Looting

2024-07-31

"Stay away from Sun Wenyen's team from now on. I can't always get here in time," Lu Gang warned.

Song Changming pursed his lips and nodded.

It was only an insignificant little incident and had no real impact.

The major purge of the Qinghe Gang soon came to an end. From beginning to end, the Qinghe Gang had failed to mount any effective resistance, and its headquarters was completely seized by the Patrol Guard Headquarters.

Of the remaining Qinghe Gang members, some were dead, some captured, and only a handful had escaped.

Lu Gang kicked open the door to a study in the residence.

Before long—

"Found it! There's a secret room here. The land deeds and house deeds are all here, along with two chests of silver!"

Lu Gang's good news made Liang Chuanshan, who had been waiting outside, break into a grin as well.

"Good! The top merit goes to us!"

"Brother Lu, you're amazing!"

"When it comes to finding treasure, Brother Lu is the one to watch!" The patrol guards in the team immediately began flattering him.

"Enough nonsense. Get in here and carry this stuff. There are also some antique calligraphy, paintings, and jade artifacts. All valuable goods," Lu Gang shouted from inside.

"Go on, all of you, move it." Liang Chuanshan waved his hand, and the patrol guards below immediately filed inside, carrying the items out one by one.

Looking at the two large chests full of copper coins and silver, as well as the pile of exquisitely crafted antiques and calligraphy, Song Changming had to admit that the Qinghe Gang's coffers were truly substantial.

As expected of a gang that had stood firm in the city district for many years. It was completely different from those small gangs that scattered at the first sign of trouble.

They knew how to win people over, how to operate and develop their business, and they possessed a certain foundation.

If not for the emergence of the even stronger Nine Bends Society over the past two years to contend with them, the Qinghe Gang might really have continued growing stronger, completely shedding its reputation as a rabble. Once the time was right, it could have cleaned up its image and transformed into a local power.

Unfortunately, only a minority could truly leap through the Dragon Gate. The overwhelming majority could only end in failure.

In the end, the Qinghe Gang had failed to escape the fate of most gangs. After this calamity, it would vanish into smoke after tonight.

Before long, there would likely be few people left in the markets even talking about the Qinghe Gang.

Running with gangs and working shady sidelines could certainly bring in a lot of money, but risk and reward were proportional. One wrong step, and you could be wiped out, Song Changming thought as he looked at the gang members' corpses strewn across the ground.

By comparison, as a patrol guard backed by the authorities, he was undoubtedly safer and more stable. There was also no shortage of opportunities for profit.

"Brother Liang, you work fast. In such a short time, you found the most valuable place," Sun Wenyen said unhappily as he arrived late with his men.

"Heh heh, these assets all have to be handed over. It's just a minor merit," Liang Chuanshan replied with a faint smile.

Sun Wenyen stood to one side without speaking further. He was deeply dissatisfied with his own patrol guards' performance tonight.

After a while, the other Patrol Guard Teams also arrived, carrying their seized valuables.

In comparison, Liang Chuanshan's team had clearly seized the most wealth.

There was no need to think about it. Once they returned from this mission, Liang Chuanshan would certainly receive the greatest merit as well.

"Captain, people from the Nine Bends Society are here," a patrol guard stationed outside came back to report.

"Let's go take a look," Zhao Dezhi said.

In the deep alley, a mass of gang members holding torches surged in, tightly surrounding the entire residence.

Several Leaders with headscarves stood at the front. When they saw the patrol guards emerge, their expressions turned cold and ugly.

The two sides faced off.

"Brother Qian, do you still remember Spring Breeze Garden last night? We drank and made merry, treating each other like kindred spirits," the leading Leader said in a muffled voice.

Patrol Captain Qian Wen sighed when he heard that and replied helplessly, "Zhu Changyi, this was ordered from above. We have no choice either. We're only carrying out orders."

Zhu Changyi shifted his gaze to Sun Wenyen. "Brother Sun, do you remember what you told me some time ago?"

Sun Wenyen did not even bother pretending anymore. He directly turned hostile. "I don't understand what you're talking about. Don't call me brother. If any of you violate the law or disrupt order, I'll arrest you all the same!"

"Good. What a fine move—while the mantis stalks the cicada, the oriole waits behind. It's fine if you don't understand. I can forgo all the Qinghe Gang's money and silver. Leave behind the house deeds and land deeds." Zhu Changyi took a deep breath and spoke coldly. "All of the Qinghe Gang's house deeds and land deeds must be confiscated and turned over to the state. Ask again, and don't blame my blade for showing no mercy!" Sun Wenyen barked.

The words instantly ignited the atmosphere. The gang members surrounding the residence on behalf of the Nine Bends Society drew their blades one after another, fury written across their faces as tension crackled in the air.

It seemed that they only needed an order from a few of their leaders before charging forward to fight these patrol guards.

In terms of numbers, there were over a hundred gang members, arriving with the momentum of victory. Their presence alone even suppressed the Patrol Guard Team's morale, causing the patrol guards to exchange looks as unrest spread among them.

If a fight truly broke out, even if the Patrol Guard Team won, their own casualties would likely be considerable.

Liang Chuanshan took a deep breath, stepped forward, and stared at the Nine Bends Society's Leaders. "This matter would be best not blown out of proportion. Once those above take notice, our local Patrol Guard Headquarters may be held accountable for negligence, but your Nine Bends Society won't be able to bear the consequences either."

Zhu Changyi's expression shifted unpredictably. After a long silence, the air grew heavy.

The flames atop the hundreds of torches occasionally crackled.

In the end, the Nine Bends Society withdrew without taking anything.

After all, behind the Patrol Guard Headquarters stood the entire Donglai Commandery City government.

No matter how rampant they were, unless they had lost their minds, they would never dare move against the Patrol Guard Headquarters. At least not openly.

"Hmph. A bunch of thugs and hooligans, and they really think they're somebody," Sun Wenyen said with great disdain.

"Let's go back." Liang Chuanshan could not even be bothered to acknowledge Sun Wenyen and left with his men.

Nine Bends Society headquarters.

The Nine Great Curve Stars hurried back in a rush, heading straight for the inner chamber.

"Those Imperial Court bastards! Brother Zhu, we can't just let this go! The brothers fought tooth and nail, only to end up with this result. No one can stomach it!"

"Yeah, I'm furious! When has I, Fu Lu Lai, ever suffered such humiliation?"

With a grim expression, Zhu Changyi said as he walked, "Of course we can't let this go. If we can't act openly, then I'll collect some interest in secret first and vent this anger!"

"We should still discuss this with the Society Master first."

"Of course."

After working through the night, Song Changming did not return home to rest until nearly dawn.

He took out the night's gains from his clothes.

There was not much: five money pouches, a copy of the Azure Water Silkworm Rearing Method, an iron breastplate, and a thin inner cuirass.

Those were all the items he could take with him. As for the rest, since they were not worth much and could not be carried away, he left them behind to be handed over.

Song Changming opened the money pouches one by one.

There was not much money in the first four pouches. They had probably been taken from ordinary gang members, and together amounted to no more than three strings of copper coins.

Only the last pouch had any real weight. It had been left by the gang higher-up who carried the Azure Water Silkworm Rearing Method.

It contained more than fifty silver coins, giving him a modest windfall.

No wonder Wang Xianwen had argued with him over it earlier.

If Wang Xianwen had known there was so much money in that pouch, he probably would not have let the matter go so easily or spared him.

This counts as half a reward, Song Changming thought, placing the pouch of silver together with the remaining reward silver from before.

There were nearly one hundred and fifty coins in all.

It made him consider moving again.

After putting all the money away properly, Song Changming then flipped through the Azure Water Silkworm Rearing Method.

This was also the thing that interested him most among this haul.

(End of chapter)