Although Lü Dahai felt his heart being cut by a knife, he was not a man without responsibility. After a brief silence, he immediately ordered his men to search Lü Daoming, who had already been paralyzed by Mu Lin’s martial arts technique. Indeed, they found on him a working miniature tape recorder.
Although Lü Dahai’s heart ached as if cut by a knife, he was not a man without responsibility. After a moment of silence, he immediately ordered a search of Lü Daoming, who had already been immobilized by Mulin’s pressure point technique. Sure enough, they found a still-functioning miniature tape recorder on him.
Seeing the recorder, Lü Dahai slumped into his chair, and after a long while, he wept bitterly into the air, saying, “Elder, I, Lü Dahai, am incompetent! I have failed the thousands of brothers in the Lion Gang! My own second son turned out to be a spy sent by our enemies!”
The room fell silent as everyone was clearly stunned by the revelation.
Seeing this, Mulin made sure his voice could be heard by all: “Leader Lü, even the greatest of men cannot guarantee the loyalty of their wives and children, let alone a small gang leader like you! Moreover, under your leadership, the Lion Gang has helped many struggling Chinese in Chinatown over the years. It’s precisely for this reason that I’ve come to assist you today.
“Besides, children must forge their own paths—their choices are their own. What does that have to do with you, Leader Lü? I doubt anyone here would think less of you because of this. I hope you can continue leading the Lion Gang out of this crisis. Surely, you don’t want those foreign devils to extend their reach into Chinatown, do you?”
Though no one knew where the voice was coming from, they were too preoccupied with the shocking events to investigate. Yet, the words resonated with them, and after the initial shock, they quickly echoed Mulin’s sentiments, comforting Lü Dahai.
Seeing Lü Dahai’s state, Mulin understood his pain—this was nothing more than a power struggle within the family, with his second son succumbing to temptation. “Leader Lü, regardless of who orchestrated your son’s betrayal, it must be one of the three gangs in Chinatown, and the Black Tiger Gang is the most likely suspect. I’ll investigate them soon. If their actions truly defy the natural order, I won’t hesitate to act on behalf of justice.
“I hope you can pull yourself together, Leader Lü. Otherwise, your martial skills will deteriorate, and who will then uphold Chinatown’s future?”
After a long silence, Lü Dahai finally roused himself from despair. Bowing toward the empty air, he said, “Thank you for your guidance, Elder. I will not slack off and will live up to your expectations.”
“No need for formalities, Leader Lü. I prefer solitude and dislike worldly disturbances. If not for the Black Tiger Gang’s extreme actions, I wouldn’t have intervened. Please relay this to our overseas gangs: ‘Those who invite disgrace upon themselves will be disgraced by others.’ I will not tolerate infighting that invites outsiders to oppress our own people. If I discover such acts again, I will eradicate the entire gang responsible. You’ve been warned.”
Mulin’s icy tone sent a chill down everyone’s spine.
With that, he left his hiding place and headed toward the Black Tiger Gang’s headquarters. His words were both a warning and a reflection of his true feelings. The events of the previous day had left a deep impression on him—he hoped overseas Chinese gangs would protect their own and act with integrity, so his efforts would not be in vain.
To achieve his goal, he had to confront the Black Tiger Gang. Based on Claire and the two butlers’ accounts, as well as the threats to his safety, he intended to wipe out this gang that served as a lackey for oppressors, setting an example for all similar factions.
Tonight, under a clear sky with sparse stars, Mulin swiftly moved through the shadows between buildings. When he was still about two kilometers from the Black Tiger Gang’s lair, his psychic senses detected their hidden sentries. Unaware of their shift changes, he avoided alerting them.
It seemed the Black Tiger Gang had already received some news from the Lion Gang—their sentries were listless and their defenses lax. Mulin easily bypassed the layers of security and stopped 300 meters from the gang’s main compound.
The Black Tiger Gang occupied a sprawling 30-hectare estate as their stronghold, with over a dozen buildings of varying sizes. Among them, three housed the gang’s key figures. Staring at the vast compound, Mulin realized tonight’s task would be enormous—dealing with such a large area and so many people would require tremendous effort. But since he had already made his declaration, failing to follow through would undermine his credibility.
Setting aside his thoughts, he focused on observing the situation. The main building was a 12-story tower serving as both living quarters and offices for the gang’s core members. The leader, Li Longtian, and his deputies, Ma Rulong and Li Longhu, resided in a 10-story building. Five elders lived in an 8-story structure, including the quarters of his two butlers. The remaining buildings housed families of lower-ranking members in apartment-style blocks.
After steadying his breathing and replenishing his spiritual energy, Mulin prepared to act. He never took shortcuts—even for minor tasks—to avoid leaving loose ends. Extending his psychic senses, he enveloped the entire compound within his awareness.
Inside the main building, only night guards remained awake while the rest slept. Taking out an invisibility talisman, he channeled his energy into it, and his body vanished into the night.
Mulin’s first goal was to secure the entire compound. Setting up a large formation around the perimeter would be difficult, so he decided to control each building individually. Approaching the main tower, he took out another talisman and activated it, deploying the “Dragon’s Prison Formation”—a barrier that allowed entry but no escape.
Watching the talismans in his ring dwindle one by one, Mulin felt as if his heart were bleeding. Each talisman required significant spiritual energy to create, and their arrangement and inscription followed strict rules. The paper itself was specially crafted—most of his stock had been gathered during his travels, and his reserves were running low.
If other cultivators saw him using talismans so lavishly, they would surely lament, “What a wastrel!” Not only were the materials rare, but the energy consumed in crafting so many was no small matter. A single mistake in inscription could turn a talisman meant to gather natural energy into a deadly explosive.
Sighing at his misfortune, Mulin swore never to undertake such a costly endeavor again. As he moved toward the surveillance room, he swiftly incapacitated the ten guards on duty, ensuring no alarms could be raised.
He then set up formations around the other buildings before returning to the main tower to begin his psychic sweep. In his view, while a gang’s leadership was important, its backbone—the core enforcers—was what sustained its existence. Thus, he aimed to dismantle the main building’s defenses first.
His psychic senses enveloped the entire structure. Aside from the absence of an armory or ammunition depot, the building housed an internal telephone exchange system, a remote surveillance setup, and—most notably—the Black Tiger Gang’s treasury. The basement even contained prison cells. This was undeniably the gang’s nerve center.
The room fell silent instantly; clearly, everyone was stunned by this news.
Although Lü Dahai’s heart was wrenched with pain, he was not a man without responsibility. After a moment of silence, he immediately ordered a search of Lü Daoming, who had been immobilized by Mulin’s pressure points. Sure enough, they found a still-active miniature tape recorder on him.
At the sight of the recorder, Lü Dahai collapsed into his chair. After a long while, he looked up at the ceiling, tears streaming down his face, and cried, “Elder, I, Lü Dahai, am incompetent! I have failed the thousands of brothers in the Lion Gang! My own second son turned out to be a spy sent by our enemies!”
The room fell into a stunned silence as everyone was shocked by the revelation.
Seeing this, Mulin projected his voice so that everyone could hear him clearly. “Leader Lü, even the greatest of men cannot guarantee the loyalty of their wives and children, let alone the leader of a small gang like the Lion Gang! Besides, under your leadership, the Lion Gang has helped countless struggling Chinese in Chinatown over the years. It’s precisely for this reason that I’ve come to your aid today.
“Moreover, children must forge their own paths—their choices are their own. What does that have to do with you, Leader Lü? I doubt anyone here would think less of you because of this. I hope you can continue to lead the Lion Gang out of this crisis. Surely, you don’t want those foreign devils to extend their reach into Chinatown, do you?”
Though no one could see where the voice was coming from, they were too bewildered by the events to question it. The words resonated with them, and after the initial shock, they quickly echoed Mulin’s sentiments, comforting Lü Dahai.
Mulin could empathize with Lü Dahai’s anguish. This was nothing more than a power struggle within the family—his second son had succumbed to temptation. “Leader Lü, regardless of who is behind your son’s betrayal, it must be one of the three gangs in Chinatown, with the Black Tiger Gang being the most likely suspect. I will investigate them soon. If their actions truly defy the natural order, I won’t hesitate to mete out justice.
“I hope you can pull yourself together, Leader Lü. Otherwise, your martial arts will deteriorate, and who will then uphold Chinatown’s future?”
After a long silence, Lü Dahai finally roused himself from despair. He bowed toward the empty air and said, “Thank you for your guidance, Elder. I will not slack off and will live up to your expectations.”
“There’s no need for formalities, Leader Lü. I prefer solitude and dislike meddling in worldly affairs. If not for the Black Tiger Gang’s excessive actions, I wouldn’t have intervened. Please relay this message to our overseas gangs: Those who disgrace themselves will be disgraced by others. I will not tolerate infighting that invites outsiders to bully our own people. If I discover such treachery again, I will wipe out the entire gang responsible. You’ve been warned.”
Mulin’s icy tone sent a chill down everyone’s spine.
With that, he departed from his hiding place and headed toward the Black Tiger Gang’s stronghold. His words were both a warning and a reflection of his true feelings. The events of the previous day had left a deep impression on him. He hoped that overseas Chinese gangs would protect their own people and act with integrity—only then would his efforts not be in vain.
To achieve his goal, he had to confront the Black Tiger Gang. Based on Claire and the two stewards’ accounts, as well as the threats they had made against his safety, this gang of collaborators had to be eradicated—as a warning to all others of their kind.
Tonight, under a clear sky with sparse stars, Mulin swiftly moved through the shadows. When he was still about two kilometers from the Black Tiger Gang’s lair, his psychic senses already detected their hidden sentries. Unaware of their shift changes, he avoided alerting them.
It seemed the Black Tiger Gang had already received some news from the Lion Gang—their sentries were listless, and security was lax. Mulin easily bypassed the layers of defenses and stopped 300 meters from the gang’s headquarters compound.
The Black Tiger Gang occupied a sprawling estate of about 30 hectares as their base. Over a dozen buildings of varying sizes stood within, but three were reserved for the gang’s key figures.
Looking at the vast compound, Mulin realized tonight’s task would be enormous. With so many people and such a large area, he would have to expend considerable effort. But since he had already made his declaration, failing to fulfill his promise would undermine his credibility in the future.
Shaking off his wandering thoughts, he focused on assessing the situation.
The main building was a 12-story tower housing the gang’s core members and offices. The gang leader, Li Longtian, and his deputies, Ma Rulong and Li Longhu, resided in a 10-story building. Five elders lived in an 8-story structure, which included the quarters of his two stewards. The remaining buildings were apartment-style residences for members with families.
After steadying his breathing and replenishing his spiritual energy, Mulin prepared to act. He believed in using overwhelming force—even for minor tasks—to avoid leaving loose ends. Extending his psychic senses, he enveloped the entire compound, leaving no corner unchecked.
Inside the main building, only the night guards were awake; the rest had retired. Taking out an invisibility talisman, he channeled his spiritual energy into it, and his body vanished into the night.
Mulin’s first objective was to secure the entire compound. Setting up a single large barrier around the estate would be difficult, so he decided to control each building individually.
Approaching the main tower, he took out another talisman and activated it with his spiritual energy, deploying the “Dragon’s Prison Formation”—a barrier that allowed entry but not exit.
As the talismans in his ring dwindled one by one, Mulin felt a pang of regret. Each talisman required significant spiritual energy to create, and their arrangement and inscriptions followed strict rules. The paper itself was specially crafted—these were remnants from his travels, and his stock was running low.
If other cultivators saw him using talismans so lavishly, they would surely lament, “What a spendthrift!” Not only were the materials rare, but the spiritual energy consumed in crafting so many talismans was no small amount. Worse, a single mistake in inscription could turn a talisman meant to gather natural energy into a deadly explosive.
Sighing inwardly at his misfortune, Mulin swore never to undertake such a costly endeavor again.
Moving swiftly, he reached the surveillance room and incapacitated the ten guards on duty, ensuring no alarms could be raised.
After setting up formations around the other buildings, he returned to the main tower and began scanning it with his psychic senses. In his view, while a gang’s leadership was important, its backbone—the core enforcers—was what truly sustained it. Thus, he intended to dismantle the main building’s defenses first.
His psychic senses enveloped the entire structure. Apart from the absence of an armory and ammunition depot, the building housed an internal telephone exchange system, a remote surveillance setup, and—most delightfully—the Black Tiger Gang’s treasury. The basement even contained prison cells.
This was, without a doubt, the heart of the Black Tiger Gang.
Although Lü Dahai’s heart was wrenched with pain, he was not a man without responsibility. After a moment of silence, he immediately ordered a search of Lü Daoming, who had already been immobilized by Mu Lin. Sure enough, they found a still-functioning miniature tape recorder on him.
At the sight of the recorder, Lü Dahai slumped into his chair, and after a long while, he wept bitterly into the air, saying, “Elder, I, Lü Dahai, am incompetent! I have failed the thousands of brothers in the Mighty Lion Gang. My own second son turned out to be a spy sent by our enemies!”
The room fell into silence as everyone was clearly stunned by the revelation.
Seeing this, Mu Lin amplified his voice so everyone could hear, “Leader Lü, even the greatest of men cannot guarantee the loyalty of their wives and children, let alone the leader of a small gang like the Mighty Lion Gang! Besides, under your leadership over the years, the Mighty Lion Gang has helped many struggling Chinese in Chinatown. It’s precisely for this reason that I’ve come to assist you today.
Moreover, children must forge their own paths—their choices are their own. What does that have to do with you, Leader Lü? I doubt anyone here would think less of you because of this. I hope you can continue leading the Mighty Lion Gang out of this crisis. Surely, you don’t want those foreign devils to extend their reach into Chinatown, do you?”
Though no one knew where the voice was coming from, they were too preoccupied with the shocking events to investigate. Yet, the words resonated with them, and after the initial shock, they quickly echoed Mu Lin’s sentiments, offering comfort to Lü Dahai.
Watching Lü Dahai, Mu Lin could empathize with his pain—this was nothing more than a power struggle within the family, with his second son succumbing to temptation. “Leader Lü, regardless of who is behind your son’s betrayal, it’s likely one of the three major gangs in Chinatown, with the Black Tiger Gang being the prime suspect. I’ll investigate them soon. If their actions truly defy justice, I won’t hesitate to act on behalf of heaven. I hope you can pull yourself together—otherwise, your martial skills will deteriorate, and who else can uphold Chinatown’s future?”
After a long silence, Lü Dahai finally roused himself from despair. Bowing toward the empty space, he said, “Thank you for your guidance, Elder. I will not slack off and will live up to your expectations.”
“No need for formalities, Leader Lü. I prefer solitude and dislike worldly disturbances. If not for the Black Tiger Gang’s extreme actions, I wouldn’t have intervened. Please relay this to our overseas factions: Those who invite disgrace upon themselves will be disgraced by others. I will not tolerate infighting that invites outsiders to oppress our own people. If I discover such acts, I will eradicate the entire faction responsible. You’ve been warned.” Mu Lin’s chilling words sent a shiver down everyone’s spine.
With that, Mu Lin departed from his hiding place and headed toward the Black Tiger Gang’s stronghold. His words were both a warning and a reflection of his true feelings. The events of the previous day had left a deep impression on him—he hoped overseas Chinese gangs would protect their own and act with integrity, so his efforts would not be in vain.
To achieve his goal, he had to confront the Black Tiger Gang. Based on Claire and the two stewards’ accounts, as well as their threats to his safety, he intended to eliminate this gang that acted as a lackey for oppressors, setting an example for all similar factions.
Tonight, under a clear sky with sparse stars, Mu Lin swiftly moved through the shadows between buildings. When he was still about two kilometers from the Black Tiger Gang’s lair, his psychic senses detected their hidden sentries. Unaware of their shift schedules, he avoided alerting them.
It seemed the Black Tiger Gang had already received some news from the Mighty Lion Gang—their sentries were listless, and security was lax. Mu Lin easily bypassed the layers of defenses and stopped 300 meters from the gang’s headquarters compound.
The Black Tiger Gang occupied a sprawling estate spanning about 30 hectares, serving as their base. Among the dozen or so buildings, three housed the gang’s key figures. Staring at the vast compound, Mu Lin realized tonight’s task would be enormous—such a large area and so many people meant he’d have to exert considerable effort. But since he had already made his declaration, failing to fulfill his promise would undermine his credibility in the future.
Setting aside his thoughts, he focused on observing the situation. The main building was a 12-story tower serving as both living quarters and offices for the gang’s core members. The leader, Li Longtian, and his deputies, Ma Rulong and Li Longhu, resided in a 10-story building. Five elders lived in an 8-story structure, which also housed the quarters of his two stewards. The remaining buildings were apartment-style residences for members with families.
After steadying his breathing and replenishing his spiritual energy, Mu Lin prepared to act. He never took chances—even when dealing with minor threats, he went all out to avoid leaving loose ends. Extending his psychic senses, he enveloped the entire compound, leaving no corner unchecked.
Inside the main building, only night guards remained awake while the rest slept. Taking out an invisibility talisman, Mu Lin channeled his spiritual energy into it, and his body vanished into the night.
His first objective was to secure the entire compound. Setting up a large formation around the estate would be difficult, so he decided to control each building individually. Approaching the main building, he took out another talisman and activated it with his spiritual energy, deploying the “Dragon’s Prison Formation”—a barrier that allowed entry but no escape.
Watching the talismans in his ring diminish one by one, Mu Lin felt as if his heart was bleeding. Each talisman required significant spiritual energy to create, and their arrangement and inscriptions followed strict rules. The paper itself was specially crafted—these were remnants from his travels, and his stock was running low.
If other cultivators saw him using talismans so lavishly, they would surely lament, “What a prodigal waste!” Not only were talismans rare, but the spiritual energy consumed in crafting so many was no small amount. A single mistake in inscription could turn a talisman meant to gather natural energy into a deadly explosive.
Sighing inwardly at his misfortune, Mu Lin swore never to undertake such a costly endeavor again. As he moved toward the surveillance room, he swiftly incapacitated the ten guards on duty, ensuring no alarms could be raised.
After setting up formations around the other buildings, he returned to the main tower and began scanning it with his psychic senses. In his view, while a gang’s leadership was important, its backbone—the core enforcers—were the true foundation of its survival. Thus, he intended to dismantle the main building’s resistance first.
His psychic senses enveloped the entire structure. Apart from the armory and ammunition depot being elsewhere, the building housed an internal telephone exchange system, remote surveillance equipment, and—most delightfully—the Black Tiger Gang’s treasury. The basement even contained prison cells. This was essentially the heart of the Black Tiger Gang.
Although no one knew exactly where this voice was coming from, they were too shocked by the unfolding events to question it. However, the words spoken clearly echoed the thoughts of everyone present. After the initial shock, they quickly voiced their agreement with Mu Lin, offering comfort to Lü Dahai.
Although Lü Dahai’s heart was wracked with pain, he was not a man without responsibility. After a moment of silence, he immediately ordered a search of Lü Daoming, who had already been immobilized by Mulin’s pressure points. Sure enough, they found a still-active miniature tape recorder on him.
Seeing the recorder, Lü Dahai collapsed into his chair. After a long while, he wept bitterly into the air, saying, “Senior, I, Lü Dahai, am incompetent! I have failed the thousands of brothers in the Lion Gang. My own second son turned out to be a spy sent by our enemies!”
The room fell into silence as everyone was clearly stunned by the revelation.
Witnessing this, Mulin projected his voice so that all could hear, “Leader Lü, even the greatest of men cannot guarantee the loyalty of their wives and children, let alone the leader of a small gang like the Lion Gang! Besides, under your leadership over the years, the Lion Gang has helped many struggling Chinese in Chinatown. It’s precisely for this reason that I’ve come to assist you today.
Moreover, children must forge their own paths—their choices are their own. What does that have to do with you, Leader Lü? I doubt anyone here would look down on you because of this. I hope you can continue leading the Lion Gang out of this crisis as before. Surely, you don’t want those foreign devils to extend their reach into Chinatown, do you?”
Though no one could see where the voice was coming from, they were too preoccupied with the shocking events to investigate. Still, the words resonated with them, and after the initial shock, they quickly echoed Mulin’s sentiments, comforting Lü Dahai.
Seeing Lü Dahai’s state, Mulin could empathize—this was nothing more than a power struggle within the family, with his second son succumbing to temptation. “Leader Lü, regardless of who is behind your son’s betrayal, it must be one of the three gangs in Chinatown, and the Black Tiger Gang is the most likely suspect. I’ll investigate them soon. If their actions truly defy the natural order, I won’t hesitate to act on behalf of justice.
I hope you can pull yourself together, Leader Lü. Otherwise, your martial arts will deteriorate, and who will then uphold Chinatown’s greater cause?”
After a long silence, Lü Dahai finally roused himself from despair. Bowing toward the empty air, he said, “Thank you for your guidance, Senior. I will not slack off and will live up to your expectations.”
“No need for formalities, Leader Lü. I prefer solitude and dislike worldly disturbances. If not for the Black Tiger Gang’s excessive actions, I wouldn’t have intervened. Please relay this message to our overseas gangs: Those who disgrace themselves will be disgraced by others. I will not tolerate infighting that invites outsiders to bully our own people. If I discover such acts again, I will wipe out entire factions. You’ve been warned.”
Mulin’s words were icy, sending a chill down the spines of everyone in the room.
With that, Mulin left his hiding place and headed for the Black Tiger Gang’s territory. His words were both a warning and a reflection of his true feelings. The events of the previous day had left a deep impression on him. He hoped overseas Chinese gangs would protect their own people and act with integrity—only then would his efforts not be in vain.
To achieve his goal, he had to confront the Black Tiger Gang. Based on Claire and the two butlers’ accounts, as well as the threats to his own safety, he intended to eradicate this gang that acted as a lackey for oppressors, setting an example for all similar factions.
Tonight, under a clear sky with sparse stars, Mulin swiftly moved through the shadows between buildings. When he was still about two kilometers from the Black Tiger Gang’s stronghold, his psychic senses detected their hidden sentries. Unaware of their shift changes, he avoided alerting them.
It seemed the Black Tiger Gang had already received some news from the Lion Gang—their sentries were listless and their defenses lax. Mulin easily bypassed the layers of security and stopped 300 meters from the gang’s headquarters compound.
The Black Tiger Gang occupied a sprawling 30-hectare estate as their base, with over a dozen buildings of varying sizes. Among them, three housed the gang’s key figures. Staring at the vast compound, Mulin realized tonight’s task would be monumental. With so much ground to cover and so many people, he’d have to exert considerable effort.
But he had made his declaration—if he failed to deliver, his words would lose their weight in the future.
Shaking off his thoughts, he focused on surveying the area. The main building was a 12-story tower serving as both living quarters and offices for the gang’s core members. The leader, Li Longtian, and his deputies, Ma Rulong and Li Longhu, resided in a 10-story building. Five elders lived in an 8-story structure, including the quarters of his two butlers. The remaining buildings were apartment-style residences for members with families.
After steadying his breathing and replenishing his spiritual energy, Mulin prepared to act. He never took half-measures—even when dealing with minor threats, he ensured no loose ends remained. Extending his psychic senses, he enveloped the entire compound, leaving no corner unchecked.
Inside the main building, only the night guards were awake; the rest had retired. Taking out an invisibility talisman, he channeled his spiritual energy into it, and his body vanished into the night.
Mulin’s first objective was to secure the entire compound. Setting up a large formation around the estate would be difficult, so he decided to control each building individually. Approaching the main tower, he activated a talisman and deployed the “Dragon’s Prison Formation”—a barrier that allowed entry but no exit.
Watching the talismans in his ring diminish one by one, Mulin felt a pang of regret. Each talisman required significant spiritual energy to create, and their arrangement and inscription followed strict rules. The paper itself was specially crafted—these were remnants from his travels, and his reserves were dwindling.
If other cultivators saw him using talismans so liberally, they’d surely lament, “What a spendthrift!” Not only were the materials rare, but the spiritual energy consumed in crafting so many was no small amount. A single mistake in inscription could turn a talisman meant to gather energy into a deadly explosive.
Sighing inwardly at his misfortune, Mulin swore never to undertake such a costly endeavor again. Moving swiftly, he reached the surveillance room and incapacitated the ten guards on duty, ensuring no alarms could be raised.
After setting up formations around the other buildings, he returned to the main tower and began scanning it with his psychic senses. In his view, while a gang’s leadership was important, its backbone—the core enforcers—were the true foundation of its survival. Thus, he aimed to dismantle the main building’s resistance first.
His senses enveloped the entire structure. Aside from the armory and ammunition depot being elsewhere, the building housed an internal telephone exchange system, remote surveillance, and—most delightfully—the Black Tiger Gang’s treasury. The basement even contained prison cells. This was undeniably the heart of the Black Tiger Gang.
After a long silence, Lü Dahai finally regained his composure. Bowing deeply toward the empty space, he said, “Thank you, Senior, for your guidance. I, Lü Dahai, will not slack off and will surely live up to your expectations.”
Although Lü Dahai’s heart was as if pierced by a knife, he was not a man without responsibility. After a moment of silence, he immediately ordered a search of Lü Daoming, who had already been immobilized by Mulin’s pressure points. Sure enough, they found a still-active miniature tape recorder on him.
Seeing the recorder, Lü Dahai slumped into his chair, and after a long while, he wept bitterly into the air, saying, “Elder, I, Lü Dahai, am incompetent! I have failed the thousands of brothers in the Lion Gang! My own second son turned out to be a spy sent by our enemies!”
The room fell into silence as everyone was clearly stunned by the revelation.
Seeing this, Mulin projected his voice so that everyone could hear him. “Leader Lü, even the greatest of men cannot guarantee that their wives will be virtuous or their children filial—let alone the leader of a small gang like the Lion Gang! Moreover, under your leadership over the years, the Lion Gang has helped the distressed and aided the needy. Many struggling Chinese in Chinatown have received your assistance. It is precisely for this reason that I have come to help your gang today.
“Besides, children must forge their own paths—their choices are their own. What does that have to do with you, Leader Lü? I doubt anyone here would think less of you because of this. I hope you can continue leading the Lion Gang out of this predicament as before. Surely, you don’t want those foreign devils to extend their reach into Chinatown, do you?”
Though no one could see where the voice was coming from, they were too bewildered by the events to investigate. Yet the words resonated with them, and after the initial shock, they quickly echoed Mulin’s sentiments, comforting Lü Dahai.
Seeing Lü Dahai’s state, Mulin could empathize—this was nothing more than a power struggle within the family, and his second son had succumbed to temptation. “Leader Lü, regardless of who is behind your son’s actions, it must be one of the three gangs in Chinatown, with the Black Tiger Gang being the most likely suspect. I will investigate them soon. If their actions truly defy the natural order, I will not hesitate to mete out justice. I hope you can pull yourself together—otherwise, your martial arts will deteriorate, and who will then uphold Chinatown’s greater cause?”
After a long silence, Lü Dahai finally roused himself from despair. He bowed toward the empty air and said, “Thank you for your guidance, Elder. I will not slacken and will surely live up to your expectations.”
“Do not dwell on it, Leader Lü. I prefer tranquility and dislike worldly disturbances. If not for the Black Tiger Gang’s excessive actions, I would not have intervened. Please relay this to our overseas gangs: Those who invite disgrace upon themselves will be disgraced by others. I will not tolerate infighting that invites outsiders to bully our own people. If I discover such acts, I will eradicate the entire family responsible. You have been warned.”
Mulin’s icy tone sent a chill down the spines of everyone in the room.
With that, he left his hiding place and headed toward the Black Tiger Gang’s stronghold. His words were both a warning and his true feelings. The events of the previous day had left a deep impression on him—he hoped overseas Chinese gangs would protect their own and act with integrity, so his efforts would not be in vain.
To achieve his goal, he had to confront the Black Tiger Gang. Based on Claire and the two butlers’ accounts, as well as their threats to his safety, he had to eliminate this gang that acted as a lackey for evil forces—and set an example for all such gangs.
Tonight, under a clear sky with sparse stars, Mulin swiftly moved through the shadows between buildings. When he was still about two kilometers from the Black Tiger Gang’s lair, his psychic senses already detected their hidden sentries. Unaware of their shift changes, he avoided alerting them.
It seemed the Black Tiger Gang had already received some news from the Lion Gang—their sentries were listless and their defenses lax. Mulin easily bypassed the layers of security and stopped 300 meters from the gang’s headquarters compound.
The Black Tiger Gang occupied a sprawling 30-hectare estate as their base, with over a dozen buildings of varying sizes. Among them, three were reserved for the gang’s key figures. Staring at the massive complex, Mulin realized tonight’s task would be enormous—dealing with such a large area and so many people would require tremendous effort. But since he had already made his declaration, he had to follow through—otherwise, his words would lose their weight in the future.
Setting aside his thoughts, he focused on observing the situation. The main building was a 12-story tower serving as both living quarters and offices for the gang’s core members. The gang leader, Li Longtian, and his deputies, Ma Rulong and Li Longhu, resided in a 10-story building. Five elders lived in an 8-story structure, which also housed the quarters of his two butlers. The remaining buildings were apartment-style residences for members with families.
After steadying his breathing and replenishing his spiritual energy, Mulin prepared to act. He never took chances—even when dealing with minor threats, he went all out to avoid leaving loose ends. Extending his psychic senses, he enveloped the entire compound within his awareness.
Inside the main building, aside from the night guards, everyone else was asleep. Taking out an invisibility talisman, he channeled his spiritual energy into it, and his body vanished into the night.
Mulin’s first goal was to gain control of the entire estate. Setting up a large formation around the perimeter would be difficult, so he decided to target each building individually. Approaching the main tower, he took out another talisman and activated it with his energy, laying down the “Dragon’s Prison Formation”—a barrier that allowed entry but no exit.
Watching the talismans in his ring diminish one by one, Mulin felt as if his heart were bleeding. Each talisman required a significant amount of spiritual energy to create, and their arrangement and inscription followed strict rules. The paper itself was specially crafted—most of his stock had been gathered during his travels, and his reserves were running low.
If other cultivators saw him using talismans like this, they would surely lament, “What a wastrel!” Not only were the materials rare, but the spiritual energy consumed in crafting so many was no small amount. Worse, a single mistake in inscription could turn a talisman meant to gather energy into a deadly explosive.
Sighing inwardly at his misfortune, Mulin swore never to take on such a thankless task again. Moving swiftly, he reached the surveillance room and incapacitated the ten guards on duty, ensuring no alarms could be raised.
After setting up formations around the other buildings, he returned to the main tower and began scanning it with his psychic senses. In his view, while a gang’s leadership was important, its backbone—the core members—was what sustained it. Thus, he aimed to dismantle the main building’s defenses first.
His psychic senses enveloped the entire structure. Aside from the absence of an armory or ammunition depot, the building housed an internal telephone exchange system, a remote surveillance setup, and—most delightfully—the Black Tiger Gang’s treasury. The basement even contained holding cells. This was, without a doubt, the heart of the Black Tiger Gang.
Mu Lin’s words were chilling, and everyone in the room involuntarily shivered upon hearing them.
Although Lü Dahai’s heart was torn with grief, he was not a man without responsibility. After a moment of silence, he immediately ordered a search of Lü Daoming, who had already been immobilized by Mulin’s pressure points. Sure enough, they found a still-active miniature tape recorder on him.
At the sight of the recorder, Lü Dahai collapsed into his chair. After a long pause, he wept bitterly into the air, saying, “Elder, I, Lü Dahai, am incompetent! I have failed the thousands of brothers in the Lion Gang! My own second son turned out to be a spy sent by our enemies!”
The room fell into silence as everyone was clearly stunned by the revelation.
Seeing this, Mulin amplified his voice so all could hear, “Leader Lü, even the greatest of men cannot guarantee the loyalty of their wives and children, let alone the leader of a small gang like the Lion Gang! Besides, under your leadership over the years, the Lion Gang has helped many struggling Chinese in Chinatown. It’s precisely for this reason that I’ve come to assist you today.
“Moreover, children must forge their own paths—their choices are their own. What does that have to do with you, Leader Lü? I doubt anyone here would think less of you because of this. I hope you can continue leading the Lion Gang out of this crisis. Surely, you don’t want those foreign devils to extend their reach into Chinatown, do you?”
Though no one could see where the voice was coming from, they were too preoccupied with the shocking events to dwell on it. Yet, the words resonated with them, and after the initial shock, they quickly echoed Mulin’s sentiments, offering comfort to Lü Dahai.
Mulin could empathize with Lü Dahai’s pain—this was nothing more than a power struggle within the family, with his second son succumbing to temptation. “Leader Lü, regardless of who is behind your son’s betrayal, it must be one of the three gangs in Chinatown, and the Black Tiger Gang is the most likely suspect. I’ll investigate them soon. If their actions truly defy the natural order, I won’t hesitate to act on behalf of justice.
“I hope you can pull yourself together. Otherwise, your martial arts will deteriorate, and who will then uphold Chinatown’s future?”
After a long silence, Lü Dahai finally roused himself from despair. Bowing toward the empty air, he said, “Thank you for your guidance, Elder. I will not slack off and will live up to your expectations.”
“No need for formalities, Leader Lü. I prefer solitude and dislike worldly disturbances. If not for the Black Tiger Gang’s excessive actions, I wouldn’t have intervened. Please relay this to our overseas gangs: Those who invite disgrace upon themselves will be disgraced. I will not tolerate infighting that invites outsiders to oppress our own people. If I discover such acts again, I will wipe out the entire gang responsible. You’ve been warned.”
Mulin’s icy tone sent a chill down everyone’s spine.
With that, he left his hiding place and headed toward the Black Tiger Gang’s headquarters. His words were both a warning and a reflection of his true feelings. The events of the previous day had left a deep impression on him. He hoped overseas Chinese gangs would protect their own and act with integrity—only then would his efforts not be in vain.
To achieve his goal, he had to confront the Black Tiger Gang. Based on Claire and the two stewards’ accounts, as well as the threats to his safety, he intended to eradicate this gang that acted as a lackey for foreign oppressors, setting an example for all similar factions.
Tonight, under a clear sky with sparse stars, Mulin swiftly moved through the shadows between buildings. When he was still about two kilometers from the Black Tiger Gang’s lair, his psychic senses detected their hidden sentries. Unaware of their shift schedules, he avoided alerting them.
It seemed the Black Tiger Gang had already received some news from the Lion Gang—their sentries were listless and their defenses lax. Mulin easily bypassed multiple layers of security and stopped 300 meters from the gang’s headquarters compound.
The Black Tiger Gang occupied a sprawling 30-hectare compound as their base, with over a dozen buildings of varying sizes. Among them, three housed the gang’s key figures. Staring at the vast complex, Mulin realized tonight’s task would be enormous. With so many people and such a large area, he’d have to exert considerable effort.
But he had already made his declaration—if he failed to deliver, his words would lose their weight in the future.
Pushing aside his thoughts, he focused on surveying the situation. The main building was a 12-story tower serving as both living quarters and offices for the gang’s core members. The leader, Li Longtian, and his deputies, Ma Rulong and Li Longhu, resided in a 10-story building. Five elders lived in an 8-story structure, which included the residences of his two stewards. The remaining buildings housed gang members and their families in apartment-style blocks.
After steadying his breathing and replenishing his spiritual energy, Mulin prepared for action. He never took chances—even when dealing with minor threats, he went all out to avoid leaving loose ends. Extending his psychic senses, he enveloped the entire compound within his awareness.
Apart from the night guards, everyone in the main building was asleep. Taking out an invisibility talisman, he activated it with a surge of energy, vanishing into the night.
His first objective was to gain control of the entire compound. Setting up a large formation around the perimeter would be difficult, so he decided to isolate each building individually. Approaching the main tower, he took out another talisman and channeled his energy to deploy the “Dragon’s Prison Formation”—a barrier that allowed entry but no escape.
Watching the talismans in his ring diminish one by one, Mulin felt his heart bleed. Each talisman required significant energy to create, and their arrangement and inscription followed strict rules. The paper itself was specially crafted—these were remnants from his travels, and his stock was running low.
If other cultivators saw him using talismans so lavishly, they’d surely lament, “What a wastrel!” Not only were the materials rare, but the energy consumed in crafting so many was no small matter. A single mistake in inscription could turn a talisman meant to gather spiritual energy into a deadly explosive.
Sighing at his misfortune, Mulin swore to never again engage in such a costly endeavor. As he moved toward the surveillance room, he swiftly incapacitated the ten guards on duty, ensuring no alarms could be raised.
After setting up formations around the other buildings, he returned to the main tower and began scanning it with his psychic senses. In his view, while a gang’s leadership was important, its backbone—the core enforcers—was what truly sustained it. Thus, he aimed to dismantle the main building’s defenses first.
His senses enveloped the entire structure. Apart from the absence of the armory and ammunition depot, the building housed an internal telephone exchange system, a remote surveillance setup, and—most delightfully—the Black Tiger Gang’s treasury. The basement even contained prison cells. This was undeniably the gang’s nerve center.
Although Lü Dahai’s heart was as if pierced by a knife, he was not a man without responsibility. After a moment of silence, he immediately ordered a search of Lü Daoming, who had already been immobilized by Mulin’s pressure points. Sure enough, they found a still-functioning miniature tape recorder on him.
Seeing the recorder, Lü Dahai collapsed into his chair. After a long while, he looked up with tears streaming down his face and cried out, “Elder, I, Lü Dahai, am incompetent! I have failed the thousands of brothers in the Lion Gang! My own second son turned out to be a spy sent by our enemies!”
The room fell into silence as everyone was stunned by the revelation.
Witnessing this, Mulin projected his voice so that all could hear, “Leader Lü, even the greatest of men cannot guarantee the loyalty of their wives and children, let alone the leader of a small gang like the Lion Gang! Moreover, under your leadership, the Lion Gang has helped countless struggling Chinese in Chinatown, offering aid to those in need. It is precisely for this reason that I have come to assist you today.
“Besides, children must forge their own paths—their choices are their own. What does that have to do with you, Leader Lü? I doubt anyone here would think less of you because of this. I hope you can continue leading the Lion Gang out of this crisis. Surely, you don’t want those foreign devils to extend their reach into Chinatown, do you?”
Though no one could see where the voice was coming from, they were too preoccupied with the shocking events to investigate. Yet, the words resonated with them, and after the initial shock, they quickly echoed Mulin’s sentiments, offering comfort to Lü Dahai.
Mulin could empathize with Lü Dahai’s pain—this was nothing more than a power struggle within the family, with his second son succumbing to temptation. “Leader Lü, regardless of who is behind your son’s betrayal, it must be one of the three gangs in Chinatown, and the Black Tiger Gang is the most likely suspect. I will investigate them soon. If their actions truly defy the heavens, I will not hesitate to act in the name of justice.
“I hope you can pull yourself together. Otherwise, your martial arts will deteriorate, and who will then uphold Chinatown’s future?”
After a long silence, Lü Dahai finally roused himself from despair. He bowed toward the empty air and said, “Thank you for your guidance, Elder. I will not slacken and will surely live up to your expectations.”
“Do not dwell on it, Leader Lü. I prefer solitude and dislike worldly disturbances. If not for the Black Tiger Gang’s extreme actions, I would not have intervened. Please relay this message to our overseas factions: Those who disgrace themselves will be disgraced by others. I will not tolerate infighting that invites outsiders to oppress our own people. If I discover such treachery again, I will eradicate the entire faction responsible. You have been warned.”
Mulin’s icy tone sent a chill down everyone’s spine.
With that, he left his hiding place and headed toward the Black Tiger Gang’s stronghold. His words were both a warning and a reflection of his true feelings. The events of the previous day had left a deep impression on him. He hoped that overseas Chinese gangs would protect their own people and act with integrity—only then would his efforts not be in vain.
To achieve his goal, he had to confront the Black Tiger Gang. Based on Claire and the two stewards’ accounts, as well as the threats they had made against his safety, he intended to wipe out this gang that acted as a lackey for evil forces, setting an example for all similar factions.
Tonight, under a clear sky with sparse stars, Mulin moved swiftly through the shadows. When he was still about two kilometers from the Black Tiger Gang’s lair, his psychic senses detected their hidden sentries. Unaware of their shift changes, he avoided alerting them.
It seemed the Black Tiger Gang had already received some news from the Lion Gang—their sentries were listless and their defenses lax. Mulin easily bypassed the layers of security and stopped 300 meters from the gang’s headquarters compound.
The Black Tiger Gang occupied a sprawling estate of about 30 hectares, serving as their base. Over a dozen buildings of varying sizes stood within, but three were reserved for the gang’s key figures. Staring at the vast compound, Mulin realized the enormity of tonight’s task. With so many people and such a large area, he would have to exert tremendous effort.
But he had already made his declaration—if he failed to fulfill his promise now, his words would lose their weight in the future.
Putting aside his thoughts, he focused on observing the situation. The main building was a 12-story tower housing the gang’s core members and offices. The leader, Li Longtian, and his deputies, Ma Rulong and Li Longhu, resided in a 10-story building. Five elders lived in an 8-story structure, including the quarters of his two stewards. The remaining buildings were apartment-style residences for members with families.
After steadying his breathing and replenishing his spiritual energy, Mulin prepared to act. He believed in thoroughness—even when dealing with minor threats, he would not risk leaving loose ends. Extending his psychic senses, he enveloped the entire compound within his awareness.
Inside the main building, only night guards remained awake while the rest slept. Taking out an invisibility talisman, he channeled his energy into it, and his body vanished into the night.
Mulin’s first objective was to gain control of the entire compound. Setting up a large formation around the estate would be difficult, so he decided to secure each building individually. Approaching the main tower, he activated another talisman, casting the “Dragon’s Prison Formation”—a barrier that allowed entry but not exit.
Watching the talismans in his ring diminish one by one, Mulin felt as if his heart were bleeding. Each talisman required significant spiritual energy to create, and their arrangement and inscriptions followed strict rules. The paper itself had to be specially crafted—these were remnants from his travels, and his stock was running low.
If other cultivators saw him using talismans so lavishly, they would surely lament, “What a prodigal waste!” Not only were the materials rare, but the energy consumed in crafting so many talismans was no small matter. A single mistake in inscription could turn a talisman meant to gather energy into a deadly explosive.
Sighing at his misfortune, Mulin swore never to undertake such a costly endeavor again. As he moved toward the surveillance room, he swiftly incapacitated the ten guards on duty, ensuring no alarms could be raised.
After securing the other buildings with formations, he returned to the main tower and began scanning it with his psychic senses. In his view, while a gang’s leadership was important, its backbone—the core enforcers—were the true foundation of its survival. Thus, he intended to dismantle the main tower’s resistance first.
His psychic senses enveloped the entire building. Aside from the absence of an armory or ammunition depot, he discovered an internal telephone exchange system, remote surveillance equipment, and—most delightfully—the Black Tiger Gang’s treasury. The basement even held prison cells. This place was essentially the heart of the Black Tiger Gang.
Although Lü Dahai’s heart was as if pierced by a knife, he was not a man without responsibility. After a moment of silence, he immediately ordered a search of Lü Daoming, who had already been immobilized by Mulin’s pressure points. Sure enough, they found a still-functioning miniature tape recorder on him.
Seeing the recorder, Lü Dahai collapsed into his chair. After a long while, he wept bitterly into the air, saying, “Elder, I, Lü Dahai, am incompetent! I have failed the thousands of brothers in the Lion Gang. My own second son turned out to be a spy sent by our enemies!”
The room fell into silence as everyone was clearly stunned by the revelation.
Seeing this, Mulin projected his voice so that everyone could hear, “Leader Lü, even the greatest of men cannot guarantee the loyalty of their wives and children, let alone the leader of a small gang like the Lion Gang! Besides, under your leadership, the Lion Gang has helped many struggling Chinese in Chinatown over the years. It’s precisely for this reason that I’ve come to aid you today.
Moreover, children must forge their own paths—their choices are their own. What does that have to do with you, Leader Lü? I doubt anyone here would think less of you because of this. I hope you can continue leading the Lion Gang out of this crisis. Surely, you don’t want those foreign devils to extend their reach into Chinatown, do you?”
Though no one could see where the voice was coming from, they were too bewildered by the events to investigate. Yet, the words resonated with them, and after the initial shock, they quickly echoed Mulin’s sentiments, comforting Lü Dahai.
Seeing Lü Dahai’s state, Mulin understood his pain—this was nothing more than a power struggle within the family, with his second son succumbing to temptation. “Leader Lü, regardless of who is behind your son’s betrayal, it must be one of the three major gangs in Chinatown, and the Black Tiger Gang is the most likely suspect. I’ll investigate them soon. If they’ve truly acted against the natural order, I won’t hesitate to mete out justice. I hope you can pull yourself together—otherwise, your martial skills will deteriorate, and who will then uphold Chinatown’s future?”
After a long silence, Lü Dahai finally roused himself from despair. Bowing toward the empty air, he said, “Thank you for your guidance, Elder. I will not slack off and will live up to your expectations.”
“No need for formalities, Leader Lü. I prefer solitude and dislike worldly disturbances. If not for the Black Tiger Gang’s excessive actions, I wouldn’t have intervened. Please relay this to our overseas factions: Those who invite disgrace upon themselves will be disgraced. I will not tolerate infighting that invites outsiders to bully our own people. If I discover such treachery again, I will wipe out the entire faction responsible. You’ve been warned.”
Mulin’s icy tone sent a chill down everyone’s spine.
With that, he left his hiding place and headed toward the Black Tiger Gang’s territory. His words were both a warning and a reflection of his true feelings. The events of the previous day had left a deep impression on him—he hoped overseas Chinese gangs would protect their own and act with integrity, so his efforts would not be in vain.
To achieve his goal, he had to confront the Black Tiger Gang. Based on Claire and the two stewards’ accounts, as well as the threats to their safety, this gang had to be eradicated—a warning to all such factions.
Tonight, under a clear sky with sparse stars, Mulin moved swiftly through the shadows. When he was still about two kilometers from the Black Tiger Gang’s stronghold, his psychic senses detected their hidden sentries. Unaware of their shift changes, he avoided alerting them.
It seemed the Black Tiger Gang had already received some news from the Lion Gang—their sentries were listless and their defenses lax. Mulin easily bypassed multiple checkpoints and stopped 300 meters from the gang’s headquarters.
The Black Tiger Gang occupied a sprawling 30-hectare compound as their base, with over a dozen buildings of varying sizes. Among them, three housed the gang’s key figures. Staring at the vast complex, Mulin realized tonight’s task would be enormous. But having made his declaration, he couldn’t back down—failure would undermine his credibility.
Pushing aside his thoughts, he focused on scouting the area. The main building was a 12-story tower serving as both living quarters and offices for the gang’s core members. The leader, Li Longtian, and his deputies, Ma Rulong and Li Longhu, resided in a 10-story building. Five elders lived in an 8-story structure, including the two stewards’ quarters. The remaining buildings housed families of lower-ranking members.
After steadying his breathing and replenishing his spiritual energy, Mulin prepared for action—he never took chances, preferring overkill to oversight. Extending his psychic senses, he enveloped the entire compound.
Inside the main building, only night guards remained awake while the rest slept. Activating an invisibility talisman with a flick of spiritual energy, Mulin vanished into the night.
His first objective was to secure the entire compound. Setting up a large formation around the perimeter would be difficult, so he opted to control each building individually. Approaching the main tower, he deployed a “Dragon’s Prison Formation”—allowing entry but no escape.
Watching his talismans dwindle one by one, Mulin winced—each required significant spiritual energy to craft, and the materials were rare. These were remnants from his travels, and his stock was running low.
Any other cultivator witnessing his reckless use of talismans would have scolded him as a wastrel. Not only were the materials scarce, but the spiritual energy consumed in crafting them was immense. A single mistake could turn a talisman meant to gather energy into a deadly explosion.
Grumbling inwardly, Mulin swore never to undertake such a costly endeavor again. Moving swiftly, he incapacitated the ten guards in the surveillance room, ensuring no alarms could be raised.
After securing the other buildings with formations, he returned to the main tower and began scanning it with his psychic senses. In his view, while a gang’s leadership was important, its backbone—the core enforcers—was what sustained it. Thus, he aimed to dismantle the main building’s defenses first.
His senses revealed the tower’s layout—aside from the absence of an armory, it housed an internal telephone exchange, remote surveillance systems, and, to his delight, the Black Tiger Gang’s treasury. The basement even contained prison cells. This was undoubtedly the gang’s nerve center.
Although Lü Dahai’s heart was as if pierced by a knife, he was not a man without responsibility. After a moment of silence, he immediately ordered a search of Lü Daoming, who had already been immobilized by Mulin’s pressure point technique. Sure enough, they found a still-active miniature tape recorder on him.
Seeing the recorder, Lü Dahai slumped into his chair, and after a long while, he wept bitterly into the air, saying, “Elder, I, Lü Dahai, am incompetent! I have failed the thousands of brothers in the Lion Gang! My own second son turned out to be a spy sent by our enemies!”
The room fell into silence as everyone was clearly stunned by the revelation.
Seeing this, Mulin projected his voice so that everyone could hear him clearly. “Chief Lü, even the greatest of men cannot guarantee the loyalty of their wives and children, let alone the leader of a small gang like the Lion Gang! Moreover, under your leadership over the years, the Lion Gang has helped many struggling Chinese in Chinatown. It is precisely for this reason that I have come to assist you today.
“Besides, children must forge their own paths—their choices are their own. What does that have to do with you, Chief Lü? I doubt anyone here would think less of you because of this. I hope you can continue to lead the Lion Gang out of this crisis as you always have. Surely, you don’t want those foreign devils to extend their reach into Chinatown, do you?”
Though no one could see where the voice was coming from, they were too bewildered by the events to investigate. Yet, the words resonated with them, and after the initial shock, they quickly echoed Mulin’s sentiments, comforting Lü Dahai.
Mulin could empathize with Lü Dahai’s pain—this was nothing more than a power struggle within the family, and his second son had succumbed to temptation. “Chief Lü, regardless of who is behind your son’s betrayal, it must be one of the three gangs in Chinatown, with the Black Tiger Gang being the most likely suspect. I will investigate them soon. If their actions truly defy the natural order, I will not hesitate to act on behalf of justice.
“I hope you can pull yourself together, or else your martial arts will deteriorate. Who else can uphold Chinatown’s future then?”
After a long silence, Lü Dahai finally roused himself from despair. He bowed toward the empty space and said, “Thank you for your guidance, Elder. I will not slack off and will live up to your expectations.”
“There’s no need for formalities, Chief Lü. I prefer solitude and dislike worldly disturbances. If not for the Black Tiger Gang’s excessive actions, I would not have intervened. Please relay this message to our overseas gangs: Those who disgrace themselves will be disgraced by others. I will not tolerate infighting that invites outsiders to oppress our own people. If I discover such acts again, I will wipe out the entire gang responsible. You have been warned.”
Mulin’s icy tone sent a chill down everyone’s spine.
With that, he left his hiding place and headed toward the Black Tiger Gang’s headquarters. His words were both a warning and a reflection of his true feelings. The events of the previous day had left a deep impression on him. He hoped that overseas Chinese gangs would protect their own people and act with integrity—only then would his efforts not be in vain.
To achieve his goal, he had to confront the Black Tiger Gang. Based on Claire and the two stewards’ accounts, as well as the threats they had made against his safety, he intended to eradicate this gang that acted as a lackey for foreign oppressors. This would serve as a deterrent to all similar gangs.
Tonight, under a clear sky with sparse stars, Mulin swiftly moved through the shadows of the city. When he was still about two kilometers from the Black Tiger Gang’s lair, his psychic senses already detected their hidden sentries. Unsure of their shift changes, he avoided alerting them.
It seemed the Black Tiger Gang had already received some news from the Lion Gang—their sentries were listless, and security was lax. Mulin easily bypassed the layers of defenses and stopped 300 meters from the gang’s main compound.
The Black Tiger Gang occupied a sprawling 30-hectare estate as their base. Over a dozen buildings stood within, but three were reserved for the gang’s key figures. Staring at the vast complex, Mulin realized tonight’s task would be enormous. With so many people and such a large area, he would have to exert considerable effort.
But he had already made his declaration—if he failed to fulfill his promise, his words would lose their weight in the future.
Putting aside his thoughts, he focused on observing the situation. The main building was a 12-story tower housing the gang’s core members and offices. The gang leader, Li Longtian, and his deputies, Ma Rulong and Li Longhu, resided in a 10-story building. Five elders lived in an 8-story structure, which included the quarters of his two stewards. The remaining buildings were apartment-style residences for members with families.
After steadying his breathing and replenishing his spiritual energy, Mulin prepared for action. He never took chances—even when dealing with minor threats, he used overwhelming force to ensure no loose ends remained. Extending his psychic senses, he enveloped the entire compound within his awareness.
Inside the main building, only night guards remained awake while the rest slept. Taking out an invisibility talisman, he channeled his spiritual energy into it, and his body vanished into the night.
Mulin’s first objective was to gain control of the entire compound. Setting up a large formation around the estate would be difficult, so he decided to isolate each building individually. Approaching the main tower, he took out another talisman and activated it, casting the “Dragon’s Prison Formation”—a barrier that allowed entry but no escape.
Watching the talismans in his ring diminish one by one, Mulin felt as if his heart were bleeding. Each talisman required significant spiritual energy to create, and their arrangement and inscription followed strict rules. The paper itself was specially crafted—these were rare treasures he had collected during his travels, and his stock was running low.
If other cultivators saw him using talismans so extravagantly, they would surely lament, “What a spendthrift!” Not only were such materials scarce, but the spiritual energy consumed in crafting so many talismans was no small amount. A single mistake in inscription could transform a talisman meant to gather energy into a deadly explosive.
Sighing inwardly at his misfortune, Mulin swore never to undertake such a costly endeavor again. As he moved toward the surveillance room, he swiftly incapacitated the ten guards on duty, ensuring no alarms could be raised.
After setting up formations around the other buildings, he returned to the main tower and began scanning it with his psychic senses. In his view, while a gang’s leadership was important, its core strength lay in its middle ranks—the backbone that sustained the organization. Thus, he intended to dismantle the main building’s defenses first.
His psychic senses enveloped the entire structure. Apart from the armory and ammunition depot being elsewhere, the building housed an internal telephone exchange system, a remote surveillance setup, and—most delightfully—the Black Tiger Gang’s treasury. The basement even contained prison cells. This was undoubtedly the heart of the Black Tiger Gang.
Although Lü Dahai’s heart ached as if cut by a knife, he was not a man without responsibility. After a moment of silence, he immediately ordered a search of Lü Daoming, who had already been immobilized by Mulin’s pressure points. Sure enough, they found a still-active miniature tape recorder on him.
Seeing the recorder, Lü Dahai slumped into his chair, tears streaming down his face as he cried out to the air, “Elder, I, Lü Dahai, am incompetent! I have failed the thousands of brothers in the Lion Gang! My own second son turned out to be a spy sent by our enemies!”
The room fell into stunned silence as everyone was shocked by the revelation.
Seeing this, Mulin amplified his voice so all could hear, “Leader Lü, even the greatest of men cannot guarantee the loyalty of their wives and children, let alone the leader of a small gang like the Lion Gang! Besides, under your leadership, the Lion Gang has helped many struggling Chinese in Chinatown. It’s precisely for this reason that I came to your aid today.
Moreover, children must forge their own paths—their choices are their own. What does that have to do with you, Leader Lü? I doubt anyone here would think less of you because of this. I hope you can continue leading the Lion Gang out of this crisis. Surely, you don’t want those foreign devils to extend their reach into Chinatown, do you?”
Though no one could see where the voice was coming from, the words resonated with the crowd. After the initial shock, they quickly echoed Mulin’s sentiments, comforting Lü Dahai.
Mulin could empathize with Lü Dahai’s pain—this was nothing more than a power struggle within the family, with his second son succumbing to temptation. “Leader Lü, regardless of who orchestrated this, it must be one of the three gangs in Chinatown, and the Black Tiger Gang is the most likely suspect. I will investigate them soon. If their actions truly defy justice, I won’t hesitate to act on behalf of heaven.
I hope you can pull yourself together. Otherwise, your martial skills will deteriorate, and who will then uphold Chinatown’s future?”
After a long silence, Lü Dahai finally straightened up and bowed toward the empty air. “Thank you for your guidance, Elder. I will not slack off and will live up to your expectations.”
“No need for formalities, Leader Lü. I prefer solitude and dislike worldly disturbances. If not for the Black Tiger Gang’s excessive actions, I wouldn’t have intervened. Please convey this to all overseas gangs: Those who disgrace themselves will be disgraced by others. I will not tolerate infighting that invites outsiders to oppress our own people. If I discover such treachery again, I will wipe out the entire gang. You’ve been warned.”
Mulin’s icy tone sent a chill down everyone’s spine.
With that, he left his hiding spot and headed toward the Black Tiger Gang’s headquarters. His words were both a warning and a reflection of his true feelings. The events of the previous day had left a deep impression on him—he hoped overseas Chinese gangs would protect their own and act with integrity, making his efforts worthwhile.
To achieve his goal, he had to confront the Black Tiger Gang. Based on Claire and the two stewards’ accounts, as well as their threats against his safety, he intended to eradicate this gang that acted as a lackey for oppressors, setting an example for all similar factions.
Under the sparse moonlight, Mulin swiftly moved through the shadows. When he was about two kilometers from the Black Tiger Gang’s lair, his psychic senses detected their hidden sentries. Unaware of their shift changes, he avoided alerting them.
It seemed the Black Tiger Gang had already received some news from the Lion Gang—their sentries were listless and their defenses lax. Mulin easily bypassed multiple security lines and stopped 300 meters from the gang’s main compound.
The Black Tiger Gang occupied a sprawling 30-hectare estate as their stronghold, with over a dozen buildings of varying sizes. Among them, three were reserved for key leaders.
Surveying the vast compound, Mulin realized tonight’s task would be enormous. With so many people and such a large area, he’d have to exert considerable effort. But having made his declaration, he couldn’t back down now—failure would undermine his credibility.
Setting aside his thoughts, he focused on observation. The main building was a 12-story tower housing the gang’s core forces and offices. The leader, Li Longtian, and his deputies, Ma Rulong and Li Longhu, resided in a 10-story building. Five elders lived in an 8-story structure, including the quarters of his two stewards. The remaining buildings were apartment-style residences for members with families.
After steadying his breath and replenishing his spiritual energy, Mulin prepared for action. He never took chances—even when dealing with minor threats, he acted decisively to avoid leaving loose ends. Extending his psychic senses, he enveloped the entire compound.
Inside the main building, only night guards remained awake while the rest slept. Activating an invisibility talisman with a flick of spiritual energy, Mulin vanished into the night.
His first objective was to secure the entire compound. Setting up a large barrier around the estate would be difficult, so he opted to control each building individually.
Approaching the main building, he deployed a “Dragon’s Prison” formation—allowing entry but no escape. Watching his talismans deplete one by one pained him—each required significant spiritual energy to craft, and the materials were rare. He had scavenged them during his travels, and his reserves were dwindling.
Any other cultivator witnessing Mulin’s extravagant use of talismans would have lamented, “What a spendthrift!” Not only were the materials scarce, but the spiritual energy consumed in crafting them was immense. A single mistake could turn a talisman meant to gather energy into a deadly explosion.
Sighing at his misfortune, Mulin swore never to undertake such a costly endeavor again. Moving swiftly, he incapacitated the ten guards in the surveillance room, cutting off the building’s alarm system.
After securing the other buildings with formations, he returned to the main tower. In his view, while a gang’s leadership was important, its backbone—the core enforcers—was what sustained it. Thus, he prioritized neutralizing the main building’s resistance.
His psychic senses revealed the building’s layout: besides lacking an armory, it housed an internal telephone exchange, remote surveillance systems, and—most notably—the Black Tiger Gang’s treasury. The basement even contained prison cells. This was undeniably the gang’s nerve center.
Pushing aside his wandering thoughts, he focused on observing the situation. The main building was a twelve-story tower where the gang’s core forces lived and worked. The gang leader, Li Longtian, and the deputy leaders, Ma Rulong and Li Longhu, lived in a ten-story building. Five elders of the gang resided in an eight-story building, including the homes of his two butlers. The remaining buildings were occupied by members with families.
Although Lü Dahai’s heart was in agony, he was not a man without responsibility. After a moment of silence, he immediately ordered a search of Lü Daoming, who had already been immobilized by Mulin’s pressure points. Sure enough, they found a still-functioning miniature tape recorder on him.
Staring at the recorder, Lü Dahai slumped into his chair, tears streaming down his face as he cried out to the air, “Elder, I, Lü Dahai, am incompetent! I have failed the thousands of brothers in the Lion Gang! My own second son turned out to be a spy sent by our enemies!”
The room fell into stunned silence as everyone was shocked by the revelation.
Seeing this, Mulin amplified his voice so everyone could hear, “Leader Lü, even the greatest of men cannot guarantee the loyalty of their wives and children, let alone the leader of a small gang like the Lion Gang! Besides, under your leadership, the Lion Gang has helped countless struggling Chinese in Chinatown. It’s precisely for this reason that I’ve come to your aid today.”
“Moreover, children must forge their own paths—their choices are their own. What does that have to do with you, Leader Lü? I doubt anyone here would think less of you because of this. I hope you can continue leading the Lion Gang out of this crisis. Surely, you don’t want those foreign devils to extend their reach into Chinatown?”
Though no one could see where the voice was coming from, the words resonated deeply with the crowd. After the initial shock, they quickly echoed Mulin’s sentiments, offering comfort to Lü Dahai.
Watching Lü Dahai’s reaction, Mulin understood his pain—this was nothing more than a power struggle within the family, and his second son had succumbed to temptation. “Leader Lü, regardless of who orchestrated this, it must be one of the three major gangs in Chinatown, with the Black Tiger Gang being the most likely suspect. I’ll investigate them soon. If their actions truly defy the natural order, I won’t hesitate to mete out justice. I hope you can pull yourself together—otherwise, your martial arts will deteriorate, and who will then uphold Chinatown’s future?”
After a long silence, Lü Dahai finally straightened up and bowed toward the empty space. “Thank you for your guidance, Elder. I will not slack off and will live up to your expectations.”
“No need for formalities, Leader Lü. I prefer solitude and dislike worldly disturbances. If not for the Black Tiger Gang’s extreme actions, I wouldn’t have intervened. Please relay this to our overseas factions: Those who invite disgrace upon themselves will be disgraced by others. I will not tolerate infighting that invites outsiders to oppress our own people. If I discover such treachery again, I will wipe out the entire faction responsible. You’ve been warned.”
Mulin’s icy tone sent a chill down everyone’s spine.
With that, he left his hiding spot and headed toward the Black Tiger Gang’s territory. His words were both a warning and a reflection of his true feelings. The events of the previous day had left a deep impression on him—he hoped overseas Chinese gangs would protect their own and act with integrity, so his efforts would not be in vain.
To achieve his goal, he had to confront the Black Tiger Gang. Based on Claire and the two butlers’ accounts, as well as their threats to his safety, this gang had to be eradicated—both as retribution and as a deterrent to others.
Under the sparse moonlight, Mulin moved swiftly through the shadows. When he was still two kilometers from the Black Tiger Gang’s stronghold, his psychic senses already detected their hidden sentries. Unaware of their shift changes, he avoided alerting them.
It seemed the Black Tiger Gang had already received some news from the Lion Gang—their sentries were sluggish, their defenses lax. Mulin easily bypassed the layers of security and stopped 300 meters from the gang’s headquarters.
The Black Tiger Gang occupied a sprawling 30-hectare compound as their base. Among its dozen or so buildings, three housed the gang’s key figures. Staring at the massive complex, Mulin realized tonight’s task would be daunting. But having made his declaration, he couldn’t back down—his credibility was at stake.
Pushing aside his thoughts, he focused on reconnaissance. The main building was a 12-story tower serving as both living quarters and offices for the gang’s core members. The leader, Li Longtian, and his deputies, Ma Rulong and Li Longhu, resided in a 10-story building. Five elders lived in an 8-story structure, including the two butlers’ quarters. The rest of the gang members and their families occupied several apartment-style buildings.
After steadying his breathing and replenishing his spiritual energy, Mulin prepared for action. He never took chances—even when dealing with minor threats, he went all out to avoid leaving loose ends. Extending his psychic senses, he enveloped the entire compound in his awareness.
Inside the main building, only the night guards were awake. Taking out an invisibility talisman, he activated it with a surge of energy and vanished into the night.
His plan was to control the entire compound. Setting up a single large formation would be difficult, so he decided to isolate each building instead. Outside the main tower, he deployed a “Dragon’s Cage Formation”—allowing entry but no escape.
As the talismans in his ring dwindled, Mulin winced—each one required significant spiritual energy to craft, and the materials were rare. He had scavenged most of them during his travels, and his stock was running low.
Any other cultivator witnessing his reckless use of talismans would have scolded him as a “wastrel!” Not only were the materials scarce, but the energy expended in creating so many was immense. A single mistake in inscription could turn a harmless energy-gathering talisman into a deadly explosion.
Grumbling about his misfortune, Mulin swore never to undertake such a costly endeavor again. Moving swiftly, he incapacitated the ten guards in the surveillance room, cutting off the building’s alarm system.
After securing the other buildings with formations, he returned to the main tower. His strategy was clear—while the gang’s leaders were important, its backbone was its core fighters. Eliminating them first would cripple the Black Tiger Gang’s resistance.
His psychic senses revealed the building’s layout—aside from the armory and ammunition depot being elsewhere, it housed an internal telephone exchange, a remote surveillance system, and, most notably, the gang’s treasury. The basement even had prison cells. This was undoubtedly the heart of the Black Tiger Gang.
Inside the main tower, apart from the night guards, everyone else had already retired for the night. Taking out a concealment talisman and activating it with his spiritual energy, Mu Lin’s figure vanished into the night.
Mu Lin planned to control the entire compound first. Setting up a large formation across the entire area would be difficult, so he decided to control each building individually. He approached the main tower and, taking out talismans, activated them with his spiritual energy, setting up a Dragon Binding Formation around the entire compound, allowing entry but no escape.
Watching the talismans in his ring rapidly depleting, Mu Lin felt a pang of pain in his heart. Each talisman consumed a significant amount of spiritual energy to create, and the patterns and characters on them had to follow specific rules. The paper itself was specially made, and most of these talismans had been collected by him during his travels. Even a wealthy household would eventually run out of supplies.
If other cultivators saw Mu Lin using talismans so extravagantly, they would surely exclaim, “What a wasteful fool!” Not only were talisman papers extremely rare, but the spiritual energy required to create so many was also immense. Moreover, even a slight mistake in the writing could change the talisman’s effect entirely. A talisman meant to gather heavenly and earthly energies might instead become a deadly explosive.
Mu Lin sighed inwardly, thinking that he would never engage in such a costly endeavor again. As he pondered, he reached the surveillance room and swiftly incapacitated the ten guards on duty, ensuring that the building could no longer trigger alarms.
He then proceeded to set up formations in the other buildings. Returning to the main tower, he began using his mental perception to scan the entire building. In Mu Lin’s view, while a gang’s leader was important, its core strength lay in its middle-level forces, which were the foundation of the gang’s survival. Therefore, he decided to neutralize the resistance within the main tower first.
Although Lü Dahai’s heart was as if pierced by a knife, he was not a man without responsibility. After a moment of silence, he immediately ordered a search of Lü Daoming, who had already been immobilized by Mulin’s pressure point technique. Sure enough, they found a still-active miniature recorder on him.
Seeing the recorder, Lü Dahai collapsed into his chair. After a long pause, he wept bitterly into the air, saying, “Elder, I, Lü Dahai, am incompetent! I have failed the thousands of brothers in the Lion Gang! My own second son turned out to be a spy sent by our enemies!”
The room fell into silence as everyone was clearly stunned by the revelation.
Seeing this, Mulin amplified his voice so everyone could hear, “Leader Lü, even the greatest of men cannot guarantee the loyalty of their wives and children, let alone the leader of a small gang like the Lion Gang! Besides, under your leadership, the Lion Gang has helped countless struggling Chinese in Chinatown. It’s precisely for this reason that I’ve come to assist you today.
Moreover, children must forge their own paths—their choices are their own. What does that have to do with you, Leader Lü? I doubt anyone here would think less of you because of this. I hope you can continue leading the Lion Gang out of this crisis. Surely, you don’t want those foreign devils to extend their reach into Chinatown, do you?”
Though no one could see where the voice was coming from, they were too preoccupied with the shocking revelation to investigate. Yet, the words resonated with them, and after the initial shock, they quickly echoed Mulin’s sentiments, offering comfort to Lü Dahai.
Watching Lü Dahai, Mulin could empathize with his pain—this was nothing more than a power struggle within the family, with his second son succumbing to temptation. “Leader Lü, regardless of who is behind your son’s betrayal, it must be one of the three major gangs in Chinatown, and the Black Tiger Gang is the most likely suspect. I’ll investigate them soon. If they’ve truly acted against the natural order, I won’t hesitate to mete out justice. I hope you can pull yourself together—otherwise, your martial arts will deteriorate, and who will then uphold Chinatown’s future?”
After a long silence, Lü Dahai finally roused himself from despair. He bowed toward the empty space and said, “Thank you for your guidance, Elder. I will not slack off and will live up to your expectations.”
“No need for formalities, Leader Lü. I prefer solitude and dislike meddling in worldly affairs. If the Black Tiger Gang hadn’t gone too far, I wouldn’t have intervened. Please relay this to our overseas gangs: Those who invite humiliation upon themselves will be humiliated. I will not tolerate infighting that invites outsiders to oppress our own people. If I discover such treachery again, I will wipe out the entire family responsible. You’ve been warned.”
Mulin’s icy tone sent a chill down the spines of everyone in the room.
With that, Mulin left his hiding place and headed toward the Black Tiger Gang’s stronghold. His words were both a warning and a reflection of his true feelings. The events of the previous day had left a deep impression on him—he hoped overseas Chinese gangs would protect their own and act with integrity, so his efforts would not be in vain.
To achieve his goal, he had to confront the Black Tiger Gang. Based on Claire and the two stewards’ accounts, as well as the threats to their safety, he intended to eradicate this gang that acted as a lackey for foreign oppressors, setting an example for all similar factions.
Tonight, under a clear sky with sparse stars, Mulin swiftly moved through the shadows between buildings. When he was still about two kilometers from the Black Tiger Gang’s lair, his psychic senses already detected their hidden sentries. Unaware of their shift changes, he avoided alerting them.
It seemed the Black Tiger Gang had already received some news from the Lion Gang—their sentries were listless and their defenses lax. Mulin easily bypassed multiple layers of security and stopped 300 meters from the gang’s headquarters.
The Black Tiger Gang occupied a sprawling compound of about 30 hectares, serving as their base. Over a dozen buildings of varying sizes stood within, but three housed the gang’s key figures. Staring at the vast complex, Mulin realized tonight’s task would be enormous—dealing with such a large area and so many people would require tremendous effort. But since he had already made his declaration, failing to fulfill his promise would undermine his credibility.
Shaking off his doubts, he focused on surveying the situation. The main building was a 12-story tower serving as both living quarters and offices for the gang’s core members. The leader, Li Longtian, and his deputies, Ma Rulong and Li Longhu, resided in a 10-story building. Five elders lived in an 8-story structure, including the quarters of his two stewards. The remaining buildings housed gang members and their families in apartment-style blocks.
After steadying his breathing and replenishing his spiritual energy, Mulin prepared for action. He never took chances—even when dealing with minor threats, he used overwhelming force to ensure no loose ends remained. Extending his psychic senses, he enveloped the entire compound within his awareness.
Inside the main building, only night guards remained awake while the rest slept. Taking out an invisibility talisman, he activated it with a surge of spiritual energy, vanishing into the night.
Mulin’s first objective was to secure the entire compound. Setting up a large formation around the perimeter would be difficult, so he decided to control each building individually. Approaching the main tower, he took out another talisman and channeled his energy to deploy the “Dragon’s Prison Formation”—a barrier that allowed entry but no escape.
Watching the talismans in his ring dwindle one by one, Mulin felt a pang of regret. Each talisman required significant spiritual energy to create, and the materials were rare—most of his stock had been gathered during his travels, and his reserves were running low.
Any other cultivator witnessing Mulin’s reckless use of talismans would have lamented, “What a waste!” Not only were the materials scarce, but the spiritual energy expended in crafting so many talismans was immense. A single mistake in inscription could turn a talisman meant to gather energy into a deadly explosive.
Sighing inwardly, Mulin swore never to undertake such a costly endeavor again. As he moved toward the surveillance room, he swiftly incapacitated the ten guards on duty, ensuring no alarms could be raised.
After setting up formations around the other buildings, he returned to the main tower and began scanning it with his psychic senses. In his view, while a gang’s leadership was important, its backbone—the core enforcers—was what truly sustained it. Thus, he aimed to dismantle the main building’s defenses first.
His psychic senses enveloped the entire structure. Aside from the absence of an armory or ammunition depot, the building housed an internal telephone exchange system, remote surveillance equipment, and—most notably—the Black Tiger Gang’s treasury. The basement even contained prison cells. This was undeniably the heart of the Black Tiger Gang.
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