Chapter 273: Chapter 270: The Man in Black
The Outer City of Black Stone City had lost all of its usual tranquility. The air was thick with the stench of blood and a murderous aura.
In the eastern district, inside a remote apothecary with a plaque that read "Rejuvenation Hall."
BANG!
A heavy, solid-wood counter was shattered by a savage, immense force. A Black Lotus Sect cultist of the Skin Tempering Realm, disguised as an accountant, went flying backward like a broken sack, violently spewing blood as he crashed into the wall of medicinal shelves behind him.
Dressed in green, Su Yu slowly retracted his fist, which was wreathed in a blood-red, malevolent aura. His punch had shattered the Black Lotus Guard’s meridians, completely stripping him of his ability to resist.
"Take him away and interrogate him rigorously!" Su Yu commanded coldly. Several Security Guards behind him immediately rushed forward, using refined steel chains to tightly bind the cultist, who was now as limp as a pile of mud.
While patrolling the area today, Su Yu had discovered the anomaly here thanks to Qing Yuan’s aerial reconnaissance, and he immediately led his men to apprehend the target.
However, this apothecary only housed this single Black Lotus Sect cultist, which was somewhat of a disappointment to him.
...
Several streets away, in a dark alley in the city’s northern district.
BOOM!
A heavy, iron-plated courtyard gate was brutally kicked to smithereens. Dressed in black with his long hair flowing, Cui Wanhe charged into the courtyard, leading a squad of Security Guards who radiated a murderous aura.
"Show no mercy!"
Facing the several Black Lotus Sect members in the courtyard who were putting up a fight, Cui Wanhe wasted no words.
The thick-backed, nine-ringed saber in his hand became a red blur, tearing through the air with a SHIING.
The Black Lotus Sect cultist at the front didn’t even have time to scream before his head was sent flying. A fountain of scarlet blood splattered across the paper-paned window lattice.
Similar bloody arrests were unfolding frantically in every corner of the Outer City of Black Stone City.
The warehouses at the southern docks, the underground gambling dens in the west... Security Guards were everywhere.
The clang of heavy iron armor and the clash of swords and sabers intertwined.
Spurred by Mansion Master Pang’s fury, the entire Public Security Bureau had become a frenzied beast. It resorted to any means necessary, operating under the principle of "better to kill the innocent than let a single one escape" as it frantically hunted down every Black Lotus Sect cultist hiding in the city.
...
「Late at night.」
Su Yu dragged his somewhat weary body back to the Su Mansion, his deep eyes heavy with thought.
Although he had personally crippled and captured a Black Lotus Guard alive today, rigorous torture had yielded no valuable intelligence. These low-level Black Lotus Guards were merely brainwashed Death Warriors, with no access to core secrets like how the cultists had infiltrated the Inner City.
The reports from other locations were much the same. Although the Public Security Bureau had rounded up plenty of low-level minions, they hadn’t obtained a single core lead.
Moreover, Su Yu had a nagging feeling that these peripheral members had been deliberately exposed to serve as a smokescreen.
After his evening meal, Su Yu entered the Inner Treasury alone.
The storeroom had since been renovated and was now adorned with treasures like night-luminescent pearls. In the dim glow, the dazzling array of precious items on the curio shelves shimmered with light.
Seeing this tangible wealth, Su Yu’s tense heart finally relaxed a little.
The trip to Ghost Mist Island had made him fabulously wealthy once again.
He now had over ten thousand taels in silver and silver notes alone. Adding the chests of gold ingots, valuable medicinal herbs, and precious fish, Su Yu could now be considered one of the wealthiest men in the Outer City.
In peaceful times, such a massive fortune would be enough to sustain a minor family in Black Stone City for several years of prosperity.
However, the question of how to quickly convert this windfall into tangible Martial Arts combat strength had become a problem.
With the Black Lotus Sect causing chaos, prices in the city had skyrocketed like a runaway horse. If the three great families of the Inner City weren’t constantly releasing grain and other scarce supplies to stabilize the situation, the Outer City would have likely descended into riots due to shortages long ago.
’That kid Yang Gang has some connections, but he’s already done all he can. Right now in Black Stone City, you can’t buy high-grade medicinal herbs even with gold ingots. I have to find another way.’
Su Yu rubbed his chin, calculating to himself. ’I still have over twenty-six thousand merit points. Maybe I can exchange them for some resources from the Public Security Bureau’s treasury?’
But he dismissed the thought as soon as it arose, shaking his head.
’No! I’m only short about half the points I need for fifty thousand. I have to save these points for the Bone Marrow Cleansing and Bone Forging Pill. Changing the foundation of my Martial Arts is the long-term play; I absolutely can’t waste them for short-term gain.’
’It seems I’ll have to turn my attention to the trade routes outside the city. The next time Senior Sister Lin’s family or Jiang Liuchuan’s caravan prepares to leave, I’ll need to get in touch with them. I have to find a way to take this gold and silver to other cities and exchange it all for Martial Arts resources!’
His mind made up, Su Yu turned and left the Inner Treasury.
The very instant the door swung completely shut, Su Yu’s ears twitched, and his eyes instantly turned sharp.
’Someone’s here!’
The Qi and Blood in Su Yu’s body erupted. He instantly pushed his Seven Fiends Thunder Collapse Step to its absolute limit!
He became a silent afterimage, launching into the air. He took three consecutive steps in midair, like a hawk swooping down on its prey, and in an instant, he crossed the dozens of yards of courtyard and high walls, lunging straight for the dark figure that was about to vault into the Su Mansion.
The man in black was just about to vault over the high wall when he felt a lethal danger descending upon him from above.
"Who’s there?!"
The man in black was utterly horrified. He was just about to draw the Treasure Saber at his waist.
But Su Yu was simply too fast!
A large hand, wreathed in a blood-red malevolent aura, shot out like lightning. It unerringly clamped down on his throat, yanking him off the high wall as if snatching a chick, and slammed him to the ground with a loud THUD!
The immense power made him feel as if he were pinned by an ancient, raging ape, and the blood-red aura sent a piercing pain through his very soul.
"Mercy! Mercy! Lord Su, I’ve come to deliver a message!"
The man in black couldn’t move an inch, a flicker of terror in his eyes.
He was a genuine expert at the Late-stage of the Flesh Refining Realm, one who specialized in Qinggong and hidden weapons! Yet in Su Yu’s hands, he hadn’t even lasted half a move before being captured alive in an instant!
By now, a cold sweat had already soaked through his black attire.
"Take off your mask. Let me see who you are and what message you’re delivering,"
Su Yu’s voice was bone-chillingly cold, his five fingers clamped around the man’s throat like a steel vise. If the man dared to make the slightest move, the domineering Ming Jin coiling at Su Yu’s fingertips would instantly crush his windpipe.
"My... My lord, please calm yourself. I’ll take it off right now..."
The man raised his hands, trembling, and very slowly pulled the black cloth from his face, revealing the plain, unremarkable face of a middle-aged man with high cheekbones.
"Lord Su, I am Duan Ya, leader of the Money Gang! I took the liberty of sneaking in late at night specifically to present you with a secret message and expose the Water Snake Gang!"
’The leader of the Money Gang?’
Hearing this title, a peculiar glint flashed in Su Yu’s eyes.
He was certainly no stranger to the Money Gang. It had once been a renowned and powerful gang in the Outer City of Black Stone City, with deep roots and control over a large portion of the territory.
Back then, his older brother Su Hong’s Snow Wolf Gang had been considerably weaker in comparison.
More importantly, the first hidden weapon technique he had ever practiced, the Coin Toss, was the Money Gang’s signature skill!
However, the Money Gang had been brutally wiped out in a gang war some time ago by the suddenly ascendant Water Snake Gang.
’This gang leader is supposed to be dead. What’s his game, sneaking into my mansion late at night to expose his mortal enemy?’
"My lord, your strength is astonishing. I have absolutely no intention of trying to escape. Why don’t you take a look at this secret message first? I swear on my life, its contents will be more than worth your while!"
Duan Ya held his hands high, putting on an extremely compliant and honest appearance.
Su Yu’s eyes narrowed. He loosened his Finger Force slightly, motioning for the man to produce the item.
Duan Ya carefully fumbled inside his shirt and pulled out an oil-paper packet stained with dried blood, offering it up with both hands.
Su Yu took it with one hand and shook open the paper. Inside was a ledger sewn from special waterproof sheepskin, as well as a Profound Iron Token engraved with a strange black lotus pattern!
Su Yu flipped open the ledger with one hand and scanned it quickly, his pupils shrinking abruptly.
It was a smuggling ledger detailing the Water Snake Gang’s secret collusion with the Black Lotus Sect!
It clearly recorded how the Water Snake Gang had, over the past few months, used its privilege of transporting goods into the Inner City to smuggle batches of Black Lotus Sect cultists, disguised as their own gang members, into the Inner City completely undetected!
"This is a grave matter. A single ledger can be forged at any time." Su Yu’s gaze was sharp as a knife as he stared at Duan Ya. "How can I trust that this evidence is genuine?"
Duan Ya gave a bitter smile, pointed to the Profound Iron Token, and said through gritted teeth, "My lord, this ledger and this Black Lotus Special Envoy Token were obtained by a dozen of my sworn brothers, who died investigating to get them!"
"If you don’t believe me, my lord, you can take the information in this ledger and investigate the Water Snake Gang and the various locations mentioned. You’ll know if it’s true or false the moment you look into it!"
Su Yu wasn’t easily convinced. The Water Snake Gang had destroyed the Money Gang, so the enmity between them ran deep. The possibility of a frame-up was certainly very high.
Still, a flicker of anticipation grew in his heart.
He knew a fair bit about the Water Snake Gang’s activities. They had long been faintly connected to strange and sinister affairs. Previously, they had even transported numerous corpses to the death vortex in the Black Water River. Everything about them felt bizarre, not at all like things a minor gang should be capable of.
There was definitely another power backing them!
If so, then perhaps that power really was the Black Lotus Sect!
If this was true, not only could he eliminate the Water Snake Gang, but he could also score another major meritorious achievement!
"You’re Duan Ya, correct?" Su Yu stared at him. "Since you investigated and found this evidence, why didn’t you take it directly to the Public Security Bureau? Why risk delivering it to my private residence instead?"
Duan Ya took a ragged breath and met Su Yu’s gaze without flinching.
"My lord, you come from a humble fishing family, yet you act with integrity while also being ruthlessly decisive. I have been watching you for a long time. Especially during the Martial Examination, when you used the Coin Toss at the Perfection Realm, I knew you were destined to soar to great heights!"
"Only if I give the evidence to you is there a chance of taking down the Water Snake Gang. Otherwise, if it had fallen into the hands of their patrons, my brothers would have died for nothing!"
Su Yu’s expression remained impassive as he quietly scrutinized Duan Ya.
It was impossible to tell how much of Duan Ya’s story was true, and Su Yu certainly didn’t believe all of it. But that didn’t matter. As long as the Water Snake Gang had truly colluded with the Black Lotus Sect, that was all he needed.
"Very good. I’ll take it from here. If the Water Snake Gang has truly done these things, I will not allow them to exist any longer."
Su Yu slowly released his five-fingered grip on Duan Ya’s throat and tucked the ledger and Token into his robes.
"Then I thank you, my lord!"
As if granted a full pardon, Duan Ya tapped his feet lightly and instantly melted into the deep night, vanishing from sight.
