Chapter 33

After beheading Chen Lao Da, the members of the Green Bamboo Gang immediately began to scatter and retreat.

It wasn't as if they were soldiers in a war; if their leader could be killed with a single sword, what was the point of continuing to fight?

The members of the Green Bamboo Gang fled, but Su Xin didn't order anyone to chase them. Instead, he arranged for people to take over the territory they had already captured.

Although Chen Lao Da's territory in Yongle Fang wasn't large, it still occupied a third of the entire area.

Su Xin wiped the blood off his sword with a piece of cloth and called Huang Bingcheng over, asking, "How are our casualties?"

"Fifty brothers were injured, but they're all superficial wounds. Additionally, eight brothers died," Huang Bingcheng replied cautiously.

To be honest, he was now somewhat afraid of this leader.

Just now, to train his subordinates, Su Xin had hardened his heart and not intervened. If he had acted earlier, there wouldn't have been so many casualties.

Su Xin looked at Huang Bingcheng, "Old Huang, are you afraid of me?"

"No, no!" Huang Bingcheng quickly shook his head.

Su Xin patted his shoulder, "Old Huang, you need to remember one thing: kindness doesn't command an army. If I always shield them, they will never grow. What's the point of me training them?

But you don't need to worry, Old Huang. You were the first to join me, and as long as you don't betray me, I won't treat you unfairly."

Huang Bingcheng quickly swore, "Boss, I am loyal to you. Without you, how could I be as powerful as I am now?"

"Alright, Old Huang, don't be so sensitive. Calculate the battle achievements of tonight and distribute the rewards tomorrow morning." Su Xin patted Huang Bingcheng's shoulder and turned to leave.

If Huang Bingcheng didn't have any thoughts about today's actions, that would be abnormal. His fear was actually a good thing for him.

People need to know respect. Otherwise, once their desires cloud their judgment, who knows what they might do.

Su Xin was relatively satisfied with Huang Bingcheng. He could handle all kinds of tasks well, and although he wasn't useful in battle, he was indispensable in logistics.

So, being realistic at this moment could prevent some messy situations in the future.

Waving his aura and having all the subordinates bow to him was something for a character like Long Aotian. Su Xin didn't think he had that kind of ability.

Maintaining the relationship with his subordinates only required two things: giving them enough benefits and making them understand respect.

The next morning, Su Xin personally led people carrying chests and directly handed large amounts of silver to his subordinates.

"I, Su Xin, am a man of my word. This silver is just an appetizer! Once we capture Yongle Fang, there will be even more silver waiting for you!"

The subordinates below were stimulated by the silver, and the sadness over the eight dead brothers was also diluted.

With the silver in their hands, they had only one thought: to risk their lives for wealth and glory!

The gang war between the Green Bamboo Gang and the Flying Eagle Gang wouldn't end in just one day. The next evening, Su Xin led his people to gradually encroach on Yongle Fang.

With over fifty casualties, and excluding those with severe injuries, Su Xin now had only about 160 people left for battle. After subtracting those guarding the captured territory, the numbers were even more meager.

Therefore, Su Xin had Huang Bingcheng continue recruiting people in Changle Fang, while he adopted a more cautious strategy of gradual encroachment. Since the gang war wouldn't end so quickly, he still had plenty of time.

Due to the gang war, even if he recruited more people, Hu San Ye couldn't say much.

Moreover, on the first day, he had killed a major leader of the Green Bamboo Gang and captured a third of Yongle Fang. With such achievements, what could Hu San Ye say about him recruiting more subordinates?

Su Xin did not participate in the subsequent battles. As long as the other side didn't send out experts, he wouldn't intervene.

His subordinates had experienced life-and-death battles and had all seen blood. Their combat ability had increased several times, and they could hold their own against three opponents.

After two nights of continuous battles, Su Xin had almost captured half of Yongle Fang.

However, on the third night, things changed.

In the center of the long street, a middle-aged man with a scar on his face stood proudly, holding an iron spear.

Behind him stood a dense crowd of Green Bamboo Gang members, numbering about seven or eight hundred.

Huang Bingcheng's face turned pale, "That's the major leader of the Green Bamboo Gang, Luo Zhen. But he should be guarding Shunyi Fang against Hu San Ye.

These seven or eight hundred people are all his subordinates. Now he has brought them all here and not guarded against Hu San Ye. Does he not want this half of Yongle Fang?"

Su Xin took a deep breath, "We've been tricked, by my adoptive father.

In two days, my adoptive father didn't attack Yongle Fang at all. His intention was simple: to force Luo Zhen to come to me!"

Su Xin was also careless. He was so focused on his own battles that he didn't have Huang Bingcheng gather information about Hu San Ye.

Given the current gang war, it was abnormal for Hu San Ye, as a major leader, to not move a single soldier.

If he had known this information earlier, Su Xin would have been more prepared.

In these two days, Hu San Ye's intentions were probably clear to Luo Zhen.

If he didn't act, he would have to wait for Su Xin to gradually encroach on Yongle Fang, and eventually, Hu San Ye would join forces with Su Xin to capture the entire area.

So, Luo Zhen had to choose to take down Su Xin. Even if he lost half of Yongle Fang, he could still reclaim the other half that Su Xin had captured.

"Boss, let's retreat. Luo Zhen is said to have been a bodyguard before, and his skills are formidable. His reputation in the Green Bamboo Gang is even greater than Dai Chong's!" Huang Bingcheng advised.

Su Xin didn't speak, but Luo Zhen shouted, "Little brat of the Flying Eagle Gang, do you have the guts to come out and fight? I have more men, and your subordinates are also strong. Neither side will gain an advantage in a full-scale battle. Let's just settle this one-on-one. Do you dare?"

Su Xin smiled and stepped out with his heavy sword.

Luo Zhen laughed, "You're not bad, better than your cowardly adoptive father. Hu San Ye was once a tough guy, but he's gotten old and cowardly!"

"How do you want to fight? To the death or just a match?" Su Xin asked.

Luo Zhen waved his hand, "Of course, just a match. I'm not a slave to the Green Bamboo Gang. Why should I fight to the death for them?

The brothers behind me follow me because they trust me. I won't let them fight to the death for some nonsense involving Wei Feng."

A smile appeared on Su Xin's lips. This Luo Zhen was quite interesting.

On the first day, Su Xin deliberately didn't intervene to train his subordinates, allowing them to be injured or even killed.

But this man was willing to fight a match against a clearly weaker opponent to protect his subordinates. This was truly the opposite extreme.

Actually, if Luo Zhen ordered an attack now, Su Xin's over a hundred subordinates wouldn't be able to hold them off. Although their strength had improved since the first day, Luo Zhen's side had more people and a skilled expert like Luo Zhen.

"Alright, let's fight."

Su Xin held his heavy sword in front of him and quickly charged at Luo Zhen!

Luo Zhen lifted his iron spear, and his aura instantly surged, a fierce sensation overwhelming Su Xin.

The iron spear, as tall as a person, lunged forward like a dragon emerging from the sea, moving with incredible speed.

Su Xin dodged to the side, but the iron spear changed from a thrust to a sweep, striking Su Xin forcefully!

Retreating with his sword, Su Xin blocked with three quick strikes, barely deflecting the force of the iron spear, but he was pushed back three steps!

"Early-stage Afterbirth!"

Su Xin narrowed his eyes. The opponent was also an early-stage Afterbirth martial artist, having opened at least thirty-six acupoints.

Su Xin had opened forty-seven acupoints, but in terms of strength, he was slightly inferior.

Luo Zhen must have opened more acupoints than him.

"You're also an early-stage Afterbirth, tsk tsk, the young people these days are impressive. When I was your age, I was still practicing with a spear and horse stance."

Luo Zhen sighed, but his iron spear didn't stop, thrusting, stabbing, slashing, and sweeping, forcing Su Xin to retreat step by step.

In the crowd behind, Huang Bingcheng asked Li Huai, "Why does it seem like the boss is at a disadvantage?"

Li Huai replied calmly, "It's not just a feeling; the boss is indeed at a disadvantage."

"Damn! Luo Zhen is almost fifty, and he's still so strong?"

"It's not that Luo Zhen is too strong, but his weapon gives him an advantage. An inch longer, an inch stronger!"

As Li Huai said, in the battle against Luo Zhen, his weapon indeed gave him an advantage over Su Xin.

There are two types of long spears: one is the white wax rod, and the other is the heavy iron spear.

Luo Zhen used the latter, and his iron spear was as heavy as the drum-hammer Dai Chong once used.

Moreover, Luo Zhen's internal strength was much stronger than Dai Chong's, making each strike from the iron spear extremely powerful.

And as the saying goes, an inch longer, an inch stronger, an inch shorter, an inch more dangerous.

Luo Zhen fully utilized the advantage of his weapon's length, wielding the heavy iron spear so skillfully that Su Xin couldn't get within three steps of him.