Chapter 225

“Bang!” A gunshot echoed in the air, lingering for a long time before the intense sound was swallowed by the darkness. Dong Xinlei didn’t fall; he still stood there. The Battle Dragon also didn’t fall, but his eyes were wide with disbelief and fear. Time seemed to stand still as the two stood face to face. The Battle Dragon’s lips moved slightly, but no sound came out. Yet a drop of blood flowed from his thick black hair, down his cheek, and onto his clothes. This was just a prelude—soon after, blood poured from above his head like a small river, continuously dripping onto his clothes and the ground. The Battle Dragon stared at Dong Xinlei, his lips moving as if trying to ask who was behind him, who had fired the gun, who…? He had many questions, but unfortunately, he couldn’t say a word now.

“Thud.” The Battle Dragon fell backward. He was filled with resentment and sorrow, his eyes so wide that blood streamed from the corners. His left hand still tried to grasp the ground, but no sound came out of his mouth. As he fell, a figure appeared behind him—not tall but sturdy, dressed in fitted black clothes, with a gun still emitting smoke in his hand… When the Battle Dragon had used the gun to threaten Dong Xinlei, he had indeed been scared, but soon he no longer needed to be. He thought he saw someone appear behind the Battle Dragon. With this person around, Dong Xinlei knew his life was safe. This person was Jiang Sen, who had been hiding in the bushes for a long time. The Battle Dragon was really unlucky—he fell right in front of Jiang Sen, at the worst possible moment. There are many coincidences in the world. Jiang Sen nodded at Dong Xinlei and said with a smile, “Sorry, Old Lei. I’ve taken your business this time!”

Dong Xinlei glanced at the Battle Dragon, who wasn’t completely dead yet, and said with a bitter smile, “I’d rather let you take such a business.”

“Haha!” Jiang Sen laughed, walked slowly to the Battle Dragon’s side, bent slightly to let the Battle Dragon see his face, and said, “My name is Jiang Sen. I’m the one who fired the gun!”

The Battle Dragon’s wide eyes slowly closed, and his lips moved, revealing a faint smile. The martial world was a place of life and death. Since one chose to be here, they should be prepared for such things. Most people in the martial world were superstitious, believing that if they couldn’t see their killers before dying, they wouldn’t be able to reincarnate and would remain as wandering spirits in the world.

The War Dragon was dead. Though he was one of the Eight Heavenly Kings of the South Hongmen, this was the end he met. The battle lasted for hours before it finally ended, with heavy casualties on both sides. If the War Dragon hadn’t died, Dong Xinlei wasn’t sure who would have won in the end. He organized people to dig a huge pit in the wasteland nearby and threw the War Dragon along with his dead and dying subordinates into it. It wasn’t out of cruelty on Dong Xinlei’s part—it was simply necessary; taking such severely injured people to the hospital would have caused too much trouble.

This battle dealt a severe blow to the South Hongmen. Not to mention the loss of manpower and territory in Nanjing, just the death of the War Dragon alone was enough to cause Xiang Wentian pain for months. Although Xiao Fang survived, he was badly injured and, filled with anger, barely led his remaining troops of less than a hundred to Yangzhou, not far from Nanjing, where he fell ill and never recovered. However, most within the South Hongmen believed Xiao Fang was feigning illness—he was too ashamed to return to Guangzhou to face Xiang Wentian and was using illness as an excuse to stay in Jiangsu, still not giving up on Nanjing completely. Only he himself knew whether he was pretending or not, but this time Xiao Fang was truly enraged; within days, he seemed to have aged by over a decade, his face haggard and his hair turning white.

This decisive victory was a great boost for the North Hongmen as well, with smiles on everyone’s face—except for three people, three men who seemed to share a tacit understanding.

Nanjing, North Hongmen branch office. The conference room was filled with people sitting around the long table, their chests puffed out. Though there were many, no one was whispering; all eyes were fixed on the person sitting in the center—Xie Wendong.

Xie Wendong glanced around and asked, “Has the South Hongmen withdrawn?” Liu Bo leaned forward and said, “They fled quickly and cleanly. So far, only one remnant has been found.” Xie Wendong nodded and said, “Xiao Fang wouldn’t leave us any easy gains. This time, we fought brilliantly—thanks to everyone’s unity and effort.”

“It’s all thanks to Brother Dong’s genius!” they said in unison, as if in agreement. Xie Wendong shook his head and smiled, then changed the subject. “Although we won, there are still some things I need to say. Everyone has been very dedicated and hardworking, but some people haven’t been like that.” He paused and turned to Fang Guodong, asking, “Brother Fang, don’t you think so?”

“I…” Fang Guodong’s tongue almost stuck out in shock—hadn’t he tried his best? Why were so many of his subordinates dead this time? But then again, if Dongxin Lei hadn’t arrived in time, the consequences would be unimaginable. Though his few subordinates had been utterly defeated by Zhanlong, it couldn’t be said they hadn’t tried. Who could have expected Zhanlong to appear suddenly while they were fighting against the Soul Group with all their might? Fang Guodong had to swallow his grievances; he certainly couldn’t admit he was incompetent! He lowered his head, shook it, his face turning purplish red, unable to utter a word. The other two subordinates weren’t much better off—sweat pouring down their foreheads, they clutched the table, feeling extremely uneasy.

Xie Wendong observed this all, tapping lightly on the table with his fingers and saying coldly, “If you say Zhanlong is too strong for you to handle, that’s understandable. But the Soul Group has only twenty people, yet you, with thousands of subordinates, still lost over a hundred men. That’s hard to justify!” He paused then added pointedly, “Is it true that the older one gets, the worse one’s courage and judgment become?” Hearing this, Fang Guodong sighed sadly. His reaction was much faster than the other two subordinates. Although Xie Wendong hadn’t said it outright, Fang Guodong already understood what he meant. Having fought for the Hongmen for years, he ended up in such a pitiful state—it was truly laughable. It seemed Xie Wendong’s decision to kill Wanfu wasn’t just out of momentary anger. “Sigh!” Fang Guodong let out a long sigh, closing his eyes and saying bitterly, “Elder brother leader, this time it’s indeed my incompetence. Perhaps it’s true that as one gets older, one isn’t as sharp as before. I think I’m no longer fit to hold this position as a subleader. To avoid holding back the gang, I’m willing to step down for the younger ones. I hope the elder brother leader will agree.”

After saying this, Fang Guodong stood up, clasped his fists, and stood silently, waiting for Xie Wendong’s reply. He knew it was only a matter of time before he stepped down, so there was no need for Xie Wendong to make it explicit—taking the initiative would yield better results. He had figured it out, but the other two subordinates didn’t. They still thought Xie Wendong was just talking casually. Yes, he hadn’t fought well in this battle, but after all, the Soul Group had been eliminated, Zhanlong was dead, and the South Hongmen had suffered a crushing defeat. Even if he hadn’t made any contributions, he had still endured hardships. Moreover, without their resistance, it would likely have been even harder for Dongxin Lei to kill Zhanlong. With that in mind, one of the subleaders, Lin Qingshan, gently pulled at Fang Guodong’s sleeve and whispered, “Brother Fang, are you taking this too seriously? How could the elder brother leader agree to let you step down?!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Wendong scratched his head and nodded, saying, “It’s fine. Brother Fang is getting older, and it’s indeed not easy for him to keep fighting alongside us. But after all, he’s a meritorious member of our Hongmen. If he’s willing to stay in the gang, I can find him a less demanding position.”

Fang Guodong shook his head with a smile and said, “Thank you for your kindness, leader. I’d like to leave the gang and live a more peaceful life abroad.” In the world of martial arts, enemies are inevitable. When you’re in a high position, they might not dare to confront you, but once you fall, old and new grudges will overwhelm you like a tidal wave. That’s why those who leave usually choose to retire or live abroad. Fang Guodong was clever—he had already planned his exit and knew that staying in the gang would only mean Xie Wendong would eventually turn his gun on him. “Hmm!” Xie Wendong nodded secretly. Fang Guodong was indeed not comparable to the other brutes. After thinking for a moment, he said regretfully, “Since Brother Fang has made up his mind, I can’t force him. I’ll go along with his decision!” In just one sentence, the once dominant brute became an ordinary person.

Lin Qingshan sensed that something was off and stared at Xie Wendong with mixed feelings, not knowing what to say. Nie Tianxing sighed inwardly. Now he understood why Xie Wendong had assigned the seemingly simplest task to those four brutes. He had predicted that it wouldn’t be difficult for them to eliminate the Soul Group, but it would take some effort. Meanwhile, the War Dragon Gang would return to the southern suburbs to rescue Xiao Fang. Their route to the hotel in the Southern Hongmen would pass through the Soul Group’s territory, where they would encounter those four brutes. How could they possibly be a match for the War Dragon Gang? What seemed like the simplest task was actually the most difficult. Xie Wendong had long wanted to get rid of those four, but hadn’t had the chance. Now, how could he let it slip away? Fang Guodong’s decision to step down showed his cleverness, but it seemed the other two brutes wouldn’t fare much better. This plan was too cunning! Nie Tianxing looked up, feeling helpless, powerless, and slightly disappointed. Xie Wendong’s ways were too different from his own.

Xie Wendong then turned to the other two brutes and asked, “What do you think about Brother Fang stepping down voluntarily?” His meaning was clear, and even Dong Xinlei beside him sensed it. But Lin Qingshan, whether pretending or truly confused, quickly stood up and said, “Brother Fang is still in his prime. It’s a shame for him to leave now; it would be a great loss to our Hongmen. I hope the leader will reconsider.”

Xie Wendong smiled upward and said, “What’s there to consider?” Lin Qingshan replied, “Of course, we should keep Brother Fang here!” Xie Wendong narrowed his eyes and said, “But I think what he said makes sense. As people get older, their health isn’t what it used to be. It might be better to give the position to younger people.” Lin Qingshan hurriedly said, “But young people lack experience. How can we trust handing such an important position like this to a greenhorn?!” Xie Wendong stood up, tilted his head back, and said, “I’m also a greenhorn!”

“This…” Even if Lin Qingshan was stupid, he could sense he had said something wrong. He quickly said, “The leader brother is different. You are a rare talent in the martial world, unmatched by anyone else. How many young people like the leader brother can there be in the world…” Xie Wendong waved his hand to cut off his nonsense and said, “I’m no talent or genius. I’m just an ordinary person, a very ordinary young man. The world belongs to the young. What’s needed for progress is courage, followed by experience. Brother Lin, you’re old.”

Old? Lin Qingshan smiled bitterly. He was just in his early forties. It was the first time someone had called him old. He shook his head and said, “I don’t think so. I believe I can still fight for the Hongmen for another twenty years!” “It’s a pity I think you’re a burden to the gang even for one day!” Xie Wendong’s eyes gleamed as he stared straight at Lin Qingshan, his gaze piercing through his heart. Lin Qingshan protested loudly, “Leader brother, I…” Xie Wendong didn’t give him a chance to speak and said coldly, “This battle will determine everything. Where were you when others were fighting bravely?” Lin Qingshan pursed his lips, silent, with nothing left to say. Xie Wendong continued, “You were at the back because you’re afraid of death!”

Sweat poured from Lin Qingshan’s forehead as he hung his head in silence. Xie Wendong asked again, “Where were you when Wu Ye died in battle?” Lin Qingshan lowered his head even further. Xie Wendong said, “You were running because you were afraid of ending up like Wu Ye!” Lin Qingshan trembled as he took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Suddenly, Xie Wendong slammed a table, the noise making the conference hall vibrate. Lin Qingshan’s nerves nearly snapped. His body shook as he collapsed weakly in his chair, gasping for breath. Xie Wendong shouted angrily, “What use is a leader like you? What battles can the people you lead win?” After saying that, his sharp gaze fixed on Lin Qingshan’s face.

After a long while, Lin Qingshan finally regained some clarity. He said timidly, “But I’ve been with the gang for so many years—though I may not have achieved any great things, I’ve still put in a lot of effort! Senior leader, you can’t completely dismiss me just because of this one incident.” Xie Wendong replied coldly, “A tree that wants to grow into a towering giant must first get rid of its dross!” Lin Qingshan was utterly despondent. It seemed all his hard-earned achievements were gone, yet he refused to give up so easily. As the saying goes, when the government oppresses the people, they will rebel—Xie Wendong, you’re forcing me to do this! He silently plotted in his mind that if nothing else, he would return to his hometown in Shanxi and rebel against him—after all, he couldn’t let years of hard work go to waste.

Every expression on his face was clearly visible to Xie Wendong, who knew exactly what he was thinking. With a slight smile, he said, “Brother Lin, shouldn’t you make a statement in front of everyone now?” Lin Qingshan pretended to be helpless and said, “Since the senior leader says so, I’ll respect your decision. I’ll step down!”

“Very good!” Xie Wendong said. “I’m not someone who ignores loyalty. Brother Lin has been fighting in the martial world for years, so you surely have many enemies. In a few days, I’ll arrange for you to go to Australia, where you can spend the rest of your life in peace. Of course, the gang won’t neglect you—at least you won’t have to worry about food and drink!”

Hearing this, Lin Qingshan became anxious and hurriedly said, “Senior leader, I still need to go home and make preparations. After all, this is a major decision. I…”