#228 - Chapter 228: War Begins

The night was as dark as ink. The lights of the east side of the city and the gangs of the west side each demarcated their territories in the darkness, yet, through a single thought of Cheng Feng's, they quietly wove a net that was about to stir up a storm.

Cheng Feng stood on a hidden rooftop in the east of the city, his gaze piercing through the dense eaves, reaching directly to the dimly lit area of the east side, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips.

On the other side, Wei Zhuang also appeared in the stronghold in the west of the city, beginning to execute Cheng Feng's plan.

"Since the south and north of the city are out of reach, then let the sparks between the east and west sides become the most dazzling fireworks in this night," he murmured to himself, his voice soft, yet carrying an undeniable determination.

The next morning, the market in the east of the city was more bustling than usual, the hawkers' cries and the laughter of pedestrians interweaving into a vibrant scene.

However, beneath this seemingly peaceful facade, an undercurrent was quietly surging. The outer disciples of the Hongmen, dressed in plain clothes, mingled in the crowd, their eyes sharp, their actions carrying a hint of subtle understanding.

By noon, when the flow of customers was at its peak,

"Shopkeeper, this wine of yours tastes like water! Are you sure you haven't watered it down?" A burly man angrily smashed his bowl, cursing loudly.

The waiter stepped forward to explain, but was slapped twice by the man, his ears ringing. Seeing the waiter suffer such a cruel fate,

The shopkeeper felt that something was amiss. He knew that this troublemaker was not to be trifled with, so he quickly went to find the Red Star Gang's enforcer to handle the matter. After all, he was just a businessman, not skilled in martial arts or fighting.

The Red Star Gang's stationed enforcer was a man with a pointed mouth and monkey cheeks, a burly figure with obvious muscle lines, but his expression seemed overly lewd. He was followed by two lackeys.

He stepped forward and said to the troublemaker, "What's going on, brother? Don't you know that this is the territory of our Red Star Gang? Come, come, let's go to the backyard and have a good talk!"

As he spoke, he grabbed the troublemaker and dragged him towards the courtyard. Just then, the troublemaker suddenly drew a knife and stabbed him.

Seeing their boss stabbed, the lackeys behind him prepared to shout for help, but the troublemaker quickly pulled the knife out of the lewd man's body and stabbed it towards the lackeys' throats.

The surrounding diners witnessed this scene and were shocked and terrified. They realized that the situation was becoming dangerous, so they quickly got up and left the scene, not daring to stay any longer.

At this time, only four groups totaling twenty men remained, sitting there quietly, their eyes fixed on the development of the situation. After all the diners had left, they stood up and turned towards the backyard. The Red Star Gang's enforcer was still there.

As a seemingly accidental dispute erupted in front of a restaurant in the east of the city, crowds quickly gathered, discussing the matter. This dispute,

was actually a carefully laid out plan by Cheng Feng, designed to provoke conflict between the gangs in the east of the city and outside forces, laying the groundwork for subsequent actions. Sure enough, soon after, several core figures of the gangs in the east of the city rushed to the scene upon hearing the news, and the atmosphere became tense.

At the same time, the west of the city was not spared from the impact of this storm. Similar small-scale conflicts also appeared in the streets and alleys of the west of the city, each conflict precisely touching the sensitive nerves of the gangs in the west.

News spread like wildfire, quickly passing between the east and west of the city, and the tense atmosphere in both places grew increasingly thick.

Cheng Feng, stationed at a secret stronghold in the east of the city, learned about the development of the situation through the news from the Black Ear spies. He took a sip of tea, his eyes flashing with a light of strategic brilliance.

"Face is paramount, but I will personally give this face," he thought to himself, preparing to personally enter the scene at the right time and push this play he had orchestrated to a climax.

A few days later, the conflict between the Red Star Gang in the east of the city, the Black Snake Gang in the west of the city, and the Hongmen seemed to have reached a critical point. Both sides were ready to move, waiting for an order to completely ignite this undercurrent of competition.

And at this moment, Cheng Feng's figure appeared in a clearing at the junction of the east and south of the city. He was dressed in a green robe, his face stern, and his whole body exuded an imposing aura that could not be ignored.

The night was as dark as ink. At the junction of the south and west of the city, the dim streetlights lengthened the shadows of the two opposing crowds, and the air was filled with an extremely suppressed silence. Wei Zhuang stood in the very center of the two forces, a black trench coat gently swaying in the wind, his eyes deep, as if able to see through the deepest secrets of people's hearts.

"Everyone, today's matter could have been avoided, but since it has come to this, then let us resolve it according to the rules of the underworld." Wei Zhuang's voice was not loud, but it clearly entered everyone's ears. His appearance instantly solidified the tense atmosphere.

As Wei Zhuang's voice fell, more Hongmen disciples emerged from the shadows behind the Hongmen.

"Brothers of the Black Snake Gang, I, Wei Zhuang, have always respected your prestige in this area, but the rules cannot be broken, and interests must be shared. Today's matter is just a misunderstanding. It would be best if we could value harmony." His words contained both undeniable firmness and a hint of subtle easing, attempting to find a glimmer of room for maneuver in the tense confrontation.

The leader of the Black Snake Gang, a burly man with a fierce face named Mo Jiao, sneered upon hearing this, his voice low and dangerous: "Wei Zhuang? Never heard of you! There has always been a clear division between our gangs. But today, your Hongmen's hands have reached too far, touching people they shouldn't have. Rules? Rules are made by people, and they are also broken by people!"

As Mo Jiao spoke, the members of the Black Snake Gang stepped forward one after another, their aura fierce, as if ready to vent their anger at any moment.

On the Hongmen side, although they had the advantage in numbers, and each was a rigorously trained elite, they only slightly adjusted their positions in the face of provocation, their eyes full of determination.

According to the plan, a fierce battle was destined to break out tonight, and everyone was waiting for Wei Zhuang to issue an order. Just then, a breeze gently blew, bringing a hint of unusual atmosphere.

Wei Zhuang's eyes suddenly became bright, as if he had captured some important information. He slowly raised his right hand, signaling both sides to temporarily stop their actions.

However, Mo Jiao did not care at all, he would not give up easily. If he did not get a satisfactory explanation, a big fight would be inevitable tonight.

As for the Hongmen disciples, they carefully observed Wei Zhuang's gestures. If they saw him make a hand-knife gesture, then it would be their turn to enter the scene next.

As for Wei Zhuang, he remained silent, standing there quietly, like a silent mountain.