An Acting Masterclass

"It's precisely because I'm with the Flying Eagle Gang that I chose to assassinate Dai Chong!"

Su Xin wore a fiercely indignant expression. "Dai Chong killed my brother and challenged the Flying Eagle Gang. His crimes are simply unforgivable! I owe everything I have today to the Flying Eagle Gang's support. To insult the Flying Eagle Gang is to insult me, Su Xin!"

"Did you consider the consequences?" Dong Chengwu gave a cold snort.

Su Xin patted his chest. "My parents died when I was young. I never got much of an education, so I didn't think things through. But I've already killed him. If this ends up harming the gang, I'm willing to pay for it with my life!"

His words were delivered with such passion that they genuinely moved quite a few people.

After all, the senior members and the three hall masters present had all fought their way up from the bottom. When they were young, they had been just like Su Xin—bold and combative, but impulsive, unable to think about the bigger picture.

Third Master Hu, however, nearly spat blood in secret. He wanted nothing more than to expose Su Xin on the spot.

You little punk, you claim you weren't educated and couldn't think things through?

Back then, Su Xin had talked his way out of being branded a murderer of his former boss and become a minor leader in Happy Forest instead. He was more cunning than a fox!

And just look at how he'd had all the merchants in Happy Forest dancing in the palm of his hand within a month. Did this kid really seem like someone without guile, someone who was hotheaded and impulsive?

No one else present had dealt with Su Xin before, so they didn't know what he was like. Third Master Hu knew, but all he could do was sit in a corner and play invisible, too afraid to speak up.

No matter what, Su Xin was one of his subordinates, and a sworn son he'd personally acknowledged. If he kicked Su Xin while he was down in front of all these people, his reputation in the Flying Eagle Gang would be ruined.

Besides, if the gang decided to punish Su Xin, Third Master Hu might get dragged into it, too. How could he dare draw everyone's attention?

"Hmph! Pay for it with your life? If we really go to war with the Green Bamboo Gang, more than one or two of our men will die. Can your life make up for all of theirs?" Dong Chengwu was unmoved by Su Xin's words.

Dong Chengwu hadn't been moved, but someone else had.

"Old Dong, don't be so cold-blooded. Back when the Flying Eagle Gang was first founded, I took a cleaver and hacked the Three-Headed Flood Dragon of Sheng Le Workshop to death, winning our gang its very first territory."

The speaker was Lin Fuhu, the War Hall master and one of the three hall masters. He was tall and powerfully built, and of the three halls, he commanded the War Hall. The killing aura around him was the strongest, too.

Su Xin's eyes lit up. Looking "moved," he said, "When I first joined the Flying Eagle Gang, I heard all about your deeds, Hall Master Lin. You carved out the first piece of territory for our gang with nothing but a knife in your hand."

"Heh, there's no need to boast of past glories." Lin Fuhu spoke modestly, but he couldn't hide his smugness. After all, it was the achievement he was proudest of in his life.

Dong Chengwu glanced at Su Xin, then frowned at Lin Fuhu. "Old Lin, this isn't the same as back then. Our gang was just starting out, and we had to risk our lives to establish ourselves.

"But now the gang is on a proper footing. Going to war with the Green Bamboo Gang, whose strength is about the same as ours, won't get us a single benefit."

Lin Fuhu waved a hand dismissively. "Dong Chengwu, the longer you've been in the jianghu, the more timid you've become. It's just a war with the Green Bamboo Gang. It's not as if we haven't fought them before.

"I think this kid's got promise. He's got the same spirit I did back in the day. We shouldn't punish him—we ought to reward him.

"Otherwise, won't we break the hearts of the young men who give their all for the gang?"

"That's sophistry! Fighting for the gang and disobeying orders, doing whatever you please, are two completely different things!" Dong Chengwu slammed his palm on the table with a bang, nearly knocking over the teacups.

"Dong Chengwu, what do you mean by that? Who are you pounding the table at? You think I'm afraid of you?" Lin Fuhu sprang to his feet, a vicious glint in his eyes.

Watching the two men argue so fiercely, Su Xin chuckled inwardly. Huang Bingcheng's information really had been spot-on.

When he'd first taken over Happy Forest, Su Xin had asked Huang Bingcheng about the Flying Eagle Gang's upper ranks. In Huang Bingcheng's eyes, of course, it had all been gossip.

Everyone knew that Lin Fuhu, the War Hall master, and Dong Chengwu, the Punishment Hall master, were at odds.

Lin Fuhu had a short temper and was impulsive and fiercely protective of his own.

Dong Chengwu, on the other hand, was iron-faced and impartial. Once someone violated the gang's rules, no amount of pleading on their behalf would help.

Several years ago, during a battle, a War Hall disciple had deliberately tortured and killed prisoners from an enemy gang, violating the gang's rules. Dong Chengwu had wanted to cripple him as punishment, so Lin Fuhu, protective of his own, naturally went to plead for mercy.

In Lin Fuhu's view, what was the big deal about killing a prisoner who'd surrendered? They were all men of passion. It was only natural to lose control once in a while.

The outcome was predictable. Dong Chengwu didn't give Lin Fuhu an inch. He severed the War Hall disciple's hand and foot tendons on the spot, leaving him crippled. That was how the two hall masters had become sworn enemies.

Su Xin's predicament was much like that War Hall disciple's, so Lin Fuhu naturally felt inclined to side with him.

In Dong Chengwu's eyes, Su Xin's impassioned speech might have seemed a little contrived. But to Lin Fuhu, this was exactly what a good Flying Eagle Gang disciple ought to be: young and hot-blooded, daring to fight.

"Enough! The two of you are nearly a hundred years old combined. You've been arguing for years. Aren't you tired of it yet?" Sha Feiying spoke, and the two fell silent at once, obediently returning to their seats.

"Zhuang Li, what do you think?" Sha Feiying asked the Charity Hall master.

At first glance, Zhuang Li looked short and plump, with a genial smile. He didn't seem like a gang boss so much as a wealthy landowner.

When Sha Feiying addressed him, Zhuang Li answered with a cheerful chuckle. "What opinion could I have? I'll go along with whatever everyone decides. But we'd better handle this cautiously. If we don't, then what Hall Master Lin said is true—we could break the hearts of the gang's disciples."

Dong Chengwu gave Zhuang Li a long look, a dark glint passing through his eyes.

Anyone present who wasn't completely stupid could hear what Zhuang Li meant: he supported Lin Fuhu.

Dong Chengwu was iron-faced and impartial. During his time in charge of the Punishment Hall, it wasn't only War Hall members who had fallen into his hands. Even more of the Charity Hall's disciples had.

The Charity Hall managed the gang's money and grain. Skimming a little off the top in secret was only natural, but if Dong Chengwu caught them, they'd lose more than a layer of skin—even if they survived.

Still, Zhuang Li wasn't nearly as shallow as Lin Fuhu. Even if he resented Dong Chengwu, he wouldn't tear off the mask and openly quarrel with him.

There were three men and two opinions. The Flying Eagle Gang had no rule that the minority had to submit to the majority. The three hall masters merely stated their positions. The one who made the decision was still the gang leader.

"Ahem." Sha Feiying cleared his throat. "Su Xin's matter does need to be handled carefully.

"By rights, killing Dai Chong deserves a heavy reward. I could even promote you straight to senior leader.

"But without rules, there can be no order. The gang had already strictly forbidden you from provoking the Green Bamboo Gang, yet you still made your move. That means you disregarded the gang's rules, and you have to be punished.

"So for this matter, your merits and faults cancel each other out. I won't reward you, but I won't punish you either. Remember, only those who follow the rules live long."

At that final remark, Sha Feiying looked deeply at Su Xin. His words carried an unspoken meaning.

Dong Chengwu's expression darkened at Sha Feiying's ruling. Not punishing Su Xin meant that Sha Feiying had sided with Lin Fuhu.

"Gang leader, how are we going to respond to the Green Bamboo Gang? They've lost Dai Chong. I doubt they'll let this go," Dong Chengwu asked, unwilling to accept it.

Sha Feiying waved a hand. "Let them refuse to let it go. The Green Bamboo Gang is already a little weaker than us. Now that Dai Chong is dead, if they want to make this a real fight, we'll play along.

"But I believe the Green Bamboo Gang aren't fools. They've lost a fierce vanguard like Dai Chong, so they'll be the ones worse off if we fight.

"Still, we can't let down our guard. Tell the men to stay sharp and get ready for battle. If anything unexpected happens, we attack at once!"

"Yes!"

All the senior leaders present answered in unison.

Lin Fuhu looked pleased. The War Hall feared gang wars least of all. The fiercer the fighting, the more credit they stood to earn.

Dong Chengwu strode away. As he left, he gave Su Xin a long look.

Lin Fuhu clapped Su Xin hard on the shoulder and laughed. "Not bad, kid. You're my kind of man. You dared to go after Dai Chong with just a sword. That's guts! If you weren't already a minor leader, I'd have tried to bring you into the War Hall."

"Thank you for thinking so highly of me, Hall Master Lin. When I joined the Flying Eagle Gang, I considered you my idol." Su Xin smoothly buttered him up, sending the War Hall master off with a cheerful smile.

Only after the other senior leaders had left did Third Master Hu stand up and pat Su Xin on the shoulder. "Well done. But remember for next time: don't be so impulsive. If something comes up, you can discuss it with your sworn father."

Su Xin lowered his head. "I was only afraid of causing trouble for you, sworn father."

"What kind of thing is that to say? Do I look like someone who's afraid of trouble?" Third Master Hu scolded him with feigned displeasure.

"Yes, I understand. If something like this happens again, I'll be sure to discuss it with you, sworn father."

The two put on an air of devoted father and son. Who knew who they were performing for? After exchanging a few hollow pleasantries, they left the main hall.

Outside, Master Li, Huang Bingcheng, and the others had been waiting anxiously. When they saw Su Xin emerge unharmed, they immediately knew he'd made it through this ordeal safely.

But the two men reacted differently. Huang Bingcheng was delighted, while Master Li was astonished.