#185 - Chapter 185 Control

Before long, Baibai, Cheng Yi, and Wu Feng received instructions from Cheng Feng. Understanding the critical nature of this mission, they wasted no time, swiftly mobilizing their men.

Their task was to delay the Green Bamboo Gang's reinforcements, buying time for Cheng Feng to strike directly at the Green Bamboo Gang's main headquarters. This plan was crucial, so they had to go all out.

Meanwhile, the Green Bamboo Gang's disciples on duty also noticed the signal arrows launched from the main headquarters. Realizing the urgency, these disciples immediately took action, summoning fellow disciples resting at various strongholds or leaders handling affairs.

Those busy leaders, upon seeing the signal arrows, grumbled under their breath but still scrambled from flower beds or other places as quickly as possible, grabbed their weapons, and rushed towards the strongholds.

The disciples who had been resting swiftly gathered their equipment, took up arms, and lined up neatly within the strongholds, awaiting further instructions.

At the branch closest to the main headquarters, Li Shan, after seeing his subordinates fully assembled, disregarded their strange looks and waved his hand decisively: "The main headquarters summons us! Move out!"

Li Shan was a rising star in the Green Bamboo Gang, but due to oppression from the older members, he hadn't been given important responsibilities within the gang, despite already being a Blood Refining Stage martial artist. His subordinates often protested on his behalf, but Li Shan remained indifferent, stating that the gang leader had been kind to him and he didn't care about those opinions. When the signal arrows were launched from the main headquarters, he was the first to emerge from his study to respond.

The other branches of the Green Bamboo Gang also mustered their disciples and converged on the main headquarters.

As time passed, every minute and second felt exceptionally long. Baibai's team gradually blocked the Green Bamboo Gang reinforcement disciples' only path, making it impenetrable. This large team was clearly familiar with the terrain and had cleverly devised a detailed interception strategy.

The Green Bamboo Gang disciples were in for a disaster.

A Green Bamboo Gang branch of fifty-plus people was rapidly advancing towards the main headquarters when they were ambushed by lurking Hongmen disciples in dimly lit corners where visibility was poor. This made it impossible for the Green Bamboo Gang reinforcement disciples to defend effectively. This was Baibai's team at work.

Two other Green Bamboo Gang branches, converging on the same location, found their path blocked by huge logs at a chokepoint with only a single straight road, making passage difficult. This was Cheng Yi's team.

The route that Wu Feng's team occupied had no obvious features or advantages to exploit. They could only unhesitatingly occupy the road and set up a formation to engage the enemy in a head-on battle.

This meant that no matter how the enemy tried to break through, there was only one way: over the bodies of all the Hongmen disciples led by Wu Feng, half of whom were seasoned Inner Disciples.

This was all Cheng Feng's arrangement. Wu Feng's strength had improved after his recovery, reaching the Blood Refining Completion level. Because this route required brute force, Cheng Feng could only assign the strongest, Wu Feng, here.

In the night, the carriage trotted along. Xu Miao had been dispatched by Cheng Feng to assist Wu Feng, while Cheng Feng himself watched the four-in-one display on the mechanical dog, steadily directing his forces and controlling the situation.

Under the cover of darkness, the mechanical dog's steel-ball-turned-mini-Kongs moved unimpeded in the south of the city, continuously transmitting information to the mechanical dog, which relayed it to Cheng Feng. This was the source of Cheng Feng's confidence.

The information advantage allowed Cheng Feng to make the best choices faster and better, especially since he was the Hongmen leader with hundreds of men at his disposal.

Baibai and Cheng Yi's strength were at most at the early Blood Refining stage. Cheng Feng feared they would be injured in a head-on fight, so he could only use strategy, issuing orders to the Hongmen disciples nearby, focusing solely on delaying the enemy.

The most difficult task fell to Wu Feng's team, who had to face Li Shan, the Green Bamboo Gang's rising star, in a life-or-death struggle.

The Green Bamboo Gang reinforcement disciples had confidently believed they could easily pass through these checkpoints and quickly reach the main headquarters.

But they never expected to encounter sudden attacks on roads they usually traveled without incident.

Despite their superior numbers, Cheng Feng's carefully designed ambush severely hampered their progress, putting them on the defensive and causing many injuries and even deaths, forcing them to advance slowly.

The Hongmen disciples led by Baibai did not retreat or cower despite the enemy's numerical advantage. Instead, they looked at their leader with admiration, because Baibai always seemed to anticipate the enemy's moves, directing the disciples to kill or repel the enemy using the slightest geographical advantage.

Little did they know that Cheng Feng was controlling the overall situation from behind the scenes.

Wu Feng's side, however, faced fierce resistance. Li Shan's branch was known for their fighting prowess within the Green Bamboo Gang, with roughly eighty percent of them being Strength Refinement martial artists, about forty Strength Refinement early- and mid-stage martial artists, and a dozen Skin Refinement martial artists, plus Li Shan, a mid-stage Blood Refining martial artist. This battle would rely solely on Wu Feng and the hidden Xu Miao.

Cheng Feng's goal was to obtain the greatest benefit at the lowest cost. Two Blood Refining Completion martial artists made this possible.

Li Shan was anxious to rush to the main headquarters to report the situation, while Wu Feng wanted to delay him and prevent him from reaching the main headquarters. Both were doing their utmost to defeat the other.

When two tigers meet, a battle is inevitable.

Anxious to reach the main headquarters, Li Shan attacked first, wielding his blade in a dense, impenetrable fashion, each strike carrying a fierce wind.

Wu Feng's sword was the same, each strike containing endless killing intent. The two traded blows, their weapons clashing with crisp sounds. Each collision caused ripples in the surrounding air, as if the entire space was being torn apart.

Li Shan's swordsmanship was fierce, the blade flashing with a cold light, like a ferocious dragon baring its fangs and claws as it lunged at its prey.

Wu Feng's swordsmanship was agile, the blade dancing like flowing water, natural and smooth, yet also like a snake emerging from its hole, making it difficult to defend against.

Both of their moves were exquisite, containing countless variations, and the slightest carelessness could lead to utter annihilation.

Seeing that Li Shan was so strong at such a young age, Wu Feng, who had broken through not long after recovering, seemed to see bloody prey: "Not bad, I'll get serious."

A determined look flashed in Li Shan's eyes: "Come on, Hongmen trash, hurry up and die. This young master has urgent business, and I'll send you on your way."

He knew the importance of the signal arrows from the main headquarters, especially since they were sent out at night. If he couldn't reach the main headquarters in time, the consequences would be unimaginable. Others could die, but that person must not!