Chapter 97: Surnamed Qin, You’re A Beast, In The End I’m Fighting Solo?
“Sir, during the time you were feigning death, some local ruffians have started to stir up trouble in the city.”
After Hong Hao and Wang Bao’an returned from patrolling the streets, they came to report the situation.
Lin Fan, without looking up, continued to busy himself with the matters at hand, his tone flat but with an irrefutable authority, “Do you still need me to teach you how to handle this? You are now constables of the Public Security Bureau, qualified constables.
Whoever causes trouble, deal with them.
It doesn’t matter who is backing them, show no favoritism.”
He looked up, his gaze sweeping over the two men, “Go, arrest all those who are causing trouble. You will handle the interrogations yourselves, follow the rules. If too many people are involved and you lack manpower, simply call upon other brothers to join in.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Hong Hao and Wang Bao’an’s spirits lifted. They immediately clasped their fists in acknowledgment, turned, selected a few colleagues, and rushed out to arrest people.
After everyone left.
Lin Fan got up from the Chief’s office and headed towards the prison.
The gangs in the city were still present, and all the local ruffians were lying low.
As long as he was here, as long as he was alive, he could suppress them.
Yet, as soon as he pretended to be dead for a little while, they all started jumping out.
It was enough to imagine that if he didn’t completely suppress these individuals, if he were to leave Anzhou one day, these people would undoubtedly return with a vengeance.
However, the gang influence in Anzhou was too extensive and complex. Many common people relied on them for their livelihoods. If he were to take them down with lightning speed, it could very well lead to the collapse of Anzhou’s entire underlying ecosystem.
Therefore, he had to make thorough preparations.
With his capabilities, crushing them would be simple. With the confession of just one local thug, he could lead people to kick down the door of their house, drag them directly from their homes to the Public Security Bureau. But what about after that?
There were too many matters to consider.
So, his current idea was to find suitable successors.
…
Prison.
It was filled with the smell of decay. Since Master Ximen and three other masters were imprisoned here, the once peaceful and harmonious prison had not stopped its clamor.
Masters Hu, Li, and Zhou turned all their fear and fury into torrents of curses directed at Ximen Cong, their language extremely vulgar and their vocabulary rich, repeatedly insulting the eighteen generations of Ximen Family ancestors.
Ximen Hai, seeing his father being so verbally abused, trembled with anger and roared, clinging to the prison bars, “You three scoundrels, do you have the bear’s heart and leopard’s gall to curse my father? If my father hadn’t supported and cared for you all these years, would you have the prestige you have today?”
Even with his back burning with pain, he still had to fight for his father.
Master Hu suddenly turned his head and spat in the direction of Ximen Hai through the bars.
“Yes, that’s right, it’s because of your father that we have these glorious days of being in jail! Your father is as stupid as a pig. I, Hu, have been around for decades, considering myself to have sharp judgment, only to realize my biggest blind spot was misjudging that foolish pig Ximen. You even boasted about our poisoning to Lin Fan, what the hell were you thinking?”
The more he spoke, the more agitated he became. “Now it’s great, you’ve sold us all out. We’ll all wait to die in this dark and lightless prison together. Are you satisfied?”
Master Ximen, knowing he was in the wrong, faced the storm of abuse with only a dejected slump on the pile of straw in the corner, remaining silent.
At first, Ximen Hai didn’t understand, but as he listened to Master Hu’s angry accusations, he gradually pieced together the sequence of events.
He turned to his father, dumbfounded, his voice trembling with disbelief, “Father, you… you really did something so foolish?”
He was stunned.
In such a situation, no matter how stupid one was, they wouldn’t have done this.
Master Ximen lowered his head, the pain in his body far less than the pain in his heart. He had never imagined things would turn out this way.
He had dedicated his life to meticulous planning in Anzhou, only to meet such an end.
Even the Ninth Prince, whom he prided himself on and considered an unshakeable pillar, could not save him.
He looked up at the dim corridor. The distance to leave here was short, but he knew that he would likely never be able to walk out of here in his lifetime.
Just then, several blurred figures appeared at the entrance of the corridor.
As the newcomers approached, the light outlined the face that he hated to the bone and feared to the marrow.
Lin Fan walked in with a smile, listening to their bickering, his brow furrowed slightly, and he let out a faint hum from his throat.
Xu Ming immediately understood and roared, “This is a key area of the prison, maintain silence! Whoever dares to make a disturbance will face torture.”
Xu Ming, who had the strongest learning ability and comprehension, had long since integrated into the operations of the Public Security Bureau, and his demeanor, in every word and action, gradually gained the authority of a Squad Leader.
Clearly, Xu Ming’s deterrence was effective. The prison fell silent. It was evident that the people imprisoned here had witnessed the ruthlessness of Squad Leader Xu in interrogating criminals.
“Bring out the four masters, I have something to ask them,” Lin Fan said softly, looking at the surrounding cells. A large number of people had been executed a while ago, leaving many empty spaces.
Before he arrived in Anzhou, the local order was very chaotic. It could be said that if you were walking on the street peacefully, minding your own business, you could be targeted by local ruffians. Being extorted was considered lucky; being beaten until your head was bleeding was a common occurrence.
“Yes, Sir.” Xu Ming responded.
Soon, in the interrogation room, the four masters were secured on racks.
Lin Fan sat there, snacking and drinking tea, but his Poison Resistance did not increase. He put Tiannanxing aside, realizing he would need to buy some new medicinal herbs.
He didn’t begin the interrogation immediately. Instead, he picked up his teacup, and in front of the four masters, gently scraped the rim of the cup with its lid, making a faint clinking sound. He blew on the hot steam, inhaling the tea aroma, letting it mask the prison’s foul odor.
Master Hu, no longer displaying the ferocity of his previous curses towards Master Ximen, showed signs of pleading and flattery. His voice trembled as he begged.
“Lord Lin, please be merciful and spare my life. I am willing to hand over all of the Hu family’s assets to you. I only beg you to give us a way out.”
“Foolish!!!” Lin Fan said lightly, his gaze drifting over Master Hu with a hint of mockery. “You poisoned an Imperial Official. This is a crime punishable by confiscation of property and execution. Your assets ceased to be yours the moment you were imprisoned here.”
Master Hu’s face turned as pale as paper, his breathing becoming heavy and rapid. His body felt weak. If he hadn’t been secured to the rack, he would have already collapsed to the ground.
“Master Lin! Chief Lin! Lord Lin! Please be kind and have compassion, give me a way to live.”
Master Hu pleaded, as entering prison is like descending into the deep sea, and freedom becomes a stranger from that point on.
The other party didn’t even put the Ninth Prince in his eyes.
He didn’t know who could control this Chief Lin who was immune to all worldly concerns.
“Master Hu, you are a smart man,” Lin Fan said in a flat tone. “Since you are a smart man, stop saying such foolish things. I came here personally hoping that you gentlemen would cooperate and answer a few questions. This way, when the day of your beheading comes, perhaps I can personally wield the sword, ensuring a clean and swift end, so you suffer less.”
Lin Fan let out a low chuckle, making the terrifying prospect of beheading sound incredibly casual.
Masters Li, Hu, and Zhou heard this.
Their faces turned even paler.
As if anticipating the fate of being beheaded, they were so scared they wet themselves.
Ximen Cong understood that Lin Fan intended to kill them, and any pleas for mercy were useless.
“Lin Fan, you are so overbearing and tyrannical, wantonly trampling on the rules. Aren’t you afraid that one day, the suffering we endure today will be repaid to you tenfold or a hundredfold?”
Master Ximen’s emotions surged, and he snarled stubbornly, his neck stiff.
Lin Fan heard this and reacted as if he had heard an amusing joke. He shook his head, a playful smile on his face, “Master Ximen, the fact that you can say such a thing only shows that you know me, Lin Fan, very poorly.”
“Do you think I can act this way in Anzhou based on the official position granted by the Imperial Court?”
“Isn’t it?” Master Ximen glared. “If it weren’t for the official position the Imperial Court gave you, allowing you to control the Public Security Bureau of a prefecture and eight counties, do you think you could have fought against us?”
Beside them, Xu Ming looked at Master Ximen with disdain.
What a foolish fellow.
Our Master hasn’t even revealed his true capabilities yet.
He couldn’t tell before, but he understood later that his Master was very willing to act within the rules. However, once the target didn’t abide by the rules, then his Master would begin to transform completely.
Could that sixty-jin iron rod be a joke?
Lin Fan stood up, walked to Master Ximen, and looked at him with the gaze one would give an imbecile, shaking his head. He offered no explanation, as he was too lazy to bother.
“Forget it, I’m not talking to you anymore, it’s useless to say more.”
Then, he turned to the other three masters. “The Money Gang, the Grain Transport Gang, and the Shan Hong Association are the largest gangs in Anzhou. I imagine you gentlemen have had many dealings with them. I, on the other hand, hope to learn some information about them from you gentlemen. You won’t refuse, will you?”
Lin Fan smiled at them, his gaze cold, as if laced with hidden arrows, causing the three masters to involuntarily lower their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.
Master Hu said, “Lord Lin, if I tell you, can you spare my life?”
“Oh dear.” Lin Fan feigned annoyance and sighed. “Master Hu, why do you keep dwelling on this issue? You are about to embark on your final journey, so be more open-minded.”
He changed his tone, his voice becoming provocative.
“Are you willing to accept this? You are about to lose your head, while those people remain unharmed. When you are being beheaded, they might very well be in a teahouse, drinking premium tea, pointing at you, and finally saying, ‘This is the consequence of stupidity, they deserved to be beheaded.’ Can you tolerate that?”
He spread his hands.
“If you ask me, since things have come to this point, if I die, no one else will have a good time. We’ll all go together, as a neat group. It’ll be lively on the road to the Yellow Springs, won’t it?”
When Lin Fan said these words.
Master Hu fell silent.
Master Ximen’s eyes widened, his voice trembling, “Lin, you are truly ruthless.”
He wasn’t unfamiliar with ruthless people.
But he had truly met few who were as vicious as Lin Fan.
This was someone who didn’t value human life, truly wanting to go on a killing spree.
For Masters Hu and the others, they had long foreseen their own fate. They certainly wouldn’t survive, as no one could save them for committing such a crime.
And Lin Fan’s words did resonate with them.
They truly didn’t want to see others live freely.
“Alright, I’ll talk.”
Master Hu completely resigned himself to his fate.
Lin Fan smiled.
Got it.
…
Night.
The Prefect’s Mansion.
Prefect Zhao, his face very pale with little color, leaned against the headboard of his bed, watching Commander Qin, who stood with his hands behind his back by the window.
“Brother Qin…” Prefect Zhao’s voice was dry and hoarse, with a barely perceptible tremor. “Did I… make a huge mistake today?”
“Mistake?” Commander Qin laughed, not a joyful laugh, but one of exasperation. “More than a mistake, you’re utterly brainless! What can be said and what cannot be said, do you truly have no idea?”
Prefect Zhao recalled the events of the day, the more he thought, the more uneasy and alarmed he became.
“Brother Qin, what should I do now?”
He was truly lost, somewhat bewildered and unsure of what to do.
Commander Qin took a deep breath, his expression grave. “Brother Zhao, we have known each other for many years. I can give you a piece of advice: you cannot stay in Anzhou. This Lin fellow has gone mad, he will absolutely not let you go. While you still have a chance, quickly find a way to leave Anzhou, as far away as possible.”
“Ah?”
To leave Anzhou, where he had painstakingly managed for years, how could he bear it?
But he knew the current situation was dire.
“Brother Qin, what about you?” Prefect Zhao asked urgently, as if grasping at a straw. “Aren’t you going to find a way to leave together? Could it be… you want to stay and fight him to the death?”
He thought of Commander Qin’s usually upright temperament and couldn’t help but worry. After all, they were old friends, he should advise him if he could.
“Brother Qin, please don’t be impulsive. The situation is beyond our control now, extremely unfavorable to us. You cannot act on impulse and confront him head-on.”
Commander Qin frowned deeply at this, his face showing confusion. “Brother Zhao, what do you mean by that? Me confronting him head-on? Why would I confront him head-on?”
“Ah?” Prefect Zhao was stunned, somewhat bewildered, and couldn’t quite understand.
Commander Qin said, “There has never been a conflict between Lin and me. My responsibility as Commander is to maintain stability and guard the city. Since he took office, I haven’t had any intense confrontations with him, have I?”
“Ah!?”
Prefect Zhao stared blankly at Commander Qin, his mind in a muddle.
“Brother Qin… are you saying that from the beginning until now, I’ve always felt that the two of us were working together to contend against this Lin Fan… but in reality, from start to finish, it was only me fighting him? You… you’ve just been observing from the sidelines?”
He never would have expected that in the end, he would be betrayed by his own.
Commander Qin’s expression darkened, his tone becoming serious. “Brother Zhao, what do you mean by that? Are you perhaps blaming me? As a military official, it is my duty. I absolutely cannot easily interfere in local governance. This is an ironclad rule!
If I were to openly get involved in the dispute between you and the Public Security Bureau, and the Imperial Court found out about military officials meddling in political affairs, it would be a major offense punishable by death. You should understand this principle better than I do, Brother Zhao.”
“Hahaha…” Prefect Zhao couldn’t help but laugh. “Brother Qin, Brother Qin, your strategy of protecting yourself is brilliant.”
Commander Qin said, “Brother Zhao, this is not me protecting myself, but a major taboo that cannot be broken. Now, there is only one path before you, and that is to be transferred out. The sooner you leave, the better, otherwise, I fear you won’t be able to leave at all.”
Prefect Zhao suppressed the anger in his heart. “You mean if I don’t leave, I will definitely be apprehended by him. Then, aren’t you afraid that if I am apprehended, I will expose you?”
“Expose me?” Commander Qin frowned. “Brother Zhao, what offense have I committed?”
Boom!
This sentence exploded in Prefect Zhao’s mind like a thunderclap.
This statement completely stunned Prefect Zhao.
Suddenly recalling the years he had known Commander Qin, he realized that this fellow seemed to truly have no leverage over him.
The events of these past years were basically decided by him, the prefect, while Commander Qin always observed from the sidelines, never influencing his thoughts, at most offering a comment or two.
He had also taken the other’s comments to heart. From beginning to end, he had thought they were doing this together, but now, upon closer reflection, it was all done by himself.
Damn it!
Prefect Zhao’s mouth was slightly ajar, staring intently at Commander Qin, who appeared majestic and righteous, his face full of integrity. At this moment, he finally understood that this was not a military official at all, but a fox.
Just as Prefect Zhao was unable to accept this reality.
Commander Qin spoke, “Brother Zhao, we have been brothers for many years, and I do not wish to see you in trouble. As long as you agree, I have connections that can arrange for your transfer out of this place of trouble in a very short period.”
Prefect Zhao looked at Commander Qin.
Such a strange Brother Qin.
There was no longer the familiar feeling of before.
Commander Qin’s eyes burned like torches as he stared intently at Prefect Zhao. “Brother Zhao, just one sentence: do you agree or not? If you agree, I will handle it for you immediately. If you don’t, then you know the consequences without me needing to say more.”
At this moment, the room was silent.
Prefect Zhao’s breathing became heavy, his heaving chest clearly indicating his intense anger.
But anger was useless.
Up to this point, he was truly at a loss for what to do.
“I agree.”
As Prefect Zhao uttered these three words, he lowered his head, as if all his strength had been drained, completely surrendering.
“Good, Brother Zhao, rest assured. I will handle it for you as quickly as possible. You should rest well, I’ll be going now.”
With that, Commander Qin turned and left.
From beginning to end, Prefect Zhao did not say “farewell,” nor did he force himself to get up and see Commander Qin out, until the figure disappeared from his sight.
Prefect Zhao angrily beat the bed, like an incompetent husband watching his beloved wife being bullied.
“Qin, you are truly a despicable fellow.”
…
Two days later.
In a private room at a restaurant.
Lin Fan sat at the head of the table, with freshly prepared strychnine seeds in front of him. He casually tossed them into his mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed. The taste wasn’t great, but the effect was very good.
If an ordinary person ate strychnine seeds, they would experience generalized tonic convulsions, repeatedly twitching while conscious, eventually dying from spasms of the respiratory muscles leading to suffocation or exhaustion. The process would be quite agonizing.
At this moment, there were three other people in the private room. They sat opposite Lin Fan like startled quails, nervously and uneasily. Their hands were placed properly on their knees, heads bowed, and they dared not even breathe heavily, much less look up and meet his gaze.
The atmosphere in the private room was so oppressive it made one panic.
Lin Fan smiled and asked, “Am I that scary?”
Hearing this, the three men shot up their heads as if pricked by needles, shaking their heads frantically in unison. Then, as if remembering something, they quickly lowered their heads again, their posture becoming even more reserved and fearful.
“Since I’m not scary, why don’t you even dare to look up? It’s fine, you can ask around; I’m quite friendly to others,” Lin Fan said.
The three men thought to themselves, “Master Lin, you’re friendly to common people, but you’re extremely cruel to gang members. Who wouldn’t be afraid?”
Even their Gang Leader, who was once so overbearing.
Now he was so frightened he was hiding at home, not daring to go out freely.
He was afraid that if he was seen outside, you would arrest him without any regard for the circumstances.
Seeing that they were still too scared to look up.
Lin Fan said sternly, “All of you, look up.”
*Swish! Swish!*
Without a moment’s hesitation, the three men instantly raised their heads and straightened their backs slightly. However, their eyes still darted around, not daring to meet Lin Fan’s gaze directly.
Lin Fan nodded with satisfaction and looked at a dark-skinned middle-aged man. “Your name is Ma Xiang, the fourth-in-command of the Money Gang. You’ve shown great capability to climb to this position from the bottom. Your reputation outside is quite good. Well, you haven’t forgotten where you came from.”
Ma Xiang shuddered and immediately stood up, his body rigid. He replied respectfully, “Master Lin, you flatter me. I would never forget my status, nor would I dare to treat common people harshly, because I know how difficult their lives are.”
“Mm, don’t be afraid, I didn’t say you were bad,” Lin Fan said with a smile. “Sit down.”
“Yes, yes, thank you, Master Lin…”
Ma Xiang cautiously sat down again, secretly swallowing a mouthful of saliva. He felt the clothes on his back were soaked with cold sweat. The pressure was immense. To him, facing Master Lin was like facing a mountain, pressing down on him so hard he couldn’t breathe.
Lin Fan’s gaze fell on the other two. “You two are also good. Although you are part of the Grain Transport Gang and the Shan Hong Association, you often do practical things for the common people and have received high praise. Of course, this isn’t me speaking carelessly; I had people inquire about it.”
Wan Zhong and Li Shi were flattered and uncomfortable, feeling like they were sitting on pins and needles, no matter how they sat, it was unpleasant, as if their bottoms were itchy.
Lin Fan said, “As the Chief Officer of Anzhou, I must be responsible for the common people of Anzhou. When I first took office, I personally witnessed a young master, in broad daylight, attempting to rape a woman. What kind of heinous act is that? He even threatened to report it if they dared to call the authorities, but he was not only unafraid but became even more arrogant.”
“When I saw that, I was filled with righteous anger and wished I could have cut off his head right there and then.”
As Lin Fan spoke, he slammed the table, growing more angry the more he thought about it.
The three men trembled in fear, sitting there nervously, even their breathing lightened. They could only nod frantically in agreement, not daring to say a single extra word.
They were currently very flustered, not because they had done something wrong, but because they didn’t know Lin Fan’s intentions.
They were comfortably at home.
Suddenly, constables burst in, scaring them into collapsing on the spot. They thought Master Lin was about to take action against them, and then… they were not taken to the Public Security Bureau, but to a restaurant.
Now, they were listening to Master Lin speak, awaiting their final judgment.
Although the current situation seemed different from what they had imagined.
But until the very last moment, who could say for sure.
A moment later.
Lin Fan stopped his previous topic, looked at the three men, and smiled, “I didn’t scare you, did I?”
“No.”
They shook their heads frantically.
“That’s good,” Lin Fan nodded, then his tone shifted. “Let’s get down to business. The only reason I called you here is that I want Anzhou to be stable and I don’t want to see any turmoil. However, your gangs are too deeply entrenched; any move will cause trouble. But not moving is also not an option. How can I stand by and watch the common people suffer?”
“Tell me, what can be done?”
The three men looked at each other. Their educational background was not high to begin with.
Suddenly being asked such a question, they truly didn’t know how to answer.
“Hmm? Don’t you have any ideas of your own?” Lin Fan asked.
Ma Xiang said with a crestfallen face, “Master Lin, I’m uneducated and can’t speak of grand principles or come up with good ideas. I don’t know what to say.”
“Mm! And what about you two?” Lin Fan looked at the other two.
Wan Zhong and Li Shi quickly replied, “We haven’t studied either.”
Lin Fan shook his head, thinking, “Lack of education is truly terrifying; communication is impossible.” “You should read more in the future. Learning is endless. With ample knowledge, you will become stronger.”
“Yes, yes, we will definitely read more and enrich ourselves in the future,” the three said quickly.
Facing Lin Fan’s inquiry, they dared not delay for a moment.
Their answers were immediate.
They feared that a slow response would displease Master Lin.
Lin Fan said, “Since you have no solution, let me tell you mine. It’s very simple. I’ve decided to arrest all of your gang leaders and the Hall Masters ranked higher than you. From now on, you will be the gang leaders and stabilize the order for me. Can you do it?”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
The three were shocked, but they still answered resolutely.
In front of Master Lin, there was no such word as “cannot.”
“Good,” Lin Fan stood up. “Follow me.”
“Master Lin, where are we going?”
The three were confused.
Lin Fan smiled and said, “Of course, we’re going to arrest people. I already told you that you will be the gang leaders from now on, so I naturally need to clear the obstacles for you. I never do things haphazardly; I act immediately. You should learn from this and not procrastinate.”
“Yes, yes.”
At this moment, the minds of the three were blank, completely devoid of the ability to think independently.
When they reached the downstairs, Xu Ming and the others were already waiting at the entrance.
“Let’s go!!!”
Lin Fan stepped out with his hands behind his back and headed towards the headquarters of the Money Gang.
…
Money Gang.
The Gang Leader Huo Fei sat gravely on a Grand Tutor’s chair, his fingers tapping the armrest unconsciously.
The elders and hall masters of the gang were seated on both sides, their faces grim.
The high-pressure tactics of the Public Security Bureau during this period had already caused them immense frustration, with nowhere to vent it, so they could only endure it.
Huo Fei surveyed everyone and said in a low, hoarse voice, “Elders, Hall Masters, you all know, don’t you? We in the Money Gang haven’t dared to make a move. But today, constables from the Public Security Bureau went to Ma Xiang’s house and took him away. They are making a move against us now.”
As these words were spoken, the already suppressed hall erupted in a murmur of discussion. The elders and hall masters whispered to each other, their faces filled with shock and anger.
“Gang Leader, Wan Zhong of the Grain Transport Gang and Li Shi of the Shan Hong Association have also been taken away. He intends to move against all three of our major gangs at once. When Huang Shan and Zhou Han Shang were arrested, we should have foreseen this and not waited to be captured.”
“That’s right. The masters of the Li Hu Zhou families were arrested, and Master Ximen was arrested. We did a lot of business with them privately, so they must have confessed us.”
“Gang Leader, perhaps we three families should join forces and fight that Lin fellow.”
For these hot-blooded and ruthless hall masters.
It was truly too suffocating.
Suddenly.
*Thump! Thump! Thump!*
Dense, heavy footsteps approached rapidly from outside, followed by a mocking voice that made their scalps tingle, clearly reaching them.
“Fight? What do you have to fight me with?”
Hearing the voice, everyone in the hall looked towards the entrance in unison. They immediately saw Lin Fan appearing with a large contingent of constables, which made everyone in the hall’s hearts suddenly tremble.
Lin Fan entered the hall, his gaze sweeping over everyone. “Which hero just said he wanted to fight me?”
No one spoke.
“What? Dare to boast but not admit it?”
Lin Fan smiled.
“It was me.”
A young man with a coarse face and fierce eyes stood out, puffing out his chest. He was the Hall Master of the Li Wei Hall and was known for his aggression.
“Who are you?” Lin Fan asked with a smile.
The young man raised his head and said, “Money Gang, Li Wei Hall Master…”
*Slap!*
Before he could finish, Lin Fan casually waved his hand, and a powerful, forceful blow landed on the young man’s face. Everyone only saw a blur as the person was hit like a charging wild bull, spinning in mid-air and flying back several meters.
*Bang!!!*
With a dull thud, his body slammed heavily against the solid wall, shaking dust loose. He then slid to the ground like a puddle of mud, motionless, his life or death unknown.
Everyone stared, dumbfounded, at the Hall Master who had slid from the wall and lay motionless on the ground.
They all gasped.
Was that kind of strength even humanly possible?
“And you still want to fight me? You fool who doesn’t know the meaning of death.” Lin Fan didn’t even glance at him and said to the crowd, “I hate fools who talk about fighting at the drop of a hat, without even considering their own capabilities.”
As soon as he appeared, his aura was fully unleashed.
Everyone present was as quiet as cicadas in winter, trembling and not daring to move. They sat there, not daring to shift their buttocks, sweat pouring down like rain, panic engulfing them.
Huo Fei, as the Gang Leader, knew he had to speak.
Although he was also very intimidated.
At such a time, he couldn’t back down.
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the fear in his heart, and walked step by step to Lin Fan, trying his best to force a respectful smile. He bowed with cupped hands and said.
“I did not expect Chief Lin to grace us with his presence. Huo respectfully greets you. I have committed a grave sin. I beg Chief Lin…”
*Clap!*
Lin Fan’s palm landed on Huo Fei’s head, then he pulled him back. The constables behind immediately moved and restrained his arms behind his back.
Huo Fei was stunned by this action.
“Chief Lin, what do you mean by this?”
Lin Fan said, “What do I mean? Are you blind? I brought people here, did you think I came to visit you? I have already obtained evidence against you. All of you, escort them back to the Public Security Bureau.”
Everyone was bewildered.
Huo Fei struggled, “Chief Lin, you say you have evidence, so you have evidence? I don’t admit it, I haven’t committed any crime.”
Lin Fan frowned slightly, about to speak, when Ning Yu, who was beside him, stepped forward. Mimicking her master’s actions, she grabbed Huo Fei’s hair and shook his head back and forth forcefully, saying fiercely.
“If my master says there’s evidence, there’s evidence. It’s not your place to argue here. If he dares to shout and make noise again later, slap him.”
After speaking, Ning Yu looked at her master with an expression of anticipation for praise.
As if to say.
See, Master? I’ve learned your essence again.
This was something she learned from Yang Ming.
Huo Fei was stunned. He was the dignified Gang Leader of the Money Gang, with not hundreds, but thousands of subordinates. Now, he was captured so easily and crudely.
He couldn’t accept it, nor could he tolerate it.
“Guards, come here!”
Huo Fei roared.
But after shouting for a long time, not a single person appeared.
Xu Ming raised his hand and slapped him twice, once on each cheek, and said angrily, “What are you shouting for? When Lord Lin appeared, all your so-called men were already scared away.”
At this moment, Huo Fei saw Ma Xiang, who looked dazed, and seemed to realize something. He roared, “Ma Xiang, you betrayed the Money Gang! May you die a horrible death!”
Lin Fan said, “Huo Fei, mind your words. Ma Xiang will be the new Gang Leader of the Money Gang, and you will be a prisoner.”
As these words were spoken, the elders present showed expressions of surprise.
What?
Ma Xiang becoming the Gang Leader of the Money Gang?
Are his status and abilities sufficient?
But thinking of Chief Lin’s strong support, even if he wasn’t qualified, he had to be. Who would dare to say he wasn’t qualified? The consequences would be unthinkable.
At this moment, an elder with white hair and sharp eyes rolled his eyes, quickly stood up, his face covered in fawning smiles, and walked quickly to Lin Fan, bowing respectfully.
“Sir, I am Kong Zhen, an elder of the Money Gang, and I have some prestige within the gang.”
“You have a keen eye and want Ma Xiang to be the Gang Leader. I support this with both hands and feet. I am the first to support it.”
“However… Sir, the Money Gang has a history of one hundred and fifty years since its establishment, with strict rules and a clear hierarchy. Although Ma Xiang is capable, he is young and inexperienced. Even with the great support of Lord Lin, I am afraid that some ignorant brothers in the gang below will be unconvinced and feign compliance…”
He puffed out his chest and patted it, guaranteeing.
“But if I can provide strong support and full assistance, I will definitely help Ma Xiang stabilize the situation, overcome all dissenting opinions, and allow him to firmly take the position of Gang Leader.”
The elder, who called himself Kong Zhen, knew that what could not be avoided must be accepted.
He had his own subtle agenda. Ma Xiang was young and naive. If he became the Gang Leader, and I assisted him, with just a little manipulation, wouldn’t I be able to control him completely?
Lin Fan looked at him calmly and said nothing.
Kong Zhen felt a little uneasy under Lin Fan’s gaze, but the fawning smile on his face did not diminish at all.
“Who is this old fellow?” Lin Fan pointed at him and asked Ma Xiang.
“Sir, he is…”
“Never mind, it’s not important,” Lin Fan waved his hand, then his expression turned grim, and he said sternly, “All of you, behave yourselves! Take them down and escort them away.”
The accompanying constables immediately took action.
Instantly, the scene descended into chaos, with various wails and pleas for mercy, accompanied by the sounds of slaps. After the slaps ended, the scene became completely silent.
For this operation, the Public Security Bureau deployed more than half of its constables.
It could be said that the operation was carried out with great force.
When the constables escorted people out of the Money Gang, the onlookers were stunned, not expecting them to start targeting the Money Gang so soon after they had only been established for a short time.
And they managed to catch them all in one go.
The common people naturally recognized Gang Leader Huo Fei.
For Lin Fan, the gangs he had to deal with now were just small fry; the person he most wanted to face in Anzhou was Commander Qin.
Of course, there was also the Mingwang Cult.
It’s just that he was truly busy now.
He had absolutely no time to investigate the situation with the Mingwang Cult.
Especially Commander Qin. After those few brief encounters, he found the man to be quite wretched, and had never had any conflict with him.
Following this.
The Grain Transport Gang and the Shan Hong Association were both forcefully taken down by Lin Fan and the constables on the same day, while Ma Xiang and his men began taking over the gangs. They were naturally not stupid and knew how gangs would develop in the future.
They also deeply realized that one shouldn’t think they could do whatever they pleased just by becoming a gang leader, otherwise their fate would definitely be more miserable than Huo Fei and the others.
At this moment.
Street.
Lin Fan led his team back to the Public Security Bureau, and at this time, he noticed it was quite lively in the distance, hearing something about blessings and luck.
He frowned, concentrated, and looked into the distance. He waved his hand, letting Xu Ming and the others lead their men away, then accompanied by Ning Yu, he headed towards that direction.
However, there were too many people gathered there.
Many common people were pushing their way inside.
Lin Fan gently patted an old man’s shoulder, “What’s the situation inside here?”
The old man’s eyes lit up when he saw Master Lin and enthusiastically explained, “Master Lin, tomorrow is the Mingwang’s Birthday Celebration. The Mingwang Cult is distributing food to the common people, as well as amulets that have been blessed by the Mingwang.”
“Oh,” Lin Fan nodded.
He didn’t push further inside, but instead pulled Ning Yu to the outer perimeter.
“Ning Yu, is the Mingwang Cult’s reach widespread?” Lin Fan asked.
Ning Yu replied, “Master, I only learned about the Mingwang Cult after coming to Anzhou. I had never heard of this cult before.”
Lin Fan pondered and said, “Go, get one of those amulets blessed by the Mingwang from inside, and let me see what this thing actually is.”
“Okay.”
Lin Fan watched the crowd of common people growing larger at the scene. It was clear that there were quite a few people in Anzhou who believed in the Mingwang Cult. It wasn’t that these common people were foolish; it was just that the current times made them need psychological solace.
Over time, they would become more deeply entrenched.
“It seems I need to deal with the Mingwang Cult first. The matters concerning Commander Qin and Prefect Zhao will have to be put aside for now.”
“Damn it, how can my Anzhou Prefecture tolerate an evil cult running rampant?”
Just then.
A member of the Mingwang Cult appeared and shouted, “All believers, it is the Mingwang’s Birthday Celebration, and his divine countenance is pleased! Blessings descend, and he has specifically instructed me to display a divine miracle. Please make way for me so I can reveal the Mingwang’s divine miracle.”
Upon hearing this.
The common people parted ways one after another, quickly forming an open space.
