Chapter 669: For the Blood Bottle Gang, Part Two

Fogg took a heavy puff from his pipe, while Nekra, as the guest, smiled more and more happily.

"Enough. Jade City controls lethal weapons," Good Man Tommy threw cold water on everyone. "Forget military crossbows. You cannot even get ten big chopping blades in the city. How are you going to fuck them? Swing sticks or wave kitchen knives?"

"Rob the Security Hall. That would get weapons the fastest," Jaga mocked. "Or the Jade Legion. Their weapons are the best."

The whole warehouse went quiet.

"Uh, everyone, I'm not trying to be discouraging. But have you thought about this?" Newspaper Seller Zeka wiped his glasses and stuffed the cloth back into the pocket of his expensive coat. "If this really was done by the Black Silks, why not directly target you people in charge? Hmm? For example, cut your throats and hang you upside down?"

The bosses around the round table frowned.

"That makes sense," Good Man Tommy said unhurriedly. "From what Roger said, it seems all the dead were thugs, street sweepers, bodyguards, boxers..."

Sangare said angrily:

"And my dogs!"

Taremi frowned in protest.

"Hey, the dead one was my brother-in-law! My wife's own younger brother!"

Jaga smiled from the side.

"Right. Which wife is this again? Seventh or eighth?"

Zeka raised both hands to press down the noise and continued:

"In short, none of you have suffered major losses. Nothing that breaks bones and tendons or affects business. It just happens to be enough for you to come before Boss Fogg whole and righteous, denounce the matter, and force him to take revenge on the Brotherhood. Isn't that a little too coincidental?"

As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere changed.

"Newspaper Seller, what do you mean?" Gutierrez said coldly.

"Nothing."

Zeka shook his head.

"He means that we street people directed and acted out all of this ourselves," Roger said angrily. "After all, these people who sit behind tables counting money suffered no losses, right?"

The atmosphere in the warehouse grew tense.

In the corner, Glover turned back and whispered to Ralf:

"I understand. This wave of attacks split them into two factions. The people who lost the most are those who need to go onto the streets themselves to make a living, and who are not doing well in Jade City, so their voices are the loudest."

"Of course, perhaps the Brotherhood attack is only an excuse," Zombie said quietly. "These people have long been dissatisfied with the distribution of benefits. Mute, are you listening?"

Ralf nodded.

He used all his strength to force himself not to look at the man in the dark red coat again.

"Ah, that is exactly what I find strange too," Bad Cobbler Jaga snorted. "Dung Egg, Gutierrez, Gamandia, from what you are saying, it sounds like the Black Silks nearly exterminated your families. But how come our people are all fine? Still eating and drinking as usual?"

"Maybe because your people are fat-headed and thick-bellied and all went whoring? Even the Black Silks do not think they are worth touching?" Gutierrez gritted his teeth.

"Maybe because they already greeted the Black Silks and told them not to touch their people," Gamandia sneered. "There has never been a lack of clever people in the Blood Bottle Gang, right?"

"Oh, then your people must have been captured by the Black Silks and dragged into brothels?" Jaga coldly countered.

"Speaking of brothels," Zeka turned his head. "Franco, your theaters are close to their territory. How is it? Have the girls seen any suspicious strangers?"

"No. The girls are all fine, except one or two who accidentally got big bellies." Franco laced his fingers together. "Business as usual."

Zeka spread his hands.

"See?"

Gutierrez and Roger burned with anger and were about to fire back when Nekra's voice sounded again.

"Ah, I understand!"

Everyone turned to look. Red Viper appeared to have suddenly realized something.

"Thugs, street sweepers, bodyguards, boxers, hunters... the ones who disappeared, were kidnapped, or were attacked are all the people in the gang who can go onto the streets and fight," Nekra said. "This is the Brotherhood's plan! From bottom to top, they are cutting away our wings. It looks as if it does not hurt our bones and tendons, but in truth they are numbing us and weakening the Blood Bottle Gang's fighting strength step by step. By the time we react from 'business as usual,' we will be unarmed and at their mercy!"

"Exactly. I knew it!" Roger's eyes burned. "Black Silks! We cannot sit and wait for death. Blood debts must be paid in blood!"

Bang!

A loud sound.

"All of you, quiet!"

Fogg's fist smashed onto the round table, while he glared hard at Nekra.

"Roger, Gutierrez, Gamandia, Taremi, Sangare." He looked over his subordinates one by one. "I know your losses. I understand your feelings."

The bosses around the round table all looked at Fogg, each with a different expression.

"But do not forget..."

Fogg took a deep breath.

"We still have a ceasefire agreement with the Black Silks. We cannot start war lightly."

As soon as he said this, a wave of bored boos sounded in the warehouse.

Roger said angrily:

"Ceasefire agreement? Fuck! They have openly attacked and kidnapped our people on the streets! What Sunset's cock of a ceasefire, if Sunset even has a cock!"

Gutierrez clenched his fist, his expression livid.

"Boss, we are the Blood Bottle Gang!"

Jaga snorted coldly.

"Hey, only at times like this do you remember that you are Blood Bottle Gang."

Taremi frowned.

"But they, the Black Silks, violated the agreement first."

"Right," Sangare gritted his teeth. "They killed my dogs! Dogs!"

"But do not forget, this is Jade City. If we act recklessly," Good Man Tommy tilted his head, "the Security Hall and Jade Legion will not let us have good fruit to eat."

The warehouse became chaotic. As emotions surged, Red Viper's sinister voice sounded faintly again.

"Yes. Ceasefire agreement, ceasefire agreement." Nekra spoke slowly, shaking his head, making the noise in the warehouse gradually disappear. "Signed by the great 'Phantom Blade' Catherine. We, the Blood Bottle Gang, have since become obedient and well-behaved, not daring to touch a single hair of the Black Silks."

The gang members in the warehouse breathed heavier.

Nekra looked at the ugly-faced Fogg with poisonous eyes.

"Everyone should understand. Someone like Boss Fogg, who wanders everywhere, makes home in all four seas, and follows Big Sister Catherine's lead, not daring to go west if she says east, how could he dare disobey the ceasefire agreement?"

As soon as these words came out, Fogg's eyes changed slightly, and the gang members present began whispering.

Even the bosses looked at him differently.

"Red Viper!"

"This does not only concern Catherine," Fogg said coldly. "That is an agreement between the Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhood. It was witnessed by great figures and is effective throughout the entire kingdom."

Red Viper sneered.

"This agreement allows us to maintain tacit understanding and live in peace," Jaga reminded them. "Breaking it is unwise, let alone having us break it in Jade City."

"And we have no proof," Fogg nodded and swept his gaze over the surroundings. "No proof that the Black Street Brotherhood violated the ceasefire agreement first."

The atmosphere in the warehouse grew even tenser.

"Does that matter?"

Nekra said darkly.

"Whether the Brotherhood did it, does that matter?"

"Little Red," Fogg frowned. "What do you mean?"

Red Viper smiled coldly and rose from his seat.

"What truly matters is that right now, the gang members of Jade City are frightened. Even the legend of the water ghoul eating people has been brought out."

"What matters is that some people, some matter, must carry the pot for the attacks we suffered, so the brothers can vent their anger smoothly."

"What matters is that we are the ones being beaten, and we are the ones suffering losses. If this pot cannot be placed on outsiders..."

Nekra looked at the gang members in the warehouse.

"I mean, facing all the brothers waiting eagerly, Fogg, you cannot tell them that these kidnappings, murders, and disappearances were all done by House Covendier, can you?"

Fogg clenched his fist.

"What matters is that at this juncture, Fogg, you must do something, anything, to let the brothers see that you are still controlling the situation and have not been run ragged." Red Viper looked at silent Fogg and lifted a finger, lightly tapping the air. "Whether war or peace, you need to show the spirit of Jade City's boss. You cannot be cowardly, right?"

Everyone nodded one after another.

"Red Viper, you beast with a mouth full of poisonous fangs." Fogg narrowed his eyes. He had not touched his pipe for a long time.

Nekra only smiled without speaking.

"But Boss Nekra has a point, even though he is not local," Gamandia sighed.

Everyone turned their eyes.

"Boss Fogg, you are the one in charge in Jade City. We all listen to you. No matter what you do, we will support it," Gamandia folded his arms. "But the brothers are bleeding, and you have to do something, whether for lives, business, or the Blood Bottle Gang's face."

Fogg fell silent.

Newspaper Seller Zeka coughed.

"But everyone, if we really do as you say and gather the brothers to go to North Gate Bridge... do you understand what that means?"

"We are not starting a war. We only want to stop the bleeding, ask the Black Silks for an explanation, recover our face, and recover the brothers we lost," Gutierrez gritted his teeth.

"Or lose even more brothers?" Jaga mocked in a strange tone.

"Then did our people die for nothing? Did their blood flow for nothing?" Roger protested.

"And my dogs!" Sangare echoed.

"Of course not!"

This time, the one who spoke was Fogg.

He knocked the table and stood.

"Believe me, everyone. I have already mobilized every connection I have and am handling it. There will soon be a result. Whether the brothers of ours who died or those who disappeared, their blood will not flow in vain."

"Handling it? Boss, that is what you told me the day before yesterday too."

Gamandia snorted softly.

"But Boss Fogg, dare you say you are truly 'handling' it?"

As soon as these words came out, the warehouse went quiet.

Fogg froze, then slowly turned back.

"Gamandia?"

Everyone looked toward Gamandia.

"As far as I know, Boss," Gamandia said coldly, "from yesterday to today, you have been working for someone else, have you not? Your direct subordinates kidnapped a lord named Bedron, got him drunk, then threw him into a murder scene in Gilding District, that wool merchant murder case that shocked the whole city, right?"

Many people froze at these words.

Only Glover was startled.

The wool merchant murder case in Gilding District. Was that not...

Fogg looked at Gamandia in disbelief.

"Correct, Boss Fogg. Just when our people were dying and disappearing, when the Black Silks were causing us heavy losses one after another, and we urgently needed our boss to come out and lead us," Gamandia gritted his teeth, "you were still playing that old game of helping great figures play house, finding scapegoats for them, and wiping their asses! And you still told everyone you were 'handling' it?"

The warehouse quieted.

Fogg was expressionless.

"Gamandia," Fogg slowly said, "leaking news of the attacks to Red Viper and making him come to Jade City to stir up trouble was partly your idea too, correct?"

Gamandia's face paled.

"I respect you very much, Boss Fogg. But you truly disappoint me. Disappoint us." Gamandia swallowed. "And this is for the Blood Bottle Gang."

Fogg slowly raised his head. His gaze swept over Gamandia, Roger, Gutierrez, Sangare, and the others. They all turned their eyes aside, not daring to meet his gaze.

"And you few too, yes? You already colluded. This is a mutiny."

Seeing that the situation was bad, Jaga wanted to say something to ease things.

"Uh, everyone, actually Boss Fogg has also worked very hard..."

"Shut up, Cobbler, before I stuff your shoes into your mouth," Gutierrez coldly interrupted him.

Nekra looked at everyone and chuckled.

"So that is how it is, Old Fogg. The reason you had no time these past few days to care about their complaints, no time to care about such a small matter as dead people in the gang, no free hands to uphold justice for them, is because you were running errands and licking boots for people, especially those inside Emerald Palace?"

Fogg glared at him.

"You know very well, Red Viper. You know the origins between Covendier and the Blood Bottle Gang. That is not as simple as running errands," Fogg gritted his teeth. "It is something we must do if we want to survive in Jade City."

"So, Boss Fogg, you really..." Roger looked at him in disappointment. "Ha. You really have no guts."

In that instant, Gutierrez, Taremi, and Sangare all looked at Fogg differently. Even Zeka and Jaga did not dare speak for him anymore.

"Something you must do? You mean sucking Covendier's ugly cock?"

Red Viper spat.

"Then when your gang members are attacked everywhere by the Black Silks and suffer countless deaths and injuries, why do we not see Duke Zayen sending the Jade Legion to help them? Of course, I know. I have experienced it. Because great figures are too busy! They have no time for little shrimps like us!"

Fogg gritted his teeth.

"Fogg, brothers follow you for a reason, just as vassals follow a king. If you can no longer protect them, protect the brothers' interests and safety, hoo hoo..."

Nekra stretched out his hand and swept his palm over the bosses around the round table, grinning.

"Then they can only seek their own way out."

"Way out." Fogg snorted coldly. "Red Viper, is that why you came?"

"Wow, relax, Fogg. I am not here to steal your business or territory..."

"Only to seize power?"

"Is that not too narrow-minded?" Nekra smiled. "We are all Blood Bottle Gang. Brothers of one family."

Fogg snorted.

"Then you came to Jade City to seize power. Does Catherine know?"

"Hahahahaha." Nekra laughed loudly. "The way you ask that sounds like asking, 'Does Mother know?'"

But in the entire warehouse, only Nekra laughed.

"Get out, Red Viper," Fogg said coldly. "This place, Jade City, no longer welcomes you."

Nekra waved his hand.

"All right, Fogg. Do not throw a child's tantrum. I know you also hate that bitch and do not want to sit beneath her. You know, we can cooperate. Ever since the Night War..."

"Get out!"

Fogg roared and interrupted him.

"Nekra, take your people and get out of Jade City now, before I cannot stop myself from killing you!"

Nekra's expression cooled.

"I think you have not understood the situation, Fogg," Red Viper clicked his tongue. "Do you still think Jade City is yours?"

When his words fell, the subordinates behind him all stepped forward, their momentum frightening.

"Admit it, Fogg. After Catherine went to the capital, these people each acted on their own. Aside from paying shares on time, they probably have not listened to you much." Nekra said, "Just as you said, only at times like this do they remember you are the one in charge."

The bosses around the round table looked at one another. Some sneered, some were confused, some were frightened, and some were uneasy.

"Now, the gang members of Jade City have fallen into difficulty, and they need a boss." Nekra spread his arms, accepting the role without hesitation. "A strong and powerful boss who can lead them out of difficulty."

Fogg sneered, took a puff from his pipe, and exhaled heavily.

"I am the Blood Bottle Gang's boss in Jade City, and our ceasefire agreement with the Black Silks is still effective," Wanderer said in a low voice. "As long as I am still here."

"That is no longer up to you, Fogg," Red Viper said carelessly. "Look at them. Every one of them is at the end of his rope. How many people here do you think still support you?"

Fogg frowned and looked around. Zeka, Franco, Tommy... their expressions were fearful and their postures shrinking. They were probably all calculating how to escape safely.

Damn it.

The gang members in the warehouse had different expressions. Some moved forward, some retreated, and some gripped their weapons.

"I guess the idol shattered," Glover said mockingly to the frightened-stiff Qimikas.

He lowered his head and whispered to Ralf:

"The situation is bad. If they start fighting later, we watch for an opening and run."

But Ralf did not answer him. The mute stared single-mindedly at Red Viper in the field.

At that moment, beside Fogg, a figure unexpectedly stood.

"Get out."

Everyone froze, including Fogg.

By the round table, Duro looked calmly at Nekra opposite him.

"Nekra. Oh, no. Little Red. Boss Fogg told you to get out."

Glover patted Qimikas, who had been frightened stiff again.

Your boss has guts.

Red Viper was startled, but after he clearly saw the person opposite him, his expression changed.

"Aiyoyo, isn't this our respected Captain Duro?"

"Everyone, listen. This is Cusack Duro!"

Nekra looked pleasantly surprised and announced to everyone with a smile:

"When I was a 'Freak' in the Western Desert, he was my comrade in arms who went through life and death with me and fought shoulder to shoulder! Believe me, you do not want to arm wrestle him! Hahahahaha!"

But only he laughed. Duro only looked at him coldly.

"Good. Everyone knows each other," Fogg said coldly. "When we fight, introductions will not be needed."

"Yes, familiar. Too familiar." Nekra's smile gradually became sinister. "Many years ago, he was the one who reported me and drove me out of Bladefang Camp."

"You should be glad I showed mercy, Little Red," Duro said without backing down, his left arm beginning to tense. "If the baron knew what money you were embezzling, you would not have gotten off as easily as being whipped and driven from camp."

"I know. I remember." Nekra sneered and took off his coat. "Your whip. I will always remember it."

But his tone changed.

"But Duro, how did you end up like this too? Could it be you also embezzled money and were driven away by the baron? Hahahahaha!"

Duro's expression changed.

"But it does not matter. You are not the first Western Desert soldier to enter the Blood Bottle Gang, and you will not be the last," Nekra narrowed his eyes. "Work hard. Maybe you can make something of yourself?"

As they moved, everyone in the warehouse reacted as well.

With the round table as the center, the people on Nekra and Fogg's sides gradually gathered and confronted each other. The rest either watched nervously or prepared to flee.

Among the chaotic gang members, Glover grabbed Ralf.

"If a fight starts, do not hesitate. Watch for the chance and run..."

Before he could finish, an angry Qimikas squeezed over.

"You..."

His expression changed, and he said ingratiatingly:

"Can you take me with you?"

At the center of the warehouse, the bosses left their seats one after another, either choosing sides or fleeing. But it was obvious that Red Viper's side had more people.

"No room for discussion, then?" Fogg said in a low voice.

Nekra took a blade from his subordinate.

"If you obediently withdraw, then there is no need to discuss."

Fogg snorted coldly.

"If I remember correctly, we lost a battle against the Black Silks in the capital only a few years ago."

"Yes. A very big battle."

Nekra nodded.

"But war is not decided by a single battle. Correct, the Black Silks temporarily gained the upper hand in the capital. But we are the Blood Bottle Gang. We have more than the capital. Our people are still in Jade City, in the Wasteland, in Radiant Harbor, in Blade Tomb..."

"I understand," Fogg sneered. "Someone's goods cannot be sold in the capital, so he wants to open other routes?"

"The Blood Bottle Gang needs exactly this kind of 'goods,' and I happen to be able to provide them."

"Big words. Can you kill Black Sword?" Fogg took a short sword from a trusted subordinate.

Nekra smiled and shook his head.

"Do not be so crude. We are civilized people. And we do not need to succeed in one battle. On the contrary, we start from every place, every industry, just as they struck at us back then, forcing them to be unable to take care of everything and become overwhelmed..."

At that moment, a female voice abruptly sounded.

"And then fail like back then, lose the whole army, and seek your own destruction?"

In that instant, everyone froze.

Nekra trembled slightly and turned around.

Footsteps sounded. A sharp and fully armed woman walked out from the darkness. Surrounded by a group of gang members and under everyone's astonished gazes, she stepped cleanly into the meeting.

Glover strangely discovered that at this moment, Ralf, who had been like a walking corpse and allowed himself to be dragged, regained color in his eyes.

At that moment, Nekra looked at the woman before him, eyes wide and full of disbelief.

"Ca-Catherine?"

Correspondingly, Fogg revealed a smile.

The gang members burst into an uproar.

"Big Sister Catherine!"

Newspaper Seller Zeka immediately called out the boss's name, both shocked and delighted.

"Big Sister!"

"Sister!"

"Great!"

"Boss Catherine!"

The gang members in the warehouse called Catherine's name one after another, both surprised and happy.

The most powerful leader of the Blood Bottle Gang, "Phantom Blade" Catherine, calmly raised a hand and responded to everyone's calls, unintentionally revealing the metal sleeve claws hidden beneath her sleeves.

Glover frowned. For some reason, he felt that the mechanical design beneath those sleeve claws looked familiar.

In the next second, Catherine pacified the gang members and turned toward Nekra.

"Tell me, Little Red. If you successfully seized power, what did you plan to do?"

"Pull a group of bitter and resentful people to North Gate Bridge, kill Razanchi, break the ceasefire agreement, then wait for Kincha or Roda, or even Black Sword, to bring people to Jade City and chop you into minced meat?"

But Nekra, who had handled Fogg with ease earlier, only looked at Catherine in shock, speechless.

Catherine snorted disdainfully.

"No. With this much movement, before that, all of you would be crushed into powder by the Security Hall or Jade Legion. Yes, including you idiots who were brainwashed by him."

The subordinates behind Red Viper looked at one another, at a loss.

Nekra took a deep breath and finally spoke.

"Catherine? No. When did you..."

"When did I come to Jade City? Oh, very early." Catherine sneered. "When I was still just a habitual street thief, I joined the Blood Bottle Gang in Jade City and ran under Boss Bott."

"You should know that this is where I built my fortune, Little Red." Fire glowed in Catherine's eyes. "Especially when you want to start from my old nest and cause trouble for me. You should know."

She said coldly:

"Jade City is mine."

In that instant, Glover had a feeling: the situation in the warehouse had turned again.

No.

Nekra breathed in a daze, but he understood something and looked across in disbelief.

"Fogg!"

"You went to find her in advance?"

Red Viper looked around, gritting his teeth.

"This is your... you and her... a trap you set for me?"

"Do not look at me. You know I do not like her either." Fogg smiled and lifted his pipe again. "But declaring war on the Black Silks? Heh, Little Red, that goes a bit too far."