Chapter 358: Ah Xing

Great Shanghai is filled with gangs, but the only ones truly capable of covering the sky with one hand are the Axe Gang and the Crocodile Gang.

These two gangs are involved in opium dens, nightclubs, arms dealing, robbery, extortion, and kidnapping; they can be said to commit every evil imaginable.

The two gangs often engage in firefights with each other, affecting the innocent, yet even the Police Station dares not interfere with their affairs at will.

The movements of the gangs were once very loud, but for some time recently, the Axe Gang has been as quiet as stagnant water; even when one sees Axe Gang members on the street wearing suits with axes tucked into their waistbands, they all look hurried.

They have even abandoned black industries like extortion and kidnapping, making people wonder if some major change has occurred within the Axe Gang.

The Crocodile Gang boss seemed to have received internal information, and two days ago, in the dead of night, he sent over a hundred gang members to launch a sneak attack on the Axe Gang headquarters, "Night Shanghai," hoping to achieve success in one stroke, wipe out the Axe Gang, and dominate Great Shanghai.

But they were nearly wiped out, suffering heavy casualties.

From then on, both gangs quieted down.

For the common people, the disappearance of these two gangs' shadow did not improve their lives much; in fact, things even became worse.

Because other gangs rose to take advantage of the situation, and their methods were even more ruthless than those of the Axe Gang and the Crocodile Gang.

"What a Great Shanghai; if we speak of prosperity, it is absolutely no less than Hong Kong Island." A man of about fifty, dressed in a black shirt, paced the streets of the Shanghai Bund, clicking his tongue in admiration.

If the residents of Pigsty Alley were to see this man, they might cry out in surprise, for he is uncannily similar to Baozugong.

However, compared to the shifty-eyed and wretched-looking Baozugong, this man carries the bearing of a Grandmaster, standing tall and firm; he is outstanding and refined, making one involuntarily feel a sense of reverence.

Just then, a small black car drove up and stopped in front of the man. A sturdy man in black clothes and trousers with an axe tucked into his waistband stepped out—this standard Axe Gang attire immediately caused ordinary people to dodge away as if they had encountered a venomous snake.

Yet that Axe Gang member was very respectful toward the man in the black shirt, bowing and saying, "The Axe Gang welcomes the arrival of Senior Wang Jianglong. The Gang Leader is waiting for you at 'Night Shanghai'; please get in the car, Senior."

The person before us is none other than the head of the Longhu Gate, Wang Jianglong, who is not only famous on Hong Kong Island but is also a big name even on the mainland.

This is not only because his martial arts are formidable and he comes from a martial arts family, but also because he and his brother Wang Fuhu founded the Longhu Gate, breaking conventions to give ordinary people the opportunity to learn martial arts.

Today, Wang Fuhu is dead, and only Wang Jianglong remains to support the plaque of the Longhu Gate alone.

And Wang Xiaohu and Shi Heilong are not only Wang Jianglong's disciples but also the outstanding leaders and successors of the younger generation of the Longhu Gate, so after Wang Jianglong learned about the incident with his two disciples, he rushed over in a hurry.

"Very well." Wang Jianglong did not fear the so-called Axe Gang in the slightest and strode into the car.

The car started, and before long, Wang Jianglong arrived in front of Night Shanghai and saw Yu Liancheng, who had changed into a long gown, as well as his two disciples who were keeping their heads down, not daring to look up.

Wang Jianglong glanced at these two disciples, snorted coldly, and then walked up to Yu Liancheng, cupping his hands: "Wang Jianglong of the Longhu Gate, greetings."

Yu Liancheng also cupped his hands: "Qinglong Society, Yu Liancheng, greets Senior Wang."

"Qinglong Society?" Wang Jianglong was startled. He remembered this place as being the Axe Gang's, and he had never heard of a sect called the Qinglong Society.

He then shook his head, too lazy to bother with these minor details, and took out a bundle: "Many thanks to Gang Leader Yu for looking after my two good-for-nothing disciples. Here are three 'Longhu Golden Pellets' of the Longhu Gate and two secret manuals as a small token of my gratitude."

This was no mere token of gratitude; it was clearly meant to repay the "Great Restoration Pill" and the guidance Yu Liancheng had given his two disciples, to draw a clear line, and then he could take his two disciples away with peace of mind.

Yu Liancheng smiled: "In any case, since you have traveled such a long way, Senior, you should at least have a cup of tea; otherwise, if word gets out, people will say I do not respect my elders."

Wang Jianglong hesitated for a long while, but finally sat down.

"In fact, I already knew you were coming, Senior, and I also happen to have something to discuss with you," Yu Liancheng said with a smile.

That day, Wang Jianglong did not leave but stayed at Night Shanghai.

……

Night fell, and the bustling Great Shanghai was bright with lights, with cars coming and going, presenting a different charm than during the day.

"Feizai Cong, in this world, the streets are full of money and women are everywhere. Whoever grasps the right opportunity and makes a name for themselves can earn money until their hands go soft."

On the road, a ruffian-like young man was squatting and giving an impassioned speech.

Squatting on the street with him was a fat man with a face full of flesh; his arms were thicker than a young girl's thighs. However, this fat man looked simple-minded and did not give off any sense of oppression at all.

Feizai could not help but complain: "Big Brother, pretending to be tough is very tiring."

"Even if it's tiring, you have to pretend. If we want to turn our lives around, we have to be a bit more ruthless. Be ruthless to others, and be ruthless to yourself. Don't pretend to be asleep every time, alright?"

The young man pointed at a group of beggars behind him, hating that they would not live up to his expectations, and said: "Your ambitions should be grander. We are reserve members of the Axe Gang; don't be like these beggars. Look at them, none of them have any drive, they are truly hopeless."

As he spoke, his eyes lit up, and he picked up a cigarette butt from the ground and started smoking it.

But after just two puffs, he noticed the beggars retreating one after another, revealing expressions of terror.

"Eh, when did I develop such killing intent? I haven't even said anything harsh yet, and I've already scared these stinking beggars."

The young man spoke with pride, but when he turned around, he saw the fat man also hiding far away: "Damn, no way, am I that scary?"

"Behind, behind you..." The fat man pointed behind the young man.

The young man looked back and saw a group of sturdy men in black clothes and trousers with axes tucked into their waistbands walking toward him.

"Damn..." The young man sat on the ground, rolling and crawling toward Feizai.

"Hey you, run again and I'll chop off your legs."

"Run!!" Upon hearing this, the already panicked young man took to his heels. He and Feizai often posed as Axe Gang members to peddle goods.

He thought he had been discovered by the Axe Gang and that they had come to crack down on his pirated, inferior products.

The young man ran very fast indeed, darting into another alley in a flash, but he quickly retreated, nodding and bowing with a fawning expression: "Big Brother, we're on the same side! I'm on your side too, we shouldn't fight our own people."

A dozen or so Axe Gang members also appeared from that street, and more importantly, these dozen or so people were holding guns, their dark muzzles aimed at the young man.

The young man did not think he could run faster than a bullet, so he could only raise his hands in surrender.

"Kid, come with us. Our Gang Leader wants to see you."

……