Chapter 11: A Single Lamp Illuminates a Millennium of Darkness

Chapter 11: A Single Light Shatters a Millennium of Darkness

Outside the Black Dragon Gang leader’s chamber, Luo Feng lingered for a long while, weighing his options. At last, he steeled his resolve, shot Zheng Zha a meaningful glance to ready himself, and rapped on the door.

He calmed his breathing, raised his soft palate, shifted resonance from mouth to chest, and finally, using breath to guide his voice, spoke in a sweet tone: “Boss, I’m here.”

Zheng Zha: ???

Luo Feng muttered under his breath, “After spending so much time online, one inevitably picks up a few skills. Even a shut-in can do a fake voice.”

Zheng Zha: Σ(°△°|||)︴

The sweet voice lowered the Black Dragon Gang leader’s guard, and being at home, he didn’t suspect a thing.

Sure enough, a lecherous voice sounded from inside, with a sly chuckle: “Come in, little beauty…”

With a creak, the door swung wide open.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Upon seeing two grown men, the gang leader—hardened by years on the streets—reacted instantly, sprang up, drew his gun, and fired several shots.

Luo Feng’s seduction tactic had failed.

As the smoke cleared and the gunfire faded, the leader exclaimed in disbelief, “How could you be faster than a bullet?!”

Luo Feng shook his head. If he weren’t up to this standard, he’d never have come to the Black Dragon Gang in the first place. Taking advantage of the leader’s momentary daze, Luo Feng slipped behind him and subdued him.

With the gang leader utterly powerless, Luo Feng said coldly, “It’s not that the bullet is slow—it’s that you are.”

Modern handguns, combined with lead-core bullets, have a muzzle velocity of about 400 meters per second under standard atmospheric conditions, but their effective range is only fifty to one hundred fifty meters. Factoring in drawing, aiming, firing—all of it, unless bullets are flying in a wild barrage, Luo Feng could dodge before being hit.

I don’t need to be faster than a bullet, only faster than the shooter!

Or, if I take you down before you pull the trigger, I can perfectly avoid the bullet!

A gun is just a tool—it’s always the person using it that matters.

And the Black Dragon Gang leader was just too foolish. After shooting, he actually stopped to ask questions?!

Doesn’t he know villains always meet their end because they talk too much?

If it were Luo Feng, he’d waste no time—he’d fire while leaping out the window, shouting for his men to come protect him.

Seeing himself utterly restrained and unable to fight back, the gang leader immediately shouted, “Spare me, heroes! Whatever you want, it’s yours!”

Luo Feng glanced at him. This burly, towering man surrendered so quickly.

Luo Feng and Zheng Zha exchanged glances and shook their heads in unison.

This Black Dragon Gang seemed… rather weak.

This wasn’t how they’d pictured it at all!

The gang leader kept pleading for his life. Annoyed, Zheng Zha slapped him hard and rebuked him icily, “Can’t you have a little backbone?”

So much for a fearsome underworld boss, so much for honor among thieves—gone to the dogs!

The gang leader nearly burst into tears. If you’d been staring down a gun, you’d feel the same. He’d only just become boss—wealth, women, luxury—he hadn’t enjoyed any of it yet. How could he be willing to die?

But he didn’t dare say any of this aloud, only stammered, “I’m cowardly, I’m cowardly…”

Just then, a commotion rose outside. In the distance, a large group of men was approaching—the gunshots had clearly alerted the gang, and even the most lax organization would react to this.

Zheng Zha grinned, picked up the gun, and said, “Tell the men outside to leave. Just say it was an accidental discharge while you were playing with your gun.”

“Otherwise, my gun might just ‘accidentally discharge’ now.”

A cold steel barrel pressed against his head. Fine, the gang leader gritted his teeth and shouted, “Everyone get out! What’s all the noise for? I was just playing with my gun and it went off by mistake…”

“Boss, be careful next time…”

“Jeez, what’s so great about that gun anyway…”

Hearing their boss was fine, the men outside joked as they wandered off. In that moment, the gang leader almost cried.

Why don’t you have any doubts? I could still be saved!

As the men outside drifted away, the gang leader slumped in despair, then pleaded, “Sirs, why are you here? For money, fame, or did my gang offend you? If I’ve wronged you, I’ll make amends!”

Luo Feng replied coldly, “For none of those reasons. We’re here to do what’s right!”

Zheng Zha nodded. “The Black Dragon Gang has committed countless crimes. We’re just here to bring justice.”

At the mention of “justice,” the gang leader’s face turned almost green. He wasn’t afraid of those out for fame or profit—old hands could deal with those.

But hot-blooded idealists out for justice? They were the worst.

These fresh-faced heroes cared nothing for the rules or for bargaining, only for their righteous cause. The easiest and hardest kind of people to fool.

Afraid he’d be cut down the next moment, the gang leader quickly said, “Gentlemen, even if you kill me for justice, it’s useless.”

“The Black Dragon Gang works for Marshal Ma. The boss can be changed at will—I was just installed a few months ago!”

“Marshal Ma?!”

“It’s true, absolutely true. I even have his letters…”

Luo Feng and Zheng Zha fell silent. They’d suspected some link between Marshal Ma and the Black Dragon Gang—maybe manipulation, maybe support—but hadn’t realized the gang was directly backed by a warlord.

For the authorities to shield a criminal gang—monstrous, truly a world of demons and ghosts running wild in broad daylight.

The gang leader kept on, “Killing me changes nothing. The Black Dragon Gang will go on. You can’t chop down Marshal Ma too, can you…”

After a long silence, Zheng Zha looked up. “Do we keep killing?”

Such is the darkness of this world—even if they cleansed one county, thousands more remained. How could two people change it all?

“To kill, or not to kill…” Luo Feng murmured, caught in doubt. He had never been one for grand missions—his goal was always a quiet immortal’s life at home. The task of sweeping away all darkness across China and restoring peace was not his to bear.

But with evil right before him, doing nothing left him unwilling. He thought of Yuan Yuan, orphaned and alone, of his own near-murder, of the common folk suffering under the same yoke.

His voice grew slower, but firmer, as he repeated, “Still, should we kill?”

With sudden resolve, Luo Feng declared, “We should!”

“Why?” Zheng Zha asked.

Luo Feng smiled knowingly. “A single light can dispel a thousand years of darkness—can’t it?!”

Zheng Zha pondered, then said, “Speak plainly.”

Luo Feng sighed, “I don’t care about the big picture or the small details. I just can’t stand the Black Dragon Gang and want to crush them!”

“And what about him?” Zheng Zha pointed at the gang leader.

“Heroes, brothers, don’t kill me! I’ve only been boss a few months, haven’t done any great evil!”

“I just collect protection money, indulge in the usual vices—nothing truly monstrous!” the gang leader wailed.

“You haven’t?” Luo Feng eyed him skeptically.

“No, no, no!” The gang leader nodded frantically, “If you don’t believe me, ask anyone in town—I swear I haven’t done anything unforgivable!”

“I’ll take your word for now.” Luo Feng thought for a moment. “I’ll give you a chance to live. Call in every bandit or bully from the Black Dragon Gang who’s committed murder, rape, or any heinous crime.”

“I will, I will!” The gang leader didn’t ask why, just nodded desperately.

“Four at a time. Too many and I might get in trouble,” Luo Feng added.

The gang leader shot Luo Feng a glance. With those skills, you could wipe out the entire gang three times over, and yet you’re only taking four at a time? Shameless.

And here I thought you were a hot-blooded hero.

Typing away at dawn—where are your votes?

(End of chapter)