Han Li sat cross-legged on the bed, reviewing the will of the late Doctor Mo, his mind processing the details. The will was thorough, detailing the creation and structure of the Jing Jiao (惊蛟) Society, which was one of the three major powers in Lianzhao Province. It also included personal notes about his wives, children, apprentices, and trusted allies, giving Han Li a clearer understanding of what to expect.
But Han Li knew that what was written in the will was over ten years old, and things were bound to have changed drastically since then. The current situation, the exact state of the Jing Jiao Society, and the whereabouts of certain people were still unknown. The key question was how to proceed. Should he try to contact Doctor Mo's wives or simply steal the treasure and disappear?
For that, he needed to gather more information, and fortunately, Sun Er Gou, the local thug he had "recruited" yesterday, seemed to be a valuable source of intelligence.
After reviewing the will again, Han Li tucked it safely away in his robe, his brow furrowed in thought. He decided it was time to gather more information and consider his next steps carefully. The poison inside his body was steadily spreading, and if he didn't find the "Warm Sun Jade" soon, it would be too late. The urgency was growing.
As Han Li sat contemplating, a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Han Li said coldly, not looking up.
The door creaked open, and Sun Er Gou entered, head lowered in deference. Upon seeing Han Li, he bowed deeply. "My lord, Sun Er Gou is here to take your orders."
Han Li glanced up, his expression slightly pleased. "Impressive, you're here already. You certainly have some ability," he said as he stood up from the bed and walked towards Sun Er Gou.
"Your praise is too much, my lord," Sun Er Gou replied with a wide smile, eager to show his loyalty. "If I can't handle even this small task, then what use would I be alive?"
Han Li, not in the least bit moved, eyed him coldly. He had been thinking about Sun Er Gou's situation since the previous night. The man had been eager to betray him but was now forced to depend on him after swallowing the "Corrosive Heart Pill." Han Li could tell he was completely under control.
"Tell me about your background," Han Li said, unfazed. "You seemed like a small-time boss the other day."
"Yes, I'm the overseer of the West City's Si Ping gang at the docks. I manage about forty to fifty men, so I guess I'm a small-time boss." Sun Er Gou answered promptly, clearly understanding that honesty was his only option.
"Si Ping gang?" Han Li repeated, his tone neutral.
"Yes, the Si Ping gang is one of the thirty-three small gangs in the West City. We have nearly a thousand members, mostly dock workers and laborers. The gang leader is 'Yuan Bi' Shen Zhongshan, and he has three major enforcers," Sun Er Gou explained, providing a detailed answer without hesitation.
"The guy who attacked me yesterday, the big guy, Black Bear, is from Si Ping?" Han Li asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No, no, no," Sun Er Gou shook his head quickly. "Black Bear is from Tie Quan Society, one of the other thirty-three gangs. He's the leader, and we've always been rivals."
Han Li nodded thoughtfully, digesting the new information. "So, there are more than thirty gangs just in the West City. That means the whole of嘉元城 (Jia Yuan City) must have a vast number of gangs, right?"
"Yes, my lord," Sun Er Gou said quickly, eager to please. "There are over forty small gangs in the city, with fewer than a thousand members each. There are seven or eight medium-sized gangs with two to three thousand members, and three large gangs with more than ten thousand people."
Han Li let out a soft breath, processing the scale of the situation. "Then tell me about the large and medium-sized gangs. I'm not interested in the small ones for now."
Sun Er Gou, sensing the shift in focus, nodded eagerly and began his detailed account. He had no qualms about revealing the inner workings of the city's power structure, as it was clear Han Li was now his only hope for survival.
"Of the three major gangs, the biggest is Wushuang Sect led by the famous Zhou Xian. It controls the city's northern and central areas, and it's a force to be reckoned with. The second is The Crimson Dragon Guild, which is led by Zhen Shichang and holds sway over the eastern territories. The third is The Cloud's Reach, a more secretive organization that works in the shadows and controls much of the city's illicit business."
Han Li nodded, listening intently. These were the kind of details that could help him understand the city's complex power dynamics.
"As for the medium-sized gangs," Sun Er Gou continued, "there's Silver Needle Gang led by Yin Qian, based in the southern district, and Fire Fang led by Hu Bai, which has a solid foothold in the western region. Both of these have strong military capabilities, but they're mostly fighting among themselves."
Han Li processed the information and asked a few more questions, trying to dig deeper into the rivalries and alliances between the major players in Jia Yuan City. With each piece of intelligence, he was building a clearer picture of the landscape he would need to navigate.
"Good," Han Li said as he stood up, his tone final. "You've done well. I need you to continue gathering information for me. Specifically, I want to know about the movements of Wushuang Sect and The Crimson Dragon Guild."
"Yes, my lord! I will get right to it!" Sun Er Gou said eagerly, ready to fulfill his task.
Han Li motioned for him to leave, and as Sun Er Gou exited, Han Li turned his attention to the jade tablet in his hands. With all the information he had gathered, it was clear that Jia Yuan City was rife with power struggles. To navigate this dangerous territory and achieve his goals, he would need to carefully play his cards.
"Interesting," Han Li murmured to himself as he sat back on the bed, already planning his next move.