Tiger-Wolf Gang Wiped Out

At the gate.

Zhang Hu looked uneasy as he raised a hand and knocked twice.

It was his first time visiting the Inner Courtyard. Though he was there to find Zhou Yun, who had grown up with him, he couldn't help feeling nervous.

The door opened before long.

Zhou Yun pushed it wide and smiled when he saw his childhood friend. "What's up, Huzi? Don't tell me you broke through to Bright Force in just a few days."

"No, Brother Yun, but I've already opened five apertures... Wait, that's not the point."

When Zhang Hu saw Zhou Yun open the door, he couldn't help feeling glad.

Brother Yun was still the same familiar Brother Yun. He hadn't grown distant just because a gate now stood between them.

"I came to find you because of the Tiger-Wolf Gang!"

Zhang Hu clenched his fists. "While you were away, your cousin Zhou Ningyue came to see me. She said the Tiger-Wolf Gang had recently raised its incense money by a whole thirty copper coins!"

"They're collecting from more than just those two streets back home. They've started taking money from several nearby streets, too. Someone refused, and they beat him to death right there."

Zhou Yun furrowed his brows.

Beaten to death on the spot? Even the Sea Whale Gang in its heyday hadn't stirred up such public fury. Could the authorities really be doing nothing?

Still, he hadn't seen Lu Meng in quite a while. He wondered where the Sea Whale Gang's second young master had gone; he hadn't shown his face in the Inner Courtyard for ages.

"Ning Yue was forced to hand over the money under their threat, but those men still wanted to humiliate her..."

Zhang Hu hadn't finished speaking when he noticed Zhou Yun's face had turned dark.

He'd never seen that look in Zhou Yun's eyes before. He'd only caught a glimpse of something similar on the faces of vicious criminals wanted by the authorities.

"Huzi, I'm going home right away. I'll handle this."

Zhou Yun struggled to suppress his fury, though his face had already turned dark as water.

The Tiger-Wolf Gang? A little gang of Bright Force fighters could get away with collecting incense money, but they'd dared to lay a hand on someone dearest to him?

Zhou Ningyue had helped him care for his mother at home, and even given him the money set aside for her father's funeral so he could practice martial arts. He didn't know how he could ever repay such kindness.

If the Tiger-Wolf Gang didn't know the rules, then Zhou Yun would teach them how to write the word "rules"!

Zhou Yun quickly got dressed and hurried home under cover of night.

"Brother Yun really has changed."

Watching Zhou Yun's retreating figure, Zhang Hu felt that, though the man was close enough to touch, he was also farther away than ever.

In the night, a shadow in a conical hat darted swiftly along.

Before long, Zhou Yun had left the martial arts hall and reached a place two or three li from home. This was the Tiger-Wolf Gang's den.

At that moment, two or three members of the Tiger-Wolf Gang were huddled in an alley, abusing a woman in tattered clothes.

The woman's eyes were vacant. She could only lie there as the men writhed over her.

"Damn, weren't you so chaste at first? I love a chaste woman!"

A tall, thin gang member slapped the woman hard. His body shuddered, then he pulled up his waistband.

"Boss, ever since our leader joined that Shen Family or whatever, we've been able to do whatever we want here in Black Stone County!"

A sneering, hunchbacked man rubbed his hands together and licked his lips as he stared at the woman.

"Of course! The Tiger-Wolf Gang's going to become the biggest gang in Black Stone County. Soon, we'll be able to do whatever we want!"

The tall, thin man seemed to grow excited. He patted the woman's cheek.

"How about it? If you agree to come see me every day from now on, maybe I'll be in a good mood and grant you the status of my concubine..."

The hand he'd been waving suddenly drooped. It went still.

The hunchback leaned closer, unable to help himself. He patted the tall, thin man on the shoulder.

"Boss, what's wrong? Don't tell me you passed out from too much pleasure..."

The moment the hunchback's hand touched him, the figure crashed to the ground.

"D-dead..."

His pupils contracted sharply. A chill suddenly crept over his back, and his head spun through the air.

Thud.

Two cold corpses hit the ground. The abused woman stared blankly as a shadow tossed down a bag of copper coins.

"Go home."

Tiger-Wolf Hall.

Dozens of Tiger-Wolf Gang members drank and played drinking games in the hall, with many women accompanying them. The scene was one of wanton extravagance.

In a dim little room, Wang Tuozi, his back slightly hunched, panted as he wrapped an arm around the waist of a beautiful woman with delicate features.

The incense stick had burned only halfway, yet Wang Tuozi was already finished. He lay on the bed, smoking his pipe.

"Ah, that's the life! Ever since I became this damned gang leader, I've been living like an immortal!"

Wang Tuozi puffed clouds of smoke and held the woman in his arms.

"The Shen Family gave me so many resources, and all they asked was that I unite every gang in Black Stone County. Little beauty, what do you think they're plotting?"

The naked beauty smiled coyly and stroked Wang Tuozi's chest. "They must have seen how mighty and impressive you are, Leader, and want to make you one of the most influential men in Black Stone County."

"Haha, you sure know how to flatter me."

Wang Tuozi was in high spirits. He stroked the beauty's lovely face.

"If the Shen Family really puts me in charge of all the gangs, I'll buy you the finest rouge in Black Stone County and make you its most beautiful woman!"

"Thank you, my lord..."

The pretty beauty shot him a flirtatious glance and bent down over him.

"Hiss..."

Wang Tuozi drew in a sharp breath. No wonder she was the star of Emerald Cloud Pavilion—she was good at everything!

Just as he closed his eyes to enjoy himself, a figure appeared in the shadows.

He made no sound. Like a black ape blending into the night, he silently watched everything unfold.

Before long, the figure moved.

"Wang Tuozi, leader of the Tiger-Wolf Gang. Minor mastery in Bright Force."

The utterly emotionless words rang out before Wang Tuozi. He shuddered and snapped his eyes open.

A shadow dressed in black, wearing black boots and a conical hat, stood before him. It held the beauty who had just pleased him as casually as if she were a piece of trash.

"My lord! Spare my life! I'm willing to offer you a thousand taels of silver!"

Wang Tuozi immediately dropped to his knees. Anyone who could approach him without a sound or being noticed was at least a master of advanced Dark Force!

Some could achieve the same effect by mastering several perception-based martial arts, but he didn't dare gamble on that.

"A thousand taels of silver? Not bad."

The shadow's tone was mocking, as if it had felt a flicker of emotion.

Hearing this, Wang Tuozi thought the other man was tempted. He was just about to lift his head and say more.

Suddenly, his chest tightened. Then all signs of life left him.

"The Tiger-Wolf Gang, the Shen Family..."

Zhou Yun's expression shifted slightly. He had committed everything he'd just heard to memory.

He'd assumed the Tiger-Wolf Gang was just a common gang. He hadn't expected the Shen Family to be behind it. But the current Chief Escort Shen was still out in the county, so it couldn't be that Shen.

In other words, it could only be the Shen of the Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall.

"This water's getting deeper and deeper."

Zhou Yun shook his head, then vanished into the night.