Chapter 197: Battle Begins

After speaking to Little Feng, Wei Xiangzuo pointed at the people by the storefronts on both sides of the road calling: "Until I speak, nobody move!"

With that, Wei Xiangzuo walked into an alley and dialed a number on his phone.

After about ten seconds, the call connected and a very elderly voice came through the receiver: "The council of elders people have gone over."

"They'll be fine - right now I just don't want Baocheng to enter the scene," Wei Xiangzuo replied softly. "Zha'nan's matter, we'll resolve it ourselves - I won't let Dong Zheng move either."

"I'll go find Baocheng," the other replied.

"Good, give me one hour, I'll handle the rest."

"How do you plan to handle it?" the other asked directly.

Wei Xiangzuo paused slightly: "I understand your meaning - if I get the chance, I won't hold back. This isn't just between him and me."

"Good, as long as you understand."

With that, they ended their call.

......

Wei Xiangzuo returned to the street and looked at the dark mass of people, waving and calling: "Everyone, listen to me for a moment!"

After calling several times, the street fell quiet.

Wei Xiangzuo stood at the very front of the crowd and called after a pause: "Everyone here today, pick anyone at random - you all know me, and I know you even better. I'll say three things: First, Gu Tongshan was my master - I wouldn't harm him for some fucking money. If I were someone who only cared about profit, my area wouldn't have stayed away from the gold brick business all this time. Xu Hu says I killed him, but I must say publicly - this matter has absolutely nothing to do with me, he's framing me. Second, no matter today's outcome, I, Old Wei, will definitely stand up and take responsibility! If by luck I can rise and become Zha'nan's gang leader, I promise everyone that in the future Zha'nan will be the dock with the least water drawn. Third, Xu Hu killed my brothers - that's a blood feud. Tonight either he lies down or I'm finished. Those willing to go with me, let's go all in now!"

The shouts echoed as the street fell silent.

After a long while, Tattooed Dragon's brothers responded first: "We've been with you so long, we trust you - just deal with that Xu Hu and be done!"

"Let's do it!!" Little Feng raised his arm high calling: "To the company!"

Wei Xiangzuo's few sentences directly ignited these brothers who had been suffering under Xu Hu's dealing lately - four to five hundred people followed Little Feng in a mighty wave toward the Zha'nan dock gang's headquarters.

Wei Xiangzuo followed beside the crowd with a cigarette in his mouth, his steps steady.

"Vroom vroom!"

Just as everyone was about to step into Xu Hu's territory, several cars stopped - Old He and others had arrived.

Several old men got out of their cars and walked directly toward Wei Xiangzuo's side, ignoring the Dock Workers Association brothers.

Wei Xiangzuo stopped, cigarette in mouth, looking at them.

On the other side of the street in Xu Hu's territory, at least two to three hundred people had also surged out. They didn't cross the boundary, only standing in the street looking toward Little Feng's group.

Old He and others came up to Wei Xiangzuo, all with very serious expressions.

"You say you didn't kill him, so the association will give you a chance to speak," Old He paused before saying, taking the lead addressing Wei Xiangzuo. "But there's no need to make such a big disturbance. The vice chairman just called me - he told me to tell you that the matter between you and Xu Hu must wait for the chairman to return."

"I can't wait," Wei Xiangzuo replied.

"These aren't my words - the vice chairman said this, understand?" another fat old man pointed at Wei Xiangzuo saying. "If you have nothing to hide, why rush to deal with Xu Hu?! Wait for the general chairman to return and judge this case for you!"

Wei Xiangzuo took a deep drag on his cigarette, looking at them with profound eyes: "Disappear from my sight now, and I won't make things difficult for you."

Everyone was shocked as Old He laughed coldly saying: "What, you're going to come at us? Have you gone crazy?!"

"Smack!"

Wei Xiangzuo suddenly raised his right arm and grabbed Old He's throat, replying word by word: "If it weren't for you old men secretly causing trouble all the time, would things have come to this point?! I've fucking said it a hundred times - if the Dock Workers Association wants to grow big, it must first abolish the council of elders, make you bunch of old bastards who only know how to talk and fill bags with money collectively step down!"

"Wei Xiangzuo, what the fuck are you doing?!" The fat old man never imagined Wei Xiangzuo would move against them.

"You think I'm Xu Hu?! Want to fucking fight for power but still have to curry favor with you bastards?" Wei Xiangzuo gripped his throat and spat his cigarette butt in his face, roaring like a bell: "If I want to fight, I'll do it myself!"

"Rustle rustle!" Little Feng and others moved closer at the sound.

Wei Xiangzuo kicked Old He down and pointed at him shouting: "Chop their mouths - let them taste what it feels like to have knives cut into their bodies!"

A group of strong young men charged forward, pinning down Old He and others and beating them violently before dragging them into the alley.

Wei Xiangzuo took a knife from a brother's hand and pointed at Xu Hu's people shouting: "Attack!!!"

"Fuck it, charge!"

Everyone roared and directly crashed into Xu Hu's group of subordinates.

......

Near Zhengyang Street in Tianhong Port, Baocheng had met the brothers rushing from Longkou District and was preparing to enter the port.

"Ring ring!"

A phone rang in the car and Baocheng answered with furrowed brows: "Hello? Old Zhang, I'm almost there!"

"Don't rush, wait for me at the intersection - I'm almost there too," Zhang Zhengfang's voice came through the phone.

"What's wrong? Xu Hu is urging me to enter."

"I said, don't rush," Zhang Zhengfang replied softly. "Let's talk in person."

Baocheng couldn't understand what the other wanted to do and felt very confused, so he replied softly: "I'll wait five minutes for you at the street entrance - come over, Old Zhang."

"Good."

With that, they hung up.

"What does this Old Zhang want to do?!" Baocheng muttered.

Zhang Zhengfang was Wei Xiangzuo's second card, and also his last card - previously when information had leaked several times on Xu Hu's side, it was he who had passed it to Old Wei.

Back when Xu Hu held meetings wanting to change to new channels, Zhang Zhengfang had openly supported him but actually secretly hindered Xu Hu's process of trying to rise to power - he had invisibly helped Wei Xiangzuo.

Why did Old Zhang do this?

......

At Tianhong Port.

Just as the final battle began, two men got in a car. The one in the passenger seat held a phone, asking again to confirm: "Have you decided?"

"Decided - kill him!" the other replied.

Who was this hidden troublemaker? Who did he want to kill?

Having gathered all their power, could Wei Xiangzuo and Su Tianyu pry open this rock-solid iron gate of Tianhong Port?!

......

At the Police Bureau.

Wang Daolin said to the technical investigation personnel: "Get me a second backup plan, locate him."