Get on First, Buy the Ticket Later

Bullying the weak because you're strong?

What do you think you're doing right now? Aren't you just throwing your weight around because your fists are bigger?

Righteousness, my ass. At least we tried to cover it up a little. You've dragged your filth right out into the open.

Put together, the whole martial world probably isn't as black-hearted as you are! Protecting the realm? From beginning to end, the only thing you protected was your own interests...

Gao Yong and the others raged inwardly. Their expressions were like flies stuck in their throats—neither up nor down, revolting and agonizing.

At this moment, there was only one thing Feng Qi had said that they agreed with: Heavenly Demons were all scourges and had to be eliminated as soon as possible, Feng Qi included...

These Heavenly Demons were all lunatics. Not one of them thought normally.

They had to find a way to spread Feng Qi's true face. Otherwise, if he went around harming others while wearing that benevolent mask, the martial world would be finished.

Right! They had to stay alive. They could not die here so inexplicably. Everyone present, without prior agreement, found the same excuse for their cowardice.

"Congratulations, everyone, on joining the Peacekeeping Joint Defense." As though he had not seen the shit-eating expressions on their faces, Dug tossed the bloodstained clothes in his hand onto the floor and clasped his fists to them once more. "Starting today, let us join hands to safeguard Luyang City's stability and peace."

"Indeed." Circumstances were stronger than men. Gao Yong forced an ugly smile onto his face and returned Dug's salute.

"Most excellent." Ding Wanjie of the Beggar Gang said, "Upholding justice is the duty of all who walk the martial world. From this day forth, should Gang Leader Feng issue an order, the Luyang City branch of the Beggar Gang shall not dare disobey."

"Gang Leader Feng speaks wisely." Ding Yang of the Emei Sect said, "Though Ding is a woman, I too should do my part for the people of Luyang City."

The people from Heavenly Mountain and the Huashan Sect also lavished praise upon Feng Qi's proposal, as if they had not been full of contempt for the Peacekeeping Joint Defense just moments before. Harmony returned to the council hall. Only the great villain He Yuan'an lay in a pool of blood, his eyes wide in death, as though accusing this world of its injustice.

"Since that is the case, Feng has several contracts here for joining the Peacekeeping Alliance. I'll trouble you leaders to sign and affix your seals." Dug swept his gaze over them, then, as if performing a magic trick, pulled a stack of blank paper from his robes. Smiling, he said, "Our Peacekeeping Alliance was officially established yesterday. Later, we will attack the Divine Fist Gate's Luyang City headquarters and wipe out the evildoers who attacked civilians yesterday and framed the Peacekeeping Gang. He Yuan'an will inevitably be besieged and killed by us..."

The smiles on Gao Yong and the others' faces instantly froze.

The alliance had been established yesterday, and He Yuan'an had been besieged and killed by them...

By exploiting the time difference, he had patched every loophole. So long as the people of Luyang City witnessed the Peacekeeping Gang's bloodstained clothes and He Yuan'an's corpse being carried out of their headquarters...

Even if they were not members of the Peacekeeping Alliance, they would become members of the Peacekeeping Alliance.

Good heavens—he had laid out every move step by step, leaving them no road of retreat at all!

Once word reached the Divine Fist Gate, how could Tong Hong'an possibly believe their explanations? When the time came and he came after them, their sects would likely find it difficult to intervene on their behalf...

How could this bastard be so filthy-minded? The Divine Fist Gate's deputy leader sneered repeatedly. Serves you right. You two-faced bastards deserved to be dragged down to death alongside Feng Qi.

"Do you all still have reservations?" Dug frowned and looked around the room. "Could it be that some among you are He Yuan'an's accomplices?"

Fuck! Gao Yong and the others' faces changed at once.

In these circumstances, whether they were accomplices or not was not entirely up to Feng Qi to decide? If they refused to sign, their corpses would surely end up just like He Yuan'an's—dug out of their headquarters by the Peacekeeping Alliance and beaten to death by a mob.

Seeing that they were still silent, Dug decided to break them one by one. He looked at Ding Wanjie of the Beggar Gang. "Elder Ding, I felt an instant kinship with you. Why don't you set an example?"

Fuck your mother! Who felt an instant kinship with you? The blood drained from Ding Wanjie's face.

Wang San stepped forward at just the right moment, while the bloodstained dagger in Dug's hand vaguely pointed in his direction.

"Fine, I'll sign." Cursing Feng Qi inwardly, Ding Wanjie took one of the contracts from him. Just as he was about to sign it, he suddenly froze. "Gang Leader Feng, did you take the wrong one? There isn't any writing on this."

"We were pressed for time, so there was no chance to write it yet. Elder Ding, rest assured. Sign it first, and Feng will fill in the terms afterward." Dug said it as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

Fuck!

A vein throbbed between Ding Wanjie's brows. For a moment, he had the urge to draw his blade and fight Dug to the death. How could there be such a shameless person in this world? But when he recalled how Feng Qi had effortlessly branded He Yuan'an the culprit without any evidence, he could only sigh helplessly, write his name on the blank paper, and press his fingerprint to it. Once he was done, he moved to step back.

"Don't be in such a hurry. You need to sign all seven." Dug smiled and stopped him. "Better safe than sorry. If these agreements are damaged, some matters will become difficult to clarify. Sign a few extra copies for insurance. Later, these agreements will be posted publicly in Luyang City."

Ding Wanjie's expression changed again. He glanced at Dug, then silently signed his name on every blank sheet. Signing one was signing; signing seven was signing. He no longer cared. So long as he found a way to kill Feng Qi afterward, black and white would not be his to decide?

With Ding Wanjie as the breach, Gao Yong and the others gave up resisting as well and signed their names to the agreements.

Dug carefully inspected the agreements. Looking at their signatures, he tucked all seven papers into his robes and nodded in satisfaction. "From the moment you entered this council hall, Feng knew that you were all righteous men at heart. With you leaders joining us, we have taken another step toward our goal of upholding justice throughout the realm. A cause for celebration."

With that, he sat back down in the seat of honor. "Time waits for no one. We'll rest briefly, then set out at once to Luyang City and eradicate the evildoers of the Divine Fist Gate. Whenever I think of the money ordinary people paid to seek redress being snatched away by those thieves while they still roam free, I can neither eat nor sleep in peace. I cannot sit still."

Gao Yong and the others said nothing.

"Liu Cheng, bring Leader He along. We'll take him with us to eliminate the bandits. Cover his face—don't let anyone see it." Dug looked toward Liu Cheng and instructed him.

With a few casual gestures, Feng Qi had tied all the major forces in Luyang City to the Peacekeeping Gang's warship. Liu Cheng admired the black-hearted and ruthless Feng Qi to the point of utter prostration. Feeling himself brimming with energy, he answered loudly, "Yes, Gang Leader."

Dug turned to Gao Yong and the others again. "Rest assured, everyone. After we eliminate the Divine Fist Gate, aside from the money used to compensate the people, Feng will personally send the remainder to each of your residences..."

Gao Yong and the others' expressions changed yet again, and they waved their hands repeatedly. "No, no. Gang Leader Feng, you are too courteous. Upholding justice is the duty of people like us. If we accepted money, we would only stain this honor for nothing."

Was he joking?

They would kill people and divide the spoils too—how would they ever explain themselves afterward?

"Daoist Gao, that is not right." Dug smiled at them. "There is nothing wrong with upholding justice, but a mere sense of righteousness cannot sustain it for long. After all, everyone needs to eat. Working for free for a short while is no problem, but over time, slackness will inevitably arise. Eventually, our Peacekeeping Alliance will fall apart.

"So, what should be taken must be taken. Only then can our Peacekeeping Alliance grow ever larger. Take Feng, for example. If not for inheriting Gang Leader Qiu's Iron Palm Gang, how could Feng have come this far on nothing but a bellyful of hot blood?"

"Gang Leader Feng, the Beggar Gang lives by begging to begin with. Money is but a thing outside the body to us. Ding is willing to devote himself selflessly to justice and will harbor no grievance whatsoever." After pondering for a moment, Ding Wanjie adopted Feng Qi's manner of speaking.

He could not allow himself to be bound ever tighter to Feng Qi's broken ship. Otherwise, he would never have a chance to escape.

"I understand Elder Ding's concerns. You fear that if you accept the money, the world will point fingers at your back. You fear others will say that our Peacekeeping Gang is amassing wealth in the name of justice." Dug looked at Ding Wanjie, then at Gao Yong and the others, and smiled. "You need not worry about this at all. All money obtained from striking at black and evil forces will be used to maintain the Peacekeeping Gang's operations. Every last coin's destination will be made public, so everyone can see where we spent it. I believe the people will understand us."

Fuck! He was even going to make it public.

Gao Yong and the others were plunged into despair. They could barely hide it as it was; if it were made public too, they would have even less room to retreat. That dog-fucking Feng Qi!