Third Master immediately wiped the expression off his face and barked sternly at the children, "All of you, get out."
The children instinctively feared Zhou Muzhi when they saw him, and soon all of them had run outside.
Only when the two of them were alone did Third Master rub his hands together, resume his usual manner, and ask quietly, "Master Zhou, have you come this time because you're ready to make your move?"
"Clever."
Zhou Muzhi offered a word of praise.
As expected of a slippery old hand, he had immediately understood why Zhou Muzhi had come.
Third Master knew this day would come sooner or later. His life had been salvaged from that fire that day, and the debt had to be repaid.
He gritted his teeth.
"Just say the word. I'll do it right away. Even if you want me to kill members of the Qian Family, I won't blink."
Hearing this bold declaration, Zhou Muzhi was in no hurry to speak. He patted the other man's shoulder and said, "You're too old. I don't need you to kill anyone."
Third Master grew anxious.
Didn't being useless mean he was going to die? Who would want dead weight?
Before he could speak, Zhou Muzhi continued, "How are the men I asked you to prepare?"
He meant men who could work with the powerful bows-men who valued money over their lives.
Hearing this, Third Master understood. Given these arrangements, there really was no need for him. If he went along, he would only be a burden.
So he replied, "I've looked over quite a few men. Eight of them are usable. They're tight-lipped, all driven into desperate straits, short of silver, and willing to risk their lives."
Zhou Muzhi had known the man could find people, but he had not expected recruits of such quality.
Originally, he had only wanted a batch of expendables, so that he would have enough men to make the situation easier to control when the time came to act. Now that these expendables were of higher quality, they would be all the more effective later.
"Have them get ready tonight and meet at the place we went before. I'll leave the silver to you."
Third Master immediately nodded to show he understood.
Zhou Muzhi watched Third Master. He had deliberately put the silver in Third Master's hands as a final test.
Third Master was a slippery old scoundrel. His neighbors might see him as a bad man, but in Zhou Muzhi's eyes, he still had something of a conscience. Taking what he had seen earlier into account, this Third Master had probably been a street child himself.
"I'm leaving it to you. I trust my judgment."
Leaving him with those words, Zhou Muzhi vanished once more.
Third Master waited a moment, made proper arrangements for the street children in the alley, changed into an inconspicuous outfit, and headed outside.
When he appeared again, his face bore a delighted expression.
Done. He had arranged this matter very thoroughly.
These men were all willing. Some wanted to leave a sum of silver for their families, some had been schemed into bankruptcy and urgently needed money, and several were skilled fighters who had killed someone in a fit of rage.
Leaving their caliber aside, these men truly did not fear death. Every one of them was fierce.
After giving these instructions, Zhou Muzhi hid in one of Third Master's dilapidated houses.
He was waiting for the right time.
Once the time came, he could go and see just what was behind this gambling den.
Since this place was important to Qian Zhen, experts would certainly be guarding it. He also needed to find someone familiar with the situation inside.
He already had someone in mind for that.
With the arrangements complete, Zhou Muzhi still did not stop practicing martial arts. He continued to train hard in his kicking techniques, deepening his understanding of them.
He had long since become proficient in the combinations. Tomorrow, he could visit his master, Li Jingfei, again and learn movement techniques.
Feeling himself improve little by little was a truly joyful thing.
By the time he stopped, the sky had darkened, and Zhou Muzhi set out again.
Inside the dilapidated house, he changed into black night clothes that allowed him to move freely, put on a mask, and left with Listening Rain in hand.
Bamboo Lamp Alley.
In a shaded spot, eight men dressed in night clothes were waiting for something. Five held bows, each carrying a quiver of arrows.
Besides these, each man had two broadswords hanging at either side of his waist.
No one spoke. Every man knew why he had come and what he was about to do.
Some breathed rapidly, a little uneasy, while others had calm gazes that showed little fluctuation.
Into this atmosphere, Zhou Muzhi stepped into the alley from outside.
He swept his gaze over the men, and their bearing made him nod inwardly in satisfaction.
Not bad.
At least they looked the part.
He said little, offering only three words: "Come with me."
With that, he left the alley.
The other eight followed one after another. They formed no ranks, simply moving wherever there was room.
Zhou Muzhi led the way, encountering no one along the route.
Third Master had chosen this route too. He knew in great detail which roads suited which circumstances in this area.
After walking for a while, Zhou Muzhi stopped.
He looked up at the building before him.
It had three stories, each with upturned eaves and hanging lanterns in a rainbow of colors. Its exterior walls bore painted murals, and overall, it looked completely out of place among the surrounding black and gray buildings.
Some clearly recognized the place. Shock filled their eyes as they looked at Zhou Muzhi at the front, feeling only that the man had gone mad.
But then they remembered that they were not afraid to die anyway.
It did not seem like such a big deal after all.
Zhou Muzhi raised one arm, then dropped it forward, giving the order: "Fire arrows. Burn it!"
They were hidden at the mouth of the outermost alley, with no light falling on them, while the guards outside the gambling den were stationed only a few yards from its entrance.
Soon, several small flames appeared. A sharp-eyed man standing at the gambling den's entrance immediately noticed what was happening and shouted.
"Who are you!"
Whoosh!
A flaming arrow shot out first, striking him squarely in the stomach.
Feeling the pain in his belly, the first man to shout wore a look of terror. All the strength drained from his body, and he collapsed where he stood, clutching his stomach.
The man who had fired that arrow wasted no movement. He drew another arrow, lit it, and joined the others in shooting at the gambling den's exterior.
The commotion soon reached those inside. Moments later, panicked cries rose from a large crowd, followed by a stream of fleeing people.
Zhou Muzhi watched, holding the cold sword sheath in one hand, his eyes beneath the mask devoid of emotion.
As the flaming arrows flew, more and more of the gambling den's thugs appeared. Those who came out first were empty-handed, but the later arrivals all carried blades.
They were all ordinary men, and a single arrow was generally enough to bring one down.
Once they drew near, some of the men beside Zhou Muzhi drew their blades and went forward to fight. With the enemy too close, the archers abandoned their bows and charged with blades as well.
Zhou Muzhi watched all eight charge. Some were actually Body Tempering martial artists, a discovery that raised his opinion of Third Master yet again.
"Fuck! Brothers, chop their heads off!"
Hearing the other side's clamor,
Zhou Muzhi decided to wait no longer.
Perhaps he had overestimated this gambling den's fighting strength.
He stepped forward, slowly drawing Listening Rain until he encountered the first gambling den thug coming at him with a blade.
Shing!
It sounded like rain striking the ground.
Drip, drop.
Zhou Muzhi drew his sword and took the man's head with a single stroke, the rippling, waterlike blade easily slicing through his entire neck.
Blood gushed from the severed neck of the headless corpse. For a moment, it was like a light shower, spattering the ground with the sound of falling rain.
Before you continue