Chapter 90: 063 Flavor (First Update)
Translator: 549690339
North City Snack Street’s open-air barbecue stalls were packed with people.
At the largest table sat nine men, eight of them with tattoos, smoking, drinking, and cursing. Everyone stayed away from them as soon as they saw them.
They clearly belonged to the underworld, the kind of people one should stay away from.
One of the young men had rosy lips and white teeth, clean-cut and handsome, looking out of place among the rough crowd. He held a bottle of liquor in his hand, pouring drinks for one person and then lighting a cigarette for another.
It wasn’t long before he was covered in sweat.
“Screw that Wang Quan, the bastard. Just because his uncle is the Heavenly Master of Baihu Hall, what’s there to be arrogant about? I’ll chop him off sooner or later.” Laiba’s drunkenness got the better of him and started ranting.
Zhu Shaodan perked up his ears to eavesdrop and got two key points: Baihu Hall and Heavenly Master.
The images of swordfights and chivalry from martial arts novels he had read flashed through his mind, making every pore in his body excited.
“Sigh, it’s good to have connections in high places. We don’t have money or power, so we can only be trampled and ground underfoot by others.” One of the underlings, Huang Mao, sighed.
Zhu Shaodan cautiously asked, “Scar Bro, what do Baihu Hall and Heavenly Master do?”
Outsiders only knew the name of the Qinglong Association but were not very clear about the internal hierarchy.
Laiba glanced at him and sneered, “Why do you want to join the Qinglong Association?
Zhu Shaodan said admiringly, “Of course I admire the prestige of the Qinglong
Association. When I go out to fight, as long as I say I’m a member of the
Qinglong Association, I’ll scare the opponents so much they’ll piss their pants.” Laiba couldn’t help but laugh, scolding with a smile, “So childish.”
Laiba took a sip of wine and began to explain the Qinglong Association to Zhu Shaodan.
The Qinglong Association is divided into three halls: Xuanwu Hall, Zhuque Hall, and Baihu Hall. The founder, Ran Bowen, heads Xuanwu Hall while his two younger brothers, Ran Boxue and Ran Bocai, control Zhuque Hall and Baihu Hall respectively. Xuanwu Hall is the most powerful.
Each hall consists of three Masters, and under the Masters, there are nine sub-halls. At the beginning, during Ran Bowen’s reign, the association started by seizing territories and opening casinos. Casinos have always been at the core of the Qinglong Association, firmly held by Xuanwu Hall, leaving only crumbs for Zhuque Hall and Baihu Hall.
After Ran Bowen’s death, the cause of which these minions were not clear about, brothers Ran Boxue and Ran Bocai fought each other for control over Xuanwu Hall. When the two brothers died, Ran Boxue’s son, Ran Yang, took over Xuanwu Hall, Ran Qing took over Zhuque Hall, and one of Ran Bowen’s confidants, Lu Chang, took over Baihu Hall. The three did not trust each other, leading the Qinglong Association into a split era.
Things began to change two years ago when Ran Yang’s son, Ran Tengxiao, returned from studying abroad and took over the Xuanwu Hall from his father.
First, he won over his aunt Ran Qing and together they forced Lu Chang out of power. He quickly promoted his own loyal follower, Lin Feng, to take charge. Using iron-fisted methods, he conducted a major internal purge, eliminating the remnants of Ran Bowen’s influence and replacing them with his own confidants. Thus, the internal strife within the Qinglong Association was settled, and the split ended.
Now, within the three halls, Ran Tengxiao is in charge of Xuanwu Hall, with more and more casinos under his control, and profits pour in daily. Ran Qing has grown old and has gradually withdrawn from the affairs of Zhuque Hall, leaving everything to her confidants. Lin Feng, the master of Baihu Hall, is a business genius who mainly focuses on expanding external businesses, such as investments and managing entertainment industries. He keeps up with the times, developing whatever is popular.
Ran Tengxiao is not inferior to his uncle Ran Bowen in any way and even surpasses him in some aspects. In just two years, the Qinglong Association has rapidly grown under his leadership, reminiscent of the glory days when Ran Bowen was alive. Moreover, he is a cunning and resourceful man who maintains good relations with the government while strictly restraining his subordinates from causing trouble. Any conflicts are resolved internally. The benefits and treatment offered to members after joining are good, but the price of betraying the Qinglong Association is terrible.
Even so, many people are eager to join for the prestige of the Qinglong Association alone, but the strict rules make it difficult for ordinary people to join.
The more Zhu Shaodan listened, the more excited he became. He asked, “How old is Master of Xuanwu Hall this year?”
Laiba took a sip of wine and said, “Twenty-four years old.”
Zhu Shaodan looked up to him admiringly, “He’s so young and already the boss of the Qinglong Association, my idol.”
“Oh yeah, his methods in dealing with Lu Chang were incredible back then, it didn’t matter who was whose nephew. Also, Master Xiao holds a martial arts
competition every year to select talents- The voting members of the association
can participate, and as long as they perform well, they’ll be promoted by Master Xie. Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Lightning were chosen in the competition two years ago..”
