Chapter 34

Sanyan was overjoyed. He threw the remaining grenade back to Zhang Yanjiang and rushed forward first, with Longtang’s brothers following. Holding a knife in one hand and a gun in the other, he charged up to the third floor. He Xueyong’s men were stunned by Sanyan’s sudden grenade attack and, by the time they recovered, Sanyan and his men were already right in front of them. In panic, He Xueyong’s men fought aimlessly and scattered in all directions. He Xueyong watched his panicked subordinates silently, sitting dumbfounded on the ground.

Sanyan approached He Xueyong, kicked the gun out of his hand, then pressed the gun against his head and said, “He Xueyong, you’ve lost!” He Xueyong suddenly raised his head and asked, “Who are you? Let me die knowing who’s killing me!”

Sanyan nodded and took out a long black card from his pocket, with the character “kill” written in bright red in the center. He Xueyong stared at the card and exclaimed in shock, “The Black Notice!! You’re from the Wendong Gang!” When the other man nodded, He Xueyong closed his eyes, clearly in despair. Sanyan slowly pulled back the trigger.

Just then, a small dagger suddenly fell from He Xueyong’s wrist into his hand. At the moment Sanyan pulled the trigger, the dagger flew toward his throat. Sanyan had assumed He Xueyong had given up resisting, but to his surprise, he was able to fight back. Instinctively, he tilted his upper body to the side, causing the dagger to pass harmlessly by his neck. Sanyan touched his neck and found a two-inch-long cut, with blood covering his hand.

Taking advantage of Sanyan’s distraction, He Xueyong quickly ran downstairs. Longtang’s brothers were chasing He Xueyong’s men and were unprepared for this sudden turn of events. He Xueyong scrambled through the crowd to the second floor, where Zhang Yanjiang blocked his path with a knife. He Xueyong, with red eyes, shouted angrily, “Get out of the way!”

Zhang Yanjiang smiled slightly and said, “He Xueyong, you won’t be able to leave alive today!” With that, he swung his knife at him. He Xueyong dodged, trying to create distance to keep running, but Zhang Yanjiang’s knife stopped him. He swung again, the blade slicing through the air toward He Xueyong. He Xueyong let out a loud cry and rolled to the ground. Just as he tried to get up, a black card fell from above.

The card drifted slowly in front of He Xueyong, with a dark gun barrel appearing before his eyes. The person holding the gun seemed to have three eyes—it was Sanyan, the one whose dagger hadn’t killed him! But he never got another chance to think about who this person was. Sanyan pulled the trigger without hesitation. With a gunshot, a blood hole appeared on He Xueyong’s forehead, and he collapsed straight backward. The Black Notice landed at his feet.

Zhang Yanjiang glanced at He Xueyong on the ground, then at Sanyan. Seeing a wound on his neck, he quickly asked, “Are you okay?” Sanyan shook his head, covered the wound with a handkerchief, and sighed, “He Xueyong is actually quite a notable figure!” Zhang Yanjiang smiled and nodded. The two quickly cleaned up the battlefield and had someone carry the injured members out of Northern Gambling City. Sanyan went to the car parked at the entrance driven by Xie Wendong, opened the door, and said softly, “Brother Dong, it’s all over in there!” Xie Wendong nodded and smiled, then picked up his phone to hang up with Director Chen: “Hello, is this Director Chen? I’ve finished my business; you can send someone over now!” “Oh, finally! The police station is flooded with calls. Our men will be there soon—leave quickly and don’t get seen!” “Okay! I know. I transferred 200,000 to your account this morning. Did you see it?!” “Heh, I saw it. You’re too kind, brother!” “Well then, that’s all for now.” “Okay, goodbye!” Xie Wendong put away his phone. After Sanyan and Zhang Yanjiang got into the car, he signaled the driver to drive off, heading straight for Guiwei. The others took the injured members to the hospital, using the excuse of a gang fight to avoid suspicion. When Xie Wendong and the others arrived at Guiwei, it was already filled with members of the Wendong Gang. The main members had completed their tasks and had returned early to wait for Xie Wendong and the others. Anxiously, they asked as soon as they saw Xie Wendong and Sanyan return, “Brother Dong! How did it go?” Xie Wendong looked at everyone, licked his lips, and declared loudly, “From now on, He Xueyong’s territory will be ours!” After hearing this, everyone was silent for a moment before Li Shuang screamed, lifted Xie Wendong up, and cheered loudly, “Long live Brother Dong! Long live the Wendong Gang!” The others joined in the cheers. The dance club erupted in excitement. Their joy was indescribable—the gang had not only defeated a powerful enemy once again but also finally opened a route into the city. They no longer had to stay in this remote and poor place in Biannan. While some were happy, others were worried. This night was a sleepless one for the Wendong Gang, but it was the most painful night for the Tiger Gang. Five of their territories were suddenly attacked by the Qing Gang, resulting in heavy losses. Then they received the news that He Xueyong had been killed, costing them their only ally in City J. Li Chenglong, the leader of the Tiger Gang in City J, was furious, cursing his subordinates as fools and vowing revenge on the Qing Gang.

That night, all the police in City J worked overtime. A curfew was imposed across the city, with vehicles entering and leaving the city being inspected. The Qing Gang decided to back off and withdraw all their members. The Tigers Gang wanted to pursue them, but with police everywhere, they had no choice but to give up.

Over the course of one night, eight of He Xueyong’s operations were severely hit by the Wendong Gang. The remnants of the Axe Gang also disappeared from the underworld forever with He Xueyong’s death. The other four factions, except for Liu Qing, were shocked by the Wendong Gang’s swift attacks and became fearful for their own safety.

The next day, the Wendong Gang officially took over He Xueyong’s territories, adding eight more operations, including the underground casino at the Northern Hotel. Xie Wendong did not dismiss the original casino staff; instead, he kept them to continue running the casino and announced that those who stayed would receive a threefold increase in salary. Since these people relied on this job for a living, they were happy to stay—even though the boss had changed and they were getting a higher salary. None of them left, and the casino continued to operate.

In this battle, the Wendong Gang suffered over twenty casualties, including three deaths. Xie Wendong offered five hundred thousand to the families of the deceased, and compensation was also provided for the injured. The Wendong Gang took five days to organize itself and manage the newly acquired operations.

During this time, the Qing Gang engaged in several large-scale battles with the Tigers Gang. Later, Gao Zhen sent out invitations to various underworld gangs, inviting the powerful gang leaders in City J to a gathering hosted by the Qing Gang. Given the Qing Gang’s influence, almost all the notable gang leaders attended, except for their mortal enemy, the Brothers Alliance. Of course, Xie Wendong, who was currently very popular, was also there.

At the meeting, Gao Zhen angrily accused the Tigers Gang: “After all, the Tigers Gang is an outsider gang. Upon arriving in City J, they not only failed to follow the rules but also kept provoking trouble. Everyone saw how the leader of the Axe Gang died under mysterious circumstances. If we don’t unite to fight against the Tigers Gang, then the Axe Gang’s fate will be ours tomorrow!”

The gang leaders whispered among themselves after hearing this. In fact, most of them had been bullied by the Tigers Gang before. Due to the latter’s overwhelming strength, they dared not speak out and could only endure in silence. Gao Zhen’s words resonated deeply with them.

Xie Wendong knew it was time for someone to step forward and inspire the others, so he stood up and said, “I’m the youngest here and considered a junior, so I shouldn’t have a say. But after hearing what Brother Gao said, I’d like to add a few words. Does anyone object?!”

Xie Wendong spoke politely, but his strength was undeniable, and no one dared underestimate this young man. Everyone said, “Brother Xie is being too modest!” “He’s a young hero—of course he has the right to speak!” “Brother Xie…”
Xie Wendong nodded at the crowd and looked at Gao Zhen, who gave him a slight nod in approval. Xie Wendong cleared his throat and said, “Regarding the Tiger Gang, I agree with Brother Gao. Since our city J is close to Russia, Russian gangs want to find a foothold in China for smuggling purposes, and they’ve set their sights on our city J. To avoid competition, they’re unwilling and unable to tolerate the existence of local gangs here. If we keep backing down, the only outcome will be our destruction. The fall of the Axe Gang isn’t the end—it’s just the beginning. The next gang to face them might be any one of us.”
Xie Wendong took a breath, glanced at the crowd—some gang leaders were already sweating—and continued, “There’s actually no need to fear the Tiger Gang. No matter how strong they are, they’re just an outside gang with no roots. If we can unite and declare war on them together, then this so-called strong enemy won’t be able to stay in our city J for long!”
Everyone nodded, agreeing that Xie Wendong made some sense, but they still had doubts, as the Tiger Gang’s strength had become well-known over the past six months. Seeing that they were still hesitant, Xie Wendong shouted angrily, “Is it because the Tiger Gang has Russian gangs backing them that you’re afraid of them? When have we Chinese ever been afraid of foreigners? This isn’t just a simple gang conflict anymore. Those Russians have already pushed their aggression right to our doorstep, and all the gangsters in the province are watching us. If you want to be cowards, then don’t be Chinese! I declare here and now that the Wendong Gang will officially declare war on the Tiger Gang starting today!” Half of Xie Wendong’s words were sincere; although he wasn’t yet truly patriotic, seeing everyone so timid filled him with anger. For the first time, the usually polite Xie Wendong used vulgar language.
Hearing his words, everyone’s faces turned red. “Bang!” Yu Fei, the leader of the Donghuo Gang, slammed the table and stood up. “Damn those Tiger Gang bastards! Brother Xie is right—if you want to be cowards, don’t be Chinese. I may not be a hero, but I know what shame is. I’ll never let our city J’s gangsters lose face. Starting today, the Donghuo Gang declares war on the Tiger Gang!”

Led by Yu Fei, the leaders of other gangs also stood up to express their stance. A few who were reluctant had no choice but to stand up and declare war on the Tigers Gang under pressure. At Gao Zhen’s suggestion, all the gangs present formed a temporary alliance, named the “Tiger-Fighting Alliance.” Though the name was a bit crude, it reflected the core purpose of the alliance. Once the Tigers Gang was defeated, the alliance would dissolve automatically.

After this meeting, the underworld in City J experienced unprecedented turmoil. With very few exceptions, all organized crime groups in City J turned their attention against the Tigers Gang.

At the end of the meeting, Xie Wendong and Gao Zhen deliberately stayed behind. After everyone else left, Gao Zhen laughed heartily and gave Xie Wendong a thumbs up, saying, “Brother, you’re really great! What you said just now really moved me!”

Xie Wendong shook his head and said, “It was actually just what I felt. These people are cowardly and won’t resist unless pushed to the limit. It’s infuriating!”

Gao Zhen sighed and said, “That’s actually a common problem among most people!” Seeing that Xie Wendong was in a bad mood, Gao Zhen chuckled and said, “Brother, anyway, we’ve done quite well today. Your reputation and courage will now hold a new place in the hearts of all the gang leaders. Today was truly an exciting day. Come on, let’s go have a drink and celebrate!”

Seeing Gao Zhen’s attitude, Xie Wendong felt a sense of closeness. He took Gao Zhen’s hand and said, “Alright, we won’t leave until we’re drunk—but you have to treat!”

“Haha! Good, it wouldn’t be right for an elder brother not to treat his younger brother! Haha~~~” The two walked outside hand in hand, with laughter echoing in the distance.

After the battle with He Xueyong, Wen Dong’s organization expanded by eight more venues, bringing its total to seven, making it the fourth most powerful force after the Tigers Gang, the Qing Gang, and the Brothers Alliance. As many as a thousand thugs came from far and wide during the five days of reorganization. Realizing he needed more members due to the increased number of venues, Xie Wendong assigned San Yan, Zhang Yanjiang, and Jiang Sen to recruit new members, emphasizing the need for quality over quantity and selecting those with potential.

San Yan and the others followed Xie Wendong’s instructions carefully. Out of over a thousand thugs, only a hundred were recruited. These hundred were given priority by San Yan and his team, while Jing Ying took care of the rest. Jiang Sen first selected twenty of them and said to the other two, “Sorry, but I’ve chosen these twenty. They’ll be under my training from now on!”

Sanyan complained, “Huh? You like them? These twenty are the best among them. Why should we give them to you just like that?” Zhang Yanjiang nodded in agreement beside him. “Dongge said I could pick any talent I wanted from the gang. Haha!” Jiang Sen’s words left Sanyan and Zhang Yanjiang speechless. Then he led the twenty people away happily. When they were out of sight, Sanyan was so angry he jumped high and shouted, “This… this is just stealing people! I can pick too! Longtang is in need of people!” He quickly selected thirty people from the remaining group who he thought were good enough and left without even saying goodbye, leaving Zhang Yanjiang standing there in shock. Watching Sanyan flee in panic, Zhang Yanjiang shouted, “You two are going too far! How can you do this?!” Then he looked at the less than fifty people standing there dumbfounded and felt angry. All that’s left for me is a bunch of losers. Zhang Yanjiang picked twenty of them and said loudly, “From now on, you all belong to the Law Enforcement Hall!” After saying that, he laughed and left. When Li Shuang and He Haoran arrived, they only saw over twenty people. Li Shuang asked curiously, “Where are the others? Weren’t there a hundred people?” He Haoran also found it strange that only over twenty people remained. One of the remaining people said loudly, “There were originally a hundred people, but more than seventy were picked away by someone!” Li Shuang was stunned. “Who picked them away?” The man replied, “It seems the three people who were in charge of selecting people picked them away!” “Huh?” Li Shuang exclaimed, “They divided them up so quickly. Sanyan, Lao Sen, and Yanjiang are also going too far!” After saying that, Li Shuang pulled He Haoran and said, “Haoran, let’s go and ask them to return the people!” Before leaving, he didn’t forget to shout, “The rest of you join the Tiger Hall!” “Huh? Xiaoshuang, what about our Leopard Hall?” “Sigh! Haoran, I’m going to ask them to return the people for you!” “…”