Lu Jing didn't answer but instead asked, "Do you know who Deng Jingguo's grandfather was?"
Tao Siming shook his head. He had only joined the Anti-Black and White Alliance for ten years. Twelve years ago, Deng Jingguo's father had already returned to The Way of the Extraordinary.
The Anti-Black and White Alliance was actually the Deng family's foundation. He was at most a rising star who became a shareholder due to his outstanding business ability. Of course, Tao Siming and Jingguo were like-minded good brothers and not considered outsiders.
That's why he was sitting here for this conversation tonight.
"My grandfather?" Deng Jingguo also frowned. "Since I was a child, I haven't heard my father mention my grandfather."
The name Huo Zhengkui set off a huge wave in the hearts of Deng Jingguo and Tao Siming. Both masters who had seen great storms were stunned.
Among the Chinese Extraordinary in New York County, almost no one didn't know Huo Zhengkui. Well, the new generation of children might not understand, but those middle-aged and elderly people knew very well who Huo Zhengkui was.
He was the founder of the Chinatown Extraordinary organization (gang) in New York County, an Extraordinary who was active in the last century.
Since immigrating, the Chinese in New York County had always faced unfair treatment, capital oppression, and racial discrimination. The overseas Chinese were engaged in dirty and tiring work that white people were unwilling to do, such as in mines, farms, cigar factories, and lumber mills.
When the economic crisis arrived in the Free Federation, a large number of white people became unemployed and did dirty and tiring work, while the Chinese were able to feed and clothe themselves, so they became the target of the government to shift the conflict.
White people criticized verbally, and the government took advantage of the situation to promulgate the Chinese Exclusion Act, and the Chinese people had a very difficult time.
Against this background, an Extraordinary organization (gang) emerged. This gang was called the "Brotherhood", connecting the poor at the bottom with the wealthy class at the top, cooperating and competing with the government while responding to the exploitation of the capitalist class, and even resorting to armed resistance when necessary.
At the peak of the Brotherhood, nine out of ten Chinese were members of the organization.
However, the complex structure of new members also led to internal instability. When Huo Zhengkui was alive, everyone obeyed him, and the Brotherhood maintained itself with difficulty.
After Huo Zhengkui returned to The Way of the Extraordinary, with the support of the New York County government, the Brotherhood split into three major organizations, which are now the well-known Chinese Extraordinary organizations: Black Dragon Hall, Baolin Hall, and Hong Gang.
"My dad is Huo Zhengkui's illegitimate son?" Deng Jingguo muttered to himself.
Lu Jing nodded, his tone沧桑(cāngsāng, meaning 'full of vicissitudes'): "When Old Man Huo returned to The Way of the Extraordinary, your dad was just a nobody. The Brotherhood split, and he didn't dare to reveal his identity. He took me out to work hard alone. As our levels got higher and higher, we established the Anti-Black and White Alliance. The reason for this name is partly to inherit Old Man Huo's legacy, and partly because, in the Free Federation, who hasn't been exploited by those guys?"
"Before the Pope died, he gave something to Old Man Huo. Maybe it was because Old Man Huo was Chinese. At that time, he still had a Qing Dynasty braid, which seemed out of place in Europe. No one thought that the Pope would give the valuable relic to a yellow man with a braid."
"So, Old Man Huo took the Pope's relic, left Europe, came to New York County, and established the Brotherhood. In his later years, Jingguo's father passed the relic on to his illegitimate son, which is Jingguo's father."
"This is because the identity of the illegitimate son is more hidden. For the same reason, my brother also passed the Pope's relic on to Li Zijiang Jiafeizhang."
If Old Man Huo couldn't get it for some reason, then he should pass it on to powerful descendants and let future generations complete it. At worst, he could trade it to The Heavenly Punishment, which would be better than giving it to an illegitimate son."
Deng Jingguo snorted coldly: "Although my dad is an illegitimate son, he is also an Extraordinary, a stronger Extraordinary than us."
The bookish Tao Siming smiled bitterly: "Then your father's actions are incomprehensible. Why give it to Jiafeizhang instead of you? Does Uncle Deng think that Jiafeizhang can also become an Extraordinary?"
"None of this matters anymore." Lu Jing said in a deep voice: "The Pope's relic cannot fall into the hands of others. Since Jiafeizhang is dead, Jingguo should keep it. We must夺回(duó huí, meaning 'take back') the Pope's relic."
Deng Jingguo's thick eyebrows were tightly locked: "Uncle Jing, we don't even know who the enemy is, how can we夺回(duó huí, meaning 'take back') it? We may not have the strength to夺回(duó huí, meaning 'take back') it."
Lu Jing, with his full head of silver hair, appeared particularly强势(qiángshì, meaning 'domineering') and immediately said: "Then report it to The Heavenly Punishment and let The Heavenly Punishment夺回(duó huí, meaning 'take back') it. That way, at least we can get a benefit fee from The Heavenly Punishment."
Deng Jingguo器和(qì hé, 'appliance and harmony' - likely a typo and should be '和' hé, meaning 'and') Tao Siming exchanged glances and didn't object.
"Then it's decided." Lu Jing took out his phone, intending to contact the high-level of The Heavenly Punishment's New York County branch, "I've had several contacts with Winnie Bertram. She's an upright Thunder Mage, unaccommodating."
At this moment, Tao Siming's phone dinged. He picked up his phone and his expression changed slightly: "Wait!"
Lu Jing and Deng Jingguo looked over.
Tao Siming's expression was strange. He held up his phone, facing the two of them, "The task we posted on the Hunter's Guild has been completed!"
The next day, eight o'clock in the morning.
Zhang Yuanqing got up and washed up. He came to the living room and saw that Annie had already set out breakfast and thoughtfully tore open the youtiao (油条, fried dough sticks), soaking them piece by piece in the salty soybean milk.
Her own breakfast was fried eggs, toast, bacon, and sweet soybean milk.
"Why do you eat sweet soybean milk?"
"I'm not used to eating salty soybean milk."
"Promise me, don't just drink soybean milk in the future."
After eating breakfast, Zhang Yuanqing put his phone in his pocket, twisted the doorknob and walked out of the house, just in time to see Cao Qianxiu leading her younger brother by the hand.
Tears were still on Cao Chao's face. He was holding an ice cream stick in his hand. He didn't know if he had been beaten by his mother or his sister.
The two sides were about to meet, and Cao Qianxiu suddenly stopped, her eyes lit up slightly, but she was restrained and didn't speak, frozen in place.
Zhang Yuanqing took the initiative to go forward and patted Cao Chao's head, and smiled: "What's wrong?"
"Now you go back and吼(hǒu, meaning 'roar') at your mom and say 'Please call me handsome boy!'" Zhang Yuanqing said: "She will let you eat two ice cream sticks."
"Really?" The little boy opened his innocent eyes wide.
"When I was a kid, that's how I吼(hǒu, meaning 'roar')ed at my mom. It will definitely work!" Zhang Yuanqing gave him courage and encouragement.
Cao Chao thought for a while, out of yearning for ice cream sticks and trust in the older brother next door, he opened the security door with high spirits and rushed into the living room to confront the landlady.
Only then did Zhang Yuanqing look at the girl next door and take the initiative to say: "Sorry, I concealed my true level."
Cao Qianxiu gave a forced smile: "Our basis of trust wasn't enough at the time. Who would tell a stranger their true level?"
Cao Qianxiu hesitated and tentatively asked, "Then, about joining the Anti-Black and White Alliance..."!
"I think it's quite interesting. Before I returned to China, I was a member of Group Six of the Anti-Black and White Alliance. Remember to look for me if you need anything, and don't delay my salary." Zhang Yuanqing gave a positive answer.
Cao Qianxiu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, "Then, if there are usually small group gatherings..."
"If I have time, I will participate." Zhang Yuanqing nodded.
A hint of a smile appeared on the girl's face.
At this moment, a pig-killing scream came from the house. Cao Chao ran out wailing, tears streaming down his face, looking at Zhang Yuanqing with heartbreaking despair, issuing an accusation with his cries.
The ice cream stick in his hand was also gone.
Cao Chao cried even louder.
"Okay, okay, now you go knock on the door of 403, and Aunt Annie will compensate you with a bag of snacks."
Cao Chao instantly stopped crying: "Really?"
"When have I ever lied to you?" Zhang Yuanqing asked rhetorically.
"Yes!" Cao Chao hopped off to knock on the door.
Looking at her younger brother's foolish appearance, Cao Qianxiu's expression was a little complicated: "I sometimes wonder, are you really a Scout? I remember that Scouts are soldiers, serious and upright."
"That's because you don't understand the Second District. There are异类(yìlèi, meaning 'different kinds') in any group. Seriousness and uprightness are group qualities, not personal qualities. There are always some who aren't serious and aren't upright." Zhang Yuanqing gave her a "head wash" (implied: a lecture): "I know a Fire Master who is wiser than a Scholar. I also know a Scholar who is more flamboyant than a Fire Master. And there's a powerful Scout who likes to hear people flatter him and likes to see people kowtow."
Cao Qianxiu listened attentively.
At 9:30 p.m., Zhang Yuanqing, wearing plain clothes and disguised as the bald middle-aged Jiafeizhang, stepped into the Mesa Bank building.
"Please wait a moment!" The female receptionist lowered her head to operate the computer. After a moment, she raised her head and said, "Will George has been离职(lízhí, meaning 'resigned') for many years."
Zhang Yuanqing said: "I'm here to open a safe deposit box, the number is 1145."
A transparent vortex appeared in Zhang Yuanqing's eyes, "You have already seen my valid ID."
The female receptionist was dazed for a moment, then smiled and said, "Please, please follow me!"
She led Zhang Yuanqing into the bank's interior and knocked on the manager's door: "Manager, this gentleman is here to open a safe deposit box."