Chapter 35: Sword, Come!

Sure enough, the white jade bead was ice-cold to the touch and hard in texture; it could absolutely not be a human eyeball.

The Nether Ghost Record had never mentioned that a normal Puppet would undergo such a change, so only one possibility remained.

This white jade bead was the essence of the youth's Puppet nature.

Ruan Xing bit her finger and dripped blood onto the white jade bead, whispering a spell written in the book; the bright red blood was actually absorbed completely by the white jade bead, which remained a piece of porcelain white, without the slightest trace of blood residue.

She stuffed the bead back into the youth's eye socket and then commanded, "Stand up."

Hearing this, the youth rose as expected and stood quietly in front of Ruan Xing.

Hu San was full of astonishment, "This—no matter how I spoke to him earlier, he ignored me; in the end, I still had to press him down just to make him sit..."

"Because he has already acknowledged me as his master just now and is mentally connected to me," Ruan Xing said. "Hu San, although you haven't been by my side for long, you know clearly how I treat you. I will not treat those who serve me loyally unfairly."

Her finger pointed at the youth, "He is the same. Even if he doesn't have his own thoughts or consciousness right now, I will not mistreat him. Can you rest assured now?"

Hu San immediately knelt on both knees, kowtowed to Ruan Xing, and said excitedly, "For the Miss to be willing to help, Hu San is already moved to tears! I will never forget this great kindness and virtue. My brother and I will certainly follow the Miss through thick and thin, and we will not regret it even if we die a hundred times!"

Ruan Xing smiled with satisfaction.

The youth's matter was finally resolved; she reached out and touched the youth's ice-cold face, "From now on, it is a new beginning. I will change your name to Sword Lai."

Sword Lai could not speak and stood by Ruan Xing's side in his usual well-behaved and quiet manner, but Ruan Xing knew that unless she died in the future and Sword Lai's Puppet essence was taken away by someone else to be refined, he would forever identify with the name Sword Lai and obey her words.

From the moment she learned in the Simulation that Sword Lai was a Puppet, Ruan Xing had planned to take him into her possession. The reason was none other than the fact that the Ghost Escape skill was truly too convenient; he could turn invisible and follow her at any time, catching opponents off guard with a surprise attack.

She had also thought of the name Sword Lai long ago. When she fought others, she would shout "Sword, come!" (Sword Lai!), and the enemy would focus all their attention on the sword in her hand, while Sword Lai would suddenly appear behind the enemy to launch a sneak attack—who could have expected that?

It was just that she hadn't expected Sword Lai to be Hu San's younger brother, but these were all minor issues, of no great consequence.

Time was tight, and Ruan Xing had to hurry back; she could not let the charge of the Red Head Gang attacking the Assistant Commissioner be confirmed, otherwise, if the Red Head Gang fell, she would suffer a huge loss, and all the money she had accumulated would be confiscated—those were all her points! Ruan Xing had no cultivation, so she could only use the Blood Refining method again to make the Triangle Flag acknowledge her as master. After organizing everything, it was already evening. She let Sword Lai follow her while invisible and set off back with Hu San.

At this time, the Red Head Gang Leader and a group of high-level members were sitting in the headquarters' meeting hall with a heavy atmosphere, in total silence.

After the incident occurred in the afternoon, the Commander-in-Chief of the Three Offices, who was also the City Lord of Jiangning City, quickly spoke up, demanding that the Red Head Gang provide an explanation.

However, what would count as an explanation? Was it that the Red Head Gang had poor supervision, allowing criminals to sneak into the city and appear as assassins? But nominally, the one managing the security of Jiangning City was the Patrol Security Division, not their Red Head Gang. If they came out to plead guilty under this name, wouldn't that be a blatant slap in the face to the Patrol Security Division that had just been assassinated?

To directly admit that the assassin came from the Red Head Gang? Because the Assistant Commissioner forcibly seized the gang's industries, so they took revenge for personal reasons? That would be the end; not only would the industries never come back, but half of the high-level members' heads would also have to fall, especially his own as the Gang Leader—no matter how he thought about it, it was impossible to save his own life.

In just a few short hours, he felt half his hair had turned white with worry.

Someone could not hold back and spoke indignantly, "We were living in peace before; it was that Assistant Commissioner's excessive greed that triggered this matter. Why should we bear the consequences? If you ask me, we have thousands of brothers in the gang who practice martial arts, while his Patrol Security Division only has a few hundred people? Why don't we all go together and teach those officials a lesson! Let them know who is really in charge of Jiangning City now!"

"Exactly! Relying on their official status, they usually hide in their own homes enjoying wine and women, while we do all the work, and we still have to give them tribute money for the holidays. I've long been sick of it!"

"Shut up!" the Gang Leader shouted sternly, slamming the table, "Do you think the Patrol Security Division is full of the same trash as your subordinates, who dare to call themselves experts after practicing external martial arts for a few years? Just because you've seen a few ordinary Qianling Guards, you think you can compare fists with them? You haven't seen a single one of the Qianling Guards inside the City Lord Mansion, have you? Those people are all Acquired Realm experts! And you? Among everyone here, how many have reached Internal Strength Small Success?"

For a moment, everyone fell silent. Except for a few who had the heart to pursue martial arts, most of the Guans had long ago abandoned their Internal Energy and were addicted to power.

Once they became leaders, who would still personally get into a fight?

After a tea-time of silence, a Guan with a handlebar mustache said, "In my opinion, the City Lord and the Patrol Security Division still rely on us to handle things; they might not really want our lives. Isn't the Assistant Commissioner still alive? If we can save him, it's a happy ending for all; if we can't save him, we can just push out a few scapegoats for the Patrol Security Division to vent their anger. Anyway, what they value most is just this bit of the gang's industry..."

"Lu Youqi, you speak lightly!" Before the man with the mustache could finish, a Guan stood up in anger and questioned, "Once Pei Qianhu dies, you and Zhao Sanniang benefit the most. Having just eaten a full meal, naturally, you don't care about this bit of the gang's industry. Heh, you are the Gang Leader's confidants; the Gang Leader won't cut off his own arms. Who are you targeting with these words? Who do you want to push out!?"

Once these words were spoken, several Guans who were not on good terms to begin with immediately looked unkind, "Gang Leader, we are veterans who have made contributions and shed blood for the gang. You wouldn't really listen to Lu Youqi's slander and sacrifice your brothers, would you?"

"Gang Leader, you cannot let the old members of the gang feel cold-hearted!"

Several people started talking at once, arguing until the Gang Leader had a headache.

The gang had only been established for six years in total; damn it, who wasn't a veteran? If you put it that way, weren't they all newcomers who had joined the gang for no more than six years?

Lu Youqi glared at those people with cold eyes. After they quieted down, he continued, "The most important question now is, what is the intention of the higher-ups? We were all unaware of the higher-up going to assassinate the Assistant Commissioner before today. We can't handle the mess he left behind, so we can only ask the old man to take action."

The Gang Leader was silent for a moment, his face showing decadence; his whole person seemed to have aged ten years. He sighed and said, "The Daozhang, he was executed on the spot and is already dead... Tomorrow his head will be hung on the city gate for all to see."

Once this news was out, the entire meeting hall exploded like cold water splashed into a pot of oil, and everyone discussed it in panic.

At the beginning of the gang's establishment, it was because of Hongtou Daozhang that they were able to stand out.

They would promise martial arts manuals and gold and silver treasures to those they could win over, and use poison or assassination on those they couldn't. After they reached a certain level, the brothers in the gang all practiced Body Refining techniques diligently, each with tight, muscular bodies. Naturally, many envious people brought their families to join, which led to today's glory.

If they lost Hongtou Daoren, could their Red Head Gang still be as glorious as before? In the meeting hall, only Zhao Sanniang and Lu Youqi were relatively calm. Zhao Sanniang was calm because she still had the status of Lady Wang; even if all the industries in her hands were handed over, she would not be in danger of losing her life, and at most, she would just go back home to teach her children. Anyway, she had earned enough in these past few years.

Lu Youqi, however, was frowning in thought. He didn't care who the Red Head Gang worked for; he just lived a stable life now and didn't want any more changes. He had no desire for advancement and was content with the status quo. The only thing he sought was the Medicine Liquid in Hongtou Daoren's hands that could be used to practice Internal Strength, and it was precisely because of this that the Gang Leader trusted him.

After pondering for a moment, Lu Youqi said, "Since that's the case, Gang Leader, why not take the initiative to hand over the industries? At that time, they will probably let us continue to manage them, it's just that the profits will change from being handed to Hongtou Daoren to being handed to the City Lord. The profits might decrease, and there might be more rules, and the brothers might feel uncomfortable and unaccustomed, but it's better than losing our lives. At least we can keep our jobs, and we'll get used to it after a long time..." "Oh, well said. Anyway, we're all dogs; who isn't a dog for someone else?"

These words were too blunt and contemptuous. Although they were the truth, they sounded harsh. Lu Youqi subconsciously looked at the source of the voice, but his pupils shook, and he was too surprised to speak, "You..."

Ruan Xing walked in leisurely as if she were strolling in her own backyard, with Hu San following respectfully behind her, step by step.

She issued an invitation, "Since that's the case, why not be dogs for me? I treat my dogs much better than those two families do."

"How bold! An ignorant child dares to speak such wild words! How did you get in!" A man slammed the table and stood up, his lips trembling with anger.

The Red Head Gang had truly fallen. How did the guards outside handle their business to let two living people sneak in!

"Oh my, why so loud? You scared me." Ruan Xing patted her chest with lingering fear and chided, "Kill him."

Hu San had just received a great favor from Ruan Xing and was worried about having no way to repay it. Now that he had a chance to perform, he quickly drew his sword and rushed over, piercing the man through with a burst of White True Qi.

Seeing this, there was an uproar. They didn't expect a little girl to be so temperamental, killing as soon as she spoke. Several other Guans who also had Internal Strength Small Success didn't even react in time to save him.

Everyone dared not make a sound. Now it seemed that this little girl hadn't snuck in, but had broken in. In a situation where they knew nothing about the opponent, it was better not to speak and see what the opponent wanted to do.

All eyes were focused on her alone, and the entire meeting hall was so quiet that a needle drop could be heard. Ruan Xing walked to the Gang Leader with satisfaction and pointed her Short Sword at him.

"What was that person's position?"

Her tone was clearly asking about the man who had just died. The Gang Leader was very sensible; he couldn't see through who Ruan Xing was, so he answered honestly, "Vice Gang Leader."

"And you?"

He was sitting at the very head; this was obvious... but the Gang Leader still answered honestly, "Gang Leader."

"Very good. From now on, you are the Vice Gang Leader, and I am the Gang Leader. Who agrees? Who opposes?"

The former Gang Leader, now Vice Gang Leader, did not speak. Ruan Xing looked around the room; some people looked down and kept silent when her gaze fell on them, while others glared at her.

"I oppose! How can a little girl be the Gang Leader? Wouldn't it make people laugh their heads off if it got out..."

"Sword Lai!"

Ruan Xing gave a light, impatient shout. A flash of white light appeared, and before the man could finish his sentence, a round sphere fell to the ground and rolled away to one side.

A pure white youth appeared behind that person, bowed slightly to Ruan Xing, and then slowly vanished into the air.

"How about now? Who approves? Who opposes?"

For a long while, no one made a sound.

Although Lu Youqi did not understand why the little girl he had picked up from the Gambling Den had become a different person in just half a month, turning into this appearance he could not fathom, seeing that even the Gang Leader had tacitly accepted it without reacting, he could only sigh inwardly, stand up, take two steps forward, kneel on one knee, and cup his hands, saying, "Subordinate Lu Youqi greets the Gang Leader."

Not expecting Qiye to be the first to yield, Ruan Xing felt a bit secretly pleased; she gave a light cough and said, "Xiao Qi, you are quite good. Since that is the case, your position remains unchanged; go back and sit down!"

Zhao Sanniang had already received some wind of it from Young Master Wang's attendants; she had already guessed just now that Ruan Xing was the friend who gave Young Master Wang ideas, but it would not have been good for her to be the first to kneel, in case others misunderstood that Ruan Xing had a connection with the Political Affairs Department. Seeing Lu Youqi take the lead, she then curtsied and bowed, "Subordinate Zhao Sanniang greets the Gang Leader."

"Not bad, Xiao Wang, you go back and sit too." Ruan Xing was somewhat happy; it seemed she would not need to go on a killing spree. After all, she was kind-hearted and could not bear to see killing; if everyone else obediently listened, she was unwilling to create unnecessary murderous karma.

Although Zhao Sanniang's surname was Zhao and her husband's surname was Wang, everyone usually called her Lady Wang, so calling her Xiao Wang did not seem wrong... Zhao Sanniang was speechless and choked with silent sobs, saying faintly, "... Yes."

With the two confidants of the former Gang Leader, Lu Youqi and Zhao Sanniang, taking the lead, seven or eight more people knelt down one after another afterward. Although Ruan Xing did not recognize them, she magnanimously let them sit down.

Only twenty-some people remained, who were both fearful of Ruan Xing's volatile brutality and unable to set aside their pride to bow down and submit to a six-year-old child, so they could only wait to see if there would be an opportunity to go with the flow later.

After waiting for a quarter of an hour, no one else came forward. Ruan Xing was in a hurry, so she said, "How about this, I can't kill all of you, after all, I need obedient dogs to help me handle matters. There are twenty-three of you left, and I have twenty-three slips of paper here; ten of them are stained with Cinnabar. Those who draw the Cinnabar are considered to approve, and the rest are considered to oppose. How about it?"

Only ten out of twenty-three people could live. As soon as Ruan Xing's condition was stated, someone immediately could not sit still; looking at the way this little demon acted, she really might do it.

"Subordinate Zhang Chenghui greets the Gang Leader!"

"Subordinate..."

"... greets the Gang Leader!"

In an instant, more than a dozen people hurriedly stepped out and knelt down. For the few remaining who were still hesitating and considering, Ruan Xing did not want to wait any longer and called out to Hu San, and the latter, knowing his place, drew his blade and went over.

However, among those few Guan, there were some with Internal Strength Small Success. Seeing that Ruan Xing would no longer accept surrender, although they regretted it deeply, they could not just stand by and wait for death, so they began to fight with Hu San.

Although Hu San still had the upper hand fighting three at once, it would still take time to decide the outcome, and Hu San might even get injured, which would damage Ruan Xing's prestige. She was just about to call out for a Sword when she saw one of the Guan who had already surrendered to this side actually leap up to help.

Ruan Xing looked closely and saw that it was Lu Youqi.

Thanks to jane55 for the monthly ticket~(End of chapter)