227: Chapter 227 Becoming an Urban Legend, Bone-Setting Skill Effects

Chapter 227: Becoming an Urban Legend, Bone-setting Skill Special Effect

Jiuchang Street under the shroud of night.

The stoves at the roadside food stalls were blazing, spatulas clashing, and smoke curling upwards.

E-bikes and cars shuttled back and forth, with honking horns rising one after another.

Many migrant workers who returned to their hometowns for the New Year gradually returned to Dongdu, restoring vibrant vitality to this rundown street.

Among them were also the figures of certain idle, energetic organization members.

These people gathered in groups of twos and threes, locking arms, laughing and joking, occasionally spitting out a few vulgar curses from their mouths.

Occasionally, over a slight disagreement, they would readily pick up benches from the roadside food stalls and rush at each other, engaging in a melee that caused passersby to stop and watch.

Lin Fushengs Orthopedic Clinic.

Warm yellow light shone through the glass doors, and a burst of clamor also drifted out.

A man wearing a gray windbreaker and glasses waded through the bustling crowd outside and pushed open the door to enter.

A pungent smell of medicinal liquor instantly rushed toward his face.

Many bruised and swollen gangsters could be seen gathered here, waiting for the doctor to treat them, making the already not-so-spacious room appear even more cramped.

A rough glance showed that most were just minor injuries like joint dislocations, and a few unlucky fellows who suffered knife wounds had already been bandaged up.

Master Lin, wearing presbyopic glasses and with his fingers dipped in medicinal liquor, was patiently applying it to a wounded person, skillfully massaging and performing Tuina Massage, while occasionally whispering a few reminders of precautions from his mouth.

A young married woman in her thirties, with a graceful yet capable figure, brought along a clever and cute little girl, busy pouring tea and water for the guests and enthusiastically bustling about everywhere.

There was also a neatly dressed, Yingjun and gentle young man standing in front of the treatment bed, attentively performing Bone-setting procedures for the guests.

Despite the seemingly chaotic scene, they made this place appear as if it were a pure land in a clamorous mortal world.

With a calm expression, the man looked around a circle, then chose a position near the door and quietly sat down to wait.

His entry did not attract too much attention.

The surrounding shouts and noises still rose one after another, discussing certain topics that ordinary people avoided.

"Hey, what do you bunch of kids know?"

A gangster abruptly raised his volume, breaking the noisy atmosphere.

He sat crookedly on the edge of the bed, with a cigarette burned down to its butt dangling from his mouth:

"Why has Jiangbei been so chaotic recently? Isn't it because an elusive, ruthless character appeared here, turning those grandsons of the Red Tiger Gang and Dongcheng Association upside down, causing heavy casualties and making all of them slink away in defeat."

"Now that there are no big Gangs holding down the fort, small fries from other districts are running over here like headless flies, snatching territory everywhere and starting massive brawls over a little bit of petty profit. I reckon the streets won't have peace for the next half year."

Speaking with an authentic local accent, he sucked in cold air with hisses while talking.

His jacket was covered in dust and bloodstains, and his face was bruised black and blue.

Between his words, he spoke of the Jianghu killings with utter nonchalance, as if he hadn't participated in them at all.

"Is that assassin really that powerful, single-handedly turning those big Gangs upside down?"

A gangster with an out-of-town accent couldn't help chiming in to ask, obviously having his curiosity piqued.

"Hehe, of course. He is a prominent hero around our Jiangbei area; whoever dares to cause trouble here, he kills specifically them!"

The cigarette-smoking gangster raised a thumb, his face brimming with an indescribable smugness, as if he had some tremendous connection with this assassin.

"Just look at those pups from the Red Tiger Gang. On ordinary days, they act all arrogant and high-and-mighty, collecting protection fees until their hands go soft, walking with the wind at their heels, looking down on everyone."

"And what happened? Several branch bosses of theirs all fell into the hands of that assassin. Their corpses were thrown on the street like broken burlap sacks, with their intestines spilling all over the ground. That scene, tsk tsk tsk, the bloody stench could make someone vomit yesterday's dinner!"

Speaking of this, he paused, took a deep drag of his cigarette, and his eyes revealed a hint of warning.

"So, I am kindly reminding you all to calm down."

"The so-called bird that sticks out gets shot; you can never be too arrogant when mixing in the Jianghu, otherwise one day your head will be twisted off like a little chick, and by then you won't even have a place to cry!"

As he spoke, he made a neck-slitting gesture, his gaze sweeping fiercely across the faces of the group of gangsters.

Seeing that everyone revealed expressions of fear, the corners of his mouth curved up slightly as he nodded with satisfaction.

That appearance made it seem as if he were a senior bigshot in the Jiangbei underworld, imparting Jianghu experience.

The others widened their eyes like copper bells, opened their mouths wide, and almost drooled:

"Is it really that bizarre? Brother, don't talk nonsense; did you really see it with your own eyes?"

"Could I possibly lie to you guys?"

Hearing this, the cigarette-smoking gangster, like a lit firecracker, spat out the cigarette butt with a puff.

Then, using his uninjured hand, he patted his chest, wanting to straighten his back to show off his majesty, but unfortunately pulling his wound and grimacing in pain:

"Just a few nights ago, I was wandering around the corner of West Street blindly when I caught sight of a dark shadow flashing by with a whoosh. That speed was like a ghost floating; my eyes could barely keep up."

"My curiosity flared up right then, so I stealthily followed behind. Not far away, I saw a group of experts from the Red Tiger Gang surrounding one person, and I thought to myself that a good show was about to be seen."

"As a result, in the blink of an eye, that person was like a god possessed, smashing that bunch of pups to pieces in three punches and two kicks, turning them into a mass of meat paste. That martial prowess was absolute! It almost made me dumbfounded..."

The more the cigarette-smoking gangster talked, the more excited he became, waving and gesturing his hands in the air, completely forgetting that his other arm was still undergoing Bone-setting in someone else's hands.

Pain caused him to hiss, and only then did he suddenly snap back to reality, muttering with a grinning mouth:

"Ouch, Brother Cheng, lighter, lighter, it hurts so much!"

The Jianghu gangster appearance who was afraid of nothing just a moment ago suddenly turned into a dainty little girl right now.

The voice was sharp and thin, also carrying a hint of coquettishness, completely different from before.

Hearing this sickening tone out of nowhere, Fang Cheng's hands paused in their movement, he raised his eyes to glance at him, his face full of disgust and speechlessness.

"Bear with it. If you move around again, don't blame me if I cripple you during treatment."

Seeing this, several gangsters nearby immediately burst into laughter:

"Brother Fei, Master Fang's miraculous healing hands are much gentler than that assassin, so stop howling."

This fellow ran off to the countryside to avoid the limelight two months ago and ran back before the New Year, but turned out to be the exact same virtue, showing no improvement.

The laughter of the crowd echoed in the clinic, temporarily diluting some of the previous tense atmosphere surrounding the mysterious assassin.

Just at this moment, the man wearing the gray windbreaker sitting at the doorway suddenly chimed in and asked:

"What did that person look like?"

His voice was low, yet it exuded a penetrating power that people could not ignore, instantly attracting everyone's gaze.

Only then did those gangsters suddenly realize that there was still a silently sitting man in the corner who had spoken up at this time.

Fang Cheng's eyes flashed slightly, and he raised his head to glance at that man without any change in his expression.

Only the movements of his hands slowed down slightly, seemingly also waiting for Brother Fei's answer.

"The sky was too dark back then; I didn't see very clearly."

Brother Fei cleared his throat, regained some of the Divine Qi swagger from his boasting earlier, and continued:

"I only remember that the assassin wore a white mask, revealing a pair of eyes that were completely red. In the dark night, they were like two red lanterns, looking extremely creepy, like an evil ghost crawling out of Hell..."

"How come I heard that right around the New Year right here on Jiuchang Street, someone killed a gorilla that escaped from a laboratory, and that person also wore a white mask with red eyes?"

A local gangster immediately took over the conversation and brought it up doubtfully.

"Speaking of this matter, I know it too; it's almost becoming an urban legend in the Jiangbei area."

Hearing this, another gangster immediately followed up with supplements, vividly describing:

"It is said that that gorilla had boundless strength and rampaged everywhere, smashing cars and apartment windows on the roadside into pieces in the middle of the night, and even injuring quite a few people."

"If that hero hadn't intervened in time, I'm afraid residents of the entire street would have suffered. By then, the cops would definitely have cordoned off this entire area, and everyone would have to live in constant fear."

"Right, right, right, at that time rumors were flying everywhere, saying that thing wasn't actually a gorilla, but a man-eating monster, and that hero was the Zhenjun Subduing Demons descending to earth specifically to eliminate demons."

Following closely, someone else chimed in, their voice carrying a hint of awe:

"I don't know if it's true or false, anyway my grandma set up a deity statue at home, burning incense and worshipping it all day long, chanting words in her mouth to pray for the Zhenjun to bless us with peace. Maybe it really is an immortal descending to earth."

"That's right, it's him!"

Seeing so many people corroborate his wild bragging, Brother Fei instantly became even more cocky, and his spine couldn't help straightening up a bit.

Afterwards, lowering his voice with a mysterious look on his face:

"Hmph, maybe that hero is lurking right around us. He doesn't just kill monsters; anyone who commits all sorts of evil, as long as they are targeted by him, will never have a good end. Everyone be careful not to run into the muzzle of a gun, you'd better take good care of yourselves."

As he spoke, he also deliberately widened his eyes, scanning the surroundings to build up the atmosphere.

Everyone unconsciously shrank their necks, feeling a chill all over their bodies.

On second thought, they regained their senses.

We are just bottom-layer gangsters, usually just petty thieves and small fighters, what big evil can we do?

The ones who should be careful are those bigshots who eat spicy food and meat and embrace beauties on left and right every day.

Thinking of this, a trace of inexplicable anticipation rose in their hearts.

It seemed they were all hoping that hero would descend with justice, burst all the bosses to pieces, and then they could take their place.

"Ah—"

Just at this moment, Brother Fei suddenly let out another extremely miserable scream.

It turned out that Fang Cheng was doing the final Bone-setting adjustment for him.

"All right."

Fang Cheng straightened his body, gently moved his wrists, looked at Brother Fei, who was covered in cold sweat, and exhorted:

"This arm is reattached for now. Don't go around fighting and brawling with people when you go back, take good care of it. If you mess around again, not even an immortal can save you."

The tone exuded an unquestionable professional air.

Brother Fei nodded hurriedly, repeatedly promising to turn over a new leaf in the future and be a model youth, while not forgetting to express his gratitude.

Fang Cheng ignored this fellow who fabricated rumors out of thin air, and immediately cast his gaze toward the panel that was flashing with light.

A prompt message floated up before his eyes.

[Congratulations, through unremitting efforts, your skill has reached the Expert level]

[Bone-setting Lv1 (0/250)]

[Received enhancement reward, skill special effect "Brief Solidification"]

[During the Bone-setting treatment process, it can help relieve pain in the injured bone area, seal and solidify it, ensuring the ability to move normally in a short period of time]

"It wasn't easy..."

Gazing at the panel information, Fang Cheng let out a soft sigh, revealing a look of gratification.

Speaking of which, practicing the Bone-setting technique requires a sufficient amount of practical opportunities.

But ordinarily, where would there be so many patients with joint sprains and bone dislocations? How easy could it be to make progress?

Fortunately, during this New Year period, Gang conflicts in the Jiangbei area were endless, and street fights and brawls occurred frequently.

Gangsters coming to the clinic for injury treatment were also endless.

Naturally, Fang Cheng wouldn't let go of this rare opportunity. As long as there was a suitable wounded person, he would proactively and enthusiastically step forward to apply the Bone-setting technique, continuously accumulating experience.

Finally, today his wish was fulfilled, and he successfully upgraded.

Looking at the ability introduction of the expert-level "Bone-setting" on the panel, Fang Cheng nodded slightly.

This skill special effect was just like the high-efficiency block injection administered when athletes are injured in their bodies but facing major competitions and have to grit their teeth and persist.

It can act precisely on the injured part, block nerve conduction, and perform sealed and solidified treatment on local tissues, thereby restoring mobility in a short period of time.

For those in dangerous situations and urgently needing action, this was undoubtedly providing charcoal in snowy weather, allowing them to break free from the shackles of injury at critical moments and regain control of their own bodies.

But Fang Cheng also knew that although this skill special effect was very practical, it was only a temporary measure.

Just like a high-efficiency block injection, emergency treatment is carried out first, without curing the injury fundamentally.

Therefore, the injured tissue has not been completely repaired, and subsequent comprehensive and meticulous recuperation and treatment are still needed.

Thinking of this, Fang Cheng turned his gaze to another special skill.

[Qigong Lv1 (189/250)]

Besides treatment, the Bone-setting skill can also be used as a synthesis Material for Qigong skills.

100 points of Bone-setting experience value is roughly equivalent to 50 points of Qigong experience value.

If he chose synthesis, then the Qigong skill could also soon approach the Breakthrough upper limit.

After careful consideration, Fang Cheng abandoned this choice.

He decided to wait until "Bone-setting" upgraded to the point where it could no longer advance, and then Fused it into the Qigong skill. That way, the cost-effectiveness would be the highest.

Immediately afterward, he glanced at the other two skills.

[Acupoint Striking Lv0 (45/100)]

[Tuina Massage Lv0 (39/100)]

Fang Cheng's eyes flashed slightly, then he withdrew the panel and focused his attention back on reality.

Turning his head, he saw Wen Xin handing wrapped medicinal herbs to a guest who was about to leave, and then sitting alone in the corner.

She hung her head gloomily, tugging at the corner of her clothes absentmindedly with her small hands, her little mouth puckering up high.

Seeing this, Fang Cheng slightly raised the corners of his mouth, revealing a gentle smile.

The matter of sending her to school was told to Wen Huiyi and Master Lin yesterday.

Upon hearing this, Wen Huiyi choked up with gratitude toward Fang Cheng, while full of expectations for her daughter's future.

Master Lin naturally supported it very much, knowing the importance of studying for a bottom-layer family.

However, when this news reached Wen Xin's ears, her reaction made people's hearts ache; her small face instantly collapsed, her brows tightly knitted, full of resistance and unease.

Fang Cheng knew that Wen Xin didn't hate studying; rather, her past broken family life carved deep scars on her young soul, making her subconsciously avoid contact with peers, afraid to face possible mockery, isolation, or being injured again.

However, she also had to rely on herself to take this step bravely and welcome the changes brought by life.

Fang Cheng shook his head slightly, temporarily putting his worries about Wen Xin deep in his heart, and turned around to continue receiving the next wounded person.

Unconsciously, the guests in the shop became fewer and fewer.

As the ticking sound of the wall clock rang, the clamor gradually faded away, and tranquility quietly shrouded the place.

"Sir, is there anything uncomfortable with your body?"

Wen Huiyi moved her lotus steps lightly toward the man wearing a gray windbreaker who had been sitting quietly ever since he entered the door.

Her tone was soft, with a professional smile on her face, trying to break this silence.

"I am looking for Lin Fusheng."

The man shook his head, stood up, and spoke.

The low voice resounded in the quiet shop, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake surface, stirring up ripples.

Fang Cheng and Master Lin both couldn't help stopping the movements in their hands, casting their gazes toward this person.