You think you're cunning? I am far more so. You think you're fierce? I surpass you in ferocity. You believe everything is settled, but in my eyes, it has only just begun. Everything has variables, and the variable to twist everything lies with me. — The Memoirs of Yang Yi

Thwack!—Thwack!

Two impacts echoed as the clash separated the figures of two men. Cai Hongxing’s face was contorted in a savage grimace, while Liu Shen’s expression was one of cold malice. Blood continuously slicked off the cleavers held in their hands, and the air grew thick with the scent of gore. Meanwhile, the surrounding gang underlings surged forward, shoving and blocking each other, eventually tumbling to the ground in a mess of tangled limbs—one punch meeting another, the chaos slowly intertwining.

“Boss!”

“Boss!”

The seasoned veterans of the Hongxing Society and the brawny men of the Xin Yi'an Syndicate rushed to their respective leaders, shouting out.

“How are our men holding up?” Cai Hongxing asked Lao Gou.

“Boss, things seem a little... off!”

“Off?” Cai Hongxing frowned deeply. Seeing that Liu Shen across from him had already shifted his gaze elsewhere, a sudden knot tightened in his own stomach. He quickly looked to the other side, and his complexion instantly soured dramatically. To say his look was more bitter than attending his own parents’ funeral would not be an exaggeration.

“Damn their mothers, they really did scheme against us,” Cai Hongxing snarled venomously, then urgently asked Lao Gou, “Has anything else happened on our turf?”

“I don’t know, Boss! Our communications seem to have been completely jammed,” Lao Gou stammered, his eyes wide as saucers.

The burly man, hearing Liu Shen’s question (though he was actually asking Cai Hongxing), also responded with an air of complete ignorance: “We haven't had any contact either!”

“This is bad.”

Liu Shen and Cai Hongxing sucked in a sharp breath simultaneously. The very thing they dared not imagine had suddenly materialized before them as waves of black-clad figures surrounded their side.

“Hong Gang?” Cai Hongxing ground out, spotting the man and spitting the name through clenched teeth.

“Haha, long time no see, Boss Cai,” Hong Gang chuckled as he strolled forward.

“That punk from the Fourteen?” Liu Shen offered no courtesy to the group called ‘Fourteen,’ addressing the two youths wearing unnervingly cryptic smiles with a casual slur.

“Hehe, Boss Liu is certainly a veteran of the underworld, but it seems you’re still a bit unclear on the situation!” Zheng Shen clearly took offense at Liu Shen’s casual address, a chilling glint flashing in his eyes.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Liu Shen and Cai Hongxing knew the question was likely pointless, but they asked it anyway; after all, confirming a matter was always preferable.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Zhou Tian waved his hand, circling the perimeter. “Surely you venerable elders of the underworld know something this simple?”

“Hmph...” Liu Shen let out a cold snort.

Ignoring Liu Shen’s scoff, Zhou Tian turned to Hong Gang. “Today, we each serve our masters. I trust that Gang Leader Hong will not...”

“Of course not. You deal with your side, we deal with ours. Just as you said, we each serve our masters!” Hong Gang understood the implication instantly, seeing no need to hide or fuss over it.

“Each serve their masters?” The phrase grated harshly on the ears of Cai Hongxing and Liu Shen. Though their minds were already grasping at possibilities, they couldn’t help but gasp again.

As the name suggested, the appearance of both Hongxing and Fourteen meant they intended to devour these two warring gangs—it was inevitable. Moreover, considering the lineup now present, it suggested a long-planned, suffocating shadow falling over them.

“You...”

“Ah... the two of you, stop struggling fruitlessly.” Seeing the signs that they were about to fight, Hong San immediately waved his hand with a grin.

“What do you mean?” Liu Shen squinted, fixing his gaze on Hong San.

“Damn it, and they call you a veteran! Did you honestly think we came here unprepared today?”

“Could it be?” Cai Hongxing trembled violently, murmuring the word.

“That’s right, Boss Cai is the smarter one; you figured it out quickly enough,” Hong San’s tone dripped with sarcasm, the flavor potent enough to enrage Cai Hongxing. “Hahaha, don’t get mad, don’t get mad. Keep a bit of breath left; it’ll warm your belly. Right now, half of the territory belonging to your Hongxing Society has already fallen to my men. And I believe before dawn breaks, the Hongxing Society as a gang will no longer exist in the Hong Kong underworld. The Xin Yi'an is no exception, of course.”

“What did you say?” Liu Shen’s eyes snapped wide, staring at Hong San with murderous intent blazing forth.

“Hey, hey, hey. Boss Liu, don’t look at me like that; I might get scared. If you really want to know why I say this, you’d be better off asking those two bosses from Fourteen.” Hong San smirked with obvious amusement.

“You... how despicable!” Liu Shen felt further questioning was pointless; in the faces of the two young leaders of Fourteen, he seemed to see the entire truth laid bare.

“Despicable?”

Zheng Shen repeated the word. “Haha, Boss Liu, I think you’ve misunderstood. Speaking of despicable, even with all my self-regard, I wouldn’t dare claim to be more so than you.”

“Hmph!” Liu Shen snorted coldly, then demanded, “Tell me, what exactly do you people want?”

“Haha, Boss Liu, that question is rather amusing,” Zhou Tian laughed heartily, his expression suddenly turning cold and mocking as he swept his hand wide. “Today, not a single one of your Xin Yi'an men will leave here. Attack!”

“Wipe out the Hongxing Society men too!” Hong Gang shouted along with him.

“Chop them dead!”...

A swarm of black-clad thugs, wielding cleavers whose edges shimmered under the dim light, charged toward the remnants of the Hongxing Society and Xin Yi'an gangs, whose members were already heavily wounded and possessed barely any fighting capacity left.

Witnessing this, Liu Shen and Cai Hongxing’s faces flushed crimson with rage, their grips tightening on their own blades. “Brothers, even if we die today, we won’t let these sons of bitches have an easy time of it!”

“Kill!” Cai Hongxing’s target was unmistakable: Hong Gang, standing there with that infuriatingly calm smile.

Seeing Cai Hongxing move, Hong Gang made no move to engage. Instead, Hong San beside him spat out a cold, dismissive sound. “A man asking for death.”

As the words left his mouth, Hong San snatched a cleaver and moved to intercept Cai Hongxing. On the other side, Zheng Shen of Fourteen remained still, and even Zhou Tian watched with a detached coldness. No matter how fiercely Liu Shen charged forward, he was ultimately blocked by a large crowd of Fourteen’s henchmen.

“Brother Yi, when do we make our move?” Fatty Lin watched the spectacle, the excitement deep in his bones finally erupting; this guy was, after all, a man who loved a good brawl.

“En, let’s wait a little longer,” Yang Yi murmured lightly, turning to Feng Shi beside him. “How is the progress with the Ten Army Generals and the Black God Guard?”

“They have already begun large-scale assaults. I estimate control will be established soon,” Feng Shi reported.

“Be swift and clean in your actions. Those who surrender are spared; those who do not, kill without mercy.”

“Yes!”

Thud!—Cai Hongxing’s eyes widened in stunned disbelief as he staggered back several steps, staring at Hong San in utter amazement.

He hadn’t expected this; he truly hadn’t. He had once sparred with Hong Gang back in the days of the Hongxing Society. While he couldn’t be sure if Hong Gang had held back then, he was certain he himself wasn’t significantly weaker. Yet, this Hong San—he was shocked by the sheer ferocity of the man under Hong Gang’s command, realizing that even fighting with his full strength, he was no match for him.

“Stop looking, stop looking,” Hong San spat with contempt as he stared at Cai Hongxing, then chuckled. “I am different from my big brother. He might go easy on you, but I play at full strength.”

“Hmph... Don’t look down on people! You think you can wipe out my Hongxing Society today? Dream on!”

“Sigh... still struggling against the inevitable,” Hong San sighed softly, swiftly darting forward and slashing down with his heavy cleaver.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Though they might not possess the supreme skill of a Martial Arts Grandmaster, their strength clearly surpassed that of ordinary men, making the fight surprisingly exhilarating to watch. Meanwhile, Liu Shen, from beginning to end, never managed to get close to the two leaders of Fourteen. Although his own skill was decent, the relentless pressure from Fourteen’s men, even without landing serious blows, left him slightly winded and physically drained.

It was the old adage, and it proved brutally true: ‘Two fists are no match for four hands; a single blade cannot fend off two.’

“Stop!” Zheng Shen shouted loudly upon seeing Liu Shen falter.

Everyone heard the command and halted their movements. The burly man rushed to his leader’s side, crying out, “Boss!”

Lao Gou did the same on the other side, though Cai Hongxing seemed less fortunate; he had already taken two gashes, one on the shoulder and one on the back.

“Boss! Boss, are you alright?” Lao Gou supported Cai Hongxing, asking anxiously.

“I’m fine. These minor wounds count for nothing,” Cai Hongxing replied, his gaze still fiercely locked on Hong San and Hong Gang despite his injuries.

“Now, Bosses, shouldn’t you admit defeat? If this continues, today will surely be your end,” Zhou Tian stepped forward two paces, sneering coldly.

“You want to swallow both of us at once? Quite the appetite you have!” Liu Shen and Cai Hongxing both scoffed dismissively.