Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Harassment of the Axe and Blade Society

Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Disruption of the Axe and Blade Society

At noon, a bearded young man emerged from the exit of Hedong Airport. He was under thirty, his hair tinged with a faint dark red, his nose broad, and his mouth wide. His appearance was far from handsome, yet his cold, sharp eyes flashed with a fierce light, scanning his surroundings like lightning.

He wore expensive designer clothes, moving quietly through the crowd waiting to greet arrivals, his steps measured and unhurried. As he wandered toward the international flights area, he lifted his thick eyebrows, his gaze icy as it swept over a nondescript trash bin.

If Blue Ghost claimed that Wildcat and Qin Hu, those unreliable fellows, had flown off to Western Europe and South America, he could believe it. But he absolutely refused to believe that Gong You would go to Africa!

What business could she possibly have in Africa? Was she seeking some exotic thrill with the women of primitive tribes?

The bearded man ran his fingers through his hair, a faint smile—half mocking, half amused—playing on his lips. This ancient city of Hedong was proving to be quite interesting.

Hedong wasn’t large, but it encompassed several counties and districts, with a population of three or four million! Blue Ghost had tasked him with finding a woman and a child here, which was truly a tall order—he despised such tedious work.

He never supported Blue Ghost’s determination to scour all of China to find that woman and child; it was like searching for a needle in the ocean. Yet he knew well that he could not change Blue Ghost’s mind.

Since he couldn’t persuade him, he decided to treat this as a vacation in Hedong. As for the search, he had no intention of doing it himself; such troublesome matters were best left to others.

Soon, he left the airport and hailed a taxi.

“Hello, judging by your attire, you’re not local, are you? Where to?” Hedong’s taxi drivers were known for their warmth.

“I’m looking for Ma Pinghai, but I don’t know where he is.” The bearded man spoke coolly, then casually pulled several bills from his wallet and tossed them onto the dashboard. “Find him for me and all this money is yours.”

The driver’s face paled, sweat beading on his forehead. He wanted to refuse, but couldn’t bear to lose the money. “Alright, sit tight.”

Who in Hedong didn’t know Ma Pinghai? Officially, he was the secretary of a street committee in Beijia District, but in reality, he was one of the city’s three major underworld bosses!

In the northern districts—Beijia, Huiquan, and Beiyu—Ma Pinghai was the top dog. Many whispered that Secretary Ma’s word carried more weight than the city’s Party Secretary in the municipal compound.

...

About ten minutes later, Qiu Yan returned. “The bloodstains disappear right at the doorway. There are some tire tracks from cars by the roadside.”

Xu Yun nodded. The situation was clearly not so simple. “Let’s eat first. I’ll ask Qiangzi after we’ve eaten.”

Guoguo had little patience for such matters; her stomach led her actions. Only after eating could she think. Ruan Qingshuang’s appetite was much weaker—she ate a few hurried bites and set down her chopsticks.

As Qiu Yan, for once, cleared the dishes, Qiangzi and Xiao Fei arrived at the medicinal restaurant, both battered and bruised.

“Brother Yun, the Axe and Blade Society came to cause trouble!” Xiao Fei complained, his face dejected. “We were all beaten, and the renovation crew workers are hospitalized!”

Xu Yun frowned slightly. What was this Axe and Blade Society, anyway?

He had just dealt with the Four Wolves Gang, and now another group appeared. Was Hedong so riddled with gangs, as numerous as stars? He glanced at Qiangzi. “What happened?”

Qiangzi gulped down half a bottle of mineral water, cursed, and began his explanation.

Less than half an hour after Xu Yun had left the medicinal restaurant, members of the Axe and Blade Society—one of the three major gangs in Wenhui District—arrived to stir up trouble. Their leader, Wei Weiming, was the younger cousin of the society’s boss, Fan Nanjie. Their purpose was clear: they demanded a renovation management fee from Pang Gang, two thousand at the outset, and threatened to beat the workers if not paid.

Pang Gang’s project had only just begun; where was he to find two thousand to pay them? He refused, so Wei Weiming ordered his men to attack. Thirty thugs assaulted Pang Gang’s seven or eight workers in a brutal group beating.

Qiangzi and Xiao Fei, along with some brothers, tried to help, but were beaten as well. Their injuries weren’t as severe as the workers’, though. The workers suffered broken fingers from iron rods and fractured legs from steel pipes—injuries requiring two months of bed rest.

Wei Weiming left after the beating, declaring, “If you want to do renovations in the future, you pay my management fee, or you can forget about working!”

It was a wicked move: by beating your workers, even if you get contracts, no one will work for you. After a few such incidents, no worker would dare take your jobs.

Qiangzi and Xiao Fei had helped Pang Gang get the injured workers to the hospital and rushed back to the medicinal restaurant, worried it was unattended.

“Axe and Blade Society?” Ruan Qingshuang was bewildered. What had happened to public security—gangs everywhere?

“Fan Nanjie’s Axe and Blade Society is no less formidable than Wang Shunxi’s Four Wolves Gang. Wang Shunxi claims to be a dog expert, but Fan Nanjie is a true underworld thug!” Qiangzi spat, blood flecked in his saliva. “Fan Nanjie runs construction waste transport, partners in concrete mixing, takes on building contracts—all of which have made him plenty of money these past years. He’s also opened a new bathhouse called ‘Tropical Rainforest.’”

Xu Yun smiled faintly. “Construction, brothel, quite impressive.”

Qiangzi nodded fiercely, a little resentful. “Fan Nanjie is thriving in the underworld. People say he’ll soon be the fourth major boss in Hedong’s underworld.”

Xu Yun wasn’t interested in Fan Nanjie’s reputation. He turned to Xiao Fei. “How’s your uncle?”

“He’s okay, but he asked me to pass a message to you... He said he’s sorry. His workers are all injured, so the medicinal restaurant’s renovation can’t continue.” Xiao Fei, a high school dropout, couldn’t handle much pressure; his face was full of frustration and disappointment.

Xu Yun tossed the keys to the Shenlong Fukang car to Qiangzi. “Let’s go, take me to the hospital. He promised to finish the renovation quickly, but now he’s quitting. That’s pretty disappointing.”

Xiao Fei panicked at this and hurried to explain. “Brother Yun, don’t blame my uncle! He doesn’t want this either. The medical bills for the workers alone are overwhelming. Please forgive him! Don’t... don’t go, okay?”

Xu Yun shook his head. “No.”

“But...” Xiao Fei was anxious, but, intimidated by Xu Yun, dared not protest.

Qiangzi yanked Xiao Fei, telling him to stay quiet. He himself was puzzled—Brother Yun was not unreasonable, so why was he so insistent this time?

“Sister Shuang, lend me twenty thousand. I’ll return it as soon as I withdraw more.” Xu Yun grinned.

Ruan Qingshuang understood his intent, nodded, and went upstairs for the cash. Guoguo, though reluctant, said nothing—she knew her father would repay it.

Only then did Qiangzi and Xiao Fei realize Xu Yun’s plan; Xiao Fei’s eyes reddened, nearly in tears.

Ruan Qingshuang returned with thirty thousand in cash. “Take more, it’s fine—so many injured workers will need money everywhere. If it’s not enough, call me.”

Xu Yun thanked her, took the money, and urged Qiangzi and Xiao Fei to hurry.

The three sped off in the Shenlong Fukang, heading straight for Hedong People’s Hospital.

Guoguo shrugged, muttering to herself, “Dad really is a soft-hearted fool. Why so kind? Now even I’m falling for him. No wonder Mom wants to give herself to him so wholeheartedly.”

Ruan Qingshuang nearly collapsed at this. What did a seven-year-old mean by ‘love’ anyway? She didn’t hear the usual idolizing tone a child has for her father, but something... She dared not imagine further!

Qiu Yan’s expression was calm as a lake. She cast a subtle look at Ruan Qingshuang—this woman was wise and gentle, pure and graceful. Perhaps only the kind-hearted Ruan Qingshuang was a true match for Xu Yun, the perennial do-gooder.

At this thought, Qiu Yan was startled. Since when had she begun to care about such trivial matters? She hadn’t realized that ever since Xu Yun had saved her by removing the deadly internal force of the Seven Absolute Palm, her once cold and proud heart had been breached by a touch of affection.

Rousseau said that acts of kindness ennoble the soul.

Now, Xu Yun and Ruan Qingshuang were two exemplars of goodness, not only elevating their own souls but even Guoguo and Qiu Yan were being swept up by their benevolence.

...

Qiangzi handled the Shenlong Fukang with practiced ease—the car had fake plates, so he cared little for traffic rules, running lines and lights as he pleased. To him, following the rules was unfit for a gangster.

Xu Yun didn’t bother with most of his harmless violations, but when Qiangzi ran a straight red light, he slapped the back of his head. “If you want to die, jump off a building—don’t cause trouble on the road. Next time, stop running red lights!”

“Yes, Brother Yun!” Qiangzi grinned sheepishly.

They soon arrived at the People’s Hospital and headed straight for the orthopedics ward. According to Qiangzi, the thugs had been ruthless; all seven workers had fractures, and the situation was serious.

A nurse approached, and Xu Yun sidestepped her, only to be grabbed. “Hey! It’s you!”

He turned to see the nurse whose voluptuous figure filled her white coat, the very one who had treated his shoulder that night—Xu Wenya.

“It’s you!” she exclaimed.

“What’s wrong now?” Ever since that night, the resolute Xu Yun had captivated her; a man tough enough to withstand gunshot wounds without anesthesia—she’d never seen the like.

Xu Yun had no time for small talk. “Several friends are injured. We’re going to the orthopedics ward. We’ll chat when I have time.”

He urged Qiangzi and Xiao Fei to lead the way.

Watching Xu Yun stride away, Xu Wenya pouted, stamping her foot in mock anger. “He doesn’t even have a moment for a word—honestly!”

Her feelings for this man, who laughed off gunshot wounds, grew deeper and more mysterious. She couldn’t understand how, despite being courted daily by respectable young officials, she was so taken with this unkempt Xu Yun. What spell had she fallen under?