Pretending To Be A Boss

The turn of events unfolded as such, Dong Ran had always thought that Tang was a smart man, just a bit odd. But now it seemed that it was not mere eccentricity, but some sort of bizarre hobby.

She couldn't comprehend the idea of someone actively asking to be beaten.

It's true that in the real world there were some with agile skills or robust physiques, but they ultimately couldn't compare to the gifted ones who entered the mining area.

Dong Ran was certain that Tang's body indeed had no talent, at least physically; he was simply a healthy ordinary person.

An ordinary person, beaten viciously by three strong hooligans for several minutes, should at least be severely injured—the thought was absurd to Dong Ran.

It appeared... that Tang wasn't hurt?

It seemed that these people couldn't actually harm Tang?

Perhaps it was Tang Xian's overly mocking expression. Combined with another slap filled with resentment, the three felt something was off but still kept up their front and resumed kicking and punching Tang Xian.

One minute later, Tang Xian felt they were running out of steam, so he gave them another slap.

Three minutes later, Tang Xian was sure their strength was really declining, and with heartfelt sorrow, he told them they should exercise more regularly.

Five minutes later, the three hooligans began to contemplate life: why was it that the one being beaten wasn't tired and even seemed to be getting stronger, while they, the beaters, were growing weary?

After ten minutes, gasping for breath, with eyes wide open and looking at Tang Xian as if he were a monster, they said,

"Big... Brother, we quit... you... you, huh, find someone else to hit you."

The leader couldn't take it anymore.

He didn't care about causing death at the bottom rung of society. So every punch and every kick was delivered with lethal intent,

Although most of the time Tang Xian was a civilized person, when it came to fighting, he understood the feeling.

"Adrenaline can give a person an endless burst of strength in the first few humiliating minutes, but it will hasten the drain on one's physical energy. Many times, one doesn't feel it during the fight, but as soon as they stop, the fatigue hits immediately. It's like the saying, 'first use all your might, then decline and finally become exhausted.' Fighting and brawling are the same."

"So you can't stop, otherwise, if you want to move again later, you'll have no strength left."

Tang Xian encouraged them as he looked on.

Looking as though they had seen a ghost, the three said nothing further and took to their heels.

Tang Xian shook his head.

Initially, his resistance grew with every punch, but later it took several punches for a slight increase, making the efficiency much lower. However, today's harvest was not bad, at least proving that this method was feasible.

"Let's go. We'll head to the antiques dealer. After buying a pot, I'll make you shrimp and crab-flavored mushroom soup tonight."

Tang Xian turned around as if nothing had happened.

Dong Ran was also gradually getting used to Tang's company. He would usually explain what she didn't understand, but if he chose not to, she didn't bother to ask.

She didn't know what shrimp and crab-flavored mushroom soup was, but she was sure it would be delicious if Tang was making it.

...

...

Tang Xian was efficient in his work.

The owner of the antique shop also liked doing business with Tang Xian, because he never haggled.

The owner's name was Luo, nicknamed Six Eyes, alluding to the ability to see in all directions.

Mostly poor people lived at the Pyramid's bottom layer, and those with money would choose to live on the second layer. Luo was different; he was truly wealthy, but he fancied the murky air of the bottom layer.

Tang Xian was a customer he liked. Although Tang never haggled, he always could determine the minimum acceptable price, so there was no need for a lot of talk and waste of breath.

"Cantonese cooking pot, originating from Yangcheng, it's an early model; noisy and time-consuming, but the flavor is authentic, and it has a variety of uses," said Luo as he eyed Tang Xian.

"Name your price."

"Three purple organic ores."

Tang Xian nodded his head.

Luo's current honesty level was 57. After completing a straightforward deal, Tang Xian even gave him an extra piece.

"Four pieces—I'll take the pot. And if you come across any pots from Yan Jing, keep an eye out for me too," said Tang Xian.

"Oh, making big moves, are we? All right, I'll have someone look into it for you. Next time you're back at the bottom layer, I'll let you know the news."

Six Eyes had good eyesight. He could tell that Tang Xian had improved his position, and the young lady behind him, although delicate in appearance, was definitely not an ordinary girl.

With such grace, if she were too ordinary, she would only serve as a commodity at the bottom layer.

He had always thought there was more to Tang Xian, and now he was even more certain.

"By the way, any news on those books I wanted?"

"It's hard to complete the Twenty-Four Histories. 'Book of Liang,' 'Book of the Later Han,' and 'Book of Jin' are indeed hard to find. But we got a new batch of ancient records from the 21st century, the two-hundred-billion tweets preserved electronically in the great library by the state; do you want those?"

"That works. Just tell me the price."

"Most of it is empty talk, with little valuable content, five blue ores will do."

Tang Xian paid promptly.

Sustenance for the mind couldn't compare with real gourmet food; he was always pragmatic. But Tang Xian was indeed very interested in the affairs of bygone eras.

What interested him most was the twenty-first century, followed by the more remote five thousand years of history.

In the mining district, one fought against beasts, but Tang Xian had a premonition that he would also fight many people in the future.

Having these historical readings would help him avoid some detours.