Chapter 240: Returning to the Jianghu

Not long after, Chen Qingdi decided to abandon his disguise and re-enter the fray.

At the border between Dragon Country’s Nanzhao Province and Linyi Country, near a special unclaimed island on the Red Flame River, numerous financial criminals were being repatriated by Linyi Country.

The repatriation was being handled by either Linyi Country officials or representatives from the Red Flame River’s Anti-Deception Army.

Due to the power-cut strategy, the Red Flame River special zone had become an information black hole. Linyi Country, sensing Dragon Country’s fury, no longer dared to kill Dragon Country People indiscriminately. Instead, they repatriated any they came across.

This was a practical action meant to show that they were not in league with the fraud syndicates or their patrons.

With too many criminals and not enough handcuffs, many had their hands bound with rope.

Of course, the severity of their crimes varied. Some faced life sentences, others only a few months in detention. But regardless, they had to be processed first.

Meanwhile, Old Street County Town was besieged from all sides, and panic gripped its people.

Shelling was constant, with new casualties every day. Though the town was now an information island, its strong fortifications had repelled all attacks so far.

Behind the front lines, Chen Qingdi used medicinal herbs from the deep mountain forests to treat the wounded. His skills were plain for all to see—as long as someone wasn’t killed instantly, he could save them.

A representative at Peng Liwei’s side was effusive with his praise.

"Mr. Chen, your medical skills are a true treasure! You are indeed worthy of the title Emperor’s Physician of Medical God Island!"

Chen Qingdi laughed heartily. "The Peng Family’s army also lives up to its reputation! Truly decisive and brave!"

Just then, Peng Liwei approached Chen Qingdi.

"Mr. Chen Qingdi. The defenses at Old Street are quite formidable. If we continue this assault, it will be a drain on our men and resources. Do you have any brilliant ideas?"

Chen Qingdi took out his solar-powered satellite phone—as long as there was sunlight, he’d never lose his connection—and opened a video.

It was a netizen from Malaysia, mocking Dragon Country.

"HAHAHA, they say all you Dragon Country People do is condemn and protest. The criminals have already fled your country, and all you can do is rage impotently. If you have the guts, go and catch them! What’s the matter? Too scared, are you? HAHAHA!"

Then there was a netizen from an Outer Island Country.

"I’ll give Bai Jiahui an escape route: take a helicopter to Waban, then from there go to Korea, and then on to Zhejin Mountain Country to live out your golden years. Dragon Country’s reach isn’t long enough to catch you!"

The Korean netizen couldn’t be outdone.

"Everyone knows the universe belongs to us Koreans! No matter where Mr. Bai runs, he will receive the protection of our great nation of Korea! I support you in spirit, you freedom fighter against Dragon Country!"

Another post mocked the Red Flame River Anti-Deception Army.

"They’re just a bunch of monkeys in the woods. All they can do is throw rocks. Do they even know how to fire a gun?"

At that moment, a netizen from Jiaozhi Country fired back at the person mocking the Red Flame River.

"Oh, you’re a real tough guy, aren’t you? Did a monkey screw your wife or something? I dare you to say ’monkey’ one more time!"

Peng Liwei, who could also read the Dragon Country script, watched for a long time before asking Chen Qingdi in confusion,

"Mr. Chen, what’s the use of reading these ridiculous comments? The battle at hand is what matters. How are you going to capture Old Street County Town?"

Chen Qingdi simply gestured at the screen full of comments and said to Peng Liwei,

"Mr. Peng, don’t you think that by besieging the city without attacking, we can better drain the will of those who are putting up a desperate last stand? My advice is this: food is the best weapon. If they have nothing to eat, how can a bunch of skeletons fight us?"

Peng Liwei thought for a moment.

"That makes sense, but it will be hard on the ordinary civilians inside Old Street!"

Chen Qingdi said,

"That’s also easily solved. We just need to send drones to drop leaflets over Old Street, calling for the civilians to ’vote with their feet.’ Old Street County Town is bound to descend into chaos. Getting the people inside to turn on the warlord clans is far more powerful than our shells!"

Peng Liwei agreed that this was the most cost-effective solution. He immediately ordered several drones from the Anti-Deception Army to fly over the Red Flame River and airdrop leaflets.

Thanks to Dragon Country’s strategic power cut, Old Street County Town had become a cesspool.

Sewage backed up in the drains, toilets reeked, air conditioners were useless, and the rooms became unbearably hot.

As for the fraudsters who had once seen the Red Flame River as their personal paradise, they now felt like they were sitting on pins and needles.

They had started out by posting short videos mocking Dragon Country for its weakness, only to end up besieged themselves.

Many of the core figures were in a state of constant panic, already scheming to sacrifice others to save their own skins.

Just then, the ordinary citizens of Old Street began to riot. They flooded the streets, denouncing the fraudster clans.

Panicked by this turn of events, the warlord leaders, with Bai Jiahui at their head, ordered their men to open fire with machine guns, mowing down the civilians at the front of the mob.

The drones captured aerial footage, sending it directly to Chen Qingdi’s mobile terminal. When they saw the images of innocent civilians being gunned down by Bai Jiahui’s men, the entire Anti-Deception Army seethed with righteous indignation.

Chen Qingdi turned to Peng Liwei. "To save those people, blow the bastards to hell!"

Peng Liwei immediately dispatched his own drones over Old Street. Using satellite navigation, they quickly locked onto the central buildings of the Four Great Clans.

Powerful bombs rained down. Several large buildings collapsed with a thunderous roar, and the air was filled with screams of agony from within.

The members of the Four Great Clans no longer had time to shoot civilians; they rushed to close their main gates and rescue their own people from the rubble.

At that moment, Bai Jiahui gathered the heads of the other three great clans in his underground fortress.

"Gentlemen, remember when we betrayed the King of Red Flame River, the elder Mr. Peng, and colluded with the Linyi Country military to establish the rule of our Four Great Clans. Now, his son, Peng Liwei, wants to flay us alive. Once Old Street County Town falls, it’s over for all of us. I want to know what you all think."

The old patriarch of the Ming Family stood up.

"Die standing, die lying down—it’s all the same to me! I’ve already proven with my actions that I will never compromise! Anyone who dares to drag me down, I’ll fucking kill them myself!"

Among them, the Ming Family held the most power, and their treatment of spies and Dragon Country People was far more brutal than that of the other three clans.

In truth, they had done the same as the Bai Family: they had tried to flee, but were sent back.

Minlai, the leader of the Linyi Country military authorities, had told them bluntly,

"From the day you betrayed that old devil from the Peng Family, you became our pawns! And a pawn’s only purpose is to be like Li Kui from *Water Margin*: take a knife for your boss while you’re alive, and be his footstool in death! You will live and die with Old Street County Town, and in doing so, boost our morale."

And so, just like the Bai Family, they had been sent back by helicopter.

This was because Linyi Country, just like the other nations, was not foolish. They were all terrified, having felt the stirrings of Dragon Country’s thunderous wrath.

To avoid being branded a "nation of fraud" by Dragon Country, they felt it was necessary to draw a clear line separating themselves from the fraud syndicates and warlords of the Red Flame River.