Chapter 39: Chapter 39: You Burned My Turf and Think You Can Run?

When Chen Xuan finally rushed over from a distance, his face twisted with shock and rage. He stared at the utter chaos at his branch headquarters, and the killing intent in his eyes flared.

’Damn it, they’re asking to die!’

’Who dares to cause trouble at my branch?’

"Jia Gui!"

Chen Xuan roared furiously.

But the area was a chaotic mess of people, and his shout received no response.

Everywhere he looked, people were scurrying for their lives with their heads in their hands.

Chen Xuan suddenly grabbed a figure and bellowed, "What are you running for? Go put out the fire!"

"Ah, Branch Leader, you’re finally back!"

The gang member before him cried out, his face alight with excitement.

"Where’s Jia Gui?"

Chen Xuan demanded furiously.

"I... I don’t know about Captain Jia. Maybe he was killed..."

The gang member’s face went pale.

"Killed? What the hell happened here?"

Chen Xuan yelled.

"I don’t know. All I know is a group of people charged in and started killing everyone in sight. It looks like they broke out some major fugitives of the state. The moment I got close, this whole place caught fire."

The man said quickly.

"Damn it, get lost! Go put out the fire!"

Chen Xuan roared, tossing the man aside as he continued to search through the crowd.

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed. He saw a group of wounded constables and quickly rushed over.

"Who’s in charge here? What the hell is going on?"

he demanded.

The man in the lead, Chief Qiu, had an ashen face. The bloodstains on his clothes hadn’t yet dried. He shot Chen Xuan a cold glance and said, "And what if you knew? What could you change?"

"Bullshit! I’m asking you, who did this?"

Chen Xuan exploded.

"Go get your Gang Leader. You can’t handle this. There’s nothing you can do!"

Chief Qiu’s tone was frigid.

’His mind was in turmoil. He clenched his fists, no longer knowing how he would report this to his superiors.’

’All the important fugitives he was escorting had been broken out.’

’No matter what connections he pulled, he’d likely be unable to escape a heavy sentence.’

’If things went wrong, he could face execution!’

"You son of a bitch!"

Chen Xuan, furious, dashed forward in an instant.

Chief Qiu’s expression changed. He had just thought to resist when a blur flashed before him. Chen Xuan’s palm had already struck him in the abdomen. BOOM! The blow sent him flying, spewing blood and screaming in agony as his clothes instantly burst apart.

Chen Xuan then grabbed him by the face and began slamming him against the ground like a scarecrow, over and over again. BAM! BAM! BAM!

"What the fuck were you running your mouth about to me?"

"I asked you what happened here! You told me to get the Gang Leader? Get the Gang Leader! I’ll get your fucking mother!"

"Keep talking shit! Go on, keep talking shit! I dare you!"

"AHHH!"

Chief Qiu’s wretched screams echoed incessantly.

"Chief Qiu!"

The remaining constables cried out in alarm.

"Can you fucking talk to me properly now?"

Chen Xuan finally stopped, grabbing Chief Qiu by the chin and demanding menacingly.

"Yes, yes..."

Chief Qiu’s face was covered in blood, his eyes wide with terror. He felt like seven or eight of his bones were broken, which was far worse than the injuries he’d sustained earlier.

’What kind of monster is this guy?’

’I’m at the Dark Force Ninth Layer!’

’And yet I couldn’t even put up a shred of resistance against him.’

"Speak! What happened?"

Chen Xuan roared.

"A group of river pirates, working with some figures from the martial world, attacked our large ship and rescued those government criminals. As they left, they burned, killed, and looted, which is what caused all this!"

Chief Qiu gasped.

"River pirates?"

Chen Xuan’s expression darkened.

"What level was the strongest among them?"

"Probably about the same as me. I was injured by three of them teaming up on me. The strongest shouldn’t be any higher level than I am..."

Chief Qiu said with difficulty.

"Which way did they go?"

Chen Xuan asked, his voice like ice.

"To the east..."

Chief Qiu continued to answer.

"Good. You’d better pray you’re telling the truth."

Chen Xuan dropped Chief Qiu, his eyes freezing cold. His body shot forward as he gave chase to the east.

’Damn it!’

’Breaking out criminals is one thing, but they dared to burn my territory and kill my men!’

’And most importantly, they slaughtered innocent people!’

’I just can’t stand by and watch!’

’If I don’t vent this anger... ’

’My mind won’t be at peace!’

"Branch Leader! Branch Leader, you’re finally back!"

Jia Gui came running from the distance, his face streaked with tears. "A group of river pirates rescued those government criminals! They killed a lot of our men and set a fire that burned down almost our entire dock! It’s over, we’re finished! The Red Sand Gang has never suffered such a huge loss..."

"Get lost! Go put out the fire!"

Chen Xuan roared at him, and then with a SWISH, he shot into the distance and vanished.

Jia Gui rushed toward the docks, shouting, "Put out the fire! Everyone, stop fucking running and put out the fire!"

...

「Thirty li away. Little Qing Mountain.」

Inside a dilapidated Mountain God Temple.

A group of criminals and river pirates had gathered here. Their wounds were already bandaged, and they had taken out jugs of wine they’d prepared in advance. With one jug per person, they began to laugh heartily.

"Come on, everyone! Let’s celebrate Brother Song Ming’s successful escape!"

A master from the Thirteen Golden Dragon Stronghold, "Iron Sand Palm" Fan Tao, was the first to speak with a laugh.

The men immediately clinked their jugs together, raised them high, and began to chug down the wine. GLUG, GLUG, GLUG.

"Hahaha! Satisfying! Truly satisfying!"

The man called Song Ming had sharp, chiseled features and a body of powerful muscle. A vicious scar ran across his face, and as he spoke, the entire scar seemed to writhe, adding to his fierce appearance.

"It’s a shame we couldn’t kill every last one of them. If we had killed them all and burned everything to the ground, that would have been even more satisfying!"

Song Ming said with a laugh.

"That’s right! Ever since we were captured, we’ve taken so much crap from the Imperial Court. We’re dying to vent!"

"I don’t just want to kill people, I need to find some women! I’ve been cooped up for months, I’m about to explode!"

"Hahaha!"

The surrounding men burst into laughter.

The master from the Thirteen Golden Dragon Stronghold, Fan Tao, smiled and said, "Brothers, don’t be anxious. Our Yue Village Chief has already arranged everything. Trust me, you’ll get to kill to your heart’s content later!"

"Oh?"

A glint flashed in Song Ming’s eyes. "Is that true?"

"When have I, Fan Tao, ever lied to you? Besides, Brother Song, you’re the Yue Village Chief’s sworn nephew. He’d never lie to you!"

Fan Tao said with a laugh.

"That’s true. My father and the Yue Village Chief are sworn brothers. The Yue Village Chief has watched me grow up since I was a child!"

Song Ming laughed heartily and raised his wine jug. "Come, my brothers, let’s have another drink!"

The men all cheered, raised their jugs, and poured the wine down their throats.

KRAKOOM!

Suddenly, the great doors of the Mountain God Temple were kicked open from the outside, exploding inward.

Shards of wood, imbued with immense force, shot into the temple, accompanied by a great cloud of dust and a gust of wind.

The men’s eyes turned cold as they whirled around.

Pairs of eyes, like those of ferocious beasts, stared toward the temple entrance.

Outside the doors, a young man with a sturdy build, handsome features, and a cold expression walked straight in. He wore a black robe and stared at the crowd of bandits before him.

"So you’re the ones who burned down my dock?"

...