Chapter 145: The Hidden Chess Piece

Before Gan Changshan could finish laughing, he suddenly saw Ye Sanxiao's terrifying smile and was taken aback. With the remaining strength he had gathered, Ye Sanxiao's right hand reached for the axe that Chu Tian had left beside his right hand and forcefully struck it into Gan Changshan's abdomen. Gan Changshan finally felt the sensation of being hit by the axe. He felt his heart turn cold, very cold. He tried to break free and call for help, but Ye Sanxiao held him tightly with his remaining strength, and he couldn't break free. Moreover, the door was locked from the inside by Chu Tian.

That axe was deliberately left beside Ye Sanxiao by Chu Tian. Chu Tian knew the strength of his own attack was sufficient to leave Ye Sanxiao with just enough breath, enough strength to kill Gan Changshan.

Fifteen minutes later, Uncle Wang led more than a dozen people and broke into Ye Sanxiao's study. They saw Gan Changshan holding the axe, which was stuck in Ye Sanxiao's neck, and he was still gasping his last breaths. Uncle Wang's eyes flashed, and he shouted, "Gan Changshan, you traitor! How dare you sneak in and assassinate the leader? Brothers, cut him into mincemeat!"

Seeing Gan Changshan with the axe in Ye Sanxiao's body, and the four captains of the guards lying dead on the ground, and hearing Uncle Wang's angry roar, more than a dozen members of the Axe Gang were filled with anger. They drew their axes and pounced on Gan Changshan. Moments later, Gan Changshan not only had no breath left but his body was also hacked to pieces. Gan Changshan had never dreamed that his dream of becoming the leader would end so quickly, and his fate would be so tragic. He couldn't figure out why Chu Tian would let someone as spineless as Gan Changshan, who could bite back at any moment, take a position of power. The last thought that flashed through Gan Changshan's mind was: In my next life, I won't get involved in the underworld.

A faint smile flashed across Uncle Wang's face, and then his expression became serious and filled with grief and indignation. He threw himself on Ye Sanxiao's bloodied body, first let out a mournful cry, "Leader!" Then he roared, "I never expected that Gan Changshan would collude with the Jiang Bang both inside and outside. The Jiang Bang attacked our places and halls from the outside, and Gan Changshan assassinated our Leader Ye from the inside. Here, I, Uncle Wang, swear that I will fight to the death against the Jiang Bang!" In the absence of a leader, Uncle Wang, who usually took care of the gang's affairs, instantly became the backbone of everyone. His words naturally carried great authority and weight.

More than a dozen members of the Axe Gang who didn't know the truth also raised their bloody axes and roared, "Fight to the death against the Jiang Bang!"

At this moment, Uncle Wang had completely taken control of the Axe Gang. Just as Chu Tian had told him, the best way to prevent the members of the Axe Gang from stopping to think about the whole thing was to keep them busy. As time passed and the matter faded from their minds, no one would pay attention to what had happened or how it had happened. By then, they would have gotten used to Uncle Wang giving orders, and Uncle Wang's position would be firmly established.

Zhangsun Jincheng was naturally very happy to return to his position as the leader of the Jiang Bang. However, his happiness didn't last for more than a few days, and his smile completely disappeared. More than four hundred members of the Axe Gang continuously attacked the three main halls of the Jiang Bang. Originally, the Jiang Bang had more than seven hundred members, big and small, which was enough to resist the brutal "revenge" of the Axe Gang. However, after Zhangsun Jincheng returned, he knew the truth that without soldiers in his hands, his words would carry no weight. He forcefully transferred more than two hundred elite members from each hall to be directly under his management. As a result, the number of members of the Axe Gang was roughly equal to the number of members in each hall of the Jiang Bang. In theory, they should still be able to fight on equal terms. However, the members of the Axe Gang came with a deep grudge. As the saying goes, an army burning with grief is bound to win. They fought with the courage of two men, each one of them. The members of the Jiang Bang didn't know why the members of the Axe Gang were fighting so desperately, and they were caught off guard. The members of each hall of the Jiang Bang became more and more terrified as the battle went on. Lin Xiongjun and the others quickly called Zhangsun Jincheng for help, asking him to send the more than two hundred elite members to rescue each hall immediately. Unfortunately, Zhangsun Jincheng was too cautious. He was afraid of falling into the Axe Gang's trick of luring the tiger away from the mountain and then being killed himself. Compared with the losses of the hall masters, his own life was more important. So, he firmly refused to send reinforcements and just told each hall to hold on until dawn or retreat to his Changfu Garden Villa to defend together.

While resisting, Lin Xiongjun and the others cursed Zhangsun Jincheng, whom they had respected so much not long ago. They couldn't help but think of the good deeds of Haizi and Guangzi. Haizi and Guangzi would never abandon their brothers just to protect their own lives. But it was too late to regret now. They were extremely reluctant to give up their own territories and halls and retreat to the Changfu Garden Villa. They could only resist while sending their elders to the Changfu Garden Villa to ask Zhangsun Jincheng for help, hoping to appeal to their old brotherly情谊 to get some support.

In the villa of Yunshui Shanju, Chu Tian was calmly playing chess with Master Ba. Haizi, Guangzi, and the others were quietly drinking sweet soup beside them. Tian Yangsheng was still munching on his eternal steamed bun. The clock on the wall had already pointed to three o'clock in the morning. It was late at night, but no one showed any signs of sleepiness. Instead, there was a hint of excitement on their faces. Tonight was truly a memorable night.

Master Ba stretched out his finger, picked up a chess piece, and made a move with the "cannon" at the head of the board. Chu Tian smiled slightly and gently moved a "guard" piece. Master Ba nodded and let out a meaningful sigh, "Chu Tian, I never expected that with just one guard piece, you could save the whole game and solve all the potential problems. This move is really brilliant. I, your adoptive father, have been in the underworld for decades, and I've never seen such a strategy as yours, with each step filled with the threat of defeat for the opponent and all the moves closely linked. Your intelligence is truly rare in a hundred years."

Chu Tian shook his head modestly, picked up the sweet soup beside him, and took a few gulps. He smiled and said, "It's all thanks to you, adoptive father. Without your intervention, how could the Tianlang Sect, the Tianxiong Gang, and the Ba Dao Association be willing to send out all their elite members and cooperate so closely to launch a fierce attack on the Axe Gang, making the Axe Gang turn its spearhead against the Jiang Bang, which was caught off guard?"

Haizi's face twitched slightly. Obviously, hearing about the Jiang Bang had brought back some memories, but then he regained his composure. Guangzi, on the other hand, was extremely excited. It was really rare to see the Axe Gang and the Jiang Bang fighting so fiercely, and it wasn't their own loyal brothers involved. More importantly, Guangzi had personally killed that despicable and下流的 Zhao Dalong, avenging himself for being poisoned.

Master Ba raised a "horse" piece and made a move from the side. He said lightly, "How much is my little bit of face worth? When they show respect, I'm Master Ba. When they don't, I'm just an old fool. Without your thorough plan and your trustworthy character guarantee, those guys would never have taken such a risk to send out all their elite members. Aren't they afraid that someone might wipe out their base while they're away?"

Chu Tian used a "chariot" piece to block the path of Master Ba's "horse" piece. He touched his nose and said with a hint of pride, "After tonight, adoptive father will always be Master Ba."

Master Ba smiled slightly. After tonight, the pattern of the entire Shanghai underworld had changed. It wouldn't be long before Chu Tian unified the underworld of Shanghai and became the underground emperor. As Chu Tian's adoptive father, no one would dare to call him an "old fool" anymore. Instead, he would be the truly respected "Master Ba." Master Ba didn't care about fame and fortune, but seeing Chu Tian gradually grow made him extremely gratified. He used to worry about the future of the more than eighty disciples of the Qing Gang. Now, with Chu Tian, he had no more worries and could finally enjoy a peaceful life.

Master Ba casually picked up a "pawn" piece and moved it forward, as if to remind Chu Tian, "Never let some meaningless chess pieces disrupt the game."

Chu Tian moved a "cannon" piece horizontally, aiming at Master Ba's "pawn" piece. He smiled and said, "Then I'll have to rely on adoptive father to clear these boring chess pieces for me."

Master Ba smiled slightly and nodded. Taking advantage of Chu Tian's "cannon" piece moving away, he picked up a "chariot" piece and directly attacked the opponent's "palace" area, shouting, "Check!"

After Chu Tian and the others left, Uncle Zhong brought a cloak and put it on Master Ba. With great admiration, he said, "Young Master is truly an extraordinary person. I used to worry that Young Master would have a hard time making a living and might be annexed by other gangs. I never expected that overnight, not only did Ye Sanxiao and the hall masters of the Axe Gang all die, but the Jiang Bang was also attacked by the Axe Gang. Many people can't accomplish in years or even decades what Young Master has done so easily. It won't be long before the whole of Shanghai belongs to Young Master. Who in Shanghai can rival him?"

Master Ba nodded, and a long-lost look of pride appeared on his face. He said lightly to Uncle Zhong, "Prepare the car. I'm going to meet Zhang Dahai now."

Uncle Zhong was startled. He looked at the time on the wall. It was already three forty in the morning. He hesitated and said, "Master Ba, isn't it a bit too presumptuous to meet Commissioner Zhang at this time?"

Master Ba smiled softly, shook his head, and his eyes showed wisdom. With a confident look, he said, "I'm afraid Commissioner Zhang hasn't slept all night and is waiting for me to go over."

Just then, a high-end car drove into the yard outside. A disciple of the Qing Gang ran in and respectfully said to Master Ba, "Master Ba, Commissioner Zhang Dahai is here."

Master Ba smiled and said loudly, "Show him in."

Uncle Zhong was puzzled. Did Zhang Dahai really not sleep?

Zhang Dahai indeed hadn't slept all night. This night was very long for him. First, more than a dozen places belonging to the Axe Gang were attacked. Then, a fierce battle broke out between the Axe Gang and the Jiang Bang. He felt extremely pressured. After all, as a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, he couldn't ignore this matter. More importantly, his son was coming to Shanghai to be the police chief next month. With the current chaos everywhere, how could his son maintain law and order in Shanghai and gain political capital to climb up the career ladder? He was really worried. Then he thought of Master Ba and believed that Master Ba, who had been in the underworld for decades, surely knew what had happened and the future trend of development. So, he came to see Master Ba overnight.

When Chu Tian returned to the villa in Shui Xie Hua Du, he comfortably leaned back on the sofa, closed his eyes, and said softly, "Two brothers, let the more than a hundred men of the Shuai Jun go and rest. There will be no trouble tonight."

Guangzi was a bit surprised and, with a bit of a desire for excitement, asked, "There's so much fighting going on everywhere, and you say there's no trouble? How about we take more than a hundred brothers and seize some good territories tonight? Then everyone will have something to eat." Although the supplies sent by the various gangs were enough for the Shuai Jun to last for several months, Guangzi always advocated self-reliance. He believed that only with territory could they have food, survive, and develop.

Chu Tian shook his head, stretched, and said lightly, "We won't seize any territory. The main characters tonight are the Jiang Bang and the Axe Gang. Tomorrow night, the main characters will be the Tianlang Sect, the Tianxiong Gang, the Ba Dao Association, and the Jiang Bang. We'll make our move the day after tomorrow." Then, seeing that Haizi's face looked a bit downcast and knowing that he still had some feelings for the Jiang Bang, he consoled him, "Brother Hai, don't be too sad. Although you were from the Jiang Bang, the various halls of the Jiang Bang never treated you as one of their own. Now that you've left the Jiang Bang with nothing, you don't need to feel too sentimental. Although Zhangsun Jincheng has wronged you, he once had kindness towards you. I promise you that I will never kill him. I'll let him go abroad and enjoy his old age in peace."

A look of joy appeared on Haizi's face, and his brows completely relaxed. The worries that had been bothering him for the past few days disappeared completely. He said happily, "Third brother, that's great. I was afraid you would kill Zhangsun Jincheng. Although he has been unkind to me, I can't forget his kindness. As for the other members of the Jiang Bang, I've never had a good impression of them. I have no objections to whatever you do to them."

Chu Tian thought for a while, then looked up at Haizi and said, "Brother Hai, please tell the Tianlang Sect and the others that all the territories of the Jiang Bang that they seize tomorrow night will belong to them. The Shuai Jun will never encroach on them."

Haizi nodded, then sighed and said regretfully, "It's really a good deal for the Tianlang Sect and the others. Tonight, the Axe Gang will surely force the members of each hall to take refuge in Zhangsun Jincheng's Changfu Garden Villa. There will be almost no one defending the halls and territories. The Tianlang Sect and the others will really get a great bargain. I guess your promise, Third brother, will make them unable to sleep for days and nights."

Chu Tian nodded. He also knew that it was indeed a great deal, but he had to give those gangs enough benefits. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so willing to fight so hard.

Guangzi looked at the quiet door outside and suddenly said, "The police will be busy tonight. I guess a lot of people from the Axe Gang and the Jiang Bang will be arrested."

Chu Tian smiled slightly, stood up, stretched, and said calmly, "Brother Guang, you don't need to worry about the police. I can tell you that the police will definitely not take action tonight. Otherwise, why would I go to see Master Ba so late? I think Master Ba will definitely tell Zhang Dahai that after a few days, when the whole of Shanghai's underworld is reshuffled, it will be peaceful forever. Zhang Dahai is not stupid and will surely calculate this gain."

Zhangsun Jincheng was pacing back and forth anxiously in the Changfu Garden. He couldn't figure out why Ye Sanxiao was crazily attacking the Jiang Bang. They had clearly agreed to deal with the Shuai Jun together first and then divide the underworld of Shanghai after getting rid of their后顾之忧. Now, Ye Sanxiao was sending people to attack him. Was he crazy?

The reason why Zhangsun Jincheng wanted to get rid of the Shuai Jun was that he knew the abilities of Chu Tian, Haizi, and Guangzi. He was afraid that if he waited too long, these brats would become too powerful to deal with. Moreover, although Zhangsun Jincheng seemed straightforward on the surface, he was extremely narrow-minded. He had always remembered the humiliation he had suffered from Chu Tian.

Standing beside Zhangsun Jincheng were also anxious Master Lin and the others. They were all pleading with Zhangsun Jincheng to send people to rescue each hall. Anyway, the Changfu Garden was safe for now, and they could definitely send more than a hundred elite members to support the halls and give them a chance to catch their breath, lest all their wealth be taken away by the Axe Gang.

Zhangsun Zijun walked over gently, brought a cup of warm water to Zhangsun Jincheng to calm his nerves, and then smiled slightly. With confidence, she said to Master Lin and the others, "Uncle Lin, Uncle Zhao, Uncle Han, don't worry. I've just found out why the members of the Axe Gang are attacking the Jiang Bang. It's because Ye Sanxiao was killed by their traitor, Gan Changshan. Then some places of the Axe Gang were also attacked by other gangs. So, the members of the Axe Gang thought it was the doing of the Jiang Bang and launched a crazy attack on us."

Zhangsun Jincheng and the others were taken aback. Ye Sanxiao was dead? How could he have been killed?

Master Lin and the others were even more worried. Now that Ye Sanxiao was dead, the members of the Axe Gang would surely go crazy. No wonder they were fighting so desperately. Master Lin and the others didn't bother to ask about the details of Ye Sanxiao's death. All they could think of now was the safety of their sons and their property. They said anxiously, "You tell us not to worry, but how can we not? Niece Zijun, if you want us not to worry, then come up with a solution!"

A hint of a smile flashed in Zhangsun Zijun's eyes, and she said lightly, "Uncles, please ask the hall masters of each hall to lead their subordinates and retreat to the Changfu Garden. Retreat as many people as possible. I guarantee that everyone will be able to return to their respective halls safely tomorrow night, and not a single piece of territory will be lost. If any territory is lost, I, Zhangsun Zijun, will personally take up the weapon and retrieve it. I will never go back on my word."

Zhangsun Jincheng also stopped pacing and nodded, saying, "Do as Zijun says."

Master Lin and the others looked at Zhangsun Zijun with a mixture of doubt