Chapter 83 - 84: Yang Guo’s Revenge Never Waits Overnight

Chapter 83: Chapter 84: Yang Guo’s Revenge Never Waits Overnight

"We did the killing, but they handled the bodies and took all the treasures! Those bastards are so damn ruthless!"

"Hey, keep your voice down. Be careful, or they’ll hear you."

"So what if they hear me? They did it, but they won’t let us talk about it? Without us, how would they have defeated the Rebirth Sect and Lianyun Stronghold? Now they’re kicking us to the curb! What do they take us for? And what about all our brothers who died? How will they account for that?"

News and complaints of this sort reached Tao Dingfang’s ears. The words were laced with the dissatisfaction and anger of White Stone City’s Martial Artists. This instantly worsened Tao Dingfang’s already foul mood.

The results of this bandit-suppression operation had been meager. Though it seemed they had destroyed Lianyun Stronghold, killing Zhu Hu and many of his bandits along with the Rebirth Sect rebels, their actual gains were shallow. At the very least, Tao Dingfang’s army hadn’t found much gold, silver, or treasure within Lin Family Castle. If his assumptions were correct, the people of Lianyun Stronghold had long since transferred their wealth and hidden it in an unknown location.

The so-called Lin Family Castle had long been reduced to an empty shell!

Tao Dingfang rubbed his forehead. The thought of White Stone City’s Martial Artists demanding rewards for their merits before the matter was even fully resolved only deepened his dissatisfaction with them.

"My Lord, this is a secret letter your subordinate found detailing the collusion between Lianyun Stronghold and the Medicine Gang."

Right at that moment, the Husband Leader walked in and handed a secret letter to Tao Dingfang. Hearing this, Tao Dingfang immediately took the letter and began reading. After a long while, a furious expression appeared on his face. He slammed his hand on the table. "The Medicine Gang! How brazen!"

The contents of the letter indicated that the Medicine Gang was not only colluding with Lianyun Stronghold but was also in close contact with the Rebirth Sect. Lianyun Stronghold had only managed to connect with the Rebirth Sect because the Medicine Gang acted as the middleman. Furthermore, the Medicine Gang had provided substantial additional assistance to both Lianyun Stronghold and the Rebirth Sect, including but not limited to money, medicinal herbs, and skilled fighters.

"My Lord, should I lead our troops to eradicate the Medicine Gang?" the Husband Leader asked softly, reading the room and vaguely guessing his superior’s thoughts.

"No need. You have more important matters to attend to," Tao Dingfang said, waving his hand. After pondering for a moment, he shook his head. "Lianyun Stronghold’s wealth is missing. You must capture Zhu Bao as quickly as possible and interrogate him for information regarding this money."

"Yes, sir!" the Husband Leader nodded.

After the Husband Leader left, Tao Dingfang stared at the secret letter, his eyes flickering with calculation.

To the surprise of Su Chen and the others, shortly after some people had vented their frustrations, Tao Dingfang sent men to pacify them. The messengers stated that the contributions of the participants would absolutely not be overlooked, and rewards would be distributed accordingly based on merit. The Government Office would also compile a record of the Martial Artists who had died in battle, and once everything was settled, they would issue compensation to their families all at once.

This measure instantly calmed the crowd’s dissatisfaction, and their resentment was no longer as intense. However, Su Chen was concerned about more than just this. After the bandit-suppression operation ended, Tao Dingfang had not allowed the crowd to leave.

When they returned to the city, everyone assumed they could go to their respective homes. To their surprise, they were once again brought back to the Lin Mansion. As for the reason, the soldiers merely informed them that Tao Dingfang would come to meet with everyone that evening, and all would be revealed then. After delivering the message, they left.

Unlike last time, their freedom wasn’t restricted, as long as they didn’t step outside the Lin Mansion. Wei Ping went out to gather information upon learning of this. He returned a while later and shook his head; he hadn’t managed to find out much of use. The other Martial Artists were equally clueless about why Tao Dingfang was keeping them there. They had no choice but to wait until the evening.

As dusk fell, Tao Dingfang finally arrived. He gathered everyone in the main hall of the Lin Mansion. Without any nonsense, he cut straight to the chase. "This bandit-suppression operation was a success thanks to everyone’s assistance. I extend my gratitude to you all!"

Faced with Tao Dingfang’s polite remarks, the crowd exchanged some modest pleasantries. Then, Gang Leader Zhao Baiyu of the White Jade Gang voiced the question on everyone’s mind. "Lord Tao, since the bandit suppression is already over, why are we still being kept here? Could it be that there are other matters to attend to?"

Hearing this, Tao Dingfang chuckled lightly and nodded. "Gang Leader Zhao is truly sharp. That’s right. I’ve gathered everyone here because there is indeed an important matter to discuss."

"And what might that be?" Zhao Baiyu glanced at the crowd, his brow furrowing as he asked.

"Although the bandits of Lianyun Stronghold have been wiped out, Sun Yun and the other Rebirth Sect rebels managed to escape. Moving forward, I will still need to rely on all of you to join me in eradicating these Rebirth Sect rebels. If we succeed, White Stone City will be entrusted to you from now on!"

As soon as he said this, the crowd, who had initially been reluctant, suddenly became highly motivated. Tao Dingfang’s words were undoubtedly a massive shot in the arm. As long as they killed Sun Yun and his cohorts, they would be able to carve up the territories of White Stone City among themselves.

Currently, the Lin Family was a shadow of its former self, the Patriarch of the Han Family was dead, and the two brothers of the Broken Blade Sect were either dead or crippled. Two of the three great families were out of the picture, as was one of the three great gangs. Although the three great Martial Arts Halls were still around, it wouldn’t affect their ability to divide up White Stone City’s turf.

Moreover, the losses suffered by the Martial Artist factions of White Stone City were greater than they had anticipated, meaning even more territory had been freed up. Such a vast amount of turf naturally involved immense profits. It might even completely make up for the losses they had sustained this time. After all, how much could a few dead men cost in burial fees? Territory, on the other hand, was long-lasting and would bring them an endless stream of benefits.

It was no exaggeration to say that after this bandit-suppression operation, the power structure of White Stone City would inevitably be reshuffled. And they might just have the chance to ride this wave and ascend to the next level!

"Since Lord Tao has put it that way, we naturally won’t refuse. However, we’re unsure of what we should do next," Zhao Baiyu asked after weighing the pros and cons. The timing and plan Tao Dingfang had provided last time were entirely wrong. It was obvious he had deliberately withheld information. While they knew he was afraid of leaks, being kept in the dark still naturally left everyone feeling a bit displeased.

"Two days. You’ll all know in two days at the latest!" Tao Dingfang laughed, keeping them in suspense. He didn’t reveal anything further. Left with no choice, the crowd didn’t press the issue.

Once the gathering concluded, Hong Ming recounted the matter to Su Chen and the others. Hearing this, they all had their own thoughts on the matter but didn’t say much. The decision wasn’t in their hands anyway. After surviving a massive battle, everyone was physically and mentally exhausted. Therefore, after eating dinner, they all returned to their respective rooms to rest.

As the night grew darker, Su Chen sat in his pitch-black room, glancing at the moonlight outside his window. He calculated the time in his mind, then stood up and leaped out the window. During his few trips back and forth within the Lin Mansion, Su Chen had already figured out the route to leave the estate. Coupled with the fact that tonight’s defenses were not as strict as they had been in previous days, he quickly managed to slip away.

After leaving, Su Chen first returned home, changed his clothes, and then headed straight for the County Magistrate’s Office. According to the information he had gathered, Tao Wenxuan had settled Tao Dingfang and his men in the County Magistrate’s Office. Naturally, that Husband Leader was also staying there.

When Su Chen arrived at the County Magistrate’s Office, he indeed spotted the soldiers of Tao Dingfang’s army. After observing for a while, he infiltrated the premises and seized an opportunity to capture a soldier. First, he used his inner force to torture the man for a brief moment, then he asked sternly, "I ask, you answer. If you refuse to speak, I’ll let you experience that pain again."

Hearing this, the half-dead soldier broke out in a cold sweat and nodded frantically. Seeing this, Su Chen finally asked, "Where is Zuo Chong?"