18. The Axe Gang

Zhou Hongyi scratched his head, having caught most of the conversation between the two inside. One voice was very familiar to him—it was that blind man who had sold him guns and bullets on the black market before. It seemed he had arrived at an inopportune moment; they were in the middle of a house-cleaning.

That blind man was truly bold, taking the gang’s guns and ammunition to sell on the black market. Such behavior clearly violated the gang’s rules, and if he wasn’t dealt with, how could the gang maintain discipline? But speaking honestly, that guy was just trying to pay for his mother’s medical treatment. His actions were wrong, but somewhat understandable.

The most important thing was, if that blind man were to be drowned in the river, Zhou would have to find someone else to buy guns from. It’s always better to deal with the familiar than the unknown. Even if that blind man hadn’t stolen the gang’s guns and ammo, he surely knew where to get them.

Zhou Hongyi’s eyes flicked, and he deliberately stepped out to stand at the warehouse door. Clearing his throat with a cough that echoed sharply in the quiet surroundings, his voice resounded loudly.

Immediately, a dozen or so men dressed in black shirts, wearing cloth shoes, and sporting crew cuts burst out from inside the warehouse. Each gripped a small, sharp axe in hand, their gazes fierce and menacing—the scene was like a gang of axe-wielders from a movie, radiating a deadly aura.

“Who are you? Wandering around here so late? Don’t you know whose turf this is?” A young man at the forefront raised his axe, pointing it directly at Zhou Hongyi as he shouted.

Though surprised, Zhou Hongyi was not afraid. Although his Insight Eye was still recovering, he hadn’t yet used his Firearms Mode today. If anyone dared to provoke him, it would be a massacre. Even the agents from Unit 76 couldn’t handle him, so these axe-wielding thugs were no match.

“I’m a police officer. I haven’t asked you anything yet, but you dare to hold court here at night? And I overheard talk about sinking someone into the river. Who gave you that audacity?” Zhou Hongyi pulled out his badge, flashing it briefly before tucking it away again. Then, with his hands behind his back, he strode forward confidently.

The gang members, axes in hand, exchanged glances, uncertain about his intentions. No one dared to make a move.

At that moment, a young man in suspenders and polished black shoes stepped forward. His hair was long, and a deep scar ran down the left side of his face, giving him a fierce appearance.

The young man tilted his head toward Zhou Hongyi, his eyes full of provocation.

“Ha! Police? The cops clock out too, you know? The Axe Gang handles its own affairs. The police have no jurisdiction here. Smart ones get lost fast—don’t interfere with our family rules!”

Zhou Hongyi’s eyes lit up. So this really was the Axe Gang. He’d only seen them in movies before, a notoriously formidable presence. Now, here he was face to face with the real deal.

Ignoring the long-haired, scar-faced man, Zhou stretched his neck to glance inside the warehouse. He spotted the blind man who had sold him guns earlier, now curled up on the floor, convulsing and covered in blood.

“I’m not here to argue with you. I’m here for him,” Zhou said, pointing at the blind man.

“For him?” The long-haired man sneered. “We’re sinking him into the river tonight. You’re just a low-level cop—what business do you have here? Believe it or not, I’ll sink you too!”

“You’ll sink me too?” This time, Zhou Hongyi laughed aloud. “Do you even know who I am? If you dare sink me today, the entire Axe Gang will go down with you tomorrow. I’m taking him today. If you’re not convinced, have your gang leader come to Unit 76 to demand him. If that fails, you can try the Military Police or the Special Higher Police.”

Hearing this, the long-haired man’s smile quickly faded. He sized Zhou up, noting the difference in his attire and demeanor from a typical low-ranking cop. Mentioning Unit 76, the Special Higher Police, and the Military Police—could this guy really be connected to those places?

Shanghai was a melting pot of all kinds of people, and those who thrived here were no accident. The long-haired man had some insight and immediately ordered his men to sheath their axes. Staggering slightly, he clasped his fists and asked, “May I ask which faction you’re with, brother?”

Zhou Hongyi returned the gesture and said, “I’m Zhou Hongyi, head of the Special Operations Unit of the Second Precinct. The director of Unit 76 is my brother-in-law, and Captain Shimazu of the Special Higher Police is like a mentor to me. I graduated from West Point, and General Tojo personally praised my limitless potential and even strongly invited me to attend the Army Academy. So, do you still want to sink me into the river?”

Though it irked him to flaunt these connections, Zhou knew these official ties were the best leverage against street thugs.

“Director Ding’s brother-in-law?”

Obviously, even the Axe Gang had heard of Ding Mucun’s name. But to Zhou’s surprise, the man only hesitated briefly before reaching behind his waist and pulling out an *** axe.

“Your fancy titles might scare others, but not us Axe Gang. Our boss hates traitors above all else! Even if your brother-in-law stood here, he’d have to die!”

“What? Just because of these connections, no deal? What a miscalculation!” Zhou cursed silently. Today was going to be troublesome.

He cursed under his breath, suddenly recalling some unofficial histories he had read before. Liu Yaqiao of the Axe Gang was indeed fiercely hateful of traitors and Japanese collaborators, having killed many. Not just Ding Mucun, even President Wang would probably get two chops if he showed up.

Realizing the situation was worsening, Zhou hurriedly raised both hands. “Stop, stop! Brothers, that was just a joke—a misunderstanding, really. I’m a cop, and I bought guns and ammo from our blind brother here before. I overheard your conversation and know the troubles his family faces. I’m a man of loyalty—why don’t you tell me how many gang weapons and ammo he sold? I’ll cover the loss for him. You can use that money to buy more and better weapons. Isn’t that better than all this fighting? Besides, even if you kill him, the guns and bullets won’t come back. So, what do you say, brother, hero? Think about it.”

Zhou had prepared for the worst; his pistol was tucked under his arm, ready to activate Firearms Mode at a moment’s notice. If money couldn’t settle these Axe Gang members, the warehouse would become a bloodbath.

Unexpectedly, the long-haired man’s eyes brightened at Zhou’s offer to compensate, and he ordered his men to put away their axes, replacing his scowl with a smile.

“Brother, why didn’t you say so earlier? You seem like a man who values loyalty. That lousy blind guy’s lucky to have a friend like you. I’m not here to scam you. The blind man embezzled six pistols, three rifles, 500 rounds of ammo, and one grenade. How much do you think that’s worth, brother?”