Chapter 128: Shohoku High School

After sending Kudo away for the time being, Wang Ling took out the key dropped by the late president of the Tomei Gang, eager to see what items he had acquired.

Since it was a black-iron treasure chest, he didn't expect anything extraordinary, but he still held a glimmer of hope as he opened it—if he could obtain the "Hundred-Cracking Fist" skill, it would undoubtedly be a lucrative harvest.

Unfortunately, no skill books appeared. Instead, the chest contained three items:

"Tomei Medal: Type: Accessory; Grade: E; Attribute: Blue Equipment; Ability: Constitution +1; Equipment Requirement: None; Description: This is proof of the status of the Tomei Gang president. Possessing it will earn you the respect of all personnel at Shonhoku High School."

"A Stack of Yen: A valuable currency item, totaling 100,000 yen. It can be used directly or exchanged for 1,000 currency points."

"Delicious Soda: Drinking it restores 50 Spirit points and permanently adds 1 to Agility."

The medal, which offered a marginal +1 to Constitution, was an accessory similar to Linda’s Wish. Fortunately, a Dreamer could equip two medals simultaneously without conflict. As for the yen, worth 1,000 currency points, and the stat-boosting soda, they were decent rewards. Eliminating the president hadn't provided a massive surprise, but the gains were respectable.

After equipping the Tomei Medal, Wang Ling began to ponder his next steps.

If all went according to plan, the Tomei Gang was now under his control as expected. In truth, given his strength, he could have challenged more powerful factions single-handedly, but he had ultimately chosen a minor place like Shonhoku.

First, the Tomei Gang was weak and small in number. Having defeated hundreds of them previously, he had established an image of invincibility. Having killed the original president, Yano, he would face no resistance in becoming the new leader. Had he chosen a more powerful faction—even a second-tier one—the sheer number of members and strong fighters would have made consolidation difficult even after killing their leader.

Second, Shonhoku High School had a very low reputation, making it a bottom-tier school that would go unnoticed. Ruling such a school would not immediately draw the attention of powerful surrounding factions or invite interference from boss-level fighters.

Wang Ling considered himself strong, but not strong enough to contend with the endless stream of powerhouses in this "Hot-Blooded" world. He knew the protagonists, Kunio and Riki, could take down a minion with a few strikes. Not to mention the formidable Four Heavenly Kings of Reihou, Ryuichi and Ryuji, or even the mysterious hidden forces like the Yamada Legion. If characters from the Hot-Blooded fighting games appeared, the number of powerhouses would increase significantly, including the fearsome Tiger Mask brothers.

In short, there were far too many boss-level fighters in this world. Wang Ling wanted to accumulate reputation without provoking anyone too early. Starting by ruling a low-level faction like Shonhoku was the most pragmatic path.

Third, by ruling the school, he could direct the gang to expand outward. If the Tomei Gang’s territory grew and its influence increased, his reputation as president would rise, eventually attracting the attention of super-gang bosses, which would help fulfill his main mission. Furthermore, having a group of subordinates at his command would provide a significant advantage in future operations.

Fourth, other solo Dreamers would struggle to manage a gang as outsiders due to a lack of manpower. Wang Ling faced no such trouble. With the Bully Clan and the Dark Fighters—seven individuals who were effectively intermediate or junior bosses in this world—he had enough strength to firmly control a gang of over two hundred people.

"However, the strength of these gang members is truly pathetic. Since I have a month of free time, now is not the time for expansion. I'll let Wang Long and the others drill these members so they have at least some combat effectiveness and stop being mere cannon fodder. Their physical potential is about double that of ordinary people in the real world, so they have some room for improvement."

After finalizing his plan, Wang Ling rested at the drink shop for a day while waiting for his injured subordinates to recover. From Kudo, he had learned that the delinquents in this world possessed incredible regenerative abilities; as long as they didn't die, even the most severe injuries would heal in a few days, and minor scrapes would vanish in a single day.

The next morning, just as Wang Ling was about to head to Shonhoku High School to summon his members for training, Kudo arrived with three other men. After brief introductions, Wang Ling learned that these three were the other lieutenants of the Tomei Gang. With Yano dead, the gang’s leadership now consisted of Kudo and these three.

Upon learning that Wang Ling had defeated hundreds of people and killed Yano single-handedly, the three were quite sensible and showed no signs of resistance. Of course, the greater reason was that their own strength was limited, and they had no confidence in challenging a mysterious powerhouse who could take on a hundred at once.

"President Ling, the school has specially arranged a welcome ceremony for you. All members of the Tomei Gang and every student in the school wish to witness your heroic stature. We hope you will join us," a mustachioed man in sunglasses said respectfully.

"Oh? I was just planning to meet the members to make an announcement. Let's go, then," Wang Ling replied without refusal. Led by his four lieutenants—Kudo, Koyama, Niijima, and Inoue—he headed toward Shonhoku High School.

The drink shop was not far from the school. Within ten minutes, they reached the gate. Wang Ling stopped, his forehead marked with a row of black lines—he saw a Japanese banner hanging above the gate that read: "Welcome to our new Tomei Gang President, Mr. Wang Ling, for your guidance at Shonhoku High School," accompanied by clusters of colorful balloons.

The school gate was wide open. Over 200 Tomei Gang members, dressed in neat white uniforms—some still wearing bandages—stood in two rows along the path. Seeing Wang Ling arrive with his four lieutenants, they bowed in unison: "Welcome, President Ling!"

Wang Ling’s heroic deeds from the previous day had spread throughout the school. Coupled with the sight of the hundreds of members who had been beaten to a pulp, no one dared to be disrespectful. In fact, in this "Hot-Blooded" world where strength was revered, most of these third-rate delinquent youths felt a sense of awe and anticipation toward their powerful new leader.

Followed by his four lieutenants, Wang Ling walked down the central path into the campus. The gang members straightened up and followed behind him.

Leading the group of over 200, they passed through the main road lined with green trees and walked through the silent lobby of the school building. To Wang Ling’s surprise, he saw no one else besides the gang members at the gate. It wasn't until he entered the assembly hall that he understood why.

Over a thousand students, led by their teachers, had packed the hall to capacity. The walls were decorated with colorful streamers, which felt oddly nostalgic to Wang Ling. He remembered his school decorating classrooms like this for New Year’s parties when he was a child.

"But... my current identity is the president of a criminal gang, and they’re holding a welcome meeting for me in the school auditorium? This is truly unbelievable... No wonder the factions in this world are named after schools. It seems the school is the headquarters of the criminal underworld!"

Feeling a bit disoriented, Wang Ling was escorted into the hall by his four lieutenants. As he entered, the principal of Shonhoku High and the school leaders on the podium stood up and began to applaud. Following their lead, the teachers and students rose as well.

Being stared at by so many people—including many cute students in short skirts and school shirts—Wang Ling, a shut-in by nature in the real world, felt his face burning, and his legs turned to jelly. He hadn't felt this way facing zombie robots; now, he somewhat regretted coming to the ceremony.

"Damn, such a grand scene. If I’d known, I wouldn't have come. This is like being forced onto a stage. Plus, I didn't even have time to brush my teeth this morning..."

Wang Ling wept silently to himself, but in such a setting, even if he felt timid, he couldn't show it. He squeezed a gentle smile onto his face and, guided by the others, climbed onto the stage.

A projector turned on, casting an enlarged image of Wang Ling onto the auditorium screen. When the students below saw the young age and appearance of their new president, they gasped. The characteristic infatuation of Japanese middle school girls immediately manifested, and someone even dared to shout from the audience: "Lord Ling, you’re so handsome!"

This exclamation ignited the hall. Knowing that their new leader had killed Yano and defeated a hundred Tomei members without a scratch, and seeing that he wasn't some ferocious middle-aged man but a young guy close to their own age, everyone was filled with excitement.

Screams, applause, and girls shouting "Lord Ling, I love you" filled the hall. Students of this age loved to stir up trouble, and in the "Hot-Blooded" world, gangs and schools were tightly bound; the gang leader was also the ruler of the school. Thus, the students of Shonhoku didn't fear Wang Ling, seeing him as one of their own.

The principal shouted "Quiet!" into the microphone, but he couldn't control the explosive atmosphere. Kudo, the burly man, took the microphone and scanned the students with squinted eyes. As a lieutenant, he still commanded authority, and under his gaze, the crowd gradually quieted down. He spoke in a cold and serious voice:

"All personnel of Shonhoku High School, pay respects to the new ruler of the school, the new president of the Tomei Gang, Mr. Wang Ling."

"Salute!"

Following Kudo’s shout, everyone in the hall—principal, teachers, and over a thousand students—bowed at the waist, performing the unique Japanese salute of over 90 degrees toward Wang Ling.