Republic of China era: A hundred-year-old still practicing martial arts? Is that right?

The mornings at Jufulou Casino are always more lively than anywhere else.

The dice cup flickered in the dealer's hand, then slammed down on the greasy octagonal table with a "thud".

"Come on! Bet on big or small! Place your bets now!"

……

At the most spacious table in the corner, a dozen shirtless men sat crookedly, their fierce dragon tattoos gleaming with a bluish light.

"Bang!"

The wooden door of the gambling den was kicked open.

The morning light streamed into the gambling den, making everyone squint.

"Don't move! Police are investigating!"

A dozen or so police officers, carrying long guns, stormed into the gambling den.

The fat constable, with his protruding belly, walked in, brandishing his baton.

Inside the casino, a single man grabbed a machete and a stool with a "whoosh":

"Where did this bastard come from, daring to trespass on the Sea Dragon Gang's territory? Are you tired of living?"

"You've all gone too far!" The fat sheriff's face darkened. "Put down your weapons, or don't blame me for being impolite!"

The atmosphere inside the casino instantly became tense!

"Stop it, all of you!"

A loud shout came from the stairs.

Zhou Hu, dressed in a black short jacket, came down with his trusted aides, his face fierce.

"Chief Wang, what brings you here? Coming to my place so early in the morning?"

Chief Inspector Wang snorted coldly and took out a black token: "Si Dezhao, the pharmacist in the south of the city, was killed last night. This was left at the scene."

Zhou Hu's expression changed instantly. He turned his head to look at his subordinates around him, his eyes filled with confusion.

Everyone looked at each other.

"Boss, we didn't do it."

Behind Zhou Hu, someone leaned forward and whispered something.

Zhou Hu turned back again: "Officer Wang, even if the Haijiao Gang wanted to kill someone, would they be stupid enough to leave their token at the scene? This is clearly a frame-up!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the thugs swarmed around him, their machetes gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

In the crowd, Zhou Jin, the Red Flower Stick, hesitated for a moment, about to speak, but was glared at fiercely by Zhou Hu, and swallowed back the words he was about to say.

Shen Jinluan leaned against the second floor, her gaze sweeping over Zhou Jinquan, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes.

"You've rebelled! You've rebelled!"

Sergeant Wang roared, drew his pistol from his waist, and fired a shot into the air!

"Bang!"

The moment the gunshot rang out, the casino fell into a deathly silence.

"Hey, fighting and killing so early in the morning, it's so unpleasant to see each other off."

A languid and charming voice came from the stairs.

Shen Jinluan, dressed in a red cheongsam, leaned against the stair railing, a jade pipe between her lips, exhaling a smoke ring.

With the clatter of her high heels on the stairs, Shen Jinluan walked to Zhou Hu's side and gently patted his arm.

Zhou Hu immediately took half a step back.

"Chief Constable Wang."

Shen Jinluan smiled sweetly, her voice as soft as cotton:

"Our leader is a rough man and doesn't know how to talk, so please bear with him."

"However, it would be too hasty to convict us based solely on this token."

Chief Constable Wang's expression changed. With pressure from above, he had no choice but to target the Sea Dragon Gang.

"Your tokens were found at the scene; you can't shake off the suspicion."

"Until the truth is uncovered, no member of the Haijiao Gang is allowed to leave Jiangcheng and must be ready to be summoned at any time!"

After saying that, he turned and left the gambling den with his men.

As soon as the police left, the thugs went wild.

"Shut up, all of you!"

Shen Jinluan gave a cold shout, and the entire room fell silent instantly.

"Zhou Jin, you come up here too."

……

Second floor help room.

Shen Jinluan sat cross-legged in her armchair, tapping her pipe: "Were you going to fight the police just now?"

Zhou Hu lowered his head, cold sweat pouring down his face: "I can't stand it!"

"You're angry? You think one sentence, 'I'm angry,' is enough? What if we shut down the gambling den? What will the brothers starve to eat?"

"Think before you act in the future, don't be a reckless brute!" Shen Jinluan waved her hand: "Get lost!"

Zhou Hu quickly left the gang leader's room.

As soon as the door closed, Shen Jinluan looked up at Zhou Jin: "What were you trying to say?"

Zhou Jin replied in a deep voice, "Last night, the steward of the Si family came to me, gave me ten silver dollars, and asked me to go to Dog Tail Alley to kill an old man."

Shen Jinluan leaned back in her armchair, her fingertips tracing the pipe, and smiled charmingly:

"Ten silver dollars to kill an old man? Interesting! Go ahead."

Zhou Jin acknowledged and withdrew.

Shen Jinluan was the only one left in the room.

Who exactly is trying to frame the Sea Dragon Gang?

The White Wolf Gang? They've been eyeing the territory in the south of the city and want to use the police station to suppress the Sea Dragon Gang?

Or is it the Gelaohui (a secret society)? I had a dispute with them at the docks last month!

Or perhaps it's a former rival who was previously suppressed, coming back for revenge?

She thought about it for a while, but nothing seemed quite right.

"Si Dezhao..."

That pharmacy owner seems to be secretly involved in the opium trade. Is he double-crossing him?

But why is the Shanghai Jiao Gang involved?

They even specifically hired Zhou Jin to kill an old man?

And those two good-for-nothings, Liu San!

Could it be related to this matter?

"Whoever dares to provoke the Sea Dragon Gang is courting death!"

at the same time.

At a pharmacy in the south of the city, the shopkeeper was looking down and flipping through the account book.

Suddenly, a dark figure stood in front of the counter.

The shopkeeper looked up.

An old man with black hair and a black beard, and a face full of pockmarks, stood there.

He was wearing a gray cloth long gown and a tattered felt hat, so his face was not clearly visible.

"Get the medicine!"

The old man's voice was hoarse and low, which sounded rather strange.

"Please speak."

The shopkeeper closed the ledger and looked at the newcomer. Although the other party seemed a bit strange, he thought, "It doesn't matter who I do business with."

A pharmacy is open for business; it doesn't matter who you sell to, you're just exchanging herbs for the money that brings joy.

"One pound of angelica root, two pounds of astragalus root, one pound of deer antler, and..."

The visitor rattled off more than a dozen kinds of precious medicinal herbs in one go; the quantity was large, and the price was not low.

The shopkeeper was stunned for a moment, also shocked by the price of these herbs, but when he noticed the man staring at him, he quickly realized what was happening.

"Okay, I'll get it for you right away."

He was overjoyed when he went to the pharmacy to get his medicine; this wave of business had surpassed the previous few days' worth.

The shopkeeper quickly wrapped up the medicine, "a full thirty silver dollars."

The man took out a wad of silver dollars from his gray cloth shirt, placed it on the table, picked up his medicine bag, and turned to leave.

The shopkeeper stared at his departing figure for a long time, then scratched his head:

"Strange, I've never seen this person before! So generous."

The pockmarked man turned into an empty alley, looked around to make sure no one was there, then ripped off his tattered felt hat and pulled out his black hair.

Upon closer inspection, it turns out that the black hair and the felt hat were connected together; it was a wig.

Then he wiped off the fake beard and pockmarks on his face, revealing a wrinkled old face.

Holding the pockmarked man in his hand, Lin Ji grinned and muttered to himself with a touch of nostalgia:

"I never thought I'd be able to use the tricks I learned from traveling opera troupes back in the day."

After stuffing his disguise into a wooden box that he had placed in the alley beforehand, Lin Ji took off his gray cloth robe, picked up his medicine bag, and slowly walked out of the alley.

Just out of the alley.

A voice rang out behind Lin Ji.

"Hey old man up ahead! Stop right there!"