Chapter 107: Narrow Road Encounter (Begging for Monthly Tickets!)

"Someone's come to bully us now. We're going to hit back. There are long staves in the corner — one for each of you. Grab one and follow me!" Zhao Jin said coldly. Yesterday, Chen Sheng's family had already delivered over a hundred wooden staves, piled up in the corner.

Hearing they were going to fight, the young men in the courtyard fell silent again. Lu Da, without a word, went and picked up a wooden staff. A dozen or so others actually had excited expressions on their faces and also went to grab one. The rest hesitated, stepping forward one after another. Though some were very unwilling, every single person took one.

"Follow me!" Zhao Jin called out, and the young men filed out of the courtyard in a line.

Because of yesterday's example, there were already people of similar age waiting outside, here to sign up today. Seeing a group march out with murderous intent, they hurriedly stepped aside.

"Those willing to follow me and fight, go into the courtyard, grab a staff, and keep up. When we return, no questions asked — I'll accept you directly!" Zhao Jin shouted. Among those who had come to sign up, some retreated several steps, while others eagerly rushed to grab long staves.

Including Zhao Jin's group of seven, there were a full sixty-plus people, long staves in hand, marching down the road in a mighty, rather spectacular procession. Wang Zhaojing had already rolled up the long robe he was wearing and tucked it at his waist. He quickened his pace to draw near Zhao Jin and said, "Brother Zhao, the people behind us look numerous, but in truth they're just a rabble. I fear they'll scatter the moment the real fighting starts."

Zhao Jin strode forward, speaking in a low voice as he walked: "I know. But this is the perfect chance to weed out those who only want to freeload. Besides, how many capable fighters could scum like that possibly have?"

Though they were walking fast, Zhao Jin avoided the main roads, taking side paths instead to avoid being too conspicuous. Xuzhou City was already dilapidated; there weren't many people even on the main streets, let alone the side paths, so they encountered hardly anyone.

Just as they were nearing the south of the city, Lei Cai came rushing up to meet them. Panting, he said, "Brother Yong is gathering his men. We'll meet up with you, Big Brother, in front of the God of Wealth Temple."

Zhao Jin nodded, then said to Lei Cai in a low voice, "Go to the back and keep watch for me. Note down every face — who charges at the front, who deserts in the face of battle, who runs off halfway. Understand?"

Lei Cai nodded forcefully.

At the entrance of the Black Tiger God of Wealth Temple, Liu Yong was waiting anxiously with over twenty men. Seeing Zhao Jin and his group approach, they were all startled — sixty-plus people carrying wooden poles made for an imposing sight from a distance.

But once they got closer, the men with Liu Yong all showed expressions of contempt and amusement. These were all street toughs and ruffians, no strangers to brawls and gang fights. Yet one look at the people opposite told them these were clearly half-grown kids who hadn't lost their boyishness. A group like this going to fight would probably scatter on the spot.

They sneered inwardly, but on the surface they kept it civil. After all, the prestige of Zhao Jin and his few companions was undeniable, and Chen Ergou and Liu Yong were now the chief and deputy heads of the God of Wealth Temple operation — everyone had to follow orders to some degree.

Seeing these men, Zhao Jin also furrowed his brow. Not a single one of Chen Ergou's ten trusted confidants had come. The ones assigned to Liu Yong were all fringe figures. Chen Ergou had his own little schemes. But in this situation, Zhao Jin naturally wouldn't say anything.

"Big Brother, Yizuomao didn't come today. I know where Datou Huang lives!" Liu Yong spoke up.

"How many men did you leave behind here?"

"Second Brother's ten men were all left behind. Everyone else he could call up, he told me to bring."

After a few brief exchanges between Zhao Jin and Liu Yong, Liu Yong took the lead to guide the way, and everyone followed.

In truth, from the moment they entered the southern part of the city, some among those Zhao Jin had brought had already slipped away midway. With so many people and Zhao Jin's group walking at the front, they couldn't keep track of all that.

Glancing back occasionally, one could see that among those following behind, aside from a dozen or so with excited expressions, the rest all wore terrified faces. The further they walked, the more they realized where they were heading. Quite a few of them lived in the south of the city themselves and had dealt with the ruffians and thugs here to some extent. Watching those men walking ahead with staves, clubs, blades, and axes, they grew increasingly frightened and timid.

"Big Brother, about fifteen have already slipped away." Sun Dalei, being meticulous, came forward to remind him. Zhao Jin nodded without a word, his steps never pausing. Sun Dalei shook his head and said no more, thinking to himself that Big Brother had lost his head in anger.

The common folk in the south of the city were different from those in other parts. They knew which excitement they could watch and which matters to stay far away from. Now every street was quiet and still, gates tightly shut, not a soul in sight.

After passing through three streets like this, Liu Yong called out, "We're here." In truth, he didn't need to announce it — everyone knew they had reached their destination.

In front of a residence's gate, a dozen or so men armed with blades and axes were already waiting.

Zhao Jin's eyes narrowed. Before he could speak, the twenty-some thugs led by Liu Yong burst into raucous laughter. One of them spoke up: "Datou Huang used to call himself Yellow Tiger. I'd say Yellow Weasel is more like it. What can a handful of trash like this do?"

Seeing the enemy's small numbers, confidence came naturally. But the other side wasn't backing down. A big man wearing a sheepskin jacket inside-out bellowed a curse: "So what if we're few? Few can still f*** your mother!"

The dozen or so big men on that side roared with even louder laughter. The thug who'd been cursed back immediately lost face. With a howl, he brandished the axe in his hand and charged forward. The twenty-some men beside him all followed, cursing furiously.

Liu Yong couldn't stop them even by shouting. Gritting his teeth, he was about to charge too, but Zhao Jin, coming up from behind, grabbed him and held him fast. Liu Yong had been about to struggle free, but when he turned and saw it was Zhao Jin, his face went red and he said, "Big Brother, I can't control these men."

It had only been a few days, Liu Yong was young, and Chen Ergou was above him — how could he possibly control them? Zhao Jin ignored this and instead said in a deep voice, "Those aren't city ruffians. Something's wrong!"

The street was narrow, the distance short. The twenty-some thugs had already reached the enemy. The leading big man turned his body slightly, and when he turned back, the short blade in his hand had been swapped for a podao — a weapon five feet long, with blade and haft of equal length.

Seeing the opponent suddenly brandishing that, the thug at the very front panicked. It was too late to run. The big man's podao came cleaving down at his head.

No way to dodge. Half of the lead man's body was hacked clean off. From Zhao Jin's side, they could see blood spraying wildly. They watched as the big man flipped his podao again, and the head of a nearby thug fell. Blood fountained into the sky from the gaping wound!

The scene went instantly silent. No one reacted. Everyone was frozen in terror. The first to snap out of it was Zhao Jin. Zhao Jin turned his head and roared, "Spread out! Get to the sides of the road! Quick, quick!"

No one had come to their senses yet. Zhao Jin took the long spear in his hands and began lashing people with it. The sting of pain jolted them awake, and they hurriedly pressed toward both sides, clearing a path down the middle. Seeing the blood spraying wildly ahead, they were already beyond normal reaction. This was something beyond their comprehension — they had even forgotten to run.

The big men over there laughed heartily. A podao thrust straight out, and another man was impaled. The big men standing in front of Datou Huang's gate had all switched to podao and were advancing in a line, cutting people down. In a short time, seven thugs had already been hacked to the ground.

"We'll stay to the sides of the road too. Clear the way!" Zhao Jin shouted. The others were baffled, but obeying Zhao Jin's orders had become a habit, so they still complied.

As that line came hacking forward, the thugs who had charged first finally came to their senses. The ones behind were spattered with blood all over their faces. Someone screamed and turned to flee — that one was lucky. Others simply collapsed limp on the ground, losing control of their bowels, the stench unbearable.

Watching six or seven thugs running back like madmen, blades and axes flailing wildly, everyone suddenly understood why Zhao Jin had arranged things this way. These terrified men were fleeing, and if anyone on the road was even slightly slow to dodge, they would surely cut them down without a second thought. The group of young men who had come along today would never have been able to avoid them in time. It would have been mutual slaughter, instant chaos.

The young men pressed to the sides were trembling, their entire bodies taut. Once those six or seven thugs had run past, another dozen or so threw down their long staves, clutched their heads, and fled. Some who remained standing had also lost control of their bowels, too terrified to react.

"Brothers, are you afraid?" Zhao Jin returned to the center of the road, leveling his long spear as he shouted.

Chen Sheng, Wang Zhaojing, Shi Manqiang, Ji Xiang, Dong Bingfeng, Sun Dalei, and Liu Yong fell in behind him one by one and answered in unison: "Not afraid!"

"Chen Sheng, fight shoulder to shoulder with me. Wang Zhaojing, guard my left flank. Bingfeng, guard Chen Sheng's right flank. The rest follow behind. We charge!" Zhao Jin commanded loudly.

The street was narrow, but shifting an eight-man formation was still easy. They quickly arranged themselves.

The young men behind were still trembling, though Lu Da turned his head to look, then hefted his wooden staff. At his movement, a few others did the same.

There were fourteen big men in total on the other side, striding forward with podao. Anyone collapsed limp on the ground was mercilessly stabbed to death. The leader laughed heartily and said, "These little whelps aren't scared!"

"They've even got themselves looking like something. A shame about those fine weapons."

"Every one of them tender and fair-skinned. They'd make decent catamites."

Spouting obscenities, they came forward laughing raucously. Zhao Jin drew a deep breath and bellowed, "Charge with me!"

Before the words had faded, Zhao Jin gripped his long spear and charged at those big men. Chen Sheng gripped his blade, turned sideways, and also strode forward in great steps, charging shoulder to shoulder.

The moment they charged out, the expressions of the approaching big men changed. The three in the lead swung their podao, and one cursed, "Tough customers! Everyone be careful!"

Zhao Jin clearly remembered the teachings of his second uncle, Zhao Zhenxing: when charging on the battlefield, you must have an indomitable will — you must be accurate, and you must be fast!

The enemy was before him. Zhao Jin's strides flew like the wind, yet his spearpoint remained steadily aimed at the enemy's chest. The big man directly facing him was already desperate. Raising his podao with both hands, he brought it cleaving down at Zhao Jin's head, trying to force a mutual-destruction stance and make Zhao Jin change his move.

Zhao Jin did not change. Stepping over the corpses on the ground, careful not to slip on the bloodstains, Zhao Jin arched his waist. The moment he reached the man, he thrust fiercely.

In face-to-face combat, a straight thrust is always faster than a downward chop. Both Zhao Jin and Chen Sheng were thrusting!