Chapter 540 - 266: Such Blood Relatives (Part 2)

Chapter 540: Chapter 266: Such Blood Relatives (Part 2)

From life to death took but the blink of an eye. They didn’t even have time to utter a sound before they died.

As Zheng Xiu walked silently inward, one by one, figures fell in the darkness. A shadow would always appear in just the right place, covering a Thug’s mouth and nose before thrusting a hidden blade from a sleeve.

A kill every ten steps!

Not even the former Secret Ministry knew how many "brothers" the Zheng Family had cultivated for its Brotherhood. What they could do, where they hid, their daily routines—all of it was a mystery.

The Brotherhood was the shadow of the Zheng Clan, and now it was the shadow of the Red King—ever-present, killing in silence.

Even without control over the massive Disaster Prevention Bureau, the Red King had the Brotherhood. This secret organization of Assassins, painstakingly cultivated for a decade and led by the triumvirate of Ji Hong’ou, Qing Shisan, and Pei Gaoya, was enough to make anyone wary. Even the three Princes—no, the two Princes other than the Second Prince—dared not easily offend the Zheng Clan.

The slaughter unfolding in Xiaoyao Square was so quiet it left no trace. The gamblers in the casino, their eyes bloodshot with fervor, failed to notice that the Thugs who normally stood like iron towers in every corner had all vanished. In those corners, body heat slowly faded to an icy cold.

Zheng Xiu had no idea how many people the Brotherhood had killed, nor did he care. He walked straight into a courtyard where several men were patrolling with lanterns.

Qing Shisan’s eyes swept over them as he raised a notebook to check. "Thirteen men. Hmm, all have blood on their hands."

"Who’s there? Xiaolizi, is that you taking a piss?"

Qing Shisan’s voice caught the attention of one of the Thugs. He was about to walk behind a rockery for a look when thirteen shadows drifted down from the rooftops. They were clad in black hoods, their movements silent. The THWIP of thirteen Sleeve Arrows firing was so synchronized it sounded as one, and the thirteen men in the courtyard collapsed.

Zheng Xiu didn’t break his stride. Qing Shisan pointed the way, and Zheng Xiu continued forward.

"If Hong’ou were here, this would’ve been over even faster. She’d just toss a handful of her powder and call it a day."

"How has she been lately?"

"Her man... he’s not going to make it." Qing Shisan’s tone was unexpectedly tinged with sorrow.

"Has Situ Yong taken a look?"

"He has. Said the man should’ve passed long ago. He’s had an extra ten years, so he should be content."

Zheng Xiu knew Ji Hong’ou’s story.

She had been wanted for a string of murders, with nowhere to call home. Then she met her husband, a good man who, "in name only," allowed Ji Hong’ou to settle in the city. He gave her a public identity, letting her live incognito to this day.

The two were husband and wife in name but not in deed. To repay his kindness, Ji Hong’ou had cared for the man for a decade.

Zheng Xiu was also aware that Qing Shisan and Ji Hong’ou had a rather well-known history back in their Jianghu days. Thinking of it now only made one sigh.

It was just the cruel hand of fate.

The courtyard wasn’t large, the path less than a hundred feet long, yet when Zheng Xiu glanced back, the bodies had already been arranged in a neat row, uniformly covered with white sheets. It looked downright festive. Zheng Xiu silently gave a thumbs-up for the Brotherhood’s efficiency. He quietly told Qing Shisan that everyone was getting a raise to their monthly pay when they got back, with no exceptions. If anyone was short-changed, he, the Red King, would be the first to raise hell.

Qing Shisan accepted the Red King’s gesture with a wide grin. It wasn’t the monthly pay they cared about. For the Brotherhood, work had become part of their "rules." The more they worked and the more they were paid, the deeper they progressed along their Path. They had long grown accustomed to this system over the years.

Everyone simply followed the rules. Besides, following these rules was just so much fun.

Behind the courtyard stood a small, seemingly ordinary pavilion, its upper floor brightly lit. From downstairs, Zheng Xiu could clearly hear the clatter of mahjong tiles, the rattling of Dice, the shouts of wealthy merchants, the playful coos of young masters, and the breathy moans of women.

"Quite the pleasure den."

Zheng Xiu’s brow furrowed, then smoothed out. Qing Shisan’s efficiency was absurd. In just one day, he had not only investigated and understood the Second Lady’s predicament but had also compiled files on every person involved and even scouted the layout of the building.

’Qing Pi, you’re a real treasure!’ In his mind, the Red King showered Qing Shisan with praise. Following Qing Shisan’s lead, they arrived at a room in a corner of the second floor.

Compared to the other rooms, this one was quiet. There was the occasional rattle of Dice, punctuated by hushed whispers.

Qing Shisan first mouthed, "Lord Blade." Then he held up three fingers and mouthed, "Thugs." Finally, he held up two fingers and mouthed, "Second Lady’s parents."

Zheng Xiu nodded. Just then, a conversation started inside.

"I’m telling you two, you’ve made a killing here in Xiaoyao Square, hundreds of taels of silver back and forth. You can’t just keep putting off what you promised Lord Blade, can you?"

"Heh! I swear, for people their age, how can they be so damn shameless!"

"Nonsense!" Two Thugs were playing bad cop, and now a steady voice played good cop, loudly scolding them. It was the legendary Lord Blade. Through the door, they heard him laugh heartily. "Please, don’t mind them. My boys here are hot-headed and ill-tempered. Sometimes even I can’t rein them in. Take last month, for instance. Some young master owed over a thousand taels in gambling debts. I clearly told my boys the fellow was short on cash and that letting him delay for a few days was no big deal. Heh! But my boys, they couldn’t hold back. In a flash, they dragged that young master into an alley and broke both his legs. Tsk, what a mess that was. If I didn’t have some connections up top... Whoa! I almost couldn’t keep a lid on it."

"Don’t you worry, Lord Blade. Like the saying goes, blood is thicker than water! Blood is thicker than water! It’s been years since we’ve seen the girl, but she’s still a piece of flesh from her mother’s womb. She won’t just stand by and watch us die!"

"Pah!" A woman’s sharp voice rose in pitch. From behind the door, Zheng Xiu could practically picture her shrewish, greedy face. Her tone became fawning as she giggled. "Oh, Lord Blade, you can rest a million percent easy! The other day, I secretly saw that little sl— Ahem! My daughter, I mean. Oh, she’s grown up so fresh and tender, you know? Don’t you worry, one look at that girl’s face and you can tell she’s a soft touch. I’m her mother, don’t I know her? Rest assured, Lord Blade, my girl will definitely listen to her dear old mom. We’ll stage a tear-jerking, heart-wrenching family reunion! Then we’ll be family with the Red King! After a few months, once we’re all friendly, I can even put in a good word for you with my daughter. I hear she’s getting on in years and is still all alone. I happen to think Lord Blade is quite handsome. You and my daughter would be a perfect match, a match made in Heaven! You never know, the moment you two meet, yo! It could be love at first sight! Then you and the Red King would be even closer than family! When that day comes and you’re a relative of the royals, Lord Blade, you won’t forget about us, will you?"

Qing Shisan listened to the conversation.

His expression was strange. His heart skipped a beat. ’This is bad,’ he thought. ’How can these people be so unlucky? You can court death in the privacy of your own home and no one will care, but did you really have to run your mouths right in front of the blade?’

’How can you just say such things out loud?’

Qing Shisan glanced at the Red King.

As a Mystic who had pushed open the seventh door, Zheng Xiu’s five senses were exceptionally sharp; he had heard every word from inside. He had just nodded when a faint sound came from the room.

"Who’s there!"

Lord Blade roared.

THUMP. THUMP. Several bodies hit the floor.

Zheng Xiu stepped inside. The couple was unconscious but still breathing. The three Thugs had bloody holes in their necks, blood gurgling out. Not quite dead, they glared with pure hatred at the two men who had calmly entered the gambling room.

"Huh?"

A figure that looked like Lord Blade shattered like glass with a CRASH. It was a fake.

"He got away? Interesting."

Qing Shisan grinned, and his figure was instantly swallowed by a thick cloud of smoke.

Zheng Xiu didn’t move. He counted about twenty breaths. The smoke cleared, and Qing Shisan emerged, dragging the barely-breathing Lord Blade, who looked like a half-dead dog.

"A Thousand Gate General, huh? He’s a pretty good trickster."

Qing Shisan took a long, hard drag on whatever he was smoking and laughed.