Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 762 Those Who Get Out There

what happened?

Red Viper stared at the pipe and flint in Fei Su's hand, and at the honest, innocent smile on the other's face, and froze.

What's the alpha wolf doing here?

Nekra's body was secreting superhuman hormones at an alarming rate, but he couldn't quell the trembling that ran from his fingertips to behind his ears.

What did he mean by that?

What kind of triangular stool? What kind of balance scale?

"Old buddy, were you waiting here all morning for me to come to your door?"

Nekra tentatively asked, his heart filled with anxiety.

Is this a trap?

Is he already surrounded?

Why is the lookout outside so quiet?

Killed? Or worse—bribed?

Damn.

If what the accountant said is true, and because of his relationship with King Lausanne II, many people in Emerald City are now willing to risk their lives to curry favor with the powerful figures…

Nekra felt his back was covered in sweat.

"You forgot, Xiao Hong, you were the one who came to find me first."

Fei Suo smiled, squinting his eyes.

"Why are you in such a hurry to leave again?"

This guy, once known for his bravery and ruthlessness, is no longer what he used to be.

Looking at the tense, suspicious, hedgehog-like red viper poised for a counterattack, Fei Suo shook his head inwardly:

Since Turnbull's death, the Blood Bottle Gang has declined and split, and Nekra has been lost in the struggle for power, being firmly suppressed by "Phantom Blade" Catherine.

Over the years, he has been suppressed for too long and too cruelly, so long that he has forgotten his former lofty ambitions and resourcefulness, and has become so cruel that all that remains is his violence, malice, and scheming.

But as the winner of that power transition, wasn't Catherine also in the same boat?

Red Viper took a deep breath and gripped the hilt of his knife tightly.

No, calm down, calm down.

He hasn't lost yet.

After all, Fasseau himself was not known for his bravery and skill in battle—and that's being rather polite.

“Whatever you’re planning to do, old buddy, you shouldn’t have come in alone…”

The red viper observed and calculated the distance to Fesso, its sinister voice carrying a hint of determination:

"...and so close to me."

Upon receiving the signal, the Blood Vial Gang members behind Nekra revealed their ruthlessness, gripped their weapons, and scattered to surround Fesso.

Lazanchi Fissor paused slightly as he stroked the crystal flint, and the enthusiastic smile on his face gradually disappeared.

The atmosphere was tense.

Rick, who had secretly climbed up to the wall, felt a jolt of fear and immediately tensed up.

If the Red Viper had taken the alpha wolf hostage, should he seize the opportunity to prove himself and rescue his boss? Rick shook his head sharply.

What a joke!

Of course, I'll take care of myself first!

What is a boss? Can you eat it?

[But what if it was Fisseau who killed the Red Viper?]

His inner voice of reason thoughtfully reminded him:

How should you position yourself? How should you explain yourself to Fischer? How should you utilize the situation? How can you maximize your advantages and minimize your disadvantages while simultaneously climbing to higher positions?

Rick shuddered.

On the other side, Fesso didn't even glance at the Blood Bottle Gang members around him, whose eyes were filled with murderous intent. He simply stared at Nekra, whose gaze was resolute, and said slowly and deliberately:

"You know this is still my territory, right?"

The implication in his words made many people begin to hesitate.

Only the red viper chuckled.

“I know you have men lying in ambush outside,” Nekra said casually, flicking his dagger. “But I also know you suffered heavy losses at the North Gate Bridge; most of your fighting men died at the hands of King Losang II—you won’t be at ease until you’ve killed him.”

Whether Fei Suo was at ease or not, he didn't know, but after Fei Suo said that, Red Viper's men were indeed much more at ease, and their eyes were eager to try.

The alpha wolf scoffed lightly, offering no rebuttal, but simply withdrew the hand that had offered the pipe.

"Believe me, at this distance, even if your lackeys rushed in, they couldn't save you."

Nekra squinted and pointed to Rick beside him:

"Even adding this accountant won't work."

in fact……

Rick shuddered at these words, his smile awkward.

You can also omit the accountant's name.

“Even if it costs you your own lives?” Faisal said softly.

The burly men of the Blood Bottle Gang all stopped in their tracks.

"We're here to make a living."

Nekra spoke in a deep voice, ignoring the hesitation in the eyes of his subordinates:

"You choose your own path."

Faisal remained silent, but Rick groaned inwardly.

Several seconds later, Fisseau suddenly chuckled:

"Hahahahahaha..."

He laughed so hard his shoulders shook, and he had to lower his head and cover his face to hide it, leaving everyone else in the office completely bewildered.

The red viper, however, grew increasingly enraged.

"why are you laughing?"

Feuerbach couldn't stop laughing and could only raise his hand in acknowledgment:

"It's nothing, I just think...you finally look a bit like you used to be..."

That's right, it's Nekra, the Western Wilderness soldier who survived the Blade Fang Dunes years ago, who carved out a territory for himself on the streets with his supernatural abilities and ruthlessness, and was feared by everyone.

Instead of the Red Viper, who was forced to fight to the death with Black Sword and his companions time and time again under Old Turnbull's ulterior motives and habitual punishments, becoming a dazed and inhuman creature.

Except for the last time.

Indeed, amidst laughter, Fasseau remarked:

The Red Viper's incomprehensible, out-of-control temper and vicious, perverse personality were not innate, nor were they caused by supernatural abilities.

Instead, it was the horrific scars left on the bodies of the once feared old gang leader and his colleagues and subordinates—including the knife-throwing clown who was excited by blood and enjoyed cutting people's skin, the chaotic soldiers who destroyed countless families through kidnapping and trafficking, the Karka who took pleasure in abusing small animals and tormenting the weak, even the ruthless Lausanne II who killed without blinking an eye after his creed was shattered, the old Bot who believed until his death that drug trafficking was only consensual, and the phantom blade Catherine who would do anything to climb the social ladder—that they were completely unaware of.

Deep into the bone marrow.

It is difficult to cure and the condition is prolonged.

He could only try to cover it up with anger and hatred, madness and violence for the rest of his life.

Nekra looked at Fesso, his brows furrowing and his eyes growing colder.

The other person's laughter made him uncomfortable.

Rick, standing next to him, nervously swallowed.

"Okay, to be honest, I didn't bring anyone with me here..."

Feisuo stopped laughing, stroked the crystal flint, and waved his hand:

"...You probably won't believe it."

"nonsense."

Red Viper put aside the strange feeling in his heart, gripped the hilt of his knife tightly, activated his superhuman hormones, and hurriedly estimated the possible ambush forces on the perimeter:

"Who doesn't know you're a coward who's afraid of death? You even bring a dozen Terminator swordsmen to wipe your butt when you go out to take a dump?"

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Faust laughed and was not offended:

"After all this time, are the Red Headscarves still saying this about me?"

What else can I say about you?

The red viper barely suppressed the urge to complain:

For so many years, since the fall of "Dogtooth" Bot and Turnbull, and the rise of the Brotherhood's Lazench Faisal to seize market share, the drug lords in the Blood Bottle gang who make their living from this business have never been content.

But they failed to ruin your business, uncover your secrets, or find your whereabouts... For years, they've only heard your name but never seen you, and they've only been seething with hatred...

Isn't that the only way to put it?

Do you really expect the Blood Bottle Gang, their arch-enemy, and their bosses who care about their reputation and disciplining their underlings, to tell the world the truth: "Sorry, all these years, none of the henchmen who went to kill Razanchi Fissor have returned, none of the drug lords who went to steal his business are alive, and there are hardly any people left who have even seen Fissor's face"?

So what could he do but stand tall and proud in front of his admirers, laughing triumphantly, "Feser is such a coward, he's so scared of us that he doesn't even dare to go out to poop!"

Whenever he thought of this, Nekra felt resentful and angry.

If Turnbull were still alive...

Which gang, which organization, which blind fool, or even which lowly thug without any powerful backing dares to openly defy the Blood Bottle Gang?

Are they unafraid of thugs during the day, or are they unafraid of Losang at night?

Did they have a place to stay abroad, or did they have someone working in the palace?

Are they able to afford to offend the large merchant groups, or do they dare to offend the Iris Flower?

But what if a ruthless figure like Turnbull were still alive...

The red viper clenched its fist, its feelings shifting from regret to relief.

Damn it, that old Biden should just stay dead.

Aside from being bad for the Blood Bottle Gang, this is good for everyone.

"Mr. Rick."

The next second, Fisseau unexpectedly turned his head, his tone amiable:

"Have you ever seen me with bodyguards when I came to buy goods in the past?"

Rick was startled. He instinctively looked down first, then forced himself to look up.

why me?

What did I do wrong again?

What does this have to do with bodyguards?

Rick swallowed hard, his voice trembling as he spoke:

"No, no, I've never seen it."

"Why?" Faisal remained kind.

why?

Rick's mind went blank, and he hesitated to speak.

"because……"

Because you only come to buy fireworks every time?

Because of you, Razanchi Fisseau, before today, in the eyes of all those who didn't know you, you were just a vulgar, mercenary, hardworking commoner and fireworks vendor—Master Suleiman.

What would an ordinary fireworks vendor need bodyguards for?

Should we protect his fireworks cart?

Rick suddenly shuddered; he had figured something out.

"Because you don't need it."

Rick took a deep breath and looked at everyone:

"Because out of so many industries in Emerald City, we chose this place and the fireworks processing industry to do business here."

Red Viper and his men all frowned.

Only Fisseau's eyes lit up. He clicked his tongue and nodded, then began to scrutinize Rick again.

As for why it's the fireworks industry...

Rick's breathing was a little erratic.

Because it's convenient.

Whether it's importing raw materials, manufacturing and processing, assembly and transportation, or selling bulk goods, most of the processes and rules, equipment and tools in the fireworks industry are similar to those of the Black Street Brotherhood's "core business," making it convenient to provide... well, cover.

Those less experienced fireworks decorators recruited from outside the North Gate Bridge could repeat their work again and again under close surveillance, wearing protective clothing, masks, and gloves, cautiously and tremblingly...

At the end of the day, when they returned home in a daze after being searched and changed, many of them didn't even know what kind of drugs they had been given.

Of course, once they have enough seniority, long enough for them to realize what kind of "medicine" they're being sold on, the generous salary and rewards, along with the reality of living outside Beimen Bridge, will be enough to make them shut up on their own.

Yes, sometimes things can be passive.

But this is not the answer that Feuerbach needs.

“The production and storage of celebratory fireworks are risky,” Rick said, clutching his severed arm and trying to remain calm. “That’s why we have an excuse and a reason to strictly manage, monitor, protect, and even keep our business secret.”

Of course, there are also the large sums of money that are regularly paid to the various fire, construction, and security offices under the city hall and police department when applying for all kinds of licenses and certificates.

While others hesitated upon hearing this, Nekra's expression changed.

Fisseau laughed even more heartily.

【Very good, Rick, well done.】

Seeing Faisal's expression, Rick gritted his teeth, listening to the rational voice within him:

You can do it, you must do it, because you are more than this.

Because you are destined to achieve something even greater.

Rick took a deep breath:

"But if news leaks out or enemies come knocking, and there's a rush to destroy evidence, then the large quantity of flammable and explosive pyrotechnic powder stored here as cover only needs to be... only needs to be..."

Click!

All it takes is a fire.

The sound of flint striking flint suddenly rang out, startling everyone who turned around in unison.

Fisseau lit a fire in his hand, gently warming the tobacco in his pipe. "A small fire," the alpha wolf expertly turned the flame, surveying the entire office, "even a tiny spark..."

Nekra swallowed hard.

He followed the other person's gaze and looked around incredulously:

The office had shelves built into three walls, piled with all sorts of odds and ends and documents, as well as rows of shelves at the bottom...

Wait, that's—a storage barrel?

One, two, three...

Ten, fifteen, twenty...

Staring at the rows and rows of mysterious storage barrels, the red viper's pupils instantly focused.

No, no, no, he's gone mad. If this room is full of crystal fire powder... then one spark...

"...that will destroy everything and leave no future troubles," Fesso said softly, flicking the flames.

In that instant, Nekra and everyone else, including Rick, felt a chill run down their spines and their limbs go numb.

Only Fisseau, holding the fire in his hand, felt a deep sense of emotion:

Once ignited, it bursts into dazzling glory, leaving nothing behind.

Only that brief burst of light across the sky captivated and left a deep and unforgettable impression.

How similar it is to their original business!

"Sirs, gentlemen, in fact, here, including the entire Burning Street, is always... strictly prohibited from bringing any source of fire."

In the utter silence, Rick tremblingly finished his last sentence—or his final blow.

“Excuse me, Mr. Rick,” Fisseau said apologetically, shaking his lit pipe and grinning at Rick. “I don’t usually smoke.”

The latter quickly forced a smile and nodded in return.

The pipe glowed faintly, emitting wisps of smoke.

The office, filled with storage bins, was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Nekra clenched his teeth.

“Boss…” a burly man behind him said nervously, but was stopped by Nekla’s hand.

He carefully calculated the distance between himself and Fesso, observing the distance between Fesso and the nearest storage barrel...

"You can't escape either," the red viper said, trying to sound calm.

Fisseau smiled nonchalantly.

"We're here to make a living."

He fiddled with his smoky pipe, kicked the storage bin beside him, and said meaningfully:

"You choose your own path."

Nekra's breath hitched, feeling incredibly suffocated.

He looked at his dagger and the slowly burning cigarette in Fei Suo's hand, then at the mysterious storage barrels around him, and for the first time felt that the distance between him and the other was so vast.

Fisseau's smile remained unchanged, while others were filled with fear and unease.

Time passed by minute by minute.

Finally, after the longest minute of Rick's life, Red Viper let out a bitter sigh.

He waved his hand dismissively, yet with an undeniable air of nonchalance, signaling his men to put away their weapons and leave the office, leaving it to him and his long-lost friend, Lazanchi.

They wanted to reminisce.

This was a relief to everyone.

Rick was even worse.

"Please take the body out of the house with you, and please be polite," the alpha wolf continued, toying with his smoking pipe, and remarked with a profound sense of melancholy. "Who knows, one day we might also need strangers to give us a proper send-off."

The Blood Bottle Gang's vicious henchmen exchanged bewildered glances, sweating profusely. Ultimately, under the dual pressure of fear and orders, they lifted the corpse (thanks to them) and cautiously withdrew from the office.

As they left through the door, each of them passed by Lazanchi Fisseau's side and behind, getting close enough to touch the pipe and lighter in his hand.

But no one dared to make any unnecessary moves.

They didn't even have the thought of glancing at that old country man.

It was as if the person sitting there wasn't a single person.

Seeing this, Nekra only grew more agitated and angry.

"You might as well stay a little longer, Mr. Rick."

Rick, who was about to discreetly slip out behind the others with his head down and chest hunched, suddenly felt a twitch in his ears.

He turned stiffly, only to see his superior, Wolf Alpha Fesso, turning his head and smiling at him:

"As my business successor?"

In that instant, Rick felt a ringing in his ears and his legs went weak.

Not good.

He got it.

Rick used all his strength to hold onto the wall.

He wanted to leave the office with the Blood Bottle Gang thugs in front of him, but found his legs trembling and he could hardly take a step.

“I know what you’re afraid of,” Fisseau said softly.

It’s over.

Rick's knees buckled, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

He got it.

Whether it's the underhanded tricks he pulls behind the scenes, or the boast he just made in front of Red Viper...

He's coming to settle accounts with me...

"Everyone in the underworld knows about your Blood Bottle Gang's dirty deeds," but unexpectedly, Fei Suo's next sentence wasn't directed at him. "It was Losang II who led the charge, with you and Old Fogg teaming up to cut off Little Knife's hand, plus half of the local gang's top brass?"

Eh?

Rick jolted awake, steadied himself, and looked up.

"Then you should know that, at least in Emerald City, the bitch Knife has fallen."

Nekra was sitting in Rick's usual seat, his face grim, staring intently at the pipe in Faisal's hand:

"You don't need to help her."

If it weren't for an accident, I would have killed the prostitute along with her.

Nekra clenched his fist.

But it doesn't matter. She is now utterly defeated, her manpower is gone, her power is completely lost, and her reputation has plummeted.

And then they lost the lucrative revenue and land assets of Emerald City...

In the underworld, no one will listen to a crippled old woman.

The biggest hidden danger is only...

“Me, help her?” Fei Suo scoffed.

“It’s alright, I know you’re not helping her,” Red Viper said, feigning composure. “You’re only cooperating with Knife Bitch to have someone ambush him at North Gate Bridge because you’re afraid that King Losang II will settle old scores with you. You’re helping yourself.”

Rick, on the other side, came to his senses, feeling grateful and relieved.

Great, it wasn't me.

Faisal wasn't talking about me!

The alpha wolf sized up Nekra for a long while.

"That night at Beimen Bridge, I did lose quite a few good fighters."

Snapped!

The red viper clapped its hands:

"See, nothing good ever comes from hanging out with that bitch..."

“But Little Red, do you really think that I or Little Knife have that much influence,” Fei Su interrupted him, his smile undiminished, “to command four extreme experts with different stances and take down King Losang II in one fell swoop?”

Nekra's smile vanished.

He gently lowered his hands and pondered for a moment.

“I know, I know, there’s a lot going on behind King Losang II, involving many important figures,” Red Viper shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “But guess what? Now the Palace of Emptiness is quiet, there’s peace, His Highness the Prince and the two Kevindirs have reconciled, and everyone’s happy!”

The alpha wolf raised an eyebrow.

Nekra leaned forward and winked slyly:

"Believe me, King Lausanne II will not appear again—I advise you not to go looking for him, lest you bring trouble upon yourself."

Ok?

Rick, standing to the side, was puzzled.

Wait a minute, didn't I just analyze these things with him?

Nekra glanced at him, intentionally or unintentionally, making him afraid to interrupt.

"So you're safe, Razanchi!"

The red viper spread its hands, its smile genuine:

"There's no need to cooperate with that bitch anymore."

Feisuo stared intently at the red viper for a long while before finally saying in a low voice:

"Don't worry, I don't intend to hand you over to Little Knife."

The red viper was slightly relieved, but immediately became wary:

Wait a minute, does he mean he won't pay it himself, but will make someone else pay it?

Faisal chuckled:

"You don't need to worry about being implicated because of King Losang II—as you said, the bigwigs in the palace have resolved their disputes and are busy dividing the spoils. They can't wait to forget about this plague-ridden killer. They have no time to care about his old grudges at the bottom."

Nekra stared at the alpha wolf and unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.

Great, the worst thing didn't happen.

He was not registered at Kongming Palace.

Only Rick, standing to the side, felt a bitter taste in his mouth:

He had just managed to trick the Red Viper into believing that he was in grave danger and was in a hurry to abandon everything and leave Emerald City never to return...

What if the red viper remembers him again someday...?

"As for whether there might be some fools in the underworld who want to kidnap you and use you as a bribe..."

Faisal shook his head and said:

"Didn't you hear what the barber said? The new regent at Kongming Palace doesn't like us very much and returned all the gifts."

Even if they were so poor that the whole city knew about it (but they could only pretend not to know), that important person still didn't want their share of the money.

The red viper's smile returned after hearing what the other party said.

well.

Great.

“What’s so strange about that? He thinks it’s too little, too dirty, too low-class, too unrefined for someone of low status to give a gift, and not elegant or respectable enough,” Nekra sneered. “He’s a prince, after all. When it comes to how to squeeze money out of someone, how clean and efficient can any underworld official compare to a prince?”

“It is indeed too little,” Fesso remarked, but his tone was quite different from that of the Red Viper. “He is a prince, after all. If we don’t skim off any more of his wealth now, we’ve already skimmed off an even bigger amount.”

Or rather, the profits that those in power see are never the same as the profits that we see.

Rick seemed thoughtful, but Nekra was completely confused.

But he cared more about something else:

If what Fisseau said is true, then I have no worries in Emerald City; the only thing I need to worry about is...

"But it's a small knife."

Suddenly, Faisal spoke up: "She's made a statement to the underworld."

"Oh?"

The red viper became alert:

"What, is she still angry and wants to follow Polaris's example and challenge me to a one-on-one duel?"

The red viper chuckled:

"Or is it a curse that I and Ferguson will die a gruesome death sooner or later?"

Of course, her biggest goal was probably to disrupt the situation, buy time for Yongxing City's reinforcements, and try to retake Emerald City.

But they won't give her that opportunity.

Find her as soon as possible and take care of her...

"She has forgiven you."

Feisuo said quietly.

Ok?

Rick was taken aback.

"All she has left is forgiveness..."

Nekra, who was speaking with a faint, cold smile, suddenly froze halfway through his sentence:

"You, what did you say?"