Sea Shark Gang

Biodata

Background / History

The Sea Shark Gang exercises coercive authority over Pearl Village's Pearl Households. It collects the Pearl Tax, threatens households unable to pay, and treats the surrender of villagers themselves as an alternative to payment. Its enforcers also insist that valuable pearls may only be handed to the gang, punishing anyone who hides or privately sells them. 1 5

The gang restricts Pearl Divers' opportunities and movement. Its rules bar Pearl Divers from studying martial arts, while local members can impose a village lockdown by force. 7 17 It also monopolizes Pearl Village's grain trade through a gang-controlled shop, forcing households to buy food at inflated prices. 14

After the death of low-ranking member Zhou Zhe, the gang searches Pearl Village but initially finds no evidence of murder. Zhou Zhe's brother, Zhou Qi, responds by ordering that no resident may leave the village. 17 During the later West Mountain bandit raid, Sea Shark Gang guards initially flee alongside county runners, then return as part of a prepared force with county constables and militia to ambush the bandits. 20 21

Organization and Operations

• Pearl Tax enforcement — Demands pearls from Pearl Households and threatens those who cannot meet the quota with severe consequences. 1 4
• Pearl monopoly — Claims exclusive control over high-quality pearls from Pearl Village and violently punishes private sales or concealed pearls. 5
• Economic exploitation — Controls Pearl Village's grain shop and charges higher prices than the county town. 14
• Movement control — Patrols waters near Pearl Village and can prohibit residents from leaving the village. 17 18
• Intimidation and extortion — Members conduct nighttime “patrol inspections” that function as theft and extortion against Pearl Households. 14 15
• Martial force — Fields ordinary blade-bearing enforcers as well as Skin Refining Realm fighters, and possesses enough manpower to contest other local factions. 28 39
• Political reach — Operates alongside county yamen runners during the bandit ambush and later claims official authorization while confronting Iron Mountain Hall disciples. 21 63

Known Members

Conflict with Chen Yue and Iron Mountain Hall

A Sea Shark Gang member enters the Chen household at night to extort money and threatens Chen Yue's family. Chen Yue kills the intruder, and the gang subsequently searches the household; the death is treated as insignificant by the wider organization until Zhou Qi takes personal offense. 15 16 17

After Chen Yue passes the County Examination, He Chong and Zhou Qi lead five other gang members to seize him and his parents, rejecting Zhou Jingfeng's attempted mediation. Chen Yue incapacitates the group and defeats He Chong, escalating a dispute with a Pearl Diver into a confrontation with Iron Mountain Hall. 28 29 30

Tang Qizheng demands either Chen Yue's public self-mutilation and submission or a life-or-death duel. Once Zhou Jingfeng formally accepts Chen Yue as a personal disciple, the dispute becomes one between the Sea Shark Gang and Iron Mountain Hall rather than a private grievance. 35 38 39

Xiong Wu represents the gang in the Life-Death Arena match. Tang provides him with a Blood-Vitalizing Pill beforehand, and Zhou Jingfeng later accuses the Sea Shark Gang of using forbidden drugs after Xiong Wu displays an abnormal surge of strength. Despite this, Chen Yue defeats Xiong Wu. 40 48 49

Following the arena outcome, Tang Qizheng publicly allows the matter to close and the gang delivers the agreed wagers—one thousand taels from Tang's bet with Zhou Jingfeng and three hundred taels from Xiong Wu's bet with Chen Yue. 50 52 The gang nevertheless later ambushes Yu Kan and Ma Jun during the rescue of Zhou Jingfeng, indicating that its hostility toward Iron Mountain Hall has continued. 63 81

Relationships

• Chen Yue — Former Pearl Household under the gang's control; becomes its primary opponent after killing Zhou Zhe and defeating He Chong and Xiong Wu. 15 30 48
• Iron Mountain Hall — Rival martial hall led by Zhou Jingfeng; its protection of Chen Yue turns the gang's dispute into an inter-faction conflict. 31 39
• Zhou Jingfeng — Iron Mountain Hall master who attempts to mediate with the gang, protects Chen Yue's family, and wagers against Tang Qizheng at the Life-Death Arena. 27 46
• Pearl Households — Subject population exploited through the Pearl Tax, pearl-sale restrictions, grain monopoly, and violent enforcement. 1 5 14
• County yamen — Cooperates with the gang during the ambush against the West Mountain bandits; gang members later invoke county orders while confronting Iron Mountain Hall disciples. 21 63
• Grain Transport Gang — A competing Hepu County faction with longstanding grievances against the Sea Shark Gang. 26 51

Notable Quotes

“In Pearl Village, what the Sea Shark Gang says is the law!” 28

“Either you hand over the pearls, or you hand over yourselves.” 1