The battle with the Green Bamboo Gang ended even faster than Su Xin had imagined.Just as dawn broke,the fighting on Li Huai's side had already concluded.
"Boss,Ma Qingyuan and Chen Hong escaped,and we only caught the puppet gang leader,Wei Feng,"Li Huai said with a hint of embarrassment.
Su Xin patted his shoulder,"Don't worry about it.They are both at the mid-stage of the Houtian realm.It's normal not to be able to stop them from fleeing.As for Wei Feng,bring him to me."
Li Huai had Wei Feng brought forward,and Su Xin,looking at the frightened Wei Feng,said calmly,"Wei,it's been a while.How have you been?"
Wei Feng stared blankly at Su Xin,wondering when they had met before.
"Poor guy,"Su Xin sighed and waved his hand,"Kill him."
Wei Feng shivered,desperately struggling and shouting,"Boss Su,please don't kill me!The Green Bamboo Gang is willing to surrender!We are willing to surrender!"
Su Xin turned away,saying,"Sorry,but there's no Green Bamboo Gang anymore.Once this gang leader dies,the Green Bamboo Gang will be a thing of the past."
Li Huai didn't give Wei Feng a chance to speak and directly ended his life with a sword.
To Su Xin,Wei Feng was indeed pitiful.As the heir of the Green Bamboo Gang,he was abandoned by his own subordinates.Yet,did it have anything to do with Su Xin?Such useless waste would only be a burden.It was better to eliminate them.
At this moment,Liu Shengming also arrived with his men,wearing a displeased expression.He said,"Boss,nearly half of the assets of the Green Bamboo Gang were taken away by Ma Qingyuan and Chen Hong.We suffered a significant loss on this trip."
Su Xin furrowed his brows.These two were indeed cunning,knowing they couldn't hold onto the Green Bamboo Gang,so they moved their assets early and fled when the situation became dire.
"Never mind,let it be.Dispatch our brothers to consolidate the territory of the Green Bamboo Gang.As for those two dogs,Ma Qingyuan and Chen Hong,we'll deal with them when we find them,"Su Xin commanded.
By the time it was fully daylight,news of the Green Bamboo Gang's destruction had spread throughout Changning Prefecture.
Though people had believed the Flying Eagle Gang was powerful,the overnight destruction of the Green Bamboo Gang elevated their status to one of the top factions in Changning Prefecture.Even compared to the Godwind Society and Ironknife Society,the Flying Eagle Gang's strength was now on par.
In a secret room of the Three Heroes Association,Meng Changhe sat in the central chair.Standing before him were the escapees from the Green Bamboo Gang,Ma Qingyuan and Chen Hong.
Meng Changhe calmly said,"Your base has been eradicated,and you're still here.Do you think I can save you?Do you really believe you have the qualifications to cooperate with me?"
Feeling a sense of urgency,Chen Hong forced a smile,"Master Meng,please don't jest.We actually came to discuss cooperation with you.Su Xin killed your beloved son and disciple.We have an irreconcilable hatred with him.With him eliminating the Green Bamboo Gang,our enmity is now intertwined.So why don't we cooperate,find an opportunity,and get rid of Su Xin?Otherwise,with his current momentum,he will become a huge threat to all the factions in Changning Prefecture!"
After listening to Chen Hong,Meng Changhe revealed a disdainful smile,"Cooperate?Hahaha,it's truly laughable!Just two little pawns like you who fled without even fighting back dare to talk to me about cooperation?"
Meng Changhe coldly stared at the two,"Two mid-stage Houtian fools!I could easily defeat you with just two disciples.Why would I bother cooperating with you?"
Seeing Meng Changhe's attitude,Ma Qingyuan and Chen Hong couldn't help but feel uneasy.They might have miscalculated Meng Changhe's intentions.
"Now leave.Two useless things dared to discuss cooperation with me;it's truly a waste of my time,"Meng Changhe waved his hand,dismissing them.
At this moment,Chen Hong bit his teeth and said,"Master Meng,please hear me out again!When we left,we took almost half of Green Bamboo Gang's accumulated wealth,worth nearly two million taels of silver!As long as you nod,all this wealth will be yours!As long as you help us retake the Green Bamboo Gang,this money is yours!"
"You're crazy!"Ma Qingyuan couldn't help but angrily shout.
They had initially planned to use this money to live a carefree life in other states.But now,Chen Hong had suddenly changed his mind,wanting to give the money to Meng Changhe.
With a cold expression,Chen Hong turned to Meng Changhe,"Master Meng,as long as you agree,these two million taels of silver will be yours!As long as the Green Bamboo Gang is in your hands,you can easily reclaim it in the future!"
Meng Changhe's emotions were stirred.He did have access to two million taels of silver,but that was the Three Heroes Association's public funds,not his personal wealth.
Usually,the Three Heroes Association's monthly income from the levies amounts to over five hundred thousand taels.However,after distributing monthly allowances to the gang members and setting aside a portion for the gang's needs,Meng Changhe's personal share was less than a hundred thousand taels.Two million taels,though,was enough to stir Meng Changhe's interest.
Chen Hong nodded,"We knew we couldn't contend with the Flying Eagle Gang.So,we sold everything in the gang that could be turned into money to gather this amount.All of it is stored in the official money depository."
After contemplating for a moment,Meng Changhe spoke solemnly,"Give me the money,and I guarantee that within a month,I will help you regain control of the Green Bamboo Gang."
Chen Hong didn't hesitate,taking out a document from his pocket and handing it to Meng Changhe,saying,"This is a redemption voucher from the official money depository.However,only the person named can exchange it for the silver after verifying the handprint."
A hint of amusement played on Meng Changhe's lips.Chen Hong still didn't fully trust him,leaving this precaution.Nevertheless,it didn't matter to Meng Changhe,who had no intention of taking their money.
He had long planned to deal with Su Xin,but Duan Xiao and Ning Luojun opposed,preventing him from making a move.With this two million taels of silver,even without using the Three Heroes Association's power,he could still confront Su Xin.Most of this money would fall into his hands.
"Go to the money depository and withdraw one million taels of silver for me,"Meng Changhe said casually.
Chen Hong cautiously asked,"Master Meng,may I ask what you plan to use it for?"
Meng Changhe didn't hide it,"As you know,the Three Heroes Association's current position is too sensitive.I can't employ the Association's power to deal with Su Xin.So,I must seek help from outside,and that,of course,requires a substantial amount of silver."
Chen Hong was familiar with Meng Changhe's background.He knew that Meng Changhe,unlike the locals in Changning Prefecture,had connections outside.Despite this,Chen Hong still asked with concern,"Master Meng,Su Xin already has the strength of a perfected Houtian,and Luo Zhen,the traitor,is already a mid-stage Houtian warrior.They are formidable opponents.Moreover,the Flying Eagle Gang has a large number of people,with thousands of disciples in the battle hall alone.If the force you bring is too small,it may not be enough."
"I only need to bring one person,"Meng Changhe said indifferently.
"An innate martial artist!"Chen Hong and Ma Qingyuan's faces instantly lit up with excitement.
An innate martial artist would be more than enough for them.For martial artists like them,who had just reached the mid-stage Houtian and had spent their entire lives in Changning Prefecture,an innate martial artist was like a godly existence.
Upon hearing this,Chen Hong and Ma Qingyuan didn't say a word and immediately went to the official money depository to withdraw one million taels of silver for Meng Changhe.They urged him to leave the city as soon as possible.
Unlike the Three Heroes Association and other gangs,the Three Heroes Association's three leaders were all outsiders with many connections beyond Changning Prefecture.
This time,Meng Changhe sought his martial uncle,Chen Zhao.
Meng Changhe's master,Zhou Dingfang,was a secular disciple of the Shaolin Temple,but his martial uncle,Chen Zhao,had no connection with the Shaolin Temple.Chen Zhao and Zhou Dingfang had practiced martial arts together in a martial arts school during their youth,addressing each other as brothers.However,Zhou Dingfang was later selected by the Shaolin Temple to become a secular disciple.
After Zhou Dingfang returned to secular life due to old injuries,he invited Chen Zhao,who had also become an innate martial artist,to join him in establishing a escort agency in Chenzhou Prefecture.Unfortunately,the venture failed after a few years,as they lacked business acumen and the agency struggled to cope with the bandits in the mountains.After Zhou Dingfang's death due to a relapse of old injuries,Chen Zhao,without giving Meng Changhe,his martial nephew,a single coin from the sale of the escort agency's assets,lived a comfortable life as a retired warrior.
Because of this,Meng Changhe,angered by his martial uncle,left Chenzhou Prefecture and embarked on his journey to Changning Prefecture.Since then,Chen Zhao enjoyed the wealth obtained from selling the assets of the escort agency.
Meng Changhe,now a key figure in the Three Heroes Association,had honed not only his strength but also his political acumen over the years.Even if he detested Chen Zhao,as long as the man could bring benefits,Meng Changhe would be polite.The so-called smiling while harboring murderous intent was just a basic skill.
