Bloodbath Pier
The towering cargo boxes obscured the waning moon, casting shadows that made the road even darker. The leaders of both teams were busy smirking and craning their necks, and no one spoke. Everyone was just waiting it out, seemingly in a contest of willpower. Qingcheng's back was aching from standing, but they still showed no sign of making a move.
Time was running out, and she couldn't afford to miss her mission. Qingcheng quietly approached Brother Shan Gui, cupped her hands in greeting, and said to the leader of the group in a serious tone, "Brother Shan Gui, those Axe Gang members have no martial ethics. For the sake of a dancer, they crossed the line and attacked our brothers in our territory. My aunt told me that I must 'treat them well' and teach them some manners."
"Understood. We're all family, so let's not be formal. They were the ones who went astray first, and I, Shan Gui, must save face for Master Xia. I also hope that Vice Master Xia will put in a good word for me. I would be extremely grateful." Shan Gui returned the greeting with a fist and palm salute.
"Of course, of course, please follow the rules step by step." Qingcheng bowed to the mountain spirit again.
Mountain Ghost winked at the thug next to him, who immediately understood and drew his machete, pointing it at the other side: "Hey, you little bastard, your Axe Gang killed my brother on Bess Road, right? You bastard, give me your name."
The Axe Gang, believing that those with nothing to lose are not afraid of those with something to lose, brandished their axes without backing down and replied, "So what if it is? I, your grandfather, will not change my name or surname; I am Yu Xie."
Don't let the Axe Gang's ragged clothes and smug, irritating appearance fool you; the members are incredibly united. Their core group consists of dockworkers and factory workers.
Therefore, the Axe Gang is less of a gang and more of an armed resistance spontaneously formed by hundreds of thousands of working people living at the bottom of society. Qingcheng thinks that he can develop some peripheral members in the Axe Gang. If he can guide them well, he will definitely make a profit.
Mountain Ghost raised his thumb to the ground, silencing his underlings: "Yu Xie, I am Mountain Ghost, the manager of Guifu Wharf. Considering that we both work in Shanghai, according to the rules of the underworld, we should first be polite and then forceful, and first use words and then violence."
"What rules? Grandpa has never heard of them. Can you tell me?" Yu Xie said casually, shaking his leg.
“Three cuts and six eyes, deal with the bastard (who did something wrong), throw him into the Huangpu River, and I, Mountain Ghost, will consider it your own doing, and this matter will be over. From now on, we'll keep to ourselves,” Mountain Ghost said earnestly.
"What if we don't deal with it?" Yu Xie smiled contemptuously.
"Then I'll clean house for you." The mountain demon's face twitched, and he drew his cleaver. Qingcheng knew that his anger was nearing its breaking point.
"Hahaha, what a big mouth you have! I bet you're just pretending to avenge your brother; what you really want is to seize our SF Express dock!" Yu Xie said through gritted teeth.
After Yu Xie reminded her, Qingcheng remembered that Shunfeng Wharf was located at the border of the concessions, and its ownership had always been unclear. The Axe Gang's leader, Wang, had wanted to buy Shunfeng Wharf, but the middleman was dishonest and took the Axe Gang's deposit, then sold it to the Green Gang at a high price.
They even went to the Axe Gang, those villains, to file a complaint first. The Green Gang had stolen the dock options without paying. The Green Gang had always been abusive, so Chief Wang didn't suspect anything at first. While the big boss was sleeping, he stuck a small knife into the headboard of the bed, with a challenge letter stuck under the knife.
The big boss was probably getting increasingly suspicious. He had clearly paid three times the price to acquire the SF Express terminal and then had the middleman pay the previous buyer five times the penalty for breach of contract. He had rarely followed the law, so how did it become an act of forcible occupation?
After investigating the cause and effect, the unscrupulous middleman came to light. In a true physical sense, his saturated body was not discovered until half a month later in the upper reaches of the Huangpu River, with marks of being bound by ropes on his body.
However, fearing that Chief Wang would actually assassinate him, the big boss asked Boss Lin, a senior member of the "Big" generation, to mediate. Qingcheng didn't know how they discussed it, but the result of the mediation was that the big boss treated Shunfeng Wharf as a bad asset and abandoned it, allowing the Axe Gang to occupy the territory. However, the Axe Gang did not get the wharf's options, and everyone compromised.
Once the higher-ups have done it, the people below can only follow suit. Qingcheng heard Shan Gui explain in a loud voice: "You're overthinking it. I'm just stating the facts. The ownership of the dock is naturally something your Chief Wang and our big boss will discuss. Today, all I want is for you to hand over the people who have gone astray (made mistakes)."
Yu Xie spat out a mouthful of phlegm: "Pah! The rules you set are the rules? At Shunfeng Wharf, my word is law. No one can take away any of our Axe Gang brothers. I said it."
The two sides seem to be heading towards a war of words; empty talk won't do the trick.
Qingcheng, too lazy to listen to their affected mannerisms any longer, rushed forward and loudly mocked, "So you're just refusing to listen to reason and then having to suffer the consequences. People from Jiangbei are people from Jiangbei; even if you put on leather shoes, you can't change your country bumpkin habits."
If you want to start a fight, there's nothing more hurtful than insulting someone's hometown. If it weren't for the emergency, Qingcheng wouldn't have used this tactic. Sure enough, as soon as the regional slurs came out, the Axe Gang members immediately erupted in a commotion, noisily wanting to go forward and teach Qingcheng a lesson.
Yu Xie restrained himself and stopped his brothers: "Hmph, what's wrong with us Jiangbei people? We're just poor. We don't steal or rob, we earn money by selling our own labor. On the other hand, you guys have ancestral homes in the south and north, and you cheat and swindle. The dirty things you do aren't much more noble than ours. I think you usually enjoy bullying your fellow villagers and taking advantage of your own people."
The Green Gang thugs couldn't sit still any longer. They all pulled out their machetes, their eyes wide with rage. Qingcheng sensed the murderous aura emanating from both sides and retreated triumphantly into the darkness.
Wow, I didn't expect Yu Xie to make such a good point. Qingcheng has a newfound respect for him. There are good and bad people everywhere. We can't judge people based solely on their region. Stereotypes are a typical example of ignoring the main contradictions and focusing on secondary ones. If left unchecked, capitalists will be laughing all the way to the bank.
However, she was determined to play the black-faced role today. Qingcheng gripped the small firecracker she had prepared beforehand, slashed it hard, and quickly launched it. It hit Yu Xie's feet with a loud "bang," shattering the night and breaking the fragile balance between the two sides.
Yu Xie's rationality was shattered, and he roared hoarsely, "Damn it, brothers, don't be afraid. If anyone bullies us, we'll fight back. Tonight, I'll treat you all to drinks. Let's kill them!"
The mountain spirit was startled, but quickly recovered and shouted, "Brothers! Charge! Teach those Jiangbei kids across the street some rules of Shanghai!"
Both sides charged towards the other side with overwhelming force. Qingcheng shouted battle cries and brandished his machete in a pretentious manner. In the blink of an eye, he climbed onto the mountain of cargo boxes, then grinned and watched the two groups fight like it was a show.
Usually, group fights are all bark and no bite. It seems like knives, axes, and clubs are all being used, but in reality, everyone is just trying to make a living at the Shiliupu Wharf. They see each other all the time, and not carrying a gun means they don't want to fight.
Qingcheng deliberately focused on Yu Xie in the crowd. The kid was quite skilled, with a solid lower body and some moves, indicating he had probably practiced martial arts. He was lean and wiry, yet he managed to throw a thug who was three times stronger than him like a bag.
She suddenly understood Gao Junxiao's feelings when he first met Xiao Shanhai. Hehe, she must teach this guy a lesson and bring him into our team.
Various cries of pain and curses rose and fell. They looked like they were all bleeding from their heads and had their skin torn open, but in reality, they only used the momentum of the axe to chop people and only stabbed people in non-fatal places. In the end, the thugs would recuperate at home and be good men again after eighteen months.
Of course, it's also possible that some people might act rashly and go too far, potentially causing someone's death. In that case, Qingcheng can't handle it, and everyone should pray for their own good fortune.
When the minute hand points to 3.
Beep—beep—
The shrill whistle sounded like the laughter of a death knell, but only Kiyosumi was overjoyed; her reinforcements had arrived just in time.
The black-skinned police officers were like hunting dogs chasing rabbits in the forest. They didn't distinguish between gangs; they would grab their batons and chase after people. The thugs were afraid of the batons from the bottom of their hearts, and they wished they could fly as fast as they could.
As if things weren't chaotic enough, Kiyosumi quickly put on a homemade gas mask and pulled out two metal cans from her pocket, throwing them into the crowd.
*Pfft!* Yellow-green smoke suddenly gushed out of the metal can, while a pungent, irritating smell that stung the throat and eyes spread through the fighting crowd.
Looking down at the thugs, Qingcheng coughed incessantly, snot streaming down her face like a stream, her eyes red from the fumes. She thought it was about time, took a deep breath, and shouted, "Those at home (the Green Gang), run to Datong Wharf quickly, there's no wind (danger) there."
After a chorus of agreement, everyone surged toward Datong Wharf like a tide. The Green Gang and the Axe Gang were mixed together, and they were so busy running that they probably forgot why they came to Shunfeng Wharf in the first place.
The cold wind blew the teetering "survivors" off the sycamore tree, and the gale tried to tear them apart in the air. The leaves struggled to maintain their last bit of resilience and, under the dim light of the street lamps, fell steadily into the mud.
After a powerful sprint of 1,000 meters, the thugs finally broke up, completely blocking the already bustling Datong Wharf.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Qingcheng blended into the fleeing crowd and ran with them. Her throat was burning, but she was glad that she had accomplished most of her plan. All that was left was to cooperate with her comrades and have them lead the comrades who were about to board the ship.
The police officers chasing them were also panting heavily, and angrily cursed, "You son of a bitch, don't you dare run away!"
Perhaps caught up in the lively atmosphere, the mountain ghost leading the group came to his senses, turned around, grabbed the patrolman by the collar, and slapped him: "Look who I am!"
The police and the Green Gang have always had a symbiotic relationship, especially with big thugs like Shan Gui, whose name starts with "Wan". The police should be afraid of him.
The policeman, wincing in pain from the beating, rubbed his eyes in disbelief and said in a trembling voice, "Master Gui, it's you! Oh dear, I was blind and didn't recognize you. We'll call it a day."
"You softie, Shan! I'm teaching this Jiangbei kid some manners, and you're chasing after me for the hell? You're just looking for trouble!" Shan Gui's eyes were bloodshot, like a demon.
The policeman covered his face, trembling with fear: "Master, please calm down, I'll be on my way right away."
The spies who were originally lying in wait on the dock were attracted by the excitement and their eyes unconsciously turned to Kiyosumi.
According to Lao Wang, many lower- and middle-ranking agents had joined the Green Gang for a living, so they must know the Green Gang's slang (underworld jargon).
The real show has only just begun; Qingcheng is not about to let them leave so easily.
She suddenly pointed at Yu Xie and said in a voice that everyone could hear: "Your Chief Wang keeps saying that he will not meddle in the concession, but your people have stretched their legs (crossed the line) and caused trouble in our (Green Gang's) territory, beating my brother up (bruised) and even drawing blood. According to our (Green Gang's) rules, you should throw out the person who broke the agreement (did something wrong), and I... we can let bygones be bygones."
Reciting so many incisions in one go almost made Kiyosumi bite her tongue. Her heart was pounding, but thankfully she finished speaking and probably didn't make any mistakes.
"Get lost! My brothers wouldn't kill someone for no reason. It must have been your people who provoked us first." Yu Xie sat down on the ground, panting.
Making trouble means exaggerating small problems into big ones, and making big problems seem unsolvable.
"Hmph, my brother was sitting comfortably in a rickshaw on his way home from get off work when your men stopped him. Go back and ask your brother with the burn scar on his neck what 'noble' thing he did for a dancer at the Jingjing Dance Hall?" Qingcheng asked back, relying on her memories.
"Ah Ming, come here. Why did your brother go and kill someone that night? Was it for a dancer?" Yu Xie called over a young man whose clothes were covered in patches.
"My brother...he...um." Ah Ming stammered, unable to finish a sentence. Yu Xie, who also had a short temper, jumped up and knocked Ah Ming to the ground.
Amin, who had been hit, covered his head and pleaded repeatedly. People around him pulled Yu Xie away. Finally, Amin cried out, "Stop hitting her! Miss Susan is from our village. She was bullied and asked my brother to stand up for her."
Yu Xie was even angrier after hearing this, and forcefully broke free of the restraints to continue punching and kicking: "Idiot, don't you even know your own worth? You're just a stinking laborer selling your sweat at the docks, yet you're worrying about other people's luxurious nightclub top girls. Why don't you worry about what you'll eat for your next meal?"
"No, she promised that after it's done, she'll sleep with us guys for one night." Ah Ming's eyes were swollen like walnuts from crying, and he sniffled, snot dripping from his nose.
"Haha, Jiangbei kid, you're like a toad trying to eat swan meat. You probably don't know what kind of people Susan's sugar daddies are. They're all unwilling to step forward because they can't afford to offend that person, you idiots." Shan Gui laughed so hard he was bent over.
The Green Gang thugs laughed along with their boss. Qingcheng kept a close eye on the movements of the junior agents around him. One of the junior agents couldn't contain his curiosity and clasped his hands in a fist salute to the Green Gang thugs, making a 319 gesture to indicate that they were brothers and asking for the reason.
To attract more spies to watch, Qingcheng didn't mind adding fuel to the fire: "I don't care if you were tricked by that little bitch, but if you dare to kill someone, you have to bear the consequences. The world of gangsters is about brotherhood. Our men aren't people you can just kill as you please, right, brothers?"
"That's right!" the Green Gang thugs shouted excitedly, convinced of their innocence. "Hand over the murderer! Hand over the murderer!"
At this moment, Qingcheng noticed a black sedan parked in the alley opposite the dock. The little spy who had just been questioned ran over excitedly, bowing and scraping as he reported by the window.
It turned out that the team leader was hiding there. Just as Qingcheng was about to sabotage the plan, the people in the car ran out on their own. It turned out to be Captain Liu of CC and his subordinate Da Wan.
And... Station Master Lu?
In an instant, it was as if a thunderclap had exploded above Qingcheng's head, and the street in front of her seemed to dim. She never expected that Lu Hai, the vegetable market manager who had helped her before, would collude with spies.
Lu Hai limped behind the two agents, his eyes bruised and purple, his thick long gown torn open, revealing white cotton wadding, clearly indicating he had been subjected to torture.
He's the stationmaster of a major transportation hub! Lu Hai knows almost all the leaders at the Shanghai station, as well as all the couriers on his line.
Her teeth chattered as Qingcheng opened her coat, using the cold to force herself to calm down. No, no, perhaps Station Chief Lu, like the lark, was feigning surrender; we can't immediately label him.
But the next second, Lu Hai's trembling hand pointed at a young man selling newspapers. The young man didn't even have time to escape before he was instantly pinned to the ground by the ambushing agents and dragged into the shadows.
Then someone changed into the newspaper vendor's outfit and swaggered out. No one noticed that the newspaper vendor had changed, except for Kiyosumi.
Next came the flower girl, the waiting rickshaw puller, the dockworker... Half of the liaisons for this covert interception came from the land and sea routes. He knew the interception mission very well tonight. Kiyosumi guessed that the agents' ultimate target was the representatives, as well as the Shanghai station behind them.
Now, besides the noisy revelry of the thugs, the docks are filled with rampant murderous intent, and you can faintly smell the stench of vicious dogs in the wind. Qingcheng doesn't know if it's anger or fear, but her body trembles uncontrollably, and her palms are bleeding from being dug out by her fingernails.
She had only one thought in her mind: she had to get rid of him!
Otherwise, Lu Hai's betrayal would endanger the entire Shanghai station!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
