Strange Events in Tiannan Prefecture, Times Are Tough!

Fujiang Wharf.

The former headquarters of the Xingshui Gang.

A group of sturdy men were drinking in the courtyard.

These men were all bare-chested, drinking and eating meat with their weapons resting under their feet. Their palms, calloused from years of handling blades, tightened instinctively whenever someone passed by the courtyard or brought out more food, their eyes flashing with a ruthless glint.

Clearly, none of these men were ordinary.

"Why haven't Zhang Gou and the others returned yet? Could something have gone wrong? Did they offend someone they shouldn't have?"

"Should we send word to Third Brother over in the east of the city? Or perhaps we should send someone to check on them?"

Some of the brothers chatted idly as they drank.

Ning Da ate his food, his brows knitting together involuntarily.

For people like them, habits were carved into their very bones; they valued efficiency and acted with the speed of a thunderbolt.

Why had this operation taken so long without a single soul returning?

"Boss Ning, no need to worry. Zhang Da and the others are all experts at the peak of the Blood-Tempering Realm. I've been in the Blood-Coagulation Realm for two years now, and even I wouldn't be able to hold them off if I were caught unprepared," Wang San asked with a chuckle.

The others chimed in with mocking laughter.

Ning Da suppressed his anxiety, though he said uneasily, "Black Cloud County is a major county with wharves and mineral veins; there are many local martial artists here. If Big Brother hasn't arrived yet, I truly worry we won't be able to hold the ground! Second Brother isn't here either, and Third Brother has gone to the east of the city to secure Alien Source to replenish our supply of exotic beast meat."

"What is there to fear? Damn it, the martial artists here have had their bones softened by this comfortable environment; what do they know of true ferocity?"

A man with a scar across his face looked on with cold, sharp eyes. "Be careful of the Black Whale Gang, and don't offend the County Office for now. As for the rest—the so-called gangs, boat factions, martial arts academies, and dojos—they are nothing but clay chickens and pottery dogs!"

"I've inquired about it. The top experts on the surface in Black Cloud County are merely at the Blood Refining Force level. Not a single one has reached the Organ Refining Force."

"If it weren't for the fact that our Military Commander hasn't arrived yet, he alone could occupy this tiny patch of land..."

"Shut your mouth! Do you remember what was said before?" Ning Da barked coldly. "Since we escaped from that place, we are not to use our old titles. If you want to die, draw a blade across your own throat, but don't drag the other brothers down with you!"

The eyes of the others were filled with desolation and apprehension.

The rest of the men quickly laughed to smooth things over, letting the matter drop.

"Big Brother has joined the banner of a certain Altar Master within the Extreme Yang Society. That Altar Master is extremely interested in the affairs of Tiannan Prefecture, so Big Brother couldn't refuse. He called for us to come to Black Cloud County first to lay the groundwork; naturally, we must proceed step by step!"

Ning Da said in a low voice, "If we ruin Big Brother's plans, we ruin his impression before that Altar Master. The world is vast, but is there truly a place left for us to hide?"

"Boss Ning, rest assured. We have many brothers, and those who came to Black Cloud County are at least Blood-Tempering martial artists who have survived the blood and fire of the battlefield. No matter how good the martial artists of Black Cloud County are, they are just sheep who have never seen the flames of war. What are they to us?"

Wang San joked in return, "Even if Black Cloud County is hard to take, it's still a place for humans."

"But Tiannan Prefecture... I worry that once Big Brother goes back, he'll never come out again! Tens of thousands of troops just vanished for no reason!! They just vanished!! I don't even know what happened. In the middle of the night, the camp erupted in screams, and there were towering skyscrapers everywhere, a jungle of steel everywhere. That place can drive a man insane!"

"I heard rumors in the camp that there are people in yellow clothes wearing iron helmets who take lives invisibly. A 'takeout' sound, and heads roll!"

"Isn't that what happened in Tianlin Prefecture City? A forest of steel fell from the sky, and countless steel monsters and strange people with short hair and alien clothes descended from the heavens?"

"I also heard there are terrifying rules in that place. If a red light flashes on the pole at a crossroad, anyone who dares to cross loses their head..."

The rough men recalled the terrifying memories of that place.

Even if these were just bizarre rumors heard second-hand, they still filled them with dread!

"Enough, stop talking about Tiannan Prefecture!"

"The Boss gave orders: none of you are to recall what happened there. If you disappear because of it, don't blame the brothers for not being able to help you!"

"It doesn't matter if you disappear yourself, just don't drag the brothers down to die with you!"

Ning Da said coldly, "Next, we start with Fuxing Wharf. Take down all the surrounding gangs. None of you have a problem with that, right?"

"No problem!"

"Boss Ning, I'll go take the Black Water Gang."

"I'll handle the Small Knife Society!"

"Peace Lane is quite large and has many people. I heard those guys from the Harmony and Prosperity Union are weak, so I'll go take that over..."

The group suppressed their sorrow and fear.

They wanted to do something; if they kept busy, they could forget the terror of the past!

"Don't touch the gangs or people with backgrounds for now," Ning Da said in a low voice. "We will first occupy the gangs without backing, and wait for the Boss and the others to return before we decide how to handle the rest."

"Understood!"

The group responded in unison, their voices filled with iron and blood.

"Boss Ning, we have twelve Blood-Tempering martial artists here, two at the Blood-Coagulation stage, and you, a master of the Origin Blood Realm. Even if the experts from the County Office come, we can still put up a fight!"

Wang San chuckled, "Moving against a few people shouldn't be a big deal."

"We run fast, and those martial artists aren't slow either. I reckon in a few days, those passing through Black Cloud County will be looking for a meal too. Once things get chaotic, who will be able to manage us?"

"I don't care about those things. I only want to see the second and third-rate gangs occupied within a short time!"

Seeing that the three men who had left had not returned for a long time, Ning Da threw down his chopsticks, grabbed his blade, and stood up to walk outside. "I'm going to the east of the city to talk to Third Brother and see what his plans are. You all stay alert; wait for my return if anything happens."

The words fell.

Ning Da plunged headlong into the pitch-black night, hurrying through the streets.

Pedestrians hurried by, and as Ning Da made his way, he spotted a young boy with a youthful face helping an elderly man tidy up a stall he had accidentally overturned.

On a street filled with coming and going, in an era where everyone looked out only for themselves.

How conspicuous was this scene?

Watching the weathered face of the old man, Ning Da felt a stir in his heart.

Thinking of his family back home whose fates were unknown, and his aging parents, Ning Da felt a sting in his nose and went over to help organize the stall as well.

"Many thanks to you both. It's rare to run into kind-hearted people like you these days." The old man tremblingly pulled out two bundles of wild vegetables, stuffing one into the hands of Ning Da and the other into the boy's.

"Little brother, to be doing good deeds at your age, you have a kind heart. Take them both."

Ning Da handed his share of the vegetables to the young man.

He looked at the boy, who was thin and gaunt, dressed in coarse linen short-garb, clearly from the impoverished lower classes. Though his angular face still held a trace of youth, his demeanor was mature—evidently a child forced to grow up early by a life of hardship.

He sighed softly.

His own younger brother back home was likely about this age, wasn't he?

With the imperial court in such a state, it was like this everywhere; in the end, it was always the impoverished masses who suffered.

"It was just a small favor."

The boy flashed a set of white teeth, revealing a harmless, innocent smile that would make anyone think he was a simple and honest lad.

Ning Da smiled, yet his sharp gaze pierced through the darkness. His brows furrowed as he caught sight of some unwashed bloodstains on the boy's person. He paused slightly and asked, "Little brother, what's the situation? Why is there blood on you?"

"The world isn't peaceful. I was just walking down the road when someone tried to ambush me. Luckily, I reacted quickly."

The boy shook his head helplessly, wearing a bitter smile.

Ning Da sighed as well. "Indeed, what a wretched world this is. Sigh, keep the vegetables. I have business to attend to, so I'll be off."

"It's getting dark, old man, head home early. Consider these vegetables bought."

He tossed a handful of copper coins onto the stall and hurried away into the street.

"Go safely." The old man looked on with gratitude.

The boy nodded, watching the six-foot-three, tower-like man depart.

"Good people are hard to find."

The boy sighed with emotion, tied the wild vegetables together with hemp rope, and walked off, politely asking for information along the way.

Shortly after.

He kicked open the courtyard gate.

Fixing his gaze upon the stunned men at the table, he revealed a brilliant smile...