The Mystic Nine

(Extra: Chen Pi Ah Si's Story) Chapter 21: Head for Head

When Changshan arrived at the cockfighting pit outside the east gate, the three groups and five factions were already there. Everyone had obviously been caught off guard since they suddenly had to move to this place. There were a lot of small, open-air stalls near the cockfighting pit, and the group of people wearing furs and yellow silk crowded around the stalls' four-square tables. When they looked at the spicy tofu and other dishes in front of them, they didn't know whether to laugh or cry. But they were a coarse group, so they weren't very particular. They took out the wine they had brought and started drinking.

The three gangs and five factions all had their own thugs. The three gangs were loan sharks to gamblers, while the five factions engaged in prostitution and piracy. There were many gangs bigger than Huang Kui, but the situation right now was unstable. A lot of businesses relied on the waterways, and Huang Kui had suddenly taken a big seat. The relationship between all the gangs was very tenuous.

Seeing that Changshan had finally arrived, several of the leaders stood up, but Changshan immediately urged them to sit down. "No, no, sorry, sorry. There was an emergency, so we had to relocate."

Everyone waved their hands as if to say it was no big deal. Changshan looked at the circle of people and saw that they were all waiting with their buddies. He laughed when he realized he was the only one who had come alone. "Let's talk while we eat. We'll let the brothers find another place to eat, too." He started fiddling with his shoes, which meant they had to have a detailed discussion and wouldn't be moving around for the time being.

When the others saw this, they immediately took their seats. These nine people used to throw their weight around but were now crowded into such a place. The seating was cramped and they all looked ridiculous. Changshan was the only one who looked comfortable as he took his chopsticks and started eating. There was a brothel owner among the three gangs and five faction members, who had a bluish-black bruise on her face. It was still very eye-catching despite her attempts to cover it up with makeup. Changshan smiled, "Madam, what happened to you?"

"What happened to me?" The madam looked up at Changshan and said, "That hitmen's leader from your group slept with one of my girls and broke her legs. Her brother came to seek revenge, and ended up hitting me in the face with a stick."

"If he dared to hit you, then I bet you skinned him alive." Changshan thought it was so funny that he burst out laughing.

"Bah, we also have to be reasonable when doing this shady business. Aren't prostitutes humans, too? An able-bodied person was beaten just like that. We're different from you Huang Kui guys, who don't talk about morality or justice."

The others laughed with Changshan, which caused him to laugh even more. "That's not what I meant. The leader is the leader and I'm me. We each mind our own business. I can't interfere with the brothels, so you'll have to ask my boss to handle it."

The madam stopped talking. After drinking a few mouthfuls of wine, Changshan discovered that the others were looking at him without moving their chopsticks. "Don't be like this, everyone." He said. "I'm also in a difficult position. These days, the pirates have been scattered by the army and profits are down. There are thirty-four more people in Hubei this month alone. Huang Kui is in charge, so they're all at ease. If no one took care of them, then they'd still be scattered and end up causing trouble when the time comes. We all have to take care of this river, or we won't be able to make a living in this business."

"Oh, cut the crap. We all know that you want more money for the no-contribution flag." A big white fat man spoke up from the side. It was clear to see that he was really uncomfortable sitting there. "We can add more money if we're able to. If we aren't, we'll just stop using the waterway."