Chapter 1 A Narrow Escape

In the alleyways of Beian Street, Wei Xiangzuo sat in the back seat of a van, fiddling with his phone with one hand, saying nothing.

Inside the vehicle, Xiao Feng, Cheng Gang, and the others were equally quiet, some smoking, others whispering, but no one urged Wei Xiangzuo.

After waiting for what felt like twenty minutes, Wei Xiangzuo finally looked up slowly and softly instructed, "Xiao Xuan, drive to Yangming's place."

"Okay, Brother," the driver replied, restarting the car and heading towards Yangming's house.

The car traveled for about ten more minutes, now less than a kilometer from Yangming's home.

"Xiao Feng, you didn't bring any heat, did you?" Wei Xiangzuo asked languidly from the back seat.

Xiao Feng paused. "Do we need guns just for Yangming? After what happened with the Yu family and Nick, things are too hot. The crackdown is severe, so I've hidden everything."

"Hmm." Wei Xiangzuo nodded slowly. "Xiao Xuan, park the car a little closer to Yangming's house."

"Got it," Xiao Xuan responded.

After a brief exchange, Cheng Gang and the others took out gloves and balaclavas from their canvas bags, and each grabbed a steel blade.

Outside, the rain poured down. The van passed Yangming's front door and continued for about sixty or seventy meters before stopping at the entrance of an alley.

"Shall we go, Brother?" Xiao Feng asked, turning his head.

Wei Xiangzuo took out a cigarette pack, lowered the side window a crack, and slowly lit one. "No rush, let's sit for a while."

"Brother, what's wrong?" Cheng Gang asked, puzzled by Wei Xiangzuo's unusual behavior.

Wei Xiangzuo took a deep drag, turned his head, and looked at the misty street. "Just wait."

Hearing this, the others were confused, but since Wei Xiangzuo didn't elaborate, they didn't press him.

The car idled at the street corner in the pouring rain. After waiting for another two minutes, Wei Xiangzuo softly instructed, "We're not touching Yangming today. Drive, let's go!"

Xiao Xuan, hearing this, released the handbrake and stepped on the gas, ready to leave. But as the car started moving, a figure suddenly emerged from an alley not far ahead, carrying a shotgun and running quickly towards the front of the vehicle.

"Brother, someone's there!"

Xiao Feng exclaimed.

Wei Xiangzuo narrowed his eyes, the cigarette butt clenched between his teeth, and said in a hoarse voice, "Don't panic, reverse."

"Vroom!"

Xiao Xuan shifted into reverse with practiced ease and immediately began backing up.

The man in the raincoat, wielding the gun, ran for a dozen meters before raising his arm and pulling the trigger.

"Bang!"

The muffled gunshot shattered the night, and countless pellets riddled the front of the van.

"Get them!" the man in the raincoat roared.

As his voice faded, more than twenty men wielding knives suddenly emerged from the street behind Yangming's house, surrounding the van in an instant.

"Damn it!" Cheng Gang cursed, grabbing his knife. "It's a trap! Xiao Xuan, ram through them!"

"Don't go out!" Wei Xiangzuo immediately shouted. "Turn, into the alley, drive inside."

"Brother, we'll be cornered if we go in there!" Xiao Xuan shouted anxiously.

"Go in!" Wei Xiangzuo repeated.

Left with no choice, Xiao Xuan slammed the accelerator, reversing for a dozen meters before turning left and plunging into the alley.

"Bang!"

Just then, the knife-wielding attackers rushed forward, hacking wildly at the rear of the van.

Two more gunmen emerged from the opposite end of the narrow alley, blocking the exit.

Wei Xiangzuo tossed his cigarette butt out the window, stood up, pulled a steel knife from his bag, and said tersely, "Get out of the car."

The sound of car doors opening rang out as Wei Xiangzuo, Xiao Feng, Cheng Gang, Xiao Xuan, and the others piled out.

In the confined alley, with both ends blocked, the brothers instinctively formed a protective circle around Wei Xiangzuo, donning their balaclavas, gripping their knives, and facing the oncoming mob.

About two seconds later, the twenty-odd attackers charged, raising their blades.

At the front, Xiao Feng and Xiao Xuan, ignoring the odds, fearlessly met them head-on, hacking away.

On the side of the van, Cheng Gang grabbed Wei Xiangzuo's arm, his voice low. "Brother, they've got guns. You should jump over the wall and escape."

"Escape?!" Wei Xiangzuo raised his eyebrows and shouted. "Just a few small fries, do I look like I need to run?!"

"Kill him!"

"Charge!"

From the alley behind the van, a dozen attackers rushed forward, shouting threats as they charged.

Xiao Feng, positioned on the left side of the rear of the van, dodged two incoming blades, kicked one attacker to the ground, and then slashed upwards, splitting open another's cheek, the flesh gaping, blood and rain mixing as it gushed out.

Wei Xiangzuo's brothers, like him, were quick and agile, each possessing some level of martial skill. They were clearly trained.

Xiao Xuan swung his blade wildly, and Xiao Feng, flanking him, cut down three opponents, receiving only a minor cut on his arm.

"Shlak!"

From behind the crowd, the sound of a shotgun being cocked filled the air. Xiao Xuan immediately pulled Xiao Feng back, positioning themselves at the rear of the van.

"Bang!"

The shotgun roared again, sending sparks flying from the rear of the vehicle.

At the same time, the two gunmen from the entrance had advanced, heading straight for Wei Xiangzuo's location.

"Vroom!"

Just then, the sound of car engines filled the alley from both ends.

Wei Xiangzuo stood by the van door, his face betraying no fear, his gaze fixed on the opposing forces.

"Screech!"

The screech of brakes echoed from directly in front of Wei Xiangzuo as an SUV swerved into the alley at high speed.

In the center of the alley, the two gunmen were running forward, preparing to target Wei Xiangzuo, when they turned and saw the SUV bearing down on them.

They scrambled to dodge, pressing themselves against the alley walls.

The driver of the SUV targeted one of the men, driving straight at him.

No matter how fast their legs could carry them, they were no match for four wheels. The gunman staggered left and right but couldn't escape the speeding vehicle.

"Thump!"

With a sickening thud, the gunman was sent flying, landing a meter away, his right leg twisted at an unnatural angle, blood streaming from his nostrils.

"Clang!"

The SUV door flew open, and a burly man stepped out, brandishing a gun and shouting, "You dare to mess with our boss in Zha Nan? You've got a death wish!"

The burly man pointed a handgun at the remaining gunman and yelled, "Don't move, or I'll blow your brains out!"

"Screech!"

"Screech!"

Two trucks screeched to a halt at the alley entrance behind the van, and thirty men piled out, armed with guandaos (polearms with a curved blade) and long, forked pikes.

"Boss, what do we do?!" the leader shouted.

"Take them all down!" Wei Xiangzuo yelled from beside the van.

The thirty-plus men charged into the alley, engaging the enemy in a chaotic brawl.

Seeing that the situation had turned against them, the gunman in the center of the alley, clutching his shotgun, immediately shouted, "Damn it, retreat! Get out!"

...

In Longkou District, at the main hall of the docker's guild, Xu Hu sat in front of a statue of Guan Yu, smoking and squinting at the incense sticks in the large burner, his expression anxious.