Chapter 216

The Yulong Gang’s great ship cleaved through the blue-green waves as it pushed upstream, soon passing beyond Heilong County’s borders.

Several li away on the river’s surface, there was another vessel—a very ordinary, medium-sized cargo ship—moving along at a sluggish pace.

At the bow, someone propped the boat forward with a pole. Behind him, a few boatmen rowed unhurriedly with wooden oars. The ship was almost hovering in place on the water, barely moving at all.

From time to time, the man at the bow and the boatmen glanced backward, anxiety and tension in their eyes.

“Why has it not shown itself yet?”

“Did they not set off long ago?”

“…”

Just then, a low, harsh scolding came from within the cabin.

“Hold steady. Maybe they were delayed in Heilong County.”

“That is true.”

Inside the cabin, it was not cargo at all, but more than a dozen men clad head to toe in pitch-black water gear. Each one looked fierce and murderous, eyes sharp, poised to strike.

Anyone who often traveled waterways could tell at a glance—these were water ghosts with excellent aquatic skills, able to move and kill in the river without a sound.

This ship was clearly lying in wait on the river, watching for prey to walk into its trap.

After a while, someone in the cabin could no longer hold back and began to complain.

“When the Yulong Gang goes to take up an appointment, they should only bring a few people—at most a dozen. Even going upstream, it should not take this long. Why have they not arrived?”

“If we drag this out any longer, we will not be able to keep the cargo ships at the docks under control!”

“Damn it!”

“Those Yulong Gang dogs—why are they dawdling just to take office… It cannot be that they brought several dozen men, can it?”

The moment those words fell, expressions in the cabin grew grave.

They were all Caobang elites, specialists in water combat.

But the Yulong Gang disciples also made their living on the river. Their water skills were not poor either…

If the other side truly had a ship full of men, this small group might not be able to wipe them out.

“…”

Just as the atmosphere in the cabin tightened, a boatman at the stern lowered his voice and passed a message inside.

“They are coming, they are coming!”

“The Yulong Gang flag!”

“It is the ship coming to assume office.”

In the cabin, a man who seemed to be the leader spoke in a cold, decisive tone.

“No matter how many people the Yulong Gang brought this time! A mere subordinate gang dares to reach into a Caobang branch helm—it deserves death! Everyone, prepare to act! Leave none alive!”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

The Caobang elites pulled on their head coverings and tightened their grips on blades, swords, and chisels—the standard kit for water ghosts going to work.

As the Yulong Gang ship slowly approached…

The man at the bow and the boatmen on this vessel could now clearly see the situation on the Yulong ship.

The deck and both sides of the railings were packed with men.

At least forty Yulong Gang disciples stood there with sabers and swords in hand. One look told you they were inner disciples, all at Quasi-Martial Artist strength or above.

A faint chorus of sharp inhales sounded in the cabin.

Everyone looked toward their leader with questioning eyes.

The one leading them was none other than the deputy helm leader of the Caobang’s Sanjiang Branch Helm—Zhang Cha’er.

The strongest contender for the vacant helm leader seat.

Ever since he learned that Lord Seven had arranged for a new deputy helm leader to come to the Sanjiang Branch Helm, and that there was still no sign of him being appointed helm leader, he knew something had gone wrong.

So he quickly investigated “Wangchuan’s” background…

When the Fifth-Rank assassin died, Lord Seven had ultimately been standing on the same ship as Wangchuan and Yang Feiyue.

Zhang Cha’er immediately understood Lord Seven’s intent. He knew that if he did not act now, he would have no hope of the helm leader position. Malice surged from his gut, and he decided to sink the man into the river, gambling on a sliver of opportunity.

“Into the water!”

Zhang Cha’er’s face was ashen as he gave the order.

He led the way, slipping over the side and into the river.

Sixteen Caobang elites behind him clenched their teeth and followed.

Once the bow was drawn, there was no turning back.

They could only walk this dark road to the end.

The ship’s boss and the boatmen did not move. They continued to feign the posture of ordinary rowers.

Seventeen men had already sunk to the riverbed, silently closing in on the Yulong Gang’s ship.

They did not know that Zhao Heiniu—who was enthusiastically practicing 《Five-Finger Rapid Shot》—had spotted the black shadows beneath the water…

“Oh?”

“A big fish!”

Having already cultivated 《Five-Finger Rapid Shot》 to Minor Mastery, he immediately grabbed three arrows and aimed at that “big fish,” as well as another shadow of similar size…

TWANG!

The iron-reinforced bow erupted with astonishing force. The arrows plunged deep into the water, drawing up a bloom of crimson.

Blood?

In an instant, Bai Jingtang opened her eyes. Starlight seemed to gather in them, and a sharp edge flashed forth.

Her figure flickered. In the blink of an eye, she flipped out through the cabin window and appeared beside Zhao Heiniu at the ship’s side.

The iron-reinforced bow had somehow already been taken into her hands. She drew it to a full moon, nocked four arrows at once, and aimed at the silhouettes in the river…

TWANG!!

Without a single word, she loosed all four arrows together!

Four columns of blood rose swiftly in the river!

Immediately after, bubbling streams of air burst from the riverbed.

Only then did Zhao Heiniu realize what was happening. He cried out in alarm:

“Hall Master!”

“There are water ghosts!”

The inner disciples at the ship’s side also pointed down into the water.

“They are surfacing!”

“Damn it!”

“There are a lot of them… They are going to chisel the ship!”

“Loose arrows!”

Wangchuan, Old Qiu, Wang Yuehui, and the others all rushed out of the cabin.

WHOOSH!

Bai Jingtang had already drawn again…

And struck four more!

As the first group of water ghosts she shot floated to the surface, they had clearly swallowed water in their panic. Their faces were deathly pale as they gasped desperately for air.

“Save me!”

“Spare me!”

“Do not kill me!”

One after another, more men surfaced.

Black water gear. Superb water skills…

Wangchuan’s gaze turned icy.

He had not even reached the Sanjiang Branch Helm, and killing intent had already come for him.

This was Jianghu.

This was the world of gangs.

Today, it was fortunate that Captain Bai had come to lend her fist.

“Drop the ropes—haul them up!”

“Anyone in the river who refuses to come up, shoot them dead!”

At Wangchuan’s command, bows were raised. Everyone aimed into the water and loosed arrows.

Panic erupted among the men in the river.

If only two had been wounded, they might have endured it…

The rest could have continued closing in on the cargo ship to chisel it open.

But they had not expected an even more terrifying archer aboard—one who, in a single burst, hit eight of them. Each arrow punched through flesh, forcing them to surface just to stay alive.

As more arrows rained into the river, it did not take long before every last one of them had been hit.

Even Zhang Cha’er, a Second-Rank Martial Artist, was struck by one of Bai Jingtang’s arrows. He turned to flee with the wound—only to be hit again through both legs.

Zhang Cha’er was filled with bitter regret.

The power behind those arrows was immense, their piercing force terrifying. It was obvious they had come from a master who cultivated inner force.

If he had known such a figure was on that ship, he would not have dared to stir trouble even with a hundred times his courage.

GURGLE!

GURGLE!

After swallowing several great mouthfuls of icy river water, Zhang Cha’er finally surfaced.

He saw that all his brothers were already bound and waiting to be taken alive on the river’s surface. In that instant, his heart turned to ash.

On the distant cargo ship, the man at the bow and the boatmen were terrified out of their wits.

“What do we do?”

“The boss has been captured!”

“What do we do now?”