Yan Mei recovered her health, and Xiao Zihan finally felt relieved. He began the task of selecting talented individuals with potential for special training, forming the Ghost Face Team. This matter couldn't be delayed any longer, as from March or April of the coming year, the Xiao Gang would no longer be as calm as it had been in the past few years.
However, it's easy to have a thousand soldiers, but finding a capable leader is difficult. Xiao Zihan sought those exceptionally talented individuals, which were hard to come by. After careful consideration, he identified five people. Adding the previous four members of the Thunder Action team, he had a total of nine individuals. Xiao Zihan included Cao Meng, making it an even ten. Thunder Action's leader, Lei Dong, was tasked with training the new recruits.
Although ten people were formidable, they were still limited. Xiao Zihan had to settle for the next best thing, selecting over twenty individuals with promising qualities for training. These people were under Lei Dong's supervision as well.
It can be said that Xiao Zihan entrusted the Ghost Face Team entirely to Lei Dong. Whether it would be successful or not depended on Lei Dong's abilities. Lei Dong was usually quiet, but Xiao Zihan had great confidence in him, seeing him as a potential great leader who could stand on his own. Fei Yu, though slightly less capable than Lei Dong, was also trustworthy. Making him Lei Dong's deputy was the perfect fit.
Considering the different qualifications and potentials of the two groups, Xiao Zihan decided to separate them. The skilled individuals, including Lei Dong, were renamed as the Red Team, while the rest became the Ghost Team. Lei Dong led the Red Team, and a tall young man named Zheng Mo led the Ghost Team.
Xiao Zihan, Xing Ao, and Yue Fei Yang were not idle either. They, along with Xiao He, Qiao San, and others, were busy rearranging the subordinates of the Xiao Flying Hall. This was because Xiao Wan Chong had quietly informed Xiao Zihan that he would be passing the position of gang leader to him in the next few days.
In the past, if Xiao Wan Chong had hastily passed the gang leader position to someone unknown to the majority of the gang members, it would have undoubtedly caused dissatisfaction. However, the situation was different now. Xiao Zihan gained fame in a single battle, shaking the entire underground world of the Chang Liao region. The words "Red Blood" alone made everyone shiver. Now, passing the position to Xiao Zihan was the most appropriate decision. Anyone who dared to object had to first assess their own weight.
Xiao Gang had three main halls—Xiao Flying Hall, Xiao Wind Hall, and Xiao Forest Hall. Xiao Flying Hall was the largest, with nearly eight hundred formal subordinates, roughly equal to the total number of the other two halls combined. Xiao He served as the hall master.
The number of members in Xiao Wind Hall and Xiao Forest Hall was almost the same, both having around five hundred members. The hall master of the former was named Lu Yun, while the latter was Wang Bo. Both were relatively young, around thirty years old.
On the day Xiao Zihan took over, the weather was clear and sunny. Although the temperature was low, on the spacious lawn of Xiao Wan Chong's private villa, dozens of burly men in black clothing, wearing black leather gloves, stood silently.
Although these men had serious expressions and remained silent, they were all silently pondering, trying to guess what had happened.
After a while, the large wooden gate facing these men suddenly opened, and Xiao Wan Chong, with a glowing face, walked out slowly. Behind him followed a slim, handsome young man and four elders of the Xiao Gang, including the three hall masters.
Since the villa's location was higher than the lawn where the men stood, and there were terraces paved with white marble on all sides, Xiao Wan Chong and the others had a commanding view of the men below. Xiao Wan Chong's pair of tiger-like eyes swept left and right, and seeing everyone holding their breaths, standing in perfect order, he couldn't help but burst into laughter. He began, "Since the founding of the Xiao Gang nearly thirty years ago, during these three decades, the Xiao Gang has grown from nothing, from small to prosperous. We've experienced countless hardships and challenges, but due to the united efforts of my brothers, we overcame every difficulty, allowing the Xiao Gang to flourish. As the founder of the Xiao Gang, I feel extremely gratified.
Now, I, Xiao Wan Chong, am over fifty years old, and I'm well aware that my physical condition is not as good as before, causing the Xiao Gang to stagnate in its development after becoming one of the four giants in Chang Liao. I have discussed this matter with the elders and hall masters of the Xiao Gang, and everyone has agreed to my suggestion. Starting today, I, Xiao Wan Chong, will step down from the position of the leader of the Xiao Gang, and others will take over."
Once Xiao Wan Chong made this announcement, the previously calm atmosphere was instantly shattered. This news was too sudden, with no hint of it circulating before. Those present were deeply ingrained members of the Xiao Gang, accustomed to Xiao Wan Chong's leadership, and believed him to be the rightful head of the gang. Suddenly hearing that Xiao Wan Chong intended to hand over leadership to someone else left these men unprepared and in a state of panic. Without Xiao Wan Chong's charisma and prestige, how could anyone else command the respect of such a powerful gang?
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Xiao Wan Chong, understanding the sudden turmoil below, did not show any signs of anger because it was expected. Even a couple of hours ago, the idea of Xiao Wan Chong stepping down had shocked the elders and hall masters of the Xiao Gang. Now, two elders were still wearing dark expressions to express their dissatisfaction with Xiao Wan Chong's decision.
Xiao Wan Chong chuckled, pressed his hands down, and spoke in a deep, steady voice, "Brothers, calm down. Don't panic. You all must believe in me, Xiao Wan Chong. I founded the Xiao Gang with my own hands, and there's no way I would let it fall into the wrong hands. Therefore, the person succeeding me will only be more capable, not less. I believe that under his leadership, you will elevate the Xiao Gang to new heights."
"Xiao Dragon Head, I don't believe there's anyone more respectable than you in Chang Liao. Please reconsider and continue leading us."
"Xiao Dragon Head, A Kuan is right. We only trust you."
"Yes, Xiao Dragon Head, we only follow you."
...
Xiao Wan Chong didn't pay attention to these remarks. Instead, he beckoned the young man behind him to step forward and said in a deep voice, "This is the new leader of the Xiao Gang. Remember, his name is Xiao Zihan, a person whose abilities surpass mine by several times."
"What, Xiao Zihan?" "He's Xiao Zihan?" "The Red Blood Xiao Zihan?" "The guy who took down three leaders and dozens of men from the Three Blades Gang by himself?"
For a moment, there was a mix of various comments. However, one thing was certain—Xiao Zihan's name made everyone both shocked and fearful. No one had expected that this young man was the infamous Red Blood who recently shocked the underworld in Chang Liao.
Xiao Wan Chong, well aware of the reactions below, smiled and said to Xiao Zihan, "Zihan, would you like to say a few words?"
Xiao Zihan nodded slightly, took a step forward, his face calm and composed. Using his deep, dark eyes that resembled still pond water, he scanned the surroundings before calmly stating, "What do you all think of me, Xiao Zihan?"
His voice was not loud, but every big man present could hear it, and upon hearing it, they were all momentarily stunned. After a while, someone spoke, "There are rumors of your extraordinary bravery, but how it is in reality, who knows. Although one person's strength is limited, if the gang leader doesn't have powerful support, I don't think we'll be convinced."
The speaker had a square face and short hair. His words reflected the sentiments of many present, as seeing is believing. If Xiao Zihan truly possessed the strength rumored, at least half of the men would acknowledge him. The other half would depend on Xiao Zihan's actual leadership abilities.
Xiao Zihan squinted his eyes, then resumed his usual expression. He looked at the man and said calmly, "So, how can I prove that my strength is convincing?"
The men below exchanged glances, unsure how to proceed. To prove strength, they would need to compete, but who should Xiao Zihan compete against? The best option would be to challenge Xiao Wan Chong directly, but no one dared to suggest it. After a moment of silence, someone spoke, "The three hall masters of the Xiao Gang are all skilled. If you can single-handedly defeat them, it will undoubtedly earn our respect."
This suggestion seemed to resonate with everyone, and the two elders who had agreed to Xiao Zihan taking over nodded, thinking it was a good idea. Xiao Wan Chong smiled, turning to Xiao Zihan, "Zihan, I think we can use this method. Xiao He, Lu Yun, Wang Bo, prepare yourselves."
As the crowd saw that Xiao Wan Chong showed no concern on his face, a wave of surprise swept through them. Perhaps Xiao Zihan truly possessed extraordinary skills. All eyes turned to Xiao Zihan, waiting to see what he would do.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Zihan suddenly tilted his head back and laughed heartily. Then, shaking his head, he said, "This method is good, but in my opinion, it's entirely unnecessary. Proving my strength is one thing. Just let me swing a knife, and if you all think you can withstand it, I won't take this position."
Before the words settled, a commotion erupted below. Xiao Zihan's words were too arrogant. To determine if someone could withstand a swing of a knife required testing, not just witnessing. Such a test couldn't rely on sight alone.
Even Xiao Wan Chong couldn't help but frown, staring at Xiao Zihan, trying to understand his true intentions. Among the people behind him, their expressions varied. Apart from Xiao He, who wore a smile of conviction, the others were filled with uncertainty, eagerly anticipating Xiao Zihan's next move.
Xiao Zihan's face, initially calm, broke into a faint smile. After the smile, he suddenly became fierce and domineering. His eyes sparkled like starlight, piercing through the big men below, causing those standing at the forefront to shiver with a chill running down their spines.
Xiao Zihan's right hand reached behind him, lifting the hem of his clothes slightly, and smoothly pulled out a unique object that resembled both a knife and a sword. What astonished everyone was that this object hung softly toward the ground, revealing itself to be a flexible weapon.
Could this be the legendary demonic blade that shook the underworld? It seemed unbelievable. How could this be used for slashing people?
Seeing the puzzled expressions on the faces of the men below, Xiao Zihan smiled mysteriously. With a swift movement of his left hand, he wiped the blade's edge. Blood sprayed, a red light flashed across, and in the sunlight, there was a moment when it was so dazzling that people couldn't open their eyes.
Blood flowed on the blade, seemingly converging at the center of the weapon. The red light intensified, and in an instant, the flexible weapon transformed into a straight, sharp killing tool like magic. The eerie red substance, in that moment, made everyone feel as if they were in a dream. Such a miraculous object that could change from soft to hard using blood as a medium was beyond belief. If not seen with their own eyes, they would think this scenario could only occur in a movie.
The strange nature of the demonic blade astonished everyone, even Xiao Wan Chong. Suddenly, Xiao Zihan's eyes emitted a sharp light. With a powerful shout, he raised the demonic blade diagonally above his head. Before the crowd could react, a burst of red brilliance became even more dazzling and breathtaking. In an instant, it descended like lightning, incredibly fast, as if a thunderbolt struck under the clear sky, condensing an unmatched momentum. Just when everyone was still in shock, the red light suddenly split into three, resembling three stunning rainbows, each as mesmerizing as a streak of red flames, overwhelming and sharp. The red light descended, and the three streams of light merged into one, making people feel as if they had seen an illusion. From start to finish, the blade's momentum was fierce, surpassing everyone's imagination.
After Xiao Zihan made a slash, the crowd had not yet recovered. Only when the air flow brushed past did the man standing at the forefront awaken first. His eyes, fixed on Xiao Zihan, were filled with admiration and awe. Subsequently, wave after wave of men, as if waking from a dream, displayed the same expressions as the man at the front, completely submitting.
Satisfied, Xiao Zihan smiled without saying a word. He knew that the position of the leader of the Xiao Gang was now firmly his. Before coming here, he had decided to showcase the same slash that had killed the Chen brothers. Yue Feiyang had told him that in this underworld, relying on intelligence alone often wasn't enough to gain respect. Using force to compel people, on the other hand, was different. In this circle where strength was paramount, power represented everything, and force was the best proof of strength.
While sparring was effective, this method was more awe-inspiring, directly instilling the idea of invincibility. Looking at the men below who were still unable to recover from the shock, Xiao Zihan couldn't help but feel a surge of pride and overwhelming confidence. Xiao Gang, I, Xiao Zihan, will not disappoint you.