Interrogation

Shunyi Ward.

As he walked along the bustling street with Dai Chong's head in hand, Huang Bingcheng felt deeply awkward.

Only moments ago, Dai Chong had been a mighty big boss of the Green Bamboo Gang. Now he was shut inside a box, reduced to someone's trophy. The feeling left Huang Bingcheng with an inexplicable sense of melancholy.

Looking at Su Xin, who strode steadily ahead, Huang Bingcheng couldn't figure out where his boss got such confidence.

Last night, he'd been so worried he couldn't sleep, afraid the gang's higher-ups would punish him severely.

But when he got up that morning and saw Su Xin, his boss had looked completely refreshed.

In a daze, Huang Bingcheng followed Su Xin to Third Master Hu's residence. Master Li was already waiting for them at the gate.

Master Li's gaze was complicated as he looked at Su Xin.

From their very first meeting, Su Xin had struck him as unfathomably cunning and calculating, hardly like someone who wasn't even twenty.

As Third Master Hu's strategist, Master Li had always made his living with his wits. He'd never approved of solving problems by fighting and killing.

After Su Xin had bribed him for information last time, Master Li had been wondering how the young man would get out of his predicament.

But no matter how he thought about it, he'd never have guessed Su Xin would use the simplest method of all: kill!

"What a pity. If this young man could endure this trial and build up his seniority, he'd go much further than Third Master Hu one day. But instead, he's made a terrible move this time."

Master Li kept those thoughts to himself, putting on a radiant smile as he said, "Young Master Su, you're here? Third Master is waiting for you inside."

Su Xin nodded and followed Master Li into the reception hall.

Inside the reception hall.

Third Master Hu's face was dark as water. After Master Li led Su Xin inside, he stepped to one side.

Huang Bingcheng saw him and hurried to stand aside as well.

After a long silence, Su Xin spoke first. "Your son pays his respects, foster father."

"So you still remember I'm your foster father!"

Third Master Hu slammed his palm down on the table. The fine nanmu table split beneath his hand, leaving a palm-shaped hole straight through it.

"What did I tell you last time? Don't cause trouble, don't cause trouble. Just act as if nothing happened. And what did you do? You went and assassinated Dai Chong! Do you know the Flying Eagle Gang is about to be turned upside down because of you?"

"Rest assured, foster father. I killed him. Once we get to the gang, I'll explain everything to the leader myself. I won't let this implicate you." Su Xin smiled faintly, but beneath that smile lurked a trace of scorn.

Why was Third Master Hu so furious? Wasn't he afraid Su Xin's actions would drag him into trouble?

After all, Su Xin was nominally Third Master Hu's foster son. How could the Flying Eagle Gang not hold Third Master Hu responsible when his son had caused such a major incident?

"Do I look like I'm afraid you'll implicate me? I'm angry because you refuse to listen! You could have lived a perfectly good life, but you had to go looking for trouble. Let's see how you get out of this one!"

Third Master Hu snorted. The anger in his eyes faded, replaced by deep wariness and regret.

That was right. Third Master Hu was starting to regret his choice. He regretted not crippling Su Xin back then, and choosing instead to have him take Chen Dao's place as his foster son.

At the time, Su Xin had talked circles around him, claiming Chen Dao would threaten his position someday. But now, Third Master Hu felt threatened by Su Xin himself!

In just over a month—in barely more than a month—Su Xin had grown into what he was now.

He had money, and he had people.

Most importantly, Su Xin had strength!

Third Master Hu knew how strong Dai Chong was. The man was unquestionably far stronger than him.

Dai Chong had been born with divine strength, and was no weaker than a Post-Natal Initial Realm martial artist. He ranked among the top five in the entire Green Bamboo Gang. Yet Su Xin had cut off his head and carried it here in broad daylight.

In the past, Su Xin had said Chen Dao would one day threaten Third Master Hu's position. Now Su Xin himself had the strength to do that!

"Come on. The leader and the others are waiting for you. You've committed such a serious offense this time, and I doubt you'll get off easily. But at least you call me foster father. I'll do my best to keep you safe."

Third Master Hu spoke in grand, righteous tones, but in his heart he'd already sentenced Su Xin to death.

The incident had caused far too much of a stir, even alarming the old gang leader, who had long since retired from affairs. The punishment would certainly be severe.

Given Third Master Hu's position, he couldn't sway the outcome of such a major matter. And even if he could, he would only distance himself from the affair and take the opportunity to eliminate Su Xin, this threat to him.

The Flying Eagle Gang's main hall stood in Golden Moon Ward, the most prosperous part of the East Twelve Wards in Changning Prefecture's forty-nine wards.

The compound covered more than ten mu, stretching nearly half a street. It was impressively grand.

Huang Bingcheng thought Su Xin's little headquarters was quite imposing, but compared to the Flying Eagle Gang's main hall, it was like a sparrow beside a phoenix.

Two stone eagles, each more than two men tall, stood on either side of the main gate. They took the place of the usual stone lions—a distinctive feature of the Flying Eagle Gang.

The gang members guarding the entrance wore black martial uniforms with short sleeves, each embroidered with a majestic eagle over the left breast. Curved sabers hung at their waists.

Su Xin narrowed his eyes and studied them, noticing something different.

The gang members under Su Xin and those under Third Master Hu might have been called members of the underworld, but most were really just street thugs. There were only a handful with real skills, like Li Huai.

These men had sharp eyes and a faint aura of killing intent. Every one of them was strong and vigorous, their blood and energy robust. They were clearly hardened fighters who had killed and seen blood.

Seeing Su Xin's gaze, Master Li whispered, "These are War Hall disciples, the Flying Eagle Gang's elite. There are fewer than a hundred of them in the entire gang."

Su Xin nodded. He understood the Flying Eagle Gang's structure.

Aside from the thirteen big bosses, the three hall masters ranked just below the gang leader.

The three halls were the Charity Hall, which managed the gang's money; the Punishment Hall, which handled discipline; and the War Hall, which commanded the gang's strongest fighters.

The three hall masters ranked far above the thirteen big bosses. They were the Flying Eagle Gang's true power brokers.

"You wait outside," Third Master Hu told Master Li and Huang Bingcheng.

Not just anyone could enter the Flying Eagle Gang's main hall.

Even Master Li, Third Master Hu's strategist, wasn't allowed in. Huang Bingcheng, a mere rank-and-file member, certainly had no chance.

The conference hall could hold over a hundred people. A table ten zhang long stood in the very center. Three people sat on its left, twelve on its right, and an old man occupied the seat of honor.

When Third Master Hu brought Su Xin inside, everyone's eyes turned toward him at once. A weighty pressure bore down on Su Xin.

Everyone present was a true power broker of the Flying Eagle Gang. They had fought for more than a decade to build the gang's empire, and every one of them carried an aura as keen as a blade.

Most imposing of all was the man in the seat of honor: the Flying Eagle Gang's leader, Sha Feiying.

Sha Feiying looked ancient, easily seventy or eighty years old. His hair was completely white, and deep lines creased his face. He seemed tired and listless, yet a blade-sharp edge still showed between his brows.

Su Xin remembered the gang leader very well. Throughout the Flying Eagle Gang, Sha Feiying was a legend in the eyes of the younger members.

They said Sha Feiying had been born in Changning Prefecture. His family had once been one of its great houses, but after they offended a powerful man, his entire family was wiped out. He alone escaped.

Afterward, Sha Feiying fled Changning Prefecture and roamed the martial world. Supposedly, he'd joined the Taihang Mountain Stronghold and become a notorious bandit who ranged across Henan Circuit.

Others said he'd gone to the Western Regions, becoming a desert bandit between the Thirty-Six Western Regions Kingdoms and Xiliang Circuit, where he'd taken countless lives.

Whatever the truth, twenty years later, Sha Feiying returned as a middle-aged man.

He came back to Changning Prefecture with martial arts and bloodshed behind him, wiped out his enemies' entire families, and founded the Flying Eagle Gang, making it one of the strongest powers in Changning Prefecture.

Tales of a prince taking revenge were always popular with the young. As for whether they were true, who knew?

"Leader, Su Xin is here." Third Master Hu cupped his hands toward Sha Feiying, his manner utterly respectful.

Sha Feiying said nothing. He only waved a hand, and Third Master Hu immediately went to sit with the big bosses. He kept his eyes lowered, still as a statue.

"So you're Su Xin?" Sha Feiying asked. His voice was old and hoarse, like sand scraping against stone.

Su Xin nodded and bowed respectfully to everyone. "Su Xin pays his respects to the leader and all the seniors."

The Flying Eagle Gang's members sized Su Xin up. Whatever else they thought, they had to admit the young man had guts.

An ordinary gang member under the gaze of every senior leader in the Flying Eagle Gang would have been trembling in fear by now, hardly able to stand.

But Su Xin remained composed. He had plenty of courage.

Then again, without courage, he'd never have dared to do something this outrageous.

"Su Xin! Do you still remember that you're a member of the Flying Eagle Gang? You've caused such a huge disaster. Did you ever consider the gang?" Dong Chengwu, the Punishment Hall's master, barked in a low voice, his tone sharp as a blade.

Of the three hall masters, Dong Chengwu was the youngest-looking. He appeared to be under fifty, though in truth he was about the same age as Third Master Hu, nearly sixty.

His martial cultivation was stronger, which was why he looked younger than Third Master Hu.

Su Xin couldn't judge his exact strength, but he was certainly far stronger than Su Xin, who was only at the Post-Natal Initial Realm.

Dong Chengwu had led the Punishment Hall for over thirty years, and he'd killed more members of his own gang than outsiders. Ordinary gang members feared him even more than they feared the leader.