Chapter 80: Night's Journey
Chapter 80: Night's Journey
Following the path along Willow Grove, heading west.
After traversing countless alleys and streets, a wide moat came into view, capable of accommodating large ships on regular days, but now, the entire surface was frozen solid.
This place also marked the boundary between the west and south of Yu City. Crossing this river, one would enter the western part of the city, under the jurisdiction of the Western District City Guard Headquarters. As far as Chen Mu knew, the Chief Patrol Commander in the west was surnamed He.
When the Evildoers Gang tried to extend their reach across the line, seeking benefits in the Southern District, they provoked Xu Hongyu. The reason they eventually retreated was self-evident—the other Chief Patrol Commander in the west must have interfered and blocked them.
Otherwise, despite the Evildoers Gang's considerable influence, Xu Hongyu, as a Chief Patrol Commander, would have been more than capable of handling them. They wouldn't dare to act so brazenly under her watch, let alone attempt retaliation.
Given that Xu Hongyu couldn't mobilize her forces, cross the border for a punitive expedition, or even face interference from the City Guard Headquarters on the other side, it was indeed challenging to deal with the Evildoers Gang. Unless she personally took up her sword and went to kill them, but the Evildoers Gang also had Sinew Transformers among their ranks.
Under the night's veil.
The city's snow-covered grounds reflected the dim moonlight.
A figure cloaked in black strode silently to the riverbank, then gracefully leaped across, landing on the opposite shore.
Since his promotion to Chief Patrol Commander, Chen Mu rarely ventured out at night. After all, as a Patrol Commander, he commanded hundreds of subordinates, and any necessary investigations could be delegated to them.
As for matters like killing and robbery, they didn't quite fit the image and dignity of a Patrol Commander... But most importantly, he wasn't short on silver at the moment.
"Evildoers Gang..."
Chen Mu lightly stepped ashore and walked into the alleys, his gaze sweeping across the distance.
This was his first time in the western part of the city. Yu City was vast, and some people might live their entire lives without ever circling the entire city.
According to his judgment, even if the Evildoers Gang wasn't a force cultivated by the He family, they were still outside dogs seeking favor with the He family. Investigating and dealing with them through the City Guard, a public identity, would only lead to obstacles and no benefits.
But for Chen Mu, this wasn't a problem.
It was just a matter of using another identity to solve the issue.
"The Evildoers Gang is different from the Raven Sect. Although their influence also extends to multiple 'Li' in the west, their headquarters are openly located."
Chen Mu strolled forward calmly. His steps seemed slow, but with each stride, his entire body moved like a swift shadow through the alleys.
He wasn't very familiar with the Evildoers Gang and didn't have much intelligence on them. This was his first time in the west, but these weren't crucial factors. At worst, he'd make a few more trips; after all, he was only after one person—the Evildoers Gang's leader, Zhang Lang.
Zhang Lang.
According to rumors, he started as a lowly commoner, struggling to survive in the most remote and chaotic areas of the west. He joined a gang, learned blade techniques, quickly achieved proficiency, and with his ruthless nature, he swiftly established himself. After that, he fought his way through various gangs, gained the opportunity to practice the Body Tempering Art, and gradually rose from a small boss to a big boss. Finally, he founded the Evildoers Gang and became its leader.
Subsequently, through a stroke of luck, he obtained Sinew Transformation Pills from an unknown source and, at the age of nearly thirty, made a leap into the Sinew Transformation Realm. Since then, the Evildoers Gang not only established itself but also, within a short span of a decade, became a force controlling several territories with over a thousand followers.
This was the situation as Chen Mu understood it.
Zhang Lang was also considered a legendary figure in the eyes of many commoners in the west, as few rose from such humble beginnings. However, the Evildoers Gang not only engaged in flesh and gambling businesses but also secretly resorted to deception and extortion, earning Zhang Lang a notorious reputation.
Although Chen Mu didn't have more specific intelligence, just the Evildoers Gang's actions during the disaster—inflating prices, profiting from the crisis, and even driving out refugees—were enough to condemn them.
It was impossible to eradicate a force of over a thousand people in one go. Even if they were just over a thousand pigs, the City Guard wouldn't be able to catch them all in three days.
In Chen Mu's opinion, it wasn't necessary to go to such lengths. As long as Zhang Lang and some of the Evildoers Gang's leaders were dealt with, the gang would quickly crumble and disperse, vanishing without a trace.
Even after ten years of entrenched presence, gangs had no real foundation.
"I hope this trip isn't in vain."
Chen Mu murmured to himself.
He knew where the Evildoers Gang's headquarters were, but Zhang Lang might not be there. To avoid alerting them, he would have to come back tomorrow if Zhang Lang wasn't present.
Although he didn't mind making nightly trips, it was better to finish this sooner and save himself the trouble.
...
Evildoers Gang Headquarters.
The entire headquarters was located on a backstreet, occupying a large area of surrounding houses. Usually, hundreds of gang members gathered here.
At this moment, looking into the distance, most of the streets and alleys were shrouded in darkness, with households having long turned off their lights and closed their doors. However, within the Evildoers Gang's headquarters, a few flickering candlelights could still be seen.
In the center of the headquarters, there was a clean and well-lit courtyard.
A dim candlelight shone through the paper-covered window of a house, casting several shadows.
"Boss, Liu and Wang from the north sent word today, they're also willing to cooperate with us." A man in gray cloth, seated at the lower end, spoke softly.
"Hmm, they know better now," replied the middle-aged man at the head, dressed in a clean silk robe, appearing like a wealthy local gentry. In the western part of the city, few didn't know his name.
He was the leader of the Evildoers Gang, known by the nickname 'Evil Blade'—Zhang Lang.
The gang's deputy leaders, seated beside him, chuckled, "It's a profitable venture for all of us. What reason would they have to refuse? Why pass up easy money just for those troublemakers?"
"Speaking of which, I heard today that the new Patrol Commander in Willow Grove, on the south side, has been squeezing the six gangs there for money. But instead of keeping it, he used it to build shelters and provide firewood and porridge for the refugees. What a waste!" Sun Jiuli shook his head as he spoke.
"Spending silver on charity? That's a sin. I could use some silver myself, but he won't spare a penny for me."
Wei Sihai clicked his tongue and took a sip from the wine on the table.
Sun Jiuli laughed, "He's the Patrol Commander of Willow Grove, so he has to do something, even if it's just for show. But helping those refugees is a good thing, and we can send our refugees there too. It's better than keeping them around here, useless and causing trouble if they die."
"Don't underestimate the new Patrol Commander in Willow Grove. I heard today's commotion was no small matter. Sha Xiangtian, the deputy leader of the Sandflow Gang, was killed by him with a single stroke. You know Sha Xiangtian, and our skills are probably not much better than his." Liu Lanshan's voice turned serious.
Sun Jiuli's expression became solemn upon hearing this. "Indeed, his martial skills are impressive. He's said to have mastered not just one blade aura but also has a body of copper hide and steel flesh, a golden physique. Most muscle cultivators would likely retreat before him."
"I recall that some time ago, our gang had a run-in with this man, wasn't it your order, Wei Sihai?"
As Sun Jiuli finished, all eyes in the room turned to Wei Sihai.
Wei Sihai sighed, "At the time, we got word from outside that this man was a talent Xu Hongyu wanted to nurture. Thinking to cause her some trouble, I sent men to test him. But someone spread false information; not only had he mastered the blade aura, but he had also already tempered his skin. It was in Nine Streets, and not only did we fail, but we also brought trouble upon ourselves." Wei Sihai shook his head as he spoke.
If he had known, he might have sent more men or gone himself.
But Nine Streets was deep in the Southern District, unfamiliar territory. Even if they could kill a patrol officer there, it would be challenging to escape unnoticed.
That's why he had only sent ordinary thugs from the gang. After all, Chen Mu was just a small figure who had recently shown some talent.
Little did they know that within a year or two, Chen Mu would become the Patrol Commander of Willow Grove, overseeing the area across the river.
Moreover, Chen Mu was no ordinary man; he had defeated the Zheng family and killed Sha Xiangtian. If they had known how formidable he was, they would have either not acted or taken the risk and gone personally to eliminate him early on.
"It's all in the past; no point dwelling on it."
Zhang Lang, who had been quietly observing his subordinates' conversation, finally spoke, "He's Xu Hongyu's man, so there's no need to hold a grudge. He's not from our world, and it was a missed opportunity that Wei Sihai didn't go himself."
"You're right, boss," Liu Lanshan agreed. "He's not one of us, so there's no point in holding a grudge. He's just a Patrol Commander from the south, and he dares not come to the west. Even Xu Hongyu wouldn't dare extend her reach here."
Wei Sihai smiled, "I have no intention of going there anyway. And speaking of which, he's going to pay us silver. He needs firewood for the refugees, and we can even give him a discount if needed."
At this, everyone in the room couldn't help but laugh.
In previous years, they wouldn't have had such an opportunity, but this year, with the heavy blizzards and prolonged winter, it seemed it would last at least another month. Every household needed firewood, and by controlling the firewood supply in several districts under the Evildoers Gang's name, they were making a good profit daily.
As the gang members were chatting and laughing, a cold gust of wind suddenly blew through the window crack, silently extinguishing the flickering candle, leaving only a wisp of smoke.
(End of Chapter)
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