The arena floor was a butcher's block, slick with blood and littered with the splinters of shattered weapons. Seven men lay broken on the ground, their groans a wretched symphony of pain. One clutched a snapped wrist, another a shoulder torn from its socket, a third stared dumbly at the ragged hole in his chest where a chunk of flesh used to be. Jiang Dao stood alone in the center of the carnage, the only man left standing. He had demonstrated the brutal essence of the Eagle Claw with lethal precision. This was the result of him holding back; if he hadn't, they'd all be corpses.
"You… you dare!" roared Left Protector Guo Linyu, his eyes bloodshot with fury. The man whose life Jiang Dao had just snuffed out, Fei Bin, was his own nephew. Dead, right in front of him.
Jiang Dao's expression was flat. "Left Protector, the Gang Leader himself, said blades don't have eyes. Are you suggesting I was wrong?"
"I called for a stop! Why didn't you listen?" Guo Linyu bellowed.
"He hadn't surrendered," Jiang Dao replied, his voice calm and cold. "And he was trying to kill me. I simply returned the favor. What's wrong with that?"
"You…" Guo Linyu was speechless, his teeth grinding with an almost palpable hatred.
"That's enough."
The voice of the Gang Leader, Fang Tianba, cut through the tension. He stared at Jiang Dao, his eyes unreadable. "Jiang Dao, you won this tournament, fair and square. The rules state you can choose to lead either the Flying Eagle Hall or the Black Tiger Hall. Which will it be?"
Guo Linyu quickly interjected, his voice dripping with venom. "Gang Leader, this man is a complete unknown. We haven't even vetted him. He's done nothing for this gang, yet he acts with such savagery. If you make him a Hall Master, the men will never accept him."
"We agreed the winner would be decided by combat," Fang Tianba said, his gaze shifting to Guo Linyu. "Are you asking me to break my own rules, Left Protector?"
Guo Linyu's face paled. "I wouldn't dare."
"Jiang Dao. Your choice?" Fang Tianba asked again.
"I'll take the Flying Eagle Hall," Jiang Dao said with a slight bow.
"Done. Starting tomorrow, the hall is yours. Someone will brief you on the details in the morning." With that, Fang Tianba stood and walked away.
"Thank you, Gang Leader."
Guo Linyu shot Jiang Dao a look that promised a slow and painful death. His mind was reeling. First, Jiang Dao had killed his informant, Guo Biao. Now, his own nephew, the key to his plan to seize control of the Flying Eagle Hall and expand his power base, was dead. Everything was ruined.
Damn you to hell, Guo Linyu thought, his grip tightening on his chair until the armrest splintered. You might be the Hall Master for now, but I'll make sure you don't live long enough to enjoy it. He stormed off.
Nearby, Yang Xu rushed to Jiang Dao's side, his face beaming. "Dao'er, are you okay? You're not hurt?"
"I'm fine." Jiang Dao stepped down from the platform, his eyes tracking Guo Linyu's retreating form. "Who was that Fei Bin to him? Why did he lose it like that?"
Yang Xu's expression soured. He pulled Jiang Dao aside, lowering his voice. "He was Guo Linyu's nephew. This whole tournament was a setup to install him as the new Hall Master and grow his own faction."
"His nephew," Jiang Dao repeated, his eyes narrowing. "So he'll be coming for me."
"Without a doubt," Yang Xu confirmed. "But don't worry, he won't dare try anything openly within the gang."
A cold fire ignited in Jiang Dao's chest. He couldn't afford to play defense. If someone was a threat, you eliminated them. He would never risk his family becoming a target. You had to cut the snake's head off before it had a chance to strike.
"Third Uncle, how strong is Guo Linyu?" he asked, his tone casual.
Yang Xu froze. "What are you thinking? The Left Protector's power is second only to the Gang Leader. He's considered the second most dangerous man in the entire Raging Flames Gang. You… you aren't actually thinking of going after him, are you?"
"Of course not," Jiang Dao said with a thin smile. "Let's go home."
But the thought had already taken root. Second strongest, he mused. That meant a direct assassination wouldn't be easy. Not yet. But if he could master a few more of the gang's techniques, merge them with his own… he could crush Guo Linyu like an insect.
That night, in a private mansion, Gang Leader Fang Tianba sat in a heavy sandalwood chair, rolling two massive iron balls in his palm. His top advisors stood around him.
"So," Fang Tianba began, his voice a low rumble. "What do we make of this Jiang Dao?"
"To have that kind of power at his age is… unsettling," one man offered. "Gang Leader, if I may be frank, at the rate he's improving, it won't be long before he's a threat to you."
A dangerous light flickered in Fang Tianba's eyes. "Right Protector, your take?"
The Right Protector, a short, portly man dressed like a wealthy merchant, gave a slight smile. "Jiang Dao's arrival is a double-edged sword. For years, this gang has been rotting from the inside. The Left Protector has grown too ambitious, too powerful. He's been building a private army, secretly positioning himself to take your seat. Now, this Jiang Dao appears—a savage, uncontrollable force. If we play this right, we can aim him at the Left Protector. Let them tear each other apart. When they're both bloodied and broken, you can step in and eliminate both threats with a single, clean stroke."
"A clean stroke," Fang Tianba echoed, his fingers tightening around the iron balls. His voice dropped. "I just hope this boy doesn't grow too fast. I'd hate to get rid of a wolf just to find I've let a tiger into the house."
CRACK.
He clenched his fist, and the solid iron balls shattered into pieces. The men in the room stared, their faces masks of disbelief. What kind of man possessed strength like that?
The next morning, Jiang Dao rode toward the Flying Eagle Hall with Yang Xu at his side.
"Just ahead," Yang Xu said, pointing. "Be careful, Dao'er. The Hall is filled with men loyal to the Left Protector. He put them there. Now that they know you've crossed him, they'll try to make your life hell. The best thing to do is just ignore them."
"Men loyal to him?" Jiang Dao's brow furrowed. "I'll keep that in mind."
A flicker of killing intent crossed his face. If they knew their place, he'd leave them alone. If they didn't, he would teach them.
They arrived at the hall's headquarters half an hour later. Jiang Dao dismounted, and his face immediately hardened into a mask of cold fury. The place was a ghost town. The vast courtyard was nearly empty, save for a few men passed out in corners, reeking of stale wine. From deeper inside, he could hear the raucous shouts of a gambling den.
"Big! Gotta be big!"
"All my money on small!"
"Bets are in! 4-5-6… Big! Pay up!"
Yang Xu paled. They were gambling? They couldn't even be bothered to greet their new commander? He stormed over to one of the drunken men on the ground. "Where is everyone? Get them out here to greet the new Hall Master, now!"
The man, a burly, bearded drunk, lazily picked his ear. "New Hall Master? Don't know anything about that. You got an order from the Gang Leader? Let's see it."
SHING.
The man's head flew from his shoulders in a spray of hot blood, dousing the men next to him. The sudden shock of the bloodbath sobered them instantly, their drunken haze evaporating into a cold, terrifying sweat.
Jiang Dao slid his blade back into its sheath. His voice was devoid of all emotion.
"You have until half an incense stick burns down. Everyone assembles. Anyone late… I'll kill their entire family."
The sudden, brutal murder sent the remaining drunks scrambling. They stumbled into the inner rooms, screaming the news. "The new Hall Master is here! He killed Hou San! He wants everyone out front now, or he's going to kill our families!"
Inside the gambling room, a massive man named Lü Qinglong, one of Guo Linyu's top enforcers, slammed his hand on the table, shattering the dice cup. "The nerve of this bastard!" he snarled. "He kills one of our own on his first day? What does he think we are?"
This was not going according to plan. They had intended to humiliate Jiang Dao, to bog him down in petty disputes and prove he couldn't lead. They never expected this level of raw violence.
"Let's go," another man said, grabbing a weapon. "I want to hear him explain what rule Hou San broke. Does he think he's above the Gang Leader?"
Men poured out from every corner of the compound, furious and defiant. Many took their time deliberately, smirking as they ambled toward the courtyard, eager to see the new boss squirm. Jiang Dao stood silently, his eyes fixed on the thin trail of smoke rising from the incense stick.
It burned down to nothing.
And still, seven or eight men were slowly making their way over, laughing amongst themselves.
Lü Qinglong stepped forward, planting his feet. "Hall Master," he said, his voice dripping with mock respect. "I'd like to know what crime Hou San committed. According to the rules, he should have gotten a few lashes at most. Why did you kill him?"
Jiang Dao didn't even look at him. "Silence." His gaze swept over the crowd. "I gave you all an order. Half an incense stick. That time is up. And I count seven men who didn't make it. They can die now."
Before anyone could react, he was a blur of motion, streaking toward the group of stragglers.
"Wait, we were told to—"
"Hall Master, mercy!"
It was too late. His blade flashed, a whirlwind of silver death. Thump. Thump. Thump. Seven heads hit the dirt. Seven bodies crumpled to the ground. The courtyard fell into a horrified silence. This wasn't a commander. This was a demon.
Lü Qinglong's face was purple with rage. "You… you can't just kill them! They did nothing wrong! You're just purging anyone who opposes you! This violates every rule! We'll report you to the Gang Leader!"
"That's right!" others yelled, finding courage in their numbers. "We'll report you!"
Jiang Dao walked calmly toward Lü Qinglong, the blood dripping from his saber staining the ground. He stopped right in front of him. "You," he said softly. "You're the one who wants to report me?"
Lü Qinglong opened his mouth, but the words caught in his throat. Staring into Jiang Dao's eyes was like looking into the eyes of a predator, something ancient and utterly inhuman. He was paralyzed.
SLASH!
A scream ripped through the air. Lü Qinglong staggered back, clutching the bloody stump where his right arm had been. The severed limb landed with a wet thud ten feet away. The rest of the protestors fell silent, a wave of pure terror washing over them.
"Anyone else?" Jiang Dao asked the crowd.
They trembled, their defiance shattered.
"Good," he said. "Now that that's settled, we can talk. You were gambling on duty and disrespected your commanding officer. Both are capital offenses. But since I'm feeling generous, I'll let it slide. This time." He paused, letting his gaze drift over them. "I've heard rumors that some of you are only here because of your connections. I wonder… who might those people be? Why don't you step forward and introduce yourselves?"
No one moved. No one dared breathe.
"No one?" Jiang Dao's eyes landed on a man cowering in the front row. "You. What's your name? I hear Guo Linyu has quite a few of his men in this hall. Point them out for me."
The man looked up, his face a mask of sheer terror. "I… I don't know anything, Hall Master, I swear!"
"Don't be afraid," Jiang Dao said, his voice deceptively gentle. "Tell me, and I'll make you a helmsman. Keep quiet… and my blade will do the talking."
The man hesitated, then his eyes darted nervously toward a group of men who were now shooting him murderous glares.
"Go on," Jiang Dao whispered, his voice a devil's promise. "Just say the names."
Finally, the man broke, rattling off eight names in a trembling voice.
"Excellent," Jiang Dao said. "Wang Kai, Zhao Feng, Lü Qinglong, Guo Huai…" He called out every name, every man who had plotted against him the night before. "Step forward."
One by one, they shuffled out of the crowd, their faces pale with dread. Their plan to give Jiang Dao a hard time had backfired spectacularly.
"From now on," Jiang Dao announced, "you eight are on stable duty. You'll feed the horses and shovel their shit. And if your work is anything less than perfect, you'll answer to me."
"You can't!" one of them yelled, incredulous. "We've done nothing to deserve this! This is a personal vendetta!"
SHING!
The man shrieked as his arm was lopped off at the shoulder.
"From now on, you do what I say, when I say it," Jiang Dao said, his voice flat. "No questions asked."
"I quit!" another man screamed, turning to run. "I'm leaving the gang!"
Jiang Dao moved faster than the eye could see. He leaped, his hand shaped into a claw, and slammed it down on the fleeing man's head. With a sickening rip, he tore the man's scalp clean off. The body flew through the air and crashed to the ground, twitching once before going still.
Jiang Dao slowly turned back to the horrified crowd, his expression unreadable.
"Quit?" he said, his voice dangerously low. "What do you think the Raging Flames Gang is? A place you can just walk away from?"