Rapid Progress

The room was deathly silent.

Incense smoke curled in front of the shrine, and candles flickered, casting bright flames.

Cheng Chong arranged the memorial tablets and cleaned up the cigarette ash scattered on the Upward-Turning Desk.

His hair was gray, his body was tall and strong, his breath was steady and calm, and he wore a loose white linen robe. He was calm and composed, like a vast sea without wind, completely unconcerned about the storm his words had stirred up.

Steam rises from the teacup.

Liang Qu's mind was in turmoil as he stared intently at Cheng Chong's retreating figure.

Lian Jingye ran his hands through his hair and combed it back violently, pulling so hard that the roots of his hair hurt.

The Lord Qiu's Dyke collapsed, causing flooding for four consecutive days and resulting in widespread death and destruction. Was the culprit Cheng Chong, the Gang Leader, behind the backs of the Sand River Gang? He did something truly enormous!

Why? What are you thinking? What are you after? "My life is over!"

Lu Xinqing sighed inwardly, his knees buckled and he collapsed to his knees.

The dikes were destroyed, the dikes collapsed, and floods raged.

Leader of the Shahe Gang, Director of the River and Lake Management Office, and County Magistrate.

The world is a tapestry of characters and events, far beyond the comprehension of a Little Water bandit like himself.

"Haha, hahaha!"

Gathering Righteousness Building, an old man in gray robes with Long Whiskers suddenly burst into laughter, shattering the silence of the Gathering Righteousness Building.

Everyone looked over at the sound and saw that it was Huyan Shijing, the assistant Hu Yan Shijing of the gang.

Hu Yan Shijing was extremely senior, and everyone in the gang would come to him for advice on any matter, big or small, that they didn't understand.

Faced with everyone's confusion, Hu Yan Shijing calmly stroked his Long Whiskers, faced the central hall and the gang members in the front hall, and shouted loudly.

"The Gang Leader's words are exceptionally insightful. The floods outside have caused many people to be displaced. The River Conservancy Office wants to borrow boats for business, so be it! Our Sand River Gang values loyalty above all else, and most of you are of humble origins. How can we remain indifferent to the innocent suffering of the people!"

But he neither offered incense nor followed any rules! He even mocked us, the Sand River Gang, as rotten land! His righteous indignation made anyone who didn't know better think that the collapse of the Lord Qiu's Dyke was caused by our Sand River Gang! Brothers, what do you say?

The gang members suddenly realized what was going on.

I see.

Liang Qu didn't offer incense, had no manners, and mocked the Sand River Gang. How could he act like he was borrowing a boat? Anyone who didn't know better would really think that the Sand River Gang had dug the dike and owed the River Conservancy Office!

The Gang Leader's words were sarcastic!

"The Gang Leader is really witty."

"Even I was almost scared by the Gang Leader. He really thought that the dike breach was done by my Sand River Gang."

"Huyan Qianshi is right. When you ask someone for a favor, you should act like you're asking for a favor. Even if it's the government, they're being far too arrogant!"

"We, the Sand River Gang, owe you nothing! Either offer incense to the plaque or get out of Sand River Mountain!"

"That's right, either kowtow and offer incense, or get out of Sand River Mountain!"

"Kneel down and kowtow! Get out of Sand River Mountain!"

"Kowtowing is enough..."

Lian Jingye coughed twice, his words drowned out by the waves.

Hu Yan Shijing was met with overwhelming response; countless people's faces turned red, their Qi and Blood surged.

Hundreds of people roared in unison, causing tables and chairs to shake, and a tense atmosphere to permeate the air. The surging sound waves caused the tea to ripple continuously.

The gang members on the second floor jumped down and joined the gang members on the first floor, surrounding Liang Qu.

The killing intent surged like a tide.

Lu Xinqing hurriedly stood up from the ground and hid behind Liang Qu to avoid being seen by everyone.

"I'm not joking."

Cheng Chong spoke calmly, and the crowd, like roosters being choked, abruptly stopped their deafening roar.

Thump.

Lu Xinqing knelt down again.

Hu Yan Shijing, Lian Jingye, and other middle and senior managers felt a sudden sinking feeling in their hearts.

Is this not a joke?

Cheng Chong put three long incense sticks together, lit them on the candle flame, separated them, and carefully inserted them into the incense burner before bowing three times.

When he turned around, everyone finally saw what Cheng Chong had done.

The original shrine that enshrined the first Gang Leader of the Sand River Gang had long been removed and replaced with a name that no one had ever heard of before.

Cheng Yingjian.

Who is Cheng Yingjian? Lian Jingye felt the name sounded very familiar, and it took him a while to remember that there was indeed a young man named Ying Jian in the Sand River Gang.

However, his name isn't Cheng Yingjian, it's Zheng Yingjian.

The son of the gang Gang Leader Zheng Tianhe was only twenty-three years old. He was exceptionally talented and righteous. Even as an adversary, he was still a person worthy of respect. However, he had already died in the previous purge of the River Conservancy Office.

Zheng Tianhe, Zheng Yingjian.

Cheng Chong, Cheng Yingjian.

The top Gang Leader has only one son, while the third Gang Leader has no children...

Lian Jingye's pupils contracted sharply, and a thousand galloping horses seemed to race through his mind.

Hu Yan Shijing's face turned deathly pale.

Seeing the constantly changing expressions on the faces of the gang's high-ranking members, Liang Qu guessed that the brand-new memorial tablet must hold some unknown secret, but due to incomplete information, he did not know the details.

Could it be that Cheng Chong really did breach the dike? This isn't how things are going! I only came to borrow a boat, how did I suddenly uncover the mastermind? If Cheng Chong really did destroy the dike, wouldn't I have completed almost all of Xu Yuelong's tasks in just one day?

Cheng Chong, unconcerned by the astonishment of the crowd, sat down in the third chair under the plaque.

The armrests of the chair were covered with a layer of glossy leather, reflecting the flickering candlelight.

That was the seat Cheng Chong used to sit in the longest and most comfortable. Sitting down now, he was reminded of those days.

"Jingye and Shijing, you two have always been quick-witted, you must have guessed it already, right?"

Lian Jingye and Hu Yan Shijing exchanged a glance, both filled with fear.

Lian Jingye forced himself to step forward and confirm, "Young Gang Leader... is he your son, Gang Leader?"

Cheng Chong nodded.

The young Gang Leader is the Gang Leader's son? Lu Xinqing was taken aback.

"Excuse me," Liang Qu interrupted, "Isn't it normal for the young Gang Leader to be the Gang Leader's son?"

Cheng Chong looked up to Lian Jingye.

Lian Jingye wiped the sweat from his brow and said in a low voice, "The young Gang Leader was the former young Gang Leader, and the Gang Leader is the current Gang Leader..."

Liang Qu straightened his hair and felt a jolt in his heart.

Is the son of the Gang Leader of the Sand River Gang actually the son of the third- Gang Leader?

What kind of outrageous relationship is this? Looking at the memorial tablet on the table, is he dead? "Lord Qiu's Dyke..." Hu Yan Shijing still couldn't believe it, "Was this really the Gang Leader's doing?"

"What happens to Zheng Tianhe, that eunuch, is none of my concern, but I only have Sword One son, Yingjian," Cheng Chong said calmly. "He's dead."

"Dead, dead..." Lian Jingye's vision went black, and his hands trembled uncontrollably. "Then why did you destroy the dike! Gang Leader, that's Lord Qiu's Dyke!"

The destruction of the Lord Qiu's Dyke, especially during the rainy season, would not only have resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people, but also in a heinous crime that one person's head would not be enough to quell the anger! Cheng Chong's actions were tantamount to dragging the entire Sand River Gang down with him without anyone's knowledge! For a moment, everyone was at a loss as to how to conduct themselves, and all traces of righteous indignation had vanished.

The quick-thinking higher-ups have already turned their attention to Liang Qu, wondering if their defection could secure a lenient sentence and lenient treatment.

Cheng Chong from his high vantage point, taking in the diverse expressions of the hundred people, and said leisurely.

"I am fifty-six years old this year, which can be considered the prime of my life, but compared with the young masters of the Aristocratic Clan, I fear I will never have any hope of revenge in my lifetime."

"Breaking the dike is the only way I can make them pay the price."

Lian Jingye and Hu Yan Shijing respiratory arrest.

In order to maintain the Black Water River transport, the River Conservancy Office did not completely wipe out the Sand River Gang. Instead, it supported the Third Gang Leader, who was at odds with the First and Second Gang Leader Gang Leader, to take power in order to maintain stability.

Originally, everything was handled perfectly, but who could have imagined that the relationships involved were so complicated, and that Cheng Chong was so patient?

The fact that Cheng Chong was killed but not completely wiped out led to Cheng Chong's unauthorized destruction of the dike, flooding Hua Zhu County. The officials responsible for clearing out the Sand River Gang should bear primary responsibility!

Logically it made sense, but Liang Qu still felt something was off.

Martial Master practitioners can avoid a hundred years of suffering and disaster through cultivation. At Cheng Chong's age, he is not incapable in that aspect and has every opportunity to be reborn. Why must he risk his life to carry out this act of revenge? If it were two River Conservancy Office officials without any background, they might really lose their heads.

But those who came to quell the Sand River Gang and claim credit must have powerful Aristocratic Clan backgrounds, so their lives will definitely be spared.

It's not worth it at all.

Because he himself had no son, he couldn't truly understand the pain of losing one. Liang Qu frowned deeply.

"Lord Liang, perhaps?" Cheng Chong lowered his head and stared at Liang Qu's Waist Token. "I don't consider myself a particularly brilliant person. I know that with the court's capabilities, finding the culprit wouldn't be difficult. Therefore, I don't want to put you in a difficult position, but..."

Cheng Chong looked up, his eyes as deep as the sea.

"If you want to arrest me, I, Cheng, will not surrender without a fight. It all depends on your abilities, sir."