Chapter Twenty-One: Calling Someone

Since he had promised to protect A-Le, Song Ren knew he had to take action. Moreover, the Chung Yee Shing hitman, Ah Jik, was due to be released from prison in three days, and Song Ren intended to send him off with a grand farewell gift.

Want to get out of prison? No, you’re dreaming!

Two days slipped by in a flash, and the time for the yard recreation period arrived. Nearly twenty members of Chung Yee Shing were gathered together, apparently holding a send-off for the soon-to-be-released hitman, Ah Jik. Every now and then, bursts of laughter and rowdy noise drifted from their direction.

That was until the Chung Yee Shing suit-wearing lackey turned his head and noticed his top lieutenant, Snake Ming, suddenly leading five or six men away from their group. He froze for a moment and shouted, "Hey, Ming! What are you doing?"

Snake Ming ignored his boss, leading his men straight toward Song Ren. As he walked, he beckoned to several other parts of the yard. Soon, groups of three or five inmates from various corners began to approach, talking and laughing. By the time they converged, there were twenty-one thugs in total—nearly one-fifth of the entire prison population.

A gathering of this scale was incredibly conspicuous. As the group moved, they grew quieter and quieter until, finally, the chatter ceased entirely. Every eye was filled with fervor and yearning as they gazed at Song Ren standing before them.

The yard fell into a silence so profound it felt as if it had solidified, save for the shuffling sound of twenty-plus pairs of feet hitting the ground. Nearly every inmate in the yard stopped what they were doing to watch. Some looked on in confusion, others grew visibly angry, and many more stood by, eager to watch the spectacle unfold.

The twenty-one thugs stood in perfect formation before Song Ren. He raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. He had indeed instructed Snake Ming, who had previously pledged his loyalty, to recruit some men over the past two days because he was preparing to stake his claim. He hadn't expected Snake Ming to rally over twenty people—not just from Chung Yee Shing, but from other gangs and even unaffiliated inmates as well. While most of these men were low-level grunts, the sheer number was staggering.

*This kid, Snake Ming, is truly a talent.*

***

Snake Ming took the lead, grinned at Song Ren, and said, "Brother Ren, I've brought them all here." He then turned to the twenty-plus inmates beside him and shouted, "Hey, are you all brain-dead? Hurry up and pay your respects!"

"Brother Ren!!!"

The somewhat disjointed but thunderously loud shout echoed across the yard, striking the hearts of the other inmates with shock.

The expression on the suit-wearing lackey’s face turned vivid with rage. His face darkened so much it seemed as if water might drip from it as he gritted out, "Snake Ming!!!"

Ah Jik, whose expression was usually one of cynical indifference, turned solemn. He bowed his head slightly, his hazel eyes fixed on Song Ren from a distance, filled with icy, lethal intent. *This guy dares to poach our Chung Yee Shing members right in front of me! Damn it, even the King of Hell won't be able to save you this time!*

In the yard, it wasn't just the Chung Yee Shing members cursing. Because Snake Ming had recruited so many low-level lackeys who admired Song Ren, he had effectively offended almost every gang in the prison. It was a reckless move; even if they couldn't touch Song Ren inside, it would surely bring more trouble once they were out.

But Song Ren clearly didn't care. It was just a group of low-level grunts switching allegiances; at worst, he could pay off the trouble. Once he got out and dealt with Huo Zhaotang...

Standing beside Song Ren were A-Le and Qiu Gang'ao, both startled by the grand spectacle. When they saw twenty men surrounding them, they thought something major was about to happen. Qiu Gang'ao had even prepared for a fight, never imagining they were all here to defect or pledge loyalty to a new boss. He looked at the silent Song Ren, feeling for the first time that he couldn't quite see through him.

Hiding in a corner, "Ghost" had just bought a cigarette from a dealer. He hadn't even taken two puffs before the scene shocked him so much he dropped it.

"Damn, does my brother have to be this fierce?" He thought, "Recruiting over twenty people without a sound—is he trying to stake his claim in Stanley Prison? I've never heard of such a thing! This is insane!"

He muttered to himself while picking up the cigarette and putting it back in his mouth. A moment later, he jerked and threw it away. "Sss! That’s hot!"

***

"Damn it, I put the wrong end in!"

Beside him, Baldy Rong and Scar-faced Liang hadn't noticed Ghost's mishap. They exchanged glances, looking toward Song Ren’s direction with a trace of envy in their eyes. Opportunities to be in the spotlight like this were things they hadn't experienced in a long time while following Ghost. Everyone in the underworld dreamed of making a name for themselves. They whispered, "Brother Ghost, should we go over and take a look..."

Ghost’s face fell. *Damn, if even my own lackeys are acting like this, no wonder so many thugs are chasing after Ren to pledge loyalty. This is truly impressive!*

Ghost felt a twinge of jealousy. Even Qiu Gang'ao, whom he had tried to recruit multiple times, had unknowingly ended up by Ren's side. It left a bitter taste in his mouth; after all, his own status in the underworld was higher.

***

After the deathly silence, the yard erupted into a roar. The suit-wearing lackey from Chung Yee Shing was the first to explode: "Snake Ming, you damn traitor! You dare to defect behind my back!"

Following him, members of the 14K, Wo Shing Wo, and Chiu Yee Shing began cursing as well. Although most of the defectors were low-level grunts, losing face like this was something they couldn't just let slide. Otherwise, how could their gangs survive in the future?

The Chung Yee Shing members were particularly furious, as Snake Ming had led the charge. This was essentially grinding the Chung Yee Shing name into the dirt!

Ah Jik shoved aside the lackeys in front of him. He didn't speak, just walked toward Song Ren with a dark, silent expression. In an instant, the dozen or so remaining Chung Yee Shing members followed suit.

*Whoosh—*

As the Chung Yee Shing group moved, inmates from other gangs in the yard began to swarm in. The crowd grew larger and larger, quickly exceeding forty people. They surrounded Song Ren in a dense, dark mass—double the size of the group that had just gathered around him.

The scene was becoming explosive.