Assassination

Yang Jing's gaze sharpened, and he followed without a sound.

He stepped on the soft earth, avoiding loose stones as much as possible, always keeping more than thirty feet behind.

Scarface Li's mind was entirely on the sack. He never noticed the tail he had picked up.

The wind whipped through the alley, lifting the hem of Yang Jing's clothes. He held down the short knife at his waist, his gaze locked on the brutish figure ahead.

The sack most likely held the money and valuables the Great Fortune Gang had amassed.

The Righteousness Gang had now dealt the Great Fortune Gang a crippling blow. They had not even managed to hold their headquarters.

With the situation so dire and everything happening in such a rush, the Great Fortune Gang probably had not had time to move those riches away.

Now that things had settled down, the Great Fortune Gang's Chief might have sent a trusted subordinate to retrieve the silver and treasures.

But Yang Jing could not yet be sure whether Scarface Li had been sent by Xu Tai, the Great Fortune Gang's Chief, or whether, seeing the great tree of the gang about to topple, he had developed selfish ambitions and used his position as a trusted confidant to steal Xu Tai's hidden riches and make himself scarce.

Yang Jing did not rush to act. Instead, he followed quietly behind Scarface Li.

They left Guang'an Ward and headed north.

Scarface Li moved furtively, weaving this way and that. Anyone following him would surely have been shaken off long ago-anyone except Yang Jing.

Over the past month or so...

He had hardly been sitting idle.

On the contrary, he had done a great deal.

Although the Liu Family Medical Hall had also helped watch the Great Fortune Gang, they were only doing him a favor. They could not possibly take it as seriously as their own affairs.

What truly mattered was Yang Jing's own surveillance: almost every night, he had lurked around the Great Fortune Gang.

He had kept an especially close watch on the Great Fortune Gang's Chief, Xu Tai.

Whenever Xu Tai left the Great Fortune Gang Headquarters, Yang Jing followed him from the shadows.

In just over a month, Yang Jing had tailed Xu Tai at least a hundred times, learning both his frequent haunts and the places he rarely visited.

Scarface Li is heading this way. North of Guang'an Ward are Fengle Ward and Xinghua Ward.

I followed Xu Tai this way quite a few times before. He visited three places.

Two in Fengle Ward, one in Xinghua Ward.

Xu Tai visited the two places in Fengle Ward several times. But that secluded courtyard in Xinghua Ward-he only went there once, in secret.

If Scarface Li wanted to defect after taking the gang's riches, his best choice would be to head straight west and get out of the city as fast as possible. Once he was outside, Xu Tai could do little about him, and all those riches would be his.

But Scarface Li isn't rushing out of the city. He's heading north instead. It looks like Xu Tai specifically sent him to fetch those things from the gang and bring them back.

At that thought, a bold plan gradually took shape in Yang Jing's mind.

Following Scarface Li should lead him to Xu Tai, but Yang Jing did not intend to keep following him all the way.

Let's see where he's going first.

Few pedestrians remained on the streets that night. Clouds covered most of the moon, leaving only a handful of dim yellow lanterns swaying in the wind along the streets and alleys.

With the sack over his shoulder, Scarface Li deliberately chose secluded, narrow alleys.

The flagstones beneath his feet were uneven, making his steps rise and fall. He glanced around from time to time, and seeing no one along the way, he could not help breathing a sigh of relief.

He had already passed through two wards since leaving Guang'an Ward.

He had been cautious the entire way. Even if anyone had spotted him, he should have shaken them off by now.

After checking once more that no one was following him, Scarface Li stopped dawdling and strode briskly ahead.

Once Scarface Li had gone, a dark figure approached along the foot of the wall. Unless someone walked right up to him, they would have struggled to realize a person was there.

Yang Jing watched Scarface Li's retreating back, his eyes narrowing.

A little farther, and he'll be out of Fengle Ward.

That rules out those two places in Fengle Ward.

Xu Tai... is most likely hiding in that secluded courtyard in Xinghua Ward.

Yang Jing considered it and felt the possibility was very strong.

He recalled the one time he had followed Xu Tai to that secluded courtyard in Xinghua Ward.

On that occasion, Xu Tai had come quietly with only two trusted subordinates, including Scarface Li. He had not stayed in the courtyard long before swiftly departing.

In hindsight, that secluded courtyard was most likely a secret hideout Xu Tai had prepared for himself.

Even a cunning rabbit kept three burrows, let alone an old fox like Xu Tai.

Time to act!

Whether Xu Tai is hiding in Xinghua Ward or not, I'm taking those riches!

The thought of the sack on Scarface Li's back, with its occasional clink of silver ingots, set Yang Jing's heart ablaze. He immediately drew a deep breath, held it, and quickened his steps.

At the junction of Fengle Ward and Xinghua Ward lay a secluded, narrow alley.

Its depths were black as spilled ink. Only the wind squeezed between the tall walls on either side stirred there, carrying the damp smell of earth.

Scarface Li had taken obscure paths through every nook and cranny along the way. Convinced no one could have followed him, he relaxed, his mind still dwelling on the bloody fighting against the Righteousness Gang earlier that day.

Then he rounded a corner, and something suddenly tripped him. Just as he was about to look down and curse, a sharp chill struck the back of his neck.

It felt like something quenched in ice, so swift he had no time to react.

Instinctively, he tried to turn and draw his blade, but searing pain had already erupted in his neck, as though red-hot iron pincers were tearing his blood vessels apart.

A sickly, metallic sweetness surged into his throat, yet he could not make a sound beyond a breathy, leaking rasp.

At the edge of his vision, a shadow stood against the wall. Something still dripped from the short knife in his hand, its cold gleam barely perceptible in the utter darkness.

Who is it?

Confusion and shock drenched him like icy water. A tangle of thoughts flashed through his mind, followed by overwhelming terror.

Who is he?

How did he get here?

How did I not notice a thing?

Countless thoughts collided in his head, but his body no longer obeyed him. His legs buckled, and he pitched heavily forward.

Thud!

The sack slid from Scarface Li's shoulder.

The gold and silver objects inside collided in a muffled, grating clatter, jarringly loud in the deathly silent alley.

Scarface Li lay facedown, his cheek pressed against the cold flagstones. Blood poured faster from his neck, the warm liquid soon soaking his collar.

He could feel his life draining out through the wound. The darkness before his eyes grew deeper and deeper, until only endless cold and terror remained.

Yang Jing stood where he was. Beads of blood slid down the edge of his short knife and dripped soundlessly to the ground.

He did not look at Scarface Li's corpse again.

Though Scarface Li had a powerful build, he was still only an ordinary man, nowhere near a martial artist who had reached entering strength.

A bright strength martial artist already had an overwhelming advantage over an ordinary person. With Yang Jing's surprise attack on top of that, the outcome had been decided from the outset.

He wiped the blood from his blade and returned it to its sheath, then crouched and searched Scarface Li's body. He actually found something: six or seven taels of loose silver.

Yang Jing tucked the silver into his clothes and picked up the sack. His figure flickered, vanishing into the darkness as though he had never appeared.

After leaving the deep alley, Yang Jing had no time to open the sack and inspect it. Passing a rubbish heap piled with rotten vegetable leaves and torn cloth, he stopped and shoved the sack into its deepest recesses. He carefully covered it with several bundles of dead branches and leaves, checked that nothing looked amiss, then turned toward Xinghua Ward.

Xinghua Ward lay on the edge of West City, and many parts of it consisted of abandoned old residences.

Yang Jing had followed Xu Tai there once before. Following his memory, he soon found the secluded courtyard.

He crept up outside the courtyard and peered through a crack in the wall.

The courtyard was silent. Only a lean man sat beneath an old pagoda tree, toying with a short axe. The night was too dark, without moonlight or starlight, for Yang Jing to make out his face. But from his silhouette and that short axe, Yang Jing guessed his identity: Zhang Kui, nicknamed Skinny Monkey, another trusted subordinate of Xu Tai, the Great Fortune Gang's Chief.

Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui glanced toward the Main Hall from time to time, his brows tightly furrowed. He was clearly distracted.

A dim yellow glow shone through the paper covering the Main Hall's windows. Muffled coughing could faintly be heard within; presumably, it came from the badly wounded Xu Tai.

Yang Jing crouched against the wall, holding his breath and focusing.

There were only two men inside, which was better than he had expected.

He touched the short knife at his waist, a cold gleam rising in his eyes amid the gloom.

After fighting two experts at bright strength peak from the Righteousness Gang, Xu Tai must have suffered serious injuries and hidden himself in this secluded place.

He had not even dared bring many gang members, taking only two trusted subordinates.

Yang Jing's gaze moved around the courtyard through the crack in the wall, searching for a suitable opening.

Upon seeing the sack on Scarface Li's back, Yang Jing had guessed it must contain the Great Fortune Gang's accumulated wealth, and an idea had immediately formed in his mind.

To him, that sack of riches was no less important than eliminating the threat Xu Tai posed.

For Yang Jing, the most important thing now was improving his own strength. Once he broke through to hidden strength, the likes of Xu Tai would no longer present much of a threat.

And what he lacked most at present was money.

If he had enough silver to nourish himself with food, or even medicinal supplements, he might already have reached bright strength peak, ready to use the system panel to break through to hidden strength at any moment.

Yang Jing's original plan had been that even if he failed to find Xu Tai this time, stealing the Great Fortune Gang's accumulated wealth would support his training for a long while.

With those riches, his cultivation would surely speed up another notch.

By the time the Great Fortune Gang caught its breath and Xu Tai recovered, Yang Jing might already have broken through to hidden strength.

But ultimately, those were only his own ideas and guesses. As long as Xu Tai remained alive, he would remain a thorn in Yang Jing's heart.

Now, however, a rare opportunity lay before him.

His earlier guess had actually been right. Xu Tai really was hiding here.

More importantly, Xu Tai had been severely wounded by the Righteousness Gang's two bright strength peak experts. He probably had less than half his usual strength left, making this the perfect chance to kill him while he was down.

While Yang Jing searched for the best opening, Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui could no longer sit still. He rose, paced back and forth in the courtyard a few times, then turned toward the Main Hall.

The door to the Main Hall stood ajar. A sliver of dim lamplight leaked through the gap, also allowing Yang Jing to see Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui's current appearance. A white cloth was wrapped around his head, seemingly soaked with blood near his ear, and his face was pale. He was clearly injured.

Looks like the Righteousness Gang really gave the Great Fortune Gang a beating this time, Yang Jing thought.

At the same time, he kept a close watch on the Main Hall in the courtyard.

Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui pushed open the door to the Main Hall. By the dim yellow lamplight, Yang Jing could see spent medicinal herbs scattered on the floor. As for their conversation, both men deliberately kept their voices low, so he could not make out what they said.

Inside the courtyard.

Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui pushed the door open and entered. The heavy stench of blood mixed with medicinal herbs washed over him.

Xu Tai, the Great Fortune Gang's Chief, sat bare-chested on the edge of the bed. Part of his broad back had caved inward, evidently from a fractured bone or a similar injury.

Thick white bandages wrapped his body from his shoulder down around his waist and abdomen. Blood had already soaked through several places, spreading dark brown stains that resembled dried-up marshes.

"Chief."

After entering, Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui bowed.

Xu Tai opened his eyes and looked at his trusted subordinate. "Scarface Li still hasn't returned?" he asked in a low voice.

Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui shook his head. "Chief, the Righteousness Gang may have people watching headquarters. Could they have spotted Scarface Li?"

"Cough, cough."

Xu Tai tried to speak, but a violent fit of coughing seized him. He doubled over, and a fresh patch of red immediately spread across the bandages on his chest.

When the coughing stopped, he leaned against the bedpost, panting.

"Chief." Seeing this, Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui hurried forward.

"It's nothing."

Xu Tai waved him off, refusing his support.

The Righteousness Gang had now all but shattered the Great Fortune Gang. The entire gang was a boat tossed by wind and rain, and many members were thinking of leaving.

Although Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui was a trusted subordinate, at such a critical juncture Xu Tai still did not want to show weakness in front of him.

"They're only superficial wounds. A little over a month's rest will see them healed," Xu Tai said mildly. His gaze settled on Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui. "It's a pity you're injured too. Otherwise, you would have been a better choice than Scarface Li to go to headquarters."

Compared with the somewhat reckless Scarface Li, Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui was more agile and more meticulous. His chances of successfully retrieving their wealth from headquarters would have been greater.

Unfortunately, Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui had also been injured in the fighting against the Righteousness Gang. One of his ears had even been sliced off, and he had suffered internal injuries as well, making him unfit to retrieve their belongings from headquarters.

"Chief, should I go take a look at headquarters?" Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui asked.

Xu Tai frowned, considered briefly, then shook his head. "Don't go to Guang'an Ward. You're still injured. If you run into people from the Righteousness Gang, you won't be able to handle them."

He paused, then continued, "You can go to Fengle Ward to meet him. If you find Scarface Li, return as quickly as possible. If he doesn't show up, come back quickly all the same."

"Yes, Chief." Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui turned to leave.

"Wait. Make sure you conceal your movements," Xu Tai added.

Warmth rose in Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui's heart. He nodded. "I understand, Chief."

Once Skinny Monkey Zhang Kui had closed the door and left, Xu Tai's face suddenly flushed crimson, and he spat out a thick mouthful of scarlet blood. He had kept suppressing it in front of his trusted subordinate. Now that he had expelled the clotted blood, he felt considerably better, and even his breathing came much more easily.