The second watch of the night, nine o'clock.
Near the marketplace in eastern Qingwei Town.
In the middle of the alley was a gambling den. Through its curtain, one could see the light was still on, and from time to time, shouts, jeers, and the sounds of card games drifted out.
All mingling into a cheerful clamor.
Outside the curtain stood two young toughs from the Three Rivers Gang, puffing clouds of smoke from their pipes as they laughed and debated which of the girls in the alley's half-open doorways was the best lay.
In a hall on the second floor, three men were in a secret discussion.
"Damn it all, this is just bizarre!" The bald man in the seat of honor slammed his hand on the armrest, the flesh of his face jiggling. "That second apprentice of Huo Mingchuan's, wasn't he just some punk with a few shoddy moves? How did he suddenly..."
