bookbashuk Chapter 107 The Chaos at the Dock
Chapter 107 The Chaos at the Dock
Chapter 107 The Chaos at the Dock (Two more chapters to go)
Zhang Xiaoshuan grew increasingly alarmed. He said urgently, "They're using a feint! Brother Wang, you said a large quantity of medicinal herbs would arrive at the port tonight—their target—is the dock! It's that herb ship!"
These words were like a wake-up call; all the guards and workers present changed their expressions drastically!
Cold sweat instantly broke out on Wang Wu's forehead. He finally understood why he had felt something was wrong. These thugs were simply cannon fodder sent to hold them back and wear them down!
"Quick! To the dock!"
Without delay, Wang Wu made a quick decision: they moved the meager amount of money and account books in the rice shop to the cellar in the backyard and locked them away.
As for the rice and grain, there's no need to worry at all. Let those thugs come and see how much they can take away.
Even if they had a hundred times the courage, they wouldn't dare to set fire.
Two lightly injured men were left behind to contact the brothers in other shops. The remaining three guards, along with Zhang Xiaoshuan and a few other young and strong men who had come along on their own initiative, grabbed sticks, knives, and guns and ran wildly toward the dock!
As they rushed breathlessly through the last street, the sight of the docks came into view, and everyone gasped in shock at the horrific scene before them.
On the dock, flames soared into the sky, and the sounds of battle shook the heavens!
The Fujianese ship carrying medicinal herbs had indeed arrived at the port, but before it could fully unload its cargo, it was surrounded by an enemy force several times its size.
The Blackwater Gang, the Sanhe Society, the Bamboo Sickle Gang—all the well-known small gangs in Xiangtan City suddenly came out in full force, like a pack of hyenas smelling blood, rushing madly towards the Fujian ship from all directions.
The dozens of guards and workers from various merchant houses on the Songyang Ship, along with several bodyguards from the Fuwei Escort Agency, who were responsible for escorting the batch of medicinal herbs on the ship, were holding weapons and relying on the cargo piled up on the dock to form a shaky defensive line.
Swords flashed, blood and flesh flew. The situation was extremely precarious!
Without the slightest hesitation, Wang Wu and his men charged into the enemy's rear like tigers descending a mountain, roaring fiercely!
"You son of a bitch! The grandpas are here!"
The addition of this new force was like a sharp knife, instantly tearing open a gash.
The defensive line, which was on the verge of collapse, erupted in a deafening cheer the moment they saw Wang Wu and his men, their morale soaring!
Inside the defensive line, reinforcements immediately arrived. Several guards worked together to rush forward, forcefully opening a passage to let Wang Wu and his group in.
As soon as he rushed into the battle, Zhang Xiaoshuan felt an immense pressure coming at him.
All around him were waving knives and clubs, and ferocious faces. The air was thick with the stench of blood and sweat, and the shouts of battle made his eardrums ring.
He gripped the iron rod tightly, his palms sweating profusely. Following behind Wang Wu, he imitated him, using all his strength to block and strike.
Is this what the martial world is like? Is this what slaughter is like?
He was trembling with fear, but he did not back down.
Wang Wu's body was already covered in blood, but the broadsword in his hand remained steady. Each slash precisely forced back an enemy, creating a chance for his companions to catch their breath.
But gradually, he also began to feel powerless.
The enemy's offensive was like a never-ending tide, one wave receding only to be followed by another. The muscles in his arms were already sore to their limit, feeling as if they were filled with lead, and each swing of his sword was heavier than the last.
"clang!"
With a single parry, the force of his opponent's blows numbed his hands, nearly causing him to drop his broadsword. A chill ran through him; he knew his strength was rapidly waning.
A blade flashed from his blind spot. He managed to turn to the side, but a burning pain still shot through his shoulder. A deep, bone-revealing wound appeared, and blood instantly stained half of his clothes.
The excruciating pain caused his vision to blur, and the surrounding shouts of battle seemed to fade away rapidly, becoming indistinct.
He vaguely recalled a rainy night many years ago.
At that time, he was not Wang Wu yet, but a refugee without even a name. He huddled by the canal in Yangzhou, in the muddy ground, cold and hungry, fighting with several wild dogs over half a moldy steamed bun.
He won, but his body was also covered in several bloody holes from the dogs' bites. Clutching the half of the steamed bun that was harder than a rock, he wolfed it down while tears streamed down his face, feeling that he was no different from those wild dogs.
Just then, a pair of black official boots stopped in front of him.
He looked up and saw Li Donglai.
For a bowl of steaming hot plain noodles, he sold his life to Li Donglai, oh no, and also an egg.
Later, Li Donglai led them to sell smuggled salt. Although it was a business that could cost them their lives, Li Donglai set a rule that the price of salt must be 80% cheaper than that of official salt, and they would never take advantage of the situation.
When selling salt, I felt the warm and friendly gaze of the villagers.
At that moment, Wang Wu felt for the first time that he was living like a human being, instead of a wild dog that only knew how to steal food.
Now, Young Master Shen has arrived, bringing with him the "Songyang Ship." They no longer need to operate clandestinely; they can sell more smuggled salt, and sometimes even cheap rice and medicine, allowing more people to live better lives.
He can now stand openly and honestly in Xiangtan County, no longer living a precarious existence.
Li Donglai once patted him on the shoulder and said, "Wu Zi, with Young Master Shen by our side, we can live a decent life!"
Therefore, he had to protect this place. He was protecting not only the goods, but also Li Donglai's hard work and the "human form" that they had worked so hard to achieve!
Zhang Xiaoshuan's idea, however, was much simpler.
He doesn't understand any profound principles.
All he knew was that without the "Songyang," his father's legs would have been short, his mother would have cried secretly every day, and he himself would probably have starved to death in some unknown corner long ago.
It was Young Master Shen, it was the "Songyang" ship, that allowed him to have enough to eat, to get his father's leg treated, and to bring a smile to his mother's face.
This is his new beginning. He will fight anyone who tries to destroy it!
A fierce glint flashed in the boy's eyes, beyond his years. He seized an opening when an enemy swung his knife, roared, and thrust the iron rod in his hand hard, striking the enemy squarely in the abdomen!
However, two fists cannot fight against four hands.
The morale boost brought by their support was quickly overwhelmed by the enemy's overwhelming offensive.
The defensive line is being constantly compressed, and casualties are constantly increasing.
To protect an injured coworker behind him, Wang Wu took a blow to the back, staggered, and a mouthful of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, his movements gradually becoming sluggish.
Zhang Xiaoshuan's strength was also almost exhausted. Every time he swung the iron rod, he felt his arms were sore and weak. His tiger's mouth had already been cracked, and blood and sweat mixed together, making it sticky and slippery.
Qian Sihai stood in the center of the battle, looking at everything before him, a cruel and triumphant smile on his face.
He could already see that the Songyang's defenses were about to collapse, and that Fujian ship, fully loaded with precious medicinal herbs, was about to become his possession!
He took the goods and ran. Blackwater Gang? What's that?
"Brothers! Give it your all! Whoever breaks through them first will be rewarded with a hundred taels of silver!" he shouted, giving his men one last dose of excitement.
Just then—
"call out-!!!"
A terrifyingly sharp whistling sound suddenly rang out from behind everyone!
The sound was so stern and domineering that it drowned out even the shouts of battle on the dock!
Qian Sihai was startled and subconsciously turned around to look.
All he saw was a huge black dot tearing through the air in the night sky, rapidly growing larger in his eyes!
What is that?!