I can only beat noobs.

Chapter 14: Underhanded tactics
Hearing the commotion, the neighbors came out to see what was happening, and were all disappointed by the scene.

"Before Chen Qilang passed away, he ran his pharmacy so successfully. I never imagined that he would have fallen into such a state just a few years after his death."

"If you want to blame someone, blame him for having unrealistic ambitions and wanting his son to become a martial artist. If he hadn't sent his youngest son to learn martial arts and squandered all his savings, he wouldn't be in this situation today."

"See? This is what happens when you send your son to learn martial arts."

"..."

Seeing his neighbors pointing and whispering, Chen Rui was filled with grief and indignation. His eyes reddened as he glared at the group blocking the doorway and roared, "We agreed on three-tenths interest, a loan of two hundred taels, totaling two hundred and sixty taels a month with interest. Where did you get five hundred taels?"

The leader sneered, "Three percent interest? Are you trying to fob off a beggar? Look closely, the IOU clearly states ten percent interest. Also, last month was your virgin month, and you were a day late, so you'll get half a month's interest. It's a total of five hundred taels, not a penny less."

"what?"

Chen Rui was both shocked and furious. "We agreed on a 30% interest rate, and the IOU says... you... this IOU is fake..."

"Fake? Open your dog eyes and look, isn't this your signature? Your fingerprint?"

……

At the entrance of the alley.

The driver said to Chen Ming, "I've seen this man before. He's one of Xiao Laogui's henchmen at Wanli Gambling House, and his name is Scarface. He specializes in lending money at high interest rates and often tampers with the loan agreements. Once you borrow money from them, they will never let you go easily; they will squeeze every last drop of profit from you until they've made you completely broke."

"Young master, should I go back and ask the young master to intervene?"

Chen Ming politely declined, saying, "I won't trouble Brother Deng. I'll handle it myself. Just leave it here."

He got off the carriage and walked inside.

At this moment, Chen Rui stared wide-eyed at the words on the IOU, incredulous, his whole body trembling.

The above is indeed his handwriting.

But how did the profit, which was clearly three parts before, become ten parts?

At this moment, the scarred man stepped forward, grabbed his collar, and shouted, "Have you seen it clearly? Pay up right now!"

"I……"

Chen Rui was extremely embarrassed and speechless, with his neck being choked by the collar.

"Let go."

Suddenly, a loud shout rang in Scarface's ear. He was startled and heard a fierce wind coming from behind him. Without thinking, he slapped back.

He specializes in debt collection, so he's no mediocre person; he has incredibly rich practical experience.

The next second, a tremendous force surged forth. He was taken aback and immediately let go, rolling on the ground to dodge the deadly attack in a sorry state.

He got up from the ground and saw that it was a young man in his early twenties. He was furious and shouted, "Who are you? How dare you meddle in the affairs of our Wanli Gambling House?"

Chen Ming shielded his elder brother behind him and said coldly, "My name is Chen Ming, and he is my elder brother. Go back and tell your boss that he shouldn't use such underhanded tactics in front of me."

"You're Chen Ming?"

Scarface's expression was somewhat unpredictable.

He knew that Chen Rui had a younger brother who had practiced martial arts for a few years, but his aptitude was too poor and his strength was mediocre.

Who exactly said this person's abilities are mediocre?

He cursed the person who had been asking for information in his mind.

Just from that one move, this person's strength is definitely no less than his.

His gaze gradually hardened. "Hmph, it's all written down in black and white. You two brothers either pay back the money, or you can give us this house as collateral."

Upon hearing this, Chen Rui's expression changed drastically.

Chen Ming's expression also darkened. "So, it seems there's no way to resolve this peacefully today."

With a wave of his hand, Scarface's henchmen pulled out weapons such as wooden sticks and iron rulers, and surrounded him with menacing expressions.

"Second brother!"

Upon seeing this, Chen Rui, fearing that his younger brother would suffer a loss, grabbed him tightly.

A good man does not suffer immediate losses.

To his surprise, he couldn't hold him back at all. Chen Ming had already leaped out and charged into the crowd as if it were empty. In the blink of an eye, seven or eight burly men wielding weapons were all knocked to the ground.

Chen Rui was dumbfounded.

Wasn't it said that my younger brother's martial arts skills were terrible? How come he's so good?

……

not good!

When Scarface saw that Chen Ming had easily defeated his men, he realized that he had seriously underestimated the man's strength, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Um... let's talk this over... ouch—"

In just two moves, he was kicked in the thigh. The intense pain made him scream and fall to the ground, unable to get up.

In the blink of an eye, the people who came to cause trouble were all lying on the ground.

The surrounding crowd was dumbfounded. Wasn't it said that the second son of the Chen family was good-for-nothing?
Wasn't it said that he was too incompetent and was kicked out by his master?

Is it already that amazing?

……

"Get out of here, everyone."

Chen Ming shouted, and the thugs, whose faces were bruised and swollen, carried Scarface away and scrambled to escape.

Then, he bowed deeply to his neighbors and said, "I'm sorry for the trouble. I will definitely come to apologize once this matter is resolved."

After saying that, before they could react, she pulled her older brother back into the house and closed the door.

Chen Rui looked at his younger brother with a complicated expression. "Thanks to you today. Otherwise, I really don't know what I would have done."

For the first time, he felt fortunate that his younger brother had learned martial arts.

Chen Ming said, "How did you get involved with this kind of person?"

"I desperately needed money at the time and had no other choice. Through an introduction, I borrowed two hundred taels to tide me over. Who would have thought..."

"Who introduced you?"

"A business friend."

"From now on, don't associate with this person anymore."

"Yeah, I know."

Chen Rui was still a little worried. "Will they come again?"

Chen Ming shook his head and said, "It's not worth it for just a few hundred taels."

For such a small amount of money, the owner of Wanli Gambling House wouldn't be so foolish as to fight to the death with a martial artist of considerable skill.

These guys who lend money at interest rates must be able to figure out the accounts.

The two brothers talked as they went to the backyard.

The maid, whose clothes were patched, stood nervously at the courtyard gate, holding a stick. She breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the eldest and second young masters, quickly hiding the stick behind her back and stepping forward to greet them.

Hearing the commotion, the eldest sister-in-law, Wei, poked her head out of the house. Seeing her husband and brother-in-law, she rushed over and asked anxiously, "Where are those villains?"

Her nephew, Chen Lide, followed closely behind her, holding a pair of scissors, looking ready to fight at any moment.

Chen Rui's attention was focused on his wife, and he quickly reassured her, "The bad guys have all been chased away by my second brother."

"Really?"

Wei was skeptical.

"Of course it's true, I saw it with my own eyes."

Just then, they heard someone knocking on the door from the outside.

Wei was startled and quickly hid behind her husband, her face turning pale with fright.

An old voice came in, "Is Chen Dalang home?"

The maid stammered, "It seems to be... Granny Ai from next door."

Madam Wei recognized the voice and exclaimed, "It really is Granny Ai! Go open the door quickly!"

When the door opened, sure enough, it was Granny Ai, carrying freshly baked pancakes, smiling as she pulled Madam Wei inside to talk.

Chen Ming went straight back to his room and opened the control panel.

【Level: 7】

Current points: 3002

[Technique: Iron Horse Stakes (Fourth Level 3/1000+)]

Martial Arts Skills: Three Talents Fist (Mastery 27/500+), Eight Trigrams Saber Technique (Beginner 55/100+)

I've finally saved up enough points.

Just now, the group of thugs who came up to him gave him a wave of experience points.

"add!"

He added 1,000 points to the "Iron Horse Stakes" technique, raising it to the fifth level.

【Level: 9】

Current points: 2002

[Technique: Iron Horse Stakes (Fifth Level 3/2000+)]

Martial Arts Skills: Three Talents Fist (Mastery 27/500+), Eight Trigrams Saber Technique (Beginner 55/100+)

Chen Ming's body crackled as a powerful force surged forth.

(End of this chapter)