The chaos in the alley gradually subsided as the two thugs from the Firewood Gang were subdued, and the onlookers slowly dispersed, leaving the alley quiet once more.
A breeze brushed past the street corner, carrying a faint scent of blood and damp mildew that swept across the hems of their garments and rustled the withered leaves in the nook of the wall.
Liu Wei came to a halt, cast a glance at Gu Chang'an, and spoke in a steady tone tinged with a hint of approval:
"You moved fast enough, clean and crisp, not at all like someone new."
Zhou Yue rubbed his chin from the side, chuckling half-jokingly:
"Didn't they say newcomers should watch more, listen more, and act less? Yet you dropped your hand and swung your palm with more familiarity than old hands like us."
As he spoke, he even gestured with his chin toward the Firewood Gang fellow lying on the ground.
"Look at that posture, I wager he won't be able to get out of bed for half a month."
Song Zong's expression, however, lacked such ease; his brows were slightly furrowed, and his tone was slow yet lacking no seriousness:
"Little Brother Gu, this Firewood Gang has entrenched itself in Nanning County for many years, secretly colluding with street ruffians, gambling dens, and brothels in a complex web. The Qingzi Hall alone has over a hundred men."
"Since you injured their people today, you must exercise greater caution from now on."
Gu Chang'an raised his gaze slightly, his expression calm as he said, word by word:
"Heh, the Firewood Gang is precisely the one I've offended."
Standing in the wind, his tone was flat yet radiated an unquestionable firmness.
"The Firewood Gang's affairs must be investigated, and I am willing to investigate them to the end."
As his voice fell, the air seemed to congeal, and the three of them fell silent for a moment.
Song Zong looked at him for a few moments, finally letting out a soft sigh with a complex tone:
"It seems Little Brother Gu and this Firewood Gang... harbor old grievances after all."
Gu Chang'an did not respond directly, his face sullen.
Liu Wei nodded, his tone low:
"Since you do not fear them, we will not back down either. The Firewood Gang has indeed grown increasingly overbearing in recent years; if we can use today as an opening, it might not be a bad opportunity."
He turned his head and instructed, "Zhou Yue, escort these two back to the yamen and interrogate them carefully to see if we can pry anything out of their mouths."
"Understood." Zhou Yue gave his assent, untied the rope from his waist, and efficiently bound the two thugs back-to-back before dragging them away. He didn't forget to jest on the side:
"When their Firewood Gang comes looking for someone to back them up later, remember to block the first blade behind me."
Gu Chang'an smiled faintly. "You run fast enough, no need for me to block anything for you."
The men chuckled lightly, the atmosphere easing slightly.
After sending Zhou Yue off, the three continued their patrol, proceeding slowly along West City Avenue.
By now the hour was late, dusk hung heavy, and lanterns were just being lit.
In the West District, lanterns hung high and restaurants stood in rows, forming the most prosperous area in Nanning County.
The sound of pipas, laughter, and the fragrance of wine and food intertwined into a bustling, extraordinary scene.
Liu Wei explained in a low voice while patrolling:
"These restaurants, flower houses, and teahouses all have to 'grease the palms' of the City Guard Division every month. On the surface it's a tribute, but in truth it's for safe passage."
"Of course, the gangs' cut is indispensable behind the scenes. The Firewood Gang, the Horse Gang, and even some external factions all have eyes and ears around here."
Song Zong interjected, "Our patrol tonight is just for show; the real deterrent is letting people know that the City Guard Division is still here."
As he spoke, his gaze swept nonchalantly across the window ledge of a restaurant not far away, where several pairs of gazes were peering down from the upper floor before quietly withdrawing their curtains.
After finishing a round of patrol, Liu Wei placed his hands behind his back and leisurely said, "Well then, the patrol is nearly done, and right ahead is Zui Shuang Tower—shall we head inside for a drink?"
Song Zong waved his hand hurriedly, his tone tactful yet firm:
"We won't go. Tensions are high now, and yamen inspectors are still watching in the shadows; if we give anyone a chance to make an issue of it, it might not end well."
Liu Wei curled his lip as if unimpressed, but ultimately did not press the matter further.
"Fine, then we'll have tea."
The three turned into an elegant teahouse at the street corner, taking seats by the window to avoid the clamor.
Outside the window were the lights of Nanning, and amidst the curling fragrance of tea, all three wore calm expressions while each harboring their own thoughts.
With tea fragrance swirling and candlelight flickering, the three sat quietly at a small table by the window, chatting pleasantly, when suddenly a commotion came from the street outside.
"Bang—!"
"Move aside!"
"Get lost, you Black Sand scum!"
An angry shout mingled with the sound of clashing weapons suddenly erupted. Outside the teahouse window, in a secluded alley, torchlight flickered and figures crossed paths as over a dozen people engaged in a chaotic brawl.
Clubs, blades, fists, and kicks flew wildly, curses and cries of pain rising one after another. Several peddlers' stalls nearby were overturned, ceramic bowls shattered, and fruit rolled all over the ground.
A child was frightened into wailing loudly, and the mother hurriedly scooped him up and fled.
Yet inside the teahouse, just as Gu Chang'an made to stand, Liu Wei raised a hand to stop him, his expression as calm as still water:
"Sit."
Gu Chang'an was slightly taken aback.
Song Zong pinched his teacup, took a sip, and his expression remained normal:
"As long as such gang feuds don't harm merchants or affect civilians, we generally don't interfere."
A blade flashed outside the window, and someone took a club to the shoulder, crying out as they collapsed, only to be kicked into the roadside drainage ditch. Still, no one intervened.
Gu Chang'an asked in a low voice, "We're just going to let them run wild like this?"
Song Zong shook his head with a smile, gazing toward the group of defeated retreating figures at the street corner as he said:
"They are men from the Black Sand Gang and the Flowing Gold Gang. This isn't the first time today; grievances have piled up like mountains long ago."
"The Black Sand Gang is an old-established faction in the West District, having once dominated the region in earlier years. Its leader, Black Snake He Tong, is a peak Ninth Rank powerhouse. Unfortunately—"
"During his most recent outing, He Tong returned severely injured and has been bedridden ever since. Several incense masters have also met with mishaps one after another, some dead, some missing. Outsiders all suspect they fell victim to foul play."
"As for the Flowing Gold Gang, they are ones who only popped up over the past two years," Liu Wei interjected, his tone carrying a trace of unease. "At first they were just minor factions on a few streets, but they recruited many external martial artists and rogue bandits, acting ruthlessly and expanding extremely fast."
"Now the Black Sand Gang has gone through three batches of incense masters, and the brothers' hearts are unsettled; they are already tottering in the wind and rain. The Flowing Gold Gang has been nibbling away at their territory, and now half of this West District is entirely in their grasp."
Song Zong sighed softly. "At this rate, in a few more days, the West District will belong to the Flowing Gold Gang."
As he spoke, he glanced at Gu Chang'an, his expression growing somewhat solemn:
"The ones we'll have to deal with in the future probably won't be Black Sand, but this newly rising Red Gold crowd."
Gu Chang'an nodded slightly, his gaze passing through the lattice window to look at the group of battered men in black fleeing in a panic at the mouth of the alley.
He suddenly lowered his voice and asked, "How much do you know about the origins of the Flowing Gold Gang?"
Song Zong shook his head. "I don't know much. I only heard that although there aren't many people in this gang, their upper echelons are almost entirely experts, with at least five Ninth Rank Martial Artists holding the fort."
"Moreover, their origins are mysterious, their movements secretive, and many of their subordinates speak with outside accents."
Liu Wei said slowly, "It's not that we haven't investigated, but we can't make headway. Vast though the City Guard Division is, it's divided into nine branches with each performing its own duties; better to avoid extra trouble than to meddle."
"Even if they grow too big to manage, as long as they don't step out of line, at most everyone just gives and takes bribes so we can maintain appearances."
Gu Chang'an fell silent, though ripples stirred in his heart.
Although he now possessed martial arts and held the status of a constable, if such dark forces were truly allowed to grow unchecked, it would only bring greater suffering to the common people and further disorder to public security in the future.
He muttered in a low voice: "Still, the Flowing Gold Gang... may not necessarily abide by the rules."
The three sat quietly in the teahouse for a moment without words.
Until the moon rose to the zenith, Liu Wei stood up and said, "The time is about right. Let's make one last round and return to the yamen to hand over the shift."
The three left the teahouse, patrolled once more along the direction of the city wall, and after confirming there were no abnormalities in the streets and alleys, made their way back to the City Guard Division yamen.
At this time the yamen was brightly lit, and the relieving bailiffs were returning in succession, chatting in twos and threes in the courtyard while preparing their weapons.
Suddenly, a steady sound of footsteps came from the inner hall.
Wang Hao walked with a steady stride and a stern expression, his appearance immediately drawing everyone's attention. He swept his gaze across the room and said in a deep voice:
"Hold on, everyone, I have an announcement to make."
The constables all straightened up and stood at attention.
Wang Hao said, "First, regarding the conflict between the Flowing Gold Gang and the Black Sand Gang, the City Guard Division will not intervene—no matter how many casualties there are, we will not interfere."
As these words were spoken, everyone looked at each other in dismay, yet no one uttered a sound.
"Second," he paused, his gaze sharpening, "if the Flowing Gold Gang commits any overstepping behavior, you may report directly to me or the squad leader; private handling is not permitted."
Song Zong and Liu Wei's expressions flickered as they exchanged a glance.
Gu Chang'an stood quietly among the crowd, silently clenching his fists as a thought gradually arose in his mind:
Since the Flowing Gold Gang seeks to rise to power, is there truly a mastermind behind the scenes? If one day they dare to shake the bottom line of the law, I will not stand by idly.
Having finished speaking, Wang Hao turned and left, leaving behind only a single sentence:
"Dismissed. Everyone go get some rest; tomorrow's patrol remains unchanged."
The crowd murmured assent and gradually dispersed.
If you like this book, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you won't lose it next time!
Before you continue