Martial Dao: Peace by Force

Chapter 125: Chapter 102: Who Dares Touch His People

An City, Tong Family Manor.

The study.

Behind the mahogany desk, Tong Tianshun leaned back in his high-backed chair, his face an unreadable mask. He slowly set down the piece of paper in his hand, which contained only a few sparse lines of text. After a moment of contemplation, he looked up at the man standing opposite him with his hands respectfully at his sides.

”This is all the information you have?”

”Boss, there’s very little public information available on this Wan Ze,” the middle-aged man said, choosing his words carefully. ”Either... he really is a newcomer who just stepped into the Martial Dao Circle and hasn’t had time to leave much of a mark...”

”A newcomer?” Tong Tianshun cut him off. ”Sun Kui was the bodyguard I personally selected for Xiaorun. He was killed in a single exchange... You’re telling me a newcomer could do something like that?”

Across from him, the middle-aged man was silent for a moment before speaking. ”Then there’s only one other possibility. His information was erased by that figure from Dragon Eagle... Boss, what we can confirm now... is that this Wan Ze is indeed that person’s Closed-door Disciple. Although his family background is ordinary, his backing is not. If we move against him, that figure from Dragon Eagle will definitely intervene.”

He ended with a reminder.

But how could Tong Tianshun not understand?

An ordinary family background, but an extraordinary backing... Behind this contradictory conclusion lay the undeniable deterrent power of the Dragon Eagle Martial Arts Hall.

He set aside the paper with Wan Ze’s basic information. ”What about the Zhai Family? Are they in An City too?”

”I’ve checked. They’re not. Neither of the brothers, Zhai Jia or Zhai Yu, are in An City. This Wan Ze was probably here with a friend on business or for leisure. It was just a coincidence that Young Master Run ran into him, which led to the conflict.” The middle-aged man couldn’t help but glance over, knowing some things were better left unsaid.

”That idiot! He deserved to be beaten to death!” Tong Tianshun roared in sudden fury.

’He was really just furious at his son’s uselessness.’

Back then, their family had paid a hefty sum to get Tong Run back from Dragon Eagle.

He’d thought the kid would have learned his lesson after suffering a loss, but he was still as clueless as ever!

The middle-aged man kept his eyes lowered and his mouth shut, not daring to comment.

Those of them who were always around Young Master Run knew exactly what kind of person he was, but it wasn’t his place to say so.

He understood his boss’s predicament.

If someone from the Zhai Family had attacked Tong Run directly this time, the Tong Family would have had a much better reason to get involved.

But instead, Tong Run had been the one foolish enough to provoke a direct disciple of Dragon Eagle who, while seemingly uninvolved, had a formidable backer.

Of course, he could roughly guess that Tong Run had been trying to set a trap, but he had kicked an iron plate instead... He failed to catch his fish, and instead had his own teeth shattered by the bait.

He looked at Tong Tianshun, awaiting his decision.

Tong Tianshun’s expression darkened and shifted.

After a long moment, he said decisively, ”Relay my orders. No one from the Tong Family is to make a move on that Wan Ze in private! This matter ends here! We’ll treat it as a child being ignorant, taking a small loss, and learning a lesson!”

The Tong Family was currently dedicating all its efforts to securing a key project that would affect their development for years to come. This was a time to focus their energy and avoid making enemies.

They simply didn’t have the energy to contend with a tough nut like Dragon Eagle.

When conflicts between the younger generation reached the level of their elders, the best way to handle it was to not escalate things and then let the matter cool down.

If the Tong Family postured for revenge, the nature of the incident would change. It would only escalate into a bigger mess that would be difficult to resolve.

”Yes, Boss. I understand,” the middle-aged man immediately replied with a bow, breathing a silent sigh of relief.

While this resolution was frustrating, it was undoubtedly the one most in line with the family’s current interests.

However, just as he was about to turn and leave...

The study door was thrown open. A young man burst in, looking flustered and forgetting all etiquette as he cried out, ”Dad! It’s bad! Fifth Brother... Fifth Brother took a gun and left in his car!”

”What?!” Tong Tianshun shot up from his chair, instantly shocked and enraged. ”What is he doing?! What does he think he’s doing?! What are you good for?! Why didn’t you stop him?!”

”We... we didn’t think much of it at first,” the young man, Tong Tianshun’s second son, said in a panic. ”Fifth Brother just said he felt stifled and wanted to go for a drive. Later... later, Uncle He noticed one of his service pistols was missing from his room. That’s when I realized something was wrong and rushed to tell you... He’s been closest to Third Brother since they were kids. He must have found out about Third Brother being beaten. He couldn’t swallow his anger and went to get revenge on that Wan Ze!”

”Foolish! Imbeciles!” Tong Tianshun trembled with rage, slamming a palm down hard on the mahogany desk. ”One after another, you’re all troublesome bastards! What kind of situation is the Tong Family in right now? Is this any time to be provoking Dragon Eagle?!”

He felt like he was going insane from the stupidity of these two sons.

The older one stirs up trouble, and the younger one is all brawn and no brains!

The family was at a critical juncture. What it needed was stability and a low profile, not making enemies everywhere and provoking the powerful!

”Go bring him back! If he doesn’t listen, break his legs!” Tong Tianshun roared.

”Dad, I already had Uncle He take some men and go after him before I came here. They should be able to catch up,” the young man said quickly, also aware of the gravity of the situation.

Hearing that Old He was on the move, Tong Tianshun calmed down slightly.

Old He was strong and reliable. With him on the job, he should be able to restrain the fifth son and prevent an irreversible disaster.

But when he thought about how ruthless Wan Ze had been, he couldn’t shake a bad feeling.

That young man was probably not the merciful type, nor was he the type to be intimidated by the Tong Family’s name.

’The fifth son went with a gun... What if, what if a real conflict breaks out...’

Seeing the situation, the middle-aged man knew it was urgent and immediately bowed. ”Boss, I’ll also take some men to provide backup. We will be sure to bring Young Master Yuan back safely.”

”Go, quickly!” Tong Tianshun nodded.

The middle-aged man departed swiftly, leaving only the father and son in the study.

The young man gritted his teeth, unable to hold back any longer. He asked in a low voice, ”Dad, Third Brother... both of his legs are crippled. For the rest of his life, he’ll probably... Are we, the Tong Family, really going to swallow this insult and do nothing? The people from Dragon Eagle are just too tyrannical!”

He just felt that the family’s dignity was inviolable. If they didn’t stand up for his brother after he was so grievously injured, how could the Tong Family maintain its standing in An City in the future?

”Do something? What do you want to do?” Tong Tianshun spun around and said coldly, ”He wasn’t skilled enough, yet he still went looking for trouble. He deserved to have his legs broken! He brought it on himself! What else do you want to do? Wage war against Dragon Eagle with the full strength of our family?!”

”But...” The young man was cowed for a moment, but he was still unwilling to accept it. ’Aren’t the people from Dragon Eagle tyrannical? They break people’s limbs at the drop of a hat!’

”No ’buts’!” Tong Tianshun cut him off sharply, his eyes filled with disappointment. ”I’ve told you since you were children! If you want to compete with the younger generation of the Zhai Family, fine! Then show some real skill! Compete and fight openly, honorably, within the rules! Stop trying to use these shady, underhanded tricks that can’t see the light of day! The Zhai Family is backed by Dragon Eagle, by Situ Bai! Do you really think that Grandmaster is just a clay statue who will sit back and watch you make a move on his people?!”

His anger grew as he spoke. ”Use your brains for a second! If he really didn’t intend to interfere in the younger generation’s grudges, he wouldn’t have detained your brother after Zhai Yu broke Xiaorun’s first leg, making me call and beg to get him back! That was a warning! A rap on the knuckles! How can you worthless idiots be so incapable of learning a lesson?! How did I end up raising a bunch of wastrels like you?!”

”Dad...” The young man’s face turned beet red from the scolding. ’His father’s words were just too harsh.’

’That’s his own brother, after all!’

”Get out!” Tong Tianshun said, looking exhausted. He waved a hand dismissively, not wanting to look at him anymore.

”...”

The young man opened his mouth, but in the end, said nothing.

He turned around.

And slammed the door on his way out.

BANG!

Silence returned to the study. Tong Tianshun rubbed the bridge of his nose.

’He could only hope Old He would be a little faster.’

The Tong Family was going through a turbulent period. They truly could not afford to offend Dragon Eagle, nor could they withstand any major disturbances.

...

「At the alley entrance, inside the small restaurant.」

As a cold draft blew in, Miss Ling couldn’t help but shiver.

Wan Ze looked back.

The person who entered wasn’t old, eighteen at most. He had a buzz cut with dyed-blond hair, a flashy, garish shirt, and bell-bottoms.

His shoes, however, looked quite expensive.

He stood at the entrance with his hands on his hips.

He looked arrogant and domineering.

After scanning the room, his eyes met Wan Ze’s, and a smile finally appeared on his face. But it was a cold one.

”Wan Ze... I know you. Looks like you’ve got more guts than I thought. I figured after you beat up my brother, you’d run back to Dragon Eagle with your tail between your legs like a stray dog!”

The moment Miss Ling heard this, her heart sank.

’It’s the end of the world.’

’No way...’

’They tracked us down this fast?’

’I definitely covered the license plate with branches!’

’Are these guys part dog or something?’

’How could their sense of smell be so sharp?!’

Wan Ze withdrew his gaze and unhurriedly continued eating. After chewing and swallowing, he said, ”Aren’t you the one with more guts, daring to come looking for me alone? Was this the Tong Family’s idea? Or are you just ignorant of your own limitations?”

Provoked by his words, Tong Yuan’s blood rushed to his head.

He was already an arrogant and domineering rich brat; there was no way he could tolerate such a comment.

He suddenly pulled a sawed-off shotgun from his coat, its dark muzzle aimed directly at Wan Ze.

His facial muscles twisted. ”Fuck! Who the hell do you think you’re acting tough with?! If you didn’t have a good master named Situ Bai, do you think I’d have the patience to stand here and waste my breath on you?! I’d have fucking blown your goddamn head off already!”

The other patrons in the restaurant, who had been looking on curiously, were scared out of their wits when they saw the real weapon. They screamed and shot to their feet, sending tables and chairs crashing with a CLATTER as they scrambled toward the back door and the kitchen.

”All of you, get the fuck out! Scram!” Tong Yuan seemed to enjoy the feeling of being feared. He waved the muzzle of the gun casually toward the crowd and cursed.

Watching the terrified patrons flee, he grew smug.

He aimed the gun steadily at Wan Ze again, his tone arrogant—the arrogance of someone who believed they were in complete control.

”You Dragon Eagle guys are only a big deal in your own little corner of Holy City! Besides, the feud between my family and the Zhai Family is none of your fucking business! Who the hell do you think you are, meddling in things that don’t concern you?!”

”But... but your brother started it today! He almost hit us...” Miss Ling, hiding behind Wan Ze, was too indignant to stay quiet and couldn’t help muttering under her breath.

”You, shut the fuck up!” Tong Yuan flew into a rage from the embarrassment, instantly swinging the gun towards Miss Ling, his face contorted. ”You don’t get a say in this! Keep yapping and I’ll blow you away first!”

Miss Ling’s face went pale and she immediately backed down, but she pouted, clearly still defiant in her heart.

Only then did Wan Ze slowly put down his chopsticks, pick up a napkin, and methodically wipe the corner of his mouth.

He looked up at Tong Yuan and got straight to the point. ”So, what do you want?”