The Eternal Way

Lu Shan gathered his forces, leading over forty members of the Lizhuang Gang out under the cover of night.

Such a large-scale gang operation was rare, occurring perhaps once every four or five years. Moreover, it was initiated by the lowest-ranking boat puller gang, making it exceptionally uncommon.

Yet, these forty individuals exhibited a faint semblance of military discipline.

The group moved silently, huddled together, hiding in narrow alleys and avoiding main roads, carefully advancing outward.

They made almost no noise, with only occasional sounds of breathing and the accidental clatter of something being kicked.

After all, they were boat pullers, not soldiers, so their discipline was far from perfect.

However, the discipline within the Lizhuang Gang was significantly better than that of the Paibo Gang and the Water Horse Gang, clearly showing the effort put into it.

The Lizhuang Gang navigated through winding alleyways.

Around the Lishui River, there were numerous small docks, handling vast amounts of cargo ships and passengers. This area was a mix of various people—boat pullers, sailors, laborers, and travelers.

In the layout around the Lishui River, small paths and alleys were hidden behind buildings, away from major streets, ensuring that garbage and beggars wouldn't inconvenience merchants, who were the lifeblood of this area.

Due to financial constraints, most houses here were low, square structures, some with sloping roofs. Stone was expensive and hard to obtain in large quantities, so most buildings near the docks were wooden, with only a few stone constructions. More luxurious residences were absent from this area.

The streets beside the docks were crowded and dirty, littered with trash. These narrow paths formed a twisted maze, nearly impossible to navigate without living there for years.

This labyrinthine layout fostered many dark corners, making the area unsafe but also an excellent hiding spot.

Through these twisting alleys, one could reach the Paibo Gang's headquarters without passing through major roads.

It was secretive, safe, and unlikely to alert the authorities.

Lu Shan had envisioned such surprise attacks on the Paibo Gang and the Water Horse Gang multiple times and had even tested them with his gang members.

His goal was to achieve a successful ambush someday.

Lu Shan, like Li Qi, was an ambitious man who never settled for being just a boat puller. He wanted to rise up and had made many efforts toward that end.

Thus, when tempted by the cultivation technique, he didn't hesitate to accept, regardless of whether it was a trap.

Even if it was a trap, he would still take the bait.

The Lizhuang Gang moved silently—well, almost silently—through the narrow alleys.

No one spoke; they all knew what they were doing tonight.

Occasional sounds echoed, but they didn't affect their progress.

When they reached two-thirds of the way, they arrived at an open space.

This area was used by dock workers to temporarily store goods that couldn't be immediately transported. Though the goods stayed only during the day, by nightfall, the area was empty.

Here, Lu Shan planned to gather his men for a final pep talk before launching their attack.

According to his plan, they would meet here, rally the boat pullers, boost morale, rest briefly, and then launch a full-force assault on the Paibo Gang under the cover of darkness!

"Everyone, do you know why we're here today?" Lu Shan stood in the center of the open space, addressing those around him.

Surrounded by darkness, he could barely make out dozens of figures, so he continued speaking.

"To kill Li Qi because he stole our cultivation technique!" a boat puller answered.

"Exactly. This time, Li Qi stole a technique that belongs to us. He must die," Lu Shan said.

The essence of deploying troops lies in bolstering their morale.

The saying "strike while the iron is hot" emphasizes the importance of soldier morale.

Moreover, to maintain high morale, the cause must be just.

A just cause requires a reason for deployment and a common goal, which boosts morale.

Therefore, the common interest and the righteous cause of "recovering the stolen technique" united the Lizhuang Gang's boat pullers.

With this righteous cause and shared interest, the boat pullers' strength could be consolidated, transforming them from a disorganized mob into a combat-ready force.

"Do you remember what I taught you?" Lu Shan asked again.

"Yes, we remember!" the boat pullers nodded promptly.

"Good. Use those skills tonight, aiming to catch them off guard and seize the opportunity! The Paibo Gang has just completed the Opening River ritual today, exhausting themselves. With food and drink tonight, they are surely well-fed and resting early. It's late now, and they must be asleep."

He instructed the boat pullers, emphasizing speed and ferocity but cautioning against using weapons to avoid giving the authorities any leverage. They should focus on killing Li Qi without causing too many casualties.

"Don't say I didn't warn you; this is a life-or-death situation. Anyone who holds us back won't be considered part of the Lizhuang Gang anymore. I'll break their legs!"

He warned the boat pullers sternly.

Looking at the nodding figures, though he couldn't see those further back, he assumed they could hear him.

Having explained the plan and given warnings, he softened his tone:

"Kill Li Qi, practice the cultivation technique for a year, and then we'll be the only boat puller gang in the city. We can raise prices, eat meat daily, marry wives, and build new houses!"

"If Li Qi survives, it means the Paibo Gang also has the cultivation technique. They'll compete with us, and our lives will become miserable. You know how price competition affects earnings. We work hard for every penny. Who wants to be undercut?"

"If we succeed tonight, we'll have a better future!"

As he spoke, Lu Shan scanned the faces of the boat pullers, gauging their expressions.

Using threats and incentives, he aimed to motivate them, driving them to fight fearlessly.

After finishing his speech, he clenched his fists: "Now, is everyone here? I'll count heads to ensure no one is missing."

He began counting heads.

This procedure had happened before.

In the pitch-black alleys, the boat pullers often suffered from night blindness, frequently getting lost while navigating.

The Lizhuang Gang members stood in a group, accustomed to headcounts, as Boss Shan seemed fond of this practice.

Lu Shan started counting.

But the more he counted, the more his expression changed.

Finally reaching the last person, he took a deep breath.

"Why are there only twenty-six? Where are the other dozen? Did they all get lost!?" he roared in anger, stomping his feet in frustration!