Feng Yin's job required absolutely no technical skill. It was simply unloading and hauling. Cartload after cartload of supplies was transported to this warehouse-like location. Led by Boss Hong, the numerous residents of the Tongzi Building unloaded the goods and stacked them neatly in designated areas. Regardless of age or gender, everyone was treated equally and expected to pull their weight.
Of course, this didn't mean everyone had to carry the same amount or the same weight. Strongmen with greater physical power worked faster; when it was time to settle their wages, they received a larger share of the supplies. The elderly and women, who had less strength, teamed up to carry loads together, splitting the performance record and naturally sharing the compensation equally. With Sister Xie standing to the side with a cold expression, supervising and keeping count, exactly how much each person hauled was crystal clear.
Feng Yin had observed that no one dared to slack off or play tricks to challenge the authority of Brother Hong and Sister Xie. Presumably, anyone who had tried that in the past had learned their lesson.
Naturally, Feng Yin was also working hard. However, as soon as he got started, he noticed a difference. The cargo that even tall, powerful strongmen struggled to shoulder felt somewhat light to him. If it weren't for the sake of ensuring he didn't get injured, he would have even been tempted to try carrying two pieces at once. Even so, his hauling frequency noticeably surpassed that of most people.
Feng Yin knew exactly what was going on—it was the hidden enhancement brought to him by the Armor taking effect. This Golden Finger was his foundation for survival in this world. Unfortunately, he still hadn't figured out how to enter the "level" again.
While his current Armor was undoubtedly strong, it wasn't enough to turn him into a true Superman. Let alone facing artillery fire or more advanced firearms, he suspected that even against the two guards at the gates of Sin City, he wouldn't be able to withstand a volley from their rifles. But if he could continue grinding with this Armor, it would definitely become increasingly powerful—powerful enough to support him against any threat.
At the same time, Feng Yin couldn't help but recall the sword fight he had seen on the large screen on his way here. Although the battle between the Blade Master named Ya Lie and his opponent had lasted a mere ten seconds, the prowess displayed had been utterly absurd. To put it bluntly, if one wanted to see that level of combat on Earth, they would basically have to look in movies, anime, or video games. It was highly unlikely for such experts to exist in reality.
He suspected that an expert with such Martial Arts might even be somewhat immune to firearms—at least, ordinary firearms wielded by ordinary people. If he were to engage in a sword duel with Ya Lie utilizing the current hidden enhancements of his Armor...
Feng Yin figured his odds were about three to seven. Ya Lie would only need three strikes to chop him into seven pieces.
However, if he were allowed to don the Armor in combat, it would be hard to say who would come out on top. Simply comparing physical power, Speed, and defense, Feng Yin was confident that the Armor was superior. Yet, he didn't know if a powerhouse like Ya Lie possessed some unrevealed Absolute technique or trump card.
He vaguely remembered hearing someone mention that this guy was at least a Fierce Level expert. It seemed this world had a rather comprehensive grading system for Martial Arts practitioners, though he had no idea where this Fierce Level stood in the hierarchy.
Feng Yin's movements never stopped, his hauling efficiency only increasing. Supported by his formidable physique, this simple manual labor wasn't enough to exhaust him to the point of being unable to think.
On the other side...
Sister Xie withdrew her gaze from Feng Yin's back, a thoughtful expression on her face. This kid's physical fitness was somewhat astounding. Was it natural, or had he trained before? She decided to test this young man once they returned today.
And so, with all parties harboring their own plans, time slowly passed.
At dusk.
After a full day of exhausting labor, Feng Yin returned to the Tongzi Building along with the crew. Even with a physique that surpassed ordinary people, over ten hours of high-Strength unloading and hauling had pushed him to his limits. Naturally, in the final tally of their labor, his total piece count ranked in the top three. On his very first day of work, he had outperformed the vast majority of the veterans in the crew.
This truly made quite a few people see him in a new light. After all, while Feng Yin's height of over 1.8 meters made him stand out from the crowd, his build was on the slender side. No matter how one looked at it, he had nothing to do with the word "muscular." Yet here he was, working like a Power King with Innate Divine Power. It was truly unbelievable.
Even Boss Hong and Sister Xie marveled at Feng Yin's physique. This realization directly influenced the decision the two of them were about to make.
After returning to the building, the two silently headed upstairs and went back to their room.
Boss Hong was the first to break the silence. "Old Xie, what do you think? Everything that Yamanamikawa said is true. If we don't have a backup plan, this livelihood of ours is really going to be snatched away."
The bald strongman had lost the arrogant ferocity he had directed at Yamanamikawa that morning. Right now, a look of worry surfaced on his face; relying solely on ruthlessness would never have allowed him to become the Leader of over a hundred people in this danger-ridden Sin City.
Sister Xie fell slightly silent before speaking coldly in her hoarse voice. "The Ren Sheng Group's Leader, Kondo, and that Yamanamikawa certainly have decent Swordsmanship. However, your strength and mine are enough to beat them. The problem lies with that genius Sword Hero who recently joined them."
"Yeah, that Saito," Boss Hong said, slapping his thigh in frustration. "Rumor has it he's been hailed as a genius Swordsman since he was very young. Who would have thought such a promising prodigy would commit a felony and be tossed onto this Border Prison Island? And I definitely didn't expect him to have ties with Kondo from the Ren Sheng Group."
Sister Xie's expression remained calm. "There's no use complaining about it now. If that Saito is truly as formidable as they say, I must be prepared to lose my combat capability even if I manage to defeat him."
She paused for a moment, then added, "By then, it's highly likely I won't be able to face Kondo and Yamanamikawa. Relying solely on you to secure back-to-back victories against those two is a tall order. We need outside help."
Boss Hong scratched his head. "Old Xie, it's easy for you to say. This Border Prison Island is the damn exile colony for Genroku Country. Over ninety percent of the inmates are Genroku People. Who's going to help a crew led by two Celestial Essence People? They're all just waiting for us to die so they can take over this place!"
He reached out and grasped Sister Xie's hand. "Honestly, Old Xie, maybe we should just give up."
Sister Xie shot him a glance. "Are you sure? Over half the people in this Tongzi Building are brothers who have fought by your side since Genroku Country. If you give up, how will you feed them? Without food or water, the whole crew will collapse in a matter of days. Sure, you might be able to fend for yourself, but how long will your brothers survive?"
Boss Hong fell silent.
Sister Xie patted his shoulder. "If we can't find outside help, we'll train three of our own. Pick two capable brothers and put them through some emergency training."
Boss Hong paused, bewildered. "Pick two? Aren't we supposed to send five people up? Do you already have someone in mind for the last spot?"
"I do."
Sister Xie nodded. Standing up, she walked out of the room, stepped into the corridor, and waved her hand at the floor below.
"Feng Yin, come up here. I have something to discuss with you."
Behind her, Boss Hong looked utterly speechless. "You've got to be kidding. You're going to make this kid fight? Sure, he has a bit of strength, but he obviously doesn't know any Martial Arts! Besides, we haven't even figured out his true identity yet! What if he's a mole for the other side?"
Sister Xie turned her head, a cold smile curling her lips. "Wouldn't that be perfect? If he wins, everyone is happy. If he dies, no one will lose any sleep over it."