CHAPTER 418: 330, PLOTTING A REBELLION

Wang Huan retreated in panic.

"Quick, they’re at the end of their strength, they don’t have much energy left!" He waved for the ruffians to rush forward as he retreated into Hanjiatan Alley: "We still have over a hundred people, we can overwhelm them with our numbers!"

But the spear and shield formation of the Yulin Army pressed forward step by step, pushing the ruffians back.

In the dim alley, Zhou Chong and Zhou Li raised their long shields to their noses, coldly watching everyone. When their gaze swept over a certain ruffian, the ruffian felt a chill in their heart.

The next moment, the Yulin Army suddenly charged.

Zhou Chong and Zhou Li, holding their long shields, slammed into the ruffians, pushing them back like waves. The Yulin Army stepped over the bodies of the ruffians, trampling over them mercilessly.

Wang Huan was terrified and immediately shouted, "Retreat, retreat to Baishun Alley, they don’t dare cause trouble there, if they stir up the Five Cities Military Department, no one will have a good outcome!"

Seeing that the ruffians couldn’t hold back this crowd, Wang Huan disregarded his dignity and turned to run toward Baishun Alley. As he ran, he pulled the arm of a nearby ruffian to drag them back, trying to use the ruffians to delay Chen Ji and the others for a moment.

But without Master Qian’s restraint, these ruffians didn’t care about the shopkeeper and ran even faster than Wang Huan.

Seeing the ruffians were about to retreat into Baishun Alley, Chen Ji whispered behind Duobao and Li Cen: "Send me over, before they retreat into Baishun Alley, capture that fat man alive."

Duobao and Li Cen crossed their weapons, and as Chen Ji stepped on them, the two exerted their strength, sending Chen Ji soaring through the air toward Wang Huan.

A ruffian threw his axe, the axe spinning directly toward Chen Ji’s face. In mid-air, Chen Ji blocked it with his long spear, easily flicking it back.

Wang Huan turned pale with fright: "Stop him! Stop him!"

As he backed away, he tripped over a raised brick joint and fell to the ground with a thud.

With a clang, the axe landed precisely in the brick joint between his legs, a fraction more, and it would have cost him dearly. Wang Huan was scared pale and couldn’t speak for a long time.

Before he could recover, a foot was already pressing down on his chest, pinning him to the ground.

Chen Ji stepped on Wang Huan while vigilantly looking around. The ruffians of Heji surrounded him but dared not come within two steps, until Li Xuan led the Yulin Army to disperse the ruffians and protected Chen Ji.

On both sides of the alley, the windows were quietly pushed open a crack by onlookers, and in the alley were ruffians crowded together.

The Yulin Army, their faces covered with gray cloth, gradually straightened up. As they stood up, the distant light gradually stretched their shadows until it enveloped the ruffians in front.

Pinned to the ground, Wang Huan shouted, "This is lawless! Do you know who my boss behind me is? The Imperial Capital cannot tolerate you soldiers acting recklessly! Business under the foot of the Imperial City isn’t something anyone can take with impunity unless you have an influential background!"

Chen Ji calmly said while stepping on him, "Then tell us who your boss is, maybe we’ll be so scared, we’ll let you go."

Wang Huan hesitated and didn’t dare to speak.

Not speaking might not lead to death, but speaking certainly would.

The next moment, Chen Ji looked around and said aloud, "Today we establish our might here, are there any heroes of the Jianghu from all around who would challenge us?"

Silence.

The ruffians dared not speak.

Then, Chen Ji quietly asked, "And what should we say next?"

The Yulin Army looked at each other, none of them having Jianghu experience. Chen Ji didn’t know what to say, and neither did they.

Duobao hesitated, "Should we say some harsh words?"

Li Cen corrected, "How could that be, we’ve already fought, what’s the point of saying harsh words, it’s demeaning."

Zhou Chong wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Then should we say thank you for coming?"

Qi Zhenzhuo sneered, "You’re not putting on a street performance, what’s there to thank?"

Li Xuan thought for a moment and said, "Should we set up dozens of tables for a feast to celebrate this, so folks from the Jianghu hear about it? Maybe even collect gifts?"

Qi Zhenzhuo laughed, "Brother-in-law, do you think this is a wedding?"

The Yulin Army looked at each other for a long time, no one had expected that after fighting so fiercely for several days, they had defeated everyone, but didn’t know what to do next.

Duobao held back his laughter until he couldn’t anymore and burst into hearty laughter. As he laughed, everyone couldn’t hold back any longer, standing in the alley, shoulder to shoulder, laughing heartily.

The laughter carried far on the night’s breeze.

Amidst the laughter, Qi Zhenzhuo suddenly wiped his eyes, "Sorry everyone, I was useless before, dragging you all down."

Duobao cursed good-naturedly, "We were just happy, why are you saying this now? Haven’t you grown up?"

Qi Zhenzhuo’s tears flowed more, "If we had this formation back in Guyuan, or the skills we have today, wouldn’t so many brothers not have died?"

Slowly, the laughter died down.

...

...

At this moment, taking advantage of the Yulin Army’s distraction, two windows on the second floor beside the alley opened a crack, and two crossbow arrows were fired in quick succession, targeting Wang Huan at Chen Ji’s feet.

Before anyone could react, Chen Ji instinctively gripped his long spear and blocked in front of Wang Huan. With a clang, the feathered arrow struck the spear shaft.

As the second arrow flew in, Zhou Chong was the first to react, raising his vine shield to block in front of Chen Ji and Wang Huan. With a thud, the crossbow arrow stuck in the vine shield, the tail feather vibrating with a buzzing sound.

The Yulin Army’s expressions changed, they used crossbows?

Chen Ji and Li Xuan exchanged a glance, simultaneously growing serious.