Chapter 197: Retreat
How was the Crocodile Gang wiped out so quickly!?
That shouldn’t be possible!
Even with all their strength, the Garrison Commandant’s Office shouldn’t have been able to smash through the Crocodile Gang so quickly!
Lu Guanghong racked his brain, but he couldn’t fathom how it had happened.
However, since the Crocodile Gang had already fallen, there was no longer any point in them going over to lend their support.
With a wave of his hand, Lu Guanghong signaled for the men of the Blood Oath Alliance to halt.
Just then, another group of men appeared on a nearby street.
It was the men from the Iron Fist Gang!
Lu Guanghong recognized the approaching group at a glance.
"Vice Alliance Leader Lu, what’s going on?" a man asked, stepping out from the ranks of the Iron Fist Gang. His face was a mask of shock and suspicion as he looked at Lu Guanghong.
"You’re asking me? How the hell would I know!" Lu Guanghong exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.
Meanwhile, in front of the Crocodile Gang’s headquarters, the gang’s large banner had already been torn down. In its place flew the flag of the Garrison Commandant’s Office.
The two leaders stared at each other, momentarily at a loss for what to do.
Before long, several more groups arrived in succession. There were men from the Chu Family, the Song Family, the He Family, and even the Commerce Alliance.
Evidently, everyone was keenly interested in the Garrison Commandant’s Office’s recent move.
But it was a shame. They were all one step too late.
Of these forces, the Blood Oath Alliance and the Iron Fist Gang had sent the most men. The Chu Family came next, followed by the Song and He Families. As for the Commerce Alliance, they looked like they were just here to fill the numbers.
There were only seven or eight of them in total; it was hard to say what they were even doing here.
This alone revealed the differing attitudes of the city’s major powers.
Broadly speaking, when facing the Garrison Commandant’s Office, these factions were all allies. They needed to band together to keep the Garrison in check and protect their own interests. But when it came down to it, each faction had its own agenda and selfish calculations.
When certain issues arose, each of them had different reactions and plans.
Their so-called alliance was more like a sheet of loose sand. While they could unite at times, at others, their unity was as fragile as a bubble, ready to pop at the slightest touch.
All it would take was one small catalyst.
The assembled forces lingered near the Crocodile Gang headquarters, unsure of the situation. They simply stood in place, exchanging uncertain glances, taking no action.
Naturally, such a large group loitering for so long attracted the attention of the Garrison Commandant’s Office.
"You lot! What are you doing here?"
"The Garrison Commandant’s Office is on official business! All unauthorized personnel, disperse!"
"Now scatter at once!"
Some constables, led by a Constable, shouted at the crowd. In the past, with such a large group gathered, they certainly wouldn’t have had the nerve to yell so loudly.
But today was different. After annihilating the Quicksand Gang and then successfully cornering the Crocodile Gang, their blood was pumping with excitement. Seeing the crowd gathered here, they were filled with courage and questioned them harshly.
Seeing the constables from the Garrison Commandant’s Office acting this way, Lu Guanghong was naturally displeased.
As the second-in-command of the Blood Oath Alliance, he was treated with the utmost respect wherever he went.
"Hmph! Open your damn eyes and take a good look at who you’re talking to!"
Lu Guanghong was outrageously arrogant, showing no regard for the Garrison Commandant’s Office whatsoever. The Blood Oath Alliance was nothing like the Crocodile Gang; they were far more powerful and even had a Martial Arts Master at the Perfect Second Level of Inner Qi among their ranks.
Before the constables could even reply to Lu Guanghong’s outburst, a voice called out from behind them. "The Crocodile Gang harbored remnants of the Quicksand Gang. Their leader, Guan Baxian, ignored our Garrison Commandant’s Office’s repeated warnings. For his audacity and insolence, he has been executed by our Deputy Commander of the Garrison, Lord Chen!
"So, Vice Alliance Leader Lu? Are you saying you want to get involved in this matter as well!?"
Shan Qiwang emerged from the crowd, his face cold as stone. He projected a harsh, severe aura completely unlike his usual self. Flanking him were two other masters of the Inner Qi Realm.
Shan Qiwang’s words stunned Lu Guanghong.
’Guan Baxian is dead?’
He had seen the scene before him and knew the Garrison Commandant’s Office had breached the gang’s defenses, but the news of Guan Baxian’s actual death was still a shock.
Guan Baxian was a Martial Arts Master at Inner Qi First Level Perfection.
’And he was killed just like that, in such a short amount of time?’
Lu Guanghong wasn’t the only one; the representatives from the other factions were equally stunned by the news.
With Guan Baxian already dead, what was the point in them staying here? It would be better to retreat and plan their next move.
Men from the various groups began to depart one after another.
Seeing others leave, the factions that had been hesitating quickly made up their minds and followed suit.
"The Garrison Commandant’s Office is certainly putting on a grand display of power! To think the great Crocodile Gang could be wiped out on a whim!" Lu Guanghong shot a furious glare at Shan Qiwang and his men.
’Damn it!’
’I was a step too late! Guan Baxian is already dead!’
’Otherwise, I’d never let them act so arrogantly!’
’This new Deputy Commander can only bully the likes of Guan Baxian, who hadn’t even reached the Second Stage of Inner Qi.’
’If he had run into me...’
’Hmph!’
Lu Guanghong snorted with contempt.
He wasn’t just some ordinary master at the Second Stage of Inner Qi. He was the bona fide second-in-command of the Blood Oath Alliance.
Even within White Stone City, his strength was enough to rank him among the top ten!
Among those top ten, aside from the few who had reached the Perfect Second Level of Inner Qi, the rest were merely his equals.
Though Lu Guanghong was resentful, the situation was already settled. With the other factions beginning to depart, he saw no point in lingering in a standoff.
After tossing a few more taunts at Shan Qiwang and his men, he waved an arm and led his own forces away.
"Move out!"
He planned to report back to Alliance Leader Luan before deciding on his next course of action.
This new Deputy Commander had first destroyed the Quicksand Gang and then the Crocodile Gang. His aggressive posturing had seriously upset the balance of power in the city. The major factions needed to sit down, come to an agreement, and decide how to handle this situation.
At Lu Guanghong’s command, the men of the Blood Oath Alliance departed swiftly. Before long, the area was deserted.
Watching the large crowd that had gathered just moments before vanish into thin air, Shan Qiwang’s expression gradually softened, and a sense of exhilaration filled his heart.
He glanced at his colleagues. Every single one of them was high-spirited and buzzing with excitement, their faces beaming with pride.
This was all thanks to Lord Chen. In just a few short days since taking his post, he had brought about such a massive change in the White Stone Town Pacification Bureau. From his strength to his methods, from his methods to his sheer audacity, Shan Qiwang was utterly convinced of the man’s capabilities.
’With a single word, the rabble scatters!’
’This is the kind of authority the Garrison Commandant’s Office should command!’
’How long has it been?’
’How long has it been since he last felt this way?’
’A year?’
’Two years?’
’Ah, now I remember.’
’He remembered feeling this way for a short while when Commander Feng had just taken office. But unfortunately, for the sake of the city’s stability, Commander Feng reached a compromise with the major factions, and things went right back to how they were before.’
’Will Lord Chen... end up the same?’
The thought lingered in Shan Qiwang’s mind, refusing to go away.