plumnovel 65. Fire
65. Fire
Jiangzhou Wharf, Day 3, Dawn.
Before dawn, a thick mist hung over the river, shrouding the entire dock area in a gray, oppressive atmosphere. At this time of day, the area would normally be bustling with activity—the shouts of laborers, the cries of boatmen, and the clamor of vehicles. But today, apart from the monotonous sound of the river lapping against the shore, only a chilling, deathly silence remained.
The air seemed to be filled with an invisible smoke of gunpowder, mixed with the fishy smell of the river and a rusty, blood-suggesting odor.
At the Golden Scale Gang's headquarters, aboard the imposing three-story ship built along the river, the gang leader, Shen Jiao, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit with a black cloak embroidered with golden dragons, stood with a face so grim it seemed to drip water. Before him lay the remaining elite members of the gang, about a hundred men, each with fierce eyes and a do-or-die resolve. The conflicts and provocations of the past few days, especially the rumor that "the government has joined forces with the Angry Wave Gang to suppress the bandits in three days," had been gnawing at their nerves like venomous snakes. There was no way to retreat; they had no choice but to fight to the death.
"Brothers!" Shen Jiao's voice was hoarse, yet filled with ruthlessness. "The Raging Waves Gang has gone too far! The Four Seas Chamber of Commerce is aiding and abetting evil! The government is also trying to kill us! Today, it's either them or me! Follow me, charge into battle, crush the Raging Waves Gang, and reclaim everything that belongs to us!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!" More than a hundred people roared in unison, the sound waves shaking the ship slightly, and the murderous aura soared into the sky.
Almost simultaneously, in the core cargo area of the Third Wharf occupied by the Raging Waves Gang, their leader Han Che, fully armed, stood guard. A burly man, he wielded a heavy ghost-headed saber, his eyes bloodshot. The news of "Black Fiend's infiltration, intending to assassinate" had kept him awake all night, his nerves stretched to the limit. Looking at his equally numerous but exceptionally high-spirited men, fueled by fear and rage, he roared, "The Golden Flood Dragon Gang has colluded with the government to destroy our sect! The Four Seas Chamber of Commerce is their accomplice! We have no way out! Only by striking first and killing that bastard Shen Jiao can we have a chance of survival! Follow me, charge, and destroy the Golden Flood Dragon Gang!"
"Destroy the Golden Dragon! Kill the Shen Dragon!" The shouts of the Raging Waves Gang members were equally filled with violence.
Without any probing or verbal sparring, the hatred, suspicion, and panic that had been building up for three days were ignited at this moment. The two sides, like two bursting torrents, roared out of their respective strongholds and collided with a deafening crash on the relatively open unloading plaza of the dock area!
"Clang!"
The explosions of clashing weapons heralded the start of a bloody massacre.
Shen Jiao took the lead, his longsword flashing like a venomous snake. In an instant, two of the most skilled members of the Raging Waves Gang who were charging ahead were struck in the throat, clutching their necks and falling to the ground. His movements were agile, his swordplay ruthless, and he focused on vital points, clearly fighting with all his might.
Seeing this, Han Che roared and swung his ghost-headed saber like a whirlwind, the blade whistling and its force heavy, aimed straight at Shen Jiao's head. "Old man Shen Jiao, prepare to die!"
"Han Che, you scoundrel, you're courting death!" Shen Jiao was fearless. He dodged the blade to the side, then thrust his longsword diagonally towards Han Che's ribs.
The two gang leaders instantly clashed, their swords flashing and blades clashing, their energy surging and shattering the surrounding bluestone slabs. Their battle became the heart of the entire battlefield, igniting the ferocity of both gang members.
The square instantly descended into a primal and brutal melee. Swords clashed, blood and flesh flew everywhere. Roars, the clash of weapons, screams of the dying, thuds of bodies falling… all these sounds mingled together, creating a symphony of death.
A leader of the Golden Dragon Gang, brandishing two swords, charged into the Angry Wave Gang's ranks like a mad tiger. Wherever his sword flashed, sprays of blood rained down. But he was immediately pierced through the body by three or four spears at the same time, and fell to the ground with his eyes wide open in resentment.
On the other side, a leader of the Raging Waves Gang wielded an iron whip, sweeping across a group and smashing the heads of two Golden Dragon Gang members to pieces. However, his back was wide open, and a Golden Dragon Gang expert pierced his heart from behind with a sword.
No one retreated, and no one surrendered. Everyone was bloodthirsty, their minds consumed by the instinct to kill. Blood quickly stained the square, pooling into trickles that flowed into the nearby river, turning the water a faint crimson hue.
The battle raged from dawn until the sun was high in the sky. The elite troops on both sides were dwindling at a visible rate. The original force of over a hundred men was quickly reduced to less than half, then a third…
The battle between Shen Jiao and Han Che had reached a fever pitch. Both were wounded; Shen Jiao had a deep gash on his left arm, exposing the bone, and blood had stained half of his sleeve. Han Che had been stabbed in the chest; although not fatal, it had affected his breathing and strength, and his movements were gradually slowing down.
"Han Che! Today is your death day!" Shen Jiao seized an opening, his inner energy surged wildly, and the tip of his sword burst forth with a dazzling cold light. With the move "Golden Dragon Emerging from the Sea," man and sword became one, and he thrust straight at Han Che's heart! This sword was as fast as lightning, ruthless and decisive, and contained all his life's power.
Han Che's pupils contracted sharply. He wanted to raise his knife to block, but it was too late. He could only desperately twist his body, trying to avoid vital points.
"Pfft!"
The long sword pierced through his body, and although it deviated from his heart due to Han Che's dodge, it still pierced through his right chest!
"Ugh!" Han Che let out a painful groan as the Ghost Head Saber slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. He gripped the blade that had pierced his chest tightly, his eyes filled with resentment and bitterness.
"Boss!"
"Protect the gang leader!"
Seeing this, several loyal members of the Angry Waves Gang rushed forward recklessly in an attempt to rescue him.
"Get out of the way!" Shen Jiao shouted, drawing his longsword sharply, spurting out a trail of blood. With a backhand slash, he knocked down the person charging at the front. However, due to the excessive consumption of his true energy and the effects of his injuries, he himself staggered.
Just then, a deputy leader of the Raging Waves Gang, who had been hiding behind the crowd, flashed a ruthless glint in his eyes, quietly raised his hand, and a delicate crossbow bolt from his sleeve was aimed at Shen Jiao's back.
"Whoosh!"
Poisoned crossbow bolts shot out!
Although Shen Jiao was aware of it, his body was in an awkward situation where his old strength was exhausted and his new strength had not yet been generated. He barely managed to turn to the side, but the crossbow bolt still grazed his ribs, leaving a dark wound, and a numbing sensation came instantly.
"Despicable!" Shen Jiao was both shocked and furious. The poison took effect very quickly, and he felt half of his body begin to stiffen.
"Kill him! Avenge the gang leader!" the deputy gang leader shouted immediately after the sneak attack succeeded.
Seeing Shen Jiao poisoned, the remaining members of the Raging Waves Gang were greatly encouraged and launched a frenzied attack. The Golden Dragon Gang members fought desperately to defend Shen Jiao.
The battlefield grew even more chaotic. Han Che was critically wounded and on the verge of death, but his trusted men risked their lives to rescue him, and they retreated. Shen Jiao, poisoned and unable to move easily, fought his way back under the cover of the Golden Flood Dragon Gang members.
Both sides, having lost their leaders' effective command, had completely transformed into irrational beasts, tearing and killing each other under the influence of instinct. Every moment, people fell, and every inch of land was soaked in blood.
When the midday sun barely pierced through the river mist and shone on this battlefield, the shouts of battle finally subsided.
It's not that the battle is over, but that very few people are left who can stand.
The open square was littered with corpses, severed limbs and broken weapons scattered everywhere, and crimson blood covering almost the entire ground, reflecting a blinding light in the sunlight.
The combined strength of the Golden Dragon Gang and the Raging Waves Gang dwindled to less than thirty men, all wounded and exhausted. They glared at each other across the mountain of corpses and sea of blood, but had no strength left to launch another attack. The fierce fire had nearly drained the last vestiges of energy from both sides; all their elite forces had been wiped out in this battle.
A thick stench of blood rose into the sky, attracting a large flock of crows that circled overhead, cawing hoarsely, adding to the desolation and despair.
The dock area has temporarily fallen into an eerie, deathly balance. And this balance is so fragile that it could be broken at any moment.