Chapter 78: Consecutive Victories

“Dead? Young Chief Yu was killed by Duan Tao and that bastard working together?”

Zhuang Yutang recalled what Zhuang Yuyong had once told him: “Between martial artists, each realm is a towering mountain.” If Yu Shen had been slain by Duan Tao and Zhuang Jin together, there was only one possibility: “That wretch broke through? Truly reached the Fourth Meridian? But wasn’t it said that there was no way he could advance so quickly?”

No matter his disbelief, reality left him no room to deny it.

“The thing I feared most has come to pass!” Resentment and terror finally dissolved into powerlessness, and Zhuang Yutang sank weakly into his seat.

In terms of cunning and strategy, he had manipulated Duan Tao as if playing with a child, laying an intricate trap… Yet all of it was shattered by Zhuang Jin’s breakthrough, swept away by brute force! To see all his schemes and calculations crushed by overwhelming strength, to have force alone break ten thousand stratagems, left him with a bitter sense of grievance, as though the heavens themselves were unjust to him.

“No plan can withstand destiny—so what then? What can be done?!”

Zhuang Yutang bit his lip until blood welled, yet he had no choice but to accept reality. “If Yu Shen is dead, then my younger brother is likely…”

Suppressing his grief, he made up his mind: once the fighting at the Fortune Street stronghold quieted, he would return at once, order his household to pack, and at dawn, when the city gates opened, they would flee from Dian’nan Prefecture!

Yes, he would abandon his rank as a Ninth-Grade Scribe, and whatever property couldn’t be carried would be left behind. Only portable wealth would come… Escape!

—This meant that half a lifetime’s struggle would turn to nothing. The pain was keen, but life was more important.

To be honest, Zhuang Yutang now regretted it—truly regretted it. He couldn’t help but wonder: if only that bastard half-brother had died, and if he and his brother had not done what they did, but instead treated Zhuang Jin and his mother kindly, might they now be enjoying the benefits?

Or, even if they had not been kind, as long as they hadn’t gone to such extremes and made an enemy of him, if only he had sold off some family assets and tightened his belt in other areas, he could have scraped together enough silver for bribes and advancement. Then none of this would have happened, would it?

“But it’s all too late now, far too late!” With a deep sigh, Zhuang Yutang hunched over as he rose, seeming to age decades in an instant.

…

Duan Tao and Zhuang Jin’s group swept through the territory, taking over the Medicine King Gang’s Fortune Street, then hurried back to Prosperity Street without rest.

At the Brotherhood, they laid out the heads of Yu Shen and his three squad captains. The Brotherhood’s leader was so frightened he nearly lost control of his bladder, and immediately pledged his unwavering allegiance.

In truth, the Brotherhood had long been inclined toward the Shen family. Last month, they had almost surrendered, but due to the traitor Jiang Wei, the Medicine King Gang had launched a surprise attack from Fortune Street, nearly annihilating one of the Brotherhood’s squads. Now, with the Shen family’s swift and brutal revenge wiping out the Fortune Street base, their display of might left no doubt—the Brotherhood’s submission was a foregone conclusion.

So, in one night, they seized two entire streets!

One must understand that above the street level was the ward, and each ward contained only six streets. For Duan Tao and Zhuang Jin to capture two at once meant expanding their territory by a third.

Such a feat was bound to alarm Duan Tao’s superior, the warden of the ward. Without delay, Duan Tao and Zhuang Jin went by night to report.

…

“Brother Zhuang, our Prosperity Street falls under the jurisdiction of Clear Fortune Ward. Since the Shen family and the Medicine King Gang each control several streets in the ward, our family established East Bridge Stronghold, a unit equivalent in status to the ward itself. I’ve brought you here to pay respects to our East Bridge Warden—Lord Xing Yan!”

Tonight, the two had worked in perfect harmony, reaping exceptional results. Duan Tao was in high spirits and spoke freely. “Lord Xing is known for his magnanimity, his care for his subordinates, his affection for the younger generation, and his wide circle of friends. When he meets a talent as promising as you, Brother Zhuang, he’s bound to be delighted.”

Zhuang Jin merely took these words as reference; after all, reputation can be deceiving. ‘But one thing is certain—if he’s the warden, he must be at the Seventh Meridian realm!’

Compared to the Fourth Meridian, the Seventh was a world apart—a true guardian, representing the deep foundation of the Shen family’s strength.

…

At this hour, Xing Yan had already retired for the night. Upon hearing that Duan Tao had come with a visitor, he reluctantly dressed and rose. Even with his good temper, he was less than pleased at the disturbance. Still, he knew Duan Tao was not one for trivialities; there must be an important reason.

“What? You took two streets?!”

Hearing Duan Tao’s report, Xing Yan’s expression was one of disbelief, as if he’d awakened to find his subordinates had conquered the whole county seat. He cleaned his ears in astonishment, and once he was sure he hadn’t misheard, all his annoyance vanished, replaced by hearty laughter. “Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!”

Three exclamations in a row showed just how pleased he was. For such happiness, being roused from sleep—or even pulled from the company of his wives and concubines—was nothing at all!

He’d known Duan Tao had his eye on Prosperity Street. He also knew that, due to an incident last month, their efforts had been foiled at the last moment. He hadn’t expected that, tonight, not only would Prosperity Street be taken, but Fortune Street would come as a bonus.

“Tell me, how did you manage it?” Xing Yan instructed his servants to serve tea, invited Duan Tao and Zhuang Jin to sit, and then asked for the story.

Duan Tao, without embellishment, recounted the events from the previous month onward: “Last month, one of my squads was ambushed by the Medicine King Gang’s Fortune Street faction…”

First, such a major event could not be concealed, and as he himself had claimed the lion’s share of the credit, there was no need to exaggerate and appear greedy for achievements in front of his superior. Second, with Zhuang Jin present, it would be inappropriate to steal his credit outright.

Xing Yan listened, nodding frequently. By the end, he understood clearly—the key to tonight’s victory was Zhuang Jin.

—Indeed, had Zhuang Jin not broken through to the Fourth Meridian and mastered the Black Fiend Palm to a proficient level, joining forces to slay Yu Shen, Duan Tao’s plan might well have backfired.

“Fourth Meridian realm, Black Fiend Palm nearly mastered? Remarkable youth!” Xing Yan praised, studying Zhuang Jin with increasing favor. Such talent, coupled with great service, was a jewel any superior would treasure.

Zhuang Jin, observing that Xing Yan truly seemed to care for the younger generation, seized the opportunity to address potential concerns. “Lord Xing, I’ve heard that our Shen family and the Medicine King Gang have an understanding. Though it was the Medicine King Gang’s Fortune Street that launched the sneak attack this time, I must admit I acted rashly, crossing boundaries to deal with those…”

‘Rashly?’

Xing Yan glanced at Zhuang Jin. Having passed forty and held high office, he had seen much in his life. From Duan Tao’s account, he had already deduced that Zhuang Jin had likely suspected Jiang Wei was a traitor, and that tonight’s actions were carefully planned—a baited trap, with even the “substitute” arrangement orchestrated after his breakthrough, as he attempted to master the Black Fiend Palm. Such caution and steadiness were the mark of inner brilliance, far from anything “rash.”

But he chose not to expose the truth. He waved a hand. “No matter. You’d only just broken through and hadn’t registered your new rank with the Shen family. The Medicine King Gang, for their part, turned a spy, set an ambush, and attacked. In such circumstances, for a Fourth Meridian martial artist to kill opponents at the third, second, or first, who could fault you? It can’t be that they are allowed to ambush us, but you’re forbidden to strike back, can it?”

He paused, looked at Duan Tao, and continued, “As for the Young Chief Yu, you, Chief Duan, arrived in support and joined forces with Brother Zhuang. It was a battle of equals, so again, there is nothing to dispute.”

Such matters were all out in the open and easily verified. The Medicine King Gang had its own reputation to maintain and would not make trouble over this.

Xing Yan’s judgment put the matter to rest, laying any concerns to rest for the two of them.

“Thank you, Lord Xing. There is one more matter that cannot be overlooked—a certain Zhuang Yutang, a Ninth-Grade Scribe in the yamen…” Duan Tao, recalling his promise to Zhuang Jin, took the chance to repay the favor.

Zhuang Jin did not conceal the truth and explained his enmity with Zhuang Yutang and Zhuang Yuyong.

…