Chapter 436: Grand Finale (Part 1): Wu Xie's Counterattack

Xiao Hua had wanted to say it himself, but he glanced at my paper and paused, as if he hadn't expected me to write such an answer. He turned his head and said, "Third Master asks you, where is Chenpi A'si now?"

The people below looked around at each other, and someone said in a low voice, "He's been quiet lately."

I continued writing on the paper. Xiao Hua watched and said to them with a cold smile, "Do you know why he's quiet?"

This time no one spoke anymore. Xiao Hua said, "Third Master says you will never see Chenpi A'si again. He knows that some of you here had good personal relations with Fourth Master, but unfortunately, Fourth Master won't be coming back."

A few people's faces instantly turned bloodless. I sneered inwardly. The true end of Chenpi A'si was probably known only to a handful of people in the world. I also knew that after Third Uncle left, he had encroached on Third Uncle's territory. Most importantly, I knew he would definitely not come back. Saying it this way hinted that Chenpi A'si might have been taken out by me.

"Everyone has their own methods. Third Master's method is to solve it once and for all, with no lingering troubles—if you do it, do it ruthlessly, as you all know," Xiao Hua said. "Is that a good enough reason? Back when Third Master knew he was going to have surgery, he guessed that Fourth Master would take the chance to mess with us. The surgery was risky. To be safe, Third Master turned the tables and had countermeasures ready. He didn't tell you because you can't keep your mouths shut. Now, we've lost a few brothers, and that's sad, but it was worth it. As for Fourth Master's turf, I think you brothers know what to do next."

A commotion broke out below. The balding man said, "Third Master, are you saying we can move into Fourth Master's turf..."

"That's against the rules, Third Master. We want to, but what if they refuse?" said another man who was seated.

I kept writing, and Xiao Hua read aloud: "There will always be those who refuse, but Fourth Master won't be back. If Third Master doesn't take over, someone else will. Why let outsiders have the benefit? Right? You know Third Master's temper. If Third Master tells you to do it, then it's already been planned out. Just do it."

"Alright! Alright! Alright!" The balding man grinned. "Damn it, after all these years competing with that old bastard, finally this day has come. Changde belongs to me. Don't you fight me for it!"

"Hey!" The other three immediately jumped up. "It's not your turn to pick. You can't just take the best spot like that, just because you're quick with your mouth?"

"I'm not relying on being quick with my mouth. I rely on loyalty. Of course Third Master gives me the best place. You haven't even sorted out your accounts yet. Go stand over there."

"Accounts..." A few of them were left speechless. One immediately said, "No, no matter what, Changde can't go to you. We—we listen to Third Master. However Third Master says to split it, that's how it is." As he spoke, they all looked at me.

I laughed inwardly. This was an effect I hadn't expected. I didn't think those words would be so effective.

Just as I was thinking about how to dismiss them, I suddenly saw the fishmonger let out a cold laugh.

Everyone looked at him. He spat, "Third Master, you're too ruthless. It's true that Fourth Master was messing with us, but you can't use your brothers as a front. You should have given us a warning! So what you're saying is, these brothers who got killed—you intended to discard them from the start. You bosses have everything planned out, while we underlings work ourselves to death. The ones who go to prison are us, the ones who get shot are also us. Are our lives so worthless? When you fight over territory, all the ones who die are our people!"

I looked at him. He finished speaking and looked at the others, but this time, even the middle-aged woman didn't respond.

This trade is utilitarian. None of the other underlings had as much financial power as Wang Baqiu, so they didn't want to offend the four boss-controlled turf. The middle-aged woman had clearly realized this earlier than the fishmonger.

The fishmonger looked around at the silence and couldn't help but panic a little. "Fine, a bunch of useless cowards. Be cannon fodder for others your whole lives. I quit. Anyway, I don't have an account book. Third Master, I'm leaving first!" With that, he turned and started to walk away.

I was a bit surprised. I hadn't expected the fishmonger to be so tough. I had thought at least we'd have to wait until after checking the account books for this to happen. I didn't think this guy would see the situation was bad and immediately want to leave.

My heart stirred. I silently cursed, this is bad—he has a backup plan! Seeing he couldn't rebel in this setting, he's leaving to prepare a violent confrontation? Thinking about how Wang Baqiu had ambushed us in the morning, I felt it was very likely. I looked up and saw the middle-aged woman immediately move toward the exit, as if trying to follow.

If it really came to a violent confrontation, that would be a big deal. Xiao Hua didn't bring many people, and I had even fewer underlings. If Wang Baqiu really led people to charge in here, we wouldn't stand a chance.

I was just thinking to stop him immediately, but I didn't know what to say, and I started to get anxious. Xiao Hua clearly thought the same as me and immediately called out, "Lao Liu, hand over the account book before you leave. Without the account book, no one leaves!"

The fishmonger didn't listen at all and kept pushing his way out.

Just then, at the moment he was about to get out, Panzi stood up from his chair.

I immediately saw an astonishing sight. In that instant, every single person took a step back, and then the murmuring completely stopped. The scene was terrifyingly silent. Even the fishmonger halted and turned to look at Panzi. Seeing this, I was extremely shocked, almost couldn't contain myself. I had to immediately drink tea, using the teacup to cover my face, and at the same time take a deep breath to control my expression.

I looked back at the scene and saw that after standing up, Panzi didn't even glance at anyone else. Instead, he took a few shaky breaths, turned, and walked toward the fishmonger.

No one moved; everyone watched him warily. The fishmonger suddenly seemed a bit timid and said, "Pan, what do you think you're doing? All the brothers are watching. If you lay a hand on me, we'll burn all bridges. Don't you fucking regret it!"

Panzi's face was full of contempt; he completely ignored him. The fishmonger started shouting, "A Lan, A Bang, bring..."

Before he could finish, Panzi was already in front of him. He grabbed his pushing hand, twisted it, and flipped his entire body over.

The fishmonger screamed in pain. At the same time, there was commotion outside, and several people came running over. Panzi ignored them, reached out, pulled a notebook from the back pocket of the fishmonger's pants, and handed it behind him.

Xiao Hua stepped up, took it, flipped through it, and said, "So there is an account book. Aiya, Lao Liu, you're too mischievous."

"That's my... aiyaya!" The fishmonger started to speak, but Panzi applied more pressure, and he immediately screamed. Then Panzi looked at the person next to the fishmonger. That person also looked at him, with a face full of surprise.

"What are you looking at me for? Hand over your stuff—do I have to do it for you?" Panzi glared. That person immediately understood and quickly turned to hand his notebook to Xiao Hua: "Master Hua, up to May, all here." Then everyone moved, each person eagerly handing their account books to Xiao Hua.

Only then did Panzi release the howling fishmonger. Meanwhile, A Lan and his group had just arrived. Seeing their boss being treated like this, they wanted to rush forward but were immediately stopped by the fishmonger. The fishmonger rubbed his arm, his face alternating between red and pale.

Panzi looked at the fishmonger, pointed at his own back, and said coldly, "I got slashed. My back hurts like hell, so I'll make it short." He coughed. "Today, until Third Master says we can leave, no one leaves. My eyes are bad, and I don't have the energy to tell friends from strangers today. Anyone who dares to leave early, I'll kill them on the spot."

The fishmonger listened and wanted to curse back, but Panzi immediately added, "Talk back, and you'll die."

Those words actually made the fishmonger swallow his retort. He really didn't dare to leave and didn't dare to speak either. Watching Xiao Hua take a stack of account books back to the table, he was clearly extremely angry but completely powerless.

On the other side, the middle-aged woman exchanged glances with the two people beside her and also handed over her account book, looking very helpless.

Panzi still didn't look at anyone. He turned and walked back, lit a cigarette, a bit unsteady, and sat back down.

I looked at Panzi, but Panzi didn't look back at me—he just kept his head down. Suddenly, I felt a deep respect for him.

Panzi had already thrown caution to the wind, and not just from a moment ago—ever since he started following Third Uncle, he had been willing to go all the way.

Over the past few decades, there must have been countless people who didn't believe that phrase, "Don't talk back, or you'll die," and Panzi must have proven to them through his actions that disbelief was wrong. I don't know how many times this happened, but from the fact that after Panzi said those words, the fishmonger didn't show the slightest doubt, we could infer a lot.

Panzi was a vicious dog—a vicious dog that only Third Master could keep in check. Third Master himself wasn't scary, but he had a madman under him who had no regard for his own life, feared nothing, and only listened to Third Master. So, don't cross Third Master.

I believe countless people had this deeply ingrained notion in their minds.

I suddenly remembered the first time I met Panzi—he was easygoing and nothing like this. In his private dealings with Third Uncle, he was just an obedient employee, even fun-loving, and he and Fatty couldn't stand each other. I had never imagined that in Third Uncle's daily life, Panzi could be like this. I also suddenly understood why he was so important to Third Uncle.

But which face was his true nature—the Panzi who joked around with Fatty on ordinary days, or the thug like a Shura in front of me now?

I hoped it was the former. Even if, as he said, once I put on this mask, I would see countless things I had never seen before or didn't want to see, I still hoped that everything I had confirmed before was real.

Pondering this, I sighed. Regardless of the chaos below, I immediately began to look through these ledgers, while flexing my wrists, ready to perform Third Uncle's signature move.