Aftermath of the Gang's Destruction: Tan Dong's Grand Ambition

Everything had changed after Wei Yu's accident.

After all, Wei Yu had been the escort agency's rising star back then. Though Zhao Ya had performed well himself, he still fell far short by comparison.

Now, however, Wei Yu lay paralyzed in bed, having become a complete and utter cripple. Zhao Ya had immediately risen to become one of the most outstanding members of the escort agency's younger generation, naturally drawing many people eager to befriend him.

Yet Zhao Ya had always remained levelheaded, guarding against arrogance and impatience. He would never let such feelings go to his head.

After all, the cautionary example was right before him.

After the New Year, Zhao Ya had visited Wei Yu once. The sight had left an extremely deep impression on him.

The once high-spirited youth now lay in bed, gaunt and emaciated, like a living corpse, utterly unresponsive to the outside world.

Thus, Zhao Ya took it deeply to heart as a warning.

Soon, it was noon. Amid everyone's envious gazes, Zhao Ya, Luo Feng, and Zhou Hua headed to the small dining hall in the back.

The escort agency had specially prepared meat and nourishing soup for them there.

Although the meat had become of limited use after Zhao Ya's breakthrough, it was still far better than the cured meat sold on the market.

Zhao Ya was intently eating when Luo Qiang suddenly hurried in, his expression tense.

"Second Uncle!" Luo Feng called out.

Luo Qiang merely glanced in their direction before entering the inner room.

Inside was where Chief Escort Meng Lei and the other escorts ate.

Luo Feng found this rather strange.

"What's wrong with Second Uncle today? Did something happen?"

Zhou Hua stayed silent.

Zhao Ya acted as though he had heard nothing and continued working on the food before him.

Meanwhile, in the private room inside, Meng Lei frowned slightly after hearing Luo Qiang's report.

"Has the information been confirmed?"

"Without a doubt. The Six Doors have already sealed off the place. I know Chief Wang from the Six Doors, so I learned some of the details."

At this point, Luo Qiang's expression grew grave.

"All the guards were killed with a single slash, and the culprit had even carefully struck each of them again to make sure."

"As for Xu Ying, Chief Wang said his limbs were severed first, then his throat was cut. He bled dry."

The escorts could not help but pale upon hearing this.

Though they were all seasoned veterans who had spent many years traveling the martial world as escorts, this was the first time they had heard of such methods.

But soon, someone clapped in delight.

"Good! Well killed!"

"That's right! The Double Victory Gang not only ran gambling dens, but more importantly, they lured people into taking usurious loans. Once they could not repay them, the gang drove them to the ruin of their homes and families. I personally know of more than a dozen families that suffered such calamity. Now that someone has dealt with them, it serves them right!"

Amid the praise, Meng Lei frowned slightly and said in a deep voice.

"Though the Double Victory Gang was merely an insignificant small gang, I heard their backing was anything but ordinary. That was why they had been able to stand firm in the west of the city for so many years. I never expected their entire household to be wiped out overnight."

"Judging from this person's methods, it seems this had been planned for a long time. Could it have been revenge?"

Luo Qiang nodded. "That is what the Six Doors suspects as well. I heard they are preparing to investigate all the Double Victory Gang's enemies."

Many people could not help but laugh at that.

"Can they even finish investigating? The Double Victory Gang truly made enemies everywhere. Anyone could be a suspect. If they investigate them one by one, would that not take until the end of time?"

Others were even more disdainful of the Six Doors' competence.

"Rather than count on them to solve the case, you might as well count on lightning to strike the killer dead!"

The private room erupted in laughter.

Meng Lei waved his hand, and only then did everyone quiet down.

Then Meng Lei said solemnly, "No matter what, Dancing Elephant City certainly will not be peaceful for a while. Stay alert, and keep the escort agency's disciples under control. Do not cause trouble, understand?"

"Yes!"

Zhao Ya still had no idea what a huge uproar the sudden destruction of the Double Victory Gang had caused outside.

He calmly finished lunch and was about to find somewhere to take a short nap.

But the moment he left the dining hall, Tan Dong came over.

"Old Zhao, how about we go have some tea at the tea stall nearby?"

Zhao Ya was taken aback, then smiled. "Sure!"

There were no teahouses in the outer city. At most, there were a few roadside tea stalls.

After all, drinking tea was far too extravagant for people who could barely afford to eat.

Zhao Ya and Tan Dong chose a clean table, sat down, and ordered a pot of Golden Needle Plum.

There were no other customers at the tea stall. After the tea seller served their tea, he went outside to attend to his own business.

Seeing that no one was around, Tan Dong could not help giving Zhao Ya a thumbs-up.

"Brother Zhao, you're practically my own brother. I truly admire you!"

"I have no idea what you mean!" Zhao Ya played dumb despite knowing perfectly well.

"Hehe, have you heard about the Double Victory Gang?"

"The Double Victory Gang? What about the Double Victory Gang?" Zhao Ya asked with an innocent expression.

"Come on, are we really going to play this game? The Double Victory Gang was wiped out last night. Who knows how many households are setting off firecrackers to celebrate right now, and you say you don't know?"

Zhao Ya shook his head. "I don't. I was asleep at home all night. If you don't believe me, go ask Zui'er."

"Forget it. That girl Zui'er is utterly devoted to you. What could I possibly get out of asking her?"

Tan Dong smiled, then raised his teacup and spoke to Zhao Ya with a solemn expression.

"Come, I'll use tea in place of wine and offer you a toast!"

Zhao Ya looked baffled. "Why are you toasting me for no reason?"

Tan Dong chuckled and did not press the matter. He tipped back his head and drained the tea in one gulp before sighing.

"Brother Zhao, I'm offering this cup of tea to you on behalf of all the common people oppressed by the Double Victory Gang."

"You're so certain the Double Victory Gang's destruction was my doing? It really wasn't me!"

"Yes, yes, it wasn't you! It was some nameless wandering hero passing through, all right?"

Tan Dong's expression turned serious. "Don't worry. What I say here stays here. Once I leave this tea stall, I won't know anything."

"Besides, that nameless hero has accumulated great virtue this time."

Unable to resist, Zhao Ya asked, "You really hate the Double Victory Gang that much?"

"I do, and not just a little!"

By this point, Tan Dong was practically gnashing his teeth.

"At first glance, the Double Victory Gang might not seem to have done anything utterly heinous. At worst, they lured people into gambling. But you have no idea how utterly depraved they could be when it came to making money."

"How many families fell into their traps and were driven to ruin? Even among the girls I saw in the pleasure quarters, several had been sold there by the Double Victory Gang."

Only then did Zhao Ya understand. He could not help smiling. "Then didn't you redeem them?"

"Ah, you think I didn't want to? But my purse was empty. I simply could not afford to redeem them, nor could I redeem them all. Otherwise, I would surely rescue every suffering woman in the world."

Hearing Tan Dong's grand ambition, Zhao Ya could not help but regard him with newfound respect.