Joining the Group

"W-what?"

Scar-Head Li seemed unable to grasp what Qin Fang meant, staring at him with a blank expression.

Qin Fang narrowed his eyes. "When you told Wang Long and his men where I lived, how many people were listening nearby and knew they were coming for me? After the fact, did you tell anyone else?"

Scar-Head Li froze for a moment, but then his expression shifted visibly, his entire body beginning to tremble. "Master, what, what are you planning to do? That, that Wang Long is no ordinary man. His brother is Wang Hu of the Iron Tiger Gang, a master of Dark Force..."

He clearly saw something in Qin Fang's gaze that unsettled him deeply.

Qin Fang said nothing, merely watching him with cold indifference.

Pressed by Qin Fang's stare, Scar-Head Li finally stammered, "J-just those few people from earlier knew. They heard about it and came over. I, I didn't tell anyone else..."

"Which ones? Be specific." Qin Fang's voice was calm.

"One was obviously Wang Long, and the other was Mole-Face Zhang, the guy with the, the mole on his face... and also..."

Scar-Head Li stuttered out five or six names. Aside from Wang Long, he only knew them by their nicknames, as he had no idea what their real names were.

Street thugs were usually known by their nicknames.

And those men were all members of the Iron Tiger Gang.

Qin Fang listened intently, verifying the details in his mind.

Including Wang Long, there had indeed been six people who arrived earlier, matching the number from that day. It seemed they were all part of Wang Long's crew.

Through Scar-Head Li's description, he mapped the individuals one by one.

"Where do they usually hang out?"

Qin Fang asked after a moment of silence.

"Master, what, what are you trying to do? P-please, don't do anything reckless! That, that's the Iron Tiger Gang!"

Scar-Head Li was terrified, desperately trying to dissuade Qin Fang from his intentions.

At this moment, he was filled with regret.

If he had known, he would have rather been beaten black and blue or had his legs broken than let his greed cloud his judgment and lead him to snitch!

That dog-hearted Wang Long had no honor and went back on his word.

And now, he was being targeted by this drifter who looked like nothing but trouble!

...This was a drifter!

A true desperado!

He had witnessed the tragedies caused by the drifter riots a while back!

And now...

He was forced to face such a vicious man.

Cold sweat streamed down his forehead, never stopping.

Qin Fang looked at him, and after a brief silence, asked calmly, "Do you owe them money?"

"Eh?" Scar-Head Li blinked, staring at Qin Fang.

"Five taels of silver, right? If you don't pay in three days, you'll be in big trouble, won't you?"

Qin Fang asked calmly.

Scar-Head Li subconsciously swallowed hard... Not pay? He'd lose at least a finger or two.

Who knew what might happen to his family...

He knew the Iron Tiger Gang's methods all too well.

"Do you live right here?"

As Qin Fang spoke, he glanced back at the deep, dark alley behind him, then looked at Scar-Head Li, whose face had turned even more panicked. He narrowed his eyes. "Because of you, Wang Long and his men have found me. If I don't deal with them, I won't survive. Do you think you, the one who started all this... can survive?"

Qin Fang's voice was calm as he spoke, but the cold, murderous light in his eyes made Scar-Head Li shiver uncontrollably.

"B-but..."

Scar-Head Li tried to say something.

Qin Fang said flatly, "I only need information on where they hang out at night. At most, I need you to keep an eye on their movements. That is all... I don't need you to lift a finger. Once it's done, I'll give you ten taels of silver. You just need to keep this buried in your stomach."

Scar-Head Li's expression shifted, but hesitation soon followed.

Qin Fang naturally knew what he was worried about and said calmly, "I know what you're worried about. You're afraid I might harm you. But if you think about it carefully, you'll realize I have no reason to do so... I am an outsider, now apprenticed to Elder Wu, and I only want to live a quiet life. If Wang Long and his men hadn't pushed me so far, I wouldn't be taking such risks."

"And if everything goes smoothly, Wang Hu will inevitably investigate this after the fact. I need to keep track of Wang Hu's movements and intelligence at all times, which requires a local to act as my eyes and ears... If you cooperate well with me, you will be the perfect informant."

"When the time comes, we will be in the same boat... You wouldn't be naive enough to report me to Wang Hu after Wang Long meets his end, would you? After all, if Wang Hu finds out you played a part in this, you wouldn't survive either, would you?"

"Since that's the case, why would I harm you?"

Qin Fang spoke persuasively. Scar-Head Li's face twitched, his expression shifting constantly.

At this moment, Qin Fang softly delivered the final blow: "On the contrary, if you refuse now... it will be very difficult for me. You already know what I intend to do. Tell me, what should I do?"

Scar-Head Li trembled all over, the burning pain in his cheek intensifying.

After a full half-day, he asked with a trembling voice, "R-really? I just have to keep watch?"

"Yes."

"T-ten taels of silver?"

"Ten taels."

Scar-Head Li looked at Qin Fang, but Qin Fang's expression remained calm, revealing nothing of his thoughts.

Ultimately, he gritted his teeth hard and declared, "Fine, I—I'll do it!"

"Master, you... you really won't burn the bridge after crossing it, will you?" Scar-Head Li asked Qin Fang, his face falling into a mournful expression as he spoke.

"Rest assured," Qin Fang said indifferently. "I am not Wang Long."

Scar-Head Li scrutinized Qin Fang carefully, and upon confirming that he did not seem to be lying, he swallowed hard and felt slightly more at ease.

"Now, tell me, where will they be going tonight?"

Qin Fang asked calmly.

Scar-Head Li took a deep breath and began to speak.

Wang Long was the older brother of Wang Hu, so his status within the Iron Tiger Gang was naturally quite high.

However, limited by his own strength—he hadn't even reached the Ming Jin stage—he did not actually wield much power within the Iron Tiger Gang, and naturally, he was not in charge of any of the gang's important operations.

He was responsible for several underground gambling dens within the county.

"But the gambling dens in the county have divided territories; after all, besides the Iron Tiger Gang, there are over a dozen other gangs, big and small, all mixed together."

"The Iron Tiger Gang's gambling dens are mainly concentrated near the 'South Market Entrance'..."

As expected of a degenerate gambler, when talking about the dens, Scar-Head Li's face lit up involuntarily, and he rattled off the details of every establishment as if they were his own treasures.

And as a local snake, he truly lived up to his reputation, knowing the whereabouts of Wang Long and his cronies like the back of his hand.

Qin Fang listened quietly, and through Scar-Head Li's words, he gained a slight understanding of the underworld in True Martial County.

Various gangs stood in great numbers, creating a highly complex web.

And behind every one of these gangs, there was invariably the shadow of a martial artist.

Listening to Scar-Head Li, Qin Fang began to plan his next move in his mind...

A gentleman takes revenge, even ten years later?

Qin Fang did not consider himself a gentleman.

Because he took his revenge.

From morning until night.