The Left Eye Jumps for Wealth, The Right Eye Jumps for Disaster!

Blood Hand Society.

It was a medium-sized Predator organization.

Predator organizations ranged from thirty-five members on the small side to five or six hundred on the large side. They were known for their secretive operations and ruthless methods. They were a nightmare parasite that every human settlement on Earth detested.

The Blood Hand Society had fewer than two hundred members and was founded by someone nicknamed "Blood Hand."

Legend had it that this person was a former assassin who specialized in shady dealings. Later, he found that cutting people down alone was too slow, so he began recruiting members. With each person helping him to "cut" one person, the Blood Hand Society existed today.

After Blood Hand woke up today, he felt his right eye twitching. There was an old saying in the Old Lands: "A twitching left eye means wealth, a twitching right eye means disaster."

"Could it be that I'm in for some disaster today?"

Blood Hand muttered to himself.

Impossible. His organization wasn't large enough to attract the covetous attention and cleansing of the Flame Shrine.

Besides the Flame Shrine, their sworn enemy, they had decent relations with other Predator organizations. They all kept to their own business.

His robbery business was also booming. In such harsh living conditions, he and most of his subordinates could still wear gold and silver, eat meat and drink wine, living quite comfortably.

Except for one squad that had gone out to work and hadn't returned yet, there had been almost no annoying incidents lately.

"What disaster could it be?"

"Am I overthinking things?"

However, his assassin's intuition told him that things wouldn't be so simple.

As expected, soon a subordinate pushed open the door and shouted, "Boss, it's bad. The Flame Shrine people have surrounded us."

Normally, they were the ones who surrounded others silently. Today, being surrounded by the Flame Shrine people felt incredibly unpleasant.

But then again, it was the Flame Shrine.

Apologize!

No matter the reason for their encirclement, the Blood Hand Society would first go and kowtow to them.

So, Blood Hand slapped the subordinate across the face and roared, "What are you shouting about? Is there anything that can't be resolved?"

The subordinate, spun around twice from the slap, covering his face, said, "Boss, many people from the Flame Shrine have arrived. Our brothers who are here have already clashed with them. The second-in-command asked me to quickly come and ask you to take charge of the situation..."

Blood Hand's expression turned serious, and he asked, "Who from the Flame Shrine? Bian Zhenxin? We have a pretty good relationship with Bian Zhenxin. I've given him some of the good stuff I've played with before, and also a lot of gold and silver. Is he leading people to surround us?"

"It's not Divine Envoy Bian. The leader is a White Robe, and the ones surrounding us are the Flame Army."

"..."

Blood Hand began to feel a headache coming on.

"A White Robe is here? Did they say why?"

"They said to hand someone over."

"Hand over who?"

"They said a Black Robe was killed, and it was one of ours... they want us to hand over the person, or they'll cleanse the Blood Hand Society," the subordinate said with a look of fear.

They feared nothing and nobody. They had committed many acts of murder and robbery, so they knew very well what the Flame Shrine was capable of.

They didn't believe in gods, but they feared those who represented them.

"Their person was killed, what does that have to do with us?" Blood Hand roared in anger, but his expression quickly turned to one of horror. "You said a Black Robe was killed?"

"Yes, that's what they said."

"The Black Robe in the Hate Mountain District was Bian Zhenxin... Bian Zhenxin is dead?"

"They didn't mention a name..."

"The times are changing," Blood Hand muttered to himself. "The times are changing. If this isn't handled properly, the Hate Mountain District will become a slaughterhouse."

Blood Hand pondered for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Bring out that box of Luminous Pearls I've been collecting, and that batch of good goods we looted last time. Bring it all out."

"Boss!" the subordinate exclaimed in shock. This was the foundation that their boss had painstakingly accumulated over many years, and he was just giving it away?

"A disaster averted by parting with wealth," Blood Hand said hatefully. He felt immense pain parting with so many treasures. "The Flame Army is here; do you think they'll leave without some benefits? If we offer it ourselves, we can at least save the lives of our brothers. If they decide to just take it by force, then we'll lose both our wealth and our lives."

Blood Hand had dealt with the Flame Shrine many times and knew how greedy and brutal these people were.

They were the ones who committed all sorts of evil deeds like Predators, while his own people were the believers of the Flame God.

When Blood Hand led a group of his subordinates out, he was startled by the dense crowd of Gray Robe Army before him.

The Gray Robes were numerous, but they were a disorganized mob. If it came down to a real fight, it was uncertain who would win or lose. Blood Hand didn't pay them much mind.

The key issue was the nearly one hundred Flame Army soldiers gathered around the White Robe elder. These were the ones he truly had to consider and fear.

They were uniformly equipped, all using long spears that were effective for charging. More than a dozen of them even had long rifles, which were rare items after the Great Cataclysm.

His Blood Hand Society also had a few handguns, but they paled in comparison. Worse still, they lacked ammunition. A gun could be equipped with three to five rounds at most, which was already quite a lot. Having a whole box of bullets was unrealistic.

When they went out to rob, they couldn't exactly inform their targets beforehand, "I'm going to rob your guns shortly, so please prepare more ammunition."

That wouldn't be proper!

Blood Hand walked through the crowd and went directly to the front of the White Robe Divine Envoy, bowing deeply. He had fulfilled all the necessary courtesies.

He then looked up at Bian Feng, speaking with trepidation, "Divine Envoy, your presence graces our humble abode and brings us great honor. May I inquire as to the purpose of your visit to our small establishment? If there is anything you require, please do not hesitate to ask."

Bian Feng stared coldly at Blood Hand, seeing him as nothing more than a corpse in his eyes.

Chen Hu tossed the Skull Lighter he was holding at Blood Hand's feet and asked in a deep voice, "Do you recognize this lighter?"

Blood Hand glanced at the lighter, immediately wanting to deny it. However, recalling the chilling, emotionless gaze of the White Robe elder, he decided to tell the truth.

"I have indeed seen this lighter before. It belongs to one of our minor leaders; I saw it when he lit my cigarette," Blood Hand explained, carefully observing the White Robe elder's expression. "How did it end up in your hands?"

"Where is that minor leader? Have him come out," Chen Hu said.

Since the Divine Envoy did not wish to speak, Chen Hu would handle everything.

Blood Hand knew the problem likely stemmed from Scarface and his group. He seethed with hatred, thinking that if that scoundrel returned alive, he would slit his throat himself. Anyone who dragged him and the Blood Hand Society into danger deserved to die.

But for now, he had to humble himself and explained, "Sir, it's not that I'm unwilling to hand the person over to you, but they haven't returned yet from their mission."

Chen Hu drew the large saber from his waist with a "clang" and roared, "Do you take us for three-year-olds? You expect us to believe such a flimsy excuse?"

"You want to protect him?" The White Robe elder finally spoke, his first words since arriving.

His voice was very soft and weak, as if lacking strength. Yet, Blood Hand felt a primal fear, his hair standing on end.

Blood Hand looked at the White Robe elder with a serious and earnest expression, stating solemnly, "Divine Envoy, I had no intention of protecting him. I do not wish to be an enemy of the Flame Shrine, and I am aware of the consequences of offending you. If he were here, I would have already bound him and brought him before you."

Blood Hand waved his hand, and the four Blood Hand Society brothers behind him placed four large chests at the White Robe elder's feet.

"Divine Envoy, you are a guest who has traveled far. We, the Blood Hand Society, have nothing worthy to offer. These are a few small items I've collected over the years; I hope the Divine Envoy will accept them."

The White Robe elder didn't even glance at the chests. His gaze remained calmly fixed on Blood Hand as he said in a deep voice, "A Black Robe envoy from the Flame Shrine's Hate Mountain District is dead. The death of one Black Robe is not a major issue; the Flame Shrine has many Black Robes, and every human district has one."

"However, the Black Robe who died happens to be my son. I have only this one son. So, you should understand my feelings now, shouldn't you?"

"I understand. I understand," Blood Hand said, breaking out in a cold sweat and nodding repeatedly.

"No, you don't understand," the White Robe elder sighed, shaking his head. "If you understood, you wouldn't be trying to buy your safety from an old man who just lost his son."

"Divine Envoy..."

Blood Hand was bewildered by the old man's logic.

I'm giving you money to show my respect, not because I actually did it.

We live our lives peacefully, engaging in robbery and murder. We never thought of becoming enemies with the noble Flame Shrine, let alone assassinating a Black Robe. That would be insane.

Being insane would cost us our lives.

Bian Feng raised his hand and said, "Within three breaths, if the owner of the lighter is not produced, not a single living soul will remain in the Blood Hand Society."

"Divine Envoy, that person truly hasn't returned. My brothers have been searching for him, and you can send someone to look if you don't believe me," Blood Hand said urgently.

"Three..."

"Divine Envoy, we are being wronged. You should know the character of us Predators. I've brought out all my accumulated wealth. How could I do something like this for a mere minor leader?"

Predators are ruthless, so ruthless they'll even curse themselves at critical moments.

You know we Predators aren't good people. How could a heartless, beastly scoundrel like me make such a great sacrifice for a subordinate in the organization?

Divine Envoy, please think about it. How could someone as inhuman as me do something so righteous and noble?

I am being wronged!

"Two..."

"Divine Envoy, the person you're referring to and I are friends, old friends. We often drink and play games together. If you don't believe me, ask the Divine Envoy Bian to come out; he will surely speak a word of justice for me."

The White Robe Divine Envoy's finger pressed down noticeably faster as he said, "One..."

The Flame Shrine represents light and justice. Yet, a Black Robe of the Flame Shrine was friends with a notorious Predator leader. If this got out, it would tarnish their reputations.

"Kill!"

Chen Hu understood his leader's intentions and roared, swinging his large saber at Blood Hand before him.

A new week begins, and we're starting the climb on the charts. I ask all of you, and my lovely fairies, to lend me a hand!!!