Courtyard House: I Have Countless Bodyguards

As night fell over Kowloon Walled City, a tense atmosphere permeated the humid air.

Xu Wenqiang changed into a well-fitting dark suit with a thin woolen long shirt over it, his eyes calm and deep.

Behind him, ten fierce-looking assassins, numbered one through ten, followed closely by fifty elite members of the Dragon Rising Gang, each wielding a short stick and a machete, their eyes gleaming with menacing intensity.

The group walked silently down the narrow alleyway, their footsteps synchronized and carrying an invisible pressure. Upon reaching the foot of the Hongyan Restaurant, the two men guarding the entrance, seeing them, steeled themselves and stepped forward, blocking their path and saying curtly:

"Brother, the instructions upstairs are that only the person in charge is allowed to go up tonight."

Xu Wenqiang continued walking, seemingly oblivious to the obstruction, and simply uttered a few words:

"Sword team, follow me!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Jian Yi stepped forward like an iron tower. With a casual flick of his large, fan-like hand, the two men blocking his way felt a tremendous force and staggered to either side, their faces turning deathly pale instantly.

Xu Wenqiang didn't even glance at them, and went straight up the stairs. Jian Yi and the others followed closely behind, their cold gazes sweeping across the entire room, causing the noise on the first floor of the restaurant to momentarily subside.

The remaining fifty members of the Longxing Gang dispersed in unison, subtly taking control of the restaurant's entrances and exits, instantly creating a tense atmosphere.

The atmosphere in the private room on the second floor was somber.

Around a large round table sat about a dozen people, all with unfriendly expressions.

At the head of the table sat an elderly man with white hair and beard, wearing a silk robe, whose cloudy eyes held a sharp glint in them. He was none other than Master Mo, the organizer for tonight.

Xu Wenqiang's appearance instantly attracted everyone's attention. His Western-style attire, which was out of place in Kowloon Walled City, and his calm and composed demeanor stood out among the group of rough and tough gang leaders around him.

Xu Wenqiang ignored the scrutinizing, fearful, and even hostile gazes, pulled out an empty chair, sat down, and crossed his legs. Jian Yi and the others stood behind him like an impenetrable wall, silent yet exuding a chilling aura.

Those present were all well-informed. Although they did not know the specific details of how the Longxing Gang wiped out the Longjin Heyi Society, the news that a hundred or so people chased after more than three hundred people and suffered very few casualties had already spread.

Seeing the way the other party's leader acted and the bodyguards behind him who were clearly not to be trifled with, he felt even more alarmed and secretly tried to gauge the depth of the Dragon Rising Gang.

In the silence, a sarcastic voice rang out:

"Hmph, quite arrogant! I heard you're called the Dragon Rising Gang?"

The speaker was a middle-aged man with a fierce face, Liang Guihe, the person in charge of Lianghe Rice Shop who had close ties with Longjin Heyi Society and suffered the greatest losses.

With the downfall of Longjin Society, his business and influence in the West District were greatly affected. He was already seething with anger, and seeing Xu Wenqiang's attitude only fueled his rage, prompting him to launch the first attack.

Xu Wenqiang didn't even lift his eyelids, picked up his teacup and gently blew on the steam, his tone calm yet carrying a chilling coldness:

"Arrogant? That depends on who you're dealing with. Who do you think you are? You're not convinced? Simple, let's settle this with a fight."

These words, spoken casually, were more provocative than any insult, clearly showing that Liang Guihe was not taken seriously.

"Alright, Takahashi, that's enough."

Finally, Master Mo, sitting in the main seat, spoke, his voice aged yet carrying an undeniable authority.

"The fact that you all came is a great honor for this old man. The reason I invited you all here today is to discuss the Longjin Heyi Society. Since the Longjin Society has failed due to its own incompetence, according to the rules, their territory will be taken over by the Longxing Gang. I hope everyone can live in peace from now on and value harmony above all else."

His words, seemingly intended to smooth things over, were in fact a definitive statement, acknowledging the status of the Dragon Rising Gang.

The people present had different thoughts, but intimidated by the Dragon Rising Gang's fearsome reputation and Master Mo's prestige, they all remained silent for a moment.

At this moment, Xu Wenqiang put down his teacup, looked around, and wore a smile that seemed polite but was actually distant:

"Since Master Mo has spoken, I, Xu Wenqiang, will certainly give him face. As a newcomer, let me introduce myself first. I am Xu Wenqiang, and I am currently the acting leader of the Longxing Gang."

He changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over Liang Guihe, whose face was ashen. His tone remained smiling, but the words were sharp and cutting:

"We, the Dragon Rising Gang, are new to this land and don't really understand many of the rules. But we're not made of clay. If anyone thinks we're easy to bully and insists on making things difficult for us..."

He paused deliberately, then lightly pointed in Liang Guihe's direction. "For example, if Boss Liang wants to test his skills, our Longxing Gang will gladly oblige! Haha!"

After saying that, he laughed loudly to himself a few times, revealing his arrogant and domineering attitude.

Xu Wenqiang's seemingly mindless and arrogant actions were actually the result of careful planning.

His intention was to leave everyone present, especially Master Mo, with the impression that the leader of the Longxing Gang was a reckless and impulsive young man, so that they would lower their guard.

At the same time, he precisely seized upon Liang Guihe, the one whose interests were most severely damaged and who was most prone to impulsiveness, deliberately provoking him to create a perfect pretext for a forced retaliation in order to swallow up Lianghe Rice Shop's territory in the next step. Without a reason, how could he legitimately expand his territory?

Liang Guihe was indeed thoroughly enraged. He stood up abruptly, his face flushed and neck bulging, and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Master Mo:

"Master Mo! It's not that I'm disrespecting you! It's just that this Dragon Rising Gang, which seems to have sprung up out of nowhere, is too arrogant! I, Liang Guihe, am putting my words on the table today! I want to see if you're a dragon crossing the river or a dead snake!"

After saying that, he glared at Xu Wenqiang, kicked the chair away, and stormed out with his men, slamming the door behind them.

Xu Wenqiang watched Liang Guihe's departing figure, a barely perceptible sneer curling at the corner of his lips.

Having achieved his goal, he lingered no longer, rising to casually bow to Master Mo:

"Mr. Mo, as you've seen, it's Boss Liang who's determined to make trouble for me. They're practically coming to my door; I can't just stand there and wait to get beaten up, can I? Goodbye!"

Having said that, without waiting for a response, he led the Sword Group and others, and amidst a crowd of complicated gazes, leisurely left the Hongyan Restaurant.

Xu Wenqiang returned to Longxing Gang, which was formerly known as the Ice Room, and gave Liu Jianguo a detailed report on everything that had happened at Hongyan Restaurant.

After listening, Liu Jianguo pondered for a moment and said:

"You did the right thing. This Lianghe Rice Shop is the best stepping stone for us to establish our authority and expand. However, relying solely on our current elite brothers, we are more than capable of maintaining the status quo, but if we want to expand rapidly, we will be short-handed. Therefore, in the future, the Sword Group will serve as the core combat force, while we will vigorously develop the peripheral members, the 'Blue Lanterns,' who will be responsible for guarding the premises, collecting debts, gathering information, and supplementing the grassroots strength."