FVN Chapter 6: Coercion and Enticement, the City Guard's Scheme!
Chapter 6: Coercion and Enticement, the City Guard's Scheme!
Li Wei began to make plans in his mind.
This young man is either a passing expert or a scion of a prestigious family who has come out to gain experience.
But neither of them are easy to mess with.
"Where's the body?"
Li Wei asked in a deep voice.
"The person who reported to the authorities said... the boy dragged the body back into the yard, and there's been no movement since."
"Drag it back to the yard?"
A hint of doubt flashed in Li Wei's eyes.
Kill someone, don't run away, instead hide the body? What kind of operation is that?
Li Wei paced back and forth in the barracks, his fingers lightly tapping the table.
Two thoughts were fighting in his mind.
One thought was to immediately take men there, arrest that arrogant brat, and execute him in public!
To serve as a warning to others!
To uphold the dignity of his city guard captain.
Another thought was that something was strange about this matter; the other party was able to kill Wang Hu and his six companions so easily, so their strength must be considerable.
If it turns out to be a tough opponent, I might not get away with it if I act rashly.
Li Wei is a greedy man, but even more so, he is a man who cherishes his life.
After a moment of contemplation, a ruthless and cunning glint flashed in his eyes.
"Someone come here!"
He shouted outside.
"exist!"
Two trusted guards walked in.
"You two, take a group of men and go to that alley in the East City Market."
Li Wei lowered his voice and gave the order.
"Remember, don't rush in directly. First, block both ends of the alley, then shout loudly."
"Shout out?"
The guards were somewhat puzzled.
"right!"
Li Wei sneered.
"Just say you received a report that bandits have committed a crime and your city guards have come to apprehend them! Tell him to immediately lay down his weapons and surrender! Give him the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to consider it."
"Sir, what if he resists?"
"A guard asked."
"Resist?"
Li Wei's smile became even more sinister.
"It's best if he resists!"
"You all go outside and make a huge fuss, the more noise the better! Tell them there's a vicious bandit inside, putting up a last-ditch resistance! I want to see how long he can hold out!"
That was his plan.
First use diplomacy, then force; seize the moral high ground.
If the other party is sensible and obediently comes out to surrender, that would be the best outcome.
How to prepare it then is entirely up to him.
We can take this opportunity to swallow up all the territory and profits left behind by Wang Hu.
If the other party is ungrateful and dares to resist, that is "resisting arrest" and "confronting the government."
He could then legitimately mobilize all the city guards to surround and kill the enemy!
Moreover, making a big fuss can also help to find out the other party's true colors.
If they are truly scions of major sects or powerful families, the people behind them will definitely step forward.
It won't be too late for him to change course when the time comes.
If it's just a lone wolf with some brute strength, that's perfect. Killing it won't hurt; we can use its head to establish our authority!
"besides,"
Li Wei added,
"I heard that kid has a beautiful sister-in-law? Hmph, once we catch that kid, we'll bring that woman back with us! Anyone who dares to kill my people, I'll make sure their family is ruined!"
He had a well-thought-out plan in mind.
It allows one to test the other's strength, protect oneself, and even make a quick buck; it even includes women in its schemes.
"Yes! Your Excellency is wise!"
The two guards understood immediately, their faces contorted with lewd smiles, and they promptly obeyed and left.
Li Wei sat back down on the tiger-skin chair, picked up the iron gall bladder from the ground, and slowly coiled it around.
He could almost see the reckless young man kneeling before him, begging for mercy, while his beautiful sister-in-law was writhing and pleasing him on his bed.
"Hmph, kid, in Qixia Town, if you're a dragon, you have to coil up; if you're a tiger, you have to lie low!"
Li Wei picked up his wine glass, downed it in one gulp, and his face was full of smug satisfaction.
Little did he know that his target was not at home at all.
Yang Qian had already taken his sister-in-law and quietly left the courtyard, heading straight for the Black Tiger Gang's lair—the dilapidated temple in the west of the town!
A race against time has quietly begun.
The night was as dark as ink, enveloping the entire town of Qixia.
West of the town, a dilapidated temple.
It is now impossible to know which deity was originally enshrined here. All that remains are ruins and cobweb-covered beams, which have become the lair of the Black Tiger Gang, a group of thugs.
At this moment, the main hall of the dilapidated temple was brightly lit and bustling with noise.
The remaining twenty-odd members of the Black Tiger Gang were gathered around the campfire, eating meat and drinking wine heartily.
"Damn it, I don't know what got into the boss today, he took the third brother and a few others to deal with some sickly guy, and they still haven't come back!"
A man with a scar on his face took a big gulp of wine and muttered curses.
His name is Zhao Er. He is one of the two deputy members of the Black Tiger Gang, a martial artist at the second level of the Acquired Realm, and also Wang Hu's right-hand man.
"Second brother, what are you worried about?"
A skinny, monkey-like thug next to him chuckled obsequiously.
"With that kid's build, the boss could crush him with a single finger. He's probably having a good time with that young lady right now!"
"Hahaha! You're right!"
"That young lady from the Qin family is truly a beauty; the eldest son is in for a treat!"
A group of thugs let out lewd laughter, their words filled with covetousness towards Qin Shuyu.
Sitting opposite Zhao Er was another deputy, a taciturn and gloomy man named Qian Si.
He silently wiped the dagger in his hand, ignoring the discussions of the crowd, but the occasional glint in his eyes proved that he was not as simple as he seemed.
"Report—"
Just then, a henchman who was on lookout outside came tumbling in.
"What's the panic!"
Zhao Er shouted impatiently.
"Is the boss back?"
"No...no..."
The henchman turned pale with fright, pointed outside the temple gate, and stammered...
"It's...it's the city guards! Captain Li's men have surrounded this place!"
"What?!"
Zhao Er and Qian Si stood up at the same time, their faces filled with surprise and doubt.
The laughter in the hall abruptly stopped, and everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.
City Guard?
What are they here for?
Isn't Li Wei supposed to be in cahoots with the boss? Why is he bringing people to surround them?
"Let's go out and take a look!"
A sense of foreboding rose in Zhao Er's heart. He led Qian Si and his gang out of the dilapidated temple in a hurry.
Outside the temple gate, torches blazed brightly, and a squad of more than twenty city guards, armed with spears, had completely surrounded the dilapidated temple.
Leading them were Li Wei's two trusted bodyguards.
"Brother Zhang, Brother Liu, what does this mean?"
Zhao Erqiang suppressed his unease and forced a smile.
"Why are you bringing your buddies here so late at night? If you want to drink, there's plenty inside!"
The bodyguard, known as Brother Zhang, said with a forced smile:
"Zhao Er, there's no need for drinks. We're here on the orders of the Captain to question your boss, Wang Hu."