Dragon Gate Swordsman

The last sentence was just a cover-up so that his words would not sound like a simple question.

But I didn't expect that the unexpected result would lead to a great success. Chongxiao was right.

"indeed so."

Gu Jingtong explained: "Most of Jiang Qi's police force has been deployed to cooperate with the army to eliminate the water bandits entrenched in Green Lake."

……

(Note: The Jiang Qi in the original game is obviously based on the real Shandong, but in order to avoid certain problems and because it would be strange for the eldest brother stationed in the Hexi Corridor to go to Shandong to suppress bandits, the status of the Jiang Qi City and Dayan territory in this book will be changed to try to separate them from the real prototype, no longer closely related to it, but closer to a completely fictional existence)

Chapter 86: Green Lake, the Fan-stealing Youth

After a long talk with Gu Jingtong, Chongxiao understood why Jiang Qicheng was in such a situation...

In this vast land, mobile cities basically have to face the problem of banditry. Some of them are from evil cult organizations, some are mercenaries hired by ambitious people, some are born bad guys who don't want to make a legitimate living so they become bandits, and some are simply groups that just cannot survive and have to rise up in resistance.

But no matter what the reason, the order that most people need cannot tolerate their existence, so eradicating banditry has become an important part of the military operations of various countries.

By the way, let me tell you another joke from hell: Kazdel is an exception, because in the eyes of people from other countries, it is basically full of banditry...

Jiangqi City is adjacent to a lake called Green Lake, and there are many villages and towns around it that rely on water for their livelihood. Therefore, it is one of the very few cities in the northwest of Dayan that can be called a "water town".

Of course, this "water town" cannot be compared with the cities in the central and southern parts of the country. Although the Green Lake is large, it has not yet formed a water system radiating in all directions. Therefore, Jiangqi City itself does not rely on the Green Lake for development. It only maintains it as the result of environmental transformation and makes various regulations for the surrounding villages and towns.

For example, when fishing, the big ones are caught and the small ones are released; it is forbidden to privately imitate foreign scaled animals; it is not allowed to develop source stone and heavy metal industries within a certain range of Green Lake, etc.

The pirates mentioned by Gu Jingtong were born under these rules and regulations.

The original water bandits were actually similar to regular underworld gangs, and their main purpose was to resist the "oppression" of Jiang Qicheng officials. They would not easily engage in robbery or even indiscriminate killing of innocent people.

However, as the ancient sages said: once the lower limit is broken, it will be a bottomless abyss... The self-depraved Green Lake Bandits became outright criminals in just a few years.

They lived on the islands in the Green Lake and in the surrounding villages and towns. Once they heard the news, they would immediately hide and wait until the police left or Jiang Qicheng set sail to avoid natural disasters before coming out to commit crimes. They were extremely cunning.

If that were the case, it would not have alerted the regular army of Dayan… Just before and after the coronation ceremony last year, a self-proclaimed hero emerged among the Green Lake bandits. His name was Cheng Lufeng.

In just half a year, all the major bandit gangs in Green Lake and the surrounding bandit groups were conquered by this man, becoming a force that could not be underestimated within a radius of hundreds of miles, and Cheng Lufeng had become a godfather-like figure among the bandits.

The "Water Godfather" established rules for dividing the spoils for many water strongholds, prohibiting internal strife and advocating fair distribution, and only collecting money without harming lives. However, these seemingly "reasonable" rules had the exact opposite effect: after the water bandits formed an alliance, they became even more lawless, and their further growing momentum also attracted more ignorant young people to join.

However, these ignorant teenagers had no idea that "even thieves have their own code of conduct". Besides, bandits were bandits and they would kill anyone who resisted, and they would call it feeding the Green Lake Beast with their corpses.

It can be said that what Jiang Qi urgently needs to solve now is the hidden dangers faced before the establishment of the Longmen Special Inspection Team.

So a month ago, Shendu conveyed military orders to Yinyang and Linhuang near Jiang Qi, assembled two troops of a thousand people, and with the cooperation of more than 300 police officers from Jiang Qi, prepared to besiege Cheng Lufeng's water stronghold.

The reason for choosing this time is that an insider has reported that all the major pirate leaders will gather there in three days, so they can be wiped out in one fell swoop.

The nights in Jiang Qicheng these days are either under curfew or worse than curfew, because a large number of police forces have been withdrawn, and the remaining personnel are barely enough to maintain public order.

Chongxiao had some opinions on this: since the regular army was the main force in the siege of the water fort, why did they send so many policemen? Could it be that there would be peace in Jiangqi City?

However, this matter has nothing to do with him... That's what he originally thought.

It was not until the next morning when I was preparing to go to the auto repair shop and wait to pick up the car that I heard the mechanic and the worker chatting.

"Master, do you think that the bandit suppression organized by Lord Wang and his men can catch all those guys in one fell swoop?"

"Of course we can, otherwise why would we specially transfer troops from Yinyang and Linhuang?"

"Alas... I really hope that no one slips through the net, otherwise my hometown will be in trouble."

"I almost forgot that you are from Baiyu Village. Don't worry, kid. I heard that this time it's not just the government troops, there are also knights in the martial arts world who will take action. They are good at dealing with those who slip through the net."

"Wow, who are these heroes, Master?"

"How would I know? I'm not involved in the underworld, but I heard that the leader is the 'master of both sword and palm', the female hero Han."

Han Ying? Isn't that Ling's sister Qing?

Chongxiao, who was signing the vehicle pick-up form, was stunned. He would never forget the female hero Qing whom he met in the capital of gods.

Hmm... maybe I can also ask about Ling's recent situation?

Thinking of the unrivaled beauty of True Man Qinglian, Chongxiao couldn't help but feel fascinated. In a sense, Ling should be the most perfect woman he had ever met on this earth.

Anyway, Ying Zhen didn't say how long it would take to reach Yumen, so it should be okay to waste a day or two.

……

The battle plan to besiege Cheng Lufeng Water Stronghold was confidential, but the official crackdown on water bandits was not.

Over the years, Jiang Qicheng has organized a special operation almost every few months. Sometimes he could only catch small fish and shrimps, and sometimes he could arrest some leaders, but he lacked enough power to catch all the bandits in one fell swoop.

This clearing operation was nominally announced by the official Jiangqi City, while the mobilization of the troops from Yinyang and Linhuang cities was in the name of an exercise, and it was announced to the outside world that they were heading to the hinterland of central Da Yan. Therefore, in the eyes of civilians, it had nothing to do with the operation to clear out the water bandits.

Gu Jingtong was able to reveal this to Chongxiao because he knew his background.

In addition to the army and police, the participation of underworld forces in operations is also a "feature" of Dayan.

As the saying goes, heroes break the law with force. In fact, the attitude of the Da Yan government towards the forces of the underworld has always been reserved. However, as a custom passed down for thousands of years, it is difficult to completely remove it from the society, so the strategy of "it is better to loosen than to block" was adopted.

To put it simply, as long as you knights don't go too far and hurt innocent people outside the martial arts world, then moderate injuries are acceptable. This is why Huai Tianpei of Longmen successively injured the masters of several martial arts schools, and the Royal Guards only went to warn them and did not directly arrest them as criminals.

As for death... that is a gray area in the laws of Dayan. Judging from the fact that the life and death certificate still exists and has a certain credibility, it seems to explain some problems, but it will definitely not be allowed openly.

Of course, the reason why the knights can still retain the title of "knight" is because the mainstream... or the top-tier people in the world all act out of justice, and a few scums will also be attacked by the crowd.

For example, Han Ying, who is an expert in both sword and palm, has killed no less than 500 people with her own hands in more than 20 years since her debut, but all of them were evildoers who deserved to be put to death, so the authorities allowed a knight like her to help suppress bandits.

If it was a guy like Huai Tianpei who only knew how to be brave and aggressive, he would definitely not be accepted.

At least not in this case.

The police in Jiangqi City established a nominal temporary command center by the lake, which served as a registration point for gangsters and was also responsible for attracting the attention of water bandits, but the real person in charge had actually gone to the military camp.

When Chongxiao arrived here, a large number of policemen were training in formation and making final preparations for combat operations, while people of all kinds of appearances were discussing something in groups of three or four on the other side. The difference and gap between the two could be seen at a glance.

There were no ships that could be called warships on the water, basically they were all patrol speedboats, with only one medium-sized water police boat, which was probably going to be the front-line commander.

The inland naval warfare in this land is actually quite a misnomer, because in most cases it is a boarding battle after a rapid approach, and the weapons on the ships are either just for cover or not installed at all.

Chongxiao's goal was to find Qingwen to find out about her sister Ling's current situation, so he had no intention of participating in the battle... Since regular troops were dispatched and transferred from other cities, it meant that the authorities were determined to completely eliminate the scourge of water bandits this time, and he should not need to intervene.

Besides, with people like Qing around, let alone the pirates, even if the army defected to that side, the result would be the same.

But unfortunately, he did not see Qing in the place where people from the martial arts world gathered.

Well...she has a fixed teahouse in Shendu, so she should be able to find a quiet place to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the green lake.

Chongxiao found a high place and looked around, and actually saw a wooden building a few hundred meters away... It was the street of a lakeside town, and judging by the bustling crowd, it was actually quite lively.

I'm afraid they're all here just to watch the fun...

After secretly slandering him in his heart, Chongxiao walked over quickly.

This building is a pub, but judging from the decoration design and environment layout, it is elegant, which makes Chongxiao feel that he has found the right place.

The anti-bandit campaign will start in the next two days. If Qing wants to participate, he shouldn't be hesitating elsewhere.

Sure enough, as soon as he reached the fourth floor, Chongxiao saw Qing's figure sitting in the best window seat.

She still had the same long, shiny silver hair, and the white cloth covering her eyes was no different, except that her martial arts robe had been replaced with a more capable modern outfit. Although it lacked some majesty and dignity, it had a bit more charming and lively look.

To be honest, Qing looked a few years younger...

But the strange thing was that she was holding her chin and "looking" out the window, faintly exuding a sense of impatience and irritability.

Chongxiao could feel it, and was sure that the reason was the person sitting opposite her.

He was a young man with outstanding image and temperament, wearing a bright white martial arts robe, holding an ancient folding fan, and a faint smile on his face made people feel like they were basking in the spring breeze. Therefore, he did not fall to the level of being called a pretty boy.

And the emotions I sensed from him... Wow, he actually has a crush on Sui Yi, he's quite brave!

This guy simply ignored his own evil ambitions.

Chongxiao didn't realize it at all, and didn't care whether he would be a light bulb. He walked straight to the table where Qing was.

She was a martial arts master, and the young man's martial arts skills were also strong. They both discovered Chongxiao when he approached.

The difference is: Qing was startled at first, then he smiled brightly. The young master was just curious at first, but was greatly shocked after seeing the former's reaction...

"Chongxiao?"

"Long time no see, Lady Han."

Since there were outsiders present, Chongxiao did not call Qing by his real name.

"Why are you here? Don't you work at Longmen?"

"I have something to do on business and I'm passing by here."

Chongxiao turned to look at the young man with an unpleasant expression, "Who is this..."

Without waiting for Qing to say anything, he took the initiative to stand up, bowed and introduced himself, "My name is Mu Baisheng, may I know who this Mr. Chongxiao is..."

"He is my good friend."

A simple but decisive sentence made Mu Baisheng's eyes flash with disappointment, and the natural conversation between Chongxiao and Qing that followed made him feel uneasy. He said goodbye and left after a few minutes.

This made Chongxiao feel a little embarrassed... He had a crush on Ling, and as for Qing, they were just ordinary friends now, and it was not like...

Okay, I admit that I'm a little unhappy.

"Sister Ling? After leaving Shendu last year, Sister Ling went to Yumen. She said she wanted to ask Brother about something. She should have been there all the time."

Ling is in Yumen! ?

Chongxiao's attitude towards Ying Zhen suddenly took a 180-degree turn, and he even wanted to go back to Jiang Qi to pick up the car and leave... Don't get me wrong, he's not in a hurry, he just wants to save the parking fee!

In fact, Chongxiao also knew that Ling was going to Yumen, but he didn't expect that she didn't leave after more than a year.

"Oh, right, that Mu Baisheng just now..."

"Since you are very close to your elder sister and Xiaonian, you must know who we brothers and sisters are."

Qing's tone was somewhat sad. "There's no need to mention this matter anymore... Besides, I have to thank you for helping me get rid of him."

It’s unfair. I really didn’t mean to chase him away.

Chongxiao was about to say something when he suddenly heard a chaotic noise coming from the street outside, as if something had happened.

Qing, whose eyes were covered with a white cloth, had an extraordinary hearing ability. So with a little attention, he could tell that someone from the underworld was challenging someone in the street and many people were watching.

What’s more important is that the person being challenged is actually Mu Baisheng who just left.

Now, the two of them had to go and take a look… they couldn’t just sit there and watch something happen right after someone left.

A lot of people had gathered on the street outside the tavern. Some were making a fuss, some were criticizing the two parties that were about to duel, and some were complaining that the battle to wipe out the pirates was about to begin, but they were actually competing here instead of helping out.

Mu Baisheng was standing among the crowd, and the person who openly challenged him was a tall young man in his twenties. Judging from his simple dress, calluses on his hands and unshaved beard, he looked like an ordinary farmer... No one knew how he was related to Mu Baisheng.

"Brother Fu, I have already agreed with you to have a showdown at Qingyu Tower in ten days, why are you forcing me now?"

"I... I'm sorry, I can't wait until then, so I can only come to find you in advance."

"Brother Fu, don't you know the rules of the martial arts world? Acting like this... really makes me feel embarrassed."

Unexpectedly, the young man surnamed Fu who challenged in the street was full of shame and was the passive party, which shocked the onlookers and immediately there was a chaotic discussion.

Most of them stood on Mu Baisheng's side, criticizing the young man surnamed Fu for breaking the rules and not complying with the agreement.

Only Chongxiao noticed something was wrong... The young man was extremely angry and miserable, which meant he did have his own reasons, and they were extremely painful...

Qing on the side had a cold expression on his face, and it was obvious that he was very dissatisfied with both sides of the duel, so he simply said goodbye to Chongxiao and turned to go to the temporary command center of the police.

From the perspective of upholding justice, the young man who challenged was certainly wrong, and Mu Baisheng who accepted the challenge was not much better... The fact that he used rules and words to pressure the young man surnamed Fu showed that he did not have much self-confidence, and that if he accepted a challenge, he should accept it, and if he did not, he should not accept it. It was really wrong for him to use such unorthodox rhetoric in the first place.

Sure enough, as soon as the two fought, Chongxiao, as an expert, could see that the chance of winning or losing was no more than 60 to 40.

Mu Baisheng's martial arts should have been taught by a famous teacher, but he might have been too focused on looking flashy and impractical, so he repeatedly failed to seize opportunities. The young man surnamed Fu was just the opposite. Although he was also agile and nimble, his cultivation was extremely solid and he basically never used any fake moves.

Logically speaking, as an absolute outsider, Chongxiao should have stayed out of the matter and not been biased or involved, but Mu Baisheng was just unlucky, and the young man surnamed Fu was extremely angry and determined...

So, Chongxiao started to have some ideas.

"Attack the lower body, force him to jump, then punch his feet, and after that, switch to attack his calves."

A faint but clear voice suddenly rang in the ears of the young man surnamed Fu. He was in the middle of a fierce battle and had no ability to react, so he naturally did as he was told.

With his martial arts training, he naturally couldn't tell that the reason why Mu Baisheng's martial arts were flashy and superficial was because of his lack of basic skills. As a result, his lower body was unstable and not flexible enough, and it was easy for him to be attacked without any leverage in mid-air...

As a result, just half a minute later, Mu Baisheng was defeated after being punched in the foot and hit in the calf.

This kind of competition was not uncommon in Dayan, so the crowd who watched the fun soon dispersed, leaving only Mu Baisheng with a grim look on his face. He handed the fan that Chongxiao had just seen to the young man named Fu.