Chapter 125: Cloud Reversal
Chapter 125: Cloud Reversal
On the scene, thousands of people were completely silent!
Those who were mesmerized by the spectacular fight between the two suddenly snapped back to reality and realized… the Dragon Head Boss of Azure Dragon City’s underworld forces, Leng Ping the Blazing Sword… had fallen!
A low sob started among the group of tough men from the Great Green Gang, gradually spreading into a chorus.
Seven or eight people walked out from the mourning hall, their gazes fixed on Qin Li, filled with complex emotions. When they saw Leng Ping lying dead on the ground, their eyes turned red one by one.
“Dragon Head!”
These seven or eight people rushed to Leng Ping’s side, knelt down, and wept uncontrollably.
Meanwhile, the leaders of all the big and small gangs in Azure Dragon City looked at Qin Li with a mix of fear and respect.
“Carry your Dragon Head inside. I have something to say later,” Qin Li quietly told the men kneeling and sobbing on the ground.
The men were taken aback for a moment, then nodded. They all understood what Qin Li was going to talk about—the matter of who would take over the Great Green Gang! But this was their late leader’s dying wish. Regardless of why their leader made this decision, they, as his sworn brothers, had to faithfully carry it out!
Because they were a gang, and they believed in the principle of “loyalty”!
Leng Ping had declared this in front of all the gang leaders of Azure Dragon City, which meant that even if they hated Qin Li to the bone, they couldn’t change the fact that Qin Li would become the new leader of the Great Green Gang! As for whether Qin Li would become the Dragon Head Boss of the underworld in Azure Dragon City… that would depend on his methods!
A gang like theirs could commit evil deeds, and they never considered themselves good people, but they had to keep their word!
Because they were all honorable men!
“Everyone, disperse,” Qin Li said calmly to the onlookers. “The grudge between me and the Great Green Gang is settled!”
Watermelon stood among the crowd as well. One of his underlings sighed with admiration and said, “Marquis Qin is a true powerhouse!”
Another follower said enviously, “The Great Green Gang isn’t even worth a fart in his eyes. He’s truly formidable!”
“Shut up, all of you!” Watermelon glared at his two underlings, feeling embarrassed by their words. In his heart, he thought ardently: Martial Uncle is so domineering, so incredible! The Great Green Gang just fell into Martial Uncle’s hands like that. I wonder… if there’s a chance for me to become the Dragon Head of the Great Green Gang?
But then he remembered Martial Uncle’s words: “We’ll talk when you become a Heaven Rank Martial Artist.” Watermelon immediately felt deflated and said to his underlings, “Let’s go, back home!”
“Huh? Aren’t we staying to watch?” one of his underlings asked hesitantly, seeing that most people hadn’t left yet.
“Watch what? The fight’s over. What else is there to see?” Watermelon rolled his eyes at his trusted follower, turned around, and walked away.
At this point, people began to gradually disperse. Even if some were unwilling to leave, the disgruntled elite members of the Great Green Gang started clearing the area.
After Leng Ping was carried into the room inside the Great Green Gang’s main hall, Qin Li first closed his eyes and focused his senses. Within a radius of two to three hundred meters, there were no suspicious presences.
Opening his eyes, he looked at the sorrowful Deputy Gang Leaders and Elders of the Great Green Gang, then suddenly said in a deep voice, “Can I trust you?”
They were all taken aback. One of them, a somewhat portly man in his fifties, said with a grieving expression, “I’m sorry, Marquis Qin. The Dragon Head is dead. Sun Liu and the brothers from Warblade Hall all died by your hand. Although the grudge is settled, this knot in our hearts remains. Marquis Qin, you don’t need to trust us. We will hand over all the Great Green Gang’s affairs to you within two months. We hope to help with the transition. That’s all we can do, because… this was also the Dragon Head’s wish. He didn’t want the Great Green Gang to fall into the Crown Prince’s hands again!”
When the portly old man mentioned the Crown Prince, his eyes still burned with hatred. If it weren’t for Crown Prince Zhao Xinghe, even if their Great Green Gang hadn’t grown to its current stature, they would still be happily together. Sun Liu wouldn’t have died, the forty-five brothers of Warblade Hall wouldn’t have died, and the Dragon Head… definitely wouldn’t have died either!
Qin Li couldn’t help but feel slightly startled. He had originally thought that with the death of the Great Green Gang’s Dragon Head, the entire gang would immediately fall apart as everyone looked out for their own future. He hadn’t expected the gang’s cohesion to be so strong!
The plan he had originally devised took a slight turn here.
Qin Li asked gravely, “Is this how all of you feel?”
A tall, slender man in his forties, with cold eyes, pale skin, and a wispy goatee, replied in a soft but chilling tone, “Marquis Qin, you don’t need to worry. All these years, the Dragon Head treated us like brothers. Each of us has considerable personal wealth and would never scheme for any of the Great Green Gang’s assets. Although we don’t understand why the Dragon Head insisted on handing the Great Green Gang over to an enemy, we will definitely honor his wishes.”
“That’s right. We also ask that Marquis Qin treat the Dragon Head’s family well,” another Elder in his fifties, with a strong build, said solemnly.
“Leng Ping was truly fortunate to have brothers like you!” Qin Li couldn’t help but sigh softly. Gangs, brotherhood, loyalty… in the world Qin Li once knew, these concepts had become outdated in many people’s minds. To speak of loyalty was synonymous with being a fool.
“Since that’s the case…” Qin Li said as he placed a hand on Leng Ping’s wrist. “I will give you back your Dragon Head!”
Everyone in the room stood frozen in shock, staring wide-eyed at Qin Li. They had just verified that the Dragon Head was undeniably dead. What did Marquis Qin mean by this?
Their minds were in chaos. The tall, thin middle-aged man reacted the fastest. He hurried out the door and ordered, “Lock down this area! No one is allowed in without orders!”
Qin Li clearly heard someone ask quietly, “What if it’s someone from His Highness?”
“Block them outside too!” the tall, thin man commanded. After giving the order, he returned and closed the door, only to witness a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life!
Marquis Qin’s hand rested on Leng Ping’s wrist. After a while, white mist began to rise from the Dragon Head Leng Ping’s head. Lying shirtless on the bed, the wound on his chest—as thick as a child’s arm—began to scar over, and Leng Ping’s heart started to beat slowly, thump… thump…
“What… what’s happening?” The portly old man’s face muscles twitched violently. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to life and death and had become indifferent to it, but the sight before him shook the unflappable gang boss to the core!
“Are we dreaming?” the tall, slender middle-aged man muttered.
Everyone watched as beads of sweat began to roll down Qin Li’s forehead, finally understanding one thing: Marquis Qin was clearly a super powerhouse with peerless divine skills! And to bring the Dragon Head back, he had paid a great price!
This was exactly the effect Qin Li wanted. Originally, he hadn’t planned to kill Leng Ping, a man he somewhat admired. In the final lethal move, he deliberately avoided Leng Ping’s heart, then sealed his meridians and acupoints, making Leng Ping appear dead to outsiders!
Qin Li had initially planned to secretly take Leng Ping away after the Azure Dragon Gang buried him. Firstly, Qin Li respected Leng Ping as a true man. Secondly, Qin Li knew very well that managing a gang wasn’t just about having raw power. The simplest issue: what if the underlings feigned compliance while lining their own pockets? Could he just kill his way through everyone?
Although Qin Li had the ability to manage a gang, he not only had many other things to do—like going to Mysterious Island to retrieve his woman—but also, given his current status, he was a distinguished Marquis of the Azure Dragon Kingdom!
A Marquis becoming a gang leader? That would be utterly ridiculous! So, who would manage it? Watermelon? Sure, the kid was clever and ruthless enough, but a gang like the Azure Dragon Gang was absolutely beyond Watermelon’s current capabilities! It wasn’t a question of doubting his ability; it was simply that such a colossal entity was something Watermelon couldn’t handle right now!
And a massive organization like the Great Green Gang was simply invaluable! Never mind the wealth it generated each year; its members spread throughout the Azure Dragon Kingdom formed a super intelligence network!
Even the Royal Family’s intelligence network might not be better than theirs!
Because many things always started circulating at the lowest levels first!
Therefore, Leng Ping couldn’t die! That was Qin Li’s original intention. But from another perspective, he had to die! The grudge between Qin Li and the Great Green Gang was, at its core, a conflict between him and the Crown Prince!
The current situation didn’t allow Qin Li to openly break with the Crown Prince and oppose him. If that happened, Qin Li really would have no choice but to flee far away. After all, the numerous Royal Attendants weren’t just for show!
Qin Li could handle one Chen Yihan, but he couldn’t remain unscathed under attacks from multiple Heaven Rank Martial Artists.
Not even he, let alone a true Heaven-Breaking Realm martial artist, would dare provoke a large group of Heaven Rank Martial Artists.
So, having Leng Ping reappear in the world in another form was the most suitable solution! Qin Li’s disguise skills might not be the best in the world, but they were certainly not far from it.
When the time came, he could put Watermelon in the forefront while Leng Ping operated from behind. Even if they couldn’t reach the standard of Leng Ping’s personal management, it would be enough to keep the Great Green Gang running normally and ensure it remained in his hands!
But today, the attitude of Leng Ping’s brothers—the Great Green Gang’s top brass—made Qin Li change his mind. Under the influence of Innate Purple Qi, good and evil could not be hidden!
Qin Li could sense that these people were genuinely grieving for Leng Ping! They had truly lost heart and intended to withdraw.
That was precisely why Qin Li chose to revive Leng Ping right in front of them! Qin Li believed that this move would further dissolve the hatred stemming from Sun Liu’s death!
Leng Ping slowly opened his eyes, feeling the light sting. He squinted slightly, a faint smile on his lips. “Am I dead? Is this the underworld… Why the hell does it look just like the human world?”
Qin Li smiled. “That’s right. The former Leng Ping is indeed dead. From now on, the one living will definitely not be Leng Ping!”