Chapter 676: Blade Bitch, Part Two

Bang!

At the critical moment, a short sword stabbed down from above and accurately pierced the strange thing, pinning it dead to the tabletop.

"Fuck! What the hell is this?"

Wanderer Fogg gripped the short sword tightly and frowned.

The strange weapon he had pierced was still constantly moving, its six bladed limbs trembling back and forth like a spider.

Only two or three seconds had passed from rise to fall, and many gang members only now reacted. They stared at the culprit who had released the weapons, drew their weapons, and roared in condemnation.

"Sneak attack?"

"Kill him!"

"Protect Big Sister!"

The people on Red Viper's side likewise shouted and drew blades in response. It looked like the two sides were about to fight.

The situation sharply worsened, and conflict was about to break out.

"Hey!"

At that moment, Catherine raised her sleeve claws high and shouted angrily:

"All of you calm the fuck down!"

Catherine's prestige took effect. On the other side, Red Viper also spread his arms and made his own people restrain themselves.

In the corner, Qimikas nervously hugged his head and crouched down. Glover clearly saw the full appearance of Catherine's mechanical sleeve claws and subconsciously looked back at Ralf. Today, Ralf had not equipped his sleeve sword.

But he noticed that Ralf exhaled and loosened his right fist, which had been trembling the whole time.

"Calm down! Everyone back!" Both sides were still cursing continuously, and Fogg had no choice but to stand out and maintain order.

Catherine narrowed her eyes and looked at the strange blade on the table. It was not a wheel, but rather more like a puppet, a puppet with six bladed limbs.

It twitched on the table for several seconds before finally losing power completely and no longer moving.

"This is... a Chaotic Divine Weapon puppet?"

Fogg recognized something. He pulled out the short sword and pushed the puppet in front of Catherine, doubtful.

Catherine studied the puppet for a while before raising her head and looking at that gang member.

The latter pulled down his mask and looked at the puppet on the table with indignation.

"Little Red? What does this subordinate of yours mean? Flipping the table?" Fogg said in a low voice.

Red Viper glanced at Catherine and laughed loudly.

"Please forgive him. Young people are impulsive..."

Nekra then stepped forward and patted that gang member's shoulder.

"Forgot to introduce him. This is Ping, from Suye. He is now running in Glacier City, and business can be called thriving."

Ping folded his arms and snorted coldly.

"Ping? From Suye?"

Catherine narrowed her eyes.

"What is your relationship with the former 'Chaotic Divine Weapon' Song?"

Fogg's gaze moved.

"What a coincidence. Ping and Song had the same teacher," Nekra said proudly. "Correct. He has the same ability and skill as Song. He is also a puppeteer. What, do you miss Song too? Back then, the Blood Bottle Gang had the Eight Great Cadres, from the Clown to War Wolf to Chaotic Divine Weapon, and Rube and Solo. Every one of them had extraordinary abilities and could stand alone. How glorious..."

"Song's fellow disciple? I could not tell. Little Red, you really can find people."

"I hope your neck is harder than Song's, young man," Fogg said coldly. "I heard that on Red Lane Street that night, Kincha took Song's head off and kicked it like a ball, along with those puppet dolls of his."

Ping's expression changed dramatically. He was about to open his clothes again, but Red Viper stopped him with one hand.

"And he has guts. The Blood Bottle Gang needs people like you." Catherine stared at Ping and Red Viper, seeming thoughtful. "Of course, the premise is that you follow the right person."

"More than that!"

Nekra's brows danced, seeming to forget that his side was currently disadvantaged.

He reached out and patted a subordinate beside him, one with rare clothing and a strange hairstyle.

"Everyone, come meet Dumuna, from the Duseri Grassland of the Eastern Continent."

The subordinate from the grassland snorted coldly.

"Kiseri."

"Oh, sorry. Correct, Kiseri Grassland."

Red Viper smiled.

"Dumuna is an old friend of ours, the heaven-sworn mortal enemy of 'War Wolf' Karka. In other words, if Dumuna cannot dismember War Wolf in this life and fuck his organs inside out, his soul can never return to the Grassland Heavenly Father."

"Karka, cursed by the Heavenly Father, abducted my mother and younger sister while my father was away, bringing shame upon my tribe and family," Dumuna said in stiff Western Common. "After his defeat, he was cowardly and feared death, fleeing to the Western Continent and making the Heavenly Father despise him."

"Then you may not get to see the Heavenly Father. War Wolf is dead. There is no such person in the Blood Bottle Gang anymore," Fogg said gloomily. "Should have been during the Night War too, smothered alive by that stinking fatty Morris. A shameful and suffocating death."

Dumuna's gaze sharpened.

"Correct. So when Dumuna traveled thousands of miles to Stars several years ago and discovered he had lost his revenge target," Red Viper nodded and smoothed things over, "you know, that was not good. Very not good."

Catherine remained calm, only beginning to re-examine the people Nekra had brought.

"So, under my strong invitation, he stayed and served in the gang," Red Viper clicked his tongue. "Dumuna is determined to extend his heaven oath a little and kill the person who made his revenge impossible, to uphold his dignity and complete his ultimate revenge."

Fogg spat and shook his head.

"Grassland barbarian."

"For this goal," Nekra's tone tightened, "he fears no death and spares no price, even if it means fighting the Black Silks until one side dies."

The gang members in the warehouse all shivered.

"Fuck the Black Silks to death!" a violent and painful voice sounded from behind Red Viper.

"Ah, this is Dalton." Red Viper happily turned sideways and pulled out a large man with messy hair and heavy breathing. "You all know, back then everyone feared the Clown and thought he was mad and mentally unstable, until the Night War, when the Clown had his throat slit by that 'Silent Killer.'"

"Fuck the killer to death!" the large man roared.

Red Viper blinked.

"But, hmm, among those who survived under the Clown, in that 'Circus Den' full of madmen, there is at least Dalton. The Green Skins tortured him in prison until he became even madder, and perhaps even stronger."

In the corner, Glover was instantly startled.

"Fuck the Clown to death!" Dalton covered his face and roared in pain, frightening many gang members.

"And Dalton, let me put it this way." Red Viper patted Dalton. "He needs a target."

Dalton shouted painfully:

"Fuck the Black Silks and the Clown to death!"

A girl beside him hurriedly pulled out a syringe and injected a tube of liquid into his body.

"He is already like this, Little Red, and you can still bear to use him," Fogg said darkly.

Red Viper showed a smile.

"Wait, did you not say you used to follow the Clown? Do you know him?" Qimikas quietly asked in the corner.

Glover stared blankly at Dalton.

"That really is Dalton. But he, in the past, was not this... mad."

Qimikas swallowed.

"These people's attitudes," he said nervously, "I have a bad feeling. It will not really end in blood, right?"

In the field, Red Viper was overjoyed.

"And everyone, have I not introduced Rube's niece yet, this female pharmacist skilled in poisons..."

"Enough, Little Red!"

Catherine interrupted him and said coldly:

"I can see that you truly are very restless."

Nekra laughed loudly.

"Those who followed me here are all newly risen figures in the gang these years. They have energy, ideas, and futures."

He blinked.

"But they lack corresponding positions."

"You mean territory?" Fogg disdainfully added.

"But most importantly, they all have a blood debt to settle with the Brotherhood." Nekra patted Ping and Dumuna's shoulders, one left and one right. "They cannot stay cowardly, and they cannot wait too long. For this, they do not fear death."

Catherine stared fixedly at Red Viper, and also at the desperadoes he had brought.

"Since you cannot wait, then what are you still waiting for?"

Phantom Blade raised her sleeve claws, her expression unchanged.

"Make your move."

Red Viper grinned viciously.

The next second, he instantly spread his arms and drew a blade, the tip pointing straight at Catherine.

Everyone tensed. Quite a few people subconsciously raised weapons.

But Catherine did not move in the slightest. Facing Red Viper's blade, she only waved backward, signaling them to stay calm.

The tense situation lasted until the next second.

Thud!

The murderous Red Viper roared angrily, flipped his wrist, and stabbed the short blade hard into the table before him.

"Enough, blade bitch. Stop playing the big boss show like victory is already in your hands."

Nekra spat and naturally released the short blade.

"Let's say something practical. Damn it, this blade really does not fit my hand."

Looking at the blade Nekra had nailed into the table, then at his current appearance, Catherine snorted and smiled as if she had long expected it.

"Worthy of you, Red Viper."

Fogg said disdainfully from the side:

"You show your muscles, then drop your weapon and shrink your head to admit defeat. Tsk, tsk. For a moment, you almost made me think you were the winner."

Catherine's subordinates timely released laughter, making the fierce light in Nekra's eyes even stronger.

"Listen, Catherine. Coming to Jade City was my idea, but these brothers, especially the local brothers, only came to me because they suffered heavy losses and were at the end of their road."

"I said I would not pursue the past," Catherine gestured toward the round table. "As long as you are willing to move your backside."

"That is not what I am saying."

Red Viper snorted coldly.

"Since you are here, Catherine, that represents that Fogg, as the local boss, can no longer solve the brothers' difficulties. They were killed by the Black Silks until..."

"I have a suggestion, Catherine." Fogg cast Red Viper a dangerous look. "For certain people, perhaps we should not let bygones be bygones. How about it?"

Red Viper ignored him.

"But now, blade bitch, since you have sat back in Jade City's boss seat..."

"Jade City is managed by Fogg. There is no doubt about that, and no need to sow discord," Catherine said calmly.

But Nekra continued speaking on his own:

"...then how do you plan to deal with the Black Silks? Since you oppose my proposal to settle accounts with them..."

"You mean oppose your usurpation," Fogg said coldly.

Nekra cast him a savage glance.

"...then how do you, blade bitch, intend to stand up for the gang members, collect debts for the missing and wrongfully dead brothers, and reaffirm the Blood Bottle Gang's prestige?"

The gang members looked at one another.

Red Viper continued:

"If you came here only to use your numbers to scare everyone into licking your ass, then many brothers, especially those who suffered losses, even if they endure today, will not be convinced when they go back."

He warned:

"Perhaps next time, the person they seek will not be me, but someone even more dangerous."

Phantom Blade sneered.

"Oh? Who in the gang is more dangerous than you, Little Red?"

Nekra clicked his tongue and shook his head.

"That, you do not know, right?"

Catherine's gaze moved.

That tone of his...

Had he reconnected with a mystic?

Which one? That disgusting female monster?

No. Impossible.

"I know." The Blood Bottle Gang's big sister turned to the surroundings and spoke in a low voice. "These past few weeks, the brothers have been tense and panicked, because you suffered casualties but did not know what happened."

Gutierrez said angrily:

"Do we still need to ask? The Black Silks..."

But before he finished, Catherine interrupted him with a roar:

"Before coming here, I had already gone to North Gate Bridge!"

As soon as she said this, the warehouse instantly quieted.

Catherine coldly swept her gaze over the gang members.

"Correct. I went to the Brotherhood and met Razanchi Fesol."

Red Viper looked at her, somewhat in disbelief.

"Then how did you walk out in one piece?"

"Because I went alone. I showed them my sincerity and my guts."

Catherine snorted coldly.

"Instead of hiding in a crowd and stirring up trouble like a coward."

She turned toward everyone in the warehouse and said loudly:

"So I can clearly tell you: 'Head Wolf' Razanchi guaranteed to me in person that the murders these past few days were not done by them. He knows nothing about the murders and disappearances these past few weeks, and the Black Street Brotherhood is following the ceasefire agreement as always. Even Black Sword himself cannot change this point."

"That is good," Good Man Tommy breathed a sigh of relief. "I said so..."

"That stinking drug dealer who sells medicine would of course say that!" Gamandia refused to believe it.

"Right. The Shadow Shield also does not shout every day that they butchered the royal family!" Sangare said unhappily.

"Ah, I almost forgot. Blade bitch, you and Razanchi Fesol are old friends, right? You must know each other well. Very well," Red Viper clicked his tongue.

"See, I said so." Fogg looked at Catherine. "Some people are not suitable for 'making an exception.'"

"How do we know Head Wolf was not lying?" Gutierrez gritted his teeth.

Phantom Blade abruptly turned around.

"Because they are the same!"

Her angry shout intimidated the vast majority of people.

"Razanchi told me personally," Catherine said coldly, "that these past few weeks, at North Gate Bridge, people under him, drug dealers, human traffickers, thugs, debt collectors, smugglers, including foreign immigrants, quite a few have died or disappeared. Exactly like us. The most recent case was even last night."

Catherine's words were decisive, her gaze grave.

"Correct. The Black Street Brotherhood is also being attacked."

Everyone froze.

Glover and Ralf looked at each other, both frowning.

"What?" Good Man Tommy asked doubtfully.

"Then... then how..." Jaga could not make sense of it.

"I believe you, Big Sister. But if that is the case," Roger said hesitantly, "who caused our blood debts? Who should the brothers seek revenge from?"

"Simple. Find the water ghoul," Nekra snorted coldly.

Catherine glared at him.

"I know who it is," she said calmly. "I am only afraid that if I say it, I will scare you."

The bosses looked at one another, expressions puzzled.

Catherine turned around.

"Tell me, Balta. Use your ability to get everywhere and tell me. When our Blood Bottle Gang people were frequently dying and disappearing, what else happened in Jade City?"

The suddenly mentioned barber was startled. Facing everyone's gaze, he chuckled.

"Uh, these days, the Emerald Celebration is being held?"

Catherine's gaze turned cold.

Balta trembled slightly.

"Fine, uh, in Jade City, two other murder cases happened."

He swallowed.

"One was a wine merchant. He died in prison. There is news saying he was killed by an assassin bought by an enemy. As for which group did it, that is still unknown."

"The other was a wool merchant. He died at his mistress's house. They say it was a debt dispute." Balta sighed. "Diop was an old customer of mine. In fact, a very generous customer."

Glover's expression moved, and he listened even more carefully.

Franco spread his hands.

"What does this have to do with us?"

Catherine stared at Balta.

"Is that all the news you have, old barber?"

Facing Catherine's gaze, Balta gave in.

"Fine. That wine merchant had a close relationship with Prince Thales."

"That wool merchant, hmm, also had unclear ties with Emerald Palace."

Catherine watched the emotions of the people around her and pressed:

"In that case, what is your conclusion?"

Balta sighed.

"That Second Prince, although he came for a marriage alliance, clearly does not see eye to eye with Duke Zayen." He shook his head. "I think these two great figures are currently fighting for power in Emerald Palace, and those two lives were only collateral damage."

Whispers sounded throughout the warehouse.

"Big Sister, what do you mean? Why say these things?" Taremi asked in confusion.

But Catherine ignored him and simply continued speaking.

"Just now, I did not only go to North Gate Bridge. I also went to meet the great figures of Emerald Palace."

This sentence made everyone quiet down.

"You know that this city, even the entire South Coast Territory, has been prosperous and thriving under Covendier's rule for decades," Catherine said in a low voice. "And over many years, we have also grown used to cooperating, cooperating with Emerald Palace, maintaining order, guarding rules, using each other, and living in peace. Even the Brotherhood does not dare act rashly."

"Until now. These past few weeks, our people, including the Brotherhood's people, have been dying and disappearing so strangely precisely because someone has made up their mind to provoke our anger, to force us to break the rules, just like today, just like now."

The brothers in the warehouse quietly listened, with suspicion, doubt, resentment, boredom, and all sorts of varied emotions.

"And once we lose reason in panic and anger, disregard everything, and turn matters onto the streets until blood flows like rivers," Catherine enunciated clearly, "then they will have succeeded: damaging public order, causing unrest, and paralyzing the order Jade City relies on to survive."

Red Viper frowned deeply.

Roger shook his head.

"I do not understand, Big Sister. No matter who it is, what good does destroying Jade City..."

He thought of something, and his expression changed greatly.

"Gutierrez, Roger, the boxers and thugs under you are not easy prey. And those fierce dogs of yours, Sangare," Catherine said in a low voice. "Making them vanish soundlessly without leaving any clues is not easy. I guess even Black Sword could not do it."

She turned toward the bosses.

"To do this, one would either have to be a supreme-class expert rare in the world, or an organized, large-scale, disciplined, elite team with deep resources."

Including Red Viper, the bosses all listened carefully, thoughtful as they followed Catherine's words down.

Phantom Blade's gaze sharpened.

"And at this moment in Jade City, the only side with such strength and ability, as well as such motive and need, and also no concern for Covendier's rule or Jade City's safety, is one party."

Fogg gently shook his head, in disbelief.

"Impossible..."

Catherine sneered.

"Correct. These days, the reason we have suffered casualties everywhere, reported losses every day, been afraid and anxious, angry and wronged, is nothing else. It is because we have been swept into the political struggle of the great figures in the palace."

As soon as these words came out, many people were dumbstruck, inhaling and holding their breath.

Red Viper's expression twitched.

"How, how can..." Bad Cobbler Jaga widened his eyes, unable to believe it.

Catherine looked at each person and slowly lowered her volume. She spoke softly, but like thunder.

"And the person sitting in the palace, who can take our lives and Jade City's life with a movement of his lips and fingers... is the most honored person in this city, no, perhaps in the entire kingdom..."

"Duke of Star Lake and the Second Prince..."

Her gaze moved.

"North Star."

The warehouse burst into an uproar.

"Fuck." In the corner, Glover punched the wall and could not help cursing.

"Brothers, the enemy is unprecedentedly powerful. Facing life and death, it is time for us to end our struggle and unite once more," Catherine raised her voice, imposing, decisive, and confident. "For the Blood Bottle Gang!"

At that moment, Ralf looked at Catherine's appearance, as if everything were within her grasp, and felt his hands and feet turn cold.