Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 678 The Knife-Wielding Bitch (Part 1)

In the Blood Bottle Gang's meeting room warehouse, "Phantom Blade" Catherine stepped forward and sat in the spot where Ferg had just been sitting, casually and nonchalantly.

Everyone has moments of spontaneity, but in situations where most people dare not be spontaneous, spontaneity becomes a privilege of those in positions of power, allowing them to display authority, special status, and authority—something she had witnessed in both generations of Iris Dukes.

Of course, as for the armor under her clothes, the straps of her weapons, the mechanisms on her sleeve claws, the daggers on her leg wraps, the hidden blades in her boots, and even the attendants she selected for this trip to Emerald City, these things that truly concern her life, Catherine has never been, and dared not be, careless about.

"Everyone here, especially those standing on the other side, listen up, and listen carefully."

The members of the Blood Bottle Gang in the warehouse tensed up.

Catherine leaned back, enjoying the thrill of being the center of attention, enduring the countless gazes cast upon her from the warehouse—shocked, frightened, fawning, shrewd, wary, disappointed, hesitant, ashamed, timid—whether from in front or behind.

“Many of you have been in Emerald City for a long time, including some of my former subordinates. You should know better than anyone what it is that allows us to take root, make a living, profit, and even enjoy a little bit of respect and wealth in this city.”

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, especially the members of the Emerald City gang standing behind Red Viper, whose eyes were filled with hesitation and whose breathing quickened.

“It’s not about fists, not about swords, and certainly not about being reckless,” Catherine tapped the table, “it’s about rules.”

Many people had high expectations for Phantom Blade's appearance because of the name "Catherine," but most of them will likely be disappointed:
Catherine was never a beauty from a young age, and the years that followed did not grant her the good fortune of blossoming into womanhood. In fact, she was plain-looking and unremarkable, with a slightly crooked mouth when she smiled. At the same time, her more than twenty years in the underworld left her with thick, rough arms and legs, as well as a buttocks and breasts that many men considered almost withered and flat, unappealing to them.

But it was precisely because of this that in the early days, she was truly regarded as a useful person and subordinate in the Blood Bottle Gang on the streets of Emerald City. The former bosses valued her abilities, skills, temperament, and intelligence, rather than her face, figure, or the idea that "there has to be a woman in the house." Because of this, the gang members who were drunk and crazy could look at her with a more normal gaze.

Yes, that's relatively normal.

After all, being beautiful is a misfortune in such a gang: in Catherine's memory, her female companions who were somewhat attractive, especially after they grew old and their looks faded, did not end up well.

But that wasn't Catherine.

No.

That's impossible.

Now, as the most powerful and prestigious leader of the Blood Bottle Gang after the overnight war with the Brotherhood, she, 'Phantom Blade' herself, sits here calmly, and every gesture and breath she makes can make others change color.

And she was quite satisfied with this.

But there are always exceptions.

"rule?"

Nekra spat out a harsh "Pah!"
"You mean that ceasefire agreement that allows the Black Silk People to come and go as they please, while we have no choice but to obey?"

His interruption caused the restless gang members to start shouting and clamoring again—many of whom were brought by Nekra himself.

"This is not fair!"

Screw the rules!

"We're not guards!"

"revenge!"

Amidst the commotion, Catherine gave the red viper a cold glare.

This venomous snake is getting more and more annoying.

When Catherine received the report that Nekra was secretly heading to the Emerald City with a large group of men, she was not surprised at all, and even felt a sense of satisfaction that "it's finally here."

Unfortunately, she still needs him for now.

Just as the rival Brotherhood has people like Rhoda and Faisal, the Blood Vial Gang, with Nekra, finally has a place for those unruly, difficult-to-manage, and sure-to-cause-trouble bastards in the gang to go.

It's convenient to push it out as a shield.

After more than twenty years, she finally reached this position, rising from a habitual street thief to one of the few leaders in the Blood Bottle Gang. She had to be meticulous and make the most of every single person's worth.

boom!
“The rule,” the wanderer Fogg slammed his fist on the table amidst the chaos, “is that anyone who dares to interrupt us while we’re talking is going to be my fish.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the warehouse fell silent.

Ferguson snorted coldly, walked to Catherine's side, and naturally pulled out a chair to sit down.

Catherine frowned almost imperceptibly as she watched Fogg sit down.

A few seconds later, Phantom Blade turned his head and continued in a deep voice:

"Alright, then go ahead. Anyone who's not satisfied, go with Red Viper and fight the Brotherhood to the death..."

Nekra stared at him menacingly.

"I don't know if you can win, but I know one thing for sure," Catherine said coldly, "when you all start fighting, the streets of Emerald City will be filled with blood, chaos will reign, and rules will be broken, scaring all the citizens who thought Emerald City was safe into cowering cowards..."

Catherine looked at each of the people behind the Red Viper.

"That's right, you may not be afraid, but when merchants stop traveling, goods no longer pass through, markets begin to decline, shops and workshops go bankrupt one by one, and people's wallets become flatter and thinner, where will you go to collect protection money and hard-earned money? Who will you find to invest in? Where will you go to carry out your smuggling and counterfeit goods business? Sangare, your dogfighting and cockfighting; Gutierrez, your boxing matches and intimidation business; Gamandia's casinos; and Roger, your smelly little business... Without these, where will you get the money to feed your hungry bunch of underlings so they can continue to call you boss? Will you rob the Kongming Palace or the Emerald Camp? Or will you be able to eat by wearing a red headscarf and shouting 'Long live the Blood Bottle Gang'?"

The different faces beside the Red Viper, especially the prominent bosses—Roger the Dung, Gutierrez who ran underground boxing matches, Gamandia who controlled the casinos, Taremi who ran street businesses, and Sangare who mainly dealt in livestock—exchanged glances upon hearing this.

“By then, let alone the big shots in the Sky Palace, you won’t even need the Emerald Legion and the Guard Hall to lift a finger,” Catherine flicked her sleeve, making a crisp sound, “you’ll all be so poor and starving that you’ll be killing each other.”

"A starving piranha," Fogg sneered.

“I’ve been in the capital for the past few years, cleaning up the mess left by the war. To be honest, the brothers there are in a much worse situation than you. It’s not as comfortable as lying here counting money.”

Catherine sat in the chair, glanced around, and sneered:

"So, does anyone want to turn this place into that too? If so, why don't you grab some weapons and come with me to Yongxing City? Don't be afraid, it's a national spectacle there. You can make a name for yourself quickly, maybe you'll even be the next top eight cadre?"

Many local gang members looked hesitant, glancing around unconsciously, their throats bobbing.

The men brought by the Red Viper all frowned, becoming increasingly vigilant.

“Of course,” Catherine said, leaning back and crossing her legs, adding with a sneer, “You could lose your life there pretty quickly—it’s just a matter of one night.”

"But, boss..."

Roger hesitated before speaking, using a title reserved for those who had previously worked with Catherine, but she raised a hand to stop him from continuing.

"You think I'm clinging to some outdated chivalrous spirit, or caring about the 'rules' in that armistice agreement? Haha, no."

Catherine leaned forward, rhythmically tapping the table, her tone growing increasingly harsh:
"Eat your fill and protect your food—that's the most important rule."

The warehouse was completely silent.

“As for you, Little Red, you’re not standing up for them, nor are you seeking revenge against Black Silk, but you’re teaching them to dig up their own roots,” Huanren spat, “to shit on their own plate.”

Nekra stared intently at Catherine, incredulous.

That damn bitch.

Every time, every time...

Swish!
With a crisp metallic clang, Catherine flicked out the claws from her sleeve.

“Now,” Catherine said, scratching the table with her sleeve, looking at each of those involved in the mutiny, “it’s clear that some of you need to be taught a lesson.”

Upon hearing this, many members of the gang felt a chill in their hearts, and many subconsciously searched for an exit.

The red viper could no longer restrain himself and stepped forward:
"Enough! What the hell are these rules! Kill me or torture me, just say it!"

boom!
Catherine slammed her fist on the table, interrupting him.

"But, for the sake of the past..."

Catherine squinted.

"Or rather, considering that we once wore the same red headscarf, regardless of who among those present today had ulterior motives and actively contacted the Red Viper, or who was bewitched by him and entered the snake's den, or who, at the last minute, had cunning thoughts and wanted to fish in troubled waters..."

With a whoosh, Phantom Blade unexpectedly retracted her sleeve claws, a smile appearing in her sharp eyes.

“From the beginning until now, as long as you are willing to lay down your weapons and stand behind me, no matter who it is, I will give you a break and forgive your past mistakes,” Catherine said calmly, while her trusted subordinates behind her had fierce expressions. “We are still good brothers in the gang.”

These words immediately sparked whispers and murmurs in the warehouse.

“Good sister.” Ferguson sat down beside her and added quietly.

Catherine tilted her head, neither confirming nor denying:

"How about it?"

In that instant, the red viper understood something.

No. Nekra turned around in disbelief: to his left and right, more and more people avoided his gaze, secretly observing the elite group of people Catherine had brought, silently plotting.

Amidst the whispers, even those who were utterly despondent, convinced that the other side would never let the traitor go and thus determined to go down a dark path, felt a glimmer of hope rekindle in their hearts. They couldn't help but hesitate, exchanging glances and testing each other's attitudes.

Do not!
"Wake up, everyone," script supervisor Franco said with a smug look. "Can't you see the situation?"

"These people, they're never satisfied," said the wicked shoemaker Jia Jia, rubbing his gloves with disgust.

"Hurry up," Fogg scoffed, "my fish are hungry."

The tense atmosphere in the warehouse turned into immense pressure, all of which immediately weighed on Red Viper.

Finally, one of the gang members sighed, put away his weapon, raised his hands, and walked around the round table to Catherine and Fogg.

"Boss, I...I didn't mean to..."

But Catherine simply smiled, telling him he didn't need to say anything more.

Soon, a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth... more and more people, especially the local gang members from Emerald City, laid down their weapons and hostility, or walked around the round table with tension and frustration, or with fawning trepidation, and came to Catherine's back.

The red viper could only watch this scene with fury, its eyes blazing with rage.

"Can I...can I stand in the middle?"

The barber Balta and his men cautiously approached the edge of the round table. He looked at the Red Viper and then at Catherine, raising his hands with a helpless smile: "You see, I'm just a... barber."

Upon hearing this, both sides' members booed in disdain.

Catherine frowned slightly, while the Red Viper spat fiercely.

The next moment, Roger, standing beside Red Viper, took a deep breath, put away his weapon, and led his men out of the ranks.

"Boss, I... I'm not dissatisfied with you... but my men were covered in black silk..."

“I understand, Roger,” Catherine smiled, seemingly unconcerned. “I understand everything.”

Upon hearing this, Roger felt much more at ease for some reason.

Catherine gestured to the seat next to her:
"sit."

Roger took a deep breath, glanced at the Red Viper one last time, and turned without hesitation to join Catherine's camp—of course, under Forgene's intriguing gaze, he dared not sit down.

Taremi, who managed the street businesses, coughed: "Um, Nekra, this is just an internal dispute, right? I believe we can handle it..."

The red viper suddenly turned its head, its gaze turning cold:

"Get out of here quickly."

Taremi's expression changed, and he hurriedly walked over to Catherine's side.

“Taremi,” unlike Red Viper, Phantom Blade greeted him with a smile, “I heard you’ve changed wives again?”

“Yes, boss,” Taremi said stiffly, “Oh, I’ve taken good care of the last one. I had a priest write the divorce papers, filed them at the notary office, and even got her a considerable share of her assets…”

Catherine raised her chin:

"sit."

And so, more and more people left Red Viper's side and rejoined Catherine and Ferguson.

As the tide turned, the situation in the warehouse was instantly reversed. Before long, Red Viper's side was left with only his direct subordinates from the capital and a few local leaders who had initially taken the lead—Gamandia, Sangare, and Gutierrez. However, they also had grim expressions and hesitant eyes.

hateful.

Nekra, the Red Viper, now alone with only a few people left, gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with resentment and anger.

This should have been an expected power grab.

But why, why!
Catherine responded with a magnanimous, winner-to-loser smile, forgiving and generous.

And it's spontaneous.

"I've heard of Phantom Blade Catherine's reputation, and seeing her today, I can confirm it lives up to the hype." From a corner, Golov squinted at the standoff in the arena and whispered.

Whether it was her foresight and her ability to turn the tables, or whether she seized upon the group's weakness and shattered their arrogance and illusions with a single sentence, it all came down to her.

"That's right, that's a veteran of the gang, a strong and resilient warrior who has stood against the Black Sword in the capital for many years and still remains unyielding..." Zimicas's eyes were full of admiration as he planned how to approach her and strike up a conversation, "Boss Catherine!"

"Did you say the same thing about the red viper before?"

"Impossible! How could I possibly be interested in a treacherous person like Red Viper... You must be mistaken!"

On the other side, Rolf stared blankly at Catherine in the arena.

of course.

She certainly lives up to her reputation.

That's the boss.

No matter how many years have passed, she remains as powerful and charismatic as ever, and is still the undisputed leader of everyone...

But, it was just him...

Rolf instinctively reached out and gripped his calf, feeling the coldness of the metal.

Nekra stared intently at Catherine, his eyes burning with rage:

"Catherine, you shameless bitch."

Huanren was taken aback upon hearing this, then smiled.

Knife-wielding bitch.

That's a familiar foreign name, one I haven't heard in over a decade.

“I said, as long as you’re willing to stand up for me, I’ll forgive and forget,” Catherine said nonchalantly. “That includes you, Nekra—we’re still brothers, aren’t we?”

The red viper's face twitched.

Deep down, reason told him that this time, he had been caught off guard and the disparity in strength was too great; he had lost.

Perhaps it's time to back down and save it for next time?
But his instincts told him he couldn't: what happened today would surely spread throughout the Blood Bottle Gang.

With everyone watching, once he takes that step and walks behind Catherine, it won't be so easy for him to walk out again next time.

The red viper continued to struggle.

But Catherine no longer looked at him, but turned to Nekra's back, her words carrying a deeper meaning:

"Or perhaps the other brothers who followed you from afar, from the capital or elsewhere, to come here?"

As soon as he finished speaking, one of Red Viper's trusted subordinates sighed, raised his hands, and walked toward Catherine: "Alright, I surrender too."

Catherine's lips curved slightly.

"If you can survive," the gang member said calmly.

Catherine's expression changed.

The next second, the gang member who stepped forward suddenly opened his arms wide!

With a soft whoosh, two rare weapons, shaped like roulette wheels and surrounded by sharp blades, flew out from under his hands and spun straight at Catherine!
"Big sister!"

"careful!"

"No!"

With a gasp, Catherine's pupils contracted, and she swiftly rose to her feet, a claw emerging from her right arm!
clang! clang!
With her arms moving back and forth and her claws flashing, Catherine swiftly and calmly knocked away the two whirling blades.

But just when everyone thought the crisis was over, Catherine's expression changed again.

The next moment, one of the roulette blades that had been knocked away paused in mid-air and strangely turned back!
Catherine gritted her teeth and thrust out her sleeve claws again, only to find that the strange weapon trembled in mid-air.

Soon, the six sharp blades around the disc extended and folded in different directions, as if extending different limbs. It swung one of the blades as if it were alive, parried Catherine's sleeve claws, and "jumped" towards Catherine!
Catherine roared, drawing a sharp knife with her left hand. Her arms and shoulders cracked as she swung the knife and claws with bizarre postures and angles, moving with astonishing speed, leaving behind afterimages!
Ding! Clang!

After several crisp sounds, under the combined attack from multiple directions, the strange weapon in front of them finally shattered and fell to the ground.

But Catherine sensed something was amiss and her gaze shifted:
The second roulette blade bounced on the table and transformed rapidly, extending six limbs of blades that shot towards her like lightning!

(End of this chapter)