How Did You Kill Zhou Zhennan?

The sun had already reached noon, and the river breeze carried the fishy stench of Clear Water Ferry in gust after gust.

Lu Hao and the other two unconsciously sniffed, all feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

"A Lower Bright Force Martial Artist? What kind of realm is that?" Shi Kang scratched his thick, wiry beard and looked at Lu Hao.

"Above the Third Gate-Knocking Realm is the Martial Artist realm." Lu Hao explained to Shi Kang, "The lower three Martial Artist realms are Bright Force, Dark Force, and Transforming Force. Each realm is further divided into lower, middle, and upper grades. Zhou Zhenbei is a Lower Bright Force Martial Artist."

"Then what are the middle three and upper three Martial Artist realms?"

Lu Hao gave a bitter smile. "I don't know."

The two looked at Qian Hao at the same time. Qian Hao shook his head as well. "I don't know either."

Shi Kang did not quite understand what the lower three Martial Artist realms truly meant. But he now knew that Zhou Zhenbei was a Martial Artist, and his realm was certainly above that of a Martial Apprentice.

In the Black Tiger Gang's Everjoy Hall Branch, Han Zheng had previously been the only one in the Third Gate-Knocking Realm. Han Zheng could swagger sideways down Joyful Street; even the county yamen's officers had to give him a few measures of respect when they saw him.

"Brother Hao, can you beat Zhou Zhenbei?" Shi Kang spoke without thinking. He clearly knew Zhou Zhenbei's realm was higher than Lu Hao's, but out of concern for Lu Hao, he asked the question instinctively.

Lu Hao gave a bitter smile. "Martial Artists can project their force outward. Their strength far exceeds that of Martial Apprentices. As I am now, I'm no match for Zhou Zhenbei."

Qian Hao spoke from the side. "I've heard of Zhou Zhenbei. The Black Tiger Gang's main headquarters once had a Lower Bright Force elder who fought him. Both were Lower Bright Force, yet that elder did not last ten moves under Zhou Zhenbei before being beaten to death with a single punch."

Hearing this, Lu Hao's heart tightened. Among Martial Artists of the same level, Zhou Zhenbei's strength was unexpectedly so tyrannical.

Qian Hao patted Lu Hao on the shoulder.

"But you needn't worry too much. The Water Serpent Gang and the Black Tiger Gang have now ceased hostilities. Zhou Zhenbei likely will not openly make a move against you, but you must still be on guard against him in the shadows."

Lu Hao and Shi Kang both nodded.

When the three returned to the Everjoy Hall Branch, the two gang members on duty at the entrance spotted them from afar and both froze.

At once, one gang member hurried into the hall to report, while the other remained where he was, his face full of shock. "Deputy Hall Master Qian, you... you're back?"

Qian Hao grunted in acknowledgment. Clutching his ribs and supported by Shi Kang, he entered the courtyard with Lu Hao.

Han Zheng and Chen Xuan were seated in the council hall when the gang member on duty came in to report that Qian Hao, Lu Hao, and Shi Kang had returned.

Han Zheng and Chen Xuan exchanged a glance. Chen Xuan said, "Hall Master, for some reason, the Water Serpent Gang did not kill Qian Hao. But since the three of them have returned, the truce negotiations must have failed. We can charge them with incompetence and punish them under gang law."

Han Zheng nodded slightly after hearing this.

At that moment, Qian Hao and the other two also entered the council hall. The three cupped their fists toward Han Zheng. "Hall Master, we've returned!"

Before the three could report on the negotiations, Han Zheng slammed his palm onto the long table.

"Bold Qian Hao! I sent the three of you to negotiate a truce with the Water Serpent Gang, yet out of cowardice, you delayed matters and ruined a major affair of the gang! Now my Black Tiger Gang must face a pincer attack from the Golden Saber Gang in the north of the city and the Water Serpent Gang in the south!"

Han Zheng raised his voice and shouted, "Men, administer the gang law!"

Several gang members immediately rushed in, about to drag Qian Hao and the other two into the courtyard for punishment.

Qian Hao shouted angrily, "Han Zheng! What right do you have to say that the three of us failed to complete the task assigned by the gang?"

Chen Xuan snapped his folding fan shut and tapped it against his palm.

"Deputy Hall Master Qian, don't you know what kind of strength the three of you possess? With you three negotiating at the Water Serpent Gang, how could you possibly have left without a scratch? If you say you didn't flee at the crucial moment, I'm afraid no one would believe it."

At those words, Qian Hao was so furious that flames seemed to burst from his head.

"Chen, you've finally spoken your true thoughts. You wished for the three of us to die at the Water Serpent Gang, didn't you? Let me tell you, we completed the task assigned by the gang. The Water Serpent Gang has agreed to a truce with us!"

Chen Xuan tapped his folding fan twice more and sneered. "Deputy Hall Master Qian, be careful the wind doesn't make you bite your tongue. Since the Water Serpent Gang agreed to a truce, do you have any written proof?"

Before his words had faded, a gang member suddenly entered from outside, holding a letter in his hand and quickly presenting it.

Chen Xuan took the letter and handed it to Han Zheng. Han Zheng unfolded it and saw that it was indeed the truce agreement sent by the Water Serpent Gang.

"Today, Feng Feiyi of the Water Serpent Gang's Clear Water Hall, entrusted by the gang leader, discussed a truce between our two sides with the Black Tiger Gang's representative. A truce agreement has now been reached. From this day onward, the two gangs shall no longer attack one another."

After reading it, Han Zheng stood there dumbfounded.

Chen Xuan took the letter from his hand. After reading it, he too found it hard to believe. Yet the black characters on white paper lay before their eyes; whether they believed it or not was no longer up to them.

Chen Xuan steadied himself, let out a long sigh, and looked toward Qian Hao.

"Deputy Hall Master Qian, just how did you make the Water Serpent Gang agree to a truce?"

Qian Hao could not help bursting into laughter. But after only two laughs, a sharp pain shot through his ribs. He could only clutch his wound, bare his teeth, and suck in a cold breath.

After several breaths, he raised his head and looked at Chen Xuan. "The ones who made the Water Serpent Gang agree to a truce were not Qian here, but the two young brothers Lu Hao and Shi Kang."

As he spoke, he recounted how, after arriving at Clear Water Hall, Liu Zimu proposed settling victory with three bouts, using the outcome of those matches to decide whether there would be a truce. Of the three matches, he had lost one, while Shi Kang and Lu Hao had each won one. Lu Hao had even killed their deputy hall master, Zhou Zhennan, on the spot, then killed Hall Master Liu Zimu as well. Qian Hao gave the two of them a rough account of what had happened.

Han Zheng and Chen Xuan were both greatly shocked after hearing this. The lofty arrogance in Han Zheng's eyes as he looked at Lu Hao had already vanished, and his tone softened somewhat. "Brother Lu Hao, how did you kill Zhou Zhennan?"

Lu Hao's expression remained calm. He answered lightly, "Zhou Zhennan? I killed him with one punch."

"And how did you kill Liu Zimu?"

"I killed her with a few punches as well."

The two sucked in cold breaths at the same time. Even Han Zheng might not necessarily have been able to defeat Liu Zimu, much less kill her. Though they were unwilling to believe this fact, the Water Serpent Gang's truce letter in their hands could not be false.

Han Zheng stood there for a moment, too stunned to speak. Chen Xuan was the first to recover. He opened his folding fan and lightly waved it twice, looking at Lu Hao with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

"I never expected Brother Lu Hao to bring such great honor to our Everjoy Hall! Hall Master Han and I will truthfully report today's matter to the main headquarters and seek credit for the three of you."

The three left the council hall and went onto Joyful Street, intending to find something to eat and fill their stomachs.

As they passed the roast chicken shop, the proprietress saw Lu Hao from a long way off and warmly called out to him, already about to step forward.

Lu Hao's heart clenched, and he hurriedly said, "Auntie, I have matters to attend to today. I'll try your roast chicken another day."

Before he had even finished speaking, Lu Hao took off running. Shi Kang and Qian Hao were left standing in the street, staring wide-eyed.

In the end, the three found a noodle shop and each ate a bowl of noodles with chunks of meat.

When returning to the Everjoy Hall Branch, Lu Hao deliberately made a large detour to avoid passing the roast chicken shop again.

When they returned once more to the Black Tiger Gang's Everjoy Hall Branch, a gang member immediately hurried up to them with a respectful expression. "Deputy Hall Master Qian, an elder from the main headquarters has arrived and is waiting in the hall."