Black Tiger Gang Hall Master? Cut Him Down!

Qingyang County's southern district was a festering sore on the face of the entire county seat.

The streets here were narrow and muddy, sewage flowed everywhere, and the air year-round reeked of cheap liquor, sweat, and the sour stench of despair.

This was where hooligans, thugs, gamblers, and all manner of unsavory characters gathered. It was also the "forbidden zone" universally acknowledged by the County Office constables.

This so-called forbidden zone was not because it was particularly dangerous, but because it had the least profit and the most trouble.

The previous constables assigned here were either old hands biding their time until retirement, turning a blind eye to the darkness here and even colluding with it.

Or they were unlucky souls exiled here for offending their superiors, sighing all day long and putting in appearances without putting in effort.

Thus, when Lin Feng appeared on the streets of the southern district in a brand-new constable's uniform, a Hundred Refined Steel Blade at his waist and full of vigor, he immediately drew countless gazes.

Those gazes held curiosity, numbness, and contempt, but more than anything, they carried pity, as though they were looking at a fool.

"Hey, a new chick?"

"Look at that soft, tender skin. Isn't he some young master from a rich family here to experience life?"

"Shh... keep it down. I heard this kid stepped in dog shit and got lucky. He happened to pick up the heads of One-Eyed Dragon and a dead Zombie at the Mass Grave, which was why he was exceptionally made official."

"Tch, just luck. Once he gets to our southern district, even a dragon has to coil up! Liu Mazi from the Black Tiger Gang won't care whether he has an official post or not."

Lin Feng turned a deaf ear to those discussions. With steady strides, he felt the surging strength within him after reaching the major completion of Body Tempering Level Three, and his spirit felt utterly refreshed.

In his eyes, this so-called land of chaos was nothing more than an instance dungeon.

There were moving experience packs and Crit Points everywhere. What was there to fear?

He had come today to establish his authority.

Three fires for a new official taking office?

No, that was bureaucratic style.

Lin Feng's style had always been: if he could act, he would not waste breath.

If one slash could settle it, he would never use a second.

Meanwhile, in a private room on the second floor of a teahouse in the southern district, Constable Chief Li Gang leisurely sipped tea as he listened to his subordinate's report.

"Chief, that kid has entered the southern district."

A sharp-faced constable said with a fawning smile.

Li Gang's lips curled into a cold smirk. "Mm. Did you notify the Black Tiger Gang?"

"Don't worry, Chief. Everything's arranged. I told Liu Mazi that the newcomer didn't know the rules and asked him to 'give him some pointers.' Liu Mazi was delighted as soon as he heard it. He said he'd make sure the kid cried as he rolled out of the southern district today, never daring to set foot here again."

"Very good."

Li Gang nodded in satisfaction and took a sip of tea. "Young people who don't know the height of heaven or the depth of earth always need to suffer a little before they learn the rules. Keep an eye on things. As long as nobody dies, give him a lesson he'll never forget."

"Understood!"

Lin Feng patrolled the streets at an unhurried pace. His eyes, tempered by spiritual energy, were several times sharper than those of an ordinary person, and no tiny movement could escape his notice.

Before long, he spotted today's "target" at the entrance to an alley.

Seven or eight rough-looking men were gathered around a wonton stall.

At their head stood a burly man with pockmarks all over his face and a vicious knife scar across his neck.

He was none other than the southern district's local tyrant, Black Tiger Gang Hall Master Liu Mazi.

"Old man, have you prepared this month's tribute money?"

Liu Mazi planted one foot on the wonton stall's bench, shook his leg, and asked arrogantly.

The wonton sellers were an elderly couple. The old man tremblingly pulled out a dozen or so copper coins from his robe and pleaded, "Master Liu, th-this month's business has been poor. This is all we have. Please show mercy..."

"Bullshit!"

Liu Mazi slapped the coins onto the ground. "Is this little bit of money even enough to fill Master Liu's teeth? Let me tell you, if you can't hand over three hundred copper coins today, I'll smash your stall to pieces!"

The surrounding commoners were angry but dared not speak. They all detoured around the scene, afraid of inviting disaster upon themselves.

Just then, a clear voice rang out.

"In broad daylight, you're forcibly collecting protection fees, right in front of me, an officer of the law. Your Black Tiger Gang has quite the nerve."

Everyone looked toward the voice and saw that Lin Feng had somehow appeared at the alley entrance. One hand rested on his sword hilt as he watched them calmly.

Liu Mazi was stunned for a moment, then let out a derisive laugh.

"Oh, I was wondering who it was. So it's the new Constable Lin. What, on your first day in office, you want to meddle in Master Liu's business?"

The thugs behind him burst into laughter as well.

To them, he was merely another "one of their own" coming to take a share of the profits.

Which of the previous constables had not put on a show by barking a few reprimands, only to take benefits in private and turn a blind eye afterward?

Liu Mazi picked at his ear and drawled, "Constable Lin, seeing how young you are, I'll teach you a lesson. The southern district has its own rules. Our Black Tiger Gang helps the County Office share its burdens by managing these troublesome commoners. Isn't it only right for us to collect a little hardship fee? How about this, for Constable Li's sake, this amount..."

He held up three fingers. "From now on, you give me three taels of silver every month. We'll keep to our own wells and rivers, neither offending the other. What do you say?"

It was a naked attempt at bribery.

Up in the distant teahouse, Li Gang's spy saw this and smiled in satisfaction, preparing to return and report. In his eyes, the kid would certainly take the hint and go along with it.

However, Lin Feng's reaction exceeded everyone's expectations.

He smiled, and his smile was dazzling. "Too little. How about I give you something instead?"

"Oh? What is it?"

Liu Mazi asked with interest.

"I'll send you on your way!"

Before his words had even faded, Lin Feng's gaze suddenly turned ice-cold!

Buzz!

The saber at his waist let out a soft hum and instantly left its sheath!

No one present, Liu Mazi included, even saw Lin Feng move.

All they saw was a silver streak, swift to the absolute extreme, flashing through the air like a startled swan glimpsed in passing!

Splurt!

A fine head, its face still frozen in incredulous shock, shot into the sky.

Blood erupted like a fountain from Liu Mazi's headless neck, staining half the alley red.

Thud!

The headless body crashed to the ground. The severed head that rolled across the earth still had its eyes wide open, as though questioning the world: why had this happened?

One slash!

Only one slash!

The Black Tiger Gang Hall Master, arrogant and untouchable a moment ago, was separated from head and body the next!

The entire alley fell deathly silent.

Everyone had been stunned by that bloody, ruthless, clean, and decisive scene.

The elderly wonton-selling couple collapsed to the ground in terror. The remaining Black Tiger Gang thugs had their legs shaking, and a foul stench of urine wafted from their crotches.

Lin Feng slowly sheathed his blade. Not a drop of blood stained its surface.

He did not even glance at the corpse on the ground. His gaze swept over the terrified thugs as he said blandly, "Carry your boss's corpse to the County Office and report the case. Say that Constable Lin Feng beheaded the evil bandit Liu Mazi in the southern district."

"Also, go back and tell your gang leader that from today onward, I have the final say in the southern district."

[ Ding! You have slain a heinously wicked person! ]

[Critical strike multiplier increased to 2.7x! Obtained 50 Crit Points!]

The system notification sounded in Lin Feng's mind, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

He turned around, ignoring all the frightened and reverent gazes around him, and continued his patrol.

As though he had merely swatted a fly to death rather than chopped off a man's head.

Up in the teahouse, the spy rushed into the private room, his face deathly pale.

"Chief... b-bad news!"

Li Gang frowned. "What are you panicking for? Did that kid submit?"

"N-no..."

The spy stammered, his voice trembling. "Th-that Lin Feng... h-he... he cut down Liu Mazi with a single slash!"

"WHAT?!"

Li Gang shot to his feet, and the teacup in his hand slipped from his grasp, smashing into pieces with a sharp crash.