Chapter 1: With Fortune Comes Misfortune, and Vice Versa
“This is your pay for this month. Qin Fang, you can go now…”
Said Li Feng as he waved the letter containing Qin Fang’s pay in his hand, while looking at the slightly skinny Qin Fang who was in front of him. On Li Feng’s face, an expression filled with cynicism and mockery could be seen. From his eyes, a perverted sense of excitement could be vaguely perceived, showing that he was very happy about dismissing Qin Fang.
“Li Feng, why do you have to give me such a hard time?”
Asked Qin Fang whose face was flushed with anger, while glaring at Li Feng who was in front of him.
Looking at Li Feng’s young and handsome face, and the expensive branded clothes that he was wearing, the already angry Qin Fang got even angrier. Though they were not on close terms per se, both of them were at least acquainted. Not only were they high school cla.s.smates, they were even future university school mates. But it is clear to everyone that Li Feng disliked Qin Fang, and is deliberately giving Qin Fang a hard time now.
“Why? You yourself know best……”
Li Feng sneered. Perhaps because the workshop still had other people and it was not a good idea to say words that were too severe, Li Feng only coldly said one sentence, before turning away and leaving. Following him happily like a dog following its owner was the boss of this workshop.
“Sorry Qin Fang, I…..”
Sun Ping was the supervisor of this training workshop* and was at most second to the boss. His relationship with Qin Fang was quite good. He cherished Qin Fang as he was a subordinate who worked as if his life depended on it. Knowing that Qin Fang was very frugal, he would frequently come up with excuses to treat Qin Fang with a good meal. Whenever Qin Fang got bullied by his colleagues, Sun Ping had always protected him. Unfortunately, Sun Ping had no choice but to do nothing this time. Otherwise, he would lose this well-paying job.
“Brother Sun, don’t say anymore. I understand already.“
Qin Fang offered words of consolation to Sun Ping while squeezing out a forced smile. As Li Feng left, Qin Fang’s angered face also gradually relaxed. He understood the dilemma Sun Ping was facing and still respected Brother Sun who was always taking care of him.
“What do you plan to do now Qin Fang? The day of your university opening is approaching soon and I was banking on you completing this mission to get your school fees. Who would have thought… that that b.a.s.t.a.r.d would deliberately give you a hard time like this.”
Sun Ping knew of Qin Fang’s situation. Immediately after finishing his high school exams, Qin Fang came to this workshop to work. While working for 12 hours can already be considered as working with one’s life on the line, Qin Fang insisted on working for 20 hours, everyday, and the leftover time is used to eat, sleep and use the washroom.In other words, almost of his time is used to complete his work.
Even during the period when he was supposed to submit his university choices, if not for Sun Ping’s reminder, he would have really forgotten about it.
Naturally, because of Qin Fang’s insane work schedule his harvest was the highest. During his first month at work alone, his pay rose from minimum wage to be able to compare with the workshop’s most excellent employees. It was because of this that Sun Ping specially arranged for a work contract what had extraordinary profits. If Qin Fang completes it, then the pay he will receive would be able to cover for virtually all his school fees. However, this contract was a little bit queer. One would only receive the pay after fully completing the contract. If one were to give up halfway, then they would not receive even a single cent.
The whole process was proceeding very smoothly. With only a few days left, Qin Fang had already completed more than half of the contract. However, n.o.body would have thought that Li Feng would find where Qin Fang was working, and even ask the boss of the workshop to fire Qin Fang.
Underground workshops such as this obviously did not have any insurances. If the boss asks you to scram, then you would have to. In fact, it was considered not bad if the boss gives you your full pay.
“Forget it, let’s not talk about it anymore. I don’t believe that a living person can hold his urine until he dies.”(Chinese saying meaning there is a solution to all problems if one just think about how to solve it, and to not give up hope.)
Qin Fang was unexpectedly light hearted. This job was the fastest way of earning money that he could think of. Considering that he just graduated from high school and was a child, at least in society’s standards, with no particular skills, this was really the fastest way to earn money. After all, Qin Fang would never stoop to crimes such as stealing. He knew that this day would come and now that it has come to this situation, he had no choice but to search for another way to earn money fast.
After thinking for awhile, Sun Ping pulled Qin Fang aside and softly said:
“Qin Fang, what about this… I just happen to have an old desktop that you can take back to use. You are already halfway through the contract, and though there is only a little time left and it could be intense, with your abilities, you should be able to pull it off.
“This…”
Qin Fang immediately hesitated after hearing Sun Ping’s suggestion.Sun Ping’s idea was not unfeasible.Though its difficulty level was quite high, Qin Fang had confidence that he could complete it.However, he had his own circ.u.mstances.
When high school exams ended, he came up with an excuse that his cla.s.smate’s father had found a job for him that would earn him a few thousand dollars and though it will not be enough for his school fees, the money could at least help lessen his family’s financial burden. Only with this excuse did Qin Fang manage to persuade his mother to let him go out to work.
If he were to go home now to complete this contract, his mother that does not know about what job he his doing now will definitely find something odd. Since Qin Fang did not want his mother to worry too much about him, she must not know what he has been doing, especially what he will be doing to complete the contract, as the schedule would be even more intense than his usual already intense work schedule.
Sun Ping softly patted Qin Fang’s shoulder and said,
“You decide by yourself, but I think this is the only way available now!”
Sun Ping understood Qin Fang’s circ.u.mstances, and took really good care of this subordinate of his. And thus naturally, his suggestion was also in Qin Fang’s best interest.
“Okay, I will try.”
After careful deliberation, Qin Fang thought that Sun Ping’s idea was really the only way to earn his school fees, and only then did he move an old desktop, which was ?-Hand(referring to computer having so many old owners that he did not know which hand it was now), out from the workshop with Sun Ping’s help and to the rented apartment that was his temporary living s.p.a.ce.
Only, not far from the workshop, there was a black Mercedes-Benz parked there. Beside the Mercedes-Benz, there was a minibus, and inside the minibus, there were a few people that you could tell were gangsters at a glance. Inside the Mercedes-Benz, two figures could be seen. One was Li Feng, who had just successfully gotten Qin Fang fired, and the other was a fierce man with a fierce-looking face, whose arm had a tattoo of a blue dragon.
As he watched the figure of Qin Fang carrying an old computer fading into the distance, Li Feng eyes flashed with maliciousness, and immediately said to the fierce, built man that was beside him, Brother Long,
“Brother Long, do you see that kid? Rough him up for me. It’s fine if you break an arm or a leg or two as long as you don’t kill him.”
“Rest easy Young Master Feng, whatever you ask of me, I, Long, will definitely fulfill it properly, in a satisfactory way..”
The built man grinned and laughed, with a face filled with indescribable maliciousness. Towards such a display, Li Feng was filled with indescribable contentment.
“Let’s see how will you continue to oppose me, Qin Fang……”
As Li Feng watched Brother Long leading his lackeys to slowly stalk after Qin Fang who was moving the old desktop, Li Feng also asked his chauffeur to slowly follow, while deliberately keeping a set distance too.
To what was going on behind the scenes, Qin Fang was totally unaware.Though his mood was not that good, the moment he thought that he still had not been forced to a situation with no way out yet, his mood became lighter. As he was pa.s.sing by a small alley, which was a shortcut to his place, he entered without hesitation.
This was the golden chance the built man and his cronies had been waiting for the whole time. Though they were gangsters, and fighting and the such were a common occurrence, it was still not a good idea to do what they were going to do in the main street. Especially when they were planning to break Qin Fang’s arms and legs, the alley is the most suitable place to do so.
At first, they were planning to coerce Qin Fang into the alley to do the deed, but did not expect that Qin Fang would actually go in voluntarily instead. Brother Long signalled to the lackeys beside him with his eyes, and they immediately started to flank Qin Fang.
Qin Fang’s pace was not hurried. The computer in his hands was not heavy, but it wasn’t light either, and thus he was somewhat tired after walking for so long. He did not expect that somebody would block his way forward, but judging from the appearance of the two that were blocking his path, flower-chequered shirt, hair dyed green, one could tell at a glance that they were gangsters. Even though they were panting, the look they gave to Qin Fang was not a kind one.
Almost instinctually, Qin Fang secretly squeezed the letter in his pocket.Inside was his pay for this month, if someone were to s.n.a.t.c.h it away… Qin Fang didn’t dare to think along that line anymore. He stuck his body to the wall, intending to go past the human blockade by sticking to the wall.
However, after panting for a while, the gangsters also recovered a little, and seeing Qin Fang trying to slip past while sticking to the walls, they immediately leaned on the wall and smiled at Qin Fang. At the same time, they also took wooden sticks(thick ones) from the side, and brandished them a few times, letting out an intimidating air.
s.h.i.t!
Qin Fang’s heart immediately throbbed.
He instinctively lowered his head and tried to walk back where he came from, but when he turned around, he saw a fierce-faced built man bringing two of his lackeys towards his direction.The built man was unexpectedly bare-handed, but his men carried weapons in their hands.
“What do… What do you guys want to do?”
In the end, Qin Fang is still only a fresh high school graduate, and with his good grades and conduct, had never come into contact with gangsters before.The moment he felt this threatening air, he was frightened. His voice trembled and the expression on his face was one of terror.
“What do I want to do?”
The built man sneered, but waved his hands while shouting,”Do it!”
*Smack*
Without even being given a chance to react, a wooden stick was smashed into Qin Fang’s back, immediately giving him a sensation of burning pain. He threw the desktop he held in his hands on the ground ,and at the same time, he tilted his shoulders, trying to absorb the impact of the wooden stick.
*Smack*
Unfortunately, it was impossible for the gangsters to end it with just one hit. Another wooden stick was smashed onto Qin Fang’s body, giving him immense pain again. Not only that, with the built Brother Long at the lead, the remaining gangsters started beating Qin Fang up with punches and kicks.
“d.a.m.n you!”
If even Buddha will get angry if provoked sufficiently, then what is there to say about humans? At this juncture, Qin Fang couldn’t possibly just let himself get beaten up without any resistance. He immediately shouted, and after using both hands to carry the desktop, swung it towards the head of Brother Long who was the closest to him. If the hit were to land, then the big head of Brother Long would definitely break immediately.
“Brother Long……”
A gangster with sharp eyes shouted to warn Brother Long and at the same time swung the wooden stick in his hand towards Qin Fang with reckless abandon. This time, the strength used was vastly higher than the controlled one used just now.
*Smack!*
Qin Fang who was going to hit somebody with the computer staggered. The wooden stick that was coming from the back directly and forcefully impacted on the back of his head. Qin Fang suddenly felt like the sky and earth was spinning, and immediately after, he blacked out.The computer in his hands powerlessly dropped onto the ground, and Qin Fang hit his head against the ground.Blood was flowing out from the wound like a river……
“We killed somebody!”
When faced with such a scene, even the gangsters were shocked. One of the brave gangsters tested for Qin Fang’s breathing, and when he found out there was none, he immediately turned pale with fright and said,
“He’s dead?”(In disbelief if you don’t understand the ‘?’)
Even Brother Long was deeply shocked. Don’t a.s.sume from the fact that he is a leader that he is used to this type of scenes. Beat people up? Gladly. But kill people? He really didn’t have that courage.
As he surveyed the alley’s surroundings, except for the two lackeys placed at the entrance as lookout, n.o.body had noticed what had conspired here yet. Without even caring whether they had broken Qin Fang’s arms and legs or not, Brother Long immediately ordered the lackey in a low voice, “Let’s go quickly… Bring the guys along too.”
There were naturally no opposition from the lackeys. Murder was not comparable to minor crimes such as stealing and fighting. If they were caught, they need not think about coming out (from prison) anymore. In the blink of an eye, they vacated the area, and left Qin Fang’s
‘corpse’ in the quiet and deserted alley.
Though Brother Long and his cronies were escaping while panicking, Li Feng who was in the Mercedez-Benz parked at the alley entrance was smiling at the direction of Qin Fang’s body. Though he did not see it up close, but judging from the blood flowing from Qin Fang’s body, and the figures of Brother Long and co. hurriedly running away, he knew that the situation had escalated. To the point that even a gangster like Brother Long did not dare to do anything anymore.
Blood continued to flow.
Surrounding the desktop, and through the thin casing, the bright red blood quickly submerged the motherboard, hard drive, graphics card, etc…
A pale blue light suddenly flashed into existence, from one of the element inside the desktop, and as if it had life, traced its way from the desktop to Qin Fang’s brain along the blood trail, before disappearing completely.
At the same time, Qin Fang’s breathing which had ceased just now started recovering, albeit slowly…