Jack Brooks burst out laughing at these words, but as his eyes suddenly swept over Frank Quinn, who was following behind his grandson, he froze, and his laughter abruptly stopped.

"You... you child, you're not far from facing your tribulation, but... but who knows if you'll make it through?"

Looking at Frank Quinn, Jack Brooks's face was full of regret. Just as he was about to say more, his chest suddenly tightened, a sweet taste rose in his throat, and a mouthful of bright red blood spurted out, staining the front of his clothes crimson.

"Old... eldest, help... help..."

The old man gripped his eldest son's hand tightly, but before he could finish his sentence, the light faded from his eyes, his head drooped heavily, and all signs of life left his body.

"Father..."

"Grandpa..."

The moment the old man passed away, wailing filled the room, everyone knelt by the window, and grief permeated the entire Liu family compound.

The Liu family had actually been mentally prepared for the old man's death. Mourning clothes and funeral arrangements had already been made, and naturally, some idle hands came in to distribute the mourning attire to everyone.

"Samuel, don't cry, take care of yourself!"

Frank Quinn supported Samuel Brooks, who was crying so hard he nearly fainted, and helped him put on the mourning clothes. Tears filled Frank Quinn's eyes as well; this was the first time he had cried since his parents passed away.

From the moment the old man died, the funeral had already begun. After persuading the Liu family members to leave the room, someone bathed and dressed the old man in burial clothes.

Although Old Master Liu had not been in the mainland for decades, he was once renowned and had built extensive connections in the martial world. Naturally, his funeral could not be a simple affair.

As the news of his passing spread through phone calls and telegrams, the once-quiet town suddenly became lively, with many robust men arriving every day.

The funeral would last seven days. During those seven days, the town and even the city hotels were almost fully occupied. People from all walks of life mingled, and the police were seen much more frequently than usual.

The Liu brothers had to thank those who came to pay their respects and also host many fellow martial artists, keeping them so busy their feet barely touched the ground. Even Samuel Brooks and the other half-grown children were put to work.

In these circumstances, Frank Quinn could only do what little he could, coming to the Liu house early every morning to serve tea and water to the guests, only dragging his exhausted body home to sleep at night when everyone had left, barely having time to look after his sister.

It was only then that Frank Quinn realized the old man's status in the martial world, because on the day of the funeral, not only did fellow martial artists from the mainland attend, but many overseas Chinese had also returned specifically for the occasion.

There were over three hundred vehicles in the funeral procession, and more than a thousand people attended the funeral, with police dispatched to maintain order.

"Frank, tomorrow I’ll be returning to Taiwan Island with my father and the others. Take care of yourself—I’ll be back soon!"

After the funeral, Samuel Brooks found Frank Quinn. Although the old man had left a will before his death, there was another copy with the lawyer. He requested that half of his ashes be scattered in Sun Moon Lake on Taiwan Island.

This was also a major event, and all direct members of the Liu family had to attend. So after the mainland funeral, they would immediately return to Taiwan Island, where many of the old man's military friends lived, though many could not come to the mainland for various reasons.

"Frank, take this money. I know Grandpa asked Uncle to look after you before he died, but he didn’t finish what he wanted to say before he..."

Samuel Brooks took out a wad of cash and stuffed it into Frank Quinn's pocket. He had been closest to the old man when he passed, so he naturally understood the meaning of his last words.

But these days, the Liu family elders had been so busy they barely slept, so they hadn’t had time to look after Frank Quinn. Only Samuel Brooks still kept it in mind.

Seeing Frank Quinn about to refuse, Samuel Brooks quickly said, "Frank, don’t turn it down. Go buy a tricycle—you’ll be able to collect more things every day. Just think of it as a loan from your brother!"

"Alright, Samuel, thank you!"

Frank Quinn didn’t stand on ceremony and accepted the money. He usually pushed a rickety cart to collect scrap, which, though it could carry a lot, couldn’t go very far—nowhere near as convenient as a tricycle.

Chapter 0007: The Lower Nine Classes

In a room at a railway guesthouse near the city, four men of varying ages were drinking together. The snacks were simple: a plate of fried peanuts and a pound of pig’s head meat.

On any other day, such people would have stood out in the small town, since the population was not very mobile and any stranger would attract attention.

But during this period, with people from all over the country and overseas coming to attend Jack Brooks's funeral, there were at least eight hundred if not a thousand visitors, so these four men didn’t seem conspicuous.

"Sixth, we’re here to attend Old Master Liu’s funeral. Keep a low profile and don’t cause trouble here."