"Leader, I've told you several times—don't call me that!" Xue Wujing frowned slightly and warily glanced around. After making sure no one was nearby, he continued, "They're only a few escorts in disguise. Zhu Laosan can handle them, so put your mind at ease."
"It wasn't like this before. I don't know why, but this time I can't help feeling worried." Xie Baoqing rubbed his nose.
"Since you're worried about your brother, why not send someone to back up Zhu Laosan?" Xue Wujing looked down on Xie Baoqing's act, but still offered the suggestion.
"Right. I'll have Laoxi go help him at once." Xie Baoqing clapped his hands and made his decision.
"I don't think that will be necessary!" Qin Shuang's voice came from outside the hall. A moment later, he entered with Zhu Tieshou, one in front of the other.
"Laosan, you're back!" Seeing Zhu Tieshou return, Xie Baoqing's anxious heart finally settled. But when he saw Qin Shuang standing in front of him, the smile that had just appeared on his face immediately froze. "And who is this?"
"Xie Baoqing?" Qin Shuang lifted his chin slightly, his face full of arrogance.
"That would be me. May I ask how I should address you, young hero?" A trace of displeasure appeared on Xie Baoqing's face. He wondered why Zhu Tieshou had brought back someone with such poor manners.
"Xue Wujing?" Qin Shuang ignored Xie Baoqing and turned to look at the other man.
Xue Wujing reacted far more quickly than Xie Baoqing. Combining that with the expression on Zhu Tieshou's face, he immediately judged that this visitor meant trouble. He quietly moved one foot onto a mechanism and pressed it lightly, sending a message outside.
Though Xue Wujing's movement was concealed, it could not escape Qin Shuang's eyes. Qin Shuang did not stop him, however. One person was still missing from his targets—Liangshan Cat—and this was the perfect opportunity to wait for him to walk into the trap.
Though they were bandits, their reactions were not slow. In the blink of an eye, three underlings rushed into the hall. Before Xue Wujing could speak, Qin Shuang threw a punch. The force split into three streams, straightforwardly blasting the three men into ice sculptures before shattering them into pieces.
At the sight of this, Xue Wujing's eyes narrowed into slits. Qin Shuang's martial prowess had already exceeded his understanding. Clearly, today's events had gone beyond the scope of what he could control.
Only now did Xie Baoqing realize what had happened. Putting on a brave front despite his fear, he shouted, "Who exactly are you?"
"I am Qin Shuang, known in the martial world as the Mystic Tiger of Chaoge. There's something I'd like to discuss with the two leaders." Remembering the nicknames of the four men, Qin Shuang's playful mood stirred, and he temporarily came up with a nickname for himself as well.
"What would you like to discuss, young hero?" When Xie Baoqing heard that there was room for discussion, his tone immediately softened.
"It's nothing major. I heard that the four leaders of Black Cloud Stronghold are all named after tigers. I feel we have quite a connection, so I'd like to plant a flag here in the stronghold as well. What do you think, Leader?" Qin Shuang wore a mocking smile.
"Where did this ignorant brat come from? Do you think you can come and go in Black Cloud Stronghold as you please? Who do you think you are?" Before Xie Baoqing could answer, a man stormed into the hall, cursing and swearing. He had dark skin and a reckless expression.
He was greeted by a single punch.
Qin Shuang blew the man's head apart into ice shards, leaving only a headless corpse that fell stiffly to the ground.
The few underlings behind him were so frightened that they did not dare move.
"Too noisy!" Qin Shuang did not even glance at the corpse on the ground. "Leader, what do you think of what I said?"
"You're more than welcome!" Xie Baoqing had no idea what Qin Shuang was planning, but given the situation, how could he possibly object? "Young Hero Qin, don't call me Leader anymore. From now on, you're the leader of Black Cloud Stronghold!"
"No need. You'll remain the leader. It wouldn't be convenient for me to reveal my identity, so I'll be the Fifth Leader." Qin Shuang waved away Xie Baoqing's proposal.
"Great hero, you just killed Liang Laoxi." Zhu Tieshou offered a "kind" reminder from the side.
"Uh..." Qin Shuang came back to his senses and glanced at the corpse behind him. He did not take it to heart. "Then I'll be the Fourth Leader!"
"Haha, welcome the Fourth Leader to the ranks!" Seeing his opportunity, Xue Wujing led the shout.
"Welcome the Fourth Leader to the ranks!" The underlings who entered afterward did not understand what was happening, but they knew how to follow the prevailing wind. They immediately echoed the Second Leader, afraid that if they shouted too slowly, they would be turned into ice as well.
"Leader, whenever you run into an opponent you can't deal with in the future, call for me. But let me make one thing clear: from today onward, I want sixty percent of all the goods the stronghold obtains through its robberies!" Qin Shuang arrogantly pointed at the several corpses on the ground. "If anyone has an objection, raise it now and we'll discuss it. But if you scheme behind my back, this will be your fate!"
"This..." Xie Baoqing hesitated.
"Do you think this division is inappropriate given my strength?" Seeing that Xie Baoqing had not agreed, Qin Shuang deliberately darkened his expression and asked coldly.
"That's not what I mean. It's just... just..." Xie Baoqing stammered for a long while without managing to explain himself. He looked at Xue Wujing with an expression full of pleading.
"Alas." Xue Wujing waved to the others, signaling them to leave. Once only Qin Shuang, Xie Baoqing, Zhu Tieshou, and himself remained in the hall, he spoke. "Since Young Hero Qin—no, since the Fourth Leader—has this question, I, Xue, will no longer conceal anything. I'll take this opportunity to speak frankly with the Third Leader and Fourth Leader."
Xue Wujing paused before continuing, "There is actually another force behind me, and I'm working with the Leader. Our side provides detailed intelligence, while the Leader is responsible for carrying out the operations. Once the job is done, our side takes half of the acquired goods. So, Fourth Leader, your demand really does put the Leader in a difficult position!"
"You want half for providing only a bit of information? You're going too far!" Qin Shuang questioned.
"What if that information includes every purge operation carried out by the authorities?" Xue Wujing asked with a hint of smugness.
Qin Shuang frowned slightly and said in a low voice, "You're with the authorities?"
Xue Wujing only smiled without answering. But Qin Shuang's next words immediately froze the smile on his face.
"Take me to see your master. The distribution of the profits needs to be renegotiated!" Qin Shuang spoke in a tone that brooked no refusal.
"This..." Xue Wujing was rendered speechless for a moment.
"If we can't negotiate, then there's no need to keep you alive." Qin Shuang spoke calmly as he gathered his Heavenly Frost Qi. His right hand clenched into a fist glowing ice-blue.
"No, no, we can negotiate! We definitely can!" Feeling Qin Shuang's cold killing intent, Xue Wujing immediately lowered his head and agreed.
After a simple breakfast, the four men and four horses headed straight for the county town at the foot of the mountain under Xue Wujing's lead.
The group hurried to the Jiashan County government office. The yamen runners at the entrance clearly knew Xue Wujing. Though they found it strange, they did not stop the four men at all.
Xue Wujing led Qin Shuang and the other two to a side hall, then said to a servant, "Go ask the master to come out. Tell him that honored guests have arrived."
Before you continue