Half-human, half-ghost, the number one divine fist

Du Zhenyun raised his eyelids slightly and said calmly, "Take your men and guard outside. Without my permission, not a single fly is allowed in or out."

"Yes! Yes!"

The guard captain, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, hurriedly waved his hand and led his men to the other side of the street, where they set up a makeshift cordon and drove away the growing crowd of onlookers.

Du Zhenyun then stepped into the gambling den.

Rong Chongming and Hu Tiannan followed closely behind.

As soon as the three entered, the front hall, which had been filled with low moans and panting, fell completely silent.

The thugs who were still standing all lowered their heads and even held their breath.

A strong stench of blood, mixed with smoke and fear, filled the air.

Du Zhenyun's gaze slowly swept over the mess on the ground, lingering for a moment on the two corpses dressed in Jin Yulou clothing, Lao Hei and Yin Zhi, then glancing at Men Ye's limp, groaning state with both arms crippled, before finally landing on the unconscious Lin Fusheng.

His face remained expressionless, but his fingers, which had been fiddling with the walnuts, stopped.

Rong Chongming and Hu Tiannan both recognized the identities of the corpses and the living people lying there. Jin Yulou's Lao Hei and Yin Zhi looked like they were dead beyond dead.

Monno has been rendered useless; he's a cripple now.

Lin Fusheng... was practically a cripple, covered in blood.

Rong Chongming's face was grim. He squatted down and carefully examined Lin Fusheng's injuries, especially the deep, bone-revealing knife wound on his right arm and the charred blackening of his left fist. His expression became even more grim.

He reached out and checked Lin Fusheng's breathing and pulse; they were weak, but still present.

A complex, dark glint flashed in the depths of Rong Chongming's eyes.

If Lin Fusheng is crippled or even fails to wake up, then his investment over the past few months and his plans at the Fu'an gambling den will be greatly diminished, if not entirely wasted.

It seems this piece has lost its value.

Pity.

Hu Tiannan also observed coldly from the side.

Seeing Lin Fusheng unconscious and on the verge of death, Hu Tiannan felt a surge of pleasure.

Unexpectedly, Lin Fusheng is still alive.

Judging from his appearance, he seems to have been crippled. Even if he wakes up, he'll be half-crippled.

Rong Chongming suffered a significant loss this time.

With Lin Fusheng dead, he can send someone to compete for the other leader position.

Thinking of this, Hu Tiannan's face showed a timely expression of heaviness and regret.

To his surprise, Lao Hei and Yin Zhi were both dead, and Men Ye looked completely useless. What exactly happened?

Logically speaking, only Lin Fusheng should have died in the end; the others shouldn't have suffered such a tragic fate.

"What happened?"

At this moment, Du Zhenyun spoke, his voice not loud, but it made everyone hold their breath.

He looked at Xiao Tian and the others, who were huddled in the corner, their faces pale. "You, come over here and explain yourself."

Xiao Tian stepped forward cautiously, stammering, but managed to give a general account of what had happened.

Jin Yulou and his accomplice, along with more than a dozen skilled fighters, stormed the door. How did Lin Fusheng deal with them? How did Men Ye "help" him and then launch a surprise attack? How did Lin Fusheng fight three against one, severely injuring Lao Hei and Yin Zhi, and finally crippling Men Ye...?

As Xiao Tian narrated, Du Zhenyun's fat face remained unchanged, while Rong Chongming and Hu Tiannan's expressions changed slightly.

Lin Fusheng did not have a stone skin.

He fought against three stone skinners single-handedly, killing two and crippling one.

Hu Tiannan frowned. Was Lin Fusheng really that good at fighting?

Rong Chongming's face was extremely gloomy.

What a waste of a promising talent.

At this moment, Rong Chongming stepped forward, his leather shoes stomping heavily on Men Ye's crippled ankle, grinding it with slight force.

"ah--!"

Monno let out a bloodcurdling scream like a pig being slaughtered.

"Speak," Rong Chongming's voice was as cold as ice, "Who gave you permission to lay a hand on Lin Fusheng?"

The intense pain and the fear of facing the three powerful figures completely shattered Men Ye's defenses. Tears streamed down his face as he screamed, "It was Hua Wendong! Chief Hua! He... he said that as long as Lin Fu lived or died, he would push me to the chief position and that Hall Master Hu would also support me! He was the one who ordered it all! Spare me, President Du! Uncle Rong! Hall Master Hu!"

"Hua Wendong?"

Rong Chongming looked at Hu Tiannan.

The moment Men Ye called out his name, Hu Tiannan's expression changed drastically, and a hint of panic and rage flashed in his eyes.

What an idiot!

How dare they bite in public!

Before Rong Chongming could ask any more questions, Hu Tiannan strode forward, his face filled with 'rage' and 'heartache,' and shouted, 'You traitorous beast who harms your own sect! What use are you!'

Before he finished speaking, he raised his foot, clad in a sturdy leather shoe, and stomped hard on Menye's temple!

"puff!"

A muffled thud.

Monno's screams abruptly stopped. His head tilted to one side at an eerie angle, his eyes wide open, and he instantly stopped breathing.

The entire foyer was deathly silent.

Only Hu Tiannan's slightly heavy breathing could be heard.

Rong Chongming stared at Hu Tiannan with cold, sharp eyes, but did not immediately lash out.

Du Zhenyun merely glanced at Men Ye's corpse, then looked at Hu Tiannan, his face remaining expressionless, as if he had simply stepped on an ant.

The atmosphere was so heavy it was suffocating.

After a few seconds, Du Zhenyun slowly spoke, his voice calm and even:

"Alright. Let's treat this child's injuries first."

He pointed to the unconscious Lin Fusheng and instructed a trusted aide behind him, "Go and fetch Dr. Zhong, who is supported by the association, immediately. Examine him carefully; I need to know the exact situation."

"Yes, Master Du."

The confidant bowed and quickly left.

Du Zhenyun glanced again at the mess on the ground:

"Call someone in and clean this place up. Bury what needs to be buried, and treat what needs to be treated."

At this point, his gaze fell on Rong Chongming and Hu Tiannan, "You two, come with me to the backyard."

After saying that, he leaned on his walking stick and took the lead towards the narrow corridor leading to the backyard.

Rong Chongming and Hu Tiannan exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with cold wariness and scrutiny, before silently following behind.

The backyard was much quieter than the front hall; this was where Lin Fusheng practiced his martial arts.

Du Zhenyun stopped in the center of the courtyard, turned around, and glanced at Rong Chongming and Hu Tiannan.

His hands, which were playing with the walnuts, slowly began to move again, making a crackling sound that was particularly clear in the quiet courtyard.

"Tiannan," Du Zhenyun finally spoke, his tone still calm and unreadable, "you've gone a bit too far this time."

Hu Tiannan's heart skipped a beat, but he forced himself to remain calm and bowed slightly: "Uncle Du, I..."

Du Zhenyun raised his hand, stopping him from speaking.

"Hua Wendong is one of your Huai Rentang people. He colluded with foreign enemies to murder his fellow head of the sect. Even if you were unaware of this beforehand, you cannot escape the responsibility of failing to manage your subordinates properly and for neglecting your duties."

Hu Tiannan's expression changed, and he wanted to explain, but looking into Du Zhenyun's calm yet unfathomable eyes, all his words stuck in his throat.

He knew the vice president's temperament well; the calmer he appeared, the more severe the punishment would usually be.

"Jinrong Casino suffered a significant loss this time."

Du Zhenyun continued slowly and deliberately, as if discussing the weather, "There has to be some compensation, for Rong Chongming, and for the association to give an explanation."

He paused, looking at Hu Tiannan: "The 'Silver Sand Bathhouse' you recently set up at the Third Wharf is doing quite well. From now on, that 30% share of the profits will go to Anrentang. Consider it compensation for this mistake, and also a lesson for you."

Throughout the entire process of providing compensation, Lin Fusheng was never mentioned, as if Lin Fusheng was not very important to him.

Hu Tiannan suddenly looked up, his facial muscles twitching.

Yinsha Bathhouse was a lucrative business that he had acquired after much effort and by pulling strings. It was a goldmine, and a 30% profit margin was no small sum!

His heart was bleeding!

But faced with Du Zhenyun's seemingly negotiating yet unquestionable gaze, and Rong Chongming's cold, scrutinizing eyes beside him, he knew he had no room to refuse.

"Yes, Uncle Du. Tiannan... As you command."

Upon hearing this, Rong Chongming's expression softened slightly, but his eyes remained deep.

This was merely a tactic used by Du Zhenyun to balance the two sides and quell the incident.

While the 30% profit from Yinsha Bathhouse is considerable, it's hard to say whether it's a bigger or smaller loss compared to the potential ruin Lin Fusheng might suffer.

If Lin Fusheng is ruined this time, he may be unable to control Jinrong Casino, which is not something that money can solve.

Ultimately, Du Zhenyun's reluctance to delve into Hu Tiannan and Hua Wendong's collusion with foreign enemies stemmed primarily from a desire to maintain stability and prevent the internal conflicts within Renshe from escalating completely.

Tapping.

Just then, the confidant who had just left led an elderly man carrying a medicine box, wearing glasses, and with a cautious expression into the room.

This person is Dr. Zhong, a renowned physician supported by the Tongxin Society.

Dr. Zhong had just finished examining Lin Fusheng and received the results when he rushed over.

After bowing slightly to Du Zhenyun and the others, he spoke with a hint of barely perceptible surprise:

"Master Du, both hall masters. This young man's injuries look severe, but in reality, they haven't damaged his core. Although the knife wound on his right arm is deep, fortunately, it hasn't completely destroyed the main meridians; the burn on his left fist seems to contain a venomous substance, but it has been largely neutralized by an extremely strong flow of qi and blood, and hasn't invaded his heart. The main reason he's unconscious is due to excessive depletion of qi and blood, coupled with blood loss, leaving him slightly weak. But..."

Doctor Zhong paused, seemingly considering his choice of words.

"However, his foundation is so solid and his blood and energy are so vigorous that they far surpass those of ordinary martial artists of the same age. In fact, they are no less than some experts who have been in the Stone Skin Realm for many years. With the best blood-nourishing medicines and careful conditioning, and ten days of bed rest, he should be able to recover most of his strength without leaving any disability or harming his future in martial arts."

After he finished speaking, an eerie silence fell over the courtyard.

Not useless?

It didn't fail!

Rong Chongming's previously dull eyes suddenly lit up.

For him, this news was like a ray of hope after a long period of despair.

In this way, he was spared the trouble of finding and cultivating new pawns to occupy the position of Jinrong Casino.

It's unbelievable that Lin Fusheng, who looked so thin and weak before, turned out to be such a solid person, managing to withstand such scheming and preserve his foundation.

One person, facing three stone surfaces.

It's already remarkable that they survived; killing two and crippling one has surprised many people.

Normally, it would be quite reasonable for Lin Fusheng to be dismissed.

But now it can return to normal very quickly.

It seems that it's far too early to cut my losses on this investment.

Hu Tiannan's face turned ashen instantly.

The pain he had just suppressed due to the loss of profits from Yinsha Bathhouse was now completely engulfed by a more intense anger and a sense of miscalculation.

Not useless?

Are you kidding me?

A solid foundation and abundant Qi and blood?

How is that possible!

Hu Tiannan felt a tightness in his chest, making him feel suffocated.

He meticulously planned and even lost 30% of the net profit of Yinsha Bathhouse, only to have the other party lie down for a few days in return.

This is a classic case of trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead!

What worried him even more was that this incident would likely significantly diminish his standing and reputation in President Du's eyes.

Moreover, given Master Du's personality, he would never let Jin Yulou's blatant provocation go unpunished, and a counterattack would inevitably follow.

The task of leading the retaliation will most likely fall to me.

Who made this trouble happen because of him?

At that time, manpower losses and resource depletion will be inevitable.

Thinking of this, Hu Tiannan clenched his back teeth.

Du Zhenyun's expression remained calm, and he didn't seem to care too much.

"Use some good medicine. If you need anything, just go to the warehouse and get it. Just mention my name."

"Yes, Master Du."

Doctor Zhong bowed and agreed, then withdrew.

After Doctor Zhong left, Du Zhenyun looked at the two of them and said in a calm tone:

"Now it's time to talk about our actions against Jin Yulou."

Hu Tiannan's heart sank.

He knew this Vice President Du all too well.

The more understated the words are, the more weighty they will be when they follow.

"Jin Yulou has overstepped its bounds this time."

Du Zhenyun slowly twirled the walnuts.

"They broke down my door in the street, killed my gambling den's people, and even colluded with an insider to murder the boss. If we don't give them a proper response, the other gambling dens on Songjiang Beach, and those watching from the sidelines, will probably think that my Tongxin Huiren Society is a clay idol with only incense burning left."

He paused briefly, his eyes sweeping over Rong Chongming and Hu Tiannan, finally settling on the latter's slightly tense face.

"Therefore, this time, we can't just scratch the surface. We have to draw blood, and draw a lot of blood."

Du Zhenyun's tone remained calm, yet carried an undeniable decisiveness.

"At the very least, Jin Yulou must lose one of its most skilled fighters. They need to break one of their bones. Otherwise, if anyone dares to try their luck at Renshe's place, how can the rules be upheld?"

Iron bars!

Hu Tiannan's heart skipped a beat.

Killing and defeating, or severely injuring, are two completely different concepts.

This means that they may also have to pay a price.

"This is non-negotiable," Du Zhenyun declared decisively. "The three Iron-Tendons have set this up, and we must ensure that one of Jin Yulou's Iron-Tendons is eliminated. As for the candidate..."

His gaze shifted to Hu Tiannan, the meaning of which was crystal clear.

Hu Tiannan felt a rush of blood to his head.

All three of them want my Huai Ren Tang to pay for it?

This is definitely not an easy task; it seems that if the three of them team up, killing one would not be difficult.

But Jin Yulou isn't a pushover; they might be secretly plotting something, just waiting for us to take the bait.

Perhaps, not only will they fail to kill Tie Jin, but they will also lose three of their own men.

All of these are possible.

"Uncle Du, do you expect Huai Ren Tang to shoulder this death battle alone? Even if we succeed, Huai Ren Tang will be severely damaged."

"The reason we sent you out is because the root of the problem lies with you."

Du Zhenyun was blunt: "If you're wrong, you have to accept the punishment. Otherwise, what will the brothers in the gang think of you? How will the brothers in other branches be convinced?"