Chapter Forty-Three: Levels of Power

Brother Snake cast a deep look at Wang Shoucheng, then at Qin Tian, and finally, knowing his place, left the alley.

“Brother Snake, how did it go? Did that kid beg for mercy on his knees?”

As Brother Snake exited the alley, two of his henchmen greeted him with grins, certain he had taught Qin Tian a harsh lesson. Little did they know, Brother Snake had actually suffered a setback.

“Beg for mercy, my ass! If you keep yapping, I’ll have you two on your knees begging instead!” Brother Snake glared at them.

The two henchmen jumped in fright, instantly shutting their mouths and lowering their heads, shrinking to the side in silence.

“What’s wrong, Brother Snake?” Lin Zhiyong approached, noticing the stormy look on Brother Snake’s face.

Lin Zhiyong frowned slightly. Could it be that even Brother Snake couldn’t handle that kid?

“Zhiyong, don’t mess with this one for now,” Brother Snake said after a moment’s thought.

With Wang Shoucheng protecting Qin Tian, it was nearly impossible to touch him for the time being. Wang Shoucheng was an unavoidable obstacle.

Wang Shoucheng’s current strength was terrifying. The so-called Second Stage of the Extraordinary Realm, the Golden Core stage, was beyond ordinary comprehension. It was the power to split mountains and part seas!

“That kid’s really that strong?” Lin Zhiyong asked.

“Strong? That trash—I could crush a whole bunch with one hand! But he got lucky and befriended a real expert,” Brother Snake explained, shaking his head.

“An expert?” Lin Zhiyong was puzzled. He considered Brother Snake extremely formidable, almost up to the level of a trained commando. Was there really someone he couldn’t beat?

“That lucky brat! Let’s go!” Brother Snake muttered bitterly, offering no further explanation.

Lin Zhiyong glanced into the alley, refrained from saying more, and silently followed Brother Snake away. Yet, in his heart, he was already plotting other schemes.

He had heard from his father, Shen Mingfei, that Qin Tian would soon represent the Jiang family in a horse race. Perhaps he could make something happen there.

Lin Zhiyong might be a wastrel, but he wasn’t reckless. Before making a move on Qin Tian, he had spent considerable effort investigating his background; otherwise, he wouldn’t have waited three days before acting.

Qin Tian had virtually no background. The only connection was the Jiang Group, but compared to his father Shen Mingfei, the Jiang Group was nothing! So Lin Zhiyong had no fear.

Still, Lin Zhiyong was puzzled. Where had Qin Tian managed to befriend someone stronger than Brother Snake? Was Brother Snake deceiving him?

Watching Brother Snake’s retreating figure, Lin Zhiyong’s suspicions grew.

Back in the alley—

“Brother Wang, I didn’t realize you were a hidden master!” Qin Tian, holding his abdomen, approached with a smile.

“Thank you, Brother Wang!” Qin Tian expressed his gratitude again.

“I was eating nearby just now and happened to see you and that venomous snake entering the alley. I figured nothing good could come of it, so I followed to check,” Wang Shoucheng replied with a smile.

Qin Tian nodded in understanding. So that’s why Wang Shoucheng showed up—it was just a coincidence.

“How did you end up at odds with that venomous snake?” Wang Shoucheng asked.

“I actually have no direct conflict with Brother Snake. It’s mainly because of a wastrel named Lin Zhiyong. We had some unpleasant dealings; he hired Brother Snake to teach me a lesson,” Qin Tian explained.

“Lin Zhiyong? Shen Mingfei’s son?” Wang Shoucheng paused, clearly recalling Lin Zhiyong.

“Looks like Shen Mingfei and Lin Zhiyong are quite famous,” Qin Tian remarked.

“A tycoon in the business world. Everyone in our circle knows him. He holds shares in over half the leading enterprises nationwide. Abroad, he owns several private gold mines,” Wang Shoucheng said.

“Wow, that impressive?” Qin Tian’s eyes widened. He thought ‘tycoon’ meant someone worth billions, but he had seriously underestimated Shen Mingfei.

Shen Mingfei’s wealth was astronomical.

“He’s barely a second-tier figure,” Wang Shoucheng replied lightly.

“That’s only second-tier?” Qin Tian’s eyelids shot up again, eyes even wider than before.

So what kind of wealth did first-tier figures possess?

“If the Chongming Society were still around, Shen Mingfei would only be bowing and scraping before me,” Wang Shoucheng said.

“If? What about now?” Qin Tian asked.

“Now, he still has to bow and scrape,” Wang Shoucheng grinned.

Qin Tian covered his face—such arrogance!

“Brother Wang, what’s the Chongming Society?” Qin Tian was clueless about the underworld. If not for Lin Zhiyong and Brother Snake, he might never have crossed paths with it.

“Ah, the Chongming Society…” Wang Shoucheng seemed lost in memory.

“Brother Wang, you probably haven’t finished your meal yet, right? How about I treat you today, and we talk over dinner?” Qin Tian suggested, remembering Jiang Yingying and Shen Xiaoqing were still waiting at the restaurant.

“That’s fine. Man can’t go without food,” Wang Shoucheng nodded, not standing on ceremony.

At the restaurant—

“Why are you just now getting here? Are you hurt?” Jiang Yingying asked as soon as she saw Qin Tian. The two women had already ordered, and the hotpot broth had been boiling for ages.

“I’ve never seen you care this much about me,” Shen Xiaoqing teased, earning a glare from Jiang Yingying.

“No big deal. This is Brother Wang Shoucheng—thanks to his help,” Qin Tian introduced Wang Shoucheng.

“Hello, Brother Wang, I’m Jiang Yingying.”

“I’m Shen Xiaoqing.”

The two stood politely, greeting Wang Shoucheng.

“The heiress of the Jiang Group—I recognize you,” Wang Shoucheng laughed heartily.

He also glanced at Shen Xiaoqing and nodded politely.

“Brother Wang, please sit,” Qin Tian pulled out a chair for him.

The four ate a bit, then began chatting, with Qin Tian mainly seeking advice from Wang Shoucheng.

The aura Wang Shoucheng had just displayed had truly startled Qin Tian. It was the feeling of a weaker person wanting to submit before a stronger one.

“So tell me, where did you train? I can tell you have some skills. You must have stepped into the graded ranks,” Wang Shoucheng asked.

“The graded ranks? I’m not really familiar. I don’t have a master. I just exercise a lot, and somehow ended up with this strength,” Qin Tian replied.

Wang Shoucheng narrowed his eyes. Indeed, some highly gifted ordinary people could reach the graded ranks through intense training—like some commandos or Olympic champions, with a rare few reaching the lower stages.

But it was only the first three minor stages, never beyond third grade.