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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 124: The Youth Has Its Own Recklessness
The afternoon sun pierced through the clouds, casting golden rays that enveloped every corner, heralding the arrival of spring. At the East City Barbecue Restaurant across from Beiluan No. 1 High School, diners came and went in a steady stream. The sounds of clinking glasses, lively chatter, and the shouts of waitstaff filled the air. At a large round table by the window, iron and bamboo skewers were haphazardly scattered, peanut shells and edamame skins piled high, and beer bottles littered the floor. A group of teenagers, around seventeen or eighteen years old, flushed with excitement, continuously clinked their glasses together.
Zhang Qiu was drinking heavily, partly because his brothers were present and partly because he felt uneasy about Jiang Xue's situation. Seizing this opportunity, he kept pouring himself drinks until he was tipsy. A surge of ambition welled up inside him as he stood up and raised his glass: "How beautiful it is! Our youth is eternal. How strong we are! Our youth knows no boundaries!"
Yang Yu and the others were infected by Zhang Qiu's enthusiasm. The song "Youth of China," which everyone had learned in middle school, felt particularly fitting for their group at that moment.
"Ugh, a bunch of kids pretending to be cool while eating."
A harsh voice shattered Zhang Qiu and his friends' dreams.
Zhang Qiu frowned and turned to look. A table against the wall was staring at them with disdainful eyes. There were four young men who appeared to be in their twenties; some had dyed red hair, others sported nose rings, and their clothes were gaudy and mismatched.
"Apologize," Zhang Qiu said coldly, shooting a fierce glare at the four young men.
The four young men looked unafraid; the one with red hair feigned surprise as he turned to his companions and said, "Apologize? Did I hear that right?" Then they all burst into laughter.
"Shut your mouth! What are you laughing at?" Yang Yu's temper flared; having drunk too much already, he couldn't stand being insulted. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up, pointing angrily at them. The brothers who had come with Yang Yu gripped their beer bottles tightly, ready for a confrontation. Gao Zhi, Zhao Pingchuan, Yao Yu, and Wang Zhengxiang also stood up; they were all hot-blooded young men who couldn't tolerate being insulted.
Seeing that Zhang Qiu's side had more people, the red-haired man felt uncertain but refused to back down. He stood up as well and grabbed a beer bottle to shout back.
The Boss Lady noticed the commotion in the restaurant but didn't dare intervene directly; she hurried to find the Boss. Upon seeing the red-haired man involved, the Boss realized it was trouble and rushed over to mediate. He pulled Zhang Qiu aside and whispered urgently, "You mustn't provoke them; they're part of a gang that controls this street. They have connections and money; they're not afraid to fight or take risks. Listen to me—stay calm for your own sake and for my sake too. Tell your brothers not to act impulsively; I'll handle it."
"Okay." Zhang Qiu felt embarrassed about causing trouble in someone else's establishment. He wanted to tell the Boss that they would protect his restaurant in the future, but he lacked that kind of power. The Boss was right; those guys had connections and money. Even if he conquered Beiluan No. 1 High School, what would it matter? In the eyes of society's tough guys, he was just a student. At that moment, Zhang Qiu truly felt that the further he advanced, the more obstacles he faced.
"Damn it! Sooner or later, this street will be under my control," Zhang Qiu vowed silently to himself.
Boss managed to calm Zhang Qiu down and walked over to a few young men with a smile, saying, "Brothers, those are just students who have had too much to drink. Please don't be angry; harmony brings wealth. Today, all your expenses are on me, and I'll treat you to a special cod dish as well."
Red Hair glanced at Zhang Qiu and spat on the ground, cursing, "Don't talk nonsense outside from now on, you brats."
"Damn!" Yang Yu was about to charge forward when Zhang Qiu quickly stopped him, whispering, "Don't cause trouble in their place; Boss is a good guy, and he's not having an easy time either."
Only then did Yang Yu sit back down, though his anger still simmered as he occasionally shot glances at the four young men, especially Red Hair.
Red Hair raised his hand as if he had suffered a great loss and said to Boss, "I'll give you this face and won't cause trouble in your shop. Just listen to you; we haven't eaten enough yet. Let's order more."
"Alright, alright! What do you brothers want to eat? I'll have the kitchen prepare it," Shop Owner replied cautiously, only after turning around did he curse under his breath.
"Brother Qiu, is that it?" Yang Yu asked.
"Hell no!" Zhang Qiu sneered. "In the shop, we're giving Boss face. Once they step out of this door, I won't let them off easily!"
Seeing the fierce and mocking look in Zhang Qiu's eyes, Yang Yu couldn't help but smile. This was the special smile Zhang Qiu showed whenever they were about to get into a fight.
The originally pleasant atmosphere was completely ruined by Red Hair's antics. Everyone felt a pent-up frustration and occasionally glanced over at Red Hair, who was currently enjoying skewers of meat with one hand while holding a bottle of liquor in the other, grease smeared across his lips.
Zhang Qiu smiled slightly and picked up a teacup to personally pour tea for everyone while saying, "Drink some tea to sober up; I'll take you all to vent your frustrations later."
Just as Zhang Qiu finished speaking, his phone rang. He set down the teapot and took out his phone, noticing it was an unfamiliar number.
"Hello?" Zhang Qiu answered the call.
"Yes, I am Zhang Qiu. Who are you?"
Zhang Qiu listened to the voice on the phone, his expression shifting between clarity and confusion, sometimes furrowing his brows and other times blinking, yet he remained silent. Yang Yu and the others stared at Zhang Qiu, and the atmosphere grew tense in that moment. The slight furrow in Zhang Qiu's brow made everyone feel that this was definitely not a good call. No one knew what was happening except for Zhang Qiu.
Zhang Qiu frowned and remained silent for quite a while before finally saying, "Let me think about it, okay?"
"Alright, I agree." Zhang Qiu's tone was resolute.
Zhang Qiu hung up the phone and noticed that everyone was staring at him with solemn expressions, making it feel as if they were at a memorial service. "What’s with all of you looking at me like that?"
"Brother Qiu, what happened?" As the second-in-command of the Hall Society, Yang Yu voiced everyone's concern.
Zhang Qiu replied seriously, "This was a mysterious call. The person on the other end claimed to be from our county's Stone Dagger Gang. They want to recruit us." Zhang Qiu looked around at everyone and asked, "Has anyone heard of this Stone Dagger Gang?"
Gao Zhi, Zhao Pingchuan, Yao Yu, and Wang Zhengxiang exchanged blank stares and shook their heads, indicating they had no idea what kind of gang it was. Moreover, the name Stone Dagger Gang sounded rather strange.
Only Yang Yu's expression turned serious as he slowly said, "Brother Qiu, I know about this Stone Dagger Gang. Why would they want to recruit us?"
"They have no reason and wouldn't let me ask. They just said that if I agree to join, we should meet tonight at seven o'clock at West Ring Bus Station."
"Brother Qiu, are you going?" Yang Yu asked.
"Of course I'm going; I've already agreed."
"Brother Qiu, aren't you going to think it over some more?" Zhao Pingchuan felt it was a bit abrupt.
"There is no time to consider, only the options of seizing the opportunity or letting it go. I choose the former." Zhang Qiu said seriously, pointing at the four individuals who were enjoying skewers while holding bottles of alcohol.
"Brother Qiu, I'm just afraid that they come with ill intentions," Zhao Pingchuan expressed his concerns. If the Stone Dagger Gang wanted to recruit someone, whether it was Liu Xiaolong from society or Zeng Fan from campus, they had more advantages than their side. Why did the Stone Dagger Gang specifically choose Hall Society?
Zhang Qiu smiled slightly: "Politics 101 teaches about investment; benefits and risks are positively correlated. Isn't it the same in our endeavors? Youth has its own recklessness, defying Kunlun, laughing at Lüliang while sharpening swords for years, today we reveal our brilliance." Zhang Qiu recited passionately, his deep eyes shining with brilliance.
"Even so, Brother Qiu, I still have to remind you that they are a real gang..." Zhao Pingchuan felt uneasy. Although Hall Society seemed to be thriving now and was nearly unstoppable in their school, in front of a gang, they were merely children. Countless stories glorified the underworld, but success often comes at a cost; the underworld is a hidden world filled with bloodshed and violence. There, there are no laws or justice, only powerful fists and gleaming knives.
Since Zhang Qiu had agreed to the Stone Dagger Gang, he had naturally considered these factors. He nodded and said, "I understand all of this, so I won't pressure anyone. At our age, preparing for college entrance exams is the only right path. Those willing to join me tonight can come; those who don't want to can opt out. It's fine—don't feel any psychological pressure. Regardless of what happens, we are still brothers. Hall Society exists for everyone's benefit; I won't use this to bind anyone."
As soon as Zhang Qiu finished speaking, Gao Zhi, Chuan, Yao Yu, and Wang Zhengxiang fell into deep thought, their brows furrowed and hands nervously rubbing together. At this moment, everyone was struggling internally. They were all students from Beiluan High School, the pride of Beilan County. While their studies might not be great, they could still secure a spot in a second-tier university. But what about the underworld? It was a dangerous game where one could easily lose everything...
Zhang Qiu quietly observed everyone until Yang Yu spoke up first: "Brother Qiu, no matter what you do, I'm with you. In this life, I only recognize you and my brothers."
Zhang Qiu nodded appreciatively; everything was understood without words.
"Don't frown; keep eating and drinking. We can decide whether to go or not later tonight." Zhang Qiu called everyone again, raising his cup for a toast and downing it in one go. But this time, everyone seemed somewhat distracted.
On one side was comfort and mediocrity; on the other was danger and brotherhood. It was evident that the latter held infinite potential for development. But ultimately, how should they choose?
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