Chapter 24: The Wrath of the Underground Emperor

Under the gaze of many, Yang Sheng slowly stepped down from the ring.

He ignored the fawning compliments from the Hong Sheng Lian underlings, offering only a brief nod to He Wenchang before sinking into a chair, an intense wave of exhaustion washing over him.

His match with Zuo Kun had been incredibly fast, lasting less than five minutes in total. Yet, Zuo Kun lived up to his reputation as the strongest of the Ying Lian She’s "Three Tigers." His Tongbei Pigua Fist had reached the level of a grandmaster; his strikes were peerlessly fierce and brutal, making them exceptionally difficult to parry. Had Yang Sheng not experienced a sudden epiphany and breakthrough in his martial arts mastery during the bout, the outcome would have been uncertain. Of course, this was merely a contest on the ring; had it been a fight to the death, the results would have been even more unpredictable.

Yang Sheng was also puzzled by his mastery level. He felt that the strength he had gained from his mid-battle breakthrough was significant, so why had his mastery only increased by 2%?

If Fatty Wang had heard this, he surely would have spat in his face. Any discipline raised to 90% reached the grandmaster level, and every 1% increase beyond 90% was extraordinarily difficult. Thus, the most Fatty Wang could do was raise Yang Sheng’s martial arts mastery to 90%. It wasn’t that he was stingy or withholding benefits from a newcomer he favored; he simply lacked the ability to do more.

On the other side of the ring, Wu Tianhao chewed on his cigar and asked in a low voice, "Is that the kid, Yang Sheng, who killed A-Qiang?"

The white-paper fan, Fang Jie, nodded beside him. "That’s him. I never expected a sunset organization like Hong Sheng Lian to make it this far. Boss Hao, now is not the time to move against him. Once the Dragon City Tournament ends, we can settle everything."

Wu Tianhao’s gaze was gloomy. "I know! But A-Zu is already injured. Can we rely on Lei Gong alone to reach the end? How did you arrange this?"

Chao Yi Yong had two people advance so far, but one was injured, and whether he could hold out to the end was questionable.

Fang Jie smiled bitterly. "I didn't expect A-Zu to draw Fire Bull from the Number Gang. A-Zu previously stole Fire Bull’s woman, so Fire Bull has hated him to the bone for a long time. Fire Bull knew he couldn't beat A-Zu on the ring, so he never intended to win; he was determined to severely injure A-Zu even if it cost him his life. But don't worry, Boss Hao, I’ve already made firm arrangements for the next match. A-Zu will advance even if his injuries haven't fully healed."

"Arrange it carefully. Don't let that old guy Song Changli find any faults. That ungrateful old man! If it weren't for the fact that I still need him to keep up appearances, does he really think he’s someone?"

Wu Tianhao stood up and left directly. However, as he passed by Chai Jiu of the Ying Lian She, he suddenly stopped.

"Chai Jiu, all three of your Ying Lian She tigers have been taken down by the same guy. As the head of your organization, can you swallow this insult?"

Chai Jiu smiled. "Boss Hao, you joke. Everyone knows that Yao Hui and Ruan Feng don't listen to me. Although Zuo Kun lost, a bet is a bet. My Ying Lian She isn't so fragile that we can't afford a loss."

As he spoke, Chai Jiu took out a cigar and offered it to Wu Tianhao, then leaned in with a lighter. "Boss Hao, calm your anger. Have a smoke."

Wu Tianhao curled his lip, ignored the cigar, and turned to leave, muttering under his breath, "Useless! He doesn't even have a tenth of the spirit of his father, Chai Hongtu. No wonder he’s being ridden by Luo Rong!"

Although Wu Tianhao spoke softly, Chai Jiu could still hear him faintly.

The smile on Chai Jiu's face did not change in the slightest. As he clicked his Zippo lighter on and off, the flickering light made the expression on his face appear slightly eerie.

Zuo Kun, drenched in sweat, walked over and cursed in a low voice, "Damn! That crippled bastard is so arrogant!"

Chai Jiu whispered with a cryptic smile, "In the light, there is Lei Luo; in the shadows, there is Lame Hao. Eighty percent of the heroin trade in Hong Kong is in his hands. The great warlord of the Golden Triangle is his sworn brother, and the strength of Chao Yi Yong is unparalleled among all the triads. He thinks he’s the underground emperor now; how could he not be arrogant? But the more arrogant he is, the faster he will die. An underground emperor belongs in the ground. Does he really think he can rise up? The day he sticks his head out is the day he dies. Even though there are many triads in Hong Kong, none of them want another emperor over their heads. Plus, that Chief Chinese Inspector isn't a pushover either. How could he allow anyone to unify the Hong Kong triads?"

Zuo Kun nodded in understanding and asked, "Brother Jiu, did that crippled bastard come over just to mock you?"

Zuo Kun had also spent a lot of energy fighting Yang Sheng and had sat by the ring for a while before coming over, so he hadn't heard Wu Tianhao’s comment.

Chai Jiu narrowed his eyes. "I heard that Wu Tianhao’s top fighter, Rotten Life Qiang, disappeared mysteriously, but some say he was last seen in He Lian’s territory. Since He Lian was completely crushed by Yang Sheng, could there be a connection? I don't know the inside story, but Wu Tianhao wouldn't pay attention to a newcomer for no reason. His mockery was just a provocation—he wants to use our Ying Lian She as a blade to kill for him. If the underground emperor Lame Hao needs to borrow a blade to kill, then it’s interesting indeed. When the tournament ends, remind that kid Yang Sheng to watch out for Wu Tianhao."

Zuo Kun nodded and suddenly said, "Brother Jiu, your plan to have Yang Sheng switch to our Ying Lian She is likely a lost cause. I asked him on the ring earlier. I don't know why he insists on sticking with a dying organization like Hong Sheng Lian, but he definitely won't join us."

Chai Jiu lit the cigar Wu Tianhao had refused, exhaled a cloud of white smoke, and smiled thinly. "I know that, of course. That kid is a fierce dragon. Although I don't know why he stays with Hong Sheng Lian, it’s clear that those three old men cannot hold him back. All the triads in Hong Kong are stagnant now; it’s hard for newcomers to get ahead, and the old guard won't step down. If that kid can stir things up, it wouldn't be a bad thing. Only in chaos can one find victory. My father's legacy has been mostly squandered by me; it’s time to find an opportunity to reclaim it, otherwise, I’ll be called 'Prince Chai' for the rest of my life."

Zuo Kun paused, then nodded in realization.

...

In a low, dilapidated shack within the Kowloon Walled City, a clay pot bubbled, sending up an alluring aroma. The meat in the pot rolled in the thick, savory broth, enough to make one forget the greasy table and the dark red, flowing wastewater on the floor.

"Ghost" Wen was the first to pick up a piece of meat. He blew on it twice before tossing it into his mouth, and though he winced from the heat, he didn't spit it out.

"When dog meat boils three times, even the gods can't sit still! Dilu, where did you find such an authentic dog meat hot pot?"

"Every dog meat hot pot in the Walled City is authentic, but the ones without signs, the dirtier they look, the more authentic they are." Dilu fawningly picked some meat for Yang Sheng.

"Brother Sheng, try it. If you don't eat now, Ghost Wen will eat it all."

Yang Sheng snapped out of his thoughts, tasted a piece, and praised, "No wonder people risk being robbed just to eat dog meat hot pot in the Walled City."

After the Dragon City Tournament ended, Yang Sheng had asked Dilu to arrange a late-night snack for the brothers. Just then, Zuo Kun had come to warn him that Wu Tianhao had taken notice of him and even intended to use the Ying Lian She to deal with him. This was somewhat unexpected. He had been certain Wu Tianhao wouldn't move against him yet, but he hadn't realized the underground emperor was so petty; even without taking direct action, he had already marked him as a target.

Of course, it wasn't necessarily that Wu Tianhao was small-minded. It was just that after being the underground emperor for so many years and dominating the triads of Hong Kong, no one had dared to challenge his authority for a long time. Now that Yang Sheng had suddenly appeared and Wu Tianhao couldn't deal with him immediately, he naturally felt stifled and frustrated.

This was a troublesome matter. After all, Yang Sheng didn't want to be ambushed by a group of gunmen one day.

Putting his thoughts aside for the moment, Yang Sheng began to eat, replenishing the energy he had burned on the ring.

Suddenly, a cacophony of shouting broke out in the alleyway. Yang Sheng turned to see a fat man in a floral shirt, panting as he was chased by several disheveled, skinny junkies holding knives. They were running straight toward the dog meat shop.

The junkies were so far gone from their addiction that their bodies had completely collapsed, but the fat man’s fitness wasn't great either, so the chase was at a snail's pace, which looked quite comical.

Ghost Wen sneered, "That fatty must have flashed his wealth in the Walled City and caught the eye of these addicts. These guys would sell their own wives and children just for a hit."

The Walled City was lawless; robbery was far too common.

Yang Sheng swallowed a piece of meat and said indifferently, "Warn them to stay away. Don't disturb our meal."

Ghost Wen nodded and shouted at the top of his lungs, "You bastards, get lost! Don't disturb my big brother’s dinner!"

But the junkies seemed to be blinded by their bloodlust, or perhaps they were just high and out of their minds, as they still rushed toward the shop.

"Damn! Leopard Head!"

Leopard Head stood up. His nearly two-meter-tall, massive frame looked like a giant compared to the skeletal junkies. He grabbed one of the junkies and used him as a weapon to swing at the others, knocking them to the ground groaning in just a few strikes.

"Get out of here in three seconds! If you dare disturb my big brother's meal again, believe me, I'll crush your skulls!"

Under Leopard Head’s ferocious glare, the junkies didn't even dare to throw out a threat; they just scrambled away, moaning.

The mustachioed fat man leaned against the table, panting, and smiled apologetically. "Thank you for your help, gentlemen. This meal is on me. Since I've loved eating rice with lard since I was a kid, people in the business call me Lard Boy. I work for Inspector Lei. If you ever need help with the authorities outside, just say the word."

Yang Sheng had originally just wanted to dismiss the man so he wouldn't disturb their meal, but upon hearing the names "Lard Boy" and "Inspector Lei," he suddenly stopped his chopsticks.

"Is the Inspector Lei you're talking about the Chief Chinese Inspector, Lei Luo?"