A fleeting, barely noticeable glint of coldness flashed through Liu Jinshui's eyes.
That idiot Zhao Biao was nothing more than a pawn under Elder Jiang. If he was dead, he was dead. However, the methods of the Ten Thousand Dragons Syndicate were indeed a bit excessive, truly striking a nerve with Elder Jiang. If they got dragged into this, it would be a huge problem.
Especially that underling of Zhao Biao who was taken away; he was a massive hidden danger.
They didn't yet know that Zhao Biao's underling had already been sent to the Pearl City police station. Currently, they only knew that the people from the Ten Thousand Dragons Syndicate had detained him, and they assumed the other party wanted to use this insider underling to threaten them.
It was understandable for them to think this way. After all, no one in the underworld liked dealing with the police, let alone cooperating with them.
Usually, they couldn't hide from them fast enough.
A syndicate like the Ten Thousand Dragons, which looked extremely shady, couldn't possibly cooperate with the police either. Most likely, they just wanted to hold onto a bargaining chip.
Liu Jinshui lit a cigar, took a deep drag, and then slowly spoke: Revenge, of course, must be taken.
But how we take it requires everyone's effort. Don't forget, they sent over a hundred men to strut around our territory. If we just sit back and do nothing, what happened last night will keep repeating. By then, we'll just be eaten away bit by bit until we become homeless dogs.
Big Lei suddenly stood up and cursed angrily again: Damn it, these outsiders! Killing Zhao Biao wasn't enough, now they want to wipe us all out. Do they think just because Zhao Biao is dead, there's no one left in Huai City?
That chubby Boss Du also couldn't help but speak up: By doing this, they've offended all of us. What good does that do for them?
Liu Jinshui sighed, a worried look appearing on his face: This is also what Elder Jiang and I couldn't figure out at first. But when I sent people to Pearl City to investigate the background of the Ten Thousand Dragons Syndicate, we finally understood why they dared to do this.
Pearl City used to have several gangs, but they were all wiped out by this Ten Thousand Dragons Syndicate. I also heard their methods are extremely ruthless. Not only do they steal territories, but they also exterminate their rivals completely. For example, there was once a faction called the East Sea Alliance in Pearl City. Back then, it was one of the top syndicates there. In the end, the boss's son was forced to jump off a building and became a vegetable, and the boss himself was shot dead.
From all indications, this Ten Thousand Dragons Syndicate seems to love monopolizing everything. Wherever they go, they tolerate no other gangs. Now, they've clearly set their sights on our territory in Huai City. As for why they struck so suddenly, it's simple: for the coal mines.
Elder Jiang had just secured the coal mine in the west of the city when Zhao Biao had his accident. How could there be such a coincidence?
They just wanted to use Zhao Biao to test our reaction, while simultaneously showing off their strength and methods. For instance, getting the subordinate who killed Zhao Biao out scot-free, and then telling everyone: look, they can kill someone and get away with it, even the law can't punish them. If we don't obediently submit, we're next.
This highly logical analysis made cold sweat break out on the backs of the several bosses present.
Not gonna lie, this way of establishing dominance is really damn unique, and their methods are top-notch!
Looking at it this way, that self-defense claim was just a smokescreen. When I read the news online, I actually thought it was genuine self-defense.
Damn, I've learned something new today. After surviving in the underworld for so many years, this is the first time I've seen dominance established like this!
Did these guys study law or something? They're playing this so professionally.
I don't know, but it's no wonder those men in black had such an imposing aura. They can kill someone and find a legitimate excuse to get away with it. Aren't they just pure outlaws?
I'm actually a little scared now. I'm afraid I might get knocked off under some fabricated self-defense excuse too.
.........
Finally, it was Big Lei, the one with the most violent temper, who stepped forward to state his position.
Screw their ancestors! They want to mess with me? In their dreams!
Boss Liu, what do you say we do?
Liu Jinshui: My intention is to make the Ten Thousand Dragons Syndicate the public enemy of all factions in Huai City. Make it impossible for them to move a single inch in our territory, and they will naturally scram.
Boss Liu, aren't you taking things a bit too for granted? Lin Hong asked, raising an eyebrow.
As the only boss among them who had risen to power from the status of a mobster's wife, even in her thirties, she maintained her figure and looks perfectly, appearing much like a girl in her early twenties.
Even though the men harbored some lust for this woman, none dared to show it. After all, to become the biggest local smuggler meant her background connections and methods were both formidable.
Then there is only one way left: wipe them all out!
Liu Jinshui continued: The Ten Thousand Dragons Syndicate brought just under two hundred men to Huai City this time. These should be all their capable fighters. As long as we get people together to annihilate this group in one fell swoop, they will naturally run away with their tails between their legs and never dare to lay a finger on Huai City again.
This was the most viable plan he could think of at the moment.
Why was the Ten Thousand Dragons Syndicate so arrogant? Wasn't it simply because they had enough manpower?
Setting aside everything else, if those one or two hundred men gathered together, none of their individual families could possibly be a match for them.
In this day and age, who would casually keep one to two hundred professional thugs like the Ten Thousand Dragons Syndicate did?
Dozens of thugs were already considered a lot—enough to dominate an entire area. If worse came to worst, they could spend some money and easily gather another hundred or so broke street punks.
It was just that the combat effectiveness of those hired street punks was ultimately inferior to professional thugs.
That was why he needed to unite the people present, pool everyone's strength, and take out the Ten Thousand Dragons Syndicate's men in one vigorous effort. That way, everything would be smoothly resolved.
The private room fell silent for a few seconds.
The fat pig, Boss Du, couldn't help but speak up first: Boss Liu, isn't this playing a bit too big? And what if they refuse to go to war with us?
Rest assured on that point, everyone. I have already issued a formal challenge to them, and they have agreed to fight. We've arranged to meet at the construction site in the suburban development zone. The site is currently on holiday, so there's absolutely no one around. All you need to do is provide the men. My suggestion is that our numbers cannot be less than five hundred. The thugs from the Ten Thousand Dragons Syndicate are quite capable fighters, but if we can assemble five hundred men, it'll be two against one. We can crush them with sheer numbers!
Five hundred men? Everyone gasped in shock.
Over the years, the largest gang fight in Huai City had involved just over a hundred people. That record had been held for many years, only recently broken by the Ten Thousand Dragons Syndicate.
On the day Zhao Biao was killed, the total number of participants from both sides exceeded three hundred. The most outrageous part was that none of those men in black were arrested, except for the one who actually committed the murder.
If they really gathered five hundred men this time, plus the opponent's two hundred, wouldn't that exceed seven hundred people?
This would be a massive, unprecedented scene!
Boss Du frowned and said: That's a bit too many people. If our families pool our resources, the capable elites we can gather will total around three hundred at most. The rest would just be low-level punks making up the numbers; they'd be useless in a real fight.
"Also, what if they don't play by the rules and secretly call the cops?"
"If they call the cops during a gang war, how could they ever show their faces in the underworld again?"
Liu Jinshui said with certainty, "Don't worry. Elder Jiang will pull some strings and make sure we have enough time to react."
"All you need to do is provide the manpower. If you can't gather enough men, then it's time to use your connections. It's best to let everyone in the Huaicheng underworld know that we are standing together against outsiders to protect everyone's interests. Otherwise, we'll just be picked off one by one!"
"Besides that, Elder Jiang also said that once it's done, he will compensate everyone based on how much effort they put in and the losses they suffered. He guarantees everyone will be satisfied!"
The private room fell silent again, leaving only the sound of burning cigars and cigarettes.
Everyone was weighing the pros and cons. After all, if this battle really broke out, it would be absolutely unprecedented.
Even those gangster movies probably didn't have scenes this massive.
At the same time, the risks were incredibly high.
But soon, they made their decision.
"Damn it, I'm in! I've been sick of those guys in black for a long time! Acting all high and mighty. As long as the compensation is right, I'm absolutely down to fight!"
"Count me in. I'll bring a hundred men. If we don't beat the crap out of those black-clad bastards, I'll take their last name!"
"I'll bring eighty men, and pull in at least another fifty just to hold the line!"
"........"
"I don't care if they're mighty dragons crossing the river, we'll turn them all into dead worms!"
...........
