One week after the long, blood-soaked night at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.
Outwardly, the City of Chaos had returned to its usual chaotic state. But those with true influence in the underworld could feel an eerily terrifying silence beneath that chaos. It was like the calm sea just before a tsunami.
The Crazy Sand Gang, the once hegemon of the eastern district, had completely collapsed. Gang Boss Manh Tam was severely injured, his life or death unknown. The two Vice Bosses had plunged into a mutual slaughter until both perished. Their entire territory—the lucrative gambling dens and taverns—had become ownerless meat, triggering countless minor skirmishes among third and fourth-rate factions.
The Black Dragon Stronghold and the Phantom Shadow Pavilion, the two remaining tigers, remained strangely inactive. They were like two injured pythons, only able to snarl and probe each other, neither daring to strike first. The loss of the Demon General Medallion and the humiliation at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion had cost them dearly, and more importantly, their mutual suspicion had reached its peak.
The entire City of Chaos was in an incredibly bizarre paradigm. A paradigm of a power vacuum.
And precisely within this paradigm, a new faction had quietly risen from the ashes.
The Vô Sect.
They did not act openly. They operated like phantoms. Today, a gambling den caught in a bloody dispute would suddenly be taken over by a group of mysterious men in black. Tomorrow, an important smuggling route would abruptly change hands. Those who resisted vanished without a trace. Those who submitted were rewarded with wealth and allowed to retain a portion of their profits.
Hardness and softness, awe and grace were utilized with masterful proficiency.
In the short span of a week, nearly half of the Crazy Sand Gang's territory had quietly fallen into the hands of this mysterious faction bearing the character "VÔ". Not only did they seize land, but they also won the hearts of countless men who had grown sick of a life of meaningless slaughter.
It was only now that the Blood Demoness and Blood Shadow realized in horror. While their two tigers were busy snarling at each other, a shark had quietly swallowed nearly all the small fish in the pond.
At the Nameless Tavern. The underground secret chamber.
The atmosphere was no longer solemn; it overflowed with excitement and fanatical zeal. Nearly a hundred Blood Fiend Guards stood there, their gazes directed at the head seat, brimming with absolute reverence.
"Lord!" Thiet Phu reported respectfully, his voice unable to hide his agitation. "The plan was a flawless success! Over half of the eastern district is in our hands! More than two hundred subordinates of the Crazy Sand Gang have begged to join the Vô Sect!"
Faceless remained seated, quiet and completely unfazed.
"Has the Blood Demoness received the 'Crimson Visage Pill'?" he asked.
"To answer the Lord, she has. Exactly as you predicted, the Phantom Shadow Pavilion has made absolutely no movements. They have even covertly ordered their subordinates not to cause trouble for us."
"Good," Faceless nodded. "What about the Black Dragon Stronghold?"
"They are... incredibly infuriated," Thiet Phu said, hesitating slightly. "Blood Shadow has ordered his forces to gather. I fear... they are about to lose their restraint."
"Losing restraint is exactly what I want," Faceless sneered. "A ferocious beast only reveals its greatest flaws when it is enraged."
He stood up, unrolling the map of the City of Chaos. "Time is running short. It is time for this chessboard to end."
He looked at the map, which was now densely marked with new symbols. These were the strongholds, secret routes, and habits of the Black Dragon Stronghold that the Blood Fiend Guards had investigated over the past month.
"Blood Shadow is a cunning man; he will never launch a frontal assault," Tran Kien analyzed. "He will definitely employ the stratagem of 'Besieging the Stronghold to Annihilate the Relief Force'. He will send a small group to attack one of our new gambling dens to lure our main force out for rescue, while laying an ambush midway."
"Then... what should we do?"
"Since he wants to put on a play, we shall act along with him," Faceless said, his eyes glinting with a terrifyingly frigid light. "But the one who dictates the script... must be us."
He pointed to a gambling den named "Great Fortune." "This place is geographically secluded, easy to attack but hard to defend. Blood Shadow will definitely choose this as his point of attack."
"Thiet Phu," he commanded. "You shall personally lead fifty Blood Fiend Guards and openly rush to the rescue. Act your part well. Appear extremely hot-headed and hasty."
"Then what about the Lord..."
"Me?" The corners of Faceless's mouth curled up beneath the brim of his hat. "I am going to watch a different play."
He pointed to a completely different location on the map. A three-story building that looked utterly ordinary. "This is the treasury and the most important secret stronghold of the Black Dragon Stronghold in the City of Chaos. Blood Shadow will certainly believe that the most dangerous place is the safest place, and will not leave many guards behind. He wants to 'Besiege the Stronghold to Annihilate the Relief Force' against us. Then we shall answer him with a move of 'Draining the Pond to Catch the Fish'!"
"While his entire force is out ambushing you, I," he said, his voice not loud, yet causing everyone present to feel their very souls tremble. "Shall bring a single saber, and single-handedly raze his lair to the ground."
An insane plan! An absolute, unyielding confidence!
Thiet Phu and all the Blood Fiend Guards froze. Then, an unprecedented fanatical zeal ignited in their eyes.
This Lord didn't just possess strategy. He also possessed a tyrannical dominance unmatched by anyone!
"THIS SUBORDINATE OBEYS THE COMMAND!"
That night.
When the Black Dragon Stronghold began their operation, attacking the Great Fortune gambling den.
When Thiet Phu, "in a thunderous rage," led a mighty force charging out of the Nameless Tavern.
When Blood Shadow, feeling incredibly smug, hid himself in an alleyway, waiting for his prey to fall into the net.
A black shadow, completely soundless, gently landed like a falling leaf upon the eaves of the secret building—the very place hoarding all the wealth and secrets of the Black Dragon Stronghold.
The true fisherman was no longer just catching fish.
This time, he intended to tear the entire net apart.