Rise of The Demon General

Chapter 471: Chapter 471. The Underworld Overlord

Amon used a message talisman. Not long after, Gao Lan walked down the stairs. ”Is it done?” She asked.

”It is,” Amon uttered.

Gao Lan came over and looked at the fallen bodies of Gao Fongze and Gao Feng. She said, ”Thank you for letting me sit this out. While I no longer consider myself part of the Gao Clan, killing someone from my clan is still uncomfortable.”

”Didn’t I hear you personally killed Gao Pan?” Yang Li asked.

”He is a special case,” Gao Lan replied.

”Do you want to leave your mark, or should I do it for you?” Amon asked.

”I will do it,” Gao Lan answered. She unsheathed her saber and walked to Gao Feng. She proceeded to thrust her saber into Gao Feng’s neck. Blood leaked out of the wound, but not much. His heart was no longer beating.

Gao Lan pulled her saber and walked back while Amon picked up one of Gao Feng’s maces.

”Are you ready?” Amon asked.

”... No,” Gao Lan replied.

Amon swung the mace. The heavy iron head of the mace slammed into Gao Lan’s elbow. It broke upon contact.

”Aahhh...!!!” She screamed from the pain. ”I told you I was not–”

Another swing struck her side. It was not as hard as the first one that broke her arm, but it was still hard enough to break a couple of her ribs. She fell backward to the floor.

”Motherfucker...!” She cursed. She lay on the floor. She didn’t have enough strength to get up.

”That should give you enough credibility to show that you are fighting Gao Feng,” Amon said while returning the mace to the floor. ”Do you remember the narrative?”

Gao Lan needed to take a few breaths before she spoke, ”Gao Fongze served everyone wine in the meeting. Later, we learned we had been poisoned, except for me, who refused to drink the wine because I was fasting. Out of rage, we attacked Gao Fongze, Gao Feng, and Sui Kou. We won the fight and killed the three, but those who had drunk the wine succumbed to poison and died.”

”Including the secret leader of the Demon Gang,” Amon uttered. A corpse wearing a golden demon mask appeared in his arm. He threw the corpse among the other clan representatives.

”Including the secret leader of the Demon Gang,” Gao Lan repeated.

Only a few knew about Amon’s identity as the true leader of the Demon Gang. Those who knew mostly had no confirmation. Most people who could confirm Amon’s identity as the leader of the Demon Gang were inside this basement. These people had turned into corpses, so this brought down the number significantly.

”Once Yang Li and I leave, the inn manager will call the authorities,” Amon said.

Gao Lan nodded. She would stay here waiting for them.

”Wait until they arrive before taking the recovery pill,” Amon told her. ”Seeing you suffer should help you gain sympathy and support your story.”

”What if they take me to prison?” Gao Lan asked.

”Unlikely, you are doing this in self-defense. Even if they take you in because you are a member of the underworld organization, San Guo will bail you out in no time. You have nothing to worry about.”

Gao Lan nodded again. Since she didn’t say anything more, Amon and Yang Li left the place.

*

The aftermath of the underworld coalition incident proceeded as Amon had schemed. The authorities came to investigate the crime scene and concluded that the blame fell on Gao Fongze. He was the one who invited everyone, he was the one who supplied the Heavenly Bliss Wine, and the inn was rented under his name.

The inn manager testified that he received the wine directly from Gao Fongze and distributed the wine following his instructions. He had no idea the wine was poisoned.

Testimony from the sole survivor, Gao Lan, further implicated Gao Fongze. She claimed that Gao Fongze must have expected everyone to die from the poison before anyone was aware of getting poisoned. She told the investigators that Gao Fongze was very upset when she refused to drink the wine.

She claimed that Gao Fongze didn’t expect the poison to take effect at different times for everyone. The ones with lower cultivation suffered first. That’s how they learned they had been poisoned. Upon the discovery, everyone ganged up on the Gao people.

Gao Lan was detained for a few days for questioning and observation but was ultimately released.

The one who was in hot heels was the Gao Clan. The seven clans from the coalition came to ask them for explanations. Some of these meetings even almost turned violent.

The Gao Clan tried asking for help from Senior Minister Pu Zhang, whom they had a good relationship with, but Pu Zhang didn’t lend them a hand. This case was very high profile. Many prominent clan members were killed. If Pu Zhang put himself as a shield for the Gao Clan, he would suffer public criticism.

As for Amon, he used this chance to gain dominance in the underworld coalition. The Street Dogs and Mud Sharks were annihilated. The remaining six underworld organizations agreed to work under the Demon Gang. In other words, all the territories occupied by the coalition were now Demon Gang’s territory.

Aside from picking a fight with the Gao Clan, the seven clans sent representatives to negotiate with the Demon Gang. Six clans asked the Demon Gang to return their previous underworld organizations to them, while the Xian Clan asked Amon to vacate their original territory so they could rebuild the Mud Sharks.

Amon gave them the same offer Gao Fongze gave during the coalition meeting. He said Demon Gang would not forfeit any territory. Demon Gang would protect the clans’ businesses, but they had to pay the protection fees. Amon gave them a discounted fee compared to others but no exemption.

Amon warned them not to try rebuilding their underworld forces inside the coalition’s territory. If they did, these organizations would be considered enemies. The Demon Gang would also stop protecting their businesses.

The seven clans were unhappy with this arrangement but didn’t have much choice. They reluctantly conceded.

Since then, the Demon Gang became the overlord of Golden Stone City’s underworld.

*

”That was a ballsy move you made in the capital’s underworld,” Huang San said. He was meeting Amon inside Fuxiang City’s rebuilt city hall.

”What move?” Amon asked.

”Don’t play coy. You are still leading the Demon Gang, aren’t you?”

Amon shrugged. ”You can’t deny their advantage, can you? For a city to develop with such swiftness as this Fuxiang City, there is bound to be chaos. Many conflicting parties vie for a piece of the pie. The Demon Gang keeps everything under control and helps you maintain order.”

”So, are you admitting to being in charge of the Demon Gang?” Huang San asked.

”I’m not admitting anything,” Amon replied. ”Isn’t this better for you? This way, you don’t have to deny when someone asks you about it.”

”Why don’t you just focus on your Lin Hei Sect?” Huang San asked.

”Every organization with power needs a shadow,” Amon replied.

Huang San shook his head. ”Well, I call you here to discuss our finances.”

”Our finance is doing great,” Amon stated.

”It is, but our spending is also great,” Huang San said. ”Rebuilding and managing a city take a hell of a lot of resources. Although I receive funds from the kingdom, it is not enough to keep up. I am forced to use our reserved aer stones to pay for the deficit. The problem is, with such spending, I don’t think we can hit the required amount to participate in the Ancient Ascension Trial. I think we need to start saving and toning down the redevelopment of this city.”

”If you do that, you will lose the reputation we have built up for you in these past two years,” Amon said. ”The country is starting to look up to you. You can’t stop this momentum. This reputation is important for you after you win the trial and become king. If you don’t have the respect and approval from the public, your reign won’t last long even if you win.”

”Wow! You are already planning for after we win the trial? I don’t know if I must admire your confidence or be worried about it.”

”We must always plan multiple steps ahead. Otherwise, we can’t keep the momentum,” Amon said.

Huang San nodded. ”I trust you. However, we still have the financial problem. My bookkeepers advised me two years are not enough to gather fifty million aer stones with our current spending.”

”Our income will increase. My Lin Hei Sect will grow more rapidly than before...”

”Because its shadow now controls most of the capital?” Huang San interrupted Amon.

Amon shrugged again. ”With its growth, I can open more facilities, which boost my powder production. You just make sure to distribute them properly, and profits will continue to flow. When it is time for the trial, we might even have more aer stones to pay for more spots in the trial.”