The Strange Adventure of a Broke Mercenary

"Boss, I have an urgent matter to report." Ong, the resurrected Ruby Rat veteran, knocked at the office's door after he opened it to see his Boss, Wo De Tian, having a mahjong session with some of the other big wigs in the entertainment industry.

"What? Speak!" De Tian ordered without looking up, as it was his turn to pick a mahjong tile.

"I am afraid it is something you will want to hear personally." Ong bowed as he requested for some privacy to address the issue.

"Hahah, you should just go, your subordinate seems extremely nervous for once." The businessmen on his right who had a long white beard advised.

"Heh, you better not be looking at my tiles." De Tian sighed as he flipped his tiles down and got off his seat.

"What is so important that it can't wait?" De Tian asked when he closed his office doors and talked in the corridor outside his office. He even noticed the absence of his secretary. It seems that Ong must be very important to send her on an impromptu coffee break.

"Our guys in Tiangong District. They've begun with Plan B without any warning." Ong revealed as he received reports that the Ruby Rat Triad gang members had had enough of the waiting game. They were initially tasked to kidnap a fairly wealthy or influential cultivator from Jin's store and use them as collateral against him.

It was the typical kidnap and blaming game which they had employed to use against Lynn previously, but the police were not dumb and had repeatedly tried to prevent such an attempt by the gang members.

They had always ensured that there would at least be one police patrol near Jin's Dungeons and Pandas and the increase in police patrols had made it very difficult for the Ruby Gang to perform such a task. It had forced the triad gangsters to play cat and mouse game for a very long time, and no other tactics were available or offered to them.

Officially, they had decided to risk it because an opportunity to kidnap a Royal Zodiac member had presented itself, but Ong believed that one of his gang members must have snapped when he assaulted the patrol officer and killed him. However, he wisely chose to skip telling De Tian his presumption.

"So? What is the current situation?" De Tian asked as he picked up his cigarette for a light.

"We have seven teams, each with seven men in place. After the escalation they have been entering the nearby stores in Tiangong district, beating people up and thrashing the shops. According to my informant, some of the passers-by managed to fend off the sudden raid and entered the Dungeon Supplier store for protection."Ong replied dutifully.

"Since they started the fight, we might as well proceed with the rest of Plan B. I've already sent the signal to intercept any police support, but our boys are asking for more reinforcements as well. "

"Good. Follow me." De Tian reopened the door to his office and walked straight to his guests. "Gentlemen, it looks like there is an abrupt change in plans. Remember how I told you guys, about that pesky dungeon supplier who had taken the likings of the Leading Dungeon Technology Company Sea Mesh and their CEO Ke Loong?" De Tian asked, and the three nodded their heads.

"Well, looks like my goons have had enough of playing the waiting game and decided to attack Tiangong shopping district. I intend to burn the whole shopping district down. That pachinko incident from years ago will seem like a joke in comparison. In the coming days, I will need you to spread some fake news to inform people that the entire district owed us money, and we decided to redeem the entire district by ourselves."

"But De Tian, don't say that you have forgotten who really own that district. Can you really afford to defeat their District Guardian Yuan or at least destroy that dungeon supplier store before she intervenes? You will have to get rid off her if you plan on making any serious moves." The businessmen with a white beard interjected.

"Mu Bing, I have confidence if you three are willing to provide some of your forces, we can burn that place down. But I require your prompt decision because my boys are currently in the process of 'renovating' the district. And you know how artistic they can be." De Tian replied with a request on top of it.

"So, you really are planning to build the Casino as discussed? Do you have the funds?" A slight bald businessman with a beer belly questioned.

"Please Tang Wei, don't insult me. We both know that your audit team has already checked my accounts. You acknowledged I have the ability to pay for that, but I don't have the manpower after what that Jin had done back in our own district." De Tian leaned forward the mahjong table and looked away to blow his smoke away.

"I even had to pay tribute and sent some labour to those asshole Japanese Yakuza for the loss of Yamazaki." De Tian momentarily showed off his cultivation, remembering the shame he felt, because of that damn dungeon supplier. "I need your help, but you guys know that it's in all our interests to take down Jin and Guardian Yuan if she chooses to appear."

"That old hag is useless. It so happened I have one group situated near that area, So, I, Mu Bing will send the Prosperous Pigs to your aid." Mu Bing sent a text, and a call ensued, asking for a confirmation. "Yes, to Tiangong district. Bring some additional firepower too, just in case."

"Mu Bing, I thank you for being fast in your response." De Tian nodded his head with a wide smile.

"You do not think the Royal Zodiac Clan families will interfere? They are after all indebted with District Guardian Yuan." Tang Wei asked as he was tapping his phone on the table with a bit of anxiety despite Mu Bing's immediate extend of help to De Tian.

"Hah! You do know that the Royal Zodiac does not interfere with Triad business unless it has something directly to do with them. Just give them some money, and they will look the other way. Worst case, some of our lackeys will take the fall for creating a riot. You know, the standard stuff of bureaucracy." Chen Xun, the youngest Triad Boss and also the most promising businessmen among them, had spoken as he lit a light up.

"De Tian, you promised us a percentage of the Casino profits for the years to come. I will aid you, but it will cost you." Chen Xun grinned widely. It was a nice rare moment for him to have a certain advantage of power over his older and more powerful associate. He enjoyed a puff before stating his demand: "5% of your dungeon supplier shares as collateral in case things go south!"

"Not just you, Chen Xun. Mu Bing, and Tang Wei, I can offer each of you 5% of my shares to as collateral. As long as you guys are willing to help me at the time of need to remove this dungeon supplier so that we can build the biggest and most luxurious Casino in Tiangong district." De Tian extended his offer to the rest of the two.

"Very well, The Raunchy Roosters will offer their aid." Tang Wei wiped his sweat and picked his phone up and made a single call like Mu Bing.

"So will the Deranged Dogs." Chen Xun's text had already been sent when De Tian verbally accepted the agreement. (After all, Chen Xun had previously recorded what De Tian said in his phone so there was no way, De Tian could be cheating on them.)

"Thank you, my friends. I assure you that your investment will be worthwhile." De Tian said as he picked up his coat.

"You are not finishing the game?" Mu Bing, the Triad Boss for Prosperous Pigs asked.

"With such a big investment, it's preferable that I overlook the situation myself." De Tian replied, but Ong intervened before he could wear his coat.

"Boss, give me a chance to redeem myself. I want revenge against that brat for killing me. Last time I've underestimated him, but I swear to you, I won't make such a mistake again. You have fun with the remaining game. Just await the good news." Ong pleaded as he did a quarter bow.

"You sure you can handle him on his own turf? While I appreciate your determination, there is a lot to lose if you fail. Don't forget he had some powerful allies when he attacked us. We still have no idea about that fox guy or the others around him." De Tian questioned Ong's capability.

"Boss, you have ensured the highest quality of resurrection for me. Since that day I was released from prison, I had been training day and night for this particular event. I've recently broken through and am itching to get revenge. Please, have a restful game. I will bring the head of Jin here for you." Ong said with conviction which made De Tian agree.

"Alright. Go do what you need. But remember… this is your second chance. No one gets a third." De Tian put his coat on his office chair and returned to the mahjong table with the rest of the Triad Bosses.

However, as Ong went out, he made a phone call to one of his other lackeys. "Watch him closely. If he is losing or called to require more reinforcement. Call me straight." Only then he ended the call and returned to his game. "Shall we?"

"Pong." De Tian opened his tiles again and immediately four mahjong tiles were already lifted away from his main tile hands and to the side of the table. This Plan B might very well be the breakthrough opportunity he had been waiting for in his life.

——-

"Boss Jin! The gangsters are tearing up Tiangong district! They-" One of the passers-by who managed to enter Jin's shop saw Jin gearing himself up for the fight as he wore fingerless combat gloves and a long combat jacket filled with various defence and counter attack inscriptions.

Even his pants were made out of Kevlar fibre so that some cuts could be avoided or at least lightened. Jin knew a day like this would come after the Ruby Rat gangsters had attacked him previously, thus he had prepared the defensive safety gear in advance. However, the dungeon supplier had no idea that it would be so sudden and out of the blue.

"I know. I am heading out." Jin had already been notified by the System of the situation when it showed him the riot outside Tiangong district from the Dungeon Maker. Not long after, he noticed that the demon exorcist trainees had teleported into the dungeon instances too.

"Jin! Those men outside! They are assaulting people and even killed some police officers!" Lian reported as she trembled at the memory of the policeman being murdered in an instant. She wanted to tell him in more details what had happened, but she was gasping for air, and Jin looked too preoccupied with the whole matter.

The four were still shocked about what had just happened to them. The demon exorcist trainees initially believed they could have fooled the gangsters and beaten them up after being underestimated by them. Yet, the trainees had never expected those gangsters to suddenly go on a rampage and even worse, being out for blood.

"You can do either one of two things. Stay here to wait it out and maybe go speak with Milk in regards to what has happened to you and what you saw. Or follow me into the battlefield and aid the rest of the people back into the shop instance." Jin said with dead serious tone.

"Do we need to kill them…?" Su Zhen asked, and Jin shook his head.

"No, just wallop them up. I don't wish to do that either, but if the situation demands it, I will. For you guys, just help those people to retreat into here. If necessary, defend yourselves too." Jin replied as he double checked his potions.

"Most importantly, do not get killed! You won't help anyone by becoming a casualty. If it seems you can't win a fight, there's nothing shameful in retreating. Those guys are gangsters, they won't fight honourably one on one. Expect them to gang up on you and use every dirty trick in their disposal!" Jin warned as he zipped his combat jacket and placed his Bam and Boo in a proper holster.

"I will follow you." Su Zhen picked up her courage and after a bit of hesitation, so did the rest of the group.

"Very well." Jin used his phone, and suddenly the two luggage suitcase from earlier appeared in front of him again. "Take all the chi potions and cramp them into your storage ring. If the civilians need any emergency aid, use the chi potions and subsequently escort the injured to the shop instance. There will be Panda Nurses on standby to take over from you all." Jin ordered them the details of their tasks.

"Sir, yes Sir!" All four demon exorcist trainees stood at attention and acknowledged their task. Whether it was because they blamed themselves for this situation, or because Jin was assuming the position of team leader, they knew they had to execute the orders quickly to save as many lives as possible.

While the trainees began stocking up on the chi potions, Jin headed out into the open first and saw that everything had turned into hell very quickly. The gangsters were beating people up in a coordinated manner, destroying properties and even set fire to some of the stores.

He noticed that at the direction of Lele café, Si Fang was trying his best to block his café entrance with tables and chairs, but the gangsters had already broken his windows and went in to harass him and his customers. "This is going way overboard!" Jin thought to himself as he raised his voice as loud as he could with amplified chi.

"Hey! I am here! I am Jin! If you have the guts, how about you try taking me on!!!"