"Bastard, I won't let you off."
The middle-aged man twisted his face in rage and shouted.
"After all that, you're still putting on an act?"
Liu Tiezhu sneered and kicked the man again.
"Stop it."
Just then, two more middle-aged men entered the barracks. The one in front was Blood Combat Team Deputy Captain Guo Long, followed by Blood Combat Team Instructor Yang Feng.
Seeing the middle-aged man sprawled like a dead dog, both of their faces turned extremely grim. As the instructor and deputy captain of the Blood Combat Team, having a subordinate beaten into a dead dog by a newcomer was a blatant slap in the face.
"Captain, I..."
The middle-aged man opened his mouth to say something, but Guo Long silenced him with a glare.
"Get the hell back right now. I'll deal with you for disgracing the Blood Combat Team."
Guo Long snorted, then turned his gaze to Liu Tiezhu.
"Kid, you've got some skills. I, Guo Long, will remember today."
Liu Tiezhu didn't respond, but his face showed a carefree attitude. He didn't seek trouble, but he wasn't afraid of it either. Besides, Zhang He had told him that in this place, fists did the talking. As long as he didn't break the Ming family's rules, he could use any means. The middle-aged man had maliciously provoked him and was outmatched; getting beaten was the Blood Combat Team's bad luck. As for Liu Tiezhu, he was acting in self-defense—even if he killed the man, it wouldn't matter.
Seeing no reaction from Liu Tiezhu, Guo Long didn't press further. He hadn't climbed to the position of Blood Combat Team Deputy Captain without brains. He wouldn't act rashly until he understood the situation and Liu Tiezhu's background.
After Guo Long and his men left, the others quickly gathered around Liu Tiezhu. They all knew that with his skills, passing the third round of assessment was a sure thing. Someone this strong would likely have great prospects in the Ming family. By currying favor now, they might get a leg up from him later.
Liu Tiezhu wasn't good at dealing with these opportunistic people. After a few casual words, he dismissed them, claiming he needed to rest.
Once everyone was gone, Guo Qixing came to Liu Tiezhu's bed.
"Brother Tiezhu, I sincerely apologize. I was too arrogant last time. Please don't hold it against me."
Guo Qixing extended his hand, his face earnest. He was sharp too; after seeing Liu Tiezhu's true strength, he knew this wasn't someone to make an enemy of, so he took the initiative to apologize.
"I've already forgotten about last time."
Liu Tiezhu didn't put on airs either, shaking Guo Qixing's hand. Guo Qixing's skills were no joke, and Liu Tiezhu didn't want to make too many enemies unless he had to. Besides, the thick calluses on Guo Qixing's hands showed he was no ordinary man—those came from years of hard training, only found on true martial artists.
"Brother Tiezhu, which faction in the Ming family are you thinking of joining?"
Guo Qixing sat directly on Liu Tiezhu's bed and asked bluntly.
Liu Tiezhu paused, sizing up Guo Qixing again. Asking that meant he knew the ins and outs of the Ming family's internal power struggles. It seemed Guo Qixing wasn't just anyone.
After weighing it, Liu Tiezhu played dumb. "I don't even know if I'll pass the third round assessment in five days. Talking about which faction to join is too early. Brother Qixing, you seem pretty confident about the third round and know the relationships between the Ming family's factions."
"Brother Tiezhu, you're joking. With your skills, passing the third round is as easy as eating."
With that, Guo Qixing glanced around. Seeing no one else paying attention, he lowered his voice. "The Ming family's factions are basically five layers. The top is the highest authority, Ming Hai. Besides him as the head, the second layer is his three sons: Ming Jiacheng, Ming Tianfeng, and Ming Zhenglong. Each controls part of the family's power. On the surface, they're all friendly, but behind the scenes, they're constantly at odds. Among the three brothers, Ming Zhenglong is the smartest, strongest, and most ruthless, but his father, Ming Hai, doesn't seem to support him."
Liu Tiezhu was taken aback. "Why?"
Guo Qixing said, "Ming Zhenglong isn't born of the legitimate wife. According to the Ming family's rules, he can't be the next head. But he seems to have other ideas—he's taken over most of his mother's family's forces, and now his strength rivals the entire Ming family. Ming Hai is furious but doesn't dare do anything to his son."
"What about the third layer?" Liu Tiezhu pressed.
Guo Qixing continued, "The third layer is the Ming family's uncles and elders. They don't get too involved in the infighting but control the family's finances. The Ming family's rapid rise to rival the Zhang and Li families owes a lot to them."
"The remaining two factions are the Blood Combat Team and the Reviewers, right?" Liu Tiezhu said.
"Exactly." Guo Qixing nodded. "The Ming family is odd—they keep the Blood Combat Team independent, only responsible for protecting the higher-ups, not involved in any internal strife. The Reviewers are even more interesting, set up by Ming Hai to counter the Blood Combat Team. On the surface, they recruit talent for the family, but behind the scenes, they have their own forces. Most people only know the Blood Combat Team is tough, but the Reviewers' team is actually the Ming family's combat ceiling. Many of the family's secret, high-difficulty missions are carried out by them."
After hearing this, Liu Tiezhu's back was soaked in cold sweat. He hadn't expected Guo Qixing to know more about the Ming family's factions and their dynamics than Jiang He. It seemed Guo Qixing was also hiding his depth.
After a moment of thought, Liu Tiezhu feigned surprise. "Brother Qixing, based on what you're saying, if I pass the third round, which faction should I join?"
He was subtly fishing for Guo Qixing's opinion. Since Guo Qixing had voluntarily analyzed the Ming family's power structure, he must have some agenda. Liu Tiezhu wanted to hear his take and figure out his true intentions.
"Joining the Blood Combat Team offers the best pay, but it's also the most dangerous. You're always around the higher-ups, at constant risk of assassination. Plus, with the infighting, if your master falls, the Blood Combat Team members with him will suffer too. So, the Blood Combat Team is a no-go."
Guo Qixing paused, then analyzed the other factions, ultimately concluding that joining the Ming family's regular forces was the safest bet.
After hearing him out, Liu Tiezhu was stunned for a long time. "Brother Qixing, are you messing with me? Joining those regular units—what future is there in that?"
Guo Qixing said, "Brother Tiezhu, hear me out. With our skills, are you willing to spend your whole life working for the Ming family?"
Liu Tiezhu was taken aback again. Now he understood why Guo Qixing recommended the regular units. This guy had big ambitions—he wanted to rally these people to rebel against the Ming family. Among the family's major factions, these low-level members were the easiest to sway and turn. Give them enough benefits, and their guns would point the other way in no time.
Realizing Guo Qixing's goal, Liu Tiezhu couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.