Chapter 144: A Burst of Energy and Surrounded on All Sides - It’s the Cyber Age—Still Playing a Traditional Villain?

Chapter 144: A Burst of Energy and Surrounded on All Sides If anyone in Sin City is the most anxious right now, it has to be Chu Cuicheng, the leader of the Tenth District's "Nu Lang." For days on end, he hasn't been able to sleep well. He's nearly regretted his decisions to the point of despair; the severe blow he suffered in the Sixth District still leaves him reeling. Who could have imagined that a simple attempt to exploit would end up putting him on the verge of losing everything? The key issue is that nobody knew Ding Jun could get his hands on such excellent equipment! Gang battles are straightforward affairs, and the quality of weapons plays a critical role. You're wielding a machete and a pistol, while the other side has tanks and artillery—of course you can't win. It's as simple as that. But isn't it just ridiculous? As an established gang, "Nu Lang" primarily deals in weapons trade, yet they were utterly outgunned... admitting that is nothing but a humiliation. The losses are undeniably devastating—not so much in other aspects, but critically in that many elite members were wiped out. Those were troops cultivated over a long time, and they can't be replaced quickly. So now, Chu Cuicheng is praying to get through this period smoothly, hoping to regain their strength, or else the situation will just further deteriorate. But nothing is that easy. The fact is, everyone sees "Nu Lang" faltering, and they're watching like hawks, waiting for the right moment to pounce. Seeking aid is immensely challenging. Looking to other gangs is unrealistic; it'd be a relief if they don't attack you themselves... and "Long City" has given an ambiguous response. When Chu Cuicheng went to see Long Tianding, the only answer he received was “If it reaches the point of no return, 'Long City' won't stand by idly.” That means they won't interfere! Chu Cuicheng understands perfectly well what that means—Long simply doesn’t care about the fate of "Nu Lang", as long as Sin City remains stable. Whether it's "Nu Lang" or any other, it makes no difference to him. When he says “point of no return,” it refers only to keeping Night City out of the picture; he doesn’t care how the underlings fight among themselves. There's nothing surprising about this; didn't Long similarly ignore the turmoil in "Disgaea" in the past? In fact, if he recalls the past, he himself rose to power amidst chaos, establishing the current "Nu Lang", just another cycle of history. And those from Night City are even less reliable... In fact, it’s partly his own fault. Due to the nature of "Nu Lang"'s business, he never sought to align permanently with any syndicate or corporation like others did, instead making occasional deals here and there without full commitment to any. Some might call it having a broad reach, but the drawback is obvious. Absolute loyalty is necessary for support, otherwise, no one really feels obliged to help you—at the end of the day, you're just a merchant, and anyone can be replaced. And that's not the worst part; the worst part is that “the forgotten ones” didn’t provide much benefit. Initially, when the situation unfolded, he sensed a glimmer of hope. Regardless of their abilities, expanding numbers is beneficial, and filtering through the mass may yield a few gems. However, the other gangs quickly united and subtly informed those newcomers of his situation. As a result, “the forgotten ones” stopped coming. Who would join a faltering gang? We're here in Night Sin City to make a living, not to meet our demise. Isolated and unsupported! Gasp… Chu Cuicheng drew in a sharp breath, contributing to the ever-decreasing chill of Night Sin City with his frustration. And he's not the only one with such concerns; his subordinates are equally on edge. "Boss, should we..." A district leader with some decision-making power tentatively asked, "Should we distribute the weapons to equip our brothers?" "... Distribute them! Open the warehouse, distribute them all!" Chu Cuicheng considered and didn’t oppose, "Including those 'Twins' we recently acquired, distribute them according to capability wherever there’s an augment chip, try to arm everyone. If something does happen, we at least need to be prepared." Although it pained him somewhat, he knew this wasn’t the time for hesitation. Weapons locked in a warehouse are nothing but scrap metal, and if they lose their territory, everything's lost. Might as well put up a fight, let them know "Nu Lang" isn’t easy prey; anyone daring to extend a hand will lose a piece of flesh! He can only rely on the loyal underlings of "Nu Lang." After making the necessary arrangements, he dismissed his subordinates, sitting alone in his chair, staring blankly at the augmentation chip in his hand. Damn... Is Xu Shi out of his mind or what? Shouldn't a major arms dealer be seeking partnership with me, a weapons trader? So why turn to Ding Jun? What's so good about him? Sigh. ... Chu Cuicheng's fears were not unfounded. An assault on the Tenth District came swiftly. Yet, the situation wasn't quite as he anticipated—none of the major gangs made a move, but rather the second and third-tier gangs grew bold, launching petty assaults on various parts of the Tenth District. “What the hell!” The "Nu Lang" members were certainly not about to let it slide. They've been on guard against "Bai Tie" and the "Long Blade Party," and now these small-time gangs think they can take advantage? It’s too much! To hell with it! Granted, with preparation, these small fry couldn't stir up much trouble. After all, theirs is a major gang occupying a large district, one not easily knocked down. The assaults were successfully repelled, and "Nu Lang" didn't suffer significant casualties. But that doesn't mean there was no impact. After all, these small gangs were like flies; chase off one, another comes buzzing back. After a few days of this, everyone was becoming numb, their fervor for "protecting the Tenth District" waning significantly. Bring it on, we probably won’t win anyway, so whatever... “We can't let our guard down!” Nonetheless, as a leader, Chu Cuicheng saw through the ploy clearly enough, aware the others likely aimed for this exact effect! They wanted to first wear them out slowly with small gangs, draining their morale before stepping in themselves, ensuring effectiveness with minimal effort! From the composition of these small gangs, it was clear they drew support mainly from "Bai Tie"... "Song Ziyou, NMSL!" Chu Cuicheng cursed angrily, “I've no old grudges or recent grievances with you, yet you strike first?” Of course, the words are laughably naive. They aren’t children holding hands and sharing candy; they’re gang leaders where interest is the ultimate motivator, not grudges. Still, Song Ziyou’s move infuriated him; they want to play dirty? Just wait! "Oh, a burst of energy strategy?" Elsewhere, constantly monitoring the Tenth District’s situation, Lin Xing (or perhaps Xu Shi) naturally noticed the clues. Gotta admit, it was a pretty clever tactic; gang warfare isn’t just about slamming weapons around, strategic warfare is where the real charm lies. What’s the saying? “Fight without thinking, and you’ll be flying in circles.” Whether this was Xie Qingyan's orchestration is up for debate. But knowing the crafty woman, if she doesn't want “Prism” to show its hand, she'll naturally ensure every base is covered. So far, they’ve seen no sign of Ye Shanshan or her crew, suggesting Xie Qingyan understands that if she's to take the cake alone, it’s best not to expose the link with "Bai Tie." “Ah, what did you say, sister?” Lin Yue didn't catch Lin Xing's muttering, or perhaps didn’t fully grasp it—truth be told, the little assassin sister’s education level wasn’t very high, about on par with Gu Yi from the "Crispy Center." It’s common for kids from Sin City... But once Lin Xing explained, she understood. “Ah… in that case, it puts us in a tough spot too…” Analyzing the current situation, Lin Yue was a bit worried. She had fairly comprehensive considerations—just one "Bai Tie" could torment "Nu Lang" to its limits, and that's not counting the "Long Blade Party" yet. If both large factions moved together, "Xing Huo" would struggle to make an impact, as they are similarly seen as a "second or third-tier gang" by comparison. "Not necessarily." Lin Xing waved her hand, “Given the dragging time between 'Bai Tie' and 'Nu Lang', we can make our own preparations too.” “What kind of preparations?” Lin Yue was intrigued. “It’s simple, just listen to my plan...” With that, Lin Xing began to outline her strategy to Lin Yue. The plan was straightforward: use this time to reach out to "Nu Lang" gang members in the Tenth District, shake their resolve through persuasion, and directly lure them into "Xing Huo’s" fold. If Xie Qingyan's strategy was a burst of energy, then theirs could be the classic "surrounded on all sides." The effectiveness of this tactic should not be underestimated—gang members may appear fierce, but most are really just in it for the power trip of extorting protection money with little effort... Long-term fighting and warfare? No one really likes that, which is precisely why "Bai Tie" is slowly wearing them down. In reality, it's all about breaking their will—why sacrifice for Chu Cuicheng? Life goes on just as well elsewhere. As for "Xing Huo," they have their own advantages, even though they're second or third-tier, they boast a more stable and peaceful base, much like Shen He did back in the day, making it a great strategy to win over people's loyalty. Moreover, "Xing Huo" is in a period of growth; joining now offers more opportunities for those with ambition, a significant draw. "In short, we gather as many as we can. The more allies we get, the better our position becomes." "...Sounds feasible, worth a try." After Lin Xing finished, Lin Yue pondered and agreed, not finding any reason to object. However, she harbored one concern. "But the 'Long Blade Party' hasn’t moved yet. Is Ding Jun planning to wait to reap the benefits at the end? We need to be cautious..." Especially since "Xing Huo" is so close to the "Long Blade Party," their past conflicts and frictions can't be ignored. “Of course, we need to be vigilant, but that doesn't conflict with our plan.” Lin Xing smiled, “That’s why we need to act quickly. Since we can’t match them in brute strength, we have to seize the initiative.” In truth, she knew Ding Jun wouldn’t make a move. If he dared wait like a mantis stalking the cicada, she would ensure he experiences true nightmares. However, she couldn't share such thoughts with her dear sister, so she deftly changed the subject to dodge further questioning. "...Alright, I'll follow your lead." Lin Yue nodded, feeling convinced and began to set things in motion according to her sister’s plan. But once the arrangements were made, she suddenly felt a bit disheartened. Or perhaps she felt a bit inferior, as she realized she indeed lacked her sister's confidence, often hesitant and indecisive—a critical flaw for a leader. From her perspective, Lin Xing often executed plans without considering potential failures... Perhaps overly bold? Such overconfidence seemed a bit reckless. This likeness to Xu Shi was uncanny; though that guy was an irritating demon, she recognized his undeniable influence on the recent shifts in Sin City. From the downfall of "Xing Huo" and "Disgaea" to the emergence of “the forgotten ones,” achieving such intricacies demands immense self-assurance and vision. But she couldn't dwell on it; she’d already thought too much about that guy lately—at such a critical moment, she needed to focus! "I can't quite measure up to you, sister." Lin Xing noticed her mood and approached with a smile, taking her hand. “What I can think of, you can too. Honestly…I’m not as kind-hearted as you.” This was the truth. Xu Shi, as shameless as he was, never considered himself a good person, especially regarding issues Lin Yue cared for yet he dismissed, like rescuing or re-adapting those modified sex slaves in the Sixth District. He’d never bother. Her indecisiveness was due to her kindness—or perhaps she was more a general than a leader. In the original narrative, she mostly followed Shen He's lead. If left to her own devices, she’d likely face "failure in an evil lair" scenarios, similar to her failed attempt on Xu Shi, only spared by his mercy. "That’s exactly it, isn’t it? In terms of combat ability, I’m not stronger than you—we’re invincible together~" “…True.” Lin Yue relaxed, realizing she'd grown accustomed to working with her sister. Her sister’s plans significantly lightened her burden, and without her help, rising up again might truly have been impossible... With this thought, she placed her other hand atop their joined ones. “Let’s work hard together.” “Alright.” ... Equally dedicated was "Bai Tie's" leader, Song Ziyou. “The time is ripe, let's prepare for the final assault.” He commanded expressionlessly, “Take down 'Nu Lang,' today!” After dragging this out for so long, he could tell just by looking at their state that they'd achieved their goal. Even Chu Cuicheng was exhausted at this point, and he himself was nearly worn out. But since this was the higher-ups' plan, he had no further comments, especially since the results were promising, with the opponent’s increasing casualties telling the whole story. The Tenth District was already theirs for the taking! “Let’s move!” “Let’s move!” (End of chapter)