Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Chapter 391 - 269 Elder Wu_2

Li Banfeng left.

With a shiver, Hong Ying speared a Soul on the tip of her gun and sucked it dry.

The Phonograph said angrily, "Hey, you bitch, how dare you steal a taste!"

Savoring the flavor, Hong Ying replied, "What’s the use of consuming such common Souls? I can’t taste anything special. Why are you so fond of this?"

"It’s what my man brought back, and I love to eat this!" retorted the Phonograph with a snort.

"Wretched woman, what on earth have you been through since you died? How much of your combat strength remains?"

The Phonograph ignored her, first putting the Ghost Servants aside. Then she fetched Han Xianrong with the phonograph needle, sprinkled some machine oil on him, and slowly savored the taste.

Smelling something, Hong Ying mocked, "Wretched woman, why consume so much oil? Is it to make things easier for your man?"

"It’s none of your business!" the Phonograph huffed coldly, continuing her meal.

...

With a whistle from Li Banfeng, Zuo Wugang entered. The Nightmare Cultivator had finished tidying up, and no one in the Green Fire Gang could pose a threat to Zuo Wugang.

"The leaders of the various gangs will send people over shortly; you deal with them first," Banfeng said.

Zuo Wugang agreed. Having had his share of falls and rises in the Jianghu, he found no difficulty in dealing with these people.

That evening, six leaders arrived. Zuo Wugang instructed them to release news in their respective territories. Everyone was silent, none wishing to offend the Strict Law Society.

Wei Jiangpeng of the White River Gang asked, "Gang Leader Han asked us to come, where is he?"

"Gang Leader Han is tired and has gone to rest. If any of you are not at ease, I can take you to see him," Zuo Wugang offered.

Wei Jiangpeng paused for a moment, deliberately avoiding Zuo Wugang’s gaze.

The others exchanged glances and then bowed their heads in silence.

The message was clear to the People of the Jianghu: Gang Leader Han was gone.

At that moment, Li Banfeng quietly walked into the factory. None of those present noticed his arrival.

Li Banfeng signaled to Zuo Wugang that it was okay to be a bit rougher with these people.

Turning around, Zuo Wugang effortlessly twisted off a chunk of metal from a machine.

All the Gang Leaders’ hearts rose to their throats, realizing he was far beyond their level.

Wei Jiangpeng was the first to speak, "Friend, please tell us your affiliation, so we know who we’re working for."

"I won’t reveal any names. You don’t need to remember me. Our boss’s surname is Night—not like the green leaf, but like the night. Make sure you remember that," Zuo Wugang clarified.

"Alright, we’ve got it. We’ll handle the matter," Wei Jiangpeng nodded in agreement.

"Make sure you do—it has to be done for real!" Zuo Wugang declared. He waved his hand, and Cao Zhida brought over a pile of Contract Books. "You all know the rules of Puluo State. If someone makes a contract and doesn’t honor it, don’t blame me for being merciless."

The Contract Book held a special significance in Puluo State, and no one knew whether the papers Zuo Wugang used were real Contract Papers.

These people were genuinely reluctant to sign, but Zuo Wugang’s aura scared them.

After signing the Contract Books, everyone went back to work. The next day, news of the fierce battle in front of the cinema spread across Black Stone Slope.

These smaller gangs controlled over thirty percent of the newspapers in Black Stone Slope, all minor ones.

But this news was peculiar.

First, it was very real—there were photos, more than one. The pictures of Ai Chixiang gripping the old lady’s hair and Tang Peigong just after removing the bucket were particularly noticeable.

Second, there were eyewitnesses. People who went to the cinema yesterday saw it all unfold, and during casual post-meal chats, they all mentioned the event, becoming witnesses.

If the news was true, then the second edition’s commentary must be true too!

The stories in the third and fourth editions couldn’t be false, right?

All true!

"The person impersonating Song Chunjie entered Tang Peigong’s house?"

"Indeed! I heard from our neighbor that the person impersonating Song Chunjie disguised himself as a handyman to get into their house. Of Tang Peigong’s twenty-six mistresses, he must have slept with at least half."

"How does your neighbor know about this?"

"My neighbor’s nephew has a sworn Brother who works odd jobs at Tang Peigong’s place. The story matches exactly with what the newspapers say."

"No wonder Tang Peigong was so furious—he insisted on smashing up the movie theaters. It turns out he suffered such a huge loss."

"Actually, he didn’t need to get so fired up. Didn’t you see what the newspapers said? He’s fundamentally impotent; all those mistresses he married are just for show."

"Isn’t that just despicable? He himself is impotent and yet he won’t allow us to watch movies? We’re capable!"

A person beside chimed in, "Where did you see all this? Why don’t I have it?"

"What I’ve got here is ’Night-blooming Jasmine’; it’s got all the latest!"

...

On the same day, ’Night-blooming Jasmine’ sold out again. Ma Wu raised the price to fifty cents a copy, and it still sold out.

By the next morning, two more cinemas started showing ’Blood Gun Detective.’ Li Banfeng sent people to watch the cinemas; if anyone from the Strict Law Society dared to make trouble, they would take care of them!

...

Tang Peigong didn’t come to make trouble; he fell ill.

Having been covered in Golden Juice, the smell of which he still couldn’t wash off, Tang Peigong fell sick that very night.

After seeing the newspapers, Tang Peigong collapsed onto the porch, and he lay in bed for several days.

"Slanderous words! Utterly groundless! How can we endure such insolence from these scoundrels?"

Tang Peigong screamed hoarsely, while the servants at his side shivered continuously.

Not from fear, but from the stench.

Logically, after so many days, the servants should have gotten used to it. When Tang Peigong was silent, they could barely manage.

But as soon as Tang Peigong opened his mouth, it was as if a spoonful of Golden Juice had been cooked in his mouth. Just one whiff could make a person vomit on the spot.

Even with things having come to this, his wife and the twenty-six mistresses still had to sit by his bed and listen to his lectures, studying the sublime teachings of the Sages.

Just after he finished his morning lecture, dozens of his Disciples, along with an elder, entered Tang Peigong’s residence.

Seeing the elder, Tang Peigong cried. He grabbed the elder’s hand and said with a trembling voice, "Elder Wu, you’ve finally arrived. I have been humiliated by that scoundrel, and now I can no longer face the world in shame. If you had come a moment later, you might not have seen me."

Elder Wu comforted him, "Tang Peigong, don’t cry; I’ve already learned about the situation."

"A gentleman can be killed, but not humiliated. I am not one who clings to life; facing such extreme disgrace, I am willing to die to show my resolve."

The Disciples all knelt by the bed, crying, "We are willing to follow Master in death!"

On hearing this, tears also streamed down Elder Wu’s face. "Stop crying, all of you. This smell... it’s really lethal..."

Tang Peigong picked up the newspaper from the table and waved it incessantly, "It’s that villain! I swear I will not stand under the same sky as him!"

Elder Wu grabbed the newspaper. "Stop waving it; the smell gets worse the more you fan. This room is a bit dark; let me take it outside to read."

Once outside, Elder Wu took a deep breath and looked at the newspaper; its title was ’Night-blooming Jasmine.’

"Is it this newspaper stirring up trouble?"

Tang Peigong sobbed, "I and that villain..."

Impatient, Elder Wu asked, "I’m asking you—is it?"

"Yes."

Holding the newspaper, Elder Wu stated, "I will deal with them."

PS: Elders are divided into Wenwu (scholarly and martial); this one has genuine skills.