Chapter 120: Development

After occupying the new territory, Cheng Feng quickly gained a deep understanding of the actual situation in this area. He discovered that it matched his previous investigations; the previous gangs' fee collection was chaotic and arbitrary, even disregarding the lives of the surrounding commoners. This was precisely why he chose this place as the new stronghold for the Hong Sect—it is only in chaos that one can fish in troubled waters.

Since the Hong Sect has arrived, there must naturally be Hong Sect rules. Cheng Feng gathered his subordinates and conveyed his decision: "Our Hong Sect is not here to oppress the commoners; we are here to bring true fairness and justice to this place. Starting today, all previous fee collection regulations are void, and we shall formulate new rules."

"Every half month, merchants and residents must pay a protection fee once," Cheng Feng continued, "but this fee will not exceed thirty percent of their half-month income. They can use the remaining seventy percent for their own living and business with peace of mind."

"I see that there are many old, unoccupied buildings there that are not expensive. In a few days, we will have the Hong Sect buy up all those old houses. Pay attention to ensuring all procedures are complete so the government cannot find any faults. Our Hong Sect needs a brand-new base of operations."

"Additionally, gather the captured gang underlings together. Everyone, pick some people out, train the troops according to the previous training methods, and incidentally, have them serve as a construction team to build up the Hong Sect's base. Promise them that if they perform well, they can enter the Hong Sect."

Wang Hu, Sun Gui, Zhou Hai, and Li Yang nodded one after another, expressing their agreement.

As the territory grows, the manpower also needs to increase.

Li Yang's good performance was also noted by Cheng Feng, who brought him into the leadership layer.

Wang Hu is the chief steward, managing everything uniformly. Cheng Feng only handles command and military force, while the remaining three each lead a team, opening halls just like ordinary gangs.

Three streets, three halls: Gui Hall, Hai Hall, and Yang Hall. Cheng Feng found it troublesome, so he just took one character from each of their names and named them directly.

To ensure Wang Hu's safety, two people were specifically assigned to be responsible for his close-protection duties.

The three halls each lead ten members to undertake street business. The remaining personnel stay at the training ground, responsible for instructing those who were captured.

However, among those captured, many are of a rebellious nature.

Cheng Feng has not the slightest pity for these people; they are all hoodlums and ruffians who have been in gangs, and they have committed no small number of evil deeds. Did they still want to be looked at squarely by Cheng Feng?

For those disobedient fellows, Cheng Feng would not hesitate to dispatch Cheng Yi to execute them.

"These people, you have to be more ruthless than them," this was Wang Hu's suggestion.

The entire execution process was exceptionally cruel, and no one was spared from watching. Those selected rebels screamed and cursed, and in the end, they were dragged out of the crowd by Cheng Yi while crying and wailing.

With a raise of the hand and a fall of the blade, every strike left a mark, but it was just enough not to kill.

After being tortured for a long while, they were dismembered and burned or boiled, and finally, their flesh was fed to a pack of hungry wild dogs.

The disciples of the Hong Sect were forced to stand on the sidelines, watching these tragic scenes with their own eyes, their hearts filled with fear and shock.

The wild dogs tore at the flesh of those people, emitting hair-raising gnawing sounds. The air was filled with the smell of blood and burning, making one's hair stand on end.

However, Cheng Feng stood there expressionless, his eyes revealing a cold and firm light.

Not until the very end, when the wild dogs had eaten the flesh of those people clean, did Cheng Feng order the eight hundred to kill those wild dogs. His voice echoed in the night sky, carrying an unquestionable majesty and coldness.

The Hong Sect disciples who witnessed this scene were filled with fear and awe in their hearts. They knew that Cheng Feng was not simply punishing those rebels, but was showing everyone his determination and power.

He wanted to use this cruel method to warn everyone that any act daring to challenge his authority and the unity of the Hong Sect would be severely punished.

Although Cheng Feng himself felt a wave of nausea and discomfort, he still endured this feeling.

Cheng Feng had no other choice; only through such methods could he make those captives learn true fear and awe.

They must not only revere the lofty status and power that Cheng Feng possesses, but even more so, they must fear the cold, ruthless, and unflinching killing decisiveness of Cheng Yi.

Witnessing this scene, Cheng Feng himself also felt a wave of nausea, but he still endured the discomfort.

Fortunately, due to the distance and the fact that his own keen sensory perception was slightly suppressed by Cheng Feng, this discomfort was relatively easier for Cheng Feng to bear.

After the brief turmoil, Cheng Feng experienced the difficulty of being a gang Sect Master.

With strength as the core, management as the means, psychology, money, scheduling, goals, results, and digestion—a one-stop service must all be carried out.

These fresh and busy matters often made Cheng Feng's head ache, but they also made Cheng Feng begin to adapt to it all.

People must always learn to grow.

Currently, Cheng Feng has registered the information of these fifty people one by one and required the eight hundred and Cheng Yi to also keep corresponding records. These people will become the core strength and backbone of the Hong Sect in the future.

Soon, the Hong Sect's new rules spread throughout the entire street. The merchants and residents all looked at this with indifference.

After all, no matter how they fight, they are still a gang, and they all have to suck blood, don't they?

Cheng Feng would not deliberately try to understand what the people below were saying.

His own rules had already been established.

Time reveals a person's heart.

As it accumulates over a long time, many people will see the benefits within the Hong Sect's territory.

After all, Cheng Feng had instructed his disciples, so when the Hong Sect has matters, they truly step up.

Petty thieves caught are directly beaten until their hands are broken.

Those who gather people to stir up trouble will be suppressed by the Hong Sect.

If the monthly salary is sufficient, with food and housing provided, and one still wants to play small tricks, undermine the Hong Sect, or ruin the Hong Sect's reputation, then be prepared to die!

Cheng Feng would not leave any face for disciples who violate the rules; they are all supported by Cheng Feng's money, so do they still want to turn the world upside down?

Ever since that bloody incident of killing the chicken to warn the monkeys, Cheng Feng felt that he had undergone some indescribable changes, and his subordinates also held him in great awe.

The three streets taken over from the three small gangs looked dilapidated from the outside; they were indeed the core areas where the lowest-level personnel moved.

This was also something Cheng Feng did deliberately; the time he spent letting Wang Hu go out to inquire was not spent in vain.

Those with connections and backgrounds are not to be touched for now.

Those with weak strength, bad reputations, and good terrain were the ones Cheng Feng carefully selected.

The three small gangs formed a concave shape around the Hong Sect. Previously, the Hong Sect did freight business and naturally had nothing to do with these gangs, but if the Hong Sect wanted to branch out, these small gangs without strength or background blocked the Hong Sect's path.

Cheng Feng looked at the Green Bamboo Gang, which occupied the best location in South City, and felt a surge of heroic spirit in his heart.

The selling price of old houses and old rooms on dilapidated streets was pitifully low; a two-room apartment with a courtyard only sold for three taels of silver.

This price was also caused by the chaotic management of the previous small gangs.

Those with strength and ability had long since left.

The ones remaining were basically the old, weak, sick, and disabled, a gathering place for petty thieves, with not a shred of resistance.

Cheng Feng's decision also caused quite a stir within the Hong Sect. Some old disciples felt this was a waste of resources, and the Hong Sect's territory should be used to obtain greater benefits. But Cheng Feng insisted on his decision.

The knowledge from his past life told him that no matter how dark his methods are or how despicable he is, as long as people say he is good, then he is good.

This is called public opinion.

As time passed, the orders from the Hong Sect Leader were issued in a timely manner.

The operations manual, which had been cross-referenced with Wang Hu and was also called the Hongmen Sect Rules, was enshrined beneath the Hongmen Gate Tripod.

Three sticks of incense were burned daily, one each in the morning, at noon, and in the evening.

The Three Halls began patrolling their territory as they usually did.

Eight connected large courtyards were purchased in this lower-level street, covering an area of about 400 square meters; after being opened up and slightly renovated, they became the official headquarters for the Hong Sect disciples.

As for the former site of the Hutou Gang, it was kept as a training base.

As for the former Nie Mansion courtyard, it now hung a plaque for the Hong Mansion, which Cheng Feng intended to use as the Hong Sect's private reserve, a storage place for supplies, or perhaps a Scripture Library?

Looking at the small treasury of over seven hundred taels in his hand, Cheng Feng thought: "It seems the time to bring my parents over is not far off."

The Cheng Mansion remained as peaceful as ever, and no one even knew that the current Cheng Feng was already the Sect Master of a small gang of fifty people.

Perhaps they would definitely know in the future, but he would delay it as long as he could.

With a house full of women and children, he feared they would worry if he said too much.

Since Cheng Feng had decided to walk this path, he naturally had mental preparations.

A poverty-stricken start and his Panmian meant Cheng Feng could only choose this path.

Because this path brought in money the fastest.

Never mind the risks; when one is so poor they can barely afford to eat, what use is face or talk of risk? Cheng Feng expressed that reality was what mattered most.

Although life was much better now, Cheng Feng still remained vigilant in times of peace.

He thought that in case things were exposed, he would at least have a chance to run.

With the Panmian in hand, Cheng Feng did not believe he could not carve out a foundation for himself.

Just as the Hong Sect established its rules and gradually moved toward prosperity, an undercurrent was quietly surging.