Chapter 208

Xie Wendong held the fax returned from the secret team in his hands, read it twice to memorize it, then handed it to Ling Min, saying, “Let everyone take a look!” After reading it, Ling Min’s expression changed; his eyes darted around, and without saying a word, he passed it to Jiang Sen. Jiang Sen examined it closely, nodding and shaking his head from time to time, clearly deep in thought. After some consideration, he composed himself and handed the fax to Ren Changfeng. Ren Changfeng took it, glanced at it, smirked disdainfully, and tossed it on the table. Wei Zidan was so angry he almost let out a snort. Everyone else looked grave after reading it, but he alone showed contempt, shaking his head helplessly. He picked up the fax from the table, growing more and more alarmed as he read it, until finally his eyes widened as he murmured, “Xiang Wentian is personally bringing two Heavenly Kings to Nanjing. It seems the Nan Hongmen is going all out this time.”

Ren Changfeng sneered and said arrogantly, “What is Xiang Wentian? Just the leader of the Southern Bandits. What can those eight Heavenly Kings do? We still manage to kill one, capture one, and turn another into a coward!” As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the room laughed—Ren Changfeng was truly insane. Ling Min shot him a glance and snorted. Ren Changfeng, with sharp ears, widened his eyes and said, “Xiao Min, why are you snorting? It was still me who killed Li Wangye!” Wei Zidan nodded repeatedly, saying, “That’s right! We’ve never forgotten that.”

Ren Changfeng sensed there was more to their words and was about to explode when Xie Wendong stopped him with a gesture. Xie said seriously, “Xiang Wentian can be the leader of the Northern Hongmen, so we shouldn’t doubt his wisdom. And we must not underestimate the strength of those eight Heavenly Kings. The Gun King and the Wolf King aren’t like Li and Zhang—they might not be easy to deal with. It’s never a bad idea to be cautious. We need to speed up our preparations!” Ren Changfeng pretended to listen but kept rubbing his pale palms quietly, muttering, “Once Xiang Wentian arrives in Nanjing, I’ll give him a surprise!”

After the meeting, everyone left the room, each burdening with a heavy load, hurrying along. Ren Changfeng quickly approached Jiang Sen from behind, quietly pulled at his clothes, and gave him a wink. Jiang Sen was smart enough to realize the kid must have something to say to him. He followed him to a quiet place and asked with a smile, “Young Ren, is there something?”

Ren Changfeng nodded and smiled, then deliberately asked, “Lao Sen, it seems like all your Blood Killing Brothers are quite skilled, huh?” Jiang Sen chuckled inwardly and replied, “Well, they’re okay!” Ren Changfeng handed Jiang Sen a cigarette and lit it for him, his face turning slightly red as he said, “I want to borrow four or five Blood Killing Brothers. What do you think?” As soon as Ren Changfeng approached Jiang Sen, he guessed something bad was coming. Sure enough, here it was! Jiang Sen asked, “We’re family. There’s no problem borrowing people, but you need to tell me what you plan to do.”

Ren Changfeng glanced around to ensure no one was nearby, then whispered, “I want to go meet Xiang Wentian!”

“Ah!” Jiang Sen gasped in shock. “How many people do you plan to take?” Ren Changfeng smiled confidently and said, “Four or five Blood Killing Brothers, plus me, that’s enough.” Jiang Sen nodded, recalling Xie Wendong’s words—there was truth to them. Ren Changfeng was good in every way except for being too arrogant. After pondering for a moment, Jiang Sen nodded and said, “Okay! I’ll lend you the people, but there’s one condition.” “What condition?” “I’ll go with you!” Ren Changfeng was overjoyed. “With Lao Sen by my side, what do I have to worry about? Haha!”

Within three days, the vanguard of the Nan Hongmen arrived, led by Yu Dian, one of Xiang Wentian’s right-hand assistants. These assistants could be considered the leaders of Xiang Wentian’s bodyguards. With them present, Xiang Wentian couldn’t be far away. Yu Dian was calm and composed, never panicking in emergencies, showing signs of a great general—otherwise, he wouldn’t have become the head of Xiang Wentian’s personal guards. Sure enough, the day after he arrived, Xiang Wentian himself arrived with a large group of people.

Xiang Wentian’s status was far above that of people like Xiao Fang, so his accommodation had to be top-notch. Ever since he learned Xiang Wentian was coming, Xiao Fang had specifically bought a villa near the hotel he was temporarily staying at. Although it wasn’t as large as those in Guangzhou, its facilities were quite good.

Xiang Wentian’s convoy stretched for miles, featuring cars, vans, and trucks of all kinds—truly comprehensive. It moved in a grand procession straight toward the hotel.

Xiao Fang had already received word and sent people to drive away all the vendors in front of the hotel and block the streets to prevent outsiders from passing through.

In a dark alley not far from the hotel stood five men dressed in black, blending in with the darkness. From the outside, it was difficult to spot them.

The five men in black were none other than Ren Changfeng, Jiang Sen, and three Blood Killing members. Ren Changfeng watched the situation in front of the hotel and sneered, “What a grand display!”

Jiang Sen said, “Yes! It’s really different when Xiang Wentian comes in person.” Ren Changfeng flipped his wrist and drew his gleaming Tang sword, wiped it clean with his arm, closed his eyes, and leaned against the wall. Time passed slowly, and in the distance, the faint sound of car engines could be heard—deep and carrying an invisible sense of pressure.

By then, the street was completely empty. All those visible were disciples of the Nan Hongmen dressed in white. As the convoy slowly approached, the Hongmen disciples grew tense, standing straight with wide, fierce eyes, exuding an imposing aura. A stretched-out red-flagged sedan stopped in front of the hotel. When the door opened, a young man stepped out—under thirty years old, with striking features, bright eyes, a straight nose, and a dignified appearance. Every move he made revealed an overwhelming sense of dominance. This was Xiang Wentian, the powerful leader of the Nan Hongmen in the south. The hundred disciples on the street were instantly inspired and shouted in unison, “Long live the leader!”

Xiang Wentian nodded and smiled at them, then focused his gaze on Xiao Fang approaching. His expression became serious as he shook Xiao Fang’s hand and said, “Xiao Fang, you’ve lost weight.”

Those words nearly made Xiao Fang cry. He lowered his head, gently wiping away tears from the corners of his eyes, and choked out, “I… I have failed to live up to Brother Xiang’s trust.”

While the two were talking, Jiang Sen, Ren Changfeng, and the other three were also busy. When they heard the crowd shout “Long live the leader!”, Ren Changfeng opened his eyes. With a cold glint, he studied Xiang Wentian for a while before nodding in secret—Xiang Wentian indeed had an extraordinary appearance. He took a deep breath, nodded at Jiang Sen, signaling it was time to act. Jiang Sen, unable to suppress his excitement, also nodded, drew his sword, touched the pistol at his waist, then waved his hand.

Without another word, the five of them took black cloth from their pockets and tied it over their noses. They exchanged glances, rushed out of the alley together, and charged at Xiang Wentian with their swords drawn.

The sudden attack caught the Nan Hongmen disciples by surprise. They never imagined that despite having so many people guarding them, someone would still dare to attempt an assassination.

Five men, five swords—swift as lightning, they attacked Xiang Wentian, creating a whirlwind around them. The dozen or so people closest to them were so shocked that they didn’t even have time to draw their swords before rushing forward to stop them. But it was like trying to stop a train with a mantis’s arms. The five attackers continued moving, passing through the crowd, and in a flash of white light, all five of them were struck down by their swords.

Ren Changfeng was at the forefront. As he neared Xiang Wentian, he shouted, “Xiang Wentian!” Along with his cry, he swung his sword straight at Xiang Wentian’s forehead. The strike was full of force, as fast as lightning, and as heavy as a mountain. If it truly hit, half of his head would likely be severed. If that happened, he wouldn’t be Xiang Wentian anymore.

Xiang Wentian remained calm, without the slightest sign of panic, not even trying to dodge. When the sword was less than three inches from his forehead, a gunshot suddenly rang out, followed by a crisp “ding” sound. Ren Changfeng felt his sword become lighter in his hand—the strike missed Xiang Wentian entirely. Glancing over, he gasped in shock—his Tang sword had been broken by a single shot, leaving less than half a foot of the blade. He was stunned, but Jiang Sen wasn’t. He thought to himself, “Well? Xiang Wentian isn’t as easy to deal with as you thought. This is a lesson for you.” He grabbed Ren Changfeng’s clothes and started running.

The gunshot had been fired by Zhan Long. To ensure Xiang Wentian’s safety, he first shot and broke the assassin’s weapon. He was about to fire another shot when the assassin ran surprisingly fast, disappearing into the crowd in an instant, making it impossible to distinguish him.

Jiang Sen and his five men fought their way outward, pursued by hundreds of people behind them. Suddenly, a man rushed in from the side—his face longer than that of a donkey, blood-red, covered in pockmarks and bumps, so ugly that no one would want to look twice. The man grinned, revealing dark white teeth, and swung his large knife in a vicious arc. The blade, carrying the sound of the wind, aimed at Ren Changfeng’s face, startling him. He quickly dodged and, upon looking up, almost choked on his own spit—how could someone be so ugly! Ren Changfeng kicked him and shouted, “Ugly freak, get out of the way!”

The ugliest thing for such a person was to be called ugly, and this man was no exception. His eyes instantly turned bloodshot as he roared, “Kid, you won’t get out of here alive today!”

With so many people chasing them, Ren Changfeng had no time to waste. He threw away the broken piece of his Tang sword, drew his belt, and started hitting the man with it. The belt was ordinary, but its buckles were made of pure steel, and hitting someone with it was painful. The man sneered, bent down to dodge, then lunged forward, aiming his knife at Ren Changfeng’s abdomen.

Ren Changfeng moved slightly slower, and a cut over a foot long appeared on his shirt at his lower abdomen. He was shocked—unexpecting that despite the man’s ugly appearance, his skills were extraordinary. It seemed he wouldn’t be able to get rid of him anytime soon. Seeing Ren Changfeng trapped by the ugly ghost, Jiang Sen had no choice but to retreat. When he got close to the ugly ghost, he swung his machete downward without hesitation. The ugly ghost was stunned and had to give up on Ren Changfeng, retreating quickly. Jiang Sen didn’t give him a chance to catch his breath, slashing three more times to force him back several steps. Then he pulled Ren Changfeng along with the three Blood Kill members, darting into a narrow alley like quick rabbits. The members of the Nan Hongmen wouldn’t let them go; they all chased after them with knives in hand.

Ren Changfeng kept looking back as he ran, worried by their persistent pursuit. There were only five of them, how could they resist hundreds of enemies? If caught, the consequences would be disastrous. By now, he regretted acting rashly and dragging Jiang Sen along. Thinking of Jiang Sen, he glanced back—well, this guy looked perfectly fine, not out of breath at all, not giving off any sign of being chased. To an outsider, it might even seem like he was training as a long-distance runner. Ren Changfeng panted, “Lao Sen, you don’t seem scared at all!” Jiang Sen glanced at him and said, “Don’t talk while running—it can cause cramps.”

Ren Changfeng blinked and shut his mouth. There was nothing more to say anyway, with hundreds of people armed with knives, guns, and sticks showing off their “friendship” in the background.

The five of them ran out of the alley and onto a wide road. A car horn sounded, and a white van stopped beside them. The door opened, revealing a young man who smiled at them and waved, saying, “Get in!”

Seeing this, Ren Changfeng’s worried heart finally settled. The young man in the van was Xie Wendong. With him around, even if the sky fell, Ren Changfeng wouldn’t care.

Jiang Sen took a breath and rushed into the van, saying with a smile, “Brother Dong, you made it. If you hadn’t shown up, we might have all had to become sacrifices for Zhan Long.” He was telling the truth—inside the narrow alley, with its many turns and chaos, it was difficult for Zhan Long to shoot. Once on the wide road, none of them would be able to escape.

After everyone got in, Xie Wendong tapped the driver’s shoulder and said, “Go!” The driver didn’t dare delay; he stepped on the accelerator, and the van disappeared quickly down the road.

Sitting in the car, Ren Changfeng couldn’t help but ask, “Brother Dong, how did you know about my mission with Lao Sen this time?” Xie Wendong smiled and said, “Of course, it was Lao Sen who told me.” He paused before adding, “If I hadn’t given Lao Sen my permission, do you think he would have been so impulsive as to join you on this adventure?” Jiang Sen was very smart. When Ren Changfeng said he wanted to meet Xiang Wentian, he initially wanted to stop him, but then realized that someone as proud as him wouldn’t listen to advice. If he tried to stop him forcefully, Jiang Sen might sneak off on his own to assassinate Xiang Wentian, making things much more complicated. So Jiang Sen simply agreed to Ren Changfeng’s plan on the surface before quietly informing Xie Wendong. After hearing this, Xie Wendong nodded. Ren Changfeng was too proud; a little setback would do him good. But he was worried that something might go wrong between Jiang Sen and Ren Changfeng, so he came personally in the car to support them.

Ren Changfeng sighed, “Brother Dong, it seems nothing can be hidden from you.” He turned to Jiang Sen with dissatisfaction and said, “Since Brother Dong already knows, why didn’t you tell me? At least that way I could have been prepared!” Jiang Sen replied innocently, “It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you; you just never asked!” “I… you…” Ren Changfeng was speechless. Looking at Jiang Sen’s honest and straightforward farmer’s face, who would have thought he was so scheming? At least Ren Changfeng hadn’t expected it.