Urban Martial Saint

The group had just sat down when the food and drinks were served together. After all, Liu Changping had made prior arrangements. Tonight, Liu Changping’s room was the main focus of the owner’s hospitality, and everything had been meticulously prepared in advance.

Once the assigned servers left, the room was left with only Liu Changping’s family, Lin Dade, Zhou Bolong, and Ye Qing. Now that the room was filled with their own people, everyone felt far more at ease.

The group sat down, and Lin Dade promptly got busy opening bottles of alcohol and pouring drinks for everyone. His movements were smooth and practiced—it was clear that his time in Dongzhou had taught him well.

Lin Dade had once been a laborer pedaling a tricycle in Xishan City, constantly bullied and extorted by local thugs. In the past, the mere sight of a local police officer would make him tremble in fear, worried that they might confiscate his tricycle. He likely never dreamed of sharing a meal with the Provincial Police Department Director and the Eastern Province Military Region Commander-in-Chief one day, let alone such a warm and friendly gathering.

After all, back in Xishan City, he had saved Liu Changping’s daughter and granddaughter. Because of this, Liu Changping regarded Lin’s family as benefactors and treated them exceptionally well. Zhou Bolong, who shared a brotherly bond with Liu Changping, also rejoiced in this matter. Zhou, known for his hearty personality—a man of fiery temper who treated villains with cruelty and kind-hearted people extraordinarily well—greatly admired Lin Dade’s bravery in aiding Liu Yating and Xiao Ding Ding without knowing their identity. Therefore, he had extended considerable care to Lin’s family too.

Such connections had allowed Lin Dade to often dine with Liu Changping and Zhou Bolong in Dongzhou—something most people wouldn’t even dare imagine. Forget Zhou Bolong—just Liu Changping’s position as Provincial Police Department Director made him a figure of immense authority in a place like Dongzhou, where leaders were everywhere. Many people wouldn’t even find it easy to meet Liu after pulling strings and sending gifts for years, while Lin could freely enter his home. This left many jealous and bitter about missing similar opportunities.

As for Zhou Bolong’s status? That was even more impressive. Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Province Military Region, one of the nine major Provincial Committee members, with a say at the standing committee. More importantly, he was a decorated veteran of the founding wars, with long-standing friendships among Capital’s top military leaders. Although he only managed the military region, few dared challenge his authority in the Eastern Province. Zhou wasn’t one for tactful relationships among standing committee members due to his fiery character, yet his immense power made him a figure they sought to curry favor with—making Zhou truly significant in the Eastern Province.

Lin Dade was not only welcome to enter Liu Changping’s police administrative residence but could also effortlessly access Zhou Bolong’s military family compound—a testament to Zhou’s care for him. Though Lin still worked physical labor, the privileges he enjoyed were dreams beyond reach for most. Both Liu and Zhou were upright men, showing Lin great support while never leveraging their power for his direct gain. Still, being able to settle in Dongzhou was already a deeply satisfying result for Lin.

Lin Dade was an honest man. Despite the favors from Liu Changping and Zhou Bolong, he had never taken advantage of them. When he first arrived in Dongzhou looking for work in renovation, nobody wanted to hire him due to his inexperience. Eventually, a kindhearted fellow villager took pity on him and hired him for menial tasks, though the pay was meager. Unfortunately, his villager’s small renovation team struggled to collect payments for completed projects, pushing him into despair. At one point, the villager was so desperate that he considered jumping from a building. Left with no options, he filed complaints at the police department multiple times, only to be turned away. Once, he was nearly detained, leaving him utterly hopeless.

Sympathizing with the villager’s plight given his prior kindness, Lin approached Liu Changping about it. Liu took immediate action, calling the local police precinct to inquire. With just a few simple words, the culprit—a district leader and boss—personally visited Lin’s villager with gifts, repaid the owed money, and offered a heartfelt apology. The villager, stunned by the abrupt change, later learned it was due to Lin’s ties to Liu. From that moment on, the villager regarded Lin with newfound respect and promptly promoted him within the team.

The incident soon spread. Big renovation company bosses began arriving at Lin’s house with gifts, hoping to recruit him not as a laborer but as a manager with an exceptionally high salary and minimal responsibilities. Undeniably, these moves were calculated. Most people in Dongzhou knew about Liu Changping’s daughter’s ordeal and Lin Dade’s role in helping Liu Yating and Xiao Ding Ding. These bosses hoped recruiting Lin would connect them with Liu, easing future engineering contracts. Even without Liu’s explicit help, having Lin in their team would certainly facilitate payment recovery after project completions.

Despite such enticing offers, Lin declined them all. To him, his villager benefactor had shown him profound gratitude, and while the earnings were modest, they were earned with peace of mind. Conversely, the lofty salaries dangled before him clearly stemmed from his connections with Liu and Zhou, making him uneasy.

This reinforced Liu Changping and Zhou Bolong’s respect for Lin—after all, in an era rife with corruption, rare was the person who could withstand temptation after attaining power. Lin’s ability to hold onto his integrity proved his moral caliber, making his two benefactors care for him even more. Lin often joined the families of Liu and Zhou for meals. Initially, he found himself overwhelmed, but over time he grew accustomed to the gatherings, feeling like he was simply dining among family—which brought him joy.

Lin finished pouring drinks and placed them on the table. Everyone downed three rounds, after which they focused on pouring drinks for Ye Qing. Though Ye Qing repeatedly claimed he couldn’t drink, the others knew that his tolerance was more than a match for them. The four men drank six bottles together. Lin was already a bit drunk, yet Ye remained completely unaffected.

Ye Qing, after all, used to be able to handle two pounds with no problem. Thanks to unlocking thirty-six acupoints in his body, True Qi flowed freely, allowing his body to neutralize alcohol quickly—making his tolerance even greater now. Not to mention the effects of the Ziyu Chenxiang Pill, which kept him perpetually clear-headed. Drinking for him was akin to sipping water—he had nothing to fear.

Liu Changping and Zhou Bolong began to notice something amiss and changed tactics, jointly targeting Ye Qing. Yet their efforts were futile—both were halfway drunk while Ye remained completely sober, leaving them bewildered.

”Am I getting old?” Zhou Bolong scratched his head, sniffing Ye’s wine glass. ”It’s real wine! How does this kid show no sign of intoxication?”

”Hey, you, be honest—how much can you drink in one sitting?” Liu Changping asked Ye Qing.

”Three pounds should be no problem,” Ye Qing replied with a faint smile.

”That’s it—I’m done drinking!” Liu and Zhou simultaneously pushed their wine glasses away. Even if they drank until completely drained, they couldn’t outlast Ye’s three-pound tolerance.

”What? You’re giving up already?” Ye Qing shook his head. ”Uncle Liu, Uncle Zhou, and Dade, you all promised tonight would be a ’drink till you drop’ occasion. How can you just quit now? Uncle Liu, you said earlier that the majority should decide—how can you go back on your word?”

”Go away! Shoo!” Liu Changping waved dismissively. ”You didn’t tell us you could drink up to three pounds! If you had, why would I even bother drinking?”

”Alright, stop bickering!” Zhou Bolong leaned back, studying Ye Qing. ”Ye Qing, just be honest with me—what exactly brought you to Dongzhou this time?”

Ye Qing chuckled faintly. ”Uncle Zhou, are you trying to change the subject?”

”You rascal! How can you say that?” Zhou retorted. ”I’m just concerned for you! How is this changing the subject? Listen, I don’t mind drinking, but I’m not in the best shape today. Let’s pick another day! Meanwhile, you should tell us about your business here. But let me be clear—regarding the orphanage, the province has already made its decision, and it’s irrevocable. Don’t waste your time on it!”

Liu Changping leaned back too, sighing, ”Ye Qing, the orphanage issue really can’t be solved. If you came to Dongzhou for this, you’ll only leave disappointed!”

Ye Qing nodded, saying, ”Uncle Liu, Uncle Zhou, I haven’t been dwelling on the orphanage issue. I came to Dongzhou primarily for two matters.”

”As long as it’s not about the orphanage, I’ll hear anything you have to say,” Zhou Bolong replied. ”Go on, what are the two matters?”

Upon learning Ye wasn’t here for the orphanage, Liu Changping visibly relaxed. The orphanage problem was entirely unfixable, and if that had been Ye’s purpose, they would’ve had no choice but to let him down. However, with Ye shifting focus, the two were reassured.

”Speak your mind!” Liu Changping urged, looking at Ye Qing. ”If it’s within our means, we’ll do everything we can to help!”