Aftermath: Black Tiger Gang and Golden Saber Gang Face Off

Lu Hao opened the door, and Shi Kang rushed in, running straight to the water vat. He grabbed a ladle and gulped down a full scoop of water.

Shi Kang took several deep breaths before turning to look at Lu Hao.

"Brother Hao, something huge happened! Last night, criminals broke into Spring Breeze Pavilion. Lin Qiniang and five of the pavilion's guards—including that Second Gate-Knocking Stage guard captain—were all killed!"

After saying that, he looked at Lu Hao. Seeing no fear on Lu Hao's face, he grew even more anxious.

He stepped forward, grabbed Lu Hao's arm, and shook it. "Brother Hao, Lin Qiniang is dead. Where are you going to scrape together those nine taels and five mace of silver now?"

Lu Hao gave an "Oh."

He calculated inwardly. I killed Lin Qiniang. Of course I know she's dead. Still, it would be best not to tell Shi Kang about this.

Over the past few days, he had seen that Shi Kang truly treated him well, like a brother. But he feared the kid had a loose tongue. If he let something slip someday, it might bring a deadly disaster upon him.

Shi Kang leaned close, lowering his voice. "The news has spread everywhere outside. They say that anyone who could silently kill five guards in a single night had to be an expert of at least the Third Gate-Knocking Realm."

Lu Hao nodded again and gave another "Oh." I've only just reached the Second Gate-Knocking Stage. Since when did I become Third Gate-Knocking Realm?

Shi Kang did not notice his expression.

"Brother Hao, you've got quite the eye!

"No wonder you passed over so many tender, pretty girls and picked an old slut like Lin Qiniang instead.

"Do you know whose lover she was?

"Mighty Escort Bureau's head escort, Diao Xiada. Ever heard of him?"

Lu Hao nodded slightly. I heard that name just last night.

"The two of them even had a fifteen-year-old son. They say the boy has exceptional bones, first-rate talent. He broke through to the Third Gate-Knocking Realm after practicing martial arts for only half a year, and he's about to challenge the Martial Artist Realm."

Lu Hao cursed inwardly. Lin Qiniang had not mentioned yesterday that her son was nearly a Martial Artist.

Shi Kang cleared his throat.

"This morning, Diao Xiada took their son to collect Lin Qiniang's body."

"People are talking about it all over the streets now. They say Lin Qiniang had been with Diao Xiada for so many years, and their son was already this old. No one knew why Diao Xiada never redeemed her, leaving her in Spring Breeze Pavilion without name or standing."

As soon as he finished speaking, Shi Kang suddenly looked sharply at Lu Hao and saw that he was still expressionless.

"Brother Hao, why aren't you worried at all? You still haven't paid the gang those ten taels of silver! Today is already the seventh day. In two more days, the deadline will be here. If you still can't pay, you'll be thrown into the gambling den's Deathmatch Cage!"

"Aren't there still two days left? I'll think of something," Lu Hao said blandly.

Shi Kang opened his mouth, but in the end said nothing. He merely sighed.

After a moment, he stroked his thick, bushy beard. Watching him, Lu Hao thought, This kid is only seventeen or eighteen. How did he grow such a thick beard?

"There's something even more fatal. Those five guards were all from the Golden Saber Gang. Early this morning, people from the Golden Saber Gang went to Spring Breeze Pavilion to examine the bodies and found that all five had been beaten to death with fist techniques."

Lu Hao's brows furrowed slightly.

"The first ones they suspected were our Black Tiger Gang. They said the Black Tiger Gang wanted to fight them for territory. Early this morning, one of the Golden Saber Gang's deputy leaders brought people to our main headquarters. One of our Black Tiger Gang's deputy leaders, Hu Zhengchun, gathered a group of men, and the people from the two gangs were blocking the entrance, facing each other down."

"What happened after that?" Lu Hao asked.

"The Golden Saber Gang demanded that we hand over everyone at or above the Third Gate-Knocking Realm. But in our gang, those above the Third Gate-Knocking Realm are either hall masters, ten elders, or the leader and deputy leaders. Could we possibly hand them over? How would our Black Tiger Gang keep standing in Bluestone County after that?"

"Did they fight?"

"Not yet, but things are extremely tense. They could start fighting at any moment."

At that point, Shi Kang suddenly widened his eyes at Lu Hao and gave him several looks up and down.

"Brother Hao! To be honest, if you hadn't even awakened your Qi-Blood, I'd suspect you did what happened last night. You had the strongest motive. Lin Qiniang cheated you out of your silver, you had to repay the gang in two days, and all the money on those people had vanished."

After saying that, Shi Kang reached out and patted Lu Hao's body and pockets twice.

"Looks like you don't have any silver on you either. I really can't figure out who would kill that old slut Lin Qiniang. Her son even swore in public that he would definitely find the murderer and avenge Lin Qiniang!"

Lu Hao thought inwardly, Then I absolutely can't let Lin Qiniang's son find out that I killed his mother. Even a simple-minded man like Shi Kang can suspect me, let alone those old hands from the Golden Saber Gang and the yamen. I must be cautious in everything I do from now on.

Shi Kang spoke with Lu Hao for a little longer before leaving.

For the next two days, Lu Hao returned to his previous routine.

Early each morning, he went to the poultry shop on Joyful Street to buy two chickens and a large bag of chicken giblets.

After the past few days, the stall owner had completely grown used to Lu Hao's habit of paying for chickens. When he saw Lu Hao now, he was no longer as restrained as before.

It was the proprietress of the roast chicken stall on Joyful Street who grew increasingly insecure. Every time she saw Lu Hao pass her stall without even glancing sideways or stealing a look at her voluptuous breasts, she doubted herself more and more. After closing her stall, she would often stare at her figure reflected in the water for more than half an hour.

After returning home, Lu Hao stuffed the chicken meat and giblets into the Equipment Slot and began absorbing Qi-Blood.

Once his Qi-Blood was full, he practiced the stance art and the Black Tiger Fist Technique.

Lu Hao trained from morning until night without stopping for even a moment. The sun rose in the east and set in the west. The sweat on his forehead dried, then wet again; wet, then dried again. His Qi-Blood filled, then depleted; depleted, then filled again.

Repeating this cycle over and over, the progress of his Black Tiger Stance Art and Black Tiger Fist Technique rose considerably over the two days.

[Skill: Black Tiger Stance Art (Minor Accomplishment)]

[Progress: 121/1000]

[Skill: Black Tiger Fist Technique (Minor Accomplishment)]

[Progress: 253/1000]

Lu Hao shut himself in his home and trained bitterly, unaware that the outside world had already been turned upside down.

The people of Bluestone County discussed the murder case at Spring Breeze Pavilion over tea and meals.

The yamen constables also involved themselves with great solemnity. Nominally, they were investigating the case, but they did not hesitate to extort food, money, and favors from Spring Breeze Pavilion, the Golden Saber Gang, and the Black Tiger Gang.

Although the Golden Saber Gang and Black Tiger Gang had not completely torn their faces apart in public, several of their halls had already clashed in small-scale fights behind the scenes. Both sides suffered casualties.

Diao Xiada's son, Diao Xiaolin, also wanted to avenge his mother, but Diao Xiada kept him inside the escort bureau and had him devote himself fully to breaking through to the Martial Artist Realm. Diao Xiaolin could only grit his teeth in secret, vowing to kill every suspect when the time came and avenge Lin Qiniang.

On the final day of the Black Tiger Gang's deadline, Lu Hao tucked the deed to his home into his clothes and left early in the morning.