Chapter 230 - 218: Lose and You Live, Win and You Die

Chapter 230: Chapter 218: Lose and You Live, Win and You Die

"Junior Brother, where do you come up with these phrases? ’So charming even flowers would bloom’?"

Shui Yun shot him a sidelong glance and quietly placed her hand on the back of his.

Across from them, the Fourth Young Master’s heart was about to shatter.

He had harbored a secret crush for over a decade, but he had never even held her hand.

This Tang Wen had only been here for a few days, yet he was already so intimate with Shui Yun!

They... they couldn’t have already...

The Fourth Young Master closed his eyes, his heart twisting in agony. Veins bulged on the hand that gripped his treasured sword.

Sensing something, Shui Yun glanced over at him and sent a voice transmission to Tang Wen. "You need to be careful of this Fourth Young Master."

Hearing the cold indifference in her voice, Tang Wen understood: it was the classic relationship of a goddess and her self-deluded admirer, waiting in vain.

Seeing his senior sister being intimate with him had thrown the man’s mind into disarray.

’This guy definitely needs to be watched closely then.’

"The Gang Leader is here!"

The air fell silent.

The people below the platform straightened their backs.

Those on the platform rose to greet him.

"Gang Leader."

"Gang Leader!"

The Water Gang Leader gave a slight nod and walked onto the platform.

Tang Wen also spoke up. "Teacher."

The Gang Leader casually patted his shoulder and took the main seat.

Seeing this, the expressions in many people’s eyes shifted again.

What? This Seventh Young Master was also the Gang Leader’s disciple?

Everyone had arrived.

Even the mysterious Aunt Lian, whom Tang Wen had only met a few times, appeared at the Gang Leader’s side.

The meeting’s agenda began.

As the saying goes: important matters are decided in small meetings, and unimportant matters are announced in large ones.

The content of today’s large meeting was complex, but not particularly important.

Vice Gang Leader Zhao and Vice Gang Leader Lin, who presided over the gang’s internal affairs, stood up one after another to give their reports.

The former reported that the gang’s business was booming and that they had gained dozens of Martial Artists, hundreds of Martial Artists, and thousands of Martial Disciples.

Tang Wen found this strange.

The Black Water Gang had been stable for ten years now.

In ten years, wouldn’t that mean the Black Water Gang had added hundreds of Martial Artists, thousands of Martial Artists, and tens of thousands of Martial Disciples?

That was an enormous number of people.

It didn’t match the number of Martial Artists he saw here, both on and off the platform.

The Black Water Gang recruited externally every year.

There couldn’t be just this many, could there?

Where did the missing people go?

There hadn’t been any major external wars, so there shouldn’t be an exaggerated death rate.

’Could it be... underground?’

Tang Wen observed without a change in his expression.

Others were observing him as well.

Vice Gang Leader Zhao returned to his seat.

Vice Gang Leader Lin’s report was even simpler.

How much grain was harvested, how many houses were built, how many more livestock there were...

In total, it took less than five minutes.

A whole year of hard work from one hundred thousand farmers, herders, and merchants was dismissed in just a few sentences from his mouth.

It was early winter, and the weather wasn’t yet too cold.

The sun felt warm and comfortable on their skin.

The meeting had started at around nine o’clock.

By ten, both Vice Gang Leaders had finished their annual summaries.

They were martial men, after all, and got things done cleanly and efficiently.

The Vice Gang Leader in charge of the Law Enforcement Hall stood up and announced the list of commendations and promotions.

The list was long, consisting mostly of Martial Artists and Martial Artists, and this segment lasted a full hour.

The last person to be promoted to Commander left the stage.

Vice Gang Leader Lin suddenly narrowed his eyes and stared at Tang Wen.

Sensing his malicious gaze, Tang Wen glanced back at him. ’This old bastard is a Senior Sixth Grade.’

’He’s far weaker than Bai Shuo.’

’You’d better not give me an opening.’

’I’ll chop you to pieces!’

’This guy manages the farmlands outside the city. There should be opportunities.’

’Hm, best to speak no ill of the dead.’

’I won’t hold it against him.’

Tang Wen suddenly flashed a brilliant smile at Vice Gang Leader Lin.

It was a radiant, harmless smile.

’Damn it!’

’Looks like a damned pretty boy!’

’What’s he smiling about?’

’Just wait. I’ll make it so you won’t even have the tears to cry.’

He pressed down with one hand, waiting for the excited crowd to quiet down, then immediately announced something even more exciting:

"As is tradition, a newly promoted Young Master must accept challenges from others!"

An uproar erupted from below the platform.

The air filled with the buzz of discussion.

Tang Wen’s expression turned grim, and he kept glancing at Shui Yun.

His performance was so convincing, he might as well have had the two words "no confidence" written on his face.

Shui Yun’s voice transmission came through, light and cheerful. "Junior Brother, are you just acting, or are you really not confident?"

Tang Wen shot her a look that said: ’The bet. Don’t forget the bet.’

Shui Yun blinked, playing dumb. "What? What is that look supposed to mean, Junior Brother? Your big sister doesn’t understand."

Tang Wen lowered his voice. "Hmph! No need to play dumb, Senior Sister. No matter who they send up, I’m definitely winning our bet!"

Hearing the word "bet," Shui Yun’s heart fluttered. ’This little brat... he certainly knows a few tricks. He won’t touch those Maids, and even though he’s not yet at the Extraordinary realm, he insists on setting his sights on me.’

Shui Yun’s feelings were a complicated mix; she hoped he would win, but she also didn’t want him running wild all over her.

"Seventh Young Master, please step forward."

"Seventh Young Master!"

"Seventh Young Master Tang!!"

Vice Gang Leader Lin was furious. No one had ever failed to move after being called three times!

’Not even the Third Miss would dare!’

Tang Wen turned his head with a grin. "I’m here, I’m here. Whoever wants to challenge me can just come on up."

"You! Get to the center of the stage," Vice Gang Leader Lin roared, his hair and beard practically standing on end.

The smile never left Tang Wen’s face. Without another word, he rose and walked onto the stage.

Vice Gang Leader Lin’s gaze was like a dagger.

In front of so many Vice Gang Leaders and Elders—and especially with the Gang Leader present—he didn’t dare use his Spiritual Power to affect Tang Wen.

Then again, he didn’t need to.

The challenger was someone he had hand-picked with extreme care.

Killing Tang Wen today wouldn’t be easy, but he could definitely ensure he ended up either injured or disabled!

"Let the challenger come to the stage!"

THUD. THUD. THUD.

The heavy, powerful footsteps sounded like a giant bear was walking.

The footsteps were heavy and powerful.

Tang Wen glanced over. Not only did the man’s footsteps sound like a giant bear’s, but his physique was just as massive.

He held a heavy battle-axe in his hands.

The head of the axe was a meter square and as thick as a door, while the handle was only a little over a meter long.

A buzz of discussion rose from below the stage:

"It’s [The Executioner—Zhao Xiong] from the Law Enforcement Hall!"

"That axe is as thick as a door! It must weigh hundreds of pounds, right?"