Chapter 173: A Gang Duel

Li Xiaofei had tested his newly cultivated skills, the Nine Yin White Bone Claw and the One Yang Finger, with remarkable results. Using them with starforce qi had elevated these martial arts techniques beyond their original versions.

He flicked the brain matter and blood from his fingers. The remaining three Dragon Claw Gang experts shuddered at the sight.

He looked like a violent maniac.

"You went to all this trouble to intercept the Cloudy Sky Gang's hunting convoy and lure me out of the city, and this is all the manpower you prepared? Who do you think you're underestimating?" Li Xiaofei said scornfully.

The outcome was already decided. It was time to show off. He didn’t believe that he was the kind of protagonist who could die from talking too much.

The three Dragon Claw Gang experts looked extremely grim, as their hearts filled with fear. It wasn't that they were ill-prepared. Li Xiaofei's strength had simply far exceeded their estimations. The allied gangs had meticulously assessed Li Xiaofei's capabilities before taking action.

They had noted Li Xiaofei's performance in the recently concluded league round, where his combat prowess against the top star of Hongye High School was considered the most convincing point of reference by all analysts. Even the light core's analysis had concluded that this was Li Xiaofei's limit.

After all, Li Xiaofei had given his all to ensure Red Flag High School's victory in that round. The highest level of strength he demonstrated was barely on par with a fifth stage Limit Breaking Realm expert.

Therefore, this time, the Dragon Claw Gang had spared no expense. They had dispatched Cheng Yunlong, the deputy leader at the seventh stage, three fourth stage experts, and two second stage elite disciples.

They had also deployed nearly a hundred gang members, including mid-level experts like White Snake. The lineup was extremely costly. From any reasonable perspective, it should have been enough to easily take down Li Xiaofei. Yet, they had been met with a brutal and ruthless counterattack. Who could have imagined that Li Xiaofei was so cunning?

He had hidden his true strength even in the fiercely competitive league. When the real fight started, the dignified seventh stage expert Cheng Yunlong hadn’t been able to withstand a single move from Li Xiaofei.

How strong is this king of the slums? Ninth stage? Tenth stage? Or perhaps even beyond the stages of the Limit Breaking Realm?

The three surviving Dragon Claw Gang experts didn't dare to think further.

"We surrender."

"We admit defeat."

"According to gang rules, those who surrender are not to be killed."

The three of them chose to save their lives without hesitation, clasping their hands behind their heads and kneeling on the ground.

"I don't accept," Li Xiaofei refused mercilessly.

The three were shocked and angry. They sprang back to their feet as they attempted to desperately struggle. But Li Xiaofei swiftly used the One Yang Finger to kill them all.

There was no room for mercy in gang conflicts. This was the first lesson he learned after witnessing Wu Potian's tragic death in the Martial God Arena. Li Xiaofei would remember it for the rest of his life.

The gang world and the school were two entirely different worlds. In school, he could be gentle and courteous, fully enjoying friendship and camaraderie. But in the gang world, he had to become a cold and ruthless demon.

This was especially the case in the wilderness outside the base city, where gang vendettas allowed no room for mercy. Otherwise, the coward kneeling in front of you today would stand against you tomorrow. They would mercilessly slaughter your friends and family. Given half a chance, they would not hesitate to thrust a dagger into your heart.

Li Xiaofei wiped the blood off his body and searched the corpses. He found several light cores and two bottles of fourth-generation Starforce Reagents on Cheng Yunlong, the deputy leader of the Dragon Claw Gang,.

But there was nothing else. It was expected. Few people would carry valuable items on their person when going out for a fight.

"Let's find a hacker when I get back; maybe I can crack the information in these light cores," Li Xiaofei said to himself, picking up the Mandarin Duck Ax.

Swish, swish, swish.

Light flashed as he swung the ax. He destroyed the wounds on the bodies to prevent the enemy from gathering more information on him, and then quickly left the scene.

Ten minutes later, the roar of motorcycles filled the air as dozens of people hurried to the battlefield.

"What happened here?"

"Deputy Leader Cheng and the others are dead."

"Where are the others?"

"Oh my God, what kind of martial technique caused these injuries? Their skulls have been crushed."

Exclamations of shock erupted. The Dragon Claw Gang's leader, Long Xiaotian’s, expression became increasingly grave after he inspected the bodies.

"It seems we underestimated this slum devil," he said slowly, standing up. "Not only does he possess true legacies of ancient martial arts, including fist and palm techniques, but now he also has a claw technique. This claw technique is sinister and deadly. It’s capable of shattering third-level combat suits and breaking through metal. It surpasses the true legacies of the claw techniques within the base city by far... It seems that we not only failed this time, but also suffered a great loss."

As an experienced martial artist, he could deduce much from the injuries. However, he did not discover the existence of One Yang Finger.

"Leader, this is my fault. Please punish me," Bai Yi said as he held a folded fan. He was dressed like an ancient scholar.

As the top strategist of the gang, Bai Yi held a high status, and he planned most of the gang's operations. This time was no exception. Yet, the result was a devastating failure.

He had a guilty expression on his face as he immediately bowed and pleaded, "I misjudged Li Xiaofei's strength, causing Deputy Leader Cheng and the others to lose their lives in vain. I am willing to accept the gang's punishment."

Long Xiaotian grasped Bai Yi's wrist, saying, "It's not your fault. We all underestimated this young man."

He sighed deeply, "Who could have thought that a teenager would hide his strength so deeply during such an intense league? We all saw him as a reckless youngster, but he turned out to be a cunning fox. We must reassess Li Xiaofei."

𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Leader is right," Bai Yi stood up straight and said. "Li Xiaofei is a cunning fox who’s thriving in both black and white worlds. He’s still young, but he has already earned military and political badges. If he grows stronger, he will undoubtedly become a dominant force in Liuhe Base City. No wonder the Ye family is targeting him."

"Yes, the Ye family remains the true overlord of the base city," Long Xiaotian added with genuine admiration. "They rule everything from above and still enjoy the supreme power of the underground king. Even the city leader and commanders find it hard to completely threaten them. Whenever they find any instability that could challenge their dominance, the Ye family is quick to eliminate it."

Despite their outward appearance of power, these so-called big gangs were merely the dogs of the five great families. When they were ordered to bite, they had to bite. Disobedience would mean a new leader by the next day.

"We should consider how to handle the aftermath," Long Xiaotian said, "Li Xiaofei holds dual badges and is favored by the inspector. Our failure to kill him will undoubtedly invite inquiries from military and political factions. We must provide a reasonable explanation."

But Bai Yi already had a plan in mind and said, "This is manageable. Please, Leader, send people to dispose of all the bodies here and erase any trace of their existence. Then, publicly announce that Cheng Yunlong and the other five defected from the Dragon Claw Gang the day before yesterday and disappeared. We will also issue a gang-wide bounty for their capture within the base city."

"This... will the city government and the military believe it?" Long Xiaotian frowned.

Bai Yi smiled slightly and said, "Convincing the military and government is the Ye family's problem. Since we've pledged our allegiance to them, it's their responsibility to cover for us if something goes wrong. Otherwise, who would dare to work for them?"

Long Xiaotian's face lit up with joy. "Exactly. That's how it should be."

The Ye family was indeed very reliable in these matters. Being their subordinates had its many frustrations, but one undeniable advantage was having a powerful backer. Even a dog’s master must be respected.

"However, Leader, you still need to think about how to deal with Li Xiaofei," Bai Yi reminded. "This little devil is notoriously vengeful and will undoubtedly seek revenge. Moreover, the Ye family will not let this go easily and will expect you to find a way to eliminate him."

Long Xiaotian pondered for a moment and straightforwardly asked, "Mr. Bai, do you have any good ideas?"

Bai Yi had already formulated a plan but pretended to think briefly before saying, "If covert methods don't work, we'll go overt... a gang duel."

"A gang duel?" Long Xiaotian’s eyes lit up.

He instantly understood Bai Yi's suggestion. It was indeed a good plan. They could openly and justifiably eliminate Li Xiaofei.

***

At the same time. Li Xiaofei returned to the gates of the base city where he found a large crowd. There was even a military combat unit among them. They were preparing to leave the city to support Li Xiaofei.