Discarded Pawn

A day earlier, before the gates of Zhang Residence.

"Steward Zhang, trouble yourself to inform the Zhang Household head that Wild Wolf Gang Leader Chen Dao has come to pay a visit."

Steward Zhang raised his chin slightly, looking down arrogantly at the flattering, humble Chen Dao.

"I know. Wait here."

With that, he turned and left without the slightest hesitation.

Chen Dao could only swallow his anger.

They were both dogs, but that one happened to have the surname Zhang.

Before long, a servant dressed in coarse cloth led Chen Dao into Zhang Residence.

Before they reached the front hall, Chen Dao spotted Steward Zhang from earlier standing guard at the entrance.

Seeing Chen Dao being brought over by a servant, Steward Zhang merely cast a sidelong glance in his direction.

Then, with a deeply respectful expression, he called into the front hall.

"Master, Gang Leader Chen has arrived."

"Let him in."

A grave, authoritative male voice came from within the front hall.

"Yes, Master."

Chen Dao watched Steward Zhang's humble appearance, so utterly different from before.

He could not help snorting coldly inside. Just another wind-blown lapdog.

He then walked straight past Steward Zhang.

Steward Zhang's previously smiling face immediately darkened, and he said to the servant beside him.

"Leave."

The servant hurriedly nodded and fled beyond Steward Zhang's line of sight.

Inside the front hall stood only a man in brocade robes, broad and imposing, with his back to the doorway.

"Greetings, Zhang Household Head."

Chen Dao glanced at the figure, then immediately lowered his head and knelt, not daring to look again.

It was not merely because of the gulf in their strength, but because he, Chen Dao, was no more than a dog in the Zhang Household's hand.

Zhang Bicheng, head of the Zhang Household, was an expert at the Peak Meridian Passage Realm. Crushing Chen Dao would be as easy as crushing an ant.

Chen Dao lay prostrate on the ground, but after a long while, not a word of reply came. The front hall was deathly quiet.

Seeing this, how could Chen Dao fail to understand? The news that he had failed to take down True Intent Martial Hall had long since reached Zhang Bicheng's ears.

Cold sweat soaked through his clothes layer by layer, and his fingertips trembled faintly.

Just as he was about to explain, a deep, authoritative male voice suddenly rang out, cutting off every one of his thoughts.

"I heard Wu Yi is still alive?"

"My lord, Wu Yi is indeed still alive, but..."

Chen Dao's Adam's apple bobbed. The words reached his lips, only for him to abruptly stop.

"Hmm?"

From the corner of his eye, Chen Dao saw the figure before him shift, turning toward him.

"Get up and speak."

"Yes, yes, my lord."

Chen Dao rose, though he remained hunched over, then slowly lifted his head.

Before him was a face with high cheekbones, phoenix eyes, a slightly prominent nose bridge, a ruddy complexion, and a beard, staring directly at him.

A sharp killing intent lay hidden in those eyes.

The instant Chen Dao met his gaze, his heart shuddered.

If he could not offer a convincing reason today, he feared he would be carried out horizontally.

After weighing it over in his heart, he decided to reveal the possibility that Wu Yi was a demon in disguise.

"My lord..."

Seeing Chen Dao's hesitant expression, Zhang Bicheng raised a hand and lightly crooked a finger, signaling him to come closer and report.

Chen Dao immediately understood and strode forward.

Leaning close to Zhang Bicheng's ear, he lowered his voice and revealed word by word that Wu Yi might have been transformed from a demon.

After finishing a moment later, Chen Dao bent at the waist and retreated to his original spot, not daring to breathe too heavily.

After hearing Chen Dao's words, Zhang Bicheng's brows furrowed slightly before relaxing again.

"Mm, I understand."

"Your Wild Wolf Gang will remain still for the time being. When the time is right, experts from my Zhang Household will naturally come to assist you."

"That is enough. Withdraw."

"My lord, I'm afraid this..."

"Hmm? Are you questioning my decision?"

The threat in his words overflowed plainly, as though it had turned into countless blades that pierced Chen Dao and chilled him to the bone.

"My lord, how would this subordinate dare question your decision?"

"Then this subordinate will take his leave."

With that, Chen Dao hurried out, as though unwilling to remain for even one more moment.

After Chen Dao had gone far away, a figure slowly emerged from behind the screen behind Zhang Bicheng.

As though he had eyes on the back of his head, Zhang Bicheng spoke calmly without turning around.

"Was it one of yours?"

At those words, the figure lowered his head as though deep in thought.

"Most likely. I just don't know who would dare show themselves without permission."

"Could it be..."

Before he could finish, Zhang Bicheng cut him off with a harsh rebuke.

"Hmph! Whoever it is, do not forget our agreement!"

The figure smiled upon hearing this. "Of course."

Then his tone shifted.

"I think the Wild Wolf Gang is quite suitable. Ninth Brother has suffered no small injury..."

Zhang Bicheng frowned at those words, but in the end, he relented.

"Do it cleanly. The higher-ups have not been biting any less tightly lately."

"Of course."

The figure seemed delighted by this. The corners of his mouth unconsciously split all the way to his ears, forming an incomparably eerie smile.

A thud came from outside the hall, clearly the sound of some heavy object falling to the ground.

Hearing the commotion, Chen Dao sobered up by more than half and immediately reached for the Ghost-Head Saber at his side.

He exchanged a glance with the Second Gang Leader, who had warily risen beside him.

"Doggie, what's going on outside?"

Chen Dao threw back his head and roared, his voice booming through the hall, yet no response came for a long time.

Doggie was Chen Dao's trusted confidant and had been guarding the entrance to the hall these past few days.

Whenever he heard Chen Dao speak, Doggie would normally respond immediately.

Now that there had been no reply for so long, Doggie had likely already met with misfortune.

A dark gleam flashed through Chen Dao's eyes as he drew his saber with a swish.

Seeing this, the Second Gang Leader silently put on his coldly gleaming knuckle dusters as well.

"Second Brother, it seems we won't be able to avoid this time."

Chen Dao shook his head with a bitter smile, as though he had fallen into old memories.

But the Second Gang Leader kept his eyes locked firmly on the doors.

"It seems that these years of comfortable living have finally worn down the edges of both of us."

Back then, Chen Dao had been a spirited young man. Relying on his unique Headsman's Saber Technique, he had led his two brothers to carve out the Wild Wolf Gang's reputation.

At the time, he had even imagined that once the Wild Wolf Gang grew great and powerful, he would do more good deeds for the many common folk of Cloudwater City, so as not to betray the ideals of his youth.

To draw the blade was joy enough, and he would not disgrace his young head.

Yet ever since they had attached themselves to the Zhang Household, they had instead become the ones squeezing the common people dry.

When they had fought another gang for Cloudwater Wharf, everyone said Chen Dao had only managed to seize it because the Zhang Household stood behind him.

But only he himself knew that he had taken Cloudwater Wharf through loyalty, through daring to fight and daring to risk his life.

After leaving the Zhang Household, he had seen clearly that in the Zhang Household's eyes, the Wild Wolf Gang was nothing more than a pawn to be discarded at will.

And now, not even the shadow of those so-called Zhang Household experts could be seen.

As Chen Dao thought on, bitterness gradually welled up in his heart.

The gang had grown larger and larger, but people's hearts had scattered further and further, and the brothers had drifted ever farther apart.

"Big Brother..."

Seeing that Chen Dao's mind was elsewhere, the Second Gang Leader could not help reminding him.

"I'm fine, Second Brother. If we brothers can break out today, we'll leave the Zhang Household, leave Cloudwater City, and start over."

Firelight flickered in Chen Dao's pupils. Looking at it, the Second Gang Leader seemed to see his younger self within them.

"Mm, Big Brother. We'll definitely make it out alive."

Suddenly, through the insect chirping outside the deathly silent hall came wave after wave of chewing sounds.

The two exchanged a knowing glance and nodded together, as though they had made up their minds.