A Surprise Assault on the Golden Saber Gang's Azure Robe Branch Hall (Part 1)

After Lu Hao and Shi Kang left Qian Hao's home, they returned to the Everjoy Hall Branch.

Dusk was drawing near.

The gang members who collected protection fees returned one after another.

The members responsible for external affairs—those who were more diligent—were still in the training ground, practicing the Black Tiger Stance Art or the Black Tiger Fist Technique. Some of the lazier ones sat on the ground in twos and threes. Some rolled up their sleeves and wiped the sweat from their foreheads, while others leaned against the courtyard walls, merely waiting for roll call to end so they could disperse.

When Lu Hao and Shi Kang entered the training ground, those gang members who had been lounging about immediately stood up and pulled themselves together.

That afternoon, Cao Ling had come to the branch and announced that Lu Hao would temporarily assume Qian Hao's position as deputy branch master.

By now, the entire Everjoy Hall Branch already knew the news, and everyone's attitude toward Lu Hao had changed completely.

The gang member who had carried out the gang's punishment on Lu Hao a few days ago felt especially uneasy now, shrinking into the crowd. Back then, he had thought Lu Hao was merely an ordinary gang member who had violated the rules, with no real strength to speak of, so he had not held back. Now that Lu Hao had transformed in a single leap into the branch's second-in-command, how could he not feel unsettled? Fortunately, Lu Hao showed no intention of settling scores with him.

Han Zheng and Chen Xuan sat in the council hall. Gang members had long since informed them that Lu Hao had returned, but the two pretended not to know.

Lu Hao dismissed the group that collected protection fees, leaving behind only the hundred or so members responsible for external affairs.

He stood in the training ground and swept his gaze across the crowd.

"Brothers!"

"Our Black Tiger Gang occupies the west side of Bluestone County Seat. To the north is the Golden Saber Gang, and to the south is the Water Serpent Gang."

"This morning, Deputy Branch Master Qian took Shi Kang and me to negotiate with the Water Serpent Gang. The two gangs have reached a truce agreement. I'm sure all of you brothers already know about this."

The training ground fell silent, and everyone watched Lu Hao.

"These past years, we've fought the Golden Saber Gang for territory, and quite a few brothers have been killed or wounded." Lu Hao's voice abruptly rose. "Do you want revenge?"

The hundred or so people below began murmuring among themselves.

"My childhood friend Gangzi was hacked several times by those dogs from the Golden Saber Gang during a fight a few days ago. He died on the spot. Of course I want revenge."

"Last month, when we fought over Blue-Robed Lane, the pinky and ring finger on my left hand were chopped off by one of those bastards from the Golden Saber Gang. If I get the chance, I'll butcher that bastard myself!"

"Blue-Robed Lane is occupied by the Golden Saber Gang now. Even the saucy girls at Spring Breeze Pavilion have raised their prices."

Listening to the hushed discussion below, Lu Hao asked again, "Brothers, do you want revenge?"

Everyone in the training ground shouted in unison, "We do!"

Lu Hao nodded in satisfaction.

"Tomorrow at dawn, gather at the branch. I'll lead you to launch a surprise assault on the Golden Saber Gang's branch hall."

"Good! We'll follow Deputy Branch Master Lu and avenge our brothers!" The hundred or so gang members in the training ground raised their arms and cheered.

Lu Hao pressed his hand downward, and the crowd stopped shouting.

Lu Hao instructed them once more that they were not to drink that night, nor were they to seek pleasure at Spring Breeze Pavilion, and they were absolutely not to leak the news. After that, he dismissed them.

He and Shi Kang also left the branch.

The moment Lu Hao left the branch, Chen Xuan had two gang members summoned to the council hall.

Han Zheng sat in the seat of honor, his expression gloomy.

Chen Xuan stood before the two men, lightly fanning himself with a folding fan.

"After Lu Hao leads his men into battle with the Golden Saber Gang tomorrow, find an opportunity to shout in the midst of the fighting. Say that the Golden Saber Gang has overwhelming numbers and can't be resisted, and tell everyone to run. Understand?"

The two gang members were Chen Xuan's trusted men planted among the external affairs members. Hearing this, they quickly clasped their fists. "Rest assured, Deputy Branch Master Chen. The two of us will certainly handle this beautifully!"

After leaving the Everjoy Hall Branch, Lu Hao and Shi Kang went their separate ways.

Lu Hao first went to buy some chicken. He deliberately took a long detour to avoid the roast chicken shop. The shop owner's wife was simply too enthusiastic, and he truly could not withstand her. He was afraid she would drag him into the shop and insist on treating him to chicken.

At the poultry stall, Lu Hao spent half a tael of silver to buy twenty-five chickens and twenty-five packets of chicken giblets.

That afternoon, the Black Tiger Gang had rewarded him with ten taels of silver, so his purse was much fuller now.

As long as he could lift an item with his own strength, his Equipment Slot could equip it. Thus, Lu Hao no longer needed to pinch pennies as he had before. If he had not feared that buying two hundred chickens at once would be too conspicuous, he would have bought out every chicken at the poultry stall.

After returning home, Lu Hao equipped both the chicken and the chicken giblets, then brought up the dark-blue system panel.

His Black Tiger Stance Art and Black Tiger Fist Technique had both reached Grand Mastery, but to grind them from Grand Mastery to Perfect Mastery required 2,000 proficiency points.

If he unequipped the Black Tiger Method now and equipped something else, he would need to wait through a seven-day cooldown.

After turning it over in his mind, he still had to grind the Black Tiger Method all the way to Perfect Mastery first. Only after fixing the Black Tiger Method in place and freeing up the Equipment Slot could he equip the next item as soon as possible.

After replenishing his Qi-Blood, he walked into the courtyard and began practicing the Black Tiger Stance Art over and over again.

Before he knew it, two hours had passed.

The night had deepened. A bright moon hung high overhead, spilling its cold, pale radiance across the ground. The night wind blew through the courtyard, making the little trees sway gently.

[Skill: Black Tiger Stance Art (Grand Mastery)]

[Progress: 67/2000]

[Skill: Black Tiger Fist Technique (Grand Mastery)]

[Progress: 351/2000]

Lu Hao had wanted to practice a few more rounds of the Black Tiger Stance Art. But remembering that he still had to lead the branch brothers in a surprise assault on the Golden Saber Gang tomorrow, he gave himself a quick wash and returned to his room to sleep.

After separating from Lu Hao, Shi Kang strode along with ten taels of silver tucked into his clothes, moving with the force of a tiger and the wind at his back, like a vicious tiger.

He went to a seasoning shop and bought a pound of salt and several kinds of spices.

Then he went to a beef stall and bought ten pounds of beef.

After returning home, Shi Kang washed the beef, roughly cut it into several long strips, and put them into a large ceramic jar. He filled the jar with water, dumped in all the salt and seasonings at once, then lit the firewood beneath it.

This time, when Shi Kang cooked the beef, he still did not skim away the bloody foam floating on the broth.

About half an hour later, the fragrance of beef had filled the entire courtyard.

Shi Kang picked up his chopsticks and speared a piece of beef. After blowing on it a few times, he stuffed it into his mouth. With seasonings and salt, the braised beef tasted far better than the beef he had boiled in plain water a few days ago.

As Shi Kang ate, he thought, Following Brother Hao really is great. It's only been a few days, and I've already eaten beef twice. He felt the remaining nine-plus taels of silver in his clothes again.

Before long, he had finished all the meat. Shi Kang then lifted the ceramic jar and drained the meat broth in one gulp.

Shi Kang raised an arm and wiped the broth clinging to his bushy beard with his sleeve. Setting down the ceramic jar, he went out into the courtyard and began practicing the Black Tiger Stance Art.

Meanwhile, in the council hall of the Golden Saber Gang's headquarters, Deputy Gang Leader Gu Zhao sat in a chair.

Two burly men stood before Gu Zhao. One was broad and powerfully built, named Ma Xiaotian. The other was lean and wiry, named Xiong Kaishan. Both were branch masters of the Golden Saber Gang, and both were Martial Apprentices of the Third Gate-Knocking Realm.

Gu Zhao looked at the two men with an indifferent expression and slowly said, "Branch Master Xiong, Branch Master Ma, tomorrow, each of you will lead twenty-five brothers to gather at headquarters at dawn."

He paused.

"Diao Xiaolin of the Mighty Escort Bureau will accompany you to the Everjoy Hall Branch of the Black Tiger Gang. Launch a surprise assault before their roll call and take the Everjoy Hall Branch. There is only one requirement: Shi Kang must be brought back to me. Keep him alive if possible!"