Water Bandits

Bang! Bang!

While the brothers were talking, there came a sudden knock at the door.

"Who is it so early in the morning?"

Cheng Tian'en frowned slightly and got up to answer the door.

With a creak, the door opened.

Cheng Tian'en looked closely and saw a red-lacquered carriage parked outside.

The one knocking was the driver, a short, stocky man who looked to be in his fifties.

The moment the driver saw Cheng Tian'en, he immediately bowed and scraped, smiling. "Good morning, Hero Cheng!"

Cheng Tian'en knew this driver. He was the village head's personal coachman.

"Old Li, it's you." Cheng Tian'en responded, then looked toward the carriage compartment.

Sure enough, the next moment!

The curtain slowly lifted.

A bloated middle-aged man reeking of alcohol slowly stepped out of the carriage, then yawned twice in succession.

Seeing this, Cheng Tian'en gave a wry smile and cupped his hands. "Village Head, why have you come so early in the morning?"

The village head of Little Clear River Market Town was named Luo Kegong.

He slowly climbed down from the carriage, but his legs went weak beneath him. He suddenly stumbled and nearly fell.

Cheng Tian'en hurriedly supported him. He noticed red lipstick marks on Luo Kegong's cheeks and neck, while the scent of rouge and powder on him was especially strong.

There was no need to guess where Luo Kegong had gone to enjoy himself last night.

"Brother Cheng, have your injuries healed?" Luo Kegong swayed as he muttered the question.

Cheng Tian'en hurriedly replied, "Thanks to your good fortune, sir, my injuries have mostly healed."

"That's good, that's good. Blech..."

Luo Kegong suddenly bent over, and a large amount of vomit poured from his mouth, covering the ground.

A foul smell immediately spread through the air.

Suppressing his disgust, Cheng Tian'en patted Luo Kegong's back and instructed the driver, "Old Li, quickly bring a bowl of hot tea."

The driver hurried into the courtyard.

Before long, Cheng Tianxi emerged with the driver, carrying a teapot and teacups.

They poured a bowl of tea and brought it to Luo Kegong's lips.

Gulp, gulp~

Luo Kegong took a few drinks, easing his drunkenness somewhat. He leaned against the carriage and rubbed his temples, looking as though his head were splitting apart.

"Village Head, let me help you inside to sit for a while."

Cheng Tian'en and Cheng Tianxi supported Luo Kegong together, brought him beneath the eaves, and seated him in a bamboo chair.

The moment Luo Kegong sat down, he vomited again!

Seeing this, the Cheng brothers exchanged speechless looks and hurried to attend to him.

One poured tea and water, while the other handed over a wet towel.

All of this...

Fang Zhixing, hiding in the room, saw it clearly.

"What's going on? The village head came?"

Skinny Dog suddenly transmitted his voice, asking in surprise, "Why is he here? Could what we did yesterday have been exposed?"

Fang Zhixing calmly replied, "Probably not. If the village head had come to arrest me, he wouldn't be this drunk."

Skinny Dog thought so too and said repeatedly, "I'll go listen to what they're talking about."

Fang Zhixing opened the door wider and let Skinny Dog out.

Skinny Dog ran into the courtyard, wandered over to the corner beneath the eaves, lay down in a patch of weeds, closed his eyes, and pretended to nap.

After a while, Luo Kegong finally regained some clarity.

Cheng Tian'en could not help asking again, "Village Head, did you come to see me about something?"

Luo Kegong came back to himself and nodded. "Yes, something important."

He pulled a letter from his sleeve, handed it to Cheng Tian'en, and said, "Take a look."

Cheng Tian'en accepted it and immediately handed it to Cheng Tianxi.

He could not read, but his younger brother had taught himself.

Cheng Tianxi took out the paper. After reading it, he said directly, "This is a notice issued by the commandery governor. It mentions that a band of river pirates has appeared recently, robbing vessels along various waterways. Thirteen large ships have already been attacked.

"Not only that, these river pirates have grown increasingly rampant. No longer content with attacking ships on the river, they have begun brazenly raiding docks and riverside towns, burning, killing, and plundering with extreme brutality.

"The dock at Little Clear River Market Town may very well become one of their targets.

"The commandery governor has warned us to make preparations and take active precautions."

"River pirates?"

After hearing this, Cheng Tian'en's brow furrowed tightly. He asked in surprise, "Qinghe Commandery is crisscrossed by waterways, with ships constantly coming and going. It is extremely busy, and trouble often arises.

"It was precisely to deal with this chaotic situation that the Canal Gang emerged, controlling eighteen waterways.

"Since the Canal Gang was founded, water bandits had long since vanished. How did a band of river pirates suddenly appear?"

Cheng Tianxi also found it strange. "Logically speaking, with a giant like the Canal Gang around, dealing with a band of river pirates should be effortless. How did things get so out of hand?"

"Ah, you only know one side of it."

Rubbing his temples, Luo Kegong explained carefully, "The Canal Gang's top leader died of illness. His subordinates are fighting fiercely over his position. Who still has the leisure to care about some river pirates?"

The two brothers suddenly understood.

Luo Kegong's expression turned grave as he added, "That band of river pirates has probably set its sights on this place."

Cheng Tian'en was shocked. "What makes you say that? Have you received some news?"

Luo Kegong glanced at Cheng Tian'en and blinked. "You don't know yet, do you? Riverside Restaurant burned down. That pretty boy from the Chen Family, along with all his lackeys, is dead."

"What?!"

Cheng Tian'en's expression changed sharply. Even his breathing stalled.

Cheng Tianxi was equally dumbfounded and incredulous. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Chen Yusheng was an early Giant Python Realm martial artist and a genuine Black Tiger Gate disciple. He wasn't an ordinary person. It couldn't have been so easy to kill him, could it?"

Luo Kegong sighed. "That was what I thought at first too. But Riverside Restaurant was burned down in one fire, and he's gone as well—dead beyond doubt. That old man from the Chen Family wailed all night, begging me to find the murderer and avenge his son."

Cheng Tian'en understood at once. "You suspect Chen Yusheng was killed by the river pirates."

Luo Kegong nodded. "Who else could it have been? In all of Little Clear River Market Town, aside from you two brothers, who has the ability to kill that pretty boy?"

The two brothers thought it over and found it made sense. Their expressions could not help turning solemn.

"Riverside Restaurant brings in the most revenue in our town. It isn't surprising that the river pirates chose it as their target."

Cheng Tian'en pieced it together.

Luo Kegong deeply agreed and analyzed, "I suspect that after those river pirates set their sights on our town, they first sent several people over to scout the place. They ran into that pretty boy at Riverside Restaurant, so they simply went all the way—killed him, robbed his restaurant, then set it ablaze and left."

Cheng Tian'en said repeatedly, "If that band of river pirates is still not satisfied, they will certainly come again. That will be troublesome."

Luo Kegong slapped his thigh and said urgently, "Exactly! That's why I hurried over to discuss countermeasures with you."