Chapter 35: Chapter 35
“Make way!”
“Make way!”
“What’s happening?”
A commotion of voices heralded the arrival of a column of men in Canal Gang colors. Manager Ma rushed toward their leader, jabbing a finger back at Li Suifeng.
“Commander Hu — you have to help us!”
“This Li Suifeng from the Nanyang Branch secretly swapped the herbs his branch submitted. And he’s injured two of my men!”
“Hm?” Commander Hu looked toward Li Suifeng, and his heart gave a jolt.
He’d been at the Lakeheart Pavilion the previous night. He hadn’t been told the details, but Elder Liu had summoned him afterward — and from a distance, he’d spotted this young man standing alongside the Elder.
Today his unit was still combing the city for the two escaped Fiends.
He hadn’t expected to find this same young man — Elder Liu’s apparent associate — in trouble at the docks. And the man was a branch disciple, no less.
Could he be someone Elder Liu planted in the branches for seasoning?
Commander Hu walked over to Li Suifeng and offered a clasped-fist salute.
“Brother Li — we meet again.”
“Commander Hu.” Li Suifeng returned the greeting.
This man was clearly one of Elder Liu’s people. Today’s crisis might resolve itself after all.
He’d already been prepared to flash Liu Sanmao’s token. If that didn’t work, he’d kill Manager Ma and fight his way out.
As it turned out — fortune favored the prepared.
Manager Ma watched the exchange, his stomach dropping.
What was happening?
Commander Hu knew this man?
Commander Hu was Elder Liu’s right hand. Manager Ma might have connections to the Disciplinary Hall, but Commander Hu was not someone he could push around.
“Yesterday our branch delivered its tribute and it was accepted without issue. Now Manager Ma claims we swapped the herbs in transit. Commander Hu, I’d appreciate your help in clearing our name.” Li Suifeng spoke calmly.
Yuan Hai added:
“Elder Liu himself presented Boss Li with a personal token just last night. Boss Li has no need for money — these herbs were seized from the Red Lotus Sect in the first place. If he’d wanted to skim, why wait until now?”
The three words “Elder Liu” hit Manager Ma like a hammer blow.
Li Suifeng — a first-time visitor to headquarters — had already connected with Elder Liu?
It was over.
“Commander Hu — I can testify. Last night, I personally watched Manager Ma haul a portion of the herbs away.” A dock hand stepped forward immediately.
“That’s right!”
“Manager Ma stored the goods in the building across from his house.”
Others chimed in.
The speakers were all low-ranking hands who’d never shared in Manager Ma’s spoils. They had no stake in protecting him — and every reason to distance themselves now.
Those who had benefited stood silent, faces ashen, praying Manager Ma wouldn’t drag them down.
Commander Hu regarded Manager Ma, his voice frigid.
“In that case, Manager Ma — I’ll have to ask you to accompany me to the Disciplinary Hall.”
HISS!
Manager Ma’s hand flicked. A sleeve dart shot toward Commander Hu’s chest. In the same motion, he spun and sprinted for the river.
They’d been standing too close. And Manager Ma’s sudden shift from defeated resignation to lethal action caught everyone off guard.
CLANG!
A pebble struck the dart out of the air.
Li Suifeng.
Commander Hu glanced at him, then launched himself forward — covering seven or eight zhang in a single bound, his legs a blur as he closed the distance in three breaths.
He was in no mood for mercy.
WHAM!
The flat of his saber cracked across Manager Ma’s body, sending the man tumbling through the air.
PFFT! PFFT!
Two mouthfuls of blood. Manager Ma’s eyes rolled back and he crumpled to the ground.
“Hmph!”
Commander Hu scooped up the unconscious man, strode back to the dock, and dumped him on the planks.
“Take him to the Disciplinary Hall.”
Two elite subordinates hoisted Manager Ma between them.
“Thank you, Brother Li.”
Commander Hu clasped his fists toward Li Suifeng.
That sleeve dart might not have killed him, but a wound was certain.
And Li Suifeng’s hidden-weapon skills had impressed him.
“It was my fault for provoking him.” Li Suifeng waved it off. “Commander Hu — are my Nanyang brothers free to go?”
“Of course. This was clearly Manager Ma’s scheme.”
“You have my word — I’ll personally visit the Disciplinary Hall and make sure they give him a thorough welcome.”
“Any interest in knowing who put him up to it?”
Li Suifeng shook his head. “I have a fair idea already.”
“We won’t be staying.”
Commander Hu clasped his fists once more.
“Then I won’t keep you. Next time you’re at headquarters, let me treat you properly.”
After a few more pleasantries, Li Suifeng boarded the ship. He was eager to return — the Elder’s seat, the Helmsman’s task, and the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art were all waiting.
…
Liu Sanmao’s residence, adjacent to Canal Gang headquarters.
Wen San and Liu Sanmao sat in the rear garden pavilion.
“Still nothing. Chen Sanniang and Dragon Granny are both fifth-rank. They’ve likely escaped the city.” Liu Sanmao studied the intelligence reports in his hand.
Locating two fifth-rank assassins who were actively hiding — especially veterans like these — was nearly impossible within a city.
“Unless we bring in a Grandmaster. Can your Disciplinary Hall master be persuaded?”
Wen San asked quietly.
A Grandmaster could project a spiritual awareness, possessing uncanny tracking abilities that bordered on the supernatural. Even a thousand li away, they could pinpoint their quarry.
With a Grandmaster’s aid, the Thirteen Fiends’ leaders wouldn’t escape as long as they hadn’t fled too far.
“Unlikely.”
Liu Sanmao shook his head.
“You know the Canal Gang’s situation. The Gang Leader has vanished. That man won’t involve himself in your affairs.”
He was on good terms with the Wen family, but he understood the weight of trouble currently sitting on Wen San’s shoulders.
If a Grandmaster intervened, the other side would deploy one too.
That would only accelerate Nanzhou’s descent into chaos.
Just then, Liu Sanmao’s household steward approached, speaking in a low voice:
“Elder Liu — there was an incident at the docks just now…”
He recounted the entire affair.
Liu Sanmao’s expression didn’t change. He simply nodded.
“Dismissed.”
The steward bowed and withdrew.
“This Brother Li is quite something.” Wen San murmured.
“I’ve looked into his background. Everything before this year was utterly unremarkable. These past few months, he’s risen like a meteor.”
“Decisive in his killing. If he’d been born into a major faction, his achievements wouldn’t stop here — the Human Rankings would have his name, at the very least.”
“A pity. I’m carrying too much trouble right now. Recruiting him would only put him in harm’s way.”