Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

The next day, just as dawn broke.

Newspapers from Tianjin then flooded the streets again, and newsboys, carrying canvas bags, crisscrossed the streets and alleys, shouting at the top of their lungs:

"Breaking News! Breaking News! Shocking Bloodshed in the Concession! Foreign Chief Constable Charles Has Been Killed!"

Tianjin's newspaper industry was already highly developed, with half of it controlled by foreigners. They dared not report the bloodshed in the concession last night in detail, and could only give vague statements, saying that the police station was attacked by unidentified people and suffered heavy casualties, in an attempt to cover up their embarrassing situation.

But the remaining local newspapers paid no attention to the foreigners' reactions, and every word they wrote was a detailed account of the previous night.

The gunfire last night was so frequent and loud that it could be heard clearly across the Haihe River. The commotion was so great that it couldn't be kept secret at all.

Since Chen Zhan came to Tianjin, the newspapers have never lacked big news.

At first, it was just a gang fight with a few deaths, nothing more than gossip in the streets and alleys, and it didn't cause any big trouble.

Now things are different. Chen Zhan stormed into the concession, and the foreign police officers who died were all killed. Even the powerful chief constable Charles did not escape.

Such a major news story, enough to shake Tianjin and even the entire north, naturally prompted the newspapers to print it like crazy, and the people were happy to accept it.

The people of the old city had suffered enough from the oppression of foreigners and the exploitation by the Qing government. They could see the foreigners making a fool of themselves and see people who dared to stand up against the foreigners and the Qing government.

Everyone is willing to spend a few extra coins to buy a newspaper.

The old town is particularly lively during the day. At the street corner where rickshaw drivers gather, several men are holding newspapers and huddled together, pulling over a fortune teller who has set up a stall and urging him to read them aloud.

"Quick, read it! Yes, that's the one, it's so satisfying to hear!"

The fortune teller cleared his throat and began to read aloud, word by word.

When the story reached the part about the nameless master killing Charles in the rain, everyone burst into laughter, slapping their thighs and cheering, their weariness almost completely gone.

Teahouses and taverns were packed, with customers huddled together, whispering amongst themselves.

A few days ago, the Swire Group was robbed and the embassy was bombed. The police searched for several days but couldn't find a single trace, and in the end, they had to let it go.

They even fabricated the story of the "flying thief".

They say they can fly, disappear into the earth, and are infinitely changeable, even vanishing into thin air.

No one believed this bizarre reason.

"In my opinion, this 'flying thief' is none other than the expert Chen who stormed into the concession last night!"

"It must be him! Who else but him has the ability to fight his way in and out of the foreigners' musketeers and escape unscathed?"

"If this man takes the lead, we'll follow him and never have to put up with the humiliation of foreigners again!"

Of course, these were just words spoken in anger, nothing more, and no one took them seriously.

The streets were bustling with activity and noise, a stark contrast to Tianjin's black market.

It's unusually quiet today.

Taking advantage of the quiet atmosphere, Chen Zhan gathered all the people in charge from the four sides to the backyard of the Black and White Pawnshop.

Lu Jun, Zhang Laojiao, Cheng Shaojiu, and Wu Qingshan, along with their trusted confidants, formed four groups.

Of the four, Zhang Laojiao's task was the most crucial: to provide backup.

The muskets and ammunition in the machine shop are extremely heavy; each musket weighs several kilograms, and each box of ammunition weighs tens of kilograms.

Humans alone cannot take away much.

Chen Zhan had to get Zhang Laojiao into the water. His rickshaw pullers were spread all over the streets and alleys of Tianjin. They were familiar with the roads and each of them had some basic martial arts training. They were strong and were the core of the transportation business.

Old Zhang sat to the side, toying with his pipe, his face expressionless, but he had already made his plans.

He raised his head, looked at Chen Zhan, and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Chen, rest assured, I have made arrangements. Thirty of the most reliable drivers will ensure that things will not be delayed."

Lu Jun had the fewest men under his command, only a dozen or so, but they were all young and vigorous, with a fearless spirit in their eyes.

These people either had their families killed by foreigners or were driven to desperation by the Qing government. They all had a blood feud with foreigners and the Qing government. If they really faced foreigners, they would definitely kill them without holding back.

Lu Jun stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Mr. Chen, my men are all ready and at your command tonight!"

Cheng Shaojiu was next in line. Besides a dozen or so brothers who had fought side by side, he also had thirty or forty loyal subordinates he had gathered over the years, all of whom were skilled in martial arts.

He is skilled in combat and excels in close-quarters fighting.

Wu Qingshan had the most men. The Incense Society was an underground organization in Tianjin, and its members were all hard-working and loyal, numbering over seventy.

Moreover, most of them had practiced advanced martial arts.

The group from all four sides totaled more than a hundred people.

This number is more than enough, even a bit too much.

Chen Zhan didn't send everyone to the Black and White Pawnshop. He hadn't met many of them before. He only needed to assign tasks to these four people, give them a signal, and then each side could perform their duties and take action.

Gathering too many people together makes it easier to expose their whereabouts.

The Tianjin Machinery Bureau, also known as the Beiyang Machinery Manufacturing Bureau, was located in Jiajiagu, eighteen miles east of the city. Locals commonly referred to it as "Dongjuzi" (East Bureau).

This machine bureau was originally divided into two bureaus, East and West, each with its own responsibilities.

The Eastern Bureau specialized in manufacturing gunpowder, guns, bullets, and mines, and was the main source of munitions for the Qing army. It was heavily guarded year-round.

The Western Bureau manufactured military equipment, exploding bullets, artillery vehicles, and other supplies to support military operations.

A few years ago, the two bureaus merged and were officially renamed Beiyang Machinery Manufacturing Bureau. It covered an area of ​​more than 300 acres, was large in scale, and was heavily guarded.

Because of its vast size and complex internal layout, Chen Zhan deliberately infiltrated the Governor's Mansion to copy a detailed map, making sure he knew exactly where every area, every passage, and every guard was located.

Chen Zhan spread out the map, pointed to the markings on it, and gave the four people their tasks in a clear and organized manner: "The East Bureau is divided into three main areas: the production area, the living area, and the education area. We don't need to worry about these three areas. We should focus all our energy on the storage area and just move things."

He pointed to the largest area on the map and continued, "The warehouse area stores all the manufactured guns and gunpowder that haven't been transported yet. That's our target this time; there's a large amount of gunpowder inside."

"The front yard had forty-two machine rooms, a steel mill, and a foundry. It was the most heavily guarded area, with more than two hundred Qing soldiers."

"The living area is next to the storage area. Inside are the residences of the craftsmen. They are all ordinary people who make a living with their skills. We should try not to use excessive force."

"There's also the education area. The Machinery Bureau has opened a mines and telegraph school, which has a few students, only a few dozen. And most of these people are Manchu bannermen, pampered and spoiled, who only know how to eat, drink and have fun. They've never practiced martial arts and won't rush forward when something happens."

Lu Jun frowned and spoke first: "The outer defenses are definitely not small. In addition to the more than two hundred Qing soldiers in the front yard, there are dozens of guards in the back yard. It will probably not be easy for us to sneak in quietly."

"Once we open fire, it will quickly attract a large number of Qing soldiers, and then we will become sitting ducks. Moreover, the area outside the machine site is open and there is no cover, so it will be difficult to retreat."

Invading the Qing army's heavily fortified arsenal was practically tantamount to rebellion.

After the deed was done, they all had to go into hiding, could no longer stay in Tianjin, and were even wanted by the Qing government and foreigners, forced to flee everywhere.

Chen Zhan had already told everyone this before: those with families and who were unwilling to take risks had already voluntarily withdrawn.

He didn't expect that so many people would be left in the end.

Chen Zhan nodded, acknowledging Lu Jun's concerns: "You're right, the outer defenses are indeed tight. I'll handle this. I'll infiltrate the Machine Bureau first, distract some of the guards, and lure the guards in the backyard to the frontyard, creating an opportunity for you to infiltrate."

"Moreover, I caused chaos in the concession last night, so the foreigners will definitely ask the Qing army for help to defend the concession. Some of the guards from the Machinery Bureau will definitely be transferred, which will weaken the defense force considerably."

“After all, they don’t care about the deaths of Qing soldiers, but the death of a foreigner is too costly for them.” After a pause, Chen Zhan added, “If things don’t work out, don’t worry about me, just retreat. It’s better to abandon this operation than to send everyone to their deaths.”

He planned to rob the goods and then immediately rebel.

It's too early now; the soil for revolution hasn't fully sprouted yet.

The four nodded in unison and replied, "Understood."

Old Zhang's task was relatively simple: just lead a group to meet him.
Then, he looked at Lu Jun and asked, "Is the pit outside the city dug? Are everything prepared?"

"It's done digging."

"The pit is deep enough, more than ten feet deep, and we have prepared all the necessary rain and moisture protection measures to ensure there will be no problems. In addition, I have arranged for two people to stand guard at the edge of the pit to prevent anyone from discovering it."

"Ah That's good."

Chen Zhan nodded. "Go and prepare yourselves."

The four dared not delay and left the Black and White Pawnshop one after another in order, each going back to arrange their men and prepare for tonight's operation.

Chen Zhan picked up the map and examined it carefully.

I walked into the courtyard, stretched my limbs, and felt a surge of energy flowing through my body.

The internal energy flowed slowly through the meridians, the spine rotated slightly, making a soft "crackling" sound, and the large dragon bone seemed to awaken, carrying a powerful force.

The raised hand was steady and powerful, the fist whistling through the air and stirring up fallen leaves.

Meanwhile, after leaving the Black and White Pawnshop, Xu Ying immediately went to Jinmen Township to look for Lin Hei'er.

Lin Heier led a group of female boxers to live in seclusion in the countryside, where they practiced their martial arts diligently every day.

Most of these women were persecuted by the church and foreigners, leaving them destitute and homeless. They were taken in by Lin Heier and trained with her in boxing.

Meanwhile, inside the police station in the foreign concession.

Li Bo has returned to his post.

He seemed to have been completely cleared of suspicion. After all, he was the one who lured Chen Zhan out, and Chen Zhan took the bait but failed to catch him. This matter could not be blamed on him at all.

He was able to continue working and is currently reviewing past case files.

However, Wang Shun did not come.

Wang Shun has taken several days off in a row.

This made Li Bo extremely uneasy. The two of them were double agents, providing Chen Zhan with information about the police station on one hand, and pretending to work in the police station on the other, stealing confidential information from foreigners.

The pressure of this matter is immense; the slightest misstep could mean certain death.

Wang Shun is impatient, timid, and not a bold or meticulous person.

He got his police officer position by spending money to pull strings.

Li Bo was very worried that something might go wrong on Wang Shun's side.

Because Wang Shun knew about his deal with Chen Zhan, knew the whole truth of that night, and knew about their theft of information.

If he can't withstand the pressure and is interrogated by Jason, revealing everything, both of them will die, and it might even jeopardize Chen Zhan's plans.

Therefore, although Li Bo appeared to be reviewing information at the police station, flipping through files in his hand, his eyes were somewhat unfocused.

I simply can't calm down.

In the afternoon, the sky turned overcast and began to drizzle again. The light rain pattered against the windows of the police station, making a pitter-pattering sound that made people even more irritable.

Li Bo's unease grew stronger, as if a pair of eyes were secretly watching him, and his every move was being monitored.

He subconsciously looked up and gazed out the window; apart from the drizzle, there was no one there.

He couldn't sit still any longer. After thinking for a moment, he got up, walked out of the police station building, and headed towards Wang Shun's house.

Wang Shun's home was not far from his, in a small alley on the edge of the concession, usually only a fifteen-minute walk away.

He walked cautiously, glancing back every now and then to make sure no one was following him before continuing on.

When they arrived at Wang Shun's house, it was deserted; there wasn't a soul in sight.

It's normal that no one in the family is here.

Chen Zhan had previously warned them to send their families away as soon as possible to avoid being used against them by foreigners and Qing soldiers. They did as he advised, sending their families to relatives in the countryside and living in anonymity.

But Wang Shun took leave and wasn't home. Where could he have gone?

Li Bo stood in the courtyard, his brows furrowed, his unease growing stronger.

He hesitated for a moment, then turned and walked toward the edge of the concession area.

Near the Jin Gang Bridge, the Taikoo Wharf is still under renovation. The craftsmen are busy carrying bricks and tiles, and the project is almost finished.

The bridge was crowded with people. Qing soldiers and foreign police officers were each on duty, heavily guarded, with their guns pointed at the passersby and their expressions cold.

Previously, there was no need for inspection when entering or leaving the concession. However, after the theft of the Taikoo Company, the security in the concession became extremely strict. A thorough body search was required for entry and exit, and no detail could be overlooked. Even the police had to be inspected.

Li Bo took a deep breath, suppressed his unease, and strode towards the bridge.

Upon reaching the checkpoint, he raised his hand to signal the guards to search him, forcing a calm smile on his face to make himself appear as inconspicuous as possible.

He had nothing on him and no suspicious items, so a body search was conducted without any problems. After the guard finished his inspection, he waved him away, indicating that he could leave.

After the body search, Li Bo was about to leave when a voice called out, "Li Bo, where are you going?"

Li Bo froze, his heart sank, and he turned around to see Deputy Chief Constable Jason and two patrolmen looking at him.

Jason's eyes seemed to see right through him, making Li Bo feel flustered and his palms sweat.

He forced himself to calm down and replied respectfully, "Deputy Chief Constable, I would like to go back to my hometown to see my children. They are still young, and I am worried about them."

Jason sneered and walked step by step in front of him: "But you are on duty now. It's not very good to leave your post without permission, is it?"

"Chief Constable, I'd like to request a leave of absence."

Li Bo's voice trembled slightly, and his mind was already racing with warnings.

His intuition told him that the plan had changed, that Wang Shun might have gotten into trouble, or even that Jason might have captured him and made him confess their affairs.

Otherwise, Jason wouldn't have asked him that question, nor would he have looked at him with that kind of gaze.

"It's already afternoon, and there are only two hours left before I leave work. I should finish my work before I go."

Jason's tone left no room for argument, and he gave a wink to the police officer beside him.

Two police officers immediately stepped forward and grabbed Li Bo from the left and right.

Li Bo didn't dare to struggle; resisting now would only make him more suspicious.

He could only helplessly allow himself to be taken back to the police station, his heart filled with despair. (End of Chapter)