Listening to Xiao Chen, the private room chilled further — the tension became almost palpable.
Even Li Hanhou, normally obsessed with food, set his chopsticks down.
His right hand braced on the table edge, he thought that if things escalated he'd overturn the table and knock that old man flat.
Ding Li had just relaxed a bit but went pale again. He felt a sudden chill he couldn't explain.
"So, Minister Xiao really won't grant me this favor?" Huang Xing asked slowly. He lifted his wine glass, drained it, then idly toyed with it.
The bald enforcer stiffened — was the boss about to throw the cup?
"It's not about refusing face; everyone has their own ambitions." Xiao Chen glanced at the glass in Huang Xing's hand, lips curling as if he found the whole display a little amusing. Was Huang Xing just looking for an excuse to throw the cup?
"Brother Xiao — let me call you Brother Xiao again. They say those who know current affairs are heroes. You've got skill; it'd be a pity not to put it to use." Huang Xing tried to smooth the atmosphere, still hungry for more: with Xiao Chen's help he was convinced he could become leader of the Flying Eagle Gang.
"Heh — third-rate kung fu won't help at a proper table. Why does Hall Master Huang insist on forcing others?" Xiao Chen smiled, bemused. Huang Xing was offering him a position at a grand banquet — the audacity amused him. Still, thinking about the Flying Eagle Gang's internal conflict, Xiao Chen sensed an opportunity: a top fighter could shift power.
Right now Huang Xing saw him as a tool to remove obstacles.
"Third-rate kung fu? Ha. I, Feiying, have helped thousands — how many of them are like Brother Xiao? Sun Fei is only one of my three thousand brothers in Falcon Hall." Huang Xing paused, then pressed his offer: "Join me and I'll make you deputy head of the Falcon Hall — under me, commanding over three thousand. What say you?"
The offer made the bald enforcer uneasy. He'd served Falcon Hall for years and now a newcomer might be handed a high rank?
"If Brother Xiao accepts?" Huang Xing's face lit up.
"No." Xiao Chen said flatly.
"What?!" Huang Xing was stunned, then his expression soured. "You mock me?"
"No. Same answer as before: each person has their ambitions." Xiao Chen then turned and asked Li Hanhou, "Dahan, are you full?"
"I'm full." Li Hanhou replied.
"And you?" Xiao Chen asked Ding Li.
"I… I'm also full." Ding Li trembled; he'd barely eaten.
"Oh, great — if you're full, let's be on our way." Xiao Chen smiled and nodded to Huang Xing. "Master Huang, since the dispute's settled and we've eaten enough, we won't trouble you further. Thanks for your hospitality."
Huang Xing's face went black. Did they really think they could come eat and drink, then leave? No such free dinners in his world.
"Minister Xiao — do you really refuse to reconsider?" Huang Xing pressed.
"Hey, you're crazy — Brother Chen told me before, I won't stir trouble with you!" Li Hanhou interjected, frowning.
"Fine! If you won't cooperate, we must talk about the one who hurt my man —" Huang Xing's tone shifted hard.
"Master Huang, didn't you just say it was settled?" Xiao Chen feigned confusion, inwardly sneering.
"If you don't follow me, if someone injures my brother Huang Xing and I do nothing, how can I hold face in the Flying Eagle Gang?" Huang Xing snapped. "I pay back hits tenfold. If you give up one hand of my brother, I'll take two in return — split between them."
He clenched his glass viciously.
"Pay back hands? Why?" Xiao Chen smiled lightly. He recognized the classic Hongmen banquet trap.
"Because I, Feiying, have helped thousands, because my three thousand brothers and the two hundred swordsmen standing by me—" Huang Xing suddenly slammed his glass down.
It shattered with a sharp crack; shards scattered.
"Go!" The bald enforcer, already ready, howled, drew a machete from under the table and lunged at the nearest Ding Li.
"I've been waiting for you!" Li Hanhou shouted. He shoved the table up with a force that lifted it, slamming it into Huang Xing and the bald enforcer.
Huang Xing leapt back to avoid it. The bald enforcer was less lucky and was knocked under the table, screaming.
At once, dozens of young men in black surged forward with machetes. "Master Xing!" they roared in unison; the momentum was terrifying.
"Hah — shame on you!" Huang Xing spat, pointing his cigar at Xiao Chen. "Chop them!"
"Yes!" Two hundred swordsmen bellowed and charged toward the three around Xiao Chen.
Li Hanhou grabbed the table and hurled it at the oncoming men. The solid wood, thrown by his great strength, slammed into the first dozen, sweeping them away with bone-crunching force. Screams erupted.
Others rushed around Li Hanhou toward Xiao Chen and Ding Li, not expecting the fate that awaited them.
Xiao Chen seized a machete, slashed cleanly, and a knife hand was sliced off — blood sprayed. The wounded attacker screamed as his arm thrashed on the ground.
"Those who cut others must be ready to be cut!" Xiao Chen said coldly, plunging into the crowd. He fought like a hunter with no pity, as if the men were beasts in a forest.
Ding Li stared at the vivid blood and trembled uncontrollably. It was his first time witnessing such brutality; he nearly wet himself. The metallic smell made his stomach roll.
"What are you thinking?!" Xiao Chen's shout snapped him back. A nearby assailant was about to stab Ding Li when Xiao Chen cleaved the man's arm open. Ding Li broke into cold sweat and felt gratitude — Xiao Chen had saved him.
"I—I'm scared," Ding Li stammered.
"If you're scared, you shouldn't have come," Xiao Chen said, handing him a bloodied machete. "Hold it. If someone tries to cut you, cut them back. One for one won't do — pay back three."
"I—I'm still afraid!" Ding Li shook and recoiled from the stained blade.
"Don't you want to grow brave? To be a man and not be bullied?" Xiao Chen's voice turned hard as he kicked at another attacker. "If you don't want to be bullied, then grip this knife."
Ding Li clenched his teeth, put his trembling hand out, and took the machete. "I don't want to be bullied."
"Remember: the fear inside you is often worse than a few knives." Xiao Chen's words were raw truth.
"I'll overcome it. I'm not a coward!" Ding Li's knuckles went white; veins stood out on his hand.
"All right — go prove it." Xiao Chen patted him on the shoulder. Since Ding Li had chosen to be here, he should gain something from it.
Xiao Chen feared Ding Li wouldn't try first, so he shoved a wounded knifeman toward him and barked, "Cut!"
"Cut!" Xiao Chen encouraged.
Ding Li understood the hint. He shut his eyes, gritted his teeth, and hacked at the man.
"Fuck!" Xiao Chen was surprised at the force of the blow — Ding Li aimed straight for the head. Xiao Chen twisted the enemy's arm to steer the swing; the machete bit into the shoulder with a wet sound — flesh and blood flew.
"Open your eyes. Don't be afraid!" Xiao Chen said and charged back into the fray. He believed men grow up by taking blows; others can't always protect you.
Ding Li opened his eyes to see the severed hand in a pool of blood and nearly dropped the machete. He swallowed down his terror, gripped the weapon, and muttered, "Whoever cuts me, I'll cut back… Don't come to cut me… I don't want to cut you, but—"
His whisper did little. Two swordsmen charged him anyway, seeing him as easy prey.
"Male Gobi, you think I'm easy?" Ding Li snarled at the man coming at him, raised the machete — and then, in panic, spun and ran.