Book 22 - Chapter 3 – The Dragon Roams Everywhere (1/2)
Chapter 3 – The Dragon Roa outside the depth of the forest, the spy had his hands tied around a thick tree trunk on his back, his clothes were dyed with blood, his countenance pale, his age was about twenty, his facial features were ordinary
Xuan Yong whispered, “We did according to what Shao Shuai ordered: setting up sentries all around the ca in, and I captured him with my own hands This kid’s nan school”
“What did he say?” Kou Zhong asked
Xuan Yong replied fir by Humph! This place is the wilderness of a desolate , he should have a reason to co native, how did he co said, “Even if he is a spy, he should have some acco shook his head and said, “I already send my men to search everywhere in the mountain and forest nearby, yet we have not found anybody else”
“Looks like wesaid, “Are you an expert?”
“Leave it toreplied
He was about to step forward, Xu Ziling pulled him aside He could not bear to torture the prisoner “Before we ascertain his identity, using torture does not see said, “Since he is unwilling to speak out, how could we ascertain his identity without torture?”
Kou Zhong shest technique of torture This is called ‘using torture to cut down a sche, robustnoticed that the hed and said, “He is unwilling to open his eyes, naturally he is unwilling to answer questions; we have no choice but to use torture to force confession Take your ti him, let this hero have the opportunity to consider his own situation, and then choose toopen his eyes and spat out a thick saliva with traces of blood in it, shooting toward Kou Zhong
Kou Zhong effortlessly turned his head sideways and thus the spittle hit an empty space
The man revealed a surprised look; evidently he had never expected that Kou Zhong was capable of evading his attack But then he quickly closed his eyes again
Angered, Xuan Yong pulled his dagger and shouted, “Letthe disdain look on theto Xuan Yong, he laughed and said, “How can a dagger be better than a pair of pliers? Guard! Get ing the order fro looked at Kou Zhong in bewilder walked around to the back of the tree, to look at the ers are long, delicate and sain, he called out, “Guard! Take off his boots”
The rily, “You want to kill, you want to cut o ahead and do it, why do you want to take offraised his hand to stop his man as about to take off his boots; he smiled and said, “Because I want to pull out your toe nails one by one, and I aers goes through to the heart; I wonder where would the pain on the toes go to? I have no choice but to test it on Lao Xiong Don’t underesti your s to report your findings here; we don’t even need to kill you”
The ed several times; finally he spoke in distress, “I practically do not knoho you guys are, I took a shortcut this way because I wanted to hurry on toward Hefei [capital of Anhui Province] to participate in professional societies general asse that, the three were eed eye signals, they both recalled that since Zuo Youxian also showed up at Hefei, presuht Major Martial Art Masters of the Demonic Sects, perhaps they even had a friendly relationshi+p between them, and noas quite possible that the professional societies general asse chuckled and roared into a laughter, “Turns out it’s aThe rain is getting heavier! Let us take shelter in the tent and change into dry clothes, and drink hisand that man looked at each other in confusion; they did not understand ith just one sentence thereleased on the spot
While Xu Ziling was untying the rope, Xuan Yong whispered in Kou Zhong’s ear, “Shao Shuai has forgotten that you issued the strict order not to drink in thisany wine”
Kou Zhong cleared his throat and said, “Then we’ll drink a cup of water!”
Thebound with ox-tendon rope “You are really willing to let ed his shoulders and said, “We are not utterly-vicious-extre that this is just a y, what else can we do?”
The reatly aroused, he asked, “Friend’s honorable surna pointed to Xuan Yong and said, “He is called Xuan Yong”
Before he had any chance to introduce Xu Ziling, the man said in shock, “In that case you entle nodded and said, “Your guess is spot on What’s friend’s honorable name and surname?”
The man was a lot friendlier; he replied readily, “I aon (the title of this chapter) gang] Bangzhu Ze Tianwen, Ze Yue”
Hearing that, Kou Zhong, three men looked at each other, si; they could not even utter conventional greeting such as ‘I’ve long looked forward toto set out of this rain and talk further in the tent Fortunately Ze Xiong only suffers uilty”
Ze Yue laughed aloud and said, “Being able to tai’s acquaintance, a little bit of injury is not worthwas not known in Jianghu was sianization, with Longyou County in Dongyang Region [in Zhejiang Province] as the center of professional society The organization was quite tight, they had buying-low, selling-high operations in all parts of the country, therefore, they enjoyed the good reputation as ‘The Dragon Roa, Ze Yue cheerfully said, “The region bordering our hometown has more mountains but less farmlands The flow of most needed commodity to sustain live for theit on shoulder pole Sailing boats and driving carts, engaging in buying and selling have become a way to seek livelihood My Die started his business by trading wood, and now, using our Gang’s good reputation, we have at least ten thousand people doing business for us in all parts of the country But the nu’s banner is only a few hundred They are the real backbone of our Gang”
And then he took out a bronze o, etc] One side was cast in dragon pattern, the other side had four characters ‘Long You Bian Di’ [The Dragon Roa heavier, crisp and clear breeze was rolling in fro asked, “What is your main business?”
Ze Yue replied, “It is called ‘not fa’ We mainly trade local specialty of the mountain area for local necessities Bamboo, wood, paper, tea, bamboo shoot, oil, herbal s that thesalt, silk cloth, cotton sloth, et cetera, for a circulation network All the professional societies in various regions, big and sive us a bit of face”
And then he happily said, “To be able to knoo gentle of three lifeti fro a number of heroes today, who can surpass Shao Shuai and Xu Ye?”
A little bit eht now fire beacon is everywhere [ie alar distance], does it have any adverse effect to your business?”
Ze Yue laughed and said, “Peacetis, wartis Like just noas treated as a spy, definitely it was not unco’s token of authority, everybody would giveaardly said, “Ze Xiong is accusto Oh, right! Didn’t you say that Rong Fengxiang is holding soeneral assembly at Hefei? What exactly is that?”
Ze Yue’s countenance sank; he sighed and said, “That is actually a very troubling thing Recently Rong Fengxiang ascended the Luoyang Bang’s Longtou [big boss] throne, it already has great impact And now he also assumes the position of Elder of the most-powerful-in-the-north Bai Ye She [Hundred Professional Societies], he is like a tiger that has groings This time he came to Hefei, his objective is precisely to call on the professional societies and trade organizations north of the River to join Bai Ye She On the surface he is calling all business communities to unite, but inhis brows, Kou Zhong asked, “What exactly is Bai Ye She?”
Ze Yue explained, “It is just an alliance of business and professional communities from various parts of the country north of the River Elders have no governing authority over the professional societies under their jurisdiction, but they can represent each business co the Hundred Industries General assembly, to determine a variety of prices, and to , could be s and Kou Zhong exchanged glances; both felt that this could not be a good thing Rong Fengxiang was the personification of the demonic sect’sboss, the chief of professional societies and trade organizations of the world, what good would that do?
“Isn’t that a good thing?” Xu Ziling tried to probe, “Why is Ze Xiong troubled?”
S bitterly, Ze Yue said, “How could I not be troubled? In doing business, theis flexibility and freedo is putting on an air of the big taking an unfair advantage of the s the power and influence of the northern Bai Ye She, he is coercing us to join his Bai Ye She …”
“If you don’t join the association,” Kou Zhong cut hi to hi, it is still unclear It depends on hoell he can control the professional societies in the north; but since ant to do business in the north, naturally it will have so ready to join, or already decided not to do so?” Xu Ziling asked
Ze Yue replied, “The reason I wanted to go to Hefei a bit earlier this tiet a good understanding of what they are thinking If everybody is eager to join, our situation will be very difficult, we ive in”
Surprised, Kou Zhong said, “How could Ze Xiong be that kind of person?”
S wryly, Ze Yue replied, “When all is said and done, I am just a businessman; whether I stay or I move, I have to consider the pros and cons first Oh! I have not yet consulted two gentlemen, you take the trouble to move the troops in such awith?”
Kou Zhong replied, “Who else but Cao Yinglong and Zhu Can, those two big bastards?”
Feeling deep veneration, Ze Yue said, “Turns out those tho kill people like scything flax, the dehu If there is anything that requires Ze Yue’s help, as long as it is within my power, I will certainly do it at all costs”
Kou Zhong said, “You’d better keep your , o brothers, cannot ignore it, because he is another big bastard; he is evenand Zhu Can Therefore, weto Hefei; luckily it is on our way”
“What?” Ze Yue cried out involuntarily
Kou Zhong put on theLi Tianfan and Shen Luoyan at the Flying Horse Ranch, transforle beak nose and a face full of beard Naturally Xu Ziling did not dare to disguise himself as either Yue Shan or the Scarface Hero; hence he took out a le shake, he became a yellow-faced ’s disguise The two boys ‘you look atthe rain, the three hastened on with their journey In only two sichen traveling on foot, they arrived at Hefei in the afternoon Sure enough, people of professional societies and trade organizations froes came and went in an incessant stream
As soon as the three entered the city, they were ’s people, who already arrived one step ahead Obviously, Ze Yue, the son of the Gang Leader, had a very high position, although he did not introduce his two companions, his subordinates did not dare to ask
In Hefei, Longyou Bang opened a teashop at the ates of the city The three were going to stay at the rear courtyard of this shop While Ze Yue was listening to hisinto dry clothes, they retired to their roo kicked off his boots, and sprawled his li) character shape] He spoke to Xu Ziling, as slu the rain, “I really don’t understand Lu Miaozi, why is it that every ? Couldn’t heto the eye?”
Xu Ziling muttered, “Tell me, what do you think of Mr Lu’s appearance?”
Kou Zhong replied, “When he was young, he ood-looking fellohen he was already old? But what does it have to do with thesaid, “I don’t know; there must be a little bit of relationshi+p! When people are born, they are already destined to be handsoly, horrid, or pretty Under nore, so we can only accept the reality If I were Mr Lu and I had the power to change the weather, naturally I would want to change into an entirely different face, to experience another, distinct identity, a different perception”
Kou Zhong nodded and said, “If you put it that way, it does have a bit of truth in it All right! Back to the topic: should we join hands to slaughter Rong Fengxiang?”