Chapter 178: Protection
Chapter 178: Protection
At 10 p.m., over a dozen modified vehicles belonging to the Bloodstain Gang roared into Xiu Yi Street.
By this hour, the wide street was devoid of pedestrians, illuminated only by the street lamps on either side. The gang members made no attempt to conceal their presence, shouting and firing guns into the air, their audacity and arrogance on full display.
"Boss, it's that place over there."
The gang leader pointed at a distant building still lit with training lights. It was a riverside structure, occupying a large area, surrounded by a circle of concrete walls and iron gates.
Leopard Zhuo glanced at it, gestured, and his car immediately came to a halt. The vehicles behind followed suit, and dozens of gang members eagerly jumped out, roughly forty to fifty of them slowly converging towards the martial arts hall.
The martial arts hall had night patrol personnel, but their numbers were few, only totaling five. Upon seeing the large number of Bloodstain Gang members approaching, they tensed up and retreated behind the entrance wall, raising their crossbows and aiming at the outsiders.
Leopard Zhuo stepped out of the car and took the lead, feeling a burning flame in his chest that grew more intense by the moment. He extended his hand, and the gang leader promptly handed him a gun.
Leopard Zhuo held the gun and took a few steps forward, then raised it and fired three shots into the sky. Aiming at the training hall, he shouted, "Chen Chuan, get out..."
Before he could finish his sentence, a loud gunshot rang out from the diagonally opposite building, the dull blast echoing like thunder in the empty street.
Leopard Zhuo's movement froze, a large hole opening in his forehead. His body swayed, and he fell straight back.
The gang leader, hearing the gunshot, wondered which idiot had fired at this moment, trying to steal his boss's thunder. But as he saw Leopard Zhuo lying on the ground, he froze, not just him but all the gang members beside him.
Just then, a sharp whistle sounded, and patrol officers emerged from the shadows on both sides of the street, raising their large-bore rifles and aiming at the Bloodstain Gang members."
"Bang, bang, bang..."
For a moment, the street echoed with gunfire, the muzzle flashes standing out vividly in the darkness of the night. The gunfire could be seen even from across the street.
The gunfire lasted for over two minutes, and when it finally ceased, the street was filled with the acrid smell of gunpowder. Dozens of Bloodstain Gang members lay on the ground, none of them standing.
Little Wu, holding a pistol, emerged from the side of a building, passing by a twitching gang member and shooting him in the head, instantly ending his movements. He circled around, shooting all the surviving Bloodstain Gang members.
After confirming there were no survivors, he approached Leopard Zhuo, aimed his gun at his head, and fired the remaining bullets in one breath.
Raising his head, he ordered one of the patrol officers, "Call the Bloodstain Gang to collect the bodies and tell them to behave and not provoke those they shouldn't."
"Yes, sir."
After the officer made the call from the phone booth, he shouted, "Fall in!"
With another sharp whistle, the officers formed a neat line and began jogging towards the other end of the street, their military boots making a crisp sound on the ground as they gradually moved away.
Inside the martial arts hall, Chen Chuan calmly wiped his long sword. He had ignored the commotion outside, and upon returning from Lakefront Park earlier, he noticed the increased night patrols by the Patrol Bureau, suspecting that his uncle had arranged for the extra security.
This was likely in response to the attack on him, providing protection and sending a warning to those behind it.
News of the incident quickly spread among those keeping an eye on the area.
"What? He's been taken out?"
Shao Xiaobie was surprised and tense upon hearing the news from his butler, "The Patrol Bureau? They're involved?"
The butler reassured him, "Young Master, rest assured. The Bloodstain Gang is responsible for this, and it has nothing to do with us. This trainee is the son of a Patrol Bureau officer, and they probably increased patrols in the area after the last attack. Leopard Zhuo was just unlucky to run into them."
"As long as it doesn't involve us, that's fine."
Shao Xiaobie relaxed, but he also felt a headache. Even a fool would know to strengthen their defenses now. How could they proceed with their plan? He felt helpless, but he had one advantage—he would never take responsibility for his failures. He picked up the phone on his desk and made a call.
"Hello, Brother Wei, it's me, Xiao Bie. Hey, brother, I'm sorry. The person I sent couldn't get the job done, and now the place is heavily guarded. I'm out of ideas..."
Wei Jun, on the other end, thought Leopard Zhuo was useless, unable to handle even this simple task and causing such a ruckus. But such people were still necessary, so he didn't criticize openly, saying, "Xiao Bie, you've done your best. Leave this to me, and don't worry about it."
"Okay, Brother Wei, let me know if you need anything."
After hanging up, Wei Jun sat there deep in thought for a long time. Finally, he picked up the phone again and dialed a number in Central City. After a while, the call connected.
"Hello, Teacher Tan? I hope you can help me take care of someone. This time, I can cover the cost of your implant surgery. Feel free to name your terms... Great, we'll discuss it in person."
"He waited in his villa until the afternoon of the next day. A car drove in and stopped at the flower bed in front of the villa. Jing Lin emerged from the house, opened the rear door, and a well-dressed Tan Wang followed, led by the butler towards the villa."
Wei Jun waited upstairs in the study, and when Tan Wang entered, he asked the butler to leave and invited the latter to sit down.
Tan Wang sat on the sofa, speaking with a hint of playfulness, "As I said, if you're willing to join the Serpent Sect, you'll be one of us. As your guide, according to the sect's rules, I can agree to a request that isn't too demanding, and no additional compensation is required."
Wei Jun understood that joining the Serpent Sect meant aligning with a faction prematurely. If he went to the Main Academy, this identity would not only fail to help him but might even become an obstacle.
Instead of responding directly, he said, "Teacher, the person I need to deal with is the student you wanted to recruit last time."
Tan Wang maintained a smile, but his eyes carried a hint of gloom, clearly remembering the previous incident. He had failed to recruit the student and had even been beaten up, resulting in him leaving the academy.
Wei Jun understood him well, "Teacher, if I join the Serpent Sect, I'll just be an additional member. It might help the sect, but not significantly. However, once I graduate from the Central City Main Academy, I can take over the family business."
"Besides providing more support to the Serpent Sect, I can promise to cover your cultivation resources in the future. Teacher, why not consider my terms?"
Tan Wang hummed in response, finding the offer intriguing. However, the price was as high as it could go; if Wei Jun asked for more, he might not struggle to find other candidates.
After some thought, Wei Jun cleared his throat and said, "I agree. Where is the person?"
The butler promptly handed over a set of prepared materials.
Tan Wang gestured for Jing Lin to take the materials and stood up. "I'll find time to handle this. After it's done, I'll return to Central City, waiting for you to fulfill your promise." With that, he left the room.
Wei Jun approached the window, watching Tan Wang exit the villa and drive away, feeling a sense of relief. Tan Wang was a third-level expert, and his actions would undoubtedly succeed.
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He knew the Serpent Sect had always handled such matters. Even if he lowered his demands, Tan Wang would agree. But he didn't want to prolong the entanglement. It was already late August, and he had to resolve this issue before the Infinite Defense Certificate assessment. He couldn't afford any setbacks.
After Tan Wang's car left, he held Chen Chuan's materials and began reading. The humiliation of being beaten by He Xiaoxing was unforgettable. He had been thinking about how to deal with this person since he returned. Unfortunately, his funds and contributions to the sect were insufficient to obtain the full set of implants and secret techniques. But to deal with a minor opponent, he didn't need all that. He had just enough money for the upcoming implant surgery.
After reviewing Chen Chuan's recent materials, he smiled playfully. Looking outside, he spoke to Jing Lin, "Let's go to that lakefront park and take a look."
Not long after changing their route, the Wei family's butler received a message and promptly reported to Wei Jun, "Young Master, the men following Tan have reported that his car changed direction."
"Didn't he return to his residence?"
"No, based on the direction, he seems to be heading towards Lu Lake."
"Oh? Is he going to take care of the matter directly?" Wei Jun became alert, instructing, "Have someone keep a close eye on him, and inform me immediately when there's a result!"
"Yes, Young Master."
At the private martial arts hall, Chen Chuan emerged with a blade in hand, and looked up, noticing the darkening sky and oppressive heat.
The security guard at the entrance said, "Mr. Chen, it might rain soon."
Chen Chuan acknowledged, "I know."
As he left, the oppressive heat had lingered for many days. At this time, many people likely anticipated a refreshing downpour.
Twenty minutes later, he arrived at the lakefront park. The area where the three-day-old incident had occurred was now clean, but traces of the event remained visible.
The wind picked up, causing the lakeside reeds to sway and the water to ripple.
Not long after his arrival, before he could begin his practice, he heard the sound of approaching cars in the distance. Turning, he saw two cars heading his way. The one behind stopped at a distance, while the lead car stopped just ten meters away.
The door opened, and Jing Lin, dressed in a foreign suit, stepped out. Chen Chuan noticed the fine, orderly lines embedded on his face and neck, seemingly implanted.
Jing Lin flexed his wrists and slowly approached Chen Chuan, "Mr. Chen, I didn't expect it to be you."
He removed his gloves and tossed them aside, revealing hands covered in fine scales, "Last time, I lost to you. I admit I was careless, but this time, I won't be."
He clenched his fist, "You will witness my strength. The humiliation you inflicted, I will repay twofold." As he spoke, the ground beneath him erupted, and grass blades flew, like an arrow released from its bow, charging towards Chen Chuan.
...
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(End of Chapter)
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