Chapter 81: Do Nothing at All

Jiang Xiang, assistant to the Second Division Chief Shi Boyu of the Medicine King Hall, stood before the ruins of the Immortal Music Dance Hall, silent for a long while.

It exploded!

Someone blew up the Immortal Music Dance Hall!

This is Jiang Xiang’s business!

This was the most profitable operation of the entire Second Division—yesterday it was fine, and now it’s been blown to rubble.

Not only is the dance hall gone, but Division Chief Du Hongxi and dance hall owner Zhou Yujuan are missing, their fates unknown.

Who did this? Is this person insane?

Who dares blow up Jiang Xiang’s dance hall and kill Jiang Xiang’s people?

What does he think Jiang Xiang is?

Division Chief Shi Boyu was originally a Red Stick from the Third Division of Green Water Hall, promoted for meritorious service to become Division Chief of the Medicine King Hall’s Second Division—just two months on the job, and now this happens.

It was raining, and Shi Boyu’s mood was terrible.

Second Division Red Stick Xiang Guicheng, a third-layer Wu Xiu, stared at the broken bricks and shattered tiles, gritting his teeth: “Who the hell did this? Dig up the ground three feet deep—we’ll dig this bastard out!”

Several Stick Boys hurried to echo him:

“It’s definitely that woman—cut out her heart, peel her liver, rip out her tendons, flay her skin!”

“Killing her alone isn’t enough—we must drag the Yu Family Cloth Shop down with her!”

“Du Xunfeng, if you’re watching from heaven, wait—we’ll avenge you, brother!”

The Stick Boys were furious, Red Stick Xiang Guicheng was enraged, Division Chief Shi Boyu’s cheeks twitched repeatedly—he said nothing.

Second Division Sage Zhong Desong, a second-layer cultivator, stood silently nearby.

The division’s Sages are responsible for recommending talent; right now, he was considering who should be the next Xunfeng.

One Stick Boy suddenly stepped forward and told Red Stick Xiang Guicheng: “Brother Xiang, I saw Qin Tianjiu the bastard yesterday at Fuwang Baozi Shop—he was eating like he owned the place, acting all proud.”

Xiang Guicheng frowned: “Which Qin Tianjiu?”

Another Stick Boy reminded him: “That fat guy with the Qin surname—the one who started the trouble at Geng Family Pharmacy!”

“Fuck!” Xiang Guicheng spat out half his cigarette onto the ground and turned to Division Chief Shi Boyu: “Boss, just say the word—I’ll bring that little fat bastard in and rip his tendons, flay his skin!”

Before Shi Boyu could speak, his confidant Sun Xiaoan, who served as division advisor, said: “Brother Xiang, calm down. The boss is upset—let’s hold off on this for now.”

“What good is being upset?!” Xiang Guicheng roared. “We must avenge Old Du first!”

Sun Xiaoan shook his head: “Brother Xiang, we haven’t found the body yet—we can’t say for sure Du Xunfeng is dead.”

If the man isn’t confirmed dead, talking about revenge isn’t proper, is it?”

Xiang Guicheng scowled: “I hate your word-chewing. Forget Old Du—let’s talk about avenging our dance hall. That must be done.”

Sun Xiaoan nodded: “We must avenge the dance hall—but we don’t yet know who the enemy is.”

Xiang Guicheng snapped: “Who else? It’s Qin the Fat and that woman—Qin’s back, and he’s flaunting himself at the baozi shop—he doesn’t fear Jiang Xiang at all!”

Sun Xiaoan puffed his water pipe, sneering: “Brother Xiang, if Yu Nan had that kind of power, she wouldn’t have fled Li Gou and dared not return. As for why Qin Tianjiu came back—that needs investigation.”

Xiang Guicheng glared: “How long will this investigation take?”

Sun Xiaoan blew ash from his water pipe: “That depends on how the boss decides.”

Xiang Guicheng fell silent.

Sun Xiaoan advised Division Chief Shi Boyu: “Boss, this matter requires careful planning. Return to the division headquarters and wait for news—the Hall Master will likely send someone to inquire.”

Shi Boyu nodded, boarded a carriage, and returned to the division headquarters; Sun Xiaoan followed.

A confidant is someone who advises the division chief.

At the headquarters, after dismissing others, Shi Boyu asked Sun Xiaoan: “I heard Red Stick Xiang Guicheng and Xunfeng Du Hongxi had little contact. But today, they seem close.”

Sun Xiaoan added tobacco to his water pipe and smiled: “Boss, you’re new—you may not know these people’s natures yet.

Early this year, Xiang Guicheng borrowed 300,000 from Du Hongxi; Du gave him only 100,000. Xiang led men to surround Du at the dance hall, and Du barely escaped death thanks to his ghost servant.

Last month, Xiang got drunk, went to the dance hall, and slept with Zhou Yujuan. Du fought him for a full day and night. Do you think they had any real bond?”

Shi Boyu frowned: “Then today’s outburst…”

“This is suspicious,” Sun Xiaoan said, frowning. “Ever since the Geng Family Pharmacy incident, I’ve felt something’s off—we may have provoked someone we shouldn’t have. Now Qin Tianjiu has returned—it’s even more suspicious.”

“How so?”

“Boss, think: we’d barely touched the Geng and Yu affairs—just watched, didn’t even drawn our blades—and someone blew up our dance hall.

Is this something a human could do?

Even our Hall Master wouldn’t act this ruthlessly!”

Shi Boyu tapped the arm of his sofa: “Should we bring Qin Tianjiu in for questioning?”

Sun Xiaoan quickly shook his head: “Don’t arrest him—absolutely not. If we do, we fall right into their trap. I’ve already sent people to investigate—we’ll have news today.”

…

At Fuwang Baozi Shop, Qin Tianjiu ordered twenty baskets of baozi and was eating with Tie Yin.

Tie Yin is a unique rank in the Three Hero Gate; unlike other gangs that divide by halls and divisions, the Three Hero Gate uses seals to denote rank.

In the Three Hero Gate, lowest-level members have no seal—they serve under Tie Yin.

A Tie Yin commands five or six men, handling ground-level tasks.

Above Tie Yin is Tong Yin, above that is Yin Zhang, above that is Jin Yin—the three gang leaders hold the Jin Yin.

In Pulu Zhou, the Three Hero Gate has the simplest hierarchy—and is also the most powerful gang in Pulu Zhou.

Qin the Fat’s superior is Zhang Tie Yin, named Zhang Liuze, over fifty, straightforward and blunt.

Zhang Liuze is a first-layer Food Cultivator; he and Qin the Fat, also a Food Cultivator, got along exceptionally well.

Every noon, they came to the baozi shop to eat—at least thirty baskets per meal, plus several hearty dishes. Every time they arrived, the shop staff trembled:

“Gentlemen, the kitchen’s collapsed—we can’t make more baozi. Could you come back tonight?”

Zhang Liuze was dissatisfied: “Every time we come here, we leave hungry!”

Qin the Fat rubbed his belly: “Let’s just fill a fifth—Sixth Brother, I’m treating today.”

In the Three Hero Gate, regardless of age or status, everyone calls each other brother—even the gang leaders.

Zhang Liuze grunted: “How much silver do you even make? Save up, buy some tonic pills, and get past your first-layer barrier.”

Whenever they ate together, Zhang Liuze never let Qin the Fat pay.

Walking the streets, checking shops for trouble, Zhang Liuze asked Qin the Fat: “Jiang Xiang’s dance hall exploded last night. Tell me honestly—did you have anything to do with it?”

“Of course I did,” Qin the Fat growled. “I hate Jiang Xiang’s bastards—I’d love to…”

Zhang Liuze kicked him: “Brat, if you didn’t do it, don’t bullshit me—I didn’t come here to listen to your big talk.”

Qin the Fat scratched his head and lowered his eyes: “I thought about it—but I don’t know who actually did it.”

Zhang Liuze punched him lightly and laughed: “I know you—you’ve got no such power. You just talk big—you’re just…”

Zhang Liuze suddenly dropped his smile and turned his head behind him.

A man wearing a forward cap was walking slowly behind them. Seeing Zhang Liuze turn, he quickly pretended to browse a street stall.

Zhang Liuze walked straight over and grabbed the man’s cap: “Why are you following us?”

The forward cap glared: “Who’s following you? This isn’t your road—you won’t even let me walk?”

Zhang Liuze smiled: “I’ll ask once more—who are you? If you don’t answer, you’ll suffer.”

The forward cap gritted his teeth: “I’m from Jiang Xiang. Let go of me, or I’ll make you…”

Bang!

Zhang Liuze punched the forward cap in the mouth—two front teeth shattered, and the man cried out.

Zhang Liuze turned to Qin the Fat: “Little Fat, this is a Jiang Xiang brother—take good care of him.”

Qin the Fat rolled up his sleeves: “Sixth Brother, how should I treat him?”

Zhang Liuze thought a moment: “This brother’s had a hard life—leave him alive. Don’t kill him.”

…

At the Second Division headquarters, Division Chief Shi Boyu stared at his beaten, unrecognizable subordinate, frowning: “I didn’t expect Qin Tianjiu joined the Three Hero Gate.”

Sun Xiaoan waved his water pipe, dismissed the others, and whispered to Shi Boyu: “Boss, if you’d listened to Xiang Guicheng and arrested Qin Tianjiu today—what do you think the consequence would’ve been?”

The thought sent a chill down Shi Boyu’s spine.

Jiang Xiang in Pulu Zhou is only a mid-tier gang.

If they truly provoked the Three Hero Gate, wiping out one division would be a blink away.

“But Xiang Guicheng also wanted to arrest Qin Tianjiu,” Shi Boyu still felt something was off.

Sun Xiaoan shook his head: “Do you think he’d really go arrest him? I doubt it.

He may agree to it—but when it comes time to act, he’ll catch a cold, get wind in his joints, his legs will cramp—he’ll always find an excuse to back out.

If you lose patience and arrest Qin Tianjiu yourself, you’re arresting a Three Hero Gate member—how much trouble would that bring?”

Shi Boyu’s face darkened: “I have no grudge against Xiang Guicheng—why would he try to ruin me?”

Sun Xiaoan sighed: “When a division chief dies, the Red Stick takes over—that’s Jiang Xiang’s unwritten rule.

You rose from Red Stick in Green Water Bay to become division chief of Medicine King Gully. Xiang Guicheng is also a Red Stick—what do you think he feels?”

“He thinks I’m blocking his path?” Shi Boyu gritted his teeth, then asked Sun Xiaoan: “What should we do?”

Sun Xiaoan paused, then said: “In my opinion—do nothing at all.”

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(End of Chapter)