Chapter 489: Inexplicably Owing Someone a Favor?
Liu Hao had no idea how long he’d been staring at his phone. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, so he found himself a corner and, like the other guys, dozed off.
He wasn’t an idiot for waiting around like this—he literally couldn’t leave.
This arcade was the only territory he’d managed to secure since coming to South City. If it got taken today, he’d lose the very foundation he was standing on.
So no matter what, he had to stick it out.
If he could hold out until dawn and Pao Ge still hadn’t shown his face, he could claim the other guy chickened out. He might even use that to recruit more guys and expand his turf.
But if he lost his nerve and pulled out first, then Pao Ge really did show up with his crew—not only would his joint get taken, but the guy would spread word that Heaven’s Eye Liu Hao fled the battlefield. He’d be finished on the streets.
He’d finally learned the essence of Wanlong Society’s methods and remade Heaven’s Eye Gang from the ground up. He didn’t want to die before his campaign even started.
Even though he’d heard Pao Ge had serious local clout, he had to take the gamble.
Time crept by, and a faint white light began spreading across the horizon.
Liu Hao, leaning against the arcade’s shutter door, was sleeping soundly, drool practically dripping to the ground.
Just then, one of his guys came running over, shouting excitedly, “Boss, boss, earth-shattering news! Pao Ge came—but not really!”
Liu Hao jolted awake, nearly snapping his neck.
Groaning in pain, he rubbed his neck and snapped, “Speak plainly!”
The guy quickly said, “I just found out Pao Ge did bring over a hundred guys last night, saying they were gonna level our arcade. But guess what happened?”
The surrounding green-haired gang members, hearing this, snapped awake and crowded around, asking curiously.
“What? What happened?”
“Spit it out! Stop stringing us along!”
“………..”
“Hey, I’m getting to it!”
“Boss, Pao Ge’s crew went to the city’s southern suburbs first, but as soon as they got there, they got wiped out in one fell swoop.
Apparently some mysterious big shot did the deed. Pao Ge’s hundred-plus guys didn’t even make a splash before they got steamrolled flat.
And Pao Ge himself got taken away, whereabouts unknown. I’d reckon they’re gonna…“
The guy made a throat-slitting gesture.
The air suddenly went quiet.
Pao Ge… got offed?
For real?
Liu Hao asked skeptically, “You sure?”
His guy nodded. “Pretty sure. I got a friend working at one of Pao Ge’s joints who says the man never went back, never showed at the hospital. If he ain’t gone to his own turf or the hospital, where else could he be?”
“Gone on a permanent vacation?”
“Most likely.”
“Damn…”
“What kind of monster does business this ruthless?”
These weren’t no greenhorns—they knew how things worked on the streets.
When two sides had beef, even if it came to blows, there were limits. You took your loss and went to the hospital. Offing people was rare.
Because once you got blood on your hands, the whole game changed. Unless you had heaven-reaching connections, you’d get taken down eventually.
That’s why most bosses stuck to teaching lessons and intimidation, never going for the kill.
But now this ruthless player showed up—not only wiped out Pao Ge’s entire crew but offed the man himself.
Couldn’t really blame them for thinking that way.
If Pao Ge wasn’t offed, then where was he?
Missing?
What’s the difference between missing and dead?
Not much.
Soon, one gang member suddenly caught on, looking at Liu Hao with worship in his eyes.
“Boss! You’re freaking amazing!!!”
“You had this planned all along, didn’t you?”
With this guy’s shout, the others suddenly “realized the truth.”
“Holy shit! It was you, boss! When’d you set this up?”
“I knew it! No wonder that bastard Pao Ge didn’t dare show—boss had it all planned!”
“Boss is mighty! Heaven’s Eye Gang is mighty! Truly, chatting and laughing while the enemy crumbles to dust!”
“Boss, you kept us in the dark! You know such a badass but didn’t tell us, had us all worried sick.”
“I always said our boss ain’t no small fish—staying with him means a bright future…”
“………..”
The crew erupted, heaping praise on Liu Hao like it was going out of style.
Calling him a master strategist, unfathomably deep, practically saying the painted Heaven’s Eye on his forehead could shoot death rays.
Liu Hao himself was stunned.
A hundred-plus guys, just gone like that?
Most people probably don’t get what a hundred-plus guys means.
Put it this way—in a lot of places, having twenty or thirty guys who’ll throw down is enough to rule the roost.
Anyone who can muster a hundred-plus is an absolute kingpin.
When Liu Hao heard Pao Ge had brought that many, his heart skipped a beat.
After all, he only had twenty or thirty guys himself.
Hearing that those hundred-plus got wiped out with ease? That was mind-blowing!
What kind of person, what kind of power could do that?
How could a big shot capable of casually wiping out a hundred-plus guys have any connection to him?
If he had that kind of juice, would he be guarding a small-time arcade?
Suddenly!
A figure flashed like lightning through his mind.
—Liu Yutong!
After all his time in the underworld, she was the only person he knew for certain had that kind of power to casually wipe out over a hundred men.
“Could Wanlong Society have come to South City?”
Maybe it was sixth sense, but the more Liu Hao thought about it, the more it fit Wanlong Society’s style.
He questioned the scout again, and when he learned the mysterious party was indeed dressed in black, he nearly collapsed on the spot.
“Holy mother of God, it really was them.”
“What are they doing in South City? Is Pearl City’s territory not enough for them anymore?”
“And that idiot Pao Ge, biting off more than he could chew, provoking the living King of Hell. They took care of him just like that.”
While shocked, he also felt lucky.
“What kind of stupid luck is this? Otherwise I’d be the one getting taken care of…”
Liu Hao looked at his gang members, all fired up and ready to follow him in conquering the underworld. Inside he was panicking, but his face remained the picture of control.
Since the pie fell from the sky, he wasn’t about to miss this chance to ride the momentum.
He waved his hand with feigned calm. “Keep it low-key, keep it low-key. I was gonna lead you guys in a fair fight with Pao Ge, but his side played dirty bringing so many guys. I had no choice but to ask a friend for a little help. Small matter, not worth mentioning. Now scatter, everyone get back to what you were doing.”
The more modest he acted, the more his guys thought he was unfathomably deep, heaping on even more praise.
“You see? Boss’s vision is unmatched!”
“This is what you call boss-level presence!”
“Boss, from now on, I’m Heaven’s Eye Gang till death!”
“Following boss, we’ll definitely get our cut. Unifying South City won’t be a problem.”
“………..”
Liu Hao nodded again, keeping up the act. “You think it’s even a question that Heaven’s Eye will live the good life under my lead?”
“Alright, alright, that’s enough. Everyone go get some rest. Scatter.”
Once his guys had left, yawning, Liu Hao gazed at the brightening sky, dropping his inscrutable mask and muttering to himself.
“My lady, this time I’ve truly indebted myself to you. Liu Hao won’t forget this.”