"Congratulations, Boss Su—no, I suppose I should call you Head Boss now. The youngest Head Boss in Changning Prefecture. Tsk, tsk, you certainly make people jealous."
Chief Constable Tie Wuqing of the East Twelve Wards came over with a hearty laugh, still rolling two heavy iron balls in his hands.
Su Xin turned and cupped his hands. "Please don't tease me, Chief Constable Tie. 'Head Boss' is just a title, nothing more."
Tie Wuqing shook his head. "It's more than just a title. It's a symbol of status. You used to be a nobody, Su Xin, but after yesterday, who in the Three Gangs and Four Associations of Changning Prefecture hasn't heard of you?"
In vast Changning Prefecture, the gangs had tens of thousands of members, but only the Head Bosses were true decision-makers—men worth remembering.
Su Xin didn't keep up the modesty. "What brings you here today, Chief Constable Tie?"
A hint of a smile touched Tie Wuqing's lips. "I've come to ask you for help. I meant to come by a couple of days ago, but you were busy fighting the Green Bamboo Gang, so I didn't want to trouble you."
"Then I thank you for your consideration, Chief Constable Tie. If it's something I can handle, just say the word."
Su Xin had planned from the start to cultivate a relationship with Tie Wuqing.
As Chief Constable of the East Twelve Wards, Tie Wuqing ranked among the top ten officials in the entire Changning Prefecture yamen. He was worth investing in.
"Here's the situation. The Prefect's son went to Happy Forest to have fun a couple of days ago, but someone stole his purse.
"Losing the money would have been bad enough, but there was also a piece of Warm Jade in the purse, brought here from the Thirty-Six Western Regions Kingdoms. It's priceless—and impossible to buy.
"I've been busy lately and can't spare anyone. It would be best if you could find the Warm Jade, but if you can't, that's fine too. Just find someone to take the blame.
"The Prefect's son is in a foul temper. Just give him an answer as soon as possible and help him cool off."
Su Xin thought for a moment. "Is the Prefect's son certain the purse was stolen, rather than lost?"
"Certain. Someone cut open his clothes, and he didn't notice a thing. It was the work of an old hand."
After a moment's thought, Su Xin said, "Don't worry, Chief Constable Tie. Whether or not I find the Warm Jade, I'll give you an answer within three days."
"Good. I'll be waiting for your good news, Su Xin."
Tie Wuqing turned and left, rolling the iron balls in his hands, an inscrutable smile on his lips.
The last time he'd seen Su Xin, he'd been a minor gang member in charge of Happy Forest. Now he was a Head Boss ruling over an entire district.
The speed at which this young man climbed the ladder had surpassed even Tie Wuqing's expectations.
After Tie Wuqing left, Su Xin said to Huang Bingcheng, "Go to Happy Forest and find out every detail about the Prefect's son's visit. Search every pickpocket and thief in Happy Forest. Let's see who was stupid enough to steal the Prefect's son's purse."
Huang Bingcheng nodded and immediately led a group to Happy Forest.
In less than half an hour, Huang Bingcheng returned with the news.
"Boss, this is a bit tricky."
"What happened?"
Huang Bingcheng frowned. "I asked Boss Liu carefully. The Prefect's son went straight to his Drunken Moon Pavilion that day, and his purse was still there when he left. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to pay the bill.
"After leaving Happy Forest, he went to Yongle District to eat osmanthus chicken at Zhou's Shop. His purse was already gone when he bought the chicken."
Su Xin thought it over. "So the purse was stolen after he left the Drunken Moon Pavilion but before he entered Yongle District. Can we be sure it was one of Happy Forest's pickpockets?"
Huang Bingcheng shook his head. "Definitely not. Ever since we took control of Happy Forest, we've cleaned out all the petty thieves on the streets. The purse wasn't lost in Happy Forest."
"If not Happy Forest, then Yongle District. Who's the biggest pickpocket boss there?" Su Xin asked.
Pickpockets always had someone leading them.
Anyone daring enough to work alone on the streets had only two possible outcomes. Either the local pickpocket gang would find them and break their hands—they wouldn't let anyone outside their ranks compete for their livelihood—or they'd get caught in the act and dragged straight to the authorities.
Only by joining a pickpocket gang could you count on the boss to clean up after you if you slipped up. Of course, you'd have to hand over part of your earnings every month.
Huang Bingcheng said, "That's exactly what makes this tricky. The pickpocket boss in Yongle District is no ordinary man. His nickname is Old Wolf. They say that years ago, he carved out a stronghold for himself in the Xiangnan Dense Forest, with over a hundred bandits under him.
"But later, he supposedly crossed a young martial hero from a Martial Arts World sect. The young hero single-handedly crushed his stronghold. Old Wolf barely escaped, only to be betrayed and grievously wounded by his own men. He also lost an eye, and eventually went into hiding here in Changning Prefecture.
"Though Old Wolf was badly wounded, he still had the foundation of his old martial arts. And with his ruthless methods, he quickly brought all the pickpockets in Yongle District—several hundred of them—under his command. He even refused to show respect to Dai Chong, the former Head Boss.
"After you assassinated Dai Chong, Boss Chen of the Green Bamboo Gang took his place. They say he tried to demand protection money from Old Wolf, but ended up taking a quiet beating and coming back with his tail between his legs. He never dared mention it again."
A disdainful smile appeared on Su Xin's lips. "He's just a loser. What's there to fear? Besides, he's a loser with no confidence at all. He actually uses his defeat as a boast. Pathetic and pitiful."
"A boast?" Huang Bingcheng asked in surprise. "Are you saying he made all this up himself?"
Su Xin said coldly, "You said he was a bandit who carved out his own stronghold. A man like that would do anything to hide his identity. How else would other people know all these details?
"He probably spread these stories himself to make people remember his past glory and fear him.
"He calls himself Old Wolf, but does he really think he's some fallen wolf king? He's just a sick dog that's lost its nerve. What's there to fear?
"Even if he made Dai Chong and Boss Chen back down, those two were nothing more than souls beneath my sword."
Huang Bingcheng thought it over and realized it was true. His boss was no Dai Chong or Boss Chen.
"Come on. Let's go meet that sick dog. Do you know where he is?"
"Someone who used to be in the Green Bamboo Gang would definitely know."
Quite a few of Su Xin's men had formerly belonged to the Green Bamboo Gang. Huang Bingcheng casually pointed to a gang member guarding the headquarters and asked, "Do you know where Old Wolf is?"
The man nodded. "Yes. He's on Blackwater Street."
"Good. Take us there."
With someone familiar leading the way, they reached Blackwater Street in less than fifteen minutes.
Blackwater Street in Yongle District was much like the slums of Joyful District.
Although Yongle District wasn't as remote as Joyful District, every district had its rich neighborhoods and its slums.
Just as even Joyful District, poor as it was, still had Happy Forest.
The long stretch of Blackwater Street was awash in filthy runoff. Its crumbling streets went unrepaired, and there were pitifully few shops.
Even the Green Bamboo Gang usually didn't bother collecting protection money here. There were hardly any businesses to collect it from.
The passersby on Blackwater Street watched Su Xin and his men with wary eyes. Some even glared at them murderously.
If they hadn't seen Huang Bingcheng and their guide wearing Flying Eagle Gang uniforms, they probably would have robbed them blind already.
These people had some sense, at least. They knew who controlled Yongle District now, and didn't dare get too bold with members of the Flying Eagle Gang.
The gang member leading them said nervously, "Boss, these people aren't easy to deal with. Most of them are pickpockets working for Old Wolf.
"Outside this street, they're pickpockets. But once they're here on Blackwater Street, they're criminals. They really will kill people here."
Su Xin nodded, but his thoughts were already turning.
If Tie Wuqing needed someone to take the blame in the future, this place would be a fine choice.
There wasn't a single decent soul on Blackwater Street. If you dragged out ten people and beheaded them one by one, probably only one would be innocent enough to deserve mercy.
Next time Tie Wuqing needed someone, Su Xin could just grab a few people from Blackwater Street and hand them over. It wouldn't matter whether they'd committed the crime—he could pin it on them all the same.
The gang member led Su Xin and the others to the very end of Blackwater Street. There stood a single house, its walls painted black, with no windows—only a door.
Two fierce-looking men stood at the entrance. When they saw Su Xin and his group, disdain crossed both their faces. "What's the Flying Eagle Gang doing here? You planning to act like those useless fools from the Green Bamboo Gang and provoke our boss?
"Let us tell you, our boss doesn't want trouble, but he's no pushover! Green Bamboo Gang or Flying Eagle Gang, it doesn't matter. Blackwater Street will always be under our boss's thumb!"
The young gang member who'd led them there wouldn't have dared come to Blackwater Street to provoke Old Wolf and his men before.
But now, the legendary Boss Su of the Flying Eagle Gang was right behind him. What did he have to fear?
"Bah! You think you control Blackwater Street? The whole of Yongle District belongs to my boss, Su Xin! Boss Su has come in person, so tell Old Wolf to come out and welcome him!" The young gang member blustered, borrowing his boss's authority, and sounded rather imposing.
One of the men glanced at Su Xin, sneering. "The Flying Eagle Gang has a green kid as its Head Boss? Looks like your gang really has no one else."
Su Xin smiled at the man. For some reason, a chill suddenly enveloped him. It was as if the clear-faced young man smiling before him wasn't a person at all, but a man-eating tiger poised to pounce.
He was about to say something, but in the next instant, a brilliant sword gleam filled his pupils!
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