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

Lu Jun and the others were stunned for a moment, but they knew that this was not the time to delay. They gritted their teeth and crawled into the dark tunnel entrance one by one.

Xiao Jiu was held tightly in Lu Jun's arms, her little hands gripping his clothes tightly, not daring to make a sound.

Lu Jun was the last to arrive. He bent down and inspected the locking mechanisms of the tunnel. After confirming that there were no omissions, he raised his hand and pushed the heavy wooden board back into place, leaving no trace of prying.

After doing all this, he gripped the dagger, crawled down the ladder, and disappeared into the depths of the tunnel.

Chen Zhan stood at the entrance of Xu Ying's courtyard, and only after hearing that the entrance to the tunnel was completely sealed off did he turn around and step into the rain.

He held nothing back, using all five senses to navigate the shadows along the streets and alleys, eliminating every foreign police officer and canal gang spy hiding in the dark.

Every move he makes is a killing blow; either it's a Xingyi Bengquan (a type of fist strike) aimed directly at the heart, shattering the internal organs.

Either it's Baguazhang (Eight Trigrams Palm) slashing across the neck, cutting off breath and sealing the throat, each move deadly and leaving no survivors.

The muddy alley was soon filled with corpses, and blood mixed with rainwater flowed into the drainage ditch. The smell of blood was diluted by the heavy rain, leaving only a mess on the ground.

He cleared out the spies in the area, so as long as the tunnel entrance wasn't discovered, Lu Jun and his men could escape to the outside of the city smoothly.

Once they entered the rural wilderness, where the land was vast and sparsely populated, even if the foreigners' musketeers had many men, they would not be able to accurately pursue and capture the group in the vast fields. The brothers were considered safe for the time being.

While clearing out the remaining enemies, Chen Zhan was also mentally assessing the situation.

Lu Jun's Xiaoliangshan only had a dozen or so men, and the foreigners only sent a hundred or so foreign gun squads to surround it, which is enough to show that this place was not the key point.

The real trap will inevitably be set at the Black and White Pawnshop and the Four Gates Inn.

The foreigners, having colluded with the canal gang, had long since thoroughly understood the forces around him. They knew he was the key figure, and all their plans revolved around him, so naturally they would station heavy troops in the places where he usually stayed.

As for Old Zhang's side, there's not much to worry about.

Zhang Lao's men were all rickshaw pullers who were scattered around the streets of Tianjin, soliciting passengers. They were not gathered together, so even if the foreigners wanted to surround and arrest them, they could not arrest them all at once.

As soon as they hear the wind, these drivers can use their familiarity with the roads to scatter and escape for their lives.

Having figured this out, Chen Zhan didn't delay any longer and strode towards the black market, heading first to the Black and White Pawnshop to rescue Qin Ming and the few remaining employees.

The streets leading from the shantytown to the black market were deserted at this moment, not a soul in sight.

Raindrops pelted my face, and even the noise of the rain couldn't drown out the intermittent gunfire in the distance.

The common people all knew that this was a huge mess, so every household locked their doors and windows, and many people simply hid in the cellars they had dug in advance.

In those days, the primary purpose of cellars was not for storing food, but for avoiding disaster. In the event of war or gun battles, hiding in a cellar was the only way to save one's life.

The closer you get to the black market, the heavier the sense of dread in the air becomes; there are no gunshots, nor any human voices.

The silence was so profound that only the sound of raindrops hitting the ground could be heard, creating a suffocating atmosphere.

Chen Zhan didn't stop and quickly walked to the end of the black market. The wooden door of the Black and White Pawnshop was closed, and the scratches from the previous fight were still on the door panel. It looked no different from usual.

He took two steps forward, reached out and pushed the door. As soon as his fingertips touched the wooden door, he felt a sharp whooshing sound rushing towards him.

"Whizzing!"

Two golden needles, gleaming with a dark luster, pierced through the air, one above and one below, aiming for his vital points: his eyes and perineum.

These are the most vulnerable points of the human body. Even the most skilled external martial arts practitioners cannot train their muscles and bones to these two points. If they are stabbed, they may suffer blindness or serious injury at best, or even die on the spot at worst.

Without even raising his eyes, Chen Zhan smoothed his hands up and down, and with a flick of his wrists, he used his strength to precisely pinch the two golden needles at his fingertips.

The needle tip carried a chilling coldness, and felt slightly numb to the touch. The black sheen on the needle was not rust, but a deadly poison that would kill instantly if it touched the skin.

"Hiding the head and revealing the tail."

He uttered four words in a cold voice, and with a sudden burst of strength in his wrist, he flung the two gold needles out with a backhand motion.

The golden needle, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, swept across dozens of meters, heading straight for a hidden spot in the backyard.

Two short screams followed immediately, then the sound stopped abruptly. Clearly, the two assassins who had been hiding in the shadows and placing the needles had been killed by the golden needles piercing their throats.

With no further sneak attacks, Chen Zhan pushed open the door and entered the pawnshop's front hall. He walked through the counter filled with old items and headed straight for the backyard.

As soon as he stepped into the backyard, he was taken aback by the scene before him: "Good heavens, there are quite a few people. I, Chen, have quite a lot of influence, to be able to gather the Canal Gang, the two major martial arts schools, and even the county magistrate's men here."

The backyard wasn't large, but it was now packed with people from several different groups, creating an extremely tense atmosphere.

Qin Ming was pinned to the ground by a burly man, a steel knife was held to his neck, his mouth was stuffed with cotton cloth, and his cheeks were flushed red.

There were no obvious wounds on his body, so he was probably captured in one move and didn't even have a chance to fight back.

The two pawnshop employees were tied up tightly with hemp rope and thrown into the corner.

The people's clothing was clearly distinct and easy to identify.

On the left, a group of people were dressed in short, tight-fitting clothes with the character "漕" clearly embroidered on the hem. Their hands were calloused, and they looked like thugs who had practiced martial arts for many years. These were members of the Cao Gang.

Chen Zhan had seen the two groups of people on the right before when he was collecting information on the forces in Tianjin.

A group of constables dressed in official uniforms, carrying imposing sticks and with iron rulers hanging from their waists, were from the Tianjin government. There were not many of them, and they seemed to be there just to make up the numbers.

The remaining members were from the two major martial arts schools in Tianjin, each occupying a territory in the south and north of the city, and they had kept to themselves for many years.

It's rare for them to actually collaborate.

Located in the south of the city is Hewutang, a Southern-style martial arts school and the only Southern-style force to have established a firm foothold in Tianjin.

The school was located at the junction of the British and French concessions, adjacent to the Guangdong Guild Hall and the residence of the Fujian merchants. It had close ties with the Southern Chamber of Commerce, and its disciples mostly practiced White Crane Fist, making them agile and nimble.

In the north of the city is Wuji Martial Arts School, the oldest martial arts school in Tianjin. The school is located next to the North Canal shipping dock, and the surrounding area is full of security escort agencies, Eight Banners unaffiliated camps and outlaws. It has long had dealings with northern gangs such as the Canal Gang and local chambers of commerce.

Besides teaching boxing, he also worked as a镖局 (escort agency) escort, and his disciples mostly practiced Northern style long fist, which is powerful and heavy.

Among the canal gang members, only one person in the middle was sitting in a grand chair, while the other four stood respectfully behind him, clearly the leader.

This man was in his forties or fifties, thin and with a sallow complexion. His only distinguishing feature was his sharp, eagle-like eyes. His gaze as he stared at Chen Zhan was calculating, clearly indicating that he was a man of deep thoughts.

Upon seeing Chen Zhan enter, the gaunt middle-aged man spoke first, his tone carrying a hint of arrogance: "When a dragon crosses the river, the big fish eats the small fish. Even if you don't follow the rules of Tianjin, it's not a big deal. But you've gone too far, causing frequent bloodshed in the concession. The foreigners are angry. Look at how many people have been killed these past few days."

Chen Zhan's gaze swept across the ground, where the two corpses, killed by the golden needles, lay in the corner. They were the men beside this middle-aged man.

He didn't respond to the other person's words and went straight to asking, "What's your name?" Ji Qian didn't expect Chen Zhan to skip the topic so directly. He was stunned for a moment before replying in a deep voice, "I don't change my name or surname. I am Ji Qian, the master of the Caobang."

"Why isn't the Grand Duke of the Canal here?" Chen Zhan asked again, his tone calm but carrying a sense of condescension.

The young man behind Ji Qian glared angrily, stepped forward, and shouted, "Do I need to report to you about the whereabouts of the Grand Duke? Who do you think you are!"

"Fine, if he doesn't come, he doesn't come. It's only a matter of time."

Chen Zhan was too lazy to bother with the underlings, so he turned his gaze towards the two martial arts schools, his eyes first landing on the crowd at the Wuji School.

The one who came from Wuji Pavilion was not the pavilion master, but the deputy pavilion master Meng Zhenshan, who was nearly sixty years old and had gray hair.

"You're here to stand up for the foreigners too?"

Chen Zhan asked the question, completely ignoring the head constable standing to the side.

The Tianjin government offices had long been defunct, with foreigners holding real power in the concessions. The government was merely a figurehead, and these few constables were just there to make up the numbers; they were not a fighting force at all.

Upon hearing this, the young disciple behind Meng Zhenshan immediately showed resentment and was about to reprimand him when Meng Zhenshan raised his hand to stop him.

Meng Zhenshan cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Chen Zhan, his tone tinged with a hint of resignation: "Mr. Chen, the commotion you've caused is too great. The foreigners are putting pressure on us, and we were forced to come. We couldn't explain ourselves if we didn't come. We hope you will forgive us."

That's clear enough; they're just here to make a show of things and will never actually do anything.

The young disciple was still unconvinced and muttered under his breath, "Master, what's there to be afraid of? He's causing chaos in Tianjin..."

Meng Zhenshan's face darkened, and he turned around to glare at his disciple, shouting sternly, "If you say another word, get out of Wuji Hall and don't ever say I'm your master again."

The young man turned pale from the shouting, immediately shut his mouth, lowered his head, and dared not say another word.

Chen Zhan looked at Meng Zhenshan, nodded slightly, and uttered only one word: "Okay."

He understood the difficulties faced by people in the martial arts world. Wuji Hall had been rooted in Tianjin for many years, and the livelihoods of the whole family and disciples depended on it. They couldn't confront the foreigners head-on, so coming here to fill in and get things done was already a last resort.

As long as he doesn't exert himself when he takes action, he won't make things difficult for these people.

Chen Zhan turned to look in the direction of Hewu Hall and asked again, "You too?"

The largest group came from Hewu Hall, led by a middle-aged man with a sturdy face, dressed in a long robe. His clasped hands in a respectful gesture, befitting a Southern-style boxer, were quite formal as he began:

“I am Chen Heting, from the White Crane Fist lineage. Mr. Chen, you have gone too far. The entire city of Tianjin has been turned upside down, countless people have died or been injured in the foreign concessions, the government has issued a warrant for your arrest, and the foreigners are furious. This is no longer acceptable.”

Chen Heting's tone was unyielding, clearly indicating his intention to side with the foreigners and stand firm to the end.

Chen Zhan nodded, his tone calm and even: "Okay, I understand. You don't need to hold back on your side."

He made his stance clear in one sentence: since the other party was going to stand up for the foreigners, he would not show any mercy.

In the martial world, each fights for their own master, and victory or defeat, life or death, depends entirely on skill.

After a round of questioning, Chen Zhan strode to the middle of the backyard, an invisible sense of oppression enveloping the entire courtyard.

The previously noisy breathing instantly became shallow.

He looked at Qin Ming, who was being held down on the ground: "I'm here. Just tell me what the terms are. I only have one request: release these three young men."

He paused for a moment: "Or you can kill them now and then try to capture me. That's fine too. Let's see if you have the ability to capture me. I only have one life. I can break into the concession, but I don't know if I can break into the various guild halls."

Chen Zhan stood alone in the center of the crowd. His choice was simple: release the hostage and negotiate terms, or start killing immediately. There was no third option.

Ji Qian, Meng Zhenshan, Chen Heting and the others exchanged glances, then whispered among themselves, discussing the matter in hushed tones.

The constables from the yamen huddled in a corner, not uttering a word, having no intention of getting involved in this deadly battle of the martial world.

After a moment, Ji Qian spoke again, his tone tinged with malice: "Mr. Chen, your skills are unparalleled. We are no match for you if we fight one-on-one. However, we have your men in our hands. I admire your loyalty and sense of responsibility."

"Stop talking nonsense, I don't have much time."

"Okay, then I'll get straight to the point."

Ji Qian gritted his teeth and threw out the conditions he had already thought of: "It's definitely impossible for you to surrender. Let's do it according to the rules of the martial arts world: three cuts and six holes. Each of our four groups will send one person to take action, one cut per person. If you can withstand these four cuts, we will release you immediately. Afterwards, it's up to you to decide your fate. You can go your own way, and we will not stop you."

These words caused an uproar in the audience.

Qin Ming's eyes widened in disbelief. He made a "woofing" sound as he struggled, shaking his head frantically in an attempt to stop Chen Zhan.

The steel knife held to his neck had already been cut open by his struggles, drawing blood, but he didn't care.

The burly man controlling Qin Ming was one of the top three masters in the Canal Gang, possessing astonishing finger strength. He held Qin Ming's shoulder firmly, rendering him unable to move.

Meng Zhenshan frowned and couldn't help but advise, "Master Ji, isn't this a bit too much? In the martial arts world, what kind of rule is this? Three cuts and six holes, each cut to the bone, four cuts and even a man of iron can't withstand it. This is no different from making someone commit suicide."

Ji Qian looked at Meng Zhenshan: "Master Meng, what do you think we should do? If we can't take him down today, the foreigners won't let us off the hook, and all the martial arts schools and gangs in Tianjin will be implicated."

"I also want to follow the rules of the martial arts world, but foreigners don't follow the rules, what can we do?"

Meng Zhenshan was speechless for a moment, and a bitter expression appeared on his face.

Over the years, they have made a living in Tianjin and have long been accustomed to having to obey foreigners. They have no backbone, but they have no choice. If they disobey even slightly, their entire family will be wiped out.

Everyone thought Chen Zhan would refuse, after all, the three cuts and six holes were the cruelest torture in the martial arts world.

Moreover, everyone had checked and found that Chen Zhan and Qin Ming had only known each other for half a month. They were not close friends who would risk their lives for each other.

But Chen Zhan spoke calmly and agreed directly: "Okay, then so be it."

He even raised his hand to urge them on, his tone completely flat: "Who goes first? Hurry up."

As he spoke, Chen Zhan reached out and unbuttoned his outer robe, letting it slip down to reveal the white coarse cloth underneath. He then unbuttoned the robe, exposing his chest.

The skin is firm, the lines are smooth, and there are no exaggerated muscles.

The backyard fell into a deathly silence, and even the sound of raindrops hitting the ground became clear.

Ji Qian and the others found it hard to believe.

These conditions... can they even agree to them?

Is he insane, or does he not want to live anymore?
Moreover, there are no tricks to play; the person is still in our hands. We have to put the knife in their hand first, then release them. (End of Chapter)