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

"hiss--"

Gao Hansheng and Qian Du both gasped.

They had long heard of Du Zhenyun's ruthlessness; he was either still or, when he did act, it was like thunder, determined to eliminate any threat at all.

If he were truly determined, it wouldn't be impossible for him to use the power of Renshe, along with Du Zhenyun's methods, to devise a plan to ambush and kill a master of the Iron Tendon Realm!

Seeing the two men's faces turn deathly pale, Wei Hong snorted coldly:

"What's the panic?"

He bent down, picked up a coarse cloth bundle, placed it on the table, and untied it to reveal several purses.

Two black purses, made of coarse cloth, exuded a strong, nauseating stench of water, silt, and rotting entrails.

Others were white sachets, which emitted a pungent, sour smell, similar to heated vinegar mixed with herbs.

Wei Hong pushed the black purse in front of the two men and gave them some white purses as well.

Gao Hansheng, enduring the stench, squeezed the black packet; it seemed to contain dried powder.

"Master, what is this?"

A terrifying smile stretched across Wei Hong's scarred face, his single eye gleaming with fanaticism: "Have you heard of that 'old geezer' in Songjiang?"

Gao and Qian were taken aback.

Some vague and terrifying rumors, buried deep in the old boatman's drunken ramblings, suddenly surged into my mind.

"Are you referring to 'Jiang the Paralyzed' or 'Rotten Meat'?"

Gao Hansheng's voice trembled.

"Yes, that's it! 'Yanshizhen Sui' is the name on its inscription."

Wei Hong nodded, his single eye shining even brighter. "No matter what you call it, just remember, it's the truly deadly 'ancestor' of this river! Iron bark? It's no different from fish and shrimp in front of it!"

He pointed to the black pouch: "Inside are specially made 'bait' and 'trigger' to provoke it. Try to sprinkle it on the target, not on the iron bars sent by Du Zhenyun, but to help you escape to the Tongxin Society's large industrial areas, such as those textile factories along the river."

"As soon as it gets even a little bit of that smell, this 'Jiang the Paralyzed' will 'wake up' from the rotten mud and corpses like a shark that's smelled blood, fixated on that scent, and fight to the death! Until he smashes them to pieces and devours them completely!"

Qian Du hurriedly held up the white purse: "Then this white one?"

"This is the ash residue of 'Avoiding Fragrance,' which the monster loathes. It will run away whenever it smells it."

Wei Hongdao said, "Give each of your men a piece of stone skin. Before you start, make sure to sprinkle the white one first, then the black one! If you get the order wrong, you're asking for death! As for those who aren't stone skin... well, they're dead, they're worthless."

Gao Hansheng raised an eyebrow: "We can just deploy the stone slabs to reduce casualties..."

"No, some people still need to die, just to cover it up a bit and deal with the police."

Wei Hong interrupted him, his single eye deep and unfathomable, "You're thinking too simply. Did the higher-ups really bestow this thing just to deal with a few Iron-Boned Men? Do they even deserve it?"

He lowered his voice, carrying a chilling undertone: "These 'ominous' beings are even more intelligent than humans. The elders say they have secretly united as one, and anyone who dares to harm them will face bloody retribution."

"So this seemingly retaliatory action by the Tong Kam Wing Casino is actually..."

"First, we can use the opportunity of their retaliation against us to lure out this monster and take the opportunity to destroy the Tongxin Society's large industrial area."

"Second, if the Tongxin Society attacks or even kills this monster... then they will offend these terrifying things, and that will be a fight to the death."

"So remember this: once you confirm the other party's actions and become aware of them, you must lead them to the Tongxin Society's industrial area, those few textile factories along the river."

"I can vaguely guess their plan. They will probably try to lure one or both of you away from the Golden Jade Pavilion gambling den, into their ambush location, and then kill you."

"We're just like them, using the same tricks! They lure you in, you pretend to fall for their trap, and then you lure them in!"

"Once we lure them to the right area, when the time is right, we'll scatter the black ash and use the white ash to protect ourselves. At that point, what can Du Zhenyun do, even if he sends three or five Iron-Muscle Bone or Mercury-Blood Bone warriors? Among the Ming Jin cultivators, no one can survive this 'Rotten Flesh's' 'Swallowing River Force'!"

Gao Hansheng and Qian Du clutched their purses tightly, the cold fabric feeling as if it weighed a ton.

The stench and sourness constantly filled their nostrils, reminding them of the terrifying and bizarre power they wielded.

They had never seen that monster before.

But after hearing Wei Hong say that, they realized how powerful that thing was.

Within the realm of Ming Jin, none can rival him!

"Understood, Master!"

The two nodded emphatically, their voices trembling with nervousness and excitement.

Wei Hong leaned back in his chair with satisfaction: "Go, prepare well. Make the performance convincing, and bait the hooks properly. Remember, as long as you're by the river, cooperate with their act. They'll guess we're making moves, but they'll never guess that the higher-ups have actually developed something like this..."

……

Three days later, at Huai Ren Tang.

Hu Tiannan's study was filled with the smell of cigars.

He leaned back in the rosewood chair, with Hua Wendong standing in front of him with his hands hanging down.

"How is Lin Fusheng recovering at Jinrong Gambling House?"

"Reporting to the Hall Master, I used the good medicine allocated by the association, and I recovered very quickly. I am already able to get out of bed and practice my skills."

Hu Tiannan narrowed his eyes and exhaled a puff of smoke: "What do you think, should we go and recruit him now?"

Hua Wendong was taken aback: "Recruit him? Isn't he Rong Chongming's man? And this time we..."

Hu Tiannan waved his hand to interrupt: "Times have changed. He was pushed up by Rong Chongming, but now his life is in our hands! For a kid who hasn't even broken through the stone's skin, this is a hopeless situation. Rong Chongming can't protect him, and may have even abandoned him."

He flicked his cigarette ash and said slowly, "The Jinrong Gambling House is a lucrative prize, and it's not just Rong Chongming and I who are eyeing it. Once Lin Fusheng is dead and his position becomes vacant, it'll be another chaotic battle, with too many variables. But what if... we could bring him to our side?"

Hua Wendong's eyes gradually brightened.

Hu Tiannan continued, "Now is the best time to win him over. What does a dying man crave most? To live! As long as he's not out of his mind, he should know what to choose. This is an opportunity to make him wag his tail and show his loyalty, and also an opportunity for us to reduce trouble and increase our bargaining power."

Hua Wendong revealed a sinister smile: "Master, you're brilliant! Once he switches sides with us, wouldn't Rong Chongming become a clown? But... it seems that President Du also wants Lin Fu dead."

"I'll handle President Du's side."

Hu Tiannan waved his hand, "Just go and do it, and do it well. Remember, we're here to 'provide timely help' and 'show him the way.'"

"clear!"

Hua Wendong bowed, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.