Chapter 111

Su Wangchuan watched as Constable Wu and his men escorted the young thief away. A thoughtful look crept into his eyes.

After exchanging the silver on him for gold notes, he decisively returned to the hall, went back to his room, and logged off.

The moment he was offline, he contacted Lin Xun to ask about the situation in Heilong County.

Lin Xun sounded genuinely surprised.

“Why are you asking about Heilong County? Did you run into someone from Heilong County?” The latter half of his question was noticeably more tense.

Su Wangchuan immediately recounted, in detail, how he had nearly had his wallet stolen in the county seat.

“From the way Constable Wu spoke, thieves in every place are supposed to follow the rules and keep to their own turf. But the thieves from Heilong County clearly crossed the line this time.”

“Qingyi Sect.”

Lin Xun spat the name out in a grave tone.

“In Heilong County, the most famous and powerful force is the beggars’ gang branch called the ‘Qingyi Sect.’ They practically control every brothel and gambling den in Heilong County’s territory. Even escort agencies and shipping are their businesses. That thief you caught was probably a Qingyi Sect disciple.”

Su Wangchuan silently etched the name Qingyi Sect into memory, then pressed on. “Does the Qingyi Sect in Heilong County have any conflict with our Yulong Gang?”

Lin Xun reacted quickly. “You mean he did not pick you at random—he was targeting our Yulong Gang?”

“Of course.”

Su Wangchuan nodded.

“I suspect he had already been scouting in the county seat and had his eyes on me.”

“Heh. I, Su Wangchuan, am the Helm Leader of the Yulong Gang’s dock branch. I have a certain reputation in Huishui County, and I am also a formal martial artist. For a mere thief with only quasi-martial artist strength to dare lay hands on me, he must have done his homework and made preparations in advance.”

He did not mention that his second-rank martial arts had recently borne fruit, that he had trained 《Crocodile-Mouth Saber Art》 and 《Heart-Piercing Dart》 to the level where practice makes perfect, and that his Agility had reached as high as 26—surpassing a first-rank martial artist. If not for that, the other man would likely have succeeded and stolen every last gold note Su Wangchuan had saved up over this period.

On Lin Xun’s end, there was a moment of contemplation before he answered.

“The Qingyi Sect’s shipping business does conflict with ours—especially after we took control of Nu Tao Gang’s water stronghold. Now, every ship from Heilong County that passes through our stretch of water has to pay protection money…”

“A hall master from the Qingyi Sect came to our door twice, hoping we would reduce or waive the protection fee for passage, but our Gang Leader refused. It is probably because of that. The Qingyi Sect definitely harbors hostility toward us now.”

“But the Gang Leader does not care what the Qingyi Sect thinks. The water stronghold’s position happens to choke the convergence point of this entire waterway. Every ship traveling to and from Heilong County cannot avoid us. Yet we can route around Heilong County and bypass the Qingyi Sect’s sphere of influence entirely. Naturally, we do not need to give them face.”

Lin Xun’s information brought sudden clarity to Su Wangchuan.

“So that is how it is!”

“Then the Qingyi Sect showing up in Huishui County is actually a sign they are about to make a move.”

“Yes. Wangchuan, you must be extremely careful on your side. I will notify the Gang Leader right away so the water stronghold can prepare.”

Lin Xun clearly did not know that Yang Feiyue had already warned the Huishui County hall to heighten their vigilance. He hurriedly logged in to report the news.

Su Wangchuan also logged into the game at once, returned to the hall, and informed Song Minshu of the matter.

Song Minshu usually handled escort transport and knew of the Qingyi Sect. The moment he heard it, he became alert.

“A Qingyi Sect disciple!”

“Come on! Wangchuan, with me to the county office—we are going to demand the man!”

“As long as we bring that Qingyi Sect disciple back, we might be able to follow the vine to the melon and uncover other Qingyi Sect martial artists lying low in our county seat.”

Su Wangchuan felt as if he had just awakened from a dream. He immediately followed Hall Master Song and led men to the county office.

Unfortunately—

After hearing the news, Constable Wu hurried out from the yamen.

From far away, Constable Wu clasped his fists and apologized.

“Sorry, sorry!”

“This matter is on me, little brother. Just now, someone bailed that thief out and paid the fine.”

“I am soft-hearted, so I let him go.”

As he spoke, Constable Wu stuffed gold notes into Su Wangchuan’s and Song Minshu’s hands.

“Hall Master Song, Helm Leader Wangchuan—my fault, all my fault! This is a small token of my sincerity. Tonight, Laifeng Pavilion, my treat! Consider it my apology!”

Song Minshu lowered his head for a look.

Heh.

Ten taels in gold notes.

What a generous hand.

He showed no reaction on his face.

The Qingyi Sect had clearly spent heavily on that thief. No wonder Constable Wu had been so quick to release him.

“Heh. Since that is the case, we cannot delay Constable Wu from making his fortune…”

Song Minshu accepted the gold notes.

Su Wangchuan was a little surprised.

The grudge between the Qingyi Sect and the Yulong Gang was not something twenty taels of gold could settle.

Constable Wu visibly relaxed. He slung an arm around Hall Master Song’s shoulder and pulled him aside.

“This matter really was not handled properly by me…”

“Thanks to the two of you for being magnanimous.”

“Come on! Laifeng Pavilion—I will make it up to you both. Tonight, we will not stop until we are drunk!”

“Fine.”

Song Minshu agreed smoothly, but then offered Constable Wu an apologetic explanation. “Wangchuan cannot go. The dock still needs someone watching… Wangchuan, take men back and hold the hall.”

“Yes!”

Su Wangchuan did not know what Hall Master Song was plotting, but he clasped his fists and accepted the order. He led a dozen men back to the hall, leaving only Song Minshu and his trusted aides to follow Constable Wu to Laifeng Pavilion.

Dusk deepened, and lanterns flared to life.

Most of the cargo on the dock had already been unloaded…

Only a small number of laborers remained, waiting for work to come.

As the sky grew darker, fewer and fewer people lingered on the dock.

Some of the hall’s disciples also gradually returned to their rooms to rest. Only the night watch remained, in pairs, guarding the front and back gates or patrolling the inner hall.

Over by the weapon room…

It was as lively as ever.

Clang-clang-clang, a bustling din.

After midnight passed—

Even the weapon room fell completely silent.

All was still.

Hall Master Song had not returned. Perhaps he was sleeping on some girl’s fragrant couch in Laifeng Pavilion.

Su Wangchuan held a Hundredfold Steel Saber as he sat in the west wing courtyard of the hall’s weapon room. An Iron-Reinforced Bow lay on the stone table, and a quiver of Armor-Piercing Arrows rested on his back.

Everything that had happened during the day left him with a terrible premonition.

He kept feeling that tonight would not be peaceful.

The Qingyi Sect thief had been bailed out with a heavy sum.

If the Qingyi Sect truly intended to strike at the Yulong Gang, there would not be much time or many opportunities left.

He sat in silence for about an hour…

The hour when people were most prone to drowsiness.

The heavens were pitch-black, without a glimmer of light.

Dark clouds covered the moon.

Su Wangchuan’s ear suddenly twitched slightly.

The physical qualities of a first-rank martial artist gave him keener senses.

Outside the hall, there seemed to be the sound of something cutting through the air, mixed with the faintest—almost imperceptible—noise of toes pressing against a wall…

A flying thief!

Su Wangchuan’s expression shifted.

They are here!

He tightened his grip on the Iron-Reinforced Bow. With a light push off the ground, his body sprang upward, and he landed soundlessly on the roof.

Bending his body low, Su Wangchuan narrowed his eyes to slits and saw several black shadows sprinting across the hall’s rooftops, pouncing toward the inner hall patrol disciples.

PUFF! UGH!

Flesh was pierced, accompanied by a short, muffled groan deep in the throat—no sound carried out.

From outside the hall came even more agile, rapid footsteps.

In an instant, Su Wangchuan’s scalp went numb.

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