Chapter 10: The Dagger Is Revealed

Chapter 10 The Dagger Appears as the Map Unfolds

Zhao Dou, the Jidao Society, and now Luo Zhen, the Patrol Inspector of the Tianfu Garrison Bureau, who had revealed himself at this moment.

As the hidden hands behind the curtain surfaced one by one, the many doubts in Li Jun's heart unraveled in turn; the entire sequence of events, from beginning to end, presented itself clearly in his mind.

This was a meticulously designed trap.

The matter of Zhao Ding's impending demise was no longer much of a secret within the Paoge Society; a change of helm was merely a matter of time.

Zhao Dou knew Zhao Ding would never prop him up for the position, so he chose to ally with the Jidao Society and staged a "suffering the flesh to destroy the enemy" stratagem.

He was certain the dying Zhao Ding would not ignore him, and events did indeed unfold exactly as Zhao Dou had anticipated.

Zhao Ding's parental affection made him unwilling to see his only kin left without a foothold in the muddy waters of the Paoge, so he had Li Jun infiltrate the Sinner's Street to intimidate Liu Chuan-tan, all to help Zhao Dou regain face.

This played perfectly into Zhao Dou's hands; using Liu Chuan-tan as bait, he seized the opportunity to kill Li Jun, the rising star in the Paoge Society.

As for the Flame Ghost, he was merely a tool to buy time.

That squad of Tianfu Garrison soldiers who suddenly arrived were the true executioners.

[Gangland Feud Erupts in Jie District; Tianfu Garrison Arrives in Time to Shoot Down Rioters.]

Li Jun could already envision the headline in the Chengdu Garrison Daily Bulletin if he were killed.

Dying at the hands of the Tianfu Garrison, even if Zhao Ding desired revenge, he would have to swallow this bitter pill in silence; his prestige within the Paoge Society would naturally plummet.

The brothers below would begin to question Zhao Ding's capability, and the position of Helm Master would inevitably be shaken.

Next, without a hitch, Zhao Dou's target would be to eliminate Kuang Qingyun, this "Sage and Worthy" Second Brother.

As for the remaining leaders within the Paoge Society, with Luo Zhen backing him from the shadows, Zhao Dou could clean them up as easily as flipping his hand.

It was only because he had escaped with his life, ruining Zhao Dou's plan, that Zhao Dou was forced to tear off the mask and brazenly turn traitor to seize power in the open.

As for why Luo Zhen backed Zhao Dou, the reason was not complex.

The Tianfu Garrison Bureau was responsible for the public security and defense of the entire Chengdu Prefecture, and the Patrol Inspectors were the chief security officers of each district.

The "Jian" in Patrol Inspector (Xunjian) was, in truth, the "Jian" of "picking up money" (Jianqian).

All factions within the jurisdiction had always paid tribute to the local Patrol Inspector, but this newly appointed Inspector of Jie District looked down on the meager monthly "filial piety" offered by the Paoge Society.

He wanted to personally intervene in the various businesses of Nine Dragons Street, and this touched the Paoge Society's bottom line.

The Paoge Society boasted three thousand "Muddy Water" Paoge brothers, the vast majority of whom were small stall owners and petty merchants, scraping a living under the Paoge banner.

If Luo Zhen intervened, he would inevitably move to consolidate the contraband businesses on Nine Dragons Street, and these scattered merchants would certainly be squeezed out.

This was a result Zhao Ding was unwilling to see.

But without this Helm Master's consent, facing the impenetrable iron wall of Nine Dragons Street, Luo Zhen couldn't find a single crack to exploit.

At this moment, the ambitious Zhao Dou, hungry for power, naturally became Luo Zhen's best entry point.

In his eyes, the callow Zhao Dou was obviously far easier to handle than the crafty, deep-scheming Zhao Ding.

"Kuang Qingyun, this time it was your Paoge Society men who crossed the line."

Luo Zhen stood with hands clasped behind his back, his official aura vast and imposing. He did not directly speak up for Zhao Dou, but instead opened his mouth to set the tone for the conflict between the Paoge Society and the Jidao Society.

Kuang Qingyun narrowed his eyes and smiled: "Inspector Luo, since when did a feud between gangs require the government to dispense justice? That's against the rules, isn't it?"

"Rules?" Luo Zhen lifted his chin, his eyes full of disdain, not putting Kuang Qingyun in his eyes at all.

"How the previous Defense Officials handled things is none of my concern, but right now, Jie District falls under this Inspector's jurisdiction. My rules are the rules. Lives were lost in my district; naturally, I must intervene."

Kuang Qingyun's face turned cold and hard, suppressing his anger as he asked: "Then I wonder how Inspector Luo intends to 'intervene'?"

"Simple. A life for a life, a debt repaid in kind!"

Luo Zhen waved a broad hand, his tiger-eyes staring straight at Li Jun, "Hand the man over, and I can choose not to pursue the matter of who broke the rules. From now on, your two gangs mind your own business, and this grudge is wiped clean."

Luo Zhen's words sounded righteous and stern, but the vicious intent within them—how could anyone present fail to understand?

"Brothers share the same robe, though they have no clothes."

The Paoge Society placed "Righteousness" above all. Luo Zhen demanding Kuang Qingyun hand over Li Jun was forcing him to personally smash the Paoge Society's signboard.

One must know, Li Jun was no insignificant minor figure in the Paoge Society; he was the Fifth Brother of the Red Flag, the pillar of the younger generation.

If he were handed over, even if the Paoge Society didn't collapse immediately, internal suspicions would surely arise.

When the time came for Zhao Dou to raise the banner and seize power, those who stood out to oppose him would inevitably be far fewer.

But if he refused, and Luo Zhen forcibly moved to arrest Li Jun, what could Kuang Qingyun do? Openly confront the Tianfu Garrison?

"What a venomous mind, Luo Zhen!"

Standing beside Kuang Qingyun, Li Jun saw the struggle on his face clearly, his heart sinking slightly, his right hand moving imperceptibly behind his back.

The cyan potion in his palm pierced through the skin at his waist.

[Loading Martial Art: Azure Emperor Canon (Eighth Grade)]

As a stream of entirely new energy sprouted within his body, the internal force originally belonging to the Soldier Canon dispersed on its own, becoming nutrients to strengthen the new internal force.

[Sequence]: None

[Technique]: Single Saber Method (Selection) (Ninth Grade Mid-stage 33/100)

[Movement]: Eight Trigrams Swimming Body Step (Ninth Grade Early-stage 12/100)

[Body Tempering]: Iron Cloth Shirt (Ninth Grade Mid-stage 5/100)

[Internal Art]: Azure Emperor Canon (Eighth Grade Early-stage 90/100)

[Mastery Points]: 14

Li Jun did not hesitate to pour all his Mastery Points into the [Azure Emperor Canon], directly pushing this internal art to the Mid-stage.

At the same time, a series of crisp, consecutive sounds suddenly rang out in Li Jun's mind, like an ancient bronze lock striking a door leaf, only a hair's breadth away from unlocking and swinging open.

The anomaly on Li Jun's body naturally could not escape the perception of the several Sequence experts present.

The Jidao Society Leader, Hu Zhong, smiled coldly and stepped forward, his burly frame directly blocking Zhao Dou's front.

Luo Zhen still stood with hands behind his back, watching Li Jun with great interest, a trace of anticipation even in his eyes.

He was anticipating Li Jun making a move.

"Don't worry, not everyone is a beast like Zhao Dou. At the very least, I, Kuang Qingyun, would never sell out a brother."

A hand landed on Li Jun's shoulder, and Kuang Qingyun's gentle voice came from beside his ear.

The clearly long-robed yet thoroughly roguish Kuang Qingyun unhesitatingly stepped to the very front, declaring loudly: "The Paoge Society will not hand him over. If Inspector Luo has fire in his belly, I, Kuang Qingyun, will take the heat."

"Good, very good!" Luo Zhen laughed in extreme anger, "It seems the Paoge Society's master is you, Kuang Qingyun?"

Kuang Qingyun's tone was firm: "Master is too strong a word, but blocking trouble for my brothers is the duty of this 'Sage and Worthy' Second Brother."

"Since you cannot make the call, then let the one who can come out. Or has Zhao Ding grown too old to stand?"

"If that is the case, then the position of Paoge Helm Master should change hands. Zhao Dou!"

Luo Zhen's voice was sonorous and forceful, resounding with finality.

"Zhao Dou!"

Zhao Dou, who had been hiding behind Hu Zhong, also flashed out, his face full of spring breeze.

“Kuang Qingyun, if you haven't the spine to shoulder this household, then I, Zhao Dou, will!”

“Who dares claim the mantle of my Paoge Society?!”