Chapter 483: Night of Blood and Rain in the Slums (2)

In the slums, Chi Chunshui, Li Buyi, and Long Zhengfei, the three major gang leaders, had heavy expressions as they waited anxiously for the outcome. Li Xiaofei had assured them that he would prove Jingwu Sect could establish itself in Haijing City. Now, they had a faint understanding of how he was going to prove it. All they could do was wait for the result of this critical battle.

The terrifying auras of the Saints had only dissipated moments ago. But what was the outcome? They were desperate to know.

"Someone, go find out! Has any news come back from the disciples we sent to investigate?"

Long Zhengfei, the oldest and most hot-tempered of the three, couldn't contain his impatience and kept urging others to act.

Turning to Li Buyi, he barked, "Hey, old blind man! Aren’t you supposed to be good at divining things? Why don’t you calculate who won already?"

Li Buyi remained unruffled.

"I told you before, the affairs of Saints can’t be divined. But remember the reading I did that day? It clearly showed mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Think about it—if Li Xiaofei lost, and only he died, where would the mountains of corpses and seas of blood come from?"

He sipped his tea as he spoke, his tone calm and measured.

Long Zhengfei retorted unfazed, "It could just mean that Li Xiaofei killed hundreds or thousands of small fry before being slain by Tsukiha Tensō. That would also result in mountains of corpses and seas of blood."

Li Buyi fell silent.

Damn. Since when did this muscle-brained old fighter start making such airtight arguments?

In truth, Li Buyi himself was deeply anxious. This battle would determine not only the future of the three major gangs in the slums but also their very survival. Moreover, it could even influence the fate of Great Xia’s martial destiny in Haijing City. How could he not be worried?

Meanwhile, Chi Chunshui stood before a desk, holding a calligraphy brush as he practiced writing. He repeatedly wrote the word ‘calm’ on the white paper. But the more he wrote, the messier it became.

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the room.

News?!

The three gang leaders all turned to the doorway as Long Jing’er burst in.

She shouted, “Father, Uncle Chi, Uncle Li! Government troops have entered the slums. It looks like they’re coming for us! They’ve already injured and arrested many of our disciples!”

“What?”

“The army has moved in?”

“Who’s leading them?”

The expressions of all three men changed simultaneously. The mobilization of government forces likely signaled that the outcome of the battle at the Jiepeng consulate was unfavorable.

“Are they regular troops or the police force?” Chi Chunshui pressed further.

“It’s the police force,” Long Jing’er replied, “along with men from the Du family and the Kong family.”

The trio exchanged glances, their hearts easing slightly. If it wasn’t the regular army, the situation hadn’t reached the worst-case scenario yet.

“They come with ill intent,” Li Buyi muttered, deep in thought.

Chi Chunshui nodded faintly in agreement.

However, Long Zhengfei let out a cold laugh and said boldly, “The scum from the Police Department have been to the slums before. What can they really do to us this time? Pass my orders—gather all the disciples of Qiujin Boxing Gym!”

Li Buyi and Chi Chunshui, understanding that a major conflict was inevitable, each sent word through their own channels to summon the experts and disciples from their respective factions.

If the slums had one strength, it was their numbers. As long as all the impoverished residents stood together, they would become a formidable force capable of defending themselves. Within seconds, members from the three major gangs scattered across the slums received emergency summons from their leaders.

"The old man is calling his people."

"Mr. Ruler is holding a class."

"Second Brother, Third Brother, put on your uniforms. Fortuneteller Grandpa is taking action today."

They all had different accents, but the same message spread like wildfire. People immediately abandoned their meals, left their businesses unattended, stopped their festivities, halted scolding their children, and even spared their kneeling wives. They quickly gathered their belongings, armed themselves, and marched out the door.

From above, a stunning scene unfolded. Empty streets that had been deserted due to the oppressive aura left by the battle of the Saints suddenly teemed with people.

They emerged shoulder to shoulder from buildings. Their steps were synchronized like streams of water rushing down tightly packed channels after a heavy rain. These streams merged into torrents, forming massive crowds. They surged toward the central area of the slums.

This spectacle was immediately picked up by the surveillance teams of the Du and Kong families' power armor fleets, which constantly monitored the slums. The information was promptly reported up the chain.

When the two families’ leaders reviewed the footage, their expressions darkened slightly. They had long heard about the remarkable unity of the slum dwellers. But they were taken aback by the sheer force and energy of the masses rallying together.

“Don’t worry,” the Kong family head said calmly. “I’ve dealt with this kind of rabble before. It’s simple: kill a few, beat a few, scare a few, and bribe a few. That will be enough to break them. They may seem united now, but when real interests are at stake, they’ll scatter like stray dogs fighting over scraps with no dignity or honor to speak of.”

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The Kong family had honed their methods of subjugating the lower class in Xu Base City through oppression and exploitation.

The Du family head nodded in agreement. “Exactly. This time, we’ll need to kill more. Let rivers of blood flow. Only then will these wretches understand who truly owns this city.”

The Kong family head’s voice turned cold as he said, “Give the order. Push forward without hesitation. Kill anyone who resists.”

The combined forces of the Du and Kong families, along with several squads of Police Department enforcers, advanced like a red-hot blade slicing through butter.

They charged into the slums determined to crush everything in their path. Along the way, scattered battles had already erupted. The warriors of the Du and Kong families, now granted permission, began a ruthless massacre.

Any slum dweller who was too slow to flee was cut down in the streets without hesitation. Corpses were left discarded by the roadside, and countless innocent lives were lost.

Those who dared to resist were riddled with bullets, their bodies reduced to mangled remains. Even those who took refuge in their homes weren’t spared; residents were dragged out and beaten mercilessly. The cries of children calling for their mothers filled the air, their voices sharp with terror.

Young men and women were subdued with electric shocks and hauled away like livestock. Blood began to seep through the slums, painting the streets red.

The fighters from the three major gangs mounted a counteroffensive. But the attackers wielded an aerial advantage with power armor flying battle suits, who launched a relentless assault. They rained death from above as they mercilessly picked off the slum experts.

“Ha! Kill them!”

“This one’s a beauty! Drag her out!”

“Kid, you’re too noisy. Die already.”

“Old man, I hear your whole family follows the Cloth Sect? Hah! Let me cut off your head and hang it by the door. Let’s see if anyone dares to avenge you!”

The private army of the Du and Kong families were like demons incarnate as they cruelly massacred their way into the slums. Meanwhile, the retaliation from the three gangs grew fiercer by the moment.

Boom!

A loud explosion shook the slums. A low-flying power armor suit suddenly detonated, erupting into a ball of fire. Shattered remnants of the suit and charred body parts rained down like a fiery downpour.

“These wretches have archers!”

“Be cautious! Activate your power armor shields!”

“Don’t hold back. Fire the mini-missiles. Kill them all!”

The warriors of the Du and Kong families became even more reckless and brutal in their assault.

“Commander, what should we do?” Lin Yi, the deputy officer of the police force, leaned toward Commander Wei Congyuan and spoke quietly. “The Du and Kong families are going too far. They’re killing too many people and creating deep vendettas. This could backfire.”

Until now, the Police Guard had largely remained on the sidelines, shouting commands and maintaining a presence without directly engaging in the violence against the slum dwellers.

Wei Congyuan, a plump, pale-faced old man, squinted as he responded calmly, “Quietly pass the word: tell our men to stay cautious and avoid unnecessary risks. Let the Du and Kong families take the spotlight if they want it. There’s no need for us to get involved in this bloodbath.”

The Police Guard had dealt with the slum residents enough to know their stubborn and unforgiving character.

Creating a blood feud with these people would lead to endless nights of assassination attempts and retribution. The cost of such enmity far outweighed any short-term gains.