These Black guys had clashed with them before, and now that they saw Cao Yang's group back on their turf, they naturally assumed they were here to steal business again.They surrounded the five men, cursing nonstop, yelling for them to get out.
Hearing them spit out "yellow pigs" over and over, Cao Yang couldn't help finding it ironic—people who were discriminated against turning around to discriminate others.
"Excuse me, make way."
Wu Xin stepped forward. Among the group, only he and Cao Yang spoke decent English. The other three had no idea what the yelling was about.
"Make way? My ass! Get the hell out!"
"Get out! Get out!"
A group of young Black men howled like wild dogs, some already raising their fists.
Du Hao, Chen Wei, and Chicken Feather couldn't understand a word, but the tone alone was enough to tell they were being insulted.All three turned to look at Cao Yang.
Cao Yang gave a tiny nod.
Du Hao moved first.His leg swung out—one kick sent a guy flying.
Crash—
That was the spark that lit the beehive.Two to three dozen men attacked at once, clearly planning to beat the five of them to death.
But plans were beautiful, reality was brutal.
Du Hao handled ten all by himself.Chen Wei took down three.Chicken Feather got two.Wu Xin—zero, and still needed Cao Yang to protect him.
Bang! Bang! Bang!Fists and feet flew.Black shadows crashed to the ground.
Screams echoed through the alley.Under the combined pressure of Cao Yang and Du Hao, every one of the thirty men ended up groaning on the floor, unable to stand.
Wu Xin was stunned.He knew Boss Cao was strong…but this strong?
Chicken Feather's eyes were wide.Du Hao's limit was ten at once, but Cao Yang had casually taken down more than ten by himself—his clothes barely even creased.
Chen Wei looked at Cao Yang with genuine admiration.It was one thing to have deadly aim with a gun…but to also beat Du Hao in hand-to-hand?He absolutely deserved to be their boss.
"Still want me to get out?"
Cao Yang stepped on the face of the loudest one.
But just as he was about to show off—
A new wave of people arrived.
This time the street went dark with bodies—easily a hundred to two hundred men.The leaders carried guns.Those behind them held steel pipes and bats.
"Run!"
Cao Yang bolted instantly.
The other four scrambled after him. Wu Xin couldn't keep up, so Cao Yang grabbed him by the collar and dragged him while running.
"Huff—huff—huff—"They only stopped after leaving the area, panting and checking behind them to see if anyone followed.
"Damn it! They've got too many people. Let's gather the brothers and fight back!"
"Are you stupid? They've got hundreds! We've got seventy total. Even combined we'd get crushed!"
Everyone looked to Cao Yang, waiting for their new boss to decide.
"Go back first. I've got a plan."
Back in Chinatown, they recounted the whole fight—of course adding praises about Cao Yang's insane strength.
The brothers were fired up, ready for battle—just waiting for Boss Cao to give the word.
But Cao Yang had no intention of going back to fight.
Instead, he rented a seven-story building outside Chinatown and hired people to renovate it into a restaurant.
The brothers stared blankly as he began recruiting chefs and waiters.
"Boss… is he opening a restaurant?"
"No way he expects us to cook, right?"
"Restaurants make peanuts. Someone go ask the boss what's going on!"
Wu Xin was pushed out to investigate.He found Cao Yang and repeated everyone's concerns. He was curious too.
Cao Yang told him his real plan—the restaurant wasn't for profit.It was a temporary headquarters.
The first floor would be a real restaurant.The second floor, a martial hall for daily training.The third and fourth floors, guest rooms.Fifth to seventh floors, dorms for the brothers.
He wasn't going to make them wait tables.As for future development… he hadn't decided yet.
After all, they were undocumented immigrants.Immigration officers showed up constantly.They couldn't even solve that—how were they supposed to talk about grand business plans?
"Boss… the brothers can't sit still. If they've got nothing to do, they'll stir up trouble. You should give them something to do."
Cao Yang nodded.This group really was exactly like Wu Xin described.Give them a stable job? They wouldn't do it.Otherwise, Situ Meixin wouldn't have asked him to manage them.
"Alright. I'll give you one million dollars. You're the finance manager. If the brothers want to start something, they apply through you. If you all agree, give them the money."
Wu Xin nodded and left with the million.
Cao Yang knew exactly what they were planning—open drug dens, sell drugs.
Drugs destroyed lives, but the U.S. government didn't care.Why should he?
There were thirty million drug addicts in America.The market was massive—so was the competition.
If they wanted to open drug dens, let them.He wouldn't participate.
Not because he was too righteous—but because he looked down on small business.
A drug den?A few hundred dollars a day, maybe a couple thousand on a good day?
Cao Yang wasn't the same man who once begged Li Yan for money to buy slot machines.A few thousand a day? He wasn't interested.
If he did drugs, he would do it big.Not grams—tons.
He wanted to buy land in Mexico, hire his own growers, produce from the source.Not play retail on the streets.
But talk was easy.Doing it was hard.
Mexico was full of cartel territories.A foreigner trying to grow drugs there?Delusional.
Even if he grew them, transporting them to the U.S. was another nightmare.
But big money never came easily.If it were simple, someone else would've done it already.
Cao Yang had the ambition.He just needed time.He wasn't in a rush—he had money now. Plenty of it.
Half a month later, his restaurant opened.
Neighbors from Chinatown came to support.They all knew Cao Yang was the newly appointed Hall Master of Zhongyi Hall.As long as he didn't compete for business inside Chinatown, they welcomed him.
"Brother Cao Yang!"
Nanako waved happily. She had brought three classmates to celebrate the grand opening.
Three Asian faces—one guy, two girls.Cao Yang assumed they were all Japanese and greeted them in his terrible Japanese.
"Brother Cao Yang, speak English or Chinese. They can understand!" Nanako pleaded.
"Oh? Are you all Chinese?"
"No. We're from Naluo."(The two girls laughed.)
One girl kept staring at Cao Yang.
Cao Yang knew Naluo—a small Southeast Asian country bordering China, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, with many Chinese descendants.
Nanako introduced them."This is Nancy, that's Nanda—they're siblings."
Then she pointed at the girl who had been staring."And she's Cao Yiyue. She has the same surname as you!"
"Hey! Why are you staring at my Brother Cao Yang like that?!"
"Sorry… he just looks like someone I know."Cao Yiyue withdrew her gaze, smiling apologetically.
"Yes! He looks like that actor…"Nancy tried to recall.
"Got it—he looks like John Lone!"
Once she said it, Nanako took a closer look.He really did resemble John Lone a little…except younger and more handsome.
Cao Yang's expression didn't change, but inside he was extremely pleased.
He quickly signaled the waiter to serve the dishes.
"Try the silky-cut chicken and sliced beef—they're our signature dishes."
Cao Yiyue shook her head politely."Sorry… I don't eat beef."