The pouring rain had soaked Hong Zhenjie to the bone, leaving him chilled to the marrow, yet the cold gripping his heart felt far more intense.
“Teng Qingshan! Be magnanimous and spare my life!” Hong Zhenjie swallowed hard, backing away as he pleaded urgently, “I—I will divorce my wife, and I will take your sister as my legal wife! Your sister will be the Great Madam of the White Horse Gang. I... I will hand over the position of Great Chieftain to you. I beg you, please spare me.”
With a thud, Hong Zhenjie dropped to his knees.
Teng Qingshan looked down at Hong Zhenjie, who was prostrating himself and begging for mercy on the muddy ground.
“Spare me—” Hong Zhenjie was still pleading when suddenly—
A sharp, cold glint flashed, thrusting directly toward the vital point on Teng Qingshan’s chest.
“Die!” Hong Zhenjie’s face flushed crimson; he was utterly frantic!
In truth, the moment Teng Qingshan revealed himself, Hong Zhenjie understood that Teng Qingshan would never let him live, as he now knew the murderer's true identity. Had the opponent remained hidden, Hong Zhenjie might have held a sliver of hope for survival. Therefore, Hong Zhenjie’s begging was nothing more than a calculated move to make Teng Qingshan drop his guard, allowing him to unleash his most powerful strike!
He had to kill Teng Qingshan!
It was either Teng Qingshan’s death or his own!
“Clang!” Teng Qingshan caught the long blade between his right index and middle fingers, gazing coldly at Hong Zhenjie. These petty tricks were child’s play for Teng Qingshan, who had undergone modern super-assassin training. What Teng Qingshan intended was to watch his enemy struggle, shattering his hope time and again, until he finally broke down into utter despair.
Hong Zhenjie’s face changed drastically. He tugged two or three times, but the blade wouldn't budge.
“Ridiculous!” Teng Qingshan shifted his right hand, and the blade he held sliced across Hong Zhenjie’s neck.
“Pfft!” Blood sprayed out like a fine mist.
Hong Zhenjie’s eyes widened in disbelief, seemingly unable to accept that this was how he died: “You, you…” He tried to speak, but soon slumped lifelessly to the ground, his gaze dimming.
Killing Hong Zhenjie. There was not the slightest ripple of emotion in Teng Qingshan’s heart.
Teng Qingshan walked over to check every single corpse, ensuring no one remained alive. He inspected all one hundred and forty-six bodies. Only then did Teng Qingshan quietly slip away into the downpour.
** At the Teng Family Manor, inside the main hall of Teng Qingshan’s residence.
Teng Yunlong, the couple Teng Yunlong and Yuan Lan, and Qingyu sat there, all waiting with palpable anxiety.
“What if something happened to Qingshan?” Yuan Lan worried deeply in her heart.
“Just be quiet for a moment! Stop talking here. Qingshan will be fine,” Teng Yongfan scolded. It was rare for Teng Yongfan to reprimand Yuan Lan, but this time, it was obvious he, too, was worried and frayed.
“Keep your voices down,” the Clan Elder Teng Yunlong commanded with a frown.
Qingyu sat quietly in a secluded corner. She said nothing, but her eyes were fixed intently outside.
“Whoosh!” A sudden gust of wind swept through the hall, and a figure materialized within.
“Father, Mother.”
That tall, familiar silhouette instantly made the four people in the hall leap up in surprise. Qingyu, who had been sitting tucked away, suddenly bolted into Teng Qingshan’s embrace, clutching him and burying her face in his chest as she began to cry: “I knew Brother would come back safe and sound! Brother…” She continued to weep.
“Xiaoyu, look, Brother isn't even hurt, not a bit. Stop crying,” Teng Qingshan said, smiling indulgently as he patted Qingyu’s head twice.
Qingyu genuinely loved this habitual gesture from Teng Qingshan. After a few sobs, she stopped crying.
“Qingshan, are you alright?” Mother Yuan Lan also scrutinized Teng Qingshan from head to toe.
“Still asking? Didn’t Qingshan just say he’s fine?” Teng Yongfan snapped. Yet, his gaze thoroughly examined Teng Qingshan.
Sensing the deep concern woven into his family’s words and looks, Teng Qingshan felt a wave of warmth. He thought silently, No matter what, I must never allow others to harm them. Anyone who threatened his home would be exterminated by any means necessary. If he chose to act, he would ensure absolute annihilation, leaving no trace of future trouble.
“Qingshan, that White Horse Camp…” Grandfather Teng Yunlong began.
“There is no more White Horse Camp,” Teng Qingshan replied as he sat down.
The occupants of the hall froze.
“Qingshan!” Teng Yongfan exclaimed in shock. “You mean... the men from the White Horse Camp?”
“All dead,” Teng Qingshan stated calmly.
“Not a single one left?” Teng Yunlong also found it hard to believe.
Teng Qingshan nodded in confirmation.
Teng Yongfan and Teng Yunlong exchanged a look, unable to conceal their terror. Although they knew Teng Qingshan had gone to kill the Young Chieftain and the White Horse Camp members, hearing that the elite force of the Yicheng White Horse Gang—the ‘White Horse Camp’—had been completely wiped out still left them reeling.
“Qingshan, since you killed the entire White Horse Camp, will the White Horse Gang find out?” Teng Yunlong inquired nervously. After all, the White Horse Gang had eight thousand core disciples. Even though they had suffered losses against the Iron Mountain Gang, a large contingent remained, not to mention the vast number of peripheral thugs.
If several thousand men marched over in force, what could one person like Teng Qingshan possibly do?
“Grandfather, rest assured, as long as you don't speak of it, no one will know,” Teng Qingshan said with absolute confidence.
Teng Yunlong looked towards Teng Yongfan, Yuan Lan, and Qingyu: “You must all remember, this matter must absolutely not be spread.”
“Mhm, I wouldn’t tell even if you beat me to death,” Qingyu nodded vigorously.
“Don’t worry, no one will suspect me. In a few days, you will understand,” Teng Qingshan added, full of certainty. He had let the other twelve men go for two reasons: first, those twelve didn't carry many innocent deaths on their hands; and second... Teng Qingshan intended to use them to spread a message throughout Yicheng.
After all, aside from Hong Zhenjie at the very end, the other bandits, including those twelve survivors, all believed that the Iron Mountain Gang’s hidden weapon masters had come for revenge!
The torrential rain arrived swiftly and departed just as quickly; in less than half an hour, the downpour ceased.
The massive contingent of the White Horse Gang, thousands strong, was already starting to organize their gear and armor, preparing to depart. Behind the main body of the White Horse Gang forces was a large manor. The clansmen inside watched the White Horse Gang members depart with fear etched on their faces.
On a wooden chair set up by the roadside, the Third Chieftain, cloaked in a beast-hide robe, sat waiting.
“Haven’t they arrived yet?” The Third Chieftain frowned.
“Third Chieftain, the Young Chieftain took the White Horse Camp out to recruit new men; they are probably hiding from the rain outside!” a bandit beside him suggested.
The Third Chieftain, however, remarked, “The rain has stopped now, and we’ve waited quite a while. Zhenjie and the others should have arrived by now.”
The bandit deliberated: “Third Chieftain, perhaps I should take some brothers to check?”
The Third Chieftain nodded, waved a hand, and commanded, “Yes, take a dozen men and ride back along the road to find out where the Young Chieftain and his group are!”
“Yes, Third Chieftain.” The bandit immediately waved, summoning more than ten bandits, and they spurred their horses, galloping away.
……
At the White Horse Gang headquarters, many bandits had already mounted their horses, and some had begun moving toward their stronghold.
“Third Chieftain! Third Chieftain!” From a distance, a shrill cry echoed.
The Third Chieftain, sitting quietly waiting on his chair, heard the piercing sound and his expression instantly changed. He sprang up fiercely and roared, “What are you howling about? What happened?”
“They’re dead! The Young Chieftain is dead! The entire White Horse Camp is wiped out!” The distant, agonized cries caused the bustling mass of departing White Horse Gang bandits to halt immediately. All the bandits fell silent, turning to look at the dozen or so men shouting wildly.
Those dozen or so bandits were pale with terror as they shouted, “All dead, not a single one left alive!”
The Third Chieftain’s face became grim!
“Brothers, follow me!” The Third Chieftain roared madly, leaping onto the nearby Crimson Fire Horse, cracking the whip, “Giddyup!”
The Crimson Fire Horse bolted forward furiously.
“Go!”
Large groups of bandits followed the Third Chieftain, galloping after him.
“The White Horse Camp wiped out?” The bandits who received the news were completely stunned, then they roared in unison, following the Third Chieftain in a mad rush.
The momentum of thousands upon thousands of charging men frightened the clansmen in the nearby manor.
“Did you hear that? The White Horse Gang’s Young Chieftain and the entire White Horse Camp are dead.”
“Who killed them?”
“Who knows? But look how frantic the entire White Horse Gang looks. If a thousand troops rush over like that, who can stop them!” Watching the surging tide of bandits galloping forth, like a torrential flood gone wild, was enough to strike terror into anyone’s heart.
……
The vast forces of the White Horse Gang soon arrived at the location of the numerous corpses.
“Halt~~” Pulling the reins, the warhorses stopped one by one.
The Third Chieftain leaped down from the Crimson Fire Horse and sprinted toward the bodies, mud splashing everywhere. Every member of the White Horse Camp wore heavy armor, yet not one survived.
The large group of bandits behind him stood stunned.
The Third Chieftain’s face was grim as he roared, “Quickly, check if there’s anyone still breathing!” Saying this, the Third Chieftain frantically checked the corpses. Soon, he discovered the body of the Young Chieftain, ‘Hong Zhenjie.’ Hong Zhenjie’s eyes were still wide open, refusing to close in death.
“Third Chieftain, the White Horse Camp members killed each other!” one bandit cried out in fear.
Indeed, some bandits had spears lodged in their throats—a group that had fought amongst themselves.
“Their heads are pierced through, even piercing the helmets. All of these… they were all shot through by hidden weapons,” another bandit reported.
The Third Chieftain remained silent, his face dark.
“It’s the Iron Mountain Gang’s hidden weapon master! The one who blasted away the Great Chieftain’s weapon—he’s back for revenge!” some bandits declared.
“Third Chieftain, we must avenge the Young Chieftain!”
“Third Chieftain…”
……
The bandit leaders surrounding him looked toward the Third Chieftain. With the Young Chieftain dead, this Third Chieftain was now the highest-ranking figure in the White Horse Gang.
“It was hidden weapons! Martial Nephew Wang He and my Elder Brother both died because of those hidden weapons!” the Third Chieftain said in a low voice. “Most of the White Horse Camp forces were killed by those hidden weapons. As for the mutual slaughter… that was just a scene fabricated by the killer to confuse our suspicions! This killer is the Iron Mountain Gang’s hidden weapon master who killed Martial Nephew Wang He and indirectly caused my Elder Brother’s death. It is likely Wang Tieshan was involved too!”
The surrounding bandits agreed with this assessment.
“Third Chieftain, what should we do?” The bandit leaders all looked at him.
The Third Chieftain said coldly, “No matter what, we must find that Iron Mountain Gang hidden weapon master first! Once found, our White Horse Gang will spare no cost to tear him limb from limb! To honor the spirits of my Elder Brother and Zhenjie!”
“Tear him limb from limb!” The bandit leaders roared.
Killing intent radiated from the Third Chieftain’s face, but inside, he was secretly delighted: Haha, heaven is helping me! That reckless boy Hong Zhenjie actually thought he could be Great Chieftain? He escaped death yesterday, and today he’s gone! Haha! From this day forward, I am the Great Chieftain of the White Horse Gang! Revenge? That hidden weapon master who could kill the entire White Horse Camp—going after him now would be walking into a death trap?
While shouting demands for revenge, the Third Chieftain held no such intention in his heart.
Did Hong Fourth Master’s and Hong Zhenjie’s feuds concern him?
The Third Chieftain, who had always been the most low-key and hardworking, seemingly crude figure in the White Horse Gang, was in reality an exceedingly vicious and ruthless man. However, as long as Hong Fourth Master was alive, he dared not make a move. With Hong Fourth Master dead yesterday, even if Hong Zhenjie had lived, this Third Chieftain would have found an opportunity to dispose of him eventually.
“From now on, Yicheng is my domain!”
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