Chapter 173: Subjugation

At the Zougun Gang headquarters, Sect Master Liu Yishou had long since arrayed all his men, his already narrow cheeks appearing even more gloomy under the dim lamplight.

The profession of "Zougun" is, to put it plainly, the trade of petty theft, but it is an essential condition for being well-informed. Yet, if one were to talk about people who can actually fight, there really aren't necessarily many.

Facing the aggressive crowd from the Hong Sect, Liu Yishou naturally dared not show the slightest bit of slack. He stared intently at these people before him, all wearing uniforms uniformly printed with the character "Hong," understanding in his heart that at this moment, having a keen eye and understanding etiquette was the most crucial thing.

Liu Yishou naturally would not put on airs at a time like this; he cupped his hands in a salute and asked politely, "May I ask which person in charge is here? I wonder what business brings the members of the Hong Sect here today?"

Wang Hu pushed aside the crowded throng and stepped out from within, saying with a confident face, "Liu Yishou, we are old acquaintances! My Sect Master has a mind to expand his sphere of influence, but unfortunately, there is no extra territory left now, so that is why he came to you to scrape up some benefits! Besides, we are old friends; if you are willing to join under our Hong Sect, I, Wang Hu, will certainly put in a good word for you before the Sect Master!"

"Oh my, so it is you, this tiger! I was wondering why the magpies were chirping non-stop today; haha, now it all makes sense! But, you know our trade; what exactly could I do if I joined the Hong Sect?"

Wang Hu had gone to great lengths for Black Ear, and today he had specifically come to visit this old acquaintance in person, merely wanting him to use his well-informed intelligence network to help out.

"Rest assured, you absolutely won't be asked to risk your life on the front lines. Just keep doing your old trade; I guarantee you won't be treated unfairly!" Wang Hu patted his chest and made a promise to the other party.

However, Liu Yishou did not buy it: "That won't do; the brothers under my command are all watching! How about this: let us trade a few blows first. If I lose, I naturally have nothing to say, but if I win, give me some time to catch my breath, how about that?"

In fact, how could Wang Hu not know the scheme Liu Yishou was calculating in his heart? Everyone was an old hand in the jianghu; Liu Yishou did not want to see casualties, nor did he want to easily resort to blades and guns, yet he still had to maintain his face. It is just a pity that the Wang Hu of today is no longer comparable to the past.

One must know that Liu Yishou is nearly forty and currently at the Skin Refining Initial Stage, while Wang Hu is a latecomer who has surpassed him, in the prime of his life, and has also reached the level of the Skin Refining Initial Stage.

"Haha, Brother Liu has great spirit. Since you have such refined interest, I shall naturally accompany you." Wang Hu laughed loudly, the Qi and Blood around his body shifting slightly; he had clearly already focused his strength and spirit, preparing for battle.

The Hong Sect disciples behind him saw this and retreated a few steps, leaving an open space, while their eyes were full of anticipation for this duel.

Liu Yishou did not want to be outdone; his hands hung down slowly, his fingertips trembling slightly. He knew deeply that today's battle was only to sell the Zougun Gang at a good price; the Hong Sect's momentum was already established, and they would not let go of the small gangs nearby.

"Brother Wang, please!" Liu Yishou shouted in a deep voice, his figure suddenly erupting like an arrow released from a bow, heading straight for Wang Hu. His palm carried the sound of wind and a force not to be underestimated, aiming directly at Wang Hu's face.

As a qualified thief, his hand techniques were naturally not bad, and his speed was even more impressive.

A flash of approval crossed Wang Hu's eyes, and he immediately shifted his body to the side, easily dodging this strike. He struck back with a palm, the palm wind fierce, pressing straight toward Liu Yishou's waist.

Liu Yishou reacted quickly, rolling with the momentum to narrowly avoid the palm. The two exchanged several rounds in an instant, yet neither gained an advantage over the other.

"Good technique; Brother Liu has indeed improved quite a bit over these years." Wang Hu praised while exchanging blows. He knew clearly in his heart that although Liu Yishou appeared relaxed on the surface, he had actually used all his strength, and he himself dared not be the slightest bit careless.

"Brother Wang is too kind; I am merely barely holding on." Liu Yishou replied while fighting, his words revealing a bit of exhaustion.

Being seven or eight years older than Wang Hu, he understood that a prolonged entanglement was disadvantageous to him and that he must find a breakthrough as soon as possible.

Just at this moment, Liu Yishou caught a subtle flaw in Wang Hu, a flash of light in his eyes, and taking advantage of the momentum, he slammed a palm toward Wang Hu's chest.

Wang Hu seemed to have anticipated this; his figure shifted to the side again, not only avoiding the punch but also taking the opportunity to kick toward Liu Yishou's side ribs.

With a loud "Bang!", Liu Yishou was kicked until he staggered, nearly falling. He forcibly suppressed the surging Qi and Blood in his body, steadied his figure, and stared at Wang Hu with eyes like torches.

"Brother Liu, you and I are both people of the jianghu; why fight so desperately?" Seeing this, Wang Hu also withdrew his offensive, his tone becoming a bit more sincere, "I came today not for a fight, but to conspire in a great undertaking with Brother Liu."

Liu Yishou was silent for a moment, looking at this former acquaintance who had now grown into an important figure in the Hong Sect, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He knew deeply that today's battle, regardless of victory or defeat, would change many things.

"Brother Wang, allow me to consider it further." Finally, Liu Yishou spoke slowly, his tone carrying a bit of helplessness and firmness, "After all, this concerns the livelihood and future of the hundreds of people in my Zougun Gang."

Hearing this, Wang Hu nodded: "At most one day; at this time tomorrow night, I will need your answer. If not, you know..."

Wang Hu deeply believed that with Liu Yishou's superior intelligence and wit, he would certainly be able to make the wisest and most correct choice.

Therefore, he turned around resolutely and waved his hand lightly at the Hong Sect disciples behind him, signaling them to retreat.

Accompanied by the figures of the Hong Sect disciples as they walked further and further away, the Zougun Gang's headquarters returned to its former tranquility.

Liu Yishou, who had sustained some injuries, stood quietly in place alone, his gaze fixed on the gradually disappearing backs, silently calculating in his heart how he should proceed on the path ahead.

The question of whether to surrender did not depend on himself, but on whether the Hong Sect could tenaciously survive under the powerful suppression of the Green Bamboo Gang.

If one took a wrong step and followed the wrong person, then there would truly be no way back!

Liu Yishou turned his head to look at the many disciples behind him, the gloom on his face becoming even heavier.

In front, there were vicious wolves eyeing him covetously, and behind, there were fierce tigers waiting for an opportunity; the situation was truly difficult!

Seeing that the Hong Sect crowd had already retreated, the members of the Zougun Gang rushed forward one after another, crowding Liu Yishou tightly in the middle, and some even hurriedly ran to find a doctor.

Liu Yishou, who was standing unsteadily, spat out a mouthful of blood-stained saliva and laughed, cursing: "This kid, he really hits hard."

No one knew that Liu Yishou had once saved Wang Hu's life, and Liu Yishou also knew that Wang Hu was not the type of person to be ungrateful.

But this way, it gets interesting.