Madman!

Chapter 41: The Death Pact

"I refuse to believe he didn't know about your situation."

"Getting old has made him gutless!" Shark Jiu sat in the car, her eyes brimming with murderous intent.

Chen Wujun silently agreed with every word she said.

Yesterday, when Shark Jiu had called Master Xin old, he hadn't taken it to heart.

But now... he genuinely felt Master Xin had grown old.

Even if Master Xin had contributed greatly to the Walled City, contributions were contributions—you couldn't ride them forever. When you got old, you needed to step aside for the young and capable, not cling to your seat like a barnacle.

If you refused to step aside, then you deserved to die.

"Senior sister, if I have four months, I'm confident," Chen Wujun stated calmly.

"That's not the issue..." Shark Jiu shook her head. It wasn't a question of whether Chen Wujun was confident or not.

"But this is all we can do for now.""In the next day or two, we'll find out who your opponent is. I'll get you the intel then."

"These next few months, focus entirely on your training. I'll cover whatever crystals you need."

"As for the gambling dens—I'll give you two of the four. I'll lend you some people to help run them. Just drop by once in a while, keep the books in order, and don't worry about anything else."

"Thank you, Sis Jiu!" Chen Wujun nodded.

Two out of four gambling dens—roughly what he'd expected.

Everyone else had invested manpower and effort. There was no way they'd hand him all the spoils.

"Regardless of who your opponent turns out to be, Wen Long's top subordinates are all at Resonance Phase strength. They've begun optimizing their nervous systems—their physical capabilities are several times that of an ordinary person, and their five senses and reflexes are exceptionally sharp."

"With your current strength, you're definitely no match. Whether you can pull it off depends entirely on how much you grow in the coming months."

Shark Jiu sat in the car, thinking aloud as she spoke:

"Your Old Bear Hugging Tree is coming along nicely—your footwork is light without being hollow, and your back and waist carry real power. Over the next few months, you need to at minimum master White Crane Exploring Branch, Tiger Descending Mountain, and Spirit Ape Hanging on Beam."

"Once you've solidified those stances, your strength, stamina, and agility will all surge dramatically. Your body will reach the peak of Body Forging—one step away from Qi Refining."

"Then learn Swimming Dragon Palm as well! This palm art cuts laterally and advances at angles, twisting and turning, kicking, striking, throwing, and grappling. Once you've honed your power through Human Head Stake training, even if your opponent has a slight edge in raw strength, you won't be at a disadvantage."

"Understood!" Chen Wujun nodded, committing every word to memory.

He knew that any advice Shark Jiu gave was tailored to be the best possible course for his current situation.

...

One day later, dusk.

"Bro Jun, Lidong hasn't come to fight, and the gambling dens are still closed. What's actually going on?" Ah Fei asked from beside him.

Everyone else perked up their ears to listen.

These past few days, Wen Long's people had gone completely quiet, yet the gambling dens remained shuttered. The foot soldiers had no idea what was happening behind the scenes.

And Chen Wujun was clearly valued by Shark Jiu—perhaps he knew something.

"They're not fighting, and that's a bad thing? It'll be settled soon enough!" Chen Wujun fished a wad of cash from his pocket, peeled off three hundred dollars, and tossed it onto the gambling table.

"Go get some four-treasure rice boxes."

"Go get four-treasure rice!" Ah Fei flicked the money to one of the runners behind him.

The man had barely left when Chen Wujun's phone rang. It was Shark Jiu.

"Bring your people to Qingyun Pavilion. You know where it is, right? Head out through the west side—it's right there. Wait for me downstairs when you arrive."

"Where's Qingyun Pavilion?" Chen Wujun asked after hanging up.

"Out the west gate, short walk. That's usually where big talks go down," Ah Fei replied.

"Go call him back—forget the rice. We're heading to Qingyun Pavilion. Looks like things are wrapping up!" Chen Wujun immediately rallied his people and headed out. Halfway there, Ah Hao emerged from an alley with twenty or thirty men in tow.

The two groups merged, and Ah Hao fell into step shoulder to shoulder with Chen Wujun. "Jun, I heard you're going to duel someone from Lidong?"

"Word travels that fast?" Chen Wujun raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Lidong leaked it themselves!" Ah Hao explained, then clapped Chen Wujun on the shoulder.

"They're afraid you won't have the guts to accept. They're underestimating you! But seriously—are you confident?"

Ever since the last time Ah Hao had come as reinforcement, Chen Wujun had grown much closer with both him and Cun Bao. They got along well whenever they met.

"Of course I am. We're betting half a territory—if I didn't have confidence, Sis Jiu would skin me alive!" Chen Wujun chuckled.

"Good to hear!" Ah Hao let out a hearty laugh. "If you need any help, just say the word. You're doing this for the gang—I've got nothing but support for you!"

"I might actually take you up on that!" Chen Wujun said.

According to Shark Jiu's instructions, he needed Human Head Stake training to hone his combat power—in other words, live sparring partners.

The more the better. He might very well need Ah Hao and Cun Bao to serve as training partners.

The moment the group stepped out of the Walled City, they spotted Lidong men lining the streets, every one of them glaring with cold hostility.

Chen Wujun and Ah Hao swaggered through with their crew in tow, arriving at Carpenter Road, where the crowd was even thicker.

Not just Lidong's people—Hetu's forces were here too.

Hundreds of men stood along both sides of the street. Though no one brandished weapons, the tension between the two sides was thick enough to ignite.

The arrival of Ah Hao and Chen Wujun only intensified that powder keg atmosphere.

Chen Wujun pushed through the crowd blocking his path and looked up at the sign overhead—Qingyun Pavilion Restaurant.

"This is the place. We wait here for Sis Jiu!"

He lowered his gaze to the scene before him. A sea of hostile faces stared back at him, cold and unblinking.

"So you're that Chen Wujun?" A gaunt young man with a buzzcut sized him up with icy contempt.

"What breed is this one?" Chen Wujun didn't spare him a glance, turning to Ah Hao instead.

His voice carried perfectly well—just loud enough for the other side to hear.

"Oh, would you look at that—one of Wen Long's stray dogs." Ah Hao put on an exaggerated look of dawning realization.

"Definitely a mutt!"

The other side erupted in fury. Several men shoved forward from the back of the crowd.

"What did you just say?!"

"You lot ran fast enough two days ago—tails tucked between your legs. Now that your master's shown up, you've suddenly found your bark?" Chen Wujun sneered.

"Boy! You're a dead man walking!" The gaunt young man ground his teeth, barely suppressing his rage as he raised a hand to hold back his people.

Chen Wujun scoffed dismissively and turned away from them.

He took a cigarette from Ah Hao, and the two of them lit up, leaning against the roadside railing as they smoked.

Two cigarettes later, Shark Jiu finally made her entrance.

She wore black wide-leg trousers and a women's dress shirt, a diamond necklace glittering at her throat. Behind her trailed Ji Xiang, Cun Bao, and over a dozen men.

The moment Lidong's people saw Shark Jiu, they fell silent.

Shark Jiu's reputation was earned through blood and violence, and her explosive temper was equally well-known.

"Jun, Ah Hao—you two come up with me. Everyone else waits down here."

Shark Jiu finished speaking and strode straight inside.

As Ah Hao and Chen Wujun entered, Ah Hao glanced back at the gaunt young man outside and flashed a grin. "Still just a guard dog after all."

That single remark turned the man's face so dark it could drip ink.

Business at Qingyun Pavilion wasn't exactly booming. Hundreds of people packed the street outside, yet the interior was completely deserted—not a single table occupied.

The group ascended to the second floor. A round table sat in the center, where Master Xin and two unfamiliar men were already seated.

One was a middle-aged man with a broad, square jaw. He sat there like a mountain given human form, radiating an oppressive authority.

The other was an elderly man dressed in a traditional Chinese tunic, a genial smile etched across his face.

Several surrounding tables were occupied by members of both Hetu and Lidong.

Chen Wujun immediately spotted Tall Guy at one table, cracking sunflower seeds, while on the opposite side, Wen Long was chatting with two men he didn't recognize.

"Shark Jiu's here—that means everyone's present." Master Xin waved them over.

Wen Long rose as well, flanked by several of his men, his gloomy stare fixed on Shark Jiu.

"Now that both parties are here!" The elderly man stood and spoke.

"Both sides are well aware of the circumstances. This matter started because Wen Long overstepped his boundaries first, and Shark Jiu retaliated in kind."

"Wen Long has suffered greater losses, but Shark Jiu hasn't come out unscathed either."

"If this continues, both sides will only bleed more, and in the end, only outsiders will profit."

"So today, we'll lay down terms to settle this affair—a ring match to determine the division and ownership of territory."

"Win or lose, once the ring is settled, this matter is concluded."

"Any objections?" The old man looked between Shark Jiu and Wen Long.

"I'll give Master Xin this much face!" Shark Jiu pursed her lips. Even if she was seething inside, now was not the time to voice it.

"Hmph. No objections!" Wen Long replied coldly.

"Both sides, present your fighters!" As soon as the old man finished, Chen Wujun stepped forward, taking his place beside Shark Jiu.

From behind Wen Long emerged another figure—a man standing well over six feet tall, every muscle coiled and defined like knotted rope. He had a hooked nose, and his gaze was as piercing as a hawk's. Vital energy pulsed through his entire body, massive and palpable.

Just standing there, he exuded an overwhelming sense of explosive power and crushing pressure.

"It's me!"

"Boy, you learned a few tricks and now you think you're hot shit? Start counting your last days!" the man snarled.

Chen Wujun recognized him. He was one of the men who had cut through their ranks like a blade during the battle—Yu Wei.

"If I'd been beaten like a dog the way your people were, I'd have killed myself already. I wouldn't still be standing here," Chen Wujun shot back with a mocking grin.

Before the words had even settled, laughter erupted from behind him.

He didn't need to look—that was Ah Hao.

Across the table, Wen Long and his subordinates' eyes burned with killing intent. If looks could kill, Chen Wujun would have been carved into ribbons.

"In that ring, I'm going to snap your bones one by one!" Yu Wei pointed at Chen Wujun, then closed his five fingers into a fist, crushing the air with a sharp crack that echoed through the room.

"From this moment forward, both sides stand down! Any disputes will be settled in the ring! After the match, regardless of outcome, neither side may provoke further conflict!" the old man declared in a booming voice.

"Both parties—sign the death pact!"

Chen Wujun walked to the table and picked up the pen, his eyes scanning the death pact laid before him. Every gaze in the room locked onto him, and he felt his heartbeat quicken, felt sweat prickling across his palms.

It wasn't panic. It was a nameless, feral thirst—and excitement.

He realized he was enjoying this. Facing his opponent, facing the promise of carnage, basking in the weight of every stare.

He felt something deep inside him stir to life.

Chen Wujun raised his head and locked eyes with his opponent. His lips peeled back to reveal a row of white teeth and a smile dripping with lethal intent. He extended his thumb toward Yu Wei—then slowly turned it downward.

Then the pen danced across the paper, and he signed his name in a single, fluid flourish.