Chapter 247 - Going Up a Mountain for the Arts
Zhong Pinliang raised his head to look at Zhong Fabai, and their eyes connected- his father was evidently thinking the same thing. “Pinliang, you’re thinking of letting Zhang Naipao go?”
“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking... I’m gonna go talk to him about this later!” Pinliang admitted. “Zhang Naipao’s been with me for many years, I know what kind of person he is- especially with what we’ve just done for him, too… There shouldn’t be a problem if I ask him to go.”
“Alright, then you go and talk to him!” Fabai was getting interested as well- with a golden class peak late phase beside his son, House Zhong wouldn’t have to rely on the Jin family to survive in Songshan anymore… He wouldn’t have to deal with his uncle limiting and restricting him anymore.
With a master in the Zhong house, they’d have a strong position in upper Songshan society… At that thought, Fabai started looking forward to things playing out- his son had done well to buy the heart of his follower… he’d nurtured an aide he could trust!
If it was said that Heibao was Fabai’s trusted aide, then Naipao would be Pinliang’s equivalent of Heibao!
After all, Heibao wouldn’t be this open and candid with him if he weren’t.
After getting the map to Springstar Mountain, Fabai drove Pinliang back to school, leaving the lawyer behind to see how he could cushion the charges pinned against him. Although, the guy had attacked police officers and escaped… hopes were slim.
Pinliang had had a troubled face during the whole trip to visit Heibao, but was nothing other than happy and excited on the way back to school. As long as he followed what Heibao had told him and sent Naipao in his stead, he wouldn’t have to be afraid of Lin Yi anymore! He could order a one-shot kill on Lin Yi, how amazing would that be?!
Just thinking of it got him excited! Helping the Zhang family out was the best decision he’d ever made! Pinliang was even thinking of how he wouldn’t have too many benefits to reap from Zhang Naipao after he’d helped him, but it turned out to be the perfect deal!
He called Naipao out of the classroom right after getting back. “Naipao, come out for a sec- I need to talk to you!”
“Liang Bro!” Naipao had been treating Pinliang with genuine respect recently- not only had he given seven hundred thousand to them, he’d even added three hundred thousand on top of that for his father’s business to get back on track! Naipao was nothing but grateful!
His family would’ve been done for if it weren’t for him… His father might’ve been forced into suicide, and his brother would’ve had his kidney extracted… How could he live with his mother like that?
Yet Zhong Pinliang’s help changed everything- as a result, his gratitude towards his boss was completely genuine.
At Pinliang’s call, he walked out the room quickly. “Liang Bro, what did you need to talk to me for?”
It wasn’t too long before the first afternoon class started, and the bathroom was empty, save for some delinquents smoking in there.
Pinliang frowned after seeing other people in the space, and Naipao noticed that- he started striding in. “Alright, get out, get out! Liang Bro needs to use the bathroom!”
These were gangsters in the school, but they were still leagues away from a Big Four member. Zhong Pinliang may have gotten beaten up by Lin Yi a couple of times, and wasn’t as scary as he had been, but he was still a character little delinquents like them dared not cross. They all smiled as they backed out the washroom.
“Liang Bro, you have something you need to talk about, right?” Naipao was no idiot- Pinliang wouldn’t pull him out to the bathroom for nothing.
“Pao… You’ve been my follower for a long time now. I have something I need your opinion on!” Pinliang said after some hesitation.
“Liang Bro, just say what’s on your mind- and why do you need my opinion? Your opinion’s my opinion!!” Naipao said directly.
“Alright!!” Pinliang nodded as he pulled a cigarette box out. He gave one to Naipao before putting a cigarette in his mouth. “You’re a real brother, but it’s still something I need to talk to you about first- this is a very important thing.”
“Tell me, Liang Bro!” Naipao said as he lit Pinliang’s cigarette for him before getting to his own.
“Pao. I now have an opportunity for you- you could become a wulin master! Would you want that?” Pinliang said quietly.
“Wulin master?” Naipao was a bit taken aback. “Guang Bro, you’re not joking, are you?”
“Do I look like I’m joking?” Pinliang said. “Pao, you know Heibao Bro, right? You’ve seen the news, you saw how he escaped from the police. He got a power up all of a sudden, and he got away when surrounded by officers. Do you know how he did that?”
“Are you saying that Heibao Bro is a wulin master?” Naipao said subconsciously.
“That’s right! The sect he was in- they had a secret chant that could burst one’s strength, but there was a flaw- it didn’t last forever, and the price for that power was five years of your life. Not too good a deal.” Pinliang said.
“Liang Bro, you want me to learn this chant?” Naipao asked, misunderstanding Pinliang’s intention. He said yes to it right there and then. “It’s just a couple of years, what’s the big deal. It’s no problem, Liang Bro- if it weren’t for you my dad and brother would’ve been done for, and I wouldn’t even survive that long in the first place!”
“Pao, you misunderstand- I’m not asking you to learn this flawed chant. I’m asking you to go up a mountain for the arts! Martial arts! Join Heibao Bro’s sect, and become a real wulin master!” Pinliang said with a wave of his hand. “But, the process could be quite strenuous. According to Heibao, it’ll be tough, like military training- you also can’t be near women! If you’re willing, Heibao Bro could recommend you in!”
“Martial arts?” Naipao wasn’t too clear on what was going on, but he responded without hesitation. “Guang Bro! You tell me to go up a mountain to train and I’ll do just that!! So what if it’s tough training, if I can’t be with women? My whole life is yours- it’s meant to repay the debt of gratitude I owe you! You order me to die and I’ll kill myself right now, let alone go through some tough training!!”
“Pao!!! Alright, with your determination, let’s do this! Don’t worry, when you come back from that mountain you’ll be the right hand man of House Zhong- and you’ll rule the skies with me!!” Pinliang patted his shoulder happily at Naipao’s response. “It’s settled, then! Get ready these two days, Pao- I’ll get you up that mountain!!”