Eternal madness

Chapter 45 Old Shipyard

Master Wang asked Zhang Laifu to buy bamboo, but Zhang Laifu delayed in setting off.

"What, you don't trust me, kid?" Master Wang called Zhang Laifu outside the lamp shop, found a secluded spot, and handed Zhang Laifu a piece of gray bamboo.

Gray-eyed bamboo has green bamboo stalks with gray markings that resemble eyes.

Wang Tiaodeng sighed: "As the saying goes, 'Teach your apprentice and you'll starve.' I didn't really intend to teach you too many real skills at first. Now that I've taught you everything, I should get out of here. I can see what Lao Liang is thinking."

But your talent is undeniable, and I can't stop you even if I wanted to. I might as well teach you all the good stuff. The world is a long road ahead, and maybe we can look out for each other in the future.

"Laifu, try this gray bamboo shoot. Feel its resilience and see if I'm lying to you."

Zhang Laifu felt around on the bamboo for a while, and the texture was indeed different. When he touched the bamboo veins, they seemed to move.

"Gray-eyed bamboo has a spirit. If I had known about this good thing earlier, I could have wasted less time learning the craft and by now I might be a pillar of the family."

Time waits for no one. You have a long road ahead of you, and you're sure to have a bright future. Keep honing your skills.

These words were so touching that Zhang Laifu's eyes reddened.

But he remained standing there, not moving.

Master Wang frowned and said, "Why aren't you going yet? Didn't I tell you that time waits for no one? Now you're not listening to anything I say, are you?"

Zhang Laifu shook his head and said, "You haven't given me the money yet."

What money should I give you?

"You want me to buy bamboo? This kind of bamboo must be expensive, right?"

Master Wang was furious: "Who is this bamboo for? It's for you to buy bamboo for yourself, why are you asking me for money?"

Zhang Laifu replied neither humbly nor arrogantly: "I'm just an apprentice, I don't earn a single penny, how am I supposed to buy bamboo?"

"Alright!" Master Wang took out two silver dollars and gave them to Zhang Laifu. "Two silver dollars can buy two eight-foot-long bamboo poles, enough for you to practice for a month or two. This is your master's hard-earned money. When you have mastered the craft, you must remember your master's kindness."

"I remember everything." Zhang Laifu took the money and left happily.

Master Wang watched Zhang Laifu's retreating figure, a kind smile spreading across his face.

"Laifu, I'm giving you money to buy bamboo because I truly care about you."

"When you meet the King of Hell, you'd better make things clear. Who took your life? Go and seek justice from them. This has nothing to do with your master."

……

The old shipyard is located on the banks of the Black Sand River. It is an abandoned shipyard, which is essentially a large pit used for building and repairing ships. One end of the pit connects to a lock leading to the river, called the dock entrance, and the lock gate is called the dock gate.

Normally, the dock gates are closed, the water is pumped out, and ships are built in the large pit. Once the ships are built, the locks are opened, allowing river water to flood the pit, where the ships float and can then be launched.

Now the dock is abandoned, the locks are broken, and the river water has seeped into the pit, turning it into a pond.

There are several warehouses on both sides of the pit. The warehouses originally used to store timber were called timber warehouses, the warehouses used to store iron were called iron warehouses, and the warehouses used to store miscellaneous items were called miscellaneous warehouses. These three warehouses became the special place in Heishakou, where shady business was often carried out.

Deng Yuechuan sat in Warehouse No. 2 of Tiegeku, his hand tightly gripping a revolver.

A man in his fifties standing nearby was eating sugarcane. Seeing that Deng Yuechuan was sweating, he took a sugarcane and handed it to him, saying, "Young man, what are you thinking about? Have a piece of sugarcane to soothe your throat."

Deng Yuechuan waved his hand and said, "I don't eat sugarcane. If it leaves any residue, it will arouse suspicion."

"You little brat, you're trying to mess with me? How many years have I been in the martial world? When I came out to make my way in the world with your master, you weren't even born yet!"
"What's wrong with eating a couple of bites of sugarcane? A little sweet juice can calm your nerves! I'm giving you some because I think highly of you, and you're acting all dramatic."

This man is called Shao Tiangan, a friend of Wang Tiaodeng. It is said that he and Wang Tiaodeng did many important things together back then.

Deng Yuechuan paced back and forth in the warehouse several times. When he reached Shao Tiangan, he lowered his head and whispered, "Senior, you should do this. I really can't..."

Shao Tiangan spat sugarcane pulp all over Deng Yuechuan's face: "Look at you! If I did this job, what use would you be? Do you expect me to learn a trade from Old Wang? With your cowardice, you think you can be a craftsman?"

"I'm really scared..." Deng Yuechuan's lips turned white with fright.

"What are you afraid of? I'm watching right here. You just need to fire one shot, and I'll handle the rest!" "But I don't dare fire that shot..."

"Don't make a sound. I can hear footsteps outside. I'm going out to meet someone. You wait here and fire."

This was the division of labor that Wang Tiaodeng assigned to the two of them. When Zhang Laifu arrived, Shao Tiangan pretended to be selling bamboo and talked business with Zhang Laifu, while Deng Yuechuan hid in the warehouse and shot Zhang Laifu from behind.

But what if Deng Yuechuan can't kill Zhang Laifu?
It doesn't matter anymore.

Shao Tiangan would personally kill Zhang Laifu, and then he would kill Deng Yuechuan.

The process is not important; the result is what matters.

As a result, Deng Yuechuan killed Zhang Laifu out of jealousy.

In the old lighting shop, many people were jealous of Zhang Laifu. Deng Yuechuan was a strong-willed man, so it was reasonable for him to kill Zhang Laifu. It had nothing to do with Lao Wang.

Shao Tiangan went out.

It was very cold, and Deng Yuechuan was terrified. He clutched his pistol, hiding in the warehouse, his whole body numb and trembling.

Shao Tiangan saw a young man walking towards him and asked with a smile, "Are you here to buy bamboo?"

Li Yunsheng shook his head and said, "I'm not buying bamboo. I'm going to Muge Warehouse to see the newly arrived medicinal herbs."

There was indeed a medicine merchant in Mugecang. Shao Tiangan pointed behind him: "Mugecang is over there."

Li Yunsheng thanked him and walked towards Mugecang.

Shao Tiangan returned to the warehouse alone and looked at Deng Yuechuan, saying, "Look how scared you are. Zhang Laifu didn't come."

……

Lao Liang returned to the lamp shop and asked his assistant Xiao Chu to find Zhang Laifu. Xiao Chu couldn't find him, so his assistant Xiao An quickly replied, "Boss, Laifu was sent away by Master Wang to run errands."

"Why run errands?" Lao Liang's heart tightened.

"Master Wang said this was your order."

"What did I order?" Lao Liang shouted. "Call Lao Wang over here!"

Wang Tiaodeng arrived: "Shopkeeper, is there something you need?"

"What did you send Laifu to do?"

“I told him to go to the old shipyard and buy two gray bamboo stalks.”

"Why buy that thing?"

“Gray bamboo is a good thing for training strength. You asked me to teach Laifu the craft, so I taught him my unique skills.”

Wang Tiaodeng explained very patiently, and there wasn't a single flaw in his words.

Old Liang was still worried, so he sent Wang Tiaodeng away and quickly told Xiao Chu to take some men to the old shipyard: "When you see Zhang Laifu, bring him back. If anyone tries to harm you, don't fight back, just run back!"

The men left, and Wang stood silently in the courtyard, watching them go.

He wasn't worried at all. According to his calculations, Zhang Laifu was already dead by now. When the group of men arrived at the old shipyard, they would only find two corpses. Wang Tiaodeng knew exactly what Shao Tiangan was doing.

He turned around, picked up a lantern frame, covered it with paper, attached wire, tied it to a lamp post, and inserted a candle.

After the lanterns were lit, Wang smiled.

He was delighted, for he was about to witness Zhang Laifu's exceptional skill.

"Master, what are you laughing at?"

“I just thought of you…” Wang Tiaodeng looked at Zhang Laifu, unable to speak for a long time.

PS: What does Wang Tiaodeng need to be skilled in?
(End of this chapter)