The Ebbtide Gang had a considerable number of high-ranking professionals, and in other ordinary towns, its gang size would be enough to reign supreme, becoming one of the top-tier underworld organizations in the nearby areas.

But if we move the setting to Suo Yu Bay, an important adventure hub, a crucial port for the Kingdom, and a core town of the Southern Islands, then the strength and numbers of those high-ranking members clearly fall short.

It was only because their neighboring rival, the Corner Shark Gang, arrogantly provoked adventurers far beyond their ability to handle and got wiped out overnight, allowing them to feast on the leftover resources. Otherwise, they might still be confined to doing shady businesses with meager earnings in the narrow and cramped alleys of Crooked Alley.

The Ebbtide Gang’s expenses were high, especially during this period when they were frantically recruiting peripheral members for expansion, revealing a bit of financial strain.

Their biggest expenditure, of course, was the "tribute" handed over to those sheriffs in the Saltwater District, with channeling and networking expenses accounting for more than half of their income.

Of course, this was necessary and could not be spared at all.

Next were the rewards and bonuses for the core members of the gang.

Having painstakingly established such a moderate-sized force in Suo Yu Bay, the professional core members couldn’t possibly live in hardship. Indiscriminate and large withdrawals of gang funds had become routine.

As for those peripheral members, or "underlings"... being able to join the Ebbtide Gang was already their supreme honor. Riding on the gang’s name to strut upon the street wasn’t enough, maybe occasionally a few small leaders would take their men to the cheap tavern for a couple of good meals, but concepts like reward and consolatory payment were entirely absent.

Lastly, add in expenses such as the procurement of weapons and armor, expenses for informants, and milestone bonuses for a few meritorious members...

This made the Ebbtide Gang’s expenditures reach an unprecedented high while expanding their forces.

In this situation, they naturally sought to expand their income channels.

Protection fees for some ships with weak backgrounds at the port, handling fees for dock workers, and they even dabbled in the extremely dangerous smuggling business.

Unfortunately, their influence was limited, and they had no high-level professionals to hold the front, thus they couldn’t even touch the doorstep of Suo Yu Bay’s most profitable casinos and brothels. They could only serve as bodyguards and bouncers, hoping to establish connections with the higher powers and the town’s Big Shots.

Hogan felt like his luck wasn’t that great.

As a newcomer who hadn’t been part of the gang for long, he believed he had done his best to carry out the tasks the Big Shots assigned him, keeping every point that needed attention firmly in mind and following them cautiously.

While on the docks, even those residents who looked like ordinary people, he would confirm repeatedly before urging his brothers to proceed. This cautiousness had even led to instances where other gangs snatched up his marked targets first.

He thought his prudence would prevent any mistakes, but just a week ago...

Even to this day, Hogan still remembered that silly-looking short guy, along with that terrifying shadow with black hair and eyes, a fierce face, and a mysterious aura.

It wasn’t until he returned to the Ebbtide Gang’s core base in Suo Yu Bay, and received confirmation from some well-informed members of the gang based on the descriptions, did he finally realize he had really encountered the legendary tough man who single-handedly decapitated the entire leadership of the Corner Shark Gang—Haiya Xia Nan.

And according to recent information circulating among adventurers, this "Haiya" had temporarily joined the famous "Sword of Vengeance" fleet.

If that inference was correct, then the "easy prey" he considered, that innocent-looking short guy who seemed inexperienced in the world, was also a member of the "Sword of Vengeance" adventurer team.

In that moment, Hogan had even thought of his own manner of death.

He just hoped it would be swift, with less torture; for that, he was willing to offer up his only 3 gold, 6 silver, and 2 copper, plus a threaded short sword stolen from a cheap Blacksmith Shop, as a price.

Hmm... if possible, before dying, he would like a good meal—nothing too extravagant, a plate of grilled meat and a big mug of iced beer would leave him content.

Hogan waited in fear for three whole days in his hovel at the deepest part of the alley—the Ebbtide Gang had kicked him out from their base, afraid of getting involved. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

But surprisingly, death didn’t come.

Perhaps a Big Shot like Haiya didn’t care about someone as insignificant as him. In three days, no one came to trouble him, not even any movement from the Ebbtide Gang.

Hogan, tentatively, stepped out of his little nest and nervously sat in a tavern corner, eavesdropping on news about the "Sword of Vengeance". Any mention of Haiya made his heart tighten, fearing his name would follow.

But just as he had fantasized in his sweetest dreams, Haiya and the Sword of Vengeance didn’t care about a small fry like him.

Hogan survived.

And his encounter on the docks had also circulated within the Ebbtide Gang over these days. While not turning him into a significant figure, it did earn him some reputation among the lower-tier thugs, as not everyone could stay unscathed after offending such professional adventurers.