Chapter 13: Those Are My Sworn Brothers

"When someone dies, don't they hold a banquet?"

Even though it's ancient times, there should still be such a custom, right?

Mei Yongning shook his head after hearing this and said directly.

"I heard that after Lei Yushan learned of Lei Lu's death, he fainted on the spot and has since closed his doors to everyone. There probably won't be a chance for that."

"What a shame. I was hoping to get a good meal out of it."

Ye Tian spoke with a wistful tone, as if he had lost something important.

"..."

Someone else's son is dead, and you're still thinking about getting a good meal?

When he first met Ye Tian, seeing how pure and innocent he looked, he thought Ye Tian wasn't suited for gang life. But now it seemed the naive one was himself.

If someone this thick-skinned and black-hearted can't make it in a gang, then no one under heaven can.

"Oh right!"

At this moment, Ye Tian, who had thought of something, suddenly spoke up.

"Where does Gui Tou usually hang out?"

The matter of Lei Lu was immediately tossed out of Ye Tian's mind. The money was already in hand, so now it was time to think about territory.

When it comes to gang fights in the jianghu, it's not something you can just do whenever you want. You at least need a proper reason. That's an open rule of the jianghu, and Lei Lu's death just happened to give Ye Tian exactly such a reason.

One can only say, Lei Lu died at just the right time.

Seeing Ye Tian suddenly bring up Gui Tou, Mei Yongning realized something and immediately said.

"Gui Tou doesn't have any particular hobbies. He usually likes gathering a bunch of brothers for drinks. He's a generous man, and the brothers under him are all very loyal to him. If Fist Master Ye wants to find Gui Tou, just go to the gambling house he manages—you'll basically always find him there."

When he has nothing going on, Gui Tou rarely leaves the territory he manages.

Not greedy for money, not lecherous—just likes gathering a bunch of brothers for drinks.

This kind of person really is rare in a gang.

"Mm!"

Ye Tian nodded, indicating he understood.

"Over the next few days, gather more men. I have something to do."

"Understood!"

Seeing Ye Tian about to leave, Mei Yongning thought for a moment and still reminded him.

"However, if Fist Master Ye truly plans to fight the Earth Dragon Gang, Big Brother Lei over there might have objections."

This sounded like he was advising Ye Tian not to act.

But in reality, he was reminding Ye Tian that he needed a reason to act—at least one good enough that Big Brother Lei wouldn't dare openly oppose it.

Just as Ye Tian was about to speak.

A familiar voice came again.

【Detected host triggering choice】

【Choice One: Fight the Earth Dragon Gang! Reward: Primary Loyalty +10, Bǎi Duàn Dāo +100】

【Choice Two: Peacefully accumulate strength! Reward: Primary Loyalty +10, Bǎi Duàn Dāo +100】

Just love these choices with identical rewards.

With a smile on his face, he looked at Mei Yongning.

"Lei Lu and I were as close as brothers. Now that he's been killed by the Earth Dragon Gang, if I can't avenge my brother, what face would I have to live in this world?"

He said it with such righteous fervor.

"..."

As close as brothers? You really think I wasn't there that day when swords were drawn?

Let's just go along with it. After all, this reason is enough to keep Big Brother Lei from causing Ye Tian trouble afterward.

"Fist Master Ye is a man of supreme loyalty and righteousness. I am impressed."

,,,

After leaving, Ye Tian, taking only Wei Wu with him, prepared to head to Gui Tou's territory.

"How are those silver ingots coming along?"

Lei Yushan was really generous for the sake of his son. He'd thought it would only be a few thousand taels, but it turned out several boxes added up to fifty thousand taels. Running a money house really does pay.

It's just that all that money bears the marks of Lei Ji Money House. Taking it out to spend directly would likely get discovered immediately.

They could only melt it down and recast it.

"Don't worry, Boss. The brothers have already found a place. In less than two days, we'll have all that money melted into pieces of broken silver."

This was also something Ye Tian had specifically instructed.

Broken silver spent out and about is much harder to trace.

This era really is nice. As long as you melt down and recast dirty money, whether gold or silver, you don't have to worry about being discovered.

"Well done."

Ye Tian nodded with satisfaction.

As they spoke, they had arrived at the gambling house managed by Gui Tou. He'd expected it to be a big place, but the scale was only the size of a two-courtyard compound. And those who came here to gamble were basically all bottom-dwellers with dreams of getting rich overnight.

They'd rather be dressed in rags than hold back any of their money from gambling, betting it all for a shot at the future.

,,,

Meanwhile.

At this moment, Gui Tou, just as usual, was drinking with a group of brothers in a room in the back courtyard of the gambling house.

Just then, one of his subordinates suddenly came running over.

"Gui Tou-ge, that Ye Tian, the Fist Master, is here."

The air in the room went still.

"Fist Master Ye?" Gui Tou couldn't help frowning.

"Gui Tou-ge, it couldn't be because of your attitude last time, that Fist Master Ye holds a grudge and came to cause trouble, right?"

"Dammit, he actually dares to cause trouble for Gui Tou-ge? Let's fight him to the death."

"That's right, worst case we fight him to the death."

The people around chimed in one after another, looking ready to fight Ye Tian to the death.

"Hold on a moment!"

These brothers were loyal to him, so Gui Tou naturally wouldn't let them take risks for his sake. Killing fellow sect members was already a grave crime, let alone the fact that Ye Tian's position within the gang was above his own.

"Go let that Ye Tian in. If it's about last time, at worst I'll just explain things."

Gui Tou really bore no ill will toward Ye Tian, and of course, no particular goodwill either — purely a stranger he'd met once.

"Yes, Gui Tou-ge."

Hearing that, the subordinate quickly left.

"Gui Tou-ge!"

The others wanted to say more, but Gui Tou simply raised his hand and cut them off.

"I know my brothers are trying to preserve my face, but precisely because of that, I can't let my brothers take risks for me."

Gui Tou could be considered one of the rare people in the gang who put loyalty and righteousness first.

,,,

Very soon.

Ye Tian, along with Wei Wu, walked in from outside.

"What a lively scene."

Ignoring the dangerous gazes all around, Ye Tian glanced at the meat and wine on the table and quipped with a smile.

"How could you not call me for something like drinking?"

He casually pushed aside a person and sat down in their spot.

"Got a clean bowl? Bring me one."

"..."

Although he didn't know what Ye Tian was up to, upon hearing this, Gui Tou still shot a look to a brother beside him, and soon a new bowl was brought over.

Picking up a wine jar and pouring himself a bowl, Ye Tian started drinking right away.

Including Gui Tou, everyone was silently watching Ye Tian drink.

As for Wei Wu, he stood quietly behind Ye Tian like an iron tower.

"Puh!" The moment he swallowed, Ye Tian immediately spat it back out.

"Tastes awful!"

"Are you here to cause trouble?"

Hearing this, Gui Tou's face darkened a few shades — was this guy here to provoke him? Seeing Gui Tou rise, the subordinates beside him all stood up at once, and the atmosphere instantly became tense and hostile.

In such an environment, Ye Tian showed no emotional fluctuation, and instead looked over with a smile.

"I heard the wine at Yùxuě Lóu is very good. How about it, want to go drink there?"

,,,,,,,