Chapter 147: Quicklime to Meet the Enemy

Whoosh...

Five or six underlings were already utterly exhausted. Upon receiving the order, they decisively let go. The thick rubber bands snapped forward, violently launching a massive bag of lime powder straight into the chest of the leading thug, causing the lime to explode into a blinding cloud across the air. Another bag of lime smashed directly against the door, scattering fine powder over every single underling who charged inside, filling their eyes with the caustic dust.

"Aah! It's lime! Fuck, it burns like hell!"

"Oh god, lime! It hurts so much!"

Instantly, those who had rushed in collapsed onto the ground, clutching their eyes with both hands and writhing in agony. The excruciating pain in their eyes was entirely unbearable. Meanwhile, Feng Zhixiao and the others had already wrapped wet towels around their faces, looking like masked vigilantes in the dead of night. Feng Zhixiao waved his hand and shouted, "Second floor, pour the water!"

Splash, splash, splash...

Massive basins of water cascaded down from above. The suspended cloud of lime instantly plummeted to the ground, while the water splashed directly into the eyes of the thugs. The agonizing pain in their eyes flared up once more, feeling as though they were being continuously scorched by blazing fire. In an instant, the entire lobby transformed into a living hell, echoing with shrill, heart-wrenching screams and weeping cries that could shake the heavens and earth.

"Good god, what... what is happening in there?"

"Are there ghosts inside? Why is everything completely white as soon as they step in?"

The underlings outside stopped their charge. Looking at the white mist billowing from within, every single one of them halted their steps. No matter how much money or gold might be inside, not a single person dared to rush in. Wealth was important, certainly, but one needed to be alive to spend it.

"It's lime!" Yan Er'er walked up to the entrance, took a breath, and immediately held it. He glanced back at the men behind him and warned, "Everyone, be careful."

"Leader Yan, let us handle it!" The underlings behind him quickly tied damp cloth strips over their faces and rushed forward recklessly. However, as bags of lime continued to rain down from above, they quickly realized that the rags on their faces were completely useless, causing the miserable wails within the lobby to multiply once again. Yan Er'er, standing at the entrance, bellowed furiously, "Damn it, I refuse to believe they have an endless supply of lime!"

"Boss, let me lead a team from the upper floor!"

"Boss, let me lead the attack through the rear windows!"

The underlings eagerly volunteered one after another. After all, these vanguard fighters were not members of the Flaming Dragon Gang, but hired thugs from other factions; there was no need to worry about medical expenses if they got injured. Consequently, the minor bosses of the Flaming Dragon Gang eagerly requested to take the initiative. Yan Er'er waved his hand dismissively and said, "Go, all of you! Today, we must conquer this territory no matter what!"

Shortly after, a massive horde surged forward once more. Yan Er'er's greatest advantage right now was sheer numbers. Aside from the fifty or sixty men who had charged in initially, he still commanded over six hundred fighters. The one thing they certainly did not lack was men.

Yan Er'er stood at the entrance of the opposing gang's headquarters, pulling a cigar from his pocket. An underling immediately stepped forward to light it for him. Yan Er'er watched the scene unfold with an air of detached calm. In his view, capturing this turf was merely a matter of time. Anyone who dared to cross paths with him almost invariably met a tragic end.

"Brother Zhixiao, they're breaking in from the upper floor and the back door!" An underling rushed inside in a panic.

"Damn it!" Feng Zhixiao roared in fury. He looked toward Dahai and urged, "Dahai, please take some men to block them and buy us as much time as you can. I trust Brother Chen will come to our rescue!"

"Understood!" Dahai nodded, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes. Having been entrusted with such a heavy responsibility for the very first time, Dahai wore a grave expression. He immediately gathered thirty-odd men and rushed toward the rear. The back door had already been breached by the enemy, and those thugs were charging in brandishing broadswords and iron pipes. Taking the lead, Dahai clutched a heavy saber that had been wiped down with liquor and swung it directly at the chest of the foremost attacker.

Splat...

Fresh blood instantly spouted from the enemy's chest, spilling across the floor. The underlings behind him widened their eyes in shock. Dahai's ferocious display instantly stunned the enemy forces, freezing everyone in their tracks. Raising his saber once more with wide-open eyes, Dahai roared, "Brothers, kill them!"

"Charge!" Galvanized by Dahai's peerless bravery, the morale of the rear guard skyrocketed instantly. The thirty-odd men hurled themselves at the hundred-plus enemies pouring in, and the two sides locked in a fierce, brutal melee. Dahai single-handedly fought dozens of foes, moving among them with effortless ease. Inspired by his example, the underlings fought with redoubled fury, hacking and slashing desperately. This played a crucial role in holding the enemy back.

However, sheer numbers remained a critical limiting factor. Despite Dahai's inspiring presence, human flesh and blood could only endure so much. After over ten minutes of frantic slaughter, dozens of the enemy lay dead, but the Heaven-Defying Gang was faring no better. Virtually all thirty-odd members had sustained injuries, yet they stubbornly gritted their teeth and held the line. Little Er was mixed in among them; the kid was clever and short in stature, allowing him to fish in troubled waters. He would occasionally slash at an opponent and bolt away instantly. Believe it or not, using this exact tactic, he had managed to bring down three men all by himself.

Splat...

The heavy saber in Dahai's hand felled yet another enemy. However, the Heaven-Defying Gang's underlings were beginning to reach their limit. The moment one of them was hacked down, others would immediately rush forward to drag the wounded comrade back. Following another bloody clash, the gang members could barely hold their ground, forced into a bitter retreat where they fought every step of the way.

"This is bad, Brother Dahai! More people are coming down from upstairs!" Little Er cried out in sudden alarm.

Dahai looked up, and sure enough, another wave of enemies was pouring down the stairs, a large mob raising their sabers as they lunged toward his position. Dahai let out a thunderous roar: "Form a wall! Stop them! Don't let them break through!"

Relying on just thirty-odd men to hold off an assault of over two hundred was an impossible task. Furthermore, Yan Er'er had already ordered a full-scale assault at the main entrance, where more than three hundred men were pushing inward simultaneously. The battlefield was a raging inferno. Feng Zhixiao remained calm as he directed this overwhelmingly mismatched battle. Even with a mere thirty fighters at his disposal, they stubbornly resisted the charge of over three hundred foes.

Yet the massive disparity in numbers inevitably reduced Feng Zhixiao's side to a desperate disadvantage. Consequently, within a short span of time, very few of his men remained standing. Wielding a steel pipe, Feng Zhixiao smashed it into the face of an incoming thug, howling at the top of his lungs, "Hold your ground, everyone! Brother Chen will be back soon!"

Roar, roar, roar...

The remaining members of the Heaven-Defying Gang let out defiant growls. Having entered the fray, they felt not an ounce of fear; their blood boiled with the intensity of boiling water. Standing at the entrance, Yan Er'er cast a cold gaze upon the battered remnants and sneer, "What a bunch of stubborn fools!"

"Boss, they're about to break!" an underling beside him chuckled coldly.

"Hmph, mere grasshoppers at the end of autumn," Yan Er'er said with a chilly smile.

Moments later, a booming shout echoed from within: "We've broken through! The place is taken!"

"Let's go inside and take a look!" Yan Er'er stepped forward and entered the building. Inside the lobby, Feng Zhixiao and his men were covered in blood and gore, crimson fluid seeping from head to face. Yet they showed no trace of submission. The thirty-odd underlings who could still move huddled closely together, supporting and leaning against one another, entrusting their backs entirely to their brothers. Seeing this decimated group, Yan Er'er sneered coldly, "Feng Zhixiao, where is Ye Chen?"

"Hmph, do you really think I'd tell you?" Feng Zhixiao glared coldly at Yan Er'er. "You want to find Brother Chen? In your dreams!"

"Ha, if you ask me, Ye Chen must be a coward who tucked tail and ran!" Yan Er'er burst into triumphant laughter.

Just as Feng Zhixiao and the others glared with burning anger, a chilling voice echoed from outside the doorway: "Who says I'm a coward who ran away?"

The voice rang through the hall, and Feng Zhixiao's face instantly lit up with wild elation. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Brother Chen! Brother Chen, is that you?"

Hearing that it was Ye Chen, the members of the Heaven-Defying Gang cheered jubilantly. Yan Er'er spun around instantly. Ye Chen walked in from the doorway, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, a cigarette dangling from his lips. He fixed a cold, piercing gaze on Yan Er'er and said, "Yan Number Two, we meet again."

"Hmph, looks like you've come back just to throw your life away!" Yan Er'er stared at him frostily.

"Who lives and who dies is far from certain," Ye Chen replied coldly, eyeing Yan Er'er. "Do you really think you'll walk out of here alive?"

"Such arrogant bluster!" Yan Er'er threw his head back and laughed loudly. "Men, capture this punk for me!"

"Let's see who dares!" At that exact moment, two figures plummeted from the ceiling with broadswords strapped to their backs. Dashia and Rat descended gracefully through the air. Landing heavily on the floor, they roared in unison, "Damn it, what are you waiting for? If not now, when?!"