Chapter 365: A Gang Is Needed

At the city government palace.

The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord led the dragonman youngster to the underground dungeon.

He introduced to the dragonman youngster: “This dungeon was built by the seventh-generation city Lord. Almost every subsequent city Lord contributed funds to expand it, and at the very least, they maintained it.”

“It can be said that this dungeon is the safest place.”

“I'm concerned that if we place the leaders of the Bayonet Gang in ordinary prisons, they might be rescued.”

“But here, it's almost impossible!”

“This way.”

The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord held a torch and led the way.

The dungeon was dimly lit, but there were no signs of mold or water stains from neglect; instead, it was very dry.

The brick walls were thick and sturdy, with massive iron gates every so often that required the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord to operate manually to raise or lower them.

Along the walls of the corridors, there were hollowed-out sections where two-meter-tall alchemy puppets stood.

“The entire dungeon is shrouded in a dark, disorienting magic effect.” The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord spoke in a somber tone, "Without the alchemy torch in my hand, entering here would leave us in complete darkness, even the sense of touch against the walls would be distorted. We would only perceive an endless darkness around us, unable to find our way out." 

“Alright, we've arrived.” 

The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord stopped before an iron door. 

He reached out and gently touched the surface of the iron door.

A flash of flame-like light suddenly appeared on the otherwise ordinary iron door.   The light quickly spread across the entire surface of the iron door, tracing out the patterns of an alchemy formation before fading away. 

The iron door opened, revealing the prisoner inside. 

The prisoner was devouring a feast of meat and fish, eating with such voracity that it seemed as though he were swallowing it whole.

Upon seeing the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord and the dragonman youngster arrive, the prisoner hurriedly stood up, then knelt on both knees and bowed his head in respect: “City Lord!” 

The dragonman youngster looked closely and realized that this prisoner was none other than the demon hybrid ringleader of the Bayonet Gang. 

“What's going on here?” the dragonman youngster asked aloud, but he already had the answer in his heart.

The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord said triumphantly, “After I subjected him to severe torture, he couldn't take it anymore and surrendered.” 

“That Evil Eye was originally his.” 

“He has confessed without reservation that it was he who secretly intervened and manipulated the Evil Eye.” 

“While you and Xiong Ju were fighting, he attempted to use the Evil Eye to kill you!”

“However, his plan was quickly thwarted by Xiong Ju himself.” 

“And the leader of the Bayonet Gang, Teng Dong Lang, arrived shortly after to erase any traces of his involvement.” 

The dragonman youngster was speechless for a moment. 

The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's methods were ruthless; he had directly subdued the demon hybrid.

However, the dragonman youngster reconsidered and understood the demon hybrid ringleader's motives.

“The Bayonet Gang was once powerful, but at its core, it was merely a local gang.”

“The loyalty of its members to the Bayonet Gang was largely based on self-interest.”

"Among the six ringleaders of the Bayonet Gang, there were few snow elves, and the group was racially diverse. Each represents their own interests and those of their respective racial groups." 

“The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord dealt a decisive blow to the Bayonet Gang, swiftly annihilating them. These individuals now have no hope left, making surrender a viable option.” 

Having grasped these insights, the dragonman youngster smiled and flattered the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord: “City Lord, you truly are a master strategist; everything is under your control.”

“Now that we have this eyewitness testimony, we should make it public as soon as possible to let the people know that eliminating the Bayonet Gang was the right thing to do.”

The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord nodded: "It's not just this crime; the Bayonet Gang has committed countless crimes over the years. In addition to the confessions of the demon hybrid ringleader, we also made significant gains from the other ringleaders."

“We'll discuss these gains later. Let's deal with this guy first.”

“He interfered with your heroic duel. According to the customs of our Ice Sculpture Kingdom, he is now your common enemy, both yours and Xiong Ju's.”

"Therefore, I must deal with him. I would like to hear your thoughts on the matter. After all, our cooperation has been very pleasant, and this relationship will only grow stronger in the future!"

Upon hearing this, the demon ringleader hurriedly crawled on his knees to the feet of the dragonman youngster.

“Lord Long Fu, spare me! Spare this dog’s life!” 

“I was wrong. I failed to recognize your greatness and dared to plot against you in secret!” 

“But I failed. After Xiong Ju destroyed the Evil Eye, I suffered backlash and was severely injured.”

“I will never dare to oppose you again!” 

“Please, Lord Long Fu, please spare me.” 

“I am willing to pay any price to redeem myself.” 

The demon ringleader pleaded loudly, tears streaming down his face. 

The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord remained silent.

The dragonman youngster looked at the demon ringleader begging for mercy at his feet, then at the silent Snow Bird Harbor City Lord, and suddenly understood the city Lord’s intentions in inviting him here.

The dragonman youngster turned to ask the city Lord, “City Lord, what do you think?”

The city Lord smiled, “In fact, sparing his life would benefit us all.”

“Although the Bayonet Gang has been eradicated, the aftermath is still troublesome."

"The Bayonet Gang was a criminal organization that had been entrenched for years. Although its core has been eradicated by us, it still has countless connections with the outside world. In the hearts of many citizens, the Bayonet Gang's prestige surpasses that of the city government palace."

“For example, the dwarfs under the dwarf ringleader.”

"In Snow Bird Harbor, there lives a group of dwarves. Their leader joined the Bayonet Gang and became one of the six major ringleaders."

"The dwarf ringleader participates in the Bayonet Gang's operations, contributing his own strength, and also mobilizes the dwarves to forge weapons and equipment for the Bayonet Gang. However, most of the dwarves have not joined the Bayonet Gang."

"Snow Bird Harbor is one of the eight major harbors of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom, very prosperous, and an important window for the kingdom's foreign relations. Therefore, there is a large influx of people, and the population is diverse. Dwarves, humans, goblins, and others are active on the streets and alleys of Snow Bird Harbor, in every corner. They make a living here, and many are undocumented."

“The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's Mansion finds it difficult to regulate these people.”

“The city government palace represents the kingdom, represents the snow elves, not these foreign groups.”

"Thus, gangs like the Bayonet Gang emerge naturally. There is fertile ground for gangs to thrive here, rooted in the survival dynamics and logic of the lower classes." 

"Do you believe it? The Bayonet Gang may be destroyed, but soon, new gangs will emerge here." 

"If we do not intervene, these gangs will clash with one another, form alliances, and eventually establish another stable power structure. It might be called the Knife Gang, or it might be several gangs facing off against each other."

"In this process, there will be a great deal of bloodshed and casualties. The public order of Snow Bird Harbor will be severely disrupted, and the taxes collected by the city government palace will be greatly affected." 

“As for me, I don't want my final days in office to be marred by such a poor record.”

The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's words shook the dragonman youngster to his core.

He had always believed that organizations like the Bayonet Gang should not exist. They were criminals, a cancer, bringing disaster to those around them for their own gain.

But the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord offered a different perspective—while the Bayonet Gang was a criminal organization, its very existence maintained order in many ways.

From the perspective of managing Snow Bird Harbor, it serves as a supplementary layer to the city government palace.

In a sense, the city government palace could not function without the gangs. Gangs are like weeds—cut them down, and they'll sprout again in time. They cannot be eradicated.

The dragonman youngster fell silent for a moment before lifting his eyes to look at the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord.

He chose his words carefully and said, “I understand your meaning, City Lord.”

“To be honest, I am not a snow elf, nor am I a citizen of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom. My understanding and feelings toward heroic duels are far less profound than those of your countrymen.”

“I am willing to let go of this hatred.” The dragonman youngster paused and added, “As long as the benefits are reasonable.” 

“Hahaha.” The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord patted the dragonman youngster on the shoulder, "I didn't misjudge you, Commander Long Fu. You are an excellent partner!” 

“With his defection, I can quickly stabilize the situation, win over the hearts of the people, and control the emerging gangs.”

“I thank you on behalf of the people of Snow Bird Harbor!” 

"As for the rewards, I have already prepared them for you. I am sure you will be satisfied. Please come this way!" 

"As for the rewards, I have already prepared them for you. I am sure you will be satisfied. Please come this way!" 

In his study, he retrieved a document and handed it to the dragonman youngster.

“There are some interesting things here; I believe you will find them intriguing.” 

"Without your slaying of Teng Dong Lang, my annihilation of the Bayonet Gang would not have been so straightforward. These ringleaders would have been far more stubborn and resistant." 

“These are all spoils of war.” 

“You may select three items from them.”

The dragonman youngster examined them carefully and soon his eyes lit up. 

He discovered Bing Xiao's giant cultivation method. 

This was the complete cultivation method. 

He also saw gold level weapons and equipment like the Gold Flower Hacksaw.

He also saw a large number of alchemy blueprints and methods for crafting weapons and armor. 

“So, Bing Xiao confessed...”

“With so many blueprints and methods for crafting weapons and armor, it means the dwarf ringleader has also surrendered.”

“The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's interrogation techniques are quite effective; I didn't expect Bing Xiao to give in so quickly.”

The dragonman youngster analyzed the situation and secretly looked at the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord with new respect.

However, he did not take the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's suggestion.

After everything he had been through, the dragonman youngster was no longer the same person as before. He immediately stated that there were many things he was interested in, and if the conditions were right, he could engage in trade.

The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord did not reject it. As the two were discussing, Lan Zao slowly opened his eyes.

“What… happened to me?”

His memories quickly returned, and he also realized that he was no longer in the captain’s cabin but in the forecastle.

The big guy was by his side, tending to him.

“You're awake. Dad let me take care of you,” the big guy said.

Lan Zao tried to stand up but nearly failed.

He touched his forehead, which was burning hot.

At the same time, his throat ached terribly; even swallowing saliva felt like a razor blade slicing through it.

“Where is the commander?” Lan Zao asked the big guy.

The big guy didn’t know the details, only saying, “Dad has left, and he’s in a hurry.” 

Lan Zao’s face darkened: “It seems there’s been an accident!” 

“A potion that can enhance one’s potential—how could it be so easily concocted?”

“Back then, when the Life God conducted the bloodline experiment, over a million people lost their lives, and only a hundred or so survived, with their bloodlines enhanced.”

“Even the gods were so strict; how could I possibly be so lucky to take a perfect potion and effortlessly enhance my talent?”

“Now that my bloodlines are in conflict, I’m probably going to die!”