Chapter 81

In the meeting hall of the Jiangyang Gang, Jiang Beifei had a look of deep distress on his face, and the other two deputy gang leaders were not faring much better.

The scene of Su Xin's mighty display at the Shenglong Tower during the day was still vivid in their minds. By night, the Feiying Gang had already launched a full-scale attack, but they had lost the will to resist.

Su Xin's timing for the full-scale attack was perfect, right when Jiang Beifei's mind was still reeling from the events of the day.

Seeing Su Xin's Flame Blade instantly kill Chen Zhao, Jiang Beifei could no longer muster the resolve to fight to the death with Su Xin.

He sighed and said, "Let's surrender. Su Xin is not someone we can match, and the rise of the Feiying Gang is not something we can stop."

Yang Dong, unwilling, said, "Boss, are we just going to hand over our hundred-year-old Jiangyang Gang like this?"

"Do you think I want to?" Jiang Beifei said with red eyes. "You saw what happened today. Continuing to resist would only be courting death."

Yang Dong fell silent, and Shen Zhongming also said nothing. The taste of surrender was not easy to swallow.

"Alright, I'll send someone to find Su Xin and tell them that the Jiangyang Gang is surrendering. We shouldn't let our brothers outside make unnecessary sacrifices anymore." Jiang Beifei sighed and called over a gang member to deliver the message of surrender to Su Xin.

Originally, Su Xin had decided to personally lead the attack on the Jiangyang Gang's headquarters to crush them, but the Jiangyang Gang's timely surrender was something he had not expected. However, this was even better.

The Jiangyang Gang had nearly ten thousand members, and a strong attack would inevitably result in heavy casualties for the Feiying Gang. Now that Jiang Beifei was willing to surrender, it was the best possible outcome.

Under Jiang Beifei's lead, all the members of the Jiangyang Gang abandoned their resistance. Jiang Beifei then led the high-ranking leaders of the Jiangyang Gang to meet Su Xin.

"Boss Su, the Jiangyang Gang is now yours. No, there will no longer be a Jiangyang Gang." Jiang Beifei's face was full of bitterness.

Su Xin smiled and said, "Boss Jiang, those who recognize the times are the wise. Your surrender has saved both sides from much loss. I will not treat you unfairly. In the Feiying Gang, there is a position of Deputy Chief of the Combat Hall for you. If the two deputy gang leaders are willing, I have prepared two positions of major leaders for them as well."

Jiang Beifei smiled bitterly and said, "I'll pass. I don't want to be involved in the江湖 anymore. If Boss Su is willing, give us a million taels of silver, and we will retire from the江湖 and live as wealthy men."

Su Xin looked deeply at Jiang Beifei and said, "No problem. If you need anything in the future, you can come to me directly."

Does Jiang Beifei really want to retire from the江湖? Su Xin didn't believe it at all, but he admired Jiang Beifei's ability to recognize the times.

Although the positions of Deputy Chief of the Combat Hall and two major leaders in the Feiying Gang were not bad, Jiang Beifei knew that their status in the Feiying Gang would be very awkward.

After all, they were once the leaders of a gang, and now they would be under someone else. Could they really have no resentment?

Moreover, the entire Jiangyang Gang would be integrated into the Feiying Gang. Even if Su Xin planned to remove some of the old hands who were sneaky and slippery, the remaining elite members would still make up a quarter of the Feiying Gang.

With so many of his old subordinates, would Su Xin not suspect him? If he were in Su Xin's position, he would also be wary.

Rather than being a Deputy Chief of the Combat Hall in the Feiying Gang in an awkward position, it would be better to retire completely and at least enjoy a life of wealth.

Yang Dong and Shen Zhongming had already discussed this with Jiang Beifei and had no objections.

However, the major leaders of the Jiangyang Gang looked at Jiang Beifei with anticipation.

What about us now that you are retiring?

They did not want to retire just yet, and even if they did, they had no money.

All the wealth of the Jiangyang Gang would be surrendered to the Feiying Gang.

As the leader of the Jiangyang Gang, Su Xin gave Jiang Beifei a million taels of silver to retire, but what about the others? Su Xin did not care about them.

"Alas, Boss Su, they have been with me for over ten years. If you can accept them, let them join the Feiying Gang. I guarantee they will not have any second thoughts." Jiang Beifei sighed.

Although he was not the type of leader who treated his subordinates like brothers, now that the Jiangyang Gang was gone, these people had at least followed him for over ten years. This was his last chance to help them.

Su Xin pondered for a moment and nodded. "Alright. The major leaders of the former Jiangyang Gang, if they want to take over territories in the rear, will still be major leaders. However, if they want to join the Combat Hall, they must start as minor leaders and be promoted based on their achievements."

The major leaders of the Jiangyang Gang all breathed a sigh of relief. The treatment Su Xin offered was fair. According to their knowledge, the old members of the Feiying Gang also received similar treatment.

After the merger of the Jiangyang Gang, the Feiying Gang now controlled eleven markets and had over thirty thousand members, truly becoming one of the strongest gangs in Changning Prefecture.

However, this was not the end for Su Xin. He still had the task of dominating Changning Prefecture and becoming the nominal ruler.

These days, Su Xin had been thinking about this, and his plan was finally taking shape. Ten days later, after fully integrating all his territories, he sent invitations to the four major gangs to hold a meeting at the Shenglong Tower.

Upon receiving Su Xin's invitation, the leaders of the four major gangs all looked puzzled, unsure of what Su Xin was up to.

A few days ago, Meng Changhe had gathered everyone to discuss how to deal with Su Xin. Was Su Xin now planning to take revenge?

Although they were confused, they still came to the Shenglong Tower as scheduled. Su Xin now had the status to sit on equal terms with them, and if he called them, they would come unless they wanted to completely break ties with him.

On the seventh floor of the Shenglong Tower, the leaders of the other gangs were already present, but Su Xin, the host, was nowhere to be seen.

Meng Changhe snorted, "Su Xin sure has a big ego, making us wait for him."

The others secretly rolled their eyes. The last time you called everyone for a meeting, you also made them wait until the end. Now you have the nerve to complain?

At that moment, Su Xin's voice suddenly rang out, "Is Chief Meng in such a hurry that he can't wait?"

Su Xin, accompanied by Li Hua and Huang Bingcheng, slowly walked up the stairs. Both of them were holding a stack of documents, and no one knew what was written inside.

"Su Xin, stop being so smug. What do you want from us today?" Meng Changhe said with a dark tone.

Su Xin sat down in the main seat and said calmly, "Don't be in a rush. We'll go through things one by one."

Everyone was taken aback. Was there more than one thing to discuss today?

Su Xin tapped the table rhythmically with his index finger and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, our Changning Prefecture is not weak. Among the many prefectures in southern Xiang, we are one of the top few.

However, our strength is too scattered, allowing anyone to ride roughshod over us and break our rules."

As he spoke, Su Xin glanced at Meng Changhe, making his face even darker.

The last time he invited Chen Zhao was not just to cripple Su Xin but also to threaten the other gangs, which was undoubtedly the most rule-breaking move.

"Su Xin! Stop beating around the bush. What do you really want to say?" Meng Changhe snorted.

"Simple. A snake without a head cannot move, and a bird without wings cannot fly. It's time for Changning Prefecture to have a leader.

I suggest that our five gangs form an alliance and elect a leader. We can handle minor conflicts on our own, but when something major happens, we can gather everyone, unite, and face the external threats together."

Everyone was stunned by Su Xin's words. The five gangs forming an alliance and electing a leader? Su Xin's ambition was truly great, but it was also unrealistic.

Meng Changhe sneered, "Su Xin, are you going to say that you should be the leader of this alliance?"

Su Xin smiled faintly. "That's right. The leader of the Changning Prefecture alliance will be me."

Meng Changhe's face twisted with derision, and he pointed at Su Xin, saying, "You? You think you can be the leader? What makes you think you deserve it?

Which of us here has less experience or less strength than you? Why should you be the leader?"

If Su Xin had said this on the day he killed Chen Zhao, the others might have been wary of his strength and considered it carefully.

But now, after so many days, they had figured it out. Su Xin's Flame Blade that killed Chen Zhao must have been a trick!

For a martial artist of the Houtian realm to release true qi to such an extent was like a fairy tale, but Su Xin had done it, and everyone had seen Chen Zhao die from the Flame Blade. The power was real.

What made them suspicious was that if Su Xin really had the ability to release true qi at will, Chen Zhao would not have been the only one killed; Meng Changhe would have been killed as well.

Any clear-eyed person could see that Chen Zhao was invited by Meng Changhe to avenge his son's death.

If Su Xin truly had such power, he would have killed Meng Changhe on the spot to eliminate future threats. Why would he wait until now?

So, they guessed that Su Xin must have used some secret technique to achieve the true qi release, and this technique was probably a consumable item that could only be used once.

Otherwise, he would have used it to kill Meng Changhe when he had a grudge with the San Ying Gang.

It must be said that these people were not simple. From Su Xin's actions, they had deduced his situation almost accurately.

Without the threat of absolute martial power, even if Su Xin had the strength to sit on equal terms with them, they would never acknowledge him as the leader, let alone allow him to be above them.