Chapter 179: Three Choose One

Cheng Feng still had some impression of these few people who had been locked up; after all, they were all leaders of small gangs. He didn't know what connections they had used to actually cultivate to the Skin Refining Realm, and then start doing some small business. Cheng Feng couldn't say whether it was good or bad specifically. However, Cheng Feng didn't care about the good or evil of these people; he only hoped that these people could spark a real fire, so that he could save himself a lot of worry. After all, Cheng Feng did not want to spend effort dealing with these trivial matters.

In the dungeon, the atmosphere became increasingly tense, making one feel suffocated. The three leaders of small gangs—Zhang Feng, Wu Jiang, and Shi Xiaodao—were currently facing a life-or-death choice. They each harbored their own ulterior motives, yet they could not escape the predicament before them. Everyone clearly knew that only one person could leave this place alive.

"Brother Wu, Leader Shi's realm is on par with ours, but I don't consider my combat power to be as good as his. How about we two join forces first, and then see what fate has in store?" Zhang Feng's proposal broke the silence; his voice carried a hint of sincerity as he tried to persuade Wu Jiang to join forces with him to confront Shi Xiaodao together.

Although Wu Jiang was slightly older, he was not without brains. He knew deep down that fighting alone in this life-or-death contest offered no chance of victory, so after pondering for a moment, he nodded and agreed to Zhang Feng's proposal.

Seeing Wu Jiang agree, Zhang Feng couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He turned his head to look at Shi Xiaodao, a provocative light flashing in his eyes: "Shi Xiaodao, you are destined to die here today!"

The relationship between the three began to change subtly. Zhang Feng, who was originally considered the weakest of the three in strength, was now revealing an unexpected potential for leadership.

"Brother Wu, since you have already agreed, then let us join forces for the time being." Zhang Feng's tone appeared very firm, and a hint of imperceptible ambition flashed within his eyes.

Wu Jiang nodded slightly to show his agreement and said in a deep voice: "Fine, Zhang Feng, I will trust you once; let us join forces first."

Shi Xiaodao, who was to the side, remained silent throughout and did not express any opinion. He was not a weak person; he was just silently observing the situation, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Because he knew deep down that in such a situation, if he did not act decisively, he feared there would only be a dead end in the end.

Thus, the game between the three officially began.

Xu Le stood at the entrance of the cell, quietly watching everything happening before him. He understood that when things developed to a certain point, he would still need to speak up again.

And all of this was actually a trap set by Cheng Feng. He hoped to stimulate the most authentic parts of their hearts through this method, and then make a final assessment.

Judging from the current situation, Shi Xiaodao's combat power was clearly the strongest; although Zhang Feng's strength was slightly weaker, he possessed the ability to see the situation clearly; while Wu Jiang's performance was mediocre, with nothing outstanding about it.

Just at this moment, Shi Xiaodao seized the gap in Wu Jiang's reply and decisively launched an attack. He swung a punch fiercely, hitting Wu Jiang's abdomen hard. This strike caught Wu Jiang off guard, and his body tilted backward involuntarily.

Wu Jiang did not give up easily; he reacted quickly, wanting to counterattack. He turned around and unleashed a vicious Heart-Gouging Palm, attempting to deal a fatal blow to Shi Xiaodao. But by this time, Shi Xiaodao was already prepared to respond; he nimbly dodged the attack to the side and took the opportunity to kick at Wu Jiang's knee.

At the same time, Zhang Feng, who had originally joined forces with Wu Jiang, quietly stepped back, leaving the limited space in the cell to the two of them. Seeing this scene, a chill surged in Wu Jiang's heart; he realized that Zhang Feng might not intend to help him at all.

Wu Jiang glared with wide eyes and shouted loudly at Zhang Feng, hoping he would come to his aid. Zhang Feng, however, remained indifferent, as if he were an outsider. This cold attitude made Wu Jiang's heart turn cold in an instant; he felt betrayed and abandoned.

At the critical moment of life and death, Wu Jiang erupted with a strong desire to survive. He struggled with all his might, engaging in a fierce battle with Shi Xiaodao. Both of them were covered in injuries, but neither had any intention of backing down.

Meanwhile, Zhang Feng, who was watching the battle from the side, appeared relaxed and at ease; he seemed completely unconcerned about this fight. He stood there quietly, watching everything before him, a cunning light flashing in his eyes.

Xu Le asked from the side: "Are you not going to join the fray?"

Zhang Feng said slowly: "Shi Xiaodao appears indifferent but has pride; he has long been confident in a one-on-two, and from my understanding of Wu Jiang, he will inevitably fight to the death. No matter how they fight, I will face an injured opponent. If I still die like this, then so be it!"

These words of Zhang Feng made Xu Le think more highly of him; this kind of open-mindedness and broad perspective was not something an ordinary person could possess.

Watching the fight on the field gradually nearing its end, with Wu Jiang almost beaten to his last breath by Shi Xiaodao,

Xu Le then spoke up: "Alright, you can stop now. The strength of the three of you is quite good; there is no need to continue fighting."

Hearing Xu Le's voice, Shi Xiaodao stopped his movements, but he did not let go of the hand gripping Wu Jiang, instead asking: "Really?"

Xu Le replied with a serious face: "Of course it is real. As long as you agree to join our Hong Sect, once you have accumulated enough merit, you can directly enter the Human Gate of the Hong Sect, and all past grievances will be wiped clean." Xu Le's tone was very flat, as if these matters were easy for him.

By this time, Wu Jiang had been beaten beyond recognition, almost unrecognizable; he stared with wide eyes, unable to believe that this beating had been endured in vain. Meanwhile, Zhang Feng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling fortunate that he hadn't impulsively attacked just now.

Shi Xiaodao let go of the hand gripping Wu Jiang, slowly sat down cross-legged, and said with a firm gaze: "I am willing to join the Hong Sect."

After the experiences of these past few days, he deeply realized a fact—the Hong Sect was not as simple as it appeared on the surface. Perhaps only by joining the Hong Sect could he make himself stronger.

Seeing this, Zhang Feng also hurriedly nodded, indicating his willingness to follow Shi Xiaodao and join the Hong Sect together.

Wu Jiang, who was lying on the ground, stood up shakily: "I... I am al... so... will... ing"

Xu Le found it amusing; was such a character really a gang leader?

Since all three had agreed, his mission was also completed.

He walked out of the dungeon in a leisurely manner to report to Cheng Feng.