Housecleaning

Ling Shuo, who had talked until his throat went dry, saw black spots before his eyes, his blood pressure nearly blowing the roof off. *Are you serious, bro? You mean after everything I just said, you didn't understand a single word?!* Yet, looking into that pair of calm, blank eyes that carried the distinctive innocence of the White Stag, his expression twitched a couple of times, and he finally managed to squeeze out a stiff smile. Don't rush. Don't lose your temper. His surname is An. Just like when An Ran introduced himself, all he had to do was give his name. He didn't need any other titles or designations whatsoever. In the Wild Gathering, there was only one family that dared to brandish that name out in the open. Hunting Finger Flying Light! Even though An Ran had specifically stressed that he no longer had anything to do with the An family, just because the guy said so, could you actually take it seriously?! This was someone Mr. Ji had brought in! The blond had barely left, and before Ling Shuo could even wag his tail in celebration, a White Stag Hunting Finger popped up behind him to say hello. It scared the absolute shit out of him! Although this was indeed an exceptionally rare and powerful reinforcement, the support came with a distinct hint of a warning: *Don't think that playing the docile lackey to rise up as Dragon Head gives you the right to bargain with me. I have people in the Wild Gathering too, kid!* It was only because An Ran hadn't been wearing gloves when he gave his name. Otherwise, forget Ling Shuo—even a true Dragon Head standing there would have pissed his pants... Whenever the An family stepped out to do business, they took orders solely from the Chief, representing the absolute authority of the Wild Gathering. Though they brought their own weapons, their gloves were bestowed by the Chief for every single operation, wielding the supreme power over life and death recognized by the White Stag! Just like when An Ning appeared as the representative of the Hermit at Lei Wuye's memorial service: if they asked a question, you answered. If they gave an order, you obeyed. If you had any little objection to that, you must have felt you had far too many relatives across your nine generations of kin. The law of the Wild Gathering was the law of the jungle—pure survival of the fittest, with zero need for pretense. Likewise, if Ling Shuo wanted to be the Dragon Head, whether people acknowledged him or not was one thing, but first and foremost, his fists had to be rock hard! Tianyuan might still care about rules, but in the Wild Gathering, as long as you were strong enough, ruthless enough, and overbearing enough, then being the Dragon Head was truly something you could do just by saying so. If having Ji Jue's permission had previously given Ling Shuo a thirty percent chance, then Xiao An's arrival undoubtedly elevated that likelihood to seventy percent! Ling Shuo's plan was not complicated; it was appropriate and concise—something he had dreamed about countless times in his sleep. Before repelling foreign threats, one had to pacify the home front! First: housecleaning! The Seven Cities had had too little time to integrate, and relying on the weight of Luo Island and Xiangzhou to hold down the other five cities would take time after all. Thanks to the godforsaken traditions of the past, there were far too many cesspools harbouring scum, with pests beyond counting. Not to mention, other branches of the Wild Gathering were stoking the flames from behind the scenes. If Ling Shuo truly wanted to command the dark underbelly of the Seven Cities, his immediate priority was to sweep through all seven cities and scrub them clean—especially lopping off the heads of the restless troublemakers and the hands reaching in from other factions! If it were anyone else, they might be bewildered by the tangled mess with no idea where to start. But Ling Shuo's ability to pull together this list in a single day was proof enough of his competence. Everyone on the list deserved to die, that was true. But sometimes, there was no need for them to die in such a hurry—at least, not that quickly. Even garbage had its uses. The Wild Gathering itself had never been an elite organization. As an epic stitched-together monstrosity, it was only natural that dragons and snakes mingled within it, that jade and pebbles were washed together in the mud. Elites existed, of course, such as the prominent clans, the direct subordinates of the Chief, and even armed forces. But the small fry were beyond count—even the street thugs collecting protection money or running staged accident scams dared to call themselves members of the Wild Gathering! There was no helping it. Dirty, exhausting work always had to be done. Could the Chief personally go to Shisong Manor to unclog toilets? These shady misfits and bottom-feeders who couldn't show their faces in broad daylight were precisely ninety-nine percent of the Wild Gathering's makeup and its primary source of revenue. Nightclub security, construction waste removal, garbage recycling, valet parking, smuggled counterfeit goods, knock-off products, expired food, unlicensed black-market cabs, ghost ships, fuel and pharmaceutical smuggling... Once stripped of normal order and regulations, the tentacles of the Wild Gathering were everywhere. Having abandoned a way of living under the sun, their hidden underworld existence was equally rife with cruel infighting and ruthless struggles. Killing them all in one go would certainly make things clean, but it would also spark chaos—chaos that Ling Shuo could never hope to control. If the mess spilled out into the open and caused trouble for Mr. Ji, then his promises and assurances would become completely worthless. If a toilet couldn't contain the filth, it meant the brand was garbage. Therefore, they couldn't be killed—at least not right now. Not only could they not be killed, but he had to do everything possible to win over those who could be swayed, expanding his own power until he truly grasped supreme authority and the chief seat. Only then would he slowly purge them from the inside out. Of course, this meant he would be caught between both sides for a long time, taking abuse from both ends, likely hated inside and out. If he slipped up and the game collapsed, he could be slaughtered at any moment as an expendable pawn sacrificed to the war banners. So what? If it were easy, why would they need him? As long as he followed the rules, Mr. Ji would always leave him a way out. What was there to fear? "No rush, Mr. An," Ling Shuo said with a smile. "You don't need to trouble yourself over these small fries. Leave them to me." "We're not killing them?" Xiao An asked, confused. "No need to kill them now; they're still useful alive." Ling Shuo calculated, speaking slowly. "If we go killing them one by one, before long the rest will be spooked. If they run away, who knows how long it'll take to track them down again? In any case, we just have to throw out some bait, and the roaches will gather on their own, waiting for us to round them up in one fell swoop... When that time comes, I'll be counting on you." "Brother Ji Jue said you handle the work and I don't need to interfere," Xiao An nodded. "You call the shots." At those words, Ling Shuo's bent spine straightened considerably, as though he had gained some backbone, though he still kept his head lowered in humility. After consulting Xiao An on a few more details, he nodded and placed a phone call. Five minutes later, an unrecognizable corpse was hung right in the center of Xi Island, suspended from a building in the bustling commercial district. In the early evening darkness, crimson raindrops splattered down, sending ripples of terrified screams across the ground. Deryal Ladan. President of Xi Island's You'ai Finance, a distinguished, prominent entrepreneur primarily involved in investment, insurance, and banking, and a well-known figurehead in Xi Island. At least on the surface. As for secretly laundering money for massive syndicates, running loan-sharking operations, and managing businesses on behalf of shady bigwigs who couldn't step into the light—that was his true foundation. Unfortunately, his foundation couldn't save him. Who told him not to worship a true Buddha like Mr. Ji, but instead try to pull rank, clutching his miserable little fortune while batting his eyelashes at outsiders? Previously, without Mr. Ji's instructions, Ling Shuo had to hold his nose and call him "old brother" and "good buddy." But now that Mr. Ji had spoken, tough luck—go die! Not only did he have to die, but he had to die an excruciating, horrific, utterly catastrophic death! Less than five minutes after Deryal died, his eldest son, who mainly handled the banking and investment business, was broken into spare parts and flushed down the sewer. His second son, who ran the lending operation, drove drunk into the ocean. Even his illegitimate son hidden away in secret plummeted from the sky with a twisted, furious expression... From top to bottom, not a single person involved made it out alive. Prior to this, Ling Shuo had already openly and legitimately taken over the businesses left behind by Blondie. Among those who chose to stay, he eliminated a batch of tactless, brainless fools and promoted a new crop of clever men into their positions, initially completing the takeover. Under Ling Shuo's orders, the subordinate syndicates that had only recently quieted down launched attacks on all fronts. Cut the bullshit, just fight! Get it done! The first to go under the knife was Xiangzhou. With Minkler turning a blind eye and clearing the way, the vermin that had barely survived until now met the most thorough sterilization imaginable. Either drop to your knees and call me boss, or get chopped to pieces and flushed down the drain. Throughout the night, blood flowed like rivers in the shadows, while the surface remained eerily tranquil. Having killed enough, plundered enough, and devoured enough, Ling Shuo—after wiping out a massive crowd of peers—officially sent out notices to all the syndicates, great and small, across the Seven Cities. He reiterated the rules of Luo Island and Xiangzhou, showcased the fate of those who defied them, and attached a heartwarming little note: [Starting today, whether you pay your dues to other houses is none of my business, but my cut is tripling. I’ve said my piece nicely—I hope none of you refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!] Everyone who received it was dumbfounded, their faces turning ash-gray. *What the hell? Has this Ling bastard lost his mind?* *You think just because you ran off a blond kid, you can call the shots across the Seven Cities? You really think that Ji guy is going to back you all the way?* *Hey, you’ve got someone behind you, but do you think I don't have someone behind me?!* *Wanting to hog the whole cake for yourself?* *Aren't you afraid of choking to death?!* The first to lash out was Ling Shuo's sworn brother, who was already fuming with rage. Ling Shuo's actions had already been interpreted by some as Ling Liu's intentions; if Grey Port was abandoning the rules, then everyone's pressure was about to come crashing down! "Number Seven, what the hell do you mean by this?!" Ling Zan roared in interrogation over the phone. "What the fuck are you trying to do?!" "Do I need to explain what I do to you?" Ling Shuo retorted coldly. "Food is put in front of you—just eat it. You don't even say thank you, and you're still complaining it's not enough?" "Thank you?" Ling Zan laughed in sheer fury. "Let me ask you one thing: are you really not going to show an ounce of sentiment? How are you going to explain yourself to Godfather?!" To this, Ling Shuo remained indifferent: "If Godfather has something to say, tell him to come say it to me himself. What kind of thing do you think you are?" *Click.* The call ended. Ling Zan's face was livid. He looked up at the people from other factions sitting in the office, nearly crushing his phone to pieces. "There's some trouble at home. Forgive me, but I won't be able to entertain everyone further." Amidst numerous stunned or mocking glances, he stood up to leave. "Excuse me." Five minutes later, far away in Grey Port, Ling Liu received Ling Zan's call. Long before this, he had already received inquiries and feelers from various parties, and now he finally confirmed what this most capable godson of his was actually doing. "The boy has grown up; his wings have hardened." Over the phone, Ling Liu sighed with emotion and made his stance clear: "As his godfather, there's not much I can do either... "He doesn't know any better. Uncles and elders, please bear the trouble and cut him some slack." *No need to give me face.* *Whatever Ling Shuo does has nothing to do with me. Whether he lives or dies is up to you.* *Since an ignorant brat wants to stick his neck out and be the nail that sticks up, let's see how many hammer blows he can withstand!* "Well, well, isn't this Brother Zan? Your little brother's been rising in the world lately—must've made quite a fortune, eh?" Inside the bustling clubhouse conference room, a sarcastic voice rang out, darkening the expression of Ling Zan, who had just pushed the door open. "Looking for a scrap?" Ling Zan cast a sideways glance. "Fine by me. Before taking care of that little bastard who sold out his father for glory, killing you first is just a bonus." "Oh my, I'm terrified!" Derento, puffing on a cigar, sneered. "I don't mind at all. If Master Liu wants to go to war with our family, we can start right with the two of us. Do you really think you're that little brat Ling Shuo?" Ling Zan's face was dark, his hand already resting on the hilt of his blade. The surrounding people immediately rushed over to play peacemaker. "Come on, no need for that, no need for that." "Hey, Derento, what are you doing?" "Not that I'm taking sides, Ah Zan, but why lower yourself to his level? He's always been this cocky..." After enjoying the spectacle, they tossed out a few cheap platitudes. Everyone present was a representative of various syndicates; none of them had an ounce of goodwill. It was merely using Derento to deflate Ling Zan's arrogance so they could present a united front against external threats. Weren't they all gathered here today to deal with the chaos Ling Shuo had stirred up? Not only were the prominent figures from the underbelly of the Seven Cities present, but other branches of the Wild Gathering whose businesses had been harmed had also dispatched representatives. "Honestly, why beat around the bush over a little brat?" A buck-toothed middle-aged man bared yellow tobacco-stained teeth, waving his hand carelessly. "Just kill him and be done with it. Saves everyone time." "Well said, Advisor Li!" The man opposite clapped. "Since you're so confident, why don't you do it? Everyone here will owe you a favor. It's a rare chance to make a name for yourself—make sure you don't just talk the talk." "You motherfucker—" Advisor Li's expression turned ugly. "I'm just giving a fucking suggestion! What, I recall your Boat Gang went crawling on your knees to see that Ji guy just two days ago. Unused to being a dog, so you came back to play the victim to the brothers?" "Doesn't bother me!" Compared to Advisor Li's tantrum, the Boat Gang's representative grinned. "Business is business no matter who you do it with. If Mr. Ji is willing to give us a way out, I don't mind kowtowing and being his dog. If that kid surnamed Ling hadn't gone too far, we wouldn't have reached this point, would we?" With that, he cast a glance at Ling Zan, making Ling Zan's face even uglier, bordering on furious. There was no helping it—Ling Shuo's appetite was truly too voracious and unsightly. "That's where you're wrong, Gang Master." Derento suddenly spoke up, causing everyone to pause. Shedding his earlier frivolous, dissipated demeanor, his expression turned abruptly solemn: "Are the one surnamed Ling and the one surnamed Ji not one and the same? If Ling is acting as a dog, could he really swallow this much behind Ji's back? "Pushing an expendable pawn out to do dirty work—what's so surprising about that? It's not that Ling isn't giving you a way to live, but that Mr. Ji you keep talking about isn't giving *any* of us a way to live! "Isn't that why everyone gathered here today? "Why... as you Federation people say, bury your heads in the sand?" For a moment, the conference room fell silent. Everyone wore well-timed expressions of worry and helplessness, though how much of it was genuine was hard to say. Mr. Ji's iron fist was simply too painful. Who among those present hadn't suffered a brutal defeat at his hands? There was no helping it; this master's style was simply too domineering, leaving no breathing room for others. They say a mighty dragon cannot suppress the local snake, but he didn't care about face at all—he even wanted to snatch up these few scraps of leftovers! Even if, stepping back, you insisted on crushing them, that wasn't entirely out of the question, but shouldn't you leave everyone at least a bite to eat? Now, they were watching him unleash a mad dog like Ling Shuo to drive everyone into a corner. Even if he hadn't made any big moves yet, who knew if he would boil the frogs in warm water next? "So, Mr. Derento, does this mean you're going to stand up and take charge for everyone?" Advisor Li asked with a teasing grin, as if bantering. But Derento's face remained unchanged as he nodded decisively: "Of course!" The conference room immediately began to buzz with hushed whispers. Looking at the two playing off each other, everyone vaguely understood. "At this point, Ji Jue's tyrannical acts have already stirred up wrath and resentment across the Seven Cities," Derento said, raising his head. "My family's business has suffered, and as their representative, I lose face as well. Now that Ji isn't giving everyone a way out, naturally there's no need for us to be polite! "If this continues, the Seven Cities being ruined is a small matter, but how many people will starve to death because of Ji? Not just my family, but the Iron Hook District and the Shiye Archipelago won't stand idly by either. "The two who came with me today are the representatives sent from both sides, here specifically to solve everyone's problem..." As he spoke, the two men who had remained silent from beginning to end slowly stood up and nodded to the other attendees. The room fell silent for a heartbeat, followed by a roar of applause, with lively cheers echoing without end. Seeing that the Colombo Family—who managed the Wild Gathering on Fog Hidden Reef—along with the Wild Gathering from the Shiye Archipelago and the Iron Hook District had all sent representatives, the attendees' eyes lit up. Everyone had been fretting over how to deal with that mad dog Ling Shuo, but now, with three Wild Gathering factions taking the lead, they couldn't contain their excitement. If the sky falls, the tall guys will hold it up! If they chipped in some effort, wouldn't they legitimately get a share of the spoils when the dust settled? As for whether chaos would break out next... Chaos was great! When had the Wild Gathering ever feared chaos? It was peace they feared! "As long as we unite, is there anything in the Seven Cities we can't do? We must show Ji Jue the backbone of our Wild Gathering!" Derento slammed the table and proclaimed decisively, "Everyone, make your move! Take down that Ling kid first! We'll show Ji that whether the Seven Cities are in chaos or not is decided by us!" "Right!" "Well said!" "Spoken like someone forged in blade and gun—tough!" "Didn't lose an inch of face!" For a time, shouts of agreement and praise rang out endlessly. The smiles that had briefly vanished returned to their faces, and everyone once again saw a future in their eyes. Unfortunately, amidst the extraordinarily lively and celebratory atmosphere, a discordant noise rang out, piercingly sharp. *Pfft...* Outside the door, a soft chuckle sounded. Without any warning. It brought the entire conference room to an abrupt halt. The double doors collapsed backward onto the floor, kicking up a cloud of dust. And in that brief, dead silence, the youth who had suddenly appeared lowered his head with a trace of embarrassment, waving his hands repeatedly in apology: "Sorry, I really couldn't hold it in." A young man none of them had seen before, looking as though he wasn't even of age. The slightly slender youth had an exquisite face, appearing strikingly androgynous. As if bashful, speaking in front of so many people made him involuntarily flush red. He looked like someone's kid who had accidentally run out to play, an endearing annoyance that adults wouldn't hold against him. And yet... In the corridor behind him lay a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood!