The people of Luyang City were skeptical of the Peacekeeping Joint Defense Dug had proposed, but when He Yuan'an of the Divine Fist Gate was hung up as a corpse and Gao Yong and the others stood beside Feng Qi with smiles on their faces, promising everyone they would jointly preserve Luyang City's security...
Everyone believed it.
After all, these people were already the largest forces in Luyang City.
Yet Feng Qi had persuaded them to join the Peacekeeping Alliance in a single night, proving through his actions that he not only had the will to protect Luyang City, but also the strength to do so.
Just as Dug had expected, people did not need evidence for some things. All they wanted was a result that satisfied them.
Especially after Dug brought out cartloads of gold and silver, compensated every victim twice over, and promised that if anything similar happened again, the compensation would still be doubled, the little wariness everyone had toward him suddenly vanished.
What Heavenly Demon? That referred to someone else. Feng Qi was their Heavenly Demon, their upright lord...
Nothing was beyond the reach of money.
That same day.
Luyang City's notice boards displayed the signed agreement of the Peacekeeping Alliance and announced the responsibilities and obligations of the Peacekeeping Joint Defense to everyone.
The five major sects formed street patrol teams, patrolling the city day and night and handling any sudden incidents they encountered;
If anyone suffered injustice or unfair treatment, they could seek help from any nearby organization within the Peacekeeping Alliance. If the matter was not handled promptly, they could directly file a complaint with the Peacekeeping Gang, which would send people to resolve the issue and punish Joint Defense members for negligence;
In the course of upholding justice, all seized funds, aside from those used to compensate victims, would have a portion taken by the Peacekeeping Gang to cover its normal operating expenses. However, all expenditures would be regularly disclosed to the public;
The Peacekeeping Gang would regularly recruit ambitious young people from among the populace to join it, uphold justice together, provide food and lodging, and teach basic Martial Arts...
Each clause was laid out clearly. At the fastest speed possible, the Peacekeeping Gang replaced Luyang City's government in the hearts of the people.
Moreover.
With the Peacekeeping Joint Defense in place, there were no more nighttime raids on ordinary citizens.
Every resident of Luyang City wore a smile. They spoke of the Peacekeeping Gang whenever they opened their mouths and Feng Qi whenever they closed them. The city was flourishing.
Feng Qi became a living Buddha to countless households, and his attributes surged by leaps and bounds.
After Qiu Feipeng and the others were absorbed, no one remained to intercept Qiu Feibao, Li Chao, Lou Yuexiang, and the other hall masters who were outside the city. The very day they returned, they were captured. Then, personally persuaded by Qiu Yuanlang, they naturally joined the Peacekeeping Gang and began transferring the former Iron Palm Gang's various businesses over to it;
After the Feng Family members were rescued, Feng Shiren attempted to use their past relationship to gain authority within the Peacekeeping Gang. But Feng Qi harshly rebuked them under the banner of preserving fairness, making them start from the bottom and shattering the Feng Family's hopes of taking shortcuts;
Watching Feng Qi cover the skies with one hand in Luyang City, Feng Shiyi finally understood that master and servant had changed places. The Feng Family could no longer afford to associate with Feng Qi. Moreover, everything Feng Qi had said was true. Relying on the Heavenly Demon could indeed strengthen a family, but unfortunately, the Feng Family simply did not have that fate...
Luyang City was vibrant and renewed, but inside the Peacekeeping Gang, gloom hung everywhere.
There was hardly a smile on the faces of mid-level leaders like Liu Cheng and Gao Yong.
"Gang Leader, judging by the timing, if Qiu Muqian persuaded Gate Master Tong, they should be back in the next day or two. Shouldn't we prepare defenses early? Gate Master Tong is one of the seven greatest experts of this era..." Liu Cheng paused. "Of course, with your Martial Arts, Gang Leader, you naturally have nothing to fear from Tong Shihong. But the Divine Fist Gate has countless experts under its command. If they are determined to target the Peacekeeping Gang, I fear our skills will be insufficient to deal with them. There are too few experts in our Peacekeeping Gang, and Qiu Feipeng and the others may not have sincerely submitted either..."
He glanced at Wang San beside Dug and said, "Even if they truly submit, as long as Mr. Wang is present, they won't be able to display their proper combat strength."
"It isn't just the Divine Fist Gate we need to worry about, but the sects behind us as well." Ding Wanjie gave a bitter smile. "Once word of Luyang City's affairs gets out, the few of us will probably be treated as traitors to our gangs. No sect would permit something like this. This is digging up their very foundations!"
"Exactly! We can't suppress what happened in Luyang City at all." Nie Nong said. "The day before yesterday, several of my men escaped Luyang City. They must have gone to report us to the sect. Perhaps in a few days, the main sect will send people to purge us."
"The same goes for me." Gao Yong frowned. "Gang Leader, among the Three Gates and Five Sects, two gangs, and one great family, there are eleven top-tier factions in total. The Peacekeeping Gang has provoked six of them and offended half the martial world. Even Qiao He, the Martial Saint, would not have dared to be this reckless back then..."
Gao Yong and the others had been tied to the Peacekeeping Gang's warship by Dug's string of maneuvers. They could not get off even if they wanted to, nor did they dare run. Thinking of the enemies they would face next, each of them was worried sick, unable even to cry.
"So, you regret joining the Peacekeeping Joint Defense?" Dug swept his gaze across them and asked with a smile.
What did he mean, regret?
Had he given them any choice? He was the villain who had forcibly tied them to the Peacekeeping Gang, yet he made it sound as though they had joined willingly. If time could be turned back, the moment they saw that invitation letter, they should have fled straight back to their sects instead of even meeting him...
Everyone glanced at Dug. They wanted to retort, but did not dare. One by one, they lowered their heads and expressed their resistance through silence.
Dug shook his head and asked, "How do you think my skills compare to those top experts?"
No one answered.
"Daoist Gao, you tell me." Dug called on him.
"Superior in every respect." Gao Yong looked at Dug. In just two or three days, Dug had become faster and faster. When they practiced Martial Arts, his eyes could barely keep up with Dug's moves.
"And if Wang San is there to suppress them as well?" Dug asked again.
"We would definitely defeat them." Gao Yong said.
"Then isn't that settled? What are you afraid of?" Dug said.
"But two or three experts can't support an entire sect!" Nie Nong could not help saying. "Hall Master Wang's supernatural ability is indeed strange, but news of Luyang City has already spread. If they make a move again, they will definitely deal with Wang San first."
"I'm not afraid of them."
Wang San had changed to a new method of cultivation. He always carried a box at his side, filled with ice, with several unknown people's hands or hearts chilled inside. From time to time, he would wander through crowded places and take them out to display, spreading his name as a Yandere.
If he had been alone, he would have been beaten to death long ago for doing such things.
But on Peacekeeping Gang territory, bearing the title of Peacekeeping Gang Protector, he acted with complete abandon and feared no harm. Even now, he still held second place in the Simulation Arena rankings.
When he had first obtained his Keyword, this was something he had never dared dream of. At this point, he had already decided to follow Feng Qi wholeheartedly.
"You people are simply too timid. He who wins the people's hearts wins the world. We are doing righteous things, so what are you afraid of?" Dug shook his head. "I've already considered everything you've thought of. In fact, before you arrived, I sent cooperation investigation invitations to all the major sects, explaining the danger of the Heavenly Demon and inviting them to investigate Heavenly Demons in various places together, to nip unrest in the bud. With Taotie as proof, as long as they understand righteousness, they won't make things difficult for us."
Seeing that everyone wanted to speak but held back, Dug smiled and continued, "I know what you are worried about. I've explained your situation for you as well. You only joined the Peacekeeping Joint Defense, not the Peacekeeping Gang. Fundamentally, you are still members of your original sects. Talk of betrayal is complete nonsense..."
Was he serious?
Was he trying to fool the leaders of all those sects like children?
Gao Yong and the others stared wide-eyed in disbelief. This was pure provocation. Was he afraid they would not die fast enough? "I know the Peacekeeping Gang's status is not high enough, and what I say may not draw their attention." Dug looked at Liu Cheng and said solemnly, "Didn't Qiu Muqian invite the old gate master, Tong Shihong, here? I'll find a way to persuade him to join the Peacekeeping Gang. We cannot let upholding justice become so difficult. The Peacekeeping Gang truly needs some old-school experts to hold the fort."
Whew! Upon hearing Feng Qi's words, everyone present let out a sigh of relief in unison, temporarily setting their hearts at ease.
After all.
Everyone present had personally experienced Dug's methods of persuasion. Tong Shihong joining the Peacekeeping Gang was practically guaranteed.
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