Compensation

“Zhou Huayang?” Luo Feng's heart stirred. “So it was him!” The military officer at the Yian District Detention Center had mentioned that Zhang Haobai had enlisted Zhou Huayang's help to arrange people to deal with him. “You're Zhou Huayang?” Luo Feng offered a faint smile. Zhou Huayang's heart skipped a beat. Under Luo Feng's gaze, he couldn't help but feel a surge of panic. How could he not? If Luo Feng truly intended to deal with him, he'd be in serious trouble. Zhou Huayang maintained his smiling facade: “That would be me, your humble junior. Brother Luo, why don't we find a quieter place to talk?” “Sounds good.” Luo Feng nodded. “I also have something to discuss with you.” ... On a street not far from the South Shore Residential District, there was a ‘Yangzhou Bathhouse’. This bathhouse was considered a high-end establishment; even a small suite had a minimum charge of a thousand Huaxia currency. Although Luo Feng had heard of the place, he had never been inside. This time, however, he brought his brother and Zhou Huayang there. The Yangzhou Bathhouse was a comprehensive facility offering bathing, foot soaks, and various recreational activities. “Alright, you can leave now. I’ll call you if I need anything,” Zhou Huayang instructed in one of the bathhouse suites. “Understood, sir.” The attendant left the suite. The suite comprised three rooms: one for bathing, another for relaxation and business meetings, and a third for entertainment, equipped for internet, television, and karaoke. “Ah Hua, you can play in this room. I need to discuss something with Zhou Huayang,” Luo Feng said with a smile. “Go ahead, Brother.” Luo Hua pushed his wheelchair directly to the computer, a hint of excitement in his voice. “Tsk, tsk, a 46-inch ultra-thin screen, voice-activated system—this is awesome.” Luo Feng sighed inwardly. His family's laptop was the cheapest kind, with a manual operating system, costing only a few hundred Huaxia currency. Nowadays, some luxurious laptops were almost all ‘voice-activated’, and it was rumored that the most top-tier ones even featured ‘three-dimensional virtual holographic projection’. Of course, devices capable of three-dimensional virtual projection were extremely expensive, almost legendary. Even an average wealthy family might have to go bankrupt to afford one. While his brother Luo Hua excitedly experimented with the voice-activated system at the computer, Luo Feng and Zhou Huayang entered the lounge. With a soft click, the door closed. Inside the lounge, Luo Feng and Zhou Huayang sat facing each other. “Brother Luo, have some tea.” Zhou Huayang poured a cup of tea for Luo Feng, his face filled with remorse. “Brother Luo, I came here today to apologize to you! Regarding this incident… sigh, I’m truly ashamed and embarrassed!” Luo Feng silently listened, holding his teacup. Zhou Huayang… There were many people like him in society, those with extensive connections. Their job was to take money from others and help them get things done. For instance, Zhou Huayang was paid to act, and he had no prior animosity towards Luo Feng. Luo Feng didn't hold much resentment towards Zhou Huayang. His true hatred was directed at Zhang Haobai. “Even if Zhang Haobai hadn't found Zhou Huayang to deal with me, he would have found someone else,” Luo Feng thought to himself. “Zhou Huayang is just an intermediary. However… since he came to me, I might as well settle this privately with him.” Seeing Luo Feng remain silent, Zhou Huayang quickly continued, “When I arranged for people to deal with you, Brother Luo, I had no idea about your true situation. It was all Zhang Haobai who misled me, which led to such a foolish mistake! I hope you, Brother Luo, in your magnanimity, can forgive this junior.” “Forgive you?” Luo Feng grinned. “This is a small token of my sincerity, and I hope Brother Luo will accept it.” Zhou Huayang took out an envelope from his pocket and pushed it across the table towards Luo Feng. “This is a registered check from China Merchants Bank, payable to you, Brother Luo. Only you can withdraw this amount. You can cash it at any branch of China Merchants Bank.” Luo Feng glanced at it, opened the envelope, and indeed found a check. It was valid for ten days, payable to Luo Feng, and included his ID number. But what truly caught his eye was the amount written: One Million Huaxia Currency! “One million?” Luo Feng was slightly surprised. This was a considerable sum. His family's savings had never exceeded a hundred thousand Huaxia currency over the years. Huaxia currency was still quite valuable, and even for company executives, one million Huaxia currency was a large figure. “I hope Brother Luo can forgive this junior, and we can put this matter behind us,” Zhou Huayang said earnestly. One million… Luo Feng's family had never possessed so much money. Such money, he thought, was not to be refused. “I know you were just an intermediary, so I won’t make things difficult for you. Alright, I’ll accept this money.” Luo Feng nodded, and Zhou Huayang immediately breathed a sigh of relief. “However, cashing this check is a bit troublesome. How about this: transfer the money directly to my account online right now,” Luo Feng suggested. “No problem.” Zhou Huayang was very straightforward. Luo Feng nodded, took a pen from the table, and wrote his bank account number and the name of his bank on a piece of white paper. “This is my bank card account number, and the bank address is here. I am the account holder.” “Understood.” Zhou Huayang retrieved the envelope and check, then took out his phone. He quickly went online to access his bank system and, within moments, successfully completed the transfer. Luo Feng felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He took it out and saw a text message—a bank notification of a balance change, indicating that his bank card balance had increased by one million. “Did it arrive?” Zhou Huayang asked with a smile. “Yes.” Luo Feng nodded. Zhou Huayang smiled. “Brother Luo, you’re very straightforward. If you ever encounter any problems in Yangzhou City that you can’t solve, just come to me. I’ll help you if I can. Of course, you’ll soon be a Warrior, Brother Luo, but while the big bosses might be reasonable, the underlings can be a real pain. It’s often easier for us to handle such troublesome matters.” “Alright, I’ll ask for your help if something comes up.” Luo Feng stood up. Zhou Huayang immediately rose as well, and the two shook hands. “Then I’ll take my leave first,” Zhou Huayang said with a smile. “I’ve already paid for this suite, so you and Brother Luo can enjoy it until tomorrow morning.” Zhou Huayang then greeted Luo Feng’s brother, Luo Hua, before exiting the suite. Only Luo Feng and his brother Luo Hua remained in the suite. In the suite’s entertainment room. “Brother, what did that man want?” Luo Hua asked with a smile. “He seemed quite polite.” “He came to give us money,” Luo Feng replied with a grin. “Give us money?” Luo Hua was astonished. Luo Feng hadn't told his parents or his brother about what happened at the Detention Center. He didn't want his family to worry about him. In Luo Feng's view… since he was embarking on the path of a Warrior, that path would be fraught with difficulties and dangers. It was better not to tell his parents about these perilous matters. “Oh, by the way, Ah Hua,” Luo Feng said with a smile. “How’s your stock trading going?” His brother, Ah Hua, spent most of his time at home. He was interested in finance, especially the stock market. Despite his young age, he had been trading stocks for three years. “I didn’t make money the first year, but I’ve earned quite a bit in the last two years, quadrupling my initial investment. I have over twenty thousand now,” Luo Hua said. “That much?” Luo Feng was greatly surprised. Twenty thousand Huaxia currency wasn't what surprised Luo Feng; it was his brother's efficiency in making money! To have quadrupled his investment was an astonishing rate! “It’s alright,” Luo Hua said with a smile. “Actually, stock trading is about psychology and mathematics. As long as you manage your positions well and control your average buying price through staggered purchases, and follow the big players behind the scenes, it’s quite easy to operate… but sometimes, during market volatility, your psychology can be affected. The first year I didn’t make money was because I often got scared and sold too early.” Luo Feng listened, completely bewildered. “My earnings are nothing. The real experts operate futures and other derivatives. While I might quadruple my investment in stocks, they can earn ten or twenty times that. Of course, futures are much riskier; one mistake and a forced liquidation can wipe you out completely,” Luo Hua said, shaking his head. Although Luo Feng didn't understand these things… he understood one point: stock earnings compounded. For example, his brother went from a few thousand to twenty thousand in three years. But if he had a principal of one million, he might have four million now. With a principal of four million, he would probably have sixteen million. Money begets money, and the effect becomes more exaggerated over time. “Ah Hua, I’ll give you five hundred thousand later,” Luo Feng said with a smile. “Work hard.” “Five hundred thousand?” His brother Luo Hua’s eyes lit up with excitement. “The stock market fell sharply today; it’s the perfect time to buy the dip and make a fortune.” Having shared a room with his brother for so many years, Luo Feng had long noticed that his brother always hoped for a stock market crash, while their neighbor, Old Man Wang, always hoped for a surge. His brother made money trading stocks, while Old Man Wang lost money. Do experts always hope for a stock market crash? Luo Feng wondered. “By the way, Brother, where did you get the money?” Luo Hua quickly asked. “From that Zhou Huayang just now,” Luo Feng replied with a smile. “Brother, go ahead and use this money. Once I become a Warrior, I’ll earn much more.” Ordinary Warriors didn't earn that much, but… Luo Feng was well aware of his own strength. His object manipulation ability alone was far more terrifying than a heavy machine gun! After all, bullets flew in a straight line, but the spikes Luo Feng controlled could change direction instantly. “August 1st, the Warrior combat assessment. After passing, my Warrior career will begin.” Luo Feng’s right hand, holding the teacup, involuntarily tightened. *Crack!* The teacup immediately shattered, spilling tea everywhere. His brother Luo Hua, beside him, jumped in fright. “Brother, what’s wrong?” “Nothing.” Luo Feng shook his head with a smile. But in his heart, he thought, “In the Detention Center cell, cultivating Gene Original Energy significantly boosted my strength. Then, with the awakening of my ability, my power increased even more! My current strength and speed are far, far greater than before. However, such rapid growth isn't always good. My control over my power isn't precise enough.” Getting excited and crushing a teacup clearly showed a lack of control over his strength. “Hmm, first thing tomorrow morning, I’ll go to the Extreme Martial Arts Dojo. From today until August 1st, these twenty-odd days, I’ll diligently train. I need to refine and master my current speed and strength, so I can unleash my full potential.” Luo Feng mused.