Chapter 8

（Went out to have a useless body part surgically removed, so it's late）

Lin Xiao originally thought that the person who suddenly came to help at the Zhenwei Building would definitely cause trouble for him, given how arrogant he was. Unexpectedly, it turned out differently.

However, notifying a small account to fight him, isn't that making things difficult for me, Fat Tiger?

Fighting is out of the question, after all, defeating the same person repeatedly doesn't add to one's record. Lin Xiao always avoids such unprofitable matters if he can.

In the armory, Lin Xiao scanned the room with a glance, grabbed an iron sword, inspected it, and then took out two silver taels to buy it. The clean and swift action left the armory manager stunned, almost unable to react.

He had a deep impression of Lin Xiao because the last time this person came to buy a sword, he insisted on carefully touching each sword several times before making a decision, a completely incomprehensible behavior.

Holding the new iron sword, Lin Xiao returned home happily. His duty today was to patrol at night.

At home, Lin Xiao stood in the courtyard, his breathing gradually becoming deep and long. His eyes focused, his right arm moved, and his fingers gripped the sword hilt. With his right foot as the pivot, he suddenly twisted, generating a burst of strength that surged through his waist, shoulders, and arms, reaching the sword in his hand. A sharp, short sword cry seemed to echo in the courtyard, followed by a flash of lightning.

Basic sword techniques have specific ways of exerting force, angles, and trajectories. For example, the thrust technique involves using certain muscles and tendons, while the slash technique uses different muscles and tendons. There might be some overlap, but there are also distinct differences.

The advanced basic sword technique allowed Lin Xiao to understand the true essence of swordsmanship.

A thrust should be a straight line of body, eyes, and sword, bursting out like a lightning strike, with a momentum that penetrates everything.

A slash should be like a thunderbolt breaking through a mountain, unstoppable and devastating.

Each sword strike, Lin Xiao used all his strength, repeatedly and meticulously feeling the exertion of his muscles and tendons. Before long, his entire body was drenched in sweat, his skin red and steaming, as if he had just come out of a steam room.

His stomach growled with hunger, his chest feeling as if it were touching his back.

Intensive sword practice combined with the horse stance training greatly enhanced his physical conditioning, but it also cost more money.

In the evening, Zhou Zheng returned from school on time. After dinner, Lin Xiao sent him to the Qinghu Martial Arts Hall.

"Zheng, when you are poor, focus on self-improvement; when you are wealthy, help others. You are about to become successful, remember to study hard and learn more martial arts to support your brother," Lin Xiao whispered as he sent Zhou Zheng to the entrance of the Qinghu Martial Arts Hall.

That Qing Lei wouldn't accept him, so he had to find other ways to obtain martial arts. After all, Lin Xiao was starting to feel that the physical conditioning effects of the horse stance were gradually weakening.

"Brother, didn't you say last year that when you are poor, focus on self-improvement, and when you are rich, have many wives and concubines?" Zhou Zheng wore an expression of "you're tricking me again."

"Hehehe, is that so?" Lin Xiao chuckled, thinking about it, it seemed he did say that: "Don't worry about such details. One must adapt to the situation. Trust me, I've read more books than you, I won't trick you."

"Go, practice well, and go home by yourself after practice. I have to go on night patrol." Lin Xiao didn't wait for Zhou Zheng to think it through and immediately turned and left, like a gust of wind.

"That kid Zheng is getting harder to fool." Walking quickly, Lin Xiao exhaled, taking large steps toward Wuli Street.

Sometimes Lin Xiao found it incredible that the gang members were actually patrolling like security guards for merchants, which was nothing like what he had initially imagined.

Shouldn't they be ruthless and domineering, ready to cut people at the slightest provocation, and extort from the merchants?

But as he mixed in,

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As he mixed in, Lin Xiao realized that at least the Baiyun Gang was not like that. The gang had strict rules, and the regular fees from the merchants were one of the main sources of income. To receive more fees, they hoped the merchants' businesses would thrive, which would increase their income, allowing the gang to gradually raise the fees and gain even more.

Not only were others not allowed to disrupt the merchants' businesses, but even gang members were strictly forbidden from doing so. If they wanted something, they had to pay for it themselves.

As for cutting and fighting, it was mainly directed at those who caused trouble and rival gangs. Ordinary people and innocent passersby would not be targeted unless they brought it upon themselves.

If it weren't for the fact that he had injured a few people and killed two a few months ago, he would have thought he was part of a legitimate company rather than a gang.

When he arrived at the temporary base on Wuli Street, the sun had set, and night had fallen. The street lights began to flicker on.

"Brother Xiao."

"Xiao... Xiao... Brother..."

Zhou Dazhu and Wang Xiaohu had arrived first, while Wang Daniu was still recovering from his internal injuries.

Zhou Xiuwen and Wang Daqiang were also present. When they saw Lin Xiao, Wang Daqiang nodded in greeting, while Zhou Xiuwen snorted coldly. His subordinates, who had been defeated by Lin Xiao, looked at him with resentment.

Lin Xiao acknowledged Wang Daqiang and then pondered whether to provoke Zhou Xiuwen and defeat him again, which would add to his record.

While he was thinking, Wang Tigen strode in, followed by another person.

"Brothers, we have a new member from the main gang joining us for the night patrol. Welcome Brother Feng Yuan." Wang Tigen, unusually, did not swear.

"Welcome..." Zhou Xiuwen was the first to respond.

Seeing the other person, Lin Xiao was taken aback and wanted to avoid him. Damn, it's this guy again.

"It's you." Feng Yuan, carrying a long saber, his face arrogant, immediately focused on Lin Xiao, slightly stunned: "Where is your brother Lin Wuming? I waited for him all day, why didn't he come to find me?"

"Brother Feng, his brother is called Zhou Zheng." Zhou Xiuwen said in a sharp voice.

"Zhou Zheng." Feng Yuan was slightly stunned, then turned to Lin Xiao, questioning: "Didn't you say your brother is Lin Wuming?"

"Lin Wuming is his nickname." Zhou Xiuwen said in a sharp voice again.

"You..." Feng Yuan's face quickly turned red, his eyes wide with anger, pointing at Lin Xiao, trembling with rage. It turned out that the "small account" was just a nickname, and this guy had been toying with him all morning.

"Surprised? Unexpected?" Lin Xiao, who had been expressionless throughout, suddenly broke into a smile.

"Lin Xiao, what the hell is going on? Apologize to Brother Feng Yuan now." Wang Tigen immediately shouted in anger.

"No need for an apology." Feng Yuan roared, pointing at Lin Xiao: "Fight me again."

"Not interested." Lin Xiao turned and walked out of the base without looking back: "Xiaohu, Dazhu, let's patrol."

"Stop." Feng Yuan roared and rushed out.

"Brother Feng Yuan." Wang Tigen hurriedly called out and tried to stop Feng Yuan: "We are patrolling together."

"Get lost." Feng Yuan angrily pushed Wang Tigen away and chased after Lin Xiao, leaving Wang Tigen standing there, his face pale and red.

He had been trying to befriend and curry favor with Feng Yuan, hoping to get a chance to transfer to the main gang, but Lin Xiao had ruined it.

Yes, Wang Tigen believed that if it weren't for Lin Xiao, Feng Yuan wouldn't have reacted like this.

"Damn Lin Xiao." Wang Tigen gritted his teeth in hatred.

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"Everything is Lin Xiao's fault." Zhou Xiuwen immediately rushed over and said.

"Go patrol." Wang Tigen roared in anger.

...

"Fight me again."

"Fight me again."

"Fight me again."

Lin Xiao's face was stern, and this guy kept repeating the same thing, making him feel annoyed.

"What about your arrogant attitude when you ate without paying?" Lin Xiao couldn't help but retort.

"Don't mention that." Feng Yuan's face darkened, looking embarrassed, then continued to repeat: "Fight me again."

Wang Xiaohu and Zhou Dazhu looked at each other in disbelief. Was this the same person who had been shouting arrogantly at the Zhenwei Building?

"Are you at the small external cultivation stage? I'm just at the initial stage. Don't you feel ashamed fighting me?" Lin Xiao asked.

"You're at the initial stage?" Feng Yuan stared at Lin Xiao, full of doubt: "Really, not lying?"

Lin Xiao ignored him.

Then, Lin Xiao noticed that although Feng Yuan was still following him, he had stopped repeating himself and looked deep in thought. Lin Xiao didn't care, preferring the silence.

As they patrolled, Lin Xiao's stomach growled again. He bought a large bag of buns, thirty in total, and slowly ate them, offering some to Wang Xiaohu and Zhou Dazhu, but they refused, saying they felt full just from the smell.

"Want one?" Lin Xiao, feeling a bit sympathetic towards Feng Yuan's depressed look, offered a bun, but then put it back in his mouth, muttering: "Forget it, you probably wouldn't even look at it."

Feng Yuan reached out to take the bun but almost cried when he heard Lin Xiao's words, realizing he wouldn't even get a bun.

Patrolling was undoubtedly a boring task, walking around, finding a place to rest when tired, and then continuing. Of course, small leaders like Wang Tigen stayed at the base and sent subordinates to patrol, even sleeping at the base if they were tired.

Late at night, the merchants on Wuli Street closed their doors, the lights went out, and the street fell into darkness. At this time, the patrollers started to feel sleepy.

Fortunately, they didn't have to patrol all night, just until dawn.

As for whether rival gangs would come to set fires or rob in the middle of the night, that was not the concern of the Baiyun Gang. They collected protection fees, not nanny fees. If the shops were destroyed or burned, and they couldn't collect the fees, it was just a matter of accepting it.

Moreover, arson was a serious offense.

The dynasty had laws. The number of casualties in gang battles was a gang matter, but if it spread and caused a larger impact, violating the dynasty's laws, the consequences would be different. Gangs had been wiped out for such offenses.

The moon hung in the sky, its light clear and serene, as if flowing over the rooftops, walls, and streets, and onto the people, like a layer of gauze.

As dawn approached, Lin Xiao and the others started to return to the base. Wang Xiaohu yawned, but Feng Yuan still followed Lin Xiao, looking depressed, as if something was wrong with him.

Under the moonlight, dozens of figures in black were rushing from the west of Wuli Street, looking like a black tide surging forward.