Chapter 285: Chapter 285. Meeting a Potential Ally

“Our members have gathered at our new hideouts. We are ready to fight back. Lead us to victory, brother!” Xin Wuming told Amon.

“No. Stand down,” Amon replied.

“What? Why?” Xin Wuming asked. He was stunned by Amon’s reply.

“As you should have known, Dao Se gained much wealth since his rise to power. He used that wealth to buy cultivation resources to help his cultivation. He had recently reached the intermediate Mystic Stage. He alone was already troubling to deal with. There was still the Alley Advocates, who had two Mystic stage cultivators. With them working together, we are lacking in both manpower and firepower. Fighting back might feel glorious, but it will just end with our defeat.”

“So… Do we just let them go?” Xin Wuming was unwilling. “We let them have our territory? We do nothing after they killed our people? We cower while they celebrate their victory…?”

Amon put an arm on Xin Wuming’s shoulder. “Wuming. Listen, and listen well. If you want to survive in this cruel world, you need to learn to put your pride in check. Losing territory? Losing people? That is a common thing in the underworld. Remember when we had no territory and no people when we started? We are still better than when we started. We can still turn things around. The key is not to be hasty and be blinded by emotion.”

Xin Wuming heard the wisdom of Amon’s words, but he still found it hard to accept.

Amon added, “What we experienced now might happen again when we venture into the power struggle of the world. If you can’t control your emotions. If you can’t stand a small setback like this, you are not the leader I thought you could be. Are you going to prove me wrong?”

Xin Wuming took a deep breath. He felt his emotions cooling down a great deal. He bowed to Amon.

“Forgive me, big brother. I let my emotions get the better of me. I am ashamed of it. Please, let us have your instructions.”

Amon nodded. He was glad he was not wrong about Xin Wuming.

“Like I said, stand down. We can’t win, so we play defense for the time being,” Amon said. “If anyone still hanging around our old hideouts in the territory we still control, call them out and send them to the new hideouts. Now that all our members know the Sewer Snakes are no longer our allies, they won’t accidentally inform the enemies of these new hideout locations. Tell them to stay low for now. Do guerilla warfare on the enemies entering our territory. Always move in a group and always set out only after having confirmed intel of the enemy’s movements.”

“I will relay your command,” Xin Wuming said. “But please forgive me for asking. By playing defensive, we won’t win back our territory. We might even lose more if we are not careful. I can’t see this strategy as a good long-term plan.”

“It is not,” Amon said. “I have another plan in preparation for what happened last night.”

“You do?” Xin Wuming asked in surprise.

“I’ve told you before, it’s just a matter of time before we enter a conflict with the Sewer Snakes. I have prepared for this day longer than you expected, but I still need some time to execute our counterattack. That’s why I gave you the command to play defense for now. Prioritize on conserving our strength. Wait for my command before doing anything big.”

Even though Amon didn’t share the details of his plan, hearing Amon had one gave Xin Wuming great relief. He bowed again, “I will relay brother’s command. For the time being, we will do as brother instructed. We will hold the fort until it is time to strike!”

*

After the news, Amon ended his intense cultivation session. He left his residence and went to visit a fellow student. He went down to the fifth house on the hill. When he arrived, he was greeted by someone even before he interacted with the barrier that protected the house.

“What are you doing here?” Xa Jien came down from his residence, which was one house above.

“If you come and ask everyone who visits Zhuan San, you will blow your cover,” Amon told him.

“What are you doing here?” Xa Jien repeated his question without responding to Amon’s words.

“Hehe,” Amon chuckled. He said loudly, “Zhuan San, Lin Mo comes to visit. Do you mind if we speak?”

Xa Jien was displeased for being ignored. He was about to demand Amon state his purpose when the door to Zhuan San’s house opened. Zhuan San was visible, but his voice was heard.

“Student Lin Mo, this is the first time you have paid me a visit. Come, enter!”

The barrier was deactivated, allowing Amon to pass through. Amon walked in, accompanied by Xa Jien, who watched his every move.

Inside, Amon saw Zhuan San sitting on a chair by a table. He was drinking tea while reading some papers. Unlike Amon’s residence, the interior of this house was filled with much furniture, many of which were luxurious. There were even art pieces that looked antique. All in all, it didn’t look like the residence of someone who only stayed here for a temporary living period.

“Welcome to my humble abode!” Zhuan San greeted Amon.

“Humble, indeed,” Amon replied sarcastically.

Zhuan San laughed. He told Amon, “Come, sit! You too, Xa Jien. Don’t just stand there. It always feels better to drink tea with company.”

Amon took Zhuan San’s offer and sat. Xa Jien, on the other hand, didn’t. He stood beside Zhuan San as if ready in case Amon did anything suspicious. Zhuan San didn’t ask him to sit a second time.

“So, for what reason am I graced with the honor of your visit?” Zhuan San asked.

“I take it you know what had happened last night?” Amon asked in return.

“I do,” Zhuan San answered. “I was even reading the report when you arrived. I must say, I’m surprised your first response is to visit me instead of going into the city to organize your men for retaliation.”

“The retaliation will come,” Amon said. “But to do that, I need your help.”

“My help?” Zhuan San asked with surprise. “I don’t think I can help you in this matter. But even if I do, why do I want to help?”

“Because what I said before had been proven,” Amon answered. “Dao Se ignored your warning. He expands his territory again.”

Zhuan San remained smiling, but he didn’t say anything in response.

“He had proven to be an unreliable associate,” Amon continued. “Left unchecked, he will encroach on everything in this city, perhaps even the governing office. He will work himself to become the most influential man in this city. He can’t help it. He is a man who has tasted power and can’t resist the allure. He will continue to grasp for more power even if that means defying the person who helps him get the power in the first place.”

“Spoken like a man who has an experience on the matter,” Zhuan San said.

Amon grinned. “I don’t deny I have a similar ambition, if not grander. Our method is widely different, though. He is like a blind bull that charges without a care for its surroundings. He had forgotten the rules of the game.”

“Oh? What game is that?” Zhuan San asked.

“The game of relations. Politics!” Amon answered. “In his blind pursuit of power, he let go of one relationship that can guarantee him to stay in power or even help him rise further.”

Zhuan San looked at Amon meaningfully.

“You sent him to keep the underworld of this city in check and maintain stability,” Amon resumed. “He is no longer playing the role. He is growing into something out of control that you seek to prevent in the first place.”

“Hm… What do you suggest?” Zhuan San asked.

“Back me up! I’ll replace him. I will give you the stability you want,” Amon answered.

“How can I know you won’t turn out like him and try to swallow all the underworld for yourself?”

“Because, like you said, I have a better future outside the underworld. I won’t embroil too much in the underworld struggle. The underworld is just a stage for me to build my foundation, to build my force. A force that will be beneficial for me and my allies in the future. You can be among those who benefit from it if you are willing to be my ally.”

Zhuan San sipped his tea. Amon could see the man contemplating behind his smiling façade. After putting his cup down, he asked, “Even if I am willing to back you up, as I have said, I don’t see what I can do to help you in your current situation. It’s not like I can provide you with an army or ask the kingdom soldiers to aid you. The whole reason I am using Dao Se in the first place is to avoid being connected to the underworld.”

“You don’t need to provide me with an army. I only need you to provide me with access,” Amon said.

“Access?” Zhuan San raised his eyebrows.

“Yes. I need you to give me full authorization to the checkpoint at this city’s entrance gate,” Amon answered.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep