The next day.
The entire island was under martial law.
Countless members of the Public Security Maintenance Association took to the streets, setting up checkpoints along every major route.
Last night, three young masters of considerable importance to the three major factions had been ambushed.
One was gravely injured and unconscious, one had his head cut off, and one was missing. All the women in the room were dead.
And the culprit's whereabouts remained unknown.
At the hospital.
The leaders of the three major factions gathered around Ruan Xing's bed, waiting for him to wake.
Only he knew what had happened at the scene.
Chairman Bai paced anxiously around the ward.
Amir's father looked positively murderous, his fists clenched tight.
"We must find the killer."
The Ruan Family's leader said sharply, his face dark, "They dared to attack our next generation. Their audacity knows no bounds."
"It must have been Old Ninth."
Chairman Bai walked to the window, lit a cigarette, and offered his analysis. "That man has always been lawless. Only he would attack Giyu and the others without warning."
"He asked Giyu to negotiate yesterday, but the talks broke down."
The hotel's cameras had recorded Old Ninth and his men entering the hotel.
But after they left the hotel the first time, someone had destroyed all the surveillance equipment.
So he had not seen Old Ninth bring his men into the hotel a second time.
All things considered, Old Ninth was the prime suspect.
"I've heard of this Old Ninth too. Chun Prefecture's Peerless King, who fought Mianbang's Kun Sai to a draw with only his Fourth Awakening."
Ruan Huaimin, the Ruan Family Head, said gravely, "Demon Dragon is mad, Evil Tiger is wild, Old Eighth is a seasoned fighter, and Old Ninth is decisive in killing."
"If