Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Chapter 125 Triumphant Return, Cheers

The sea breeze, carrying a strong salty and fishy smell, seeped into the hold through the cracks in the half-open wooden door.

Xilun slowly opened his eyes, and the long, deep-sea whale-like breathing within his chest gradually subsided.

He looked down at his hands, where the deep, bone-revealing wounds from his fierce underwater battle with Sislow had now scabbed over with a thick, dark red scab.

The powerful blood and qi flowed like a surging furnace, continuously washing over the limbs and bones, gradually smoothing out those throbbing, hidden injuries.

He pushed open the heavy oak door of the cabin, his leather boots making a dull thud on the slightly slippery wooden floor.

As he climbed the narrow stairs to the deck, the blinding sunlight instantly bathed him. Xiren squinted slightly, adjusting to the long-awaited brightness.

On the deck, the sea breeze billowed the huge white sails, making a rustling sound.

"It looks like our warriors have finished their rest."

A hearty laugh came from the side of the ship.

Wall leaned against the thick mast, toying with the rusty harpoon in his hand, his rough face beaming with undisguised joy.

Xilun turned his head, his gaze calmly sweeping over his surroundings.

"How is it?" Wall stepped forward, scrutinizing Xilun's complexion with keen eyes.

"It's fine," Xilun replied calmly, his voice revealing little emotion.

Wall laughed and patted Siren on the shoulder heavily: "After this, you're going to be in the limelight. The Brotherhood's higher-ups will definitely reward you handsomely."

Xilun was slightly taken aback; his keen senses instantly detected the unusual atmosphere around him.

He turned his head and looked at the sailors who were busy on the deck.

Originally, these rough men who made a living on the Grey River year after year looked at him with awe and alienation, which was the instinctive fear of ordinary people at the bottom of society towards the extraordinary.

But at this moment, those gazes changed.

Awe was ignited and transformed into a near-boiling frenzy.

A young sailor who was wiping the deck was so excited when he met Xilun's gaze that he dropped the rag in his hand. His face turned red and his lips trembled, as if he wanted to say something, but then he lowered his head in awe.

Siren understood the meaning behind that gaze. The Grey Hemp Pirates, this malignant tumor entrenched in the Siren's Anvil, were a mountain weighing on the hearts of all the sailors at White Raven Wharf.

Countless families were torn apart by pirate raids. On this ship alone, several sailors suffered the pain of losing loved ones or lived day and night in fear of being plundered.

Now, all of that is gone.

The man who, like a hero, tore through the pirate defenses underwater and beheaded the enemy chieftain, stood right in front of them.

In the center of the deck not far away, several shirtless sailors were wielding heavy iron hammers, smashing the gold and silver artifacts they had looted from the pirates' lair.

Or you could stomp on some soft goldware with your feet.

The crisp metallic clanging echoed across the sea as the exquisite candlesticks and goblets were roughly trampled into a heap, ready to be packed into the heavy tin boxes next to them for transport back to shore.

Siren watched this scene quietly, the glittering wealth failing to stir the slightest emotion in his eyes.

He looked away, facing the slightly biting sea breeze, and remained silent for a moment.

"I think I'll go back and rest."

He disliked being looked at like a god, as it gave him a strange sense of unreality.

As Wall watched Xilen turn and walk down the stairs, the admiration in his eyes grew even stronger.

Arrogance, composure, and cold rationality—this young man's character is far more terrifying than his displayed strength.

Meanwhile, at the White Crow Wharf Internal Affairs Building.

Yuri sat behind a large, luxurious desk, his brows furrowed tightly, the cigar between his fingers already half-burned, the long ash about to fall.

"Is the news true? The Iron Fist Gang is going to break the cooperation agreement?"

Yuri's voice was terrifyingly low, as if suppressing a volcano about to erupt.

Standing in front of the desk, Havil pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses and nodded solemnly. "That's how it seems, Lord Yuri. They've started driving our people away in several blocks of the lower city, and they're being extremely arrogant."

Yuri stubbed out his cigar in the crystal ashtray in frustration and rubbed his aching temples.

It's really a leak in the house that happened to rain in the night.

First, the Grey Hemp pirates wreaked havoc at sea, causing heavy losses to the docks.

Although Vol personally led the operation to encircle and annihilate them, Yuri was not optimistic about the operation from the bottom of his heart.

The Siren's Anvil, a place so easily defended yet difficult to attack, coupled with the dense underwater anti-submarine nets and poisonous fog, is practically a natural meat grinder.

For the encirclement and suppression to succeed, a miracle would be necessary.

Now, with the troubles at sea still unresolved, the Iron Fist Gang on land has begun to act aggressively again.

"It seems that the patriarch's aging has given those savages in the Iron Fist Gang confidence."

Yuri snorted coldly, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "They've started testing the Brotherhood's higher-ups."

The Iron Fist Gang, as one of the few mid-sized gangs in Lower Victoria that can compete with the Brotherhood, is a force to be reckoned with.

Five years ago, in order to avoid mutual destruction, the two forces signed a cooperation agreement, with one focusing on port and sea transportation and the other on land transportation, keeping to themselves and not interfering with each other.

But Yuri knew very well that the Iron Fist Gang had grown rapidly in recent years and had probably already absorbed the land market in the nearby streets.

The remaining market share is mostly controlled by powerful forces with aristocratic backgrounds in the upper city, and they are unable to expand at all.

So they started to consider shipping.

If they could wipe out the Brotherhood and take over White Crow Wharf in one fell swoop, achieving development through both land and sea transport, then the Iron Fist Gang would completely rise to become the overlord of the Lower City.

"If we don't show our strength once, they might really start eyeing White Raven Wharf." Yuri suddenly stood up, his eyes becoming unusually sharp.

Just as he was about to issue the order to prepare for battle, there was a sudden knock on the heavy wooden door of his office.

A panting messenger stood at the door and reported loudly, "Lord Yuri, Lord Vol's fleet is about to return! They're in sight!"

Yuri stopped abruptly. He paused for a moment, then glanced at the clock on the wall.

"You're back so soon?" Yuri's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition instantly welled up in his heart.

Even if the encirclement and suppression operation had proceeded at a normal pace and reached a stalemate, it would have been impossible to return in such a short time.

Unless—it suffered a crushing defeat and was forced to retreat.

"I understand." Yuri took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the panic in his heart. As the person in charge of the dock, he had to stabilize the situation under these circumstances.

He turned to look at Haiweier and said in a deep voice, "Haiweier, change into something decent and come out with me."

Ten minutes later, a black steam car drove out of the Interior Building.

Yuri changed into a sharp black suit and sat in the back seat of the car, his brow furrowed.

Hevy skillfully drove the car from the front, the only sound inside being the dull roar of the steam engine.

Yuri's mind was racing. He started thinking about how to use his words to take the blame for this defeat once they arrived at the dock.

There was really nothing they could do about the Grey Hemp Pirates, so they could only strengthen their defenses and patrols to minimize losses.

The most important thing now is the Iron Fist Gang; we absolutely cannot let them see the Brotherhood's internal weakness.

"How to praise the crew's bravery — how to cover up failure — how to boost morale —"

Yuri silently prepared a plan in his mind: "It would be best to reward them with money to shut them up."

The car stopped at the edge of the dock. Yuri could already vaguely see several white sails on the distant sea.

He opened the car door and strode towards the pier, with Haiweier following closely behind.

As the ship drew closer, Yuri suddenly slowed his pace, a hint of undisguised doubt flashing in his eyes.

He discovered that although the armed merchant ship was somewhat damaged, it did not seem to have experienced that desperate and brutal baptism of gunfire.

The deck was very clean, with very little blood.

What surprised him even more was that the ship was in a very deep draft and looked very heavy, as if it were loaded with some kind of heavy cargo.

"What's going on?" Yuri asked, increasingly puzzled.

When the ship finally docked, Yuri was completely stunned.

He saw Wall standing at the bow, beaming with joy and full of energy, showing no trace of the dejection of a defeated general.

The other crew members on deck were also overjoyed, putting their arms around each other's shoulders, their expressions as if they had won an unprecedented victory.

A crazy idea suddenly popped into Yuri's mind, but he immediately suppressed it.

Before long, the heavy planks were placed on the pier.

Wall stepped down first, facing the growing crowd on the dock, and suddenly drew his sword from his waist, raising it high.

"This operation was a resounding success!"

With the boost of his vital energy, Vol's powerful voice instantly resounded throughout the entire White Raven Wharf: "Grey Hemp Pirates, wiped out from the ranks!"

Dead silence.

A brief silence fell over the entire dock. The gazes of the crowd shifted from initial surprise and doubt to contemplation, and finally to utter shock.

"The pirates—are they gone?" an old fisherman murmured in a trembling voice.

The next second, cheers erupted like a volcanic eruption, soaring into the sky.

"Long live!"

"Long live Lord Wall!"

People cheered wildly, bringing their families and flocking from the nearby streets to the dock.

There were dock workers, nearby residents, and even children with wide-eyed expressions.

Upon learning of the complete annihilation of the nightmare-like Gray Hemp Pirate, everyone rejoiced.

The people on the boat slowly disembarked, receiving the love and cheers of the crowd.

Xilun mingled in the crowd, quietly watching the people on the shore who had gone mad.

It was the first time he had been stared at by so many people, and the fervent gazes made him subconsciously feel somewhat uncomfortable.

He prefers to hide in the shadows and tear his enemies' throats with his claws rather than stand here and receive worship.

Wall turned around, his gaze locking onto Xiren in the crowd.

"Now!" Wall roared, drowning out the surrounding noise, "Let us welcome the most outstanding and valiant warrior of this operation—Silon!"

Wall strode forward, grabbed Xilen's arm, and pulled him to the front of the stage without giving him a chance to refuse.

The cheers from the crowd rose to another level.

A woman in a floral dress squeezed through the crowd, holding a wreath woven from wildflowers in her hands.

She walked up to Xilun, her eyes sparkling with undisguised admiration and respect.

Xilun paused, looked into those expectant eyes, and finally lowered his head slightly.

The woman hung the wreath around his neck, then stood on tiptoe and gave Siron a hard kiss on the cheek.

Xilun opened his mouth, feeling the lingering warmth on his cheek, but said nothing.

"To celebrate the annihilation of the pirates!" Yuri finally snapped out of his shock, strode forward, and announced in a booming voice, "All crew members, three days off! Join the bonfire party at the dock tonight!"

The cheers nearly lifted the dome off the dock.

The revelry on the docks continued, but Siren had already been pulled by Walter through the crowd and into a secluded room in the Internal Affairs Building.

Yuri followed closely behind, pushed open the door, and locked it behind him, shutting out the noise from outside.

"What exactly happened?" Yuri turned around, his gaze fixed on Wall, his usually composed face now filled with disbelief.

Wall walked to the table, poured himself a glass of strong liquor, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. The spicy liquid rolled down his throat, making him let out a satisfied sigh.

"Just like what was said outside." Wall put down his glass and turned his gaze to Siren, who was standing in the shadows. "Siren wiped out the Grey Hemp Pirates."

Yuri frowned, his hands on the table, leaning slightly forward: "How is this possible? The anti-submarine net of the Siren's Anvil..."

Thick fog, and that madman Sislow! Tell me, how did he manage that all by himself?

Yuri couldn't imagine such a scene. A newcomer who had only recently been promoted to a first-order baptized, single-handedly taking down an entire pirate stronghold? It was like an absurd scene from a fairy tale.

Wall took a deep breath and explained simply, "He was an excellent swimmer and had a special breathing technique. He dived underwater alone, crossed the Siren's Anvil's anti-submarine net, and beheaded the Grey Hemp pirate crew in the night."

After listening to Wall's description, Yuri fell into a long silence.

He glanced at Xilun's calm, expressionless face, his gaze finally settling on Xilun's long, strong hands.

He knew that it was these very hands that had torn apart the pirates' defenses in the deep sea.

After a long time, Yuri finally accepted this insane fact.

He walked up to Xilen, patted him hard on the shoulder, and said with undisguised admiration, "I've always thought highly of you, Xilen. But I really didn't expect it to all happen so quickly."

Yuri laughed, a smile tinged with the shrewdness and mercenary nature of a businessman: "Let Xilun go and rest. As a warrior, he should be outside to receive the cheers and kisses of the crowd."

At this point, Yuri raised an eyebrow, a hint of teasing in his tone: "And I remember you don't have a partner yet, right?"

With your current fame, you could probably make all those girls who have eyes for you kneel down and lick your fingers with just a snap of your fingers.

Siren's expression remained unchanged. He coldly replied, "They merely respect my actions, or rather, the aura of slaying pirates surrounding me. It has nothing to do with me personally."

Yuri shrugged and laughed, "Alright, since you're not interested, you can listen to what follows."

This concerns the interests of all of us.