Chapter 22 Underworld City

"Wuyou Audio and Video Store."

Situated near Cuiyuan New Village and just two blocks away from Old Factory Street.

Fang Cheng got off the bus two stops early and after a short walk,

He would spot the inconspicuous red sign with white lettering among a row of restaurants.

It's now about 9:30 PM, and the video store has not yet closed for the night.

Through the glass sliding door, one can see the owner chatting and laughing with two young men who have dyed yellow hair.

As Fang Cheng enters, he looks around the shop.

Rows of neatly stacked, dazzling discs with beautiful covers line the shelves.

The decoration style of the store is very simple, or rather, practically nonexistent.

However, the product selection on display is distinctly unique.

At a glance, one can see a plethora of action and violent films.

"Drunken Fist," "S.P.L.," "Dragon Crossing the River," "Kung Fu Jungle"...

There are traditional kung fu movies, modern crime action flicks, vintage films, as well as the latest releases.

In addition, there is an assortment of martial arts and fighting tutorials and documentary records of competitions.

Clearly, the owner is an extreme "Kung Fu enthusiast."

"Do you know Long Wei Brother? Before he became famous, he practiced White Crane Sect Kung Fu..."

"Li Chenglong, the martial arts saint of the generation, inherited from a Wing Chun master, a genuine direct lineage disciple..."

The owner, a man in his fifties, still talks effortlessly and in great detail about the various martial arts when chatting with the two youngsters.

"Traditional martial arts are not bad either, the key is to find the right path, and the most important thing is sincerity."

"I've looked at your faces and felt your bone structures; you may not be martial arts prodigies, but you're at least above average."

"As they say, true kung fu can't be bought with all the riches. Here, these ten carefully selected discs I've chosen – if you learn them, not to mention starring in kung fu movies, even if you go to the underworld, dealing with ten at a time will be a piece of cake."

"Is it really that magical?"

The two skinny yellow-haired youngsters were taken aback and listened in disbelief.

"Fair and square, definitely worth the money."

Seeing their skeptical looks, the owner immediately swears with conviction, and points to Fang Cheng who is looking for discs nearby.

"Take a look at this young man here, he frequently buys discs from my shop, watches them daily, diligently learns, and after watching him, he not only became more handsome, but also got a more robust physique."

"Alright, isn't it just 500 yuan? I'm buying!"

The two youngsters took a discerning look at the tall and handsome Fang Cheng.

They promptly, with great satisfaction, bought a dozen deluxe discs.

Looking at the covers, titles such as "Five Animals Qigong Thirteen Forms Detailed Explanation" and "A Hundred Questions on Wing Chun Essentials" are martial arts teaching documentary records.

"Thank you for your patronage!"

"Wishing big brother fortune in the martial world, and soon rule the underworld of East Capital..."

After seeing off the two major customers, the store owner keeps murmuring auspicious words with a smile on his face, blossoming like a chrysanthemum.

Fang Cheng then steps forward.

"Uncle Wu, I'm looking for some karate discs, do you have any recommendations?"

Hearing the question, the smile on the owner's face vanished in an instant, and he turned to look at Fang Cheng:

"There are some; are you planning to rent or buy today?"

"Rent."

Fang Cheng replied straightforwardly.

The owner immediately shook his head with a sigh, limping with his left leg as he moved towards the back of the rack.

In no time, he returned to the counter with two karate instructional discs whose covers were a bit dusty, and handed them to Fang Cheng.

"How much?"

"Ten yuan for the favor."

"Weren't you saying that renting one disc for a week is 5 yuan, and two would get a 20% discount?"

Hearing this, the owner couldn't help but glare, complaining:

"Shrewder than a monkey, when will you be generous enough to let me earn a bit more from you!"

Fang Cheng smiled, paid the deposit, put the two discs into his bag, and walked out of the store.

The owner of the video store is named Wu Datong, and although he's a bit blunt, he's actually not a bad person.

It's said that he used to compete in combat sports when he was young, but he retired due to a serious injury and has been running this video store for over a decade.

The name of the shop starts with his surname, and also implies the meaning of "making friends through martial arts."

Fang Cheng carries the bag, walking on dimly lit streets.

On the way, the passersby do not seem to decrease but instead gather more and more.

The reason for this abnormality.

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Only because nearby there is a highly popular open-air night market—the North Corner Night Market.

In the past few days, continuous rain left many local residents and university students feeling cooped up.

Now with free time on their hands, they all choose to go out for a walk and relax.

A dynamic melody drifts over from not too far away.

Fang Cheng looks up.

Under the night sky, colorful neon signs stand chaotically erect.

Down the street on both sides, stalls selling a variety of goods are set up, with a tempting aroma wafting through the air.

During the day, the streets are deserted, but as night falls, with the surge of crowds, various kinds of people mingle, creating a particular vibrancy.

Although Jiangbei's economic level is at the bottom, its rich nightlife ranks well among the fifteen districts of the city.

If you were to pick a place that best represents East Capital's grassroots, it would undoubtedly be here.

Even many tourists who come to visit East Capital make a special trip here, to experience the down-to-earth atmosphere.

Seeing the bright lights ahead and the bustling crowd, a thought strikes Fang Cheng.

Remembering that Zhou Xiumei also has a stall here, he picks up his pace and steps into the night market.

"Everything must go clearance sale, don't miss out as you pass by, a rare opportunity…"

"Discounts galore, branded sports shoes selling cheap, over 300 bucks for just over 100…"

"Skewered chicken, ah skewered, skewered chicken, one yuan a skewer…"

The vendors' calls rise and fall and fill the air.

The iron woks in the food stalls sizzle and pop loudly, the smell of oil and smoke mixed with the fragrance of onions and garlic hitting the nose in waves.

In the winter night, the temperature drops to around zero degrees, yet here it is a scene of bustling fervor.

Fang Cheng strolls through the crowd, his gaze sweeping around, catching a glimpse of a familiar figure.

Among the street vendors, a woman in a white down jacket who has wrapped a scarf around her mouth stands out.

In the chilling wind, her long hair drapes over her shoulders as she sits hunched on the steps, with a red blanket spread out before her.

On it are various small and exquisitely crafted cartoon-shaped handicrafts.

Apparently, the quality and appearance of her products are excellent, attracting a crowd of old men and young guys constantly coming over to ask for prices.

Looking at her face flush with a light red, busy as she wipes sweat from her forehead, Fang Cheng smiles faintly.

It looks like Xiu Mei's business is doing pretty well today.

Just about to walk over to greet her and help out.

But he then sees a few ruffians, laughing and joking, squatting in front of the stall.

"A Dumb was right. She's got fair skin and big eyes, really quite pretty!"

"Missy, why bother working so hard at a stall to make a living? Wouldn't it be better to follow Brother Fei and live a life of luxury?"

"Ooh, getting shy, are we? It's so rare to see such an innocent girl these days, I like…"

These men behave frivolously and speak indecently, obviously local hoodlums.

The other customers who were picking out products hurriedly step away to avoid trouble.

Zhou Xiumei frowns and looks down, responding in a muffled voice:

"I don't do business with you, please go away…"

However, this pitiable demeanor only causes the thugs' eyes to bulge even more.

One of the thugs, known as "Brother Fei," couldn't help reaching out to try to pull off the scarf covering her mouth, wanting to see her true face.

Zhou Xiumei is startled and hurriedly stands up to dodge.

But her loose down jacket sleeve is still caught by the man, making it hard for her to break free.

Her pretty face frowns as she swings her arm forcefully, somewhat angrily saying:

"Let go, let go right now! I'm calling the police!"

"Heh, the cops here might not necessarily be of any help..."

Just as the few hoodlums are flirting, treating the harmless girl like a small white rabbit.

Suddenly, a hand reaches out, grabbing Brother Fei's wrist abruptly.

"You... Ah!"

Brother Fei is taken aback, about to scold the other person when he instantly feels an excruciating pain shoot through his wrist.

Following that, he cries out in shrieking yelps:

"Let go, let go, let go, let go now!"

Everyone looks on in surprise, only to see a young, handsome man standing in front of Brother Fei.

His seemingly slender and refined fingers grip like iron clamps, fastening around his wrist.

"Brother Cheng—"

Zhou Xiumei cries out in joy.

Her eyes sparkle brightly but soon show traces of worry.

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