fire—a mixture of worship, awe, and a sense of pride.

Zhou Tong looked at Chen Yan, his voice returning to its usual gentle tone: "The money will be distributed according to the usual rules."

He paused, then added, "In addition, take 10% of the new money collected on the west side of Wenchang Street as a reward for your work this time."

Chen Yan was taken aback, then quickly shook his head:

"Captain, how could I possibly accept that? I failed to accomplish anything; it's all thanks to you!"

"You stood up for me and helped me get revenge. I'm happy even if I don't take a single penny of the money this time!"

He spoke sincerely, his rugged face full of genuine emotion.

Zhou Tong waved his hand, his tone leaving no room for doubt: "Even if you haven't made any great contributions, you've still put in a lot of effort, and this is what you deserve."

He glanced at the slap mark on Chen Yan's face, which hadn't completely faded, and added, "Go to the pharmacy later and get some bruise-reducing ointment. Pay for it from my share."

Chen Yan's throat tightened, and he clasped his hands in a deep fist salute, his voice slightly hoarse: "Thank you, Captain!"

Zhou Tong nodded and said no more.

He raised his hand to straighten the cuffs of his uniform, which were slightly wrinkled from the fight, and then smoothed out every messy part of the hem.

Then, I took a step and walked towards the office building.

Zhao Han and Chang Xuan were waiting under the eaves, watching Zhou Tong walk over, their faces beaming with delight.

Zhao Han was impatient. As soon as Zhou Tong stepped onto the steps, he took two steps forward and slapped Zhou Tong hard on the shoulder.

"Good lad!"

Zhao Han chuckled softly, her eyes gleaming: "You hid it well! You didn't utter a sound even though you were all tough! You kept all your brothers in the dark!"

He leaned closer, his hot breath brushing against Zhou Tong's ear, his voice filled with ecstasy:

"Well done! That's so satisfying! That old bastard Liu Zhenshan is probably smashing cups in his house right now!"

Chang Xuan also came over, his eyes filled with equally intense admiration: "Brother Zhou, you did a great job today."

He paused, then added meaningfully, "It wasn't just the forceful suppression that was brilliantly executed; the sense of proportion, the method of doing things... it was all done with courtesy and restraint, with substance and style."

Zhou Tong smiled slightly and cupped his hands in greeting to the two men: "You two are too kind. I was forced into that situation and had no other choice."

Don't give me that!

Zhao Han laughed and scolded him, then patted him on the back, "Come on, Captain Qin is waiting."

The three of them went together to the east end of the second floor.

Zhao Han counted on her fingers and knocked three times on the heavy oak door.

"Enter."

Qin Lie's strong, short voice came from inside.

Push the door open and enter.

The office windows were open, and a warm breeze blew in, dispelling the smell of tobacco.

Qin Lie stood by the window, his back to the door, a half-smoked cigarette between his fingers.

He turned around and looked at me, his eyebrows and eyes brimming with undisguised joy.

"You're here? Have a seat!"

Qin Lie waved his hand and pointed to the row of rosewood chairs against the wall, then walked over to the desk and sat down.

Zhou Tong and the other two took their seats in turn.

Qin Lie's gaze first fell on Zhou Tong, and after looking him up and down, he suddenly clicked his tongue and shook his head with a smile:

"Your cultivation speed... is just too fast."

He flicked his cigarette ash, his eyes filled with amazement:

"From stone-like skin to iron-like skin, it must have taken less than three months... Incredible! Truly incredible! No wonder you're a disciple of the Dragon Tiger Martial Arts School, no wonder you're Director Wei's junior brother!"

The "Director Wei" he mentioned was naturally Zhou Tong's third senior brother, Wei Changfeng, the deputy director of the police station.

Qin Lie took a deep drag of his cigarette and slowly exhaled, the bluish-gray smoke swirling and rising in the sunlight.

He tapped the table with his finger, his eyes practically overflowing with approval: "You handled this matter beautifully today."

He paused, then said, word by word, "Courageous, insightful, brave, and resourceful."

Zhou Tong bowed slightly, his tone humble: "Captain Qin, you flatter me. It's all thanks to your excellent guidance."

"Don't give me that nonsense!" Qin Lie said with a laugh.

Zhao Han interjected at the opportune moment, repeating the few sentences Zhou Tong exchanged with the shopkeepers in the courtyard later.

Upon hearing this, Qin Lie clapped his hands and laughed loudly:

"Good! The combination of kindness and severity is just right! It establishes authority without pushing the person to the brink!"

Zhou Tong, Zhou Tong, your brain is even more powerful than your fists!

Chang Xuan also laughed and said, "Those shopkeepers, from now on, will probably feel their legs cramp when they hear Brother Zhou's name."

The atmosphere in the office was lively, filled with laughter and conversation.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting bright, shimmering spots on the floor, with tiny dust particles dancing within the beams of light.

They joked and laughed like this for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Zhou Tong changed the subject, his smile fading slightly as he looked at Qin Lie:

"Captain Qin, there is something I don't understand... In the past, our company and the First Company were not very close, but we were still on good terms."

Captain Liu's tolerance of his subordinates' actions today... there's more to it than meets the eye...

He paused, not finishing his sentence, but the meaning was clear.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Han and Chang Xuan also stopped smiling and looked at Qin Lie.

The smile on Qin Lie's face slowly faded.

He paused for a moment, then stubbed out his cigarette in the enamel ashtray with a soft "hiss".

Then, he leaned back in his chair, glanced at the three of them, and slowly said, "There are some things you may not know yet."

His voice lowered, carrying the solemnity characteristic of someone involved:

"In our Cangzhou City, we are now roughly divided into two factions."

Zhou Tong's eyes narrowed slightly.

"The local faction and the pro-foreign faction."

Qin Lie said in a deep voice: "Our four squadrons of the North City Police Bureau have thus been divided into two camps."

In the past, our first, second, and third companies were all locals, united as one. Only the fourth company... was willing to be the foreigners' lackeys.

He paused, a cold smile curving his lips:

"But now, things are different."

"That Deputy Director Bai of the First Squadron, he used to just flirt with foreigners, but now he's completely..."

Qin Lie's eyes narrowed slightly. "They've sided with the pro-foreign faction."

The office fell silent suddenly.

The sound of the wind outside the window and the faint hustle and bustle of the distant streets seemed exceptionally clear at this moment.

Qin Lie snorted coldly, his voice full of disdain:

"A bunch of ungrateful bastards! They've lost their backbone; seeing the guns and money of foreigners, they've even forgotten their ancestors' names!"

Zhou Tong sat there, his face calm, but his heart was in turmoil.

The dispute and division of the family property between my father and the old man was caused by the foreigners.

It turns out that it wasn't just a difference in ideology within the Zhou family.

The influence of foreigners has become so strong—from the head of a family to the deputy director of the police bureau, the seemingly stable structure of Cangzhou City is visibly loosening and tilting.

The Worry-Free Church needs to take root, but foreign influence is expanding, and factions are splitting...

Zhou Tong suppressed the turmoil in his heart, looked at Qin Lie, and asked:

"Captain Qin, now that they've already made their move, what should we do..."

Qin Lie's eyes suddenly sharpened, and his tone became resolute:

"Don't worry. We locals aren't pushovers!"

He leaned forward, his hand on the table, his knuckles applying slight pressure:

"Foreigners are trying to regain their power... Now is the time to strike them hard! Suppress this evil trend completely! Otherwise, who knows what kind of mess Cangzhou City will become in the future?"

Zhou Tong nodded slowly, his expression solemn: "The captain is right."

He stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Captain, please give me any instructions. I will do my utmost."

Zhao Han and Chang Xuan immediately stood up and said in unison, "We are ready to obey the captain's orders!"

Qin Lie looked at the three of them, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes, but then he shook his head.

He leaned back in his chair, his tone softening somewhat:

"You are all my trusted subordinates, and I won't hide it from you—Captain He of the Third Squadron and I have already started working on this in secret."

He paused, lowering his voice:

"But what we did this time...should not be publicized, lest we alert the enemy."

He looked at Zhou Tong and the other two and explained:

"Therefore, it's not suitable to use too many familiar faces. You guys should take a break for now, go patrol the streets or practice your martial arts. Old Chu has been keeping an eye on this matter lately."

The "Old Chu" that Qin Lie mentioned was Chu Yunhe, the deputy squadron leader of the second squadron, who was also a senior expert in the Bone Forging Realm.

Zhou Tong understood.

No wonder we haven't seen Deputy Captain Chu much lately.

It turns out they were going to carry out a more covert mission.

"Understood." Zhou Tong sat down again and asked no more questions.

Since it's a secret, knowing too much is actually not a good thing.

After chatting for a few more minutes about trivial matters within the bureau, Zhou Tong and the other two got up to say goodbye about fifteen minutes later.

Qin Lie personally escorted Zhou Tong to the door, patted him on the shoulder, and whispered:

"Cultivate diligently. Strength is the foundation for us to survive in this chaotic world."

"Thank you for your guidance, Captain." Zhou Tong bowed.

……

After finishing my shift, the sun was already setting.

It was a warm and pleasant evening in late spring.

The shops along the street gradually lit up, and the shouts of waiters, the clanging of pots and pans, and the laughter of returning home blended together to create a bustling scene of everyday life.

Upon arriving at the alley entrance, one could see two or three rickshaws with brass covers and several sedan chairs parked in front of their house.

Zhou Tong paused slightly, a guess forming in his mind.

As soon as I stepped into the front yard, I heard lively voices coming from the living room.

He walked through the courtyard and came to the entrance of the living room.

The hall was brightly lit, and the father, Zhou Chengzong, sat in the main seat in a rosewood armchair, holding a teacup in his hand, his face full of smiles.

A dozen or so figures sat on the guest seats on both sides.

Some wore silk robes, others wore Zhongshan suits; all were well-dressed and exuded an extraordinary air.

Zhou Tong glanced at them and saw that they were all his father's business associates, prominent shopkeepers and owners in Cangzhou City.

These relationships were all built by my father himself. Those who had deep ties with the Zhou family's main branch had stopped associating with him long after the family split up.

Ji Chang was also sitting among them, listening to everyone's conversation with a smile.

As Zhou Tong stepped across the threshold, a middle-aged man in a brocade robe sitting near the door—Manager Song, the owner of Qingfeng Grain Store—saw him first. He immediately put down his teacup, stood up, and smiled:

"Nephew Zhou is back!"

The sound was like a stone thrown into water.

Everyone in the hall turned their heads, their eyes all falling on Zhou Tong.

"Nephew Zhou!"

"Captain Zhou!"

Warm greetings rang out.

Ji Chang did not get up, but simply smiled and nodded at Zhou Tong, his eyes carrying a hint of mockery and "look at this scene."

A perfectly timed smile instantly appeared on Zhou Tong's face. He quickly walked a few steps into the hall and bowed deeply to everyone, saying, "Greetings, uncles and elders."

These people all had good relationships with their fathers. Take Manager Song for example; he was the one who introduced his father to the job of manager of Jinhua Cloth Shop when the family business was first divided.

Later, these people helped out to varying degrees with the family's medicinal herb business.

"Oh, my dear nephew, you're too kind!"

"It's been a while since I last saw you, my dear nephew, you look even more radiant than before."

The smiles on everyone's faces grew even wider.

Zhou Chengzong put down his teacup and said gently:

"Tong'er, your Uncle Song, Uncle Li, and Manager Chen heard about what happened at the police station today, so they came to see you."

The news of what happened at noon had already spread, presumably because the shopkeepers had gone back and spread it around... Zhou Tong understood.

Manager Song picked up the conversation, his tone full of admiration:

"Nephew, your deeds today have spread far and wide! With your Iron Skin Realm cultivation, you intimidated your colleagues with swift and decisive actions, and then won over the merchants with a combination of kindness and severity... truly remarkable! You are indeed a young talent!"

Manager Li of the silk shop stroked his goatee and nodded repeatedly:

"More than just a talent! With your skill and demeanor, Nephew Zhou, given time, you will surely become a leading figure among the younger generation of Cangzhou City!"

"Brother Zhou, having such a son is truly enviable..."

Exclamations of praise rose and fell.

Zhou Tong listened with a smile, occasionally offering a humble remark such as "It's all thanks to my father's teachings," "My uncles and elders are too kind," and "It was just good luck."

He handled the situation appropriately and spoke sincerely, without being overly proud or appearing hypocritical.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a faint smile on his father's lips, and saw his mother, Yao Wanru, standing by the side door of the hall, quietly wiping the corner of her eye with a handkerchief, her face filled with undisguised pride and satisfaction.

At that moment, Zhou Tong truly felt the "change".

It's been a long time since our house has been this lively.

Since my father withdrew from the Zhou family's main business association and started his own business, although he still has many old friends, the warmth of human relationships has made the family somewhat deserted.

Now, this room is filled with prominent figures, chatting and laughing, the significance of which is self-evident.

What they value is not only Zhou Tong's potential, but also the growing influence behind him: the importance attached to him by the Dragon Tiger Martial Arts School, the position of the police station, and the methods he has demonstrated today.

This is the respect that comes with strength.

You have to understand, these shop owners are not comparable to the ones at noon. My father used to be a pillar of the Zhou Clan Chamber of Commerce, and the connections he made were very powerful.

These shopkeepers were either from large families or had powerful backers.

Although they had helped their father out of old friendship, they had never come to his door so en masse as they have today. If his family continues to struggle, those old friendships will gradually fade away over time.

But things are different now. Seeing that Zhou Tong is gaining momentum, they've all come to re-establish their relationship.

Zhou Tong showed great respect to these people.

Although these people saw each other less after his family split up, they had all provided some help to some extent.

We shouldn't have too high expectations of people.

After chatting lively for a while, the tea was changed twice, and quite a few of the snacks on the table were eaten.

Seeing that it was getting late, everyone reluctantly got up to say goodbye.

Zhou Chengzong and his son escorted the guests to the gate, exchanging pleasantries once more.

Only when the headlights of the last rickshaw disappeared at the alley entrance did the area in front of the Zhou residence return to its usual tranquility.

Back in the hall, Yao Wanru hurriedly instructed the servants to tidy up the tea set. She then took Zhou Tong's hand and carefully looked him over from head to toe to make sure he wasn't injured before going to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Ji Chang then walked forward with a smile and gave Zhou Tong a light punch on the shoulder:

"Wow, you're something else! 'Dragon Tiger Martial Arts School's Number One Genius'! It hasn't been long, and you've already reached the Iron Muscle Realm! And you've caused such a commotion!"

He shook his head, his eyes filled with genuine admiration: "I think it won't be long before your cultivation surpasses mine."

Zhou Tong chuckled: "Senior brother is joking. How easy is it to surpass someone in the Bone Forging Realm? I've only just gained a foothold."

Ji Chang, however, put away his joking expression and said seriously, "I'm not joking. With your speed, it's inevitable that you'll surpass me."

After exchanging a few words of laughter, Zhou Tong suddenly had an idea.

Having just reached the Iron Muscle level, he was somewhat unclear about the exact level of his combat strength.

Ji Chang, on the other hand, is a genuine Bone Forging Realm expert, making him a good candidate for a test.