Chapter 114: War! War! War!
“Your friend’s Obsidian Martial Arts Hall?”
Watu looked at Xia Ling, who did not care about the Great Ape Gang at all, and for a moment he was stunned.
It was not only Watu, the Gang Leader of the Great Ape Gang, who was stunned. Even Flo and the others on Crimson Moon Mountain were suddenly wondering if there was something wrong with their ears, if they had misheard.
“Master Lin, are you and Miss Xia Ling friends?” Flo could not help but ask Lin Qi in a low voice, his voice even carrying a slight tremor.
Although Xia Ling’s voice was not loud, because of the appearance of the Phosphor Fire Gang, the whole area had already become terrifyingly silent, with no one daring to speak. This made Xia Ling’s words extremely clear to everyone present.
The word “friend” was just everyday language for people mixed up in gangs.
It was like asking “have you eaten?” or “do you want to eat?” It meant basically the same thing.
But when Xia Ling brought twenty personal guard squads of the Phosphor Fire Gang here, and said the word “friend” in front of the Great Ape Gang, the meaning became completely different.
It not only showed how much value Xia Ling placed on that person from the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall, but also that she regarded that person as someone of equal identity and status.
Currently, the only leader of the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall was Lin Qi. With no other known spokesperson for Obsidian Martial Arts Hall, if there was no mistake, the “friend” Xia Ling mentioned could only be Lin Qi.
If things were really as he thought, then the value of the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall far exceeded what he had previously imagined. After all, in the City of Light Chasing, where the weak were prey to the strong, no child of a Great Family would casually befriend someone inferior to themselves in every aspect, especially someone clearly beneath them in identity and status.
Lin Qi scratched his head, not very sure, and said, “Sort of.”
Personally, he and Xia Ling could not really be considered friends. He did not even know Xia Ling’s exact identity, only that her status in the Phosphor Fire Gang was not low.
However, he had done quite a bit of business with Xia Ling, so calling it a business friendship was not wrong.
“I see, I see!” Flo nodded, his face already blooming with a wide smile.
Although Xia Ling acknowledged Lin Qi as a friend, Lin Qi was not very forthcoming in acknowledging her. That alone showed a clear disparity in their status, meaning the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall absolutely had a powerful background.
Lin Qi looked at Flo, who seemed to think he had understood everything, and was speechless for a moment.
He did not understand what was going on, and had no idea what Flo thought he had figured out.
As for Captain Mans of the White Feather Gang, who had been watching from far away on the bridge with a telescope, he could not help drawing in a sharp breath.
“How could this happen?” Mans stared at Xia Ling, who had proactively stepped forward, feeling somewhat dazed. “What is the relationship between the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall and her, exactly?”
As the beloved granddaughter of the Gang Leader of the Phosphor Fire Gang, Xia Ling held an extremely high position in the gang. Now that she had achieved Quasi-Martial Artist level before the age of twenty, her status even surpassed that of the Vice Gang Leaders of the Phosphor Fire Gang.
For such a major figure from the suburbs to come and resolve a crisis for the small Obsidian Martial Arts Hall was utterly baffling.
If Xia Ling intervened in this attack by the Great Ape Gang, then the Great Ape Gang would have no choice but to give up dealing with the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall, effectively ruining the White Feather Gang’s plan.
“Captain Mans, should we wait until they all leave and then forcefully make a move?” a Dark Guard Captain of the White Feather Gang asked in a low voice.
“Even if you later force an attack on Crimson Moon Mountain, it will not help.” Mans shook his head, looking at the dozens of players on the mountain with some emotion. “This Obsidian Martial Arts Hall has an impressive foundation. Previously, nineteen people alone were able to cause havoc in the Great Ape Gang’s headquarters and kill more than six hundred people. Do you think you can do better than that?”
For a moment, all the dark guards present fell silent. Though they did not want to admit it, they were sure it would be very hard to do better. After all, the Great Ape Gang’s headquarters had over a thousand members and hundreds of Apprentice-level experts. Even real Martial Artists could not defeat them head-on, let alone them, who were not Martial Artists.
“The Gang Leader called you here so you could deliver the finishing blow, not so you could be the vanguard.” Mans looked at the silent dark guards, the corners of his mouth lifting in a faint smile. “But this time, it is not as if you have no opportunity.”
“Captain Mans, what do you mean?” The two Dark Guard Captains could not help but look at Mans curiously, this newest trusted aide of the Gang Leader.
“That old gorilla Watu, according to the Gang Leader, is extremely ambitious.” Mans looked toward Watu on the other side of the bridge and said with a smile, “Xia Ling’s identity is certainly terrifying, but Watu is not an ordinary person. It is impossible he would so easily let go of a Small Energy Vein. When the time comes, you just need to take advantage of the chaos.”
If they did not know some of Watu’s background, that would be one thing. But knowing that Watu was very likely a Martial Artist, and one who had managed a Wilderness Gang for many years…
Forget about Xia Ling alone, even the entire Phosphor Fire Gang might not be enough to make Watu yield.
After all, the great chance to carve out territory and secure a King Seal was right in front of him. Very few Martial Artists could stifle their desire. It was only a question of whether Watu was willing to expose his hidden trump cards.
Just as Mans was speaking, a low laugh suddenly came from within the ranks of the Great Ape Gang, making the already quiet scene instantly become deathly still.
“Xia Ling, it has been a while. I did not expect you to be meddling in the conflicts of Wilderness Gangs.”
“But as it happens, Watu is also an old friend of mine. I wonder if you could give me some face and let them settle their own matters?”
As the voice fell, a woman of the Three-eyed Tribe stepped out from the Great Ape Gang’s crowd. She had a head of silver hair and wore a metal mask that completely concealed her true face, yet she gave off the feeling of a forest fairy, making everyone feel an indescribable sense of closeness.
Behind the woman followed twenty men and women of the Three-eyed Tribe. They all wore black robes, but beneath the robes one could faintly see A6-grade battle armor. The deliberately released qi and blood of each of them was far stronger than that of many Quasi-Martial Artists, clearly having reached the level of Limit Quasi-Martial Artists.
These twenty Three-eyed men and women stood together, and the aura they exuded did not lose in the slightest to the two hundred personal guards of the Phosphor Fire Gang behind Xia Ling.
“Estina! Why are you here?” When Xia Ling saw the Three-eyed Tribe woman step out, a trace of surprise flashed in her golden eyes.
Estina!
This woman of the Three-eyed Tribe was famous throughout the suburbs of the City of Light Chasing.
She was the second daughter of the Boran Great Family. The Boran Great Family was a Martial Artist Great Family that lived in the suburbs, owning more than a dozen enterprises there and cooperating with several powerful clans and major gangs in the suburbs.
Estina’s position in the Boran Great Family was not at all inferior to Xia Ling’s position in the Phosphor Fire Gang. Even Xia Ling’s grandfather, the Gang Leader of the Phosphor Fire Gang, usually had to give her a few degrees of respect.
“I have cooperated with Gang Leader Watu for many years. He said he was going to show me something good today, so I came over to take a look.” Estina’s voice was gentle, like moonlight flowing over silk, and she smiled gracefully. “Now it seems I have indeed seen something I do not usually get to see.”
“You want to help that big gorilla?” Xia Ling glanced at Watu, then looked back at Estina, a trace of anger in her eyes.
“I am not helping. I said Watu is my friend, and also a companion I have cooperated with for many years.” Estina shook her head slightly, still speaking softly. “Previously, that friend of yours rudely attacked the Great Ape Gang’s camp. The Great Ape Gang coming here today is only to let your friend understand the meaning of reciprocity.”
“But considering that the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall has you as a friend, Watu definitely will not go too far. He can let him go today, but everyone else must die.”
As Estina uttered that final word, an icy chill instantly enveloped the entire area, making many who had thought Estina was an easygoing beauty change their minds.
One word: kill.
Even many Quasi-Martial Artist-level vagrants who had spent years fighting and killing in the wilderness felt as if they faced a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, like the wrath of an emperor drenching a thousand miles in gore.
Estina’s words made Xia Ling fall silent and hesitate for a moment.
She knew all too well what kind of woman Estina was. Inside the Phosphor Fire Gang, many people described her as a little demon, but in the Boran Great Family, Estina’s evaluation was that of a lunatic.
The kind who, once ruthless, did not care about her own life.
“Miss.” As Xia Ling hesitated, the old man behind her, who looked like a butler, spoke in a low voice. “Estina’s family’s power and influence are far stronger than the Phosphor Fire Gang in the suburbs. If we really fight to the end, we will suffer a huge loss. It is better to take Master Lin away today. After you are promoted to Martial Artist, we can regain our dignity later.”
Xia Ling took a deep breath, then looked at Watu with a faint smile and said in a calm tone, “Fine, today I will give Estina this face. I will not interfere in your conflict. I hope Gang Leader Watu will not regret today’s decision in the future.”
To put it bluntly, it was one sentence: I will remember you.
“Miss Xia Ling, your friend can leave freely. We will not stop him.” Watu gave a simple, honest smile, clearly not taking it to heart.
Then Xia Ling no longer looked at Watu or Estina. She directly used her smart watch to contact the number Lin Qi had left earlier, and Lin Qi on Crimson Moon Mountain connected the call at once.
“Master Lin, my abilities are limited. All I can do is take you away,” Xia Ling said apologetically. “As for the others, there is nothing more I can do. If I make a move, that woman Estina will definitely act as well. By then, it will still come down to a battle between you and the Great Ape Gang.”
“I understand. Thank you, Miss Xia, for your help today.” Standing before the stockade gate, Lin Qi had heard everything clearly and knew Xia Ling had done her best. He could not help but ask curiously, “If those people of the Three-eyed Tribe were to strike, could Miss Xia stop them?”
“Estina and her people making a move?” Xia Ling was quite surprised, not understanding why Lin Qi would ask that, but she still answered seriously, “If they dare to act, I will definitely not let them succeed.”
“Then I will have to trouble Miss Xia when the time comes,” Lin Qi said with a nod of gratitude.
“Master Lin, are you really going to fight?” Hearing the tone in Lin Qi’s voice, Xia Ling was astonished. “The Great Ape Gang has more than fifteen hundred people over there, including over seven hundred experts at Apprentice-level and above, and this time they came prepared. Their coordination in battle is nothing like when you raided them at night.”
“Our Obsidian Martial Arts Hall has always preferred to die with a shout rather than live in silence.” Lin Qi thought for a moment and felt it necessary to state a reason why the players were not afraid of death, so it would be easier to explain in the future.
“To die with a shout rather than live in silence?!” Xia Ling looked at the disconnected call, suddenly feeling that Lin Qi and the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall were truly different. It was likely this kind of mindset that let them progress so quickly, whereas she lacked such tempering.
Thinking of how she had planned to help Lin Qi escape earlier, she now felt that was almost an insult to his conviction.
“Miss, what now? Should we go pick him up?” the butler asked.
“No need.” Xia Ling waved her hand, and her gaze swept toward Estina. A desire to decide victory and defeat between them rose in her heart. “Make preparations. Have everyone keep their eyes on that side. If they dare to act, stop them immediately for me.”
“Will they act?” The butler was taken aback. He did not understand what this Young Lady Xia Ling was thinking. No matter how you looked at this war, the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall had no chance of victory. Why would Estina bother to make an extra move?
After Lin Qi hung up, he turned and looked at the gathered players behind him. He paused, then said loudly, “The result is already obvious. The Great Ape Gang wants us dead; they want to take our Crimson Moon Mountain. That leaves us with only one thing we can do.”
“Draw your blades.”
“From now on, everything gained on the battlefield belongs entirely to you. Whoever can kill a Vice Gang Leader of the Great Ape Gang will be rewarded with one hundred thousand points and one thousand contribution. Whoever kills Gang Leader Watu will be rewarded with three hundred thousand points and three thousand contribution.”
As Lin Qi finished speaking, all the players cheered loudly.
“Master of the Pavilion is mighty!”
“All the loot belongs to us? Master of the Pavilion, you are amazing!”
“Looks like Master of the Pavilion is going to bleed hard today. Brothers, it’s welfare time!”
Flo, stationed halfway up the mountain, watched as the players below suddenly surged with high fighting spirit and was completely puzzled.
Wasn’t the loot supposed to belong to the ones who made the kills in the first place?
But before Flo could recover, he saw a jaw-dropping scene.
The ninety players who should have been guarding at the foot of the mountain rushed out of the stockade without a word, charging howling toward the Great Ape Gang’s position as if they had gone mad, as if they had no idea what a defensive battle was.
