Attempted Murder

There was no room for them to speak now. The Gathering Justice people could only watch Chen Xia and Zhou Tong talk, not daring to make a single move.

Chen Xia did not stand on ceremony after hearing Zhou Tong's words. He said directly, "Brother Zhou, I've troubled you and the brothers to make this trip."

"What trouble is that? Since you, Brother Chen, spoke up, of course I had to come take a look. And from now on, as long as you send word, Brother Zhou will definitely be there!"

Zhou Tong smiled brightly. After speaking, he looked at Zhao Banshou and the others. "These people offended you. I think we should arrest them all and lock them up for a few days. If you're still unhappy, Brother Chen, we can throw them into the Patrol Inspection Office's Criminal Prison."

At the words "Criminal Prison," Zhao Banshou and the others went deathly pale. Calling it "throwing them in" made it sound simple, but the Patrol Inspection Office's Criminal Prison was no pleasant place. Back when they had fought the Blazing Fire people, those from Blazing Fire who had gone in had basically never come back out.

In the past, the Patrol Inspection Office had appeared to support them, but in truth, it had merely let them wear each other down.

Now that Blazing Fire had been wiped out, Zhou Tong's attitude showed that if they committed any offense, their fate would not be good either.

Although the former leaders of Gathering Justice had given the Patrol Inspection Office some benefits, once they took over Xingou Street, that debt had been settled.

He was only a squad leader, while the Gathering Justice Mercenary Group had eight squad leaders. So many people were waiting to rise through the ranks. If he were arrested, the Gathering Justice leader would not be able to protect him. Then he would be in real trouble.

Hearing Zhou Tong's words, Chen Xia felt somewhat emotional. He had not expected that his rise in status would mean that now, with just a nod, he could decide the fate of Zhao Banshou and the others before him.

And this was still the current era.

"Captain Chen, we really mistook you for someone else! Please give us a chance. I guarantee nothing like this will ever happen again!"

In an instant, Zhao Banshou had lost every trace of his previous ferocity and could only beg for mercy.

Chen Xia thought it over. Although Zhou Tong was backing him up, he also understood that one had to know when to stop and could not overstep one's bounds. Zhou Tong should still take the lead. He said, "I'll leave this matter to Brother Zhou."

"Fine!" Zhou Tong nodded and looked at Zhao Banshou. "You just attempted to murder someone from the Patrol Inspection Office. Although the murder attempt failed, you should still be sentenced. Dragon Mountain Zone has recently been carrying out defensive construction and is short on manpower. You can go there and do hard labor for a year!"

Hearing this, Zhao Banshou cursed inwardly. Dragon Mountain Zone was a well-known area of Different Race activity, and there were many exotic beasts there as well. People working there were often attacked and could easily lose their lives.

Those sent to such places for hard labor were usually death-row inmates, or prisoners serving life sentences who sought reform. What were they being sent there for?

Besides, when had they attempted murder? They had only gone to demand something from Chen Xia. Even if they failed to get it, they would never harm someone from the Patrol Inspection Office. How had it become attempted murder in Zhou Tong's mouth?

Yet how could they explain themselves? Whatever the other side said was what it was. And Zhao Banshou and the others did not dare run either. If fighting broke out, the consequences would be even worse. Besides, they could not win.

Zhao Banshou and the others helplessly surrendered without resistance. They did not dare utter a word as they were all taken away.

To thank Zhou Tong for stepping in to help, Chen Xia planned to treat them to a meal. Though he had just eaten, social niceties still had to be observed.

However, Zhou Tong caught the scent of alcohol on Chen Xia and did not accept. Smiling, he said, "Brother Chen, next time. It's getting late, and you should head home too. There'll be plenty of chances in the future."

"Also, don't be afraid of them. You can tell me about such small matters anytime. Don't be fooled by how the Gathering Justice Mercenary Group struts around in front of ordinary people. They behave themselves in front of me. I can still keep them in check."

"Brother Zhou, you're impressive... Then thank you."

"Hehe... Not at all, not at all. With your strength, these people couldn't do anything to you anyway. Oh, should I give you a ride home?"

"No need. My home isn't far, and Gathering Justice's people have already been arrested. It's safe."

"Alright, then I'll be leaving. You head home. See you tomorrow!" Zhou Tong said with a chuckle, then turned and led his men away.

Watching Zhou Tong and the others leave, Chen Xia felt somewhat emotional. He had originally been prepared to draw his blade and teach the Gathering Justice people a lesson. With his current Grade 1, Fourth Stage cultivation, that would have been no problem at all.

But since the matter could be resolved without bloodshed, that was even better and saved him the trouble. After this lesson, Zhao Banshou and the others would surely not dare provoke him again.

Chen Xia had observed Zhao Banshou and the others' expressions just now. They had likely been frightened badly this time. If they dared come looking for trouble again, they would be courting death.

Thinking that the matter of the Yuangu Pill had been settled just like that, he felt no burden in his heart and was in high spirits. He turned around, got on his bicycle, and rode home.

Not long after Chen Xia left, someone was hiding in another alley.

Because his hiding place was separated from Chen Xia and the others by an alley, no one had noticed him. But he had heard everything that had just happened.

He had originally been traveling with Zhao Banshou, but he had gone to buy a few bottles of water and missed it all. Unexpectedly, that had allowed him to escape disaster. His expression was filled with shock.

Zhou Tong was in charge of Xingou Street. Even the leaders of the Gathering Justice Mercenary Group had to speak politely before him and dared not offend him. And Chen Xia, whom they had come to find, was also a captain favored by the Patrol Inspection Office. It was clear they had kicked an iron plate this time.

He thought to himself, "Zhao Banshou offended Chen Xia and even clashed with Zhou Tong. Good thing I wasn't there, or I would've been arrested too. This is a serious matter. I need to hurry back and tell Brother Cao."

The underling quickly ran all the way back. Before long, he went around a street, entered through the back door of a bar, and arrived at a spacious basement. There, he found a middle-aged man at a round table, drinking while holding a foreign woman in his arms. The man was powerfully built, with a blue dragon tattoo on his arm and the face of a bandit.

He was Cao Yi, the leader of the Gathering Justice Mercenary Group.

Some time ago, Cao Yi had led his men in an ambush and hacked the leader of Blazing Fire to death. After taking over this area, he had been living quite comfortably these past few days.

He was drinking and having fun with several of his squad leaders.

Seeing his underling in a panic, Cao Yi turned his head and asked, "What happened?"

The underling explained what had happened, though he did not mention the pills. But when Cao Yi heard that Zhao Banshou had been arrested along with more than a dozen others, he felt there was more to it.

After pressing him for answers, the underling eventually told him everything.

"Yuangu Pill? Why didn't I know about this?"

"Brother Cao, Zhao Banshou had planned to settle this matter first, then bring the pill up to you as a surprise. But things didn't work out, and he... he got arrested." The underling stammered, not daring to raise his head as he spoke softly.

Bang! Cao Yi slammed his palm onto the table and shot to his feet, cursing, "That idiot Zhao Qing! I told him not to act on his own! Gathering Justice hasn't even secured its position yet, and he keeps causing trouble for me. He turned things into this over a single pill. Do you think it doesn't cost money for me to bail people out?"

Of course Cao Yi knew that Zhao Banshou had wanted to make some extra money and had not told him about it. Now that the man had been arrested, Cao Yi was expected to clean up his mess.

Thinking about it irritated him. Gathering Justice's relationship with the local Patrol Inspection Office was purely one of mutual benefit. When he had first arrived, he had received word that the Yijiang Chief Office did not interfere with conflicts between mercenary groups. As long as they did not indiscriminately harm civilians, they were allowed to wear each other down.

Because he knew this, he had immediately gathered his men and paid the local headquarters a sum of money to establish connections. Only then had he taken down the Blazing Fire Mercenary Group and replaced them.

He had barely been in the position for a few days, and Zhao Banshou had already offended Chen Xia and Zhou Tong, locals with connections. Furious, Cao Yi picked up a bottle of beer and chugged it. His eyes were bloodshot, and a faint reddish gleam flickered in his pupils.

"Brother Cao, calm down. Since it's already happened, we should think carefully about what to do," the squad leaders around him repeatedly urged.

Cao Yi smashed the beer bottle onto the floor. After thinking for a moment, he shouted, "No matter what, they're Gathering Justice people. I can't just stand by and do nothing. I'll go to the Patrol Inspection Office to handle this matter. From now on, all of you better stop causing trouble for me!"