Chapter 030: A Fierce Battle

Chapter 30: A Fierce Battle

The group of masked men surged forward, swiftly intercepting Huang Tianba and his companions. Seeing this, Huang Tianba’s brothers couldn’t help but feel uneasy—the enemy’s posture was aggressive, and they seemed well-armed, gripping steel pipes and electric batons, their waists bulging with concealed weapons.

The menacing crowd closed in, and the brothers of the Righteous Gate began to tremble. In contrast, Huang Tianba remained composed. “Don’t panic, everyone! Prepare for battle—grab your weapons!” In truth, Huang Tianba was hoping that Chen Hao would arrive soon. Judging by the numbers, nearly a hundred attackers had appeared, and it was clear that a brutal fight was unavoidable.

Huang Tianba had calculated that Chen Hao’s reinforcements were only twenty minutes away. If he could hold out until then, their combined forces could attack from both sides and turn the tide. But for now, the odds were still against them—he had barely twenty men at his side.

“Yes, sir!” The brothers who had been panicked now steadied themselves at their leader’s words. Damn it, what’s the big deal? We’ve followed the boss through thick and thin, enjoyed every pleasure, and played with all the beauties—now, if we die, so be it!

The mass of attackers pressed in, dark and oppressive. They knew Huang Tianba’s group was lightly armed, so to minimize their own losses, they advanced cautiously, aiming to defeat them one by one. At that moment, a tall, masked man stepped out from their ranks.

“Bring out Huang Tianba to talk!” His tone was flat and icy, sending a chill through the air. His murderous gaze fixed on Huang Tianba, as if he didn’t recognize him, though inside, the tall man was already rejoicing.

“I am Huang Tianba. Who are you? What’s the meaning of this? We’re all just trying to get by here—we’re only passing through. Is this show of force really necessary?” Every street had its own rules, and Huang Tianba, seasoned in the underworld, understood this well.

“My identity is irrelevant,” the man replied, his voice growing colder. “What matters is this: Huang Tianba, a year from today will mark the anniversary of your death.” Huang Tianba noticed the man was deliberately suppressing his voice, making it impossible to recognize.

The man’s lips curled into a sneer. With a single, chilling command—“Kill!”—his followers charged. Huang Tianba’s brow furrowed; a bloody battle was inevitable. “Brothers, attack!” At his shout, his men swung their weapons and rushed to meet the enemy.

In an instant, the sounds of clashing metal and shouts of combat merged into a chaotic symphony, echoing into the distance. Huang Tianba’s prowess was undeniable—he started with a heavy punch that sent a masked man sprawling. As he moved in to finish him, a steel pipe flashed in his peripheral vision, whistling down toward his head.

Huang Tianba ducked, the pipe grazing past his ear. He swung back with a solid punch to the assailant’s jaw, sending the man howling to the ground. Stepping forward, Huang Tianba launched a powerful kick to his head—the man’s neck snapped, and he fell lifeless.

At first, the Righteous Gate brothers were overwhelmed, but seeing their leader’s ferocity, they fought with renewed determination. Their eyes turned bloodshot, clothes already torn and disheveled, and as the battle wore on, more and more bodies fell, the air filled with groans and cries.

“Brothers, kill them all! We must finish this quickly!” the masked leader shouted, sensing the rising momentum among the Righteous Gate. He grew anxious—if they didn’t kill Huang Tianba before reinforcements arrived, it would be much harder.

“Hold on, everyone! Wait for Chen Hao—once he’s here, we’ll be safe!” Huang Tianba cried, slashing down another masked man.

“Ha! Huang Tianba, you’re doomed today!” the enemy leader roared. “Anyone who kills a Righteous Gate member gets ten thousand! Whoever kills Huang Tianba gets a hundred thousand!” Spurred by greed, the masked men charged even more recklessly.

Ten minutes later, the Righteous Gate was slowly being overwhelmed. The enemy’s assault was fierce, machetes and steel pipes whirling through the air. Outnumbered and outgunned, Huang Tianba was drenched in blood, his body slashed in several places.

Damn it, Huang Tianba cursed inwardly. These men were out for blood—he realized that he might not escape today. What grieved him most was the fate of his brothers, and his beloved daughter. You must survive, he prayed, tears welling in his eyes.

Wei’er, you must live, he thought. Every time Huang Tianba thought of his daughter, he remembered that boy, Ye Feng—a good lad. He hoped they could be together. Before leaving this time, as always, he’d secretly wired money into her personal account.

Lost in his thoughts, Huang Tianba was struck by a heavy blow to his left side. Normally, he could have dodged, but now he stumbled forward and fell. “Big Brother!” a Righteous Gate brother rushed to his aid, grappling with the attacker. But outmatched, he was quickly killed before Huang Tianba’s eyes.

Struggling to his feet, Huang Tianba staggered into another fight—this time, against the enemy leader, a man of considerable skill. Within a few moves, Huang Tianba was knocked down again. The man pounced, pinning Huang Tianba’s neck beneath his foot.

“You bastard, Huang Tianba! Thought you were tough? Let’s see how arrogant you are now!” The masked man glared down murderously, as if determined to kill him. Huang Tianba’s breathing grew labored, and his brothers fell around him.

“Who are you? Why are you after me?” Huang Tianba tried to buy time, his hand groping for something beneath him. The masked man laughed. “Why should I tell you? Just die!”

He raised his weapon to finish Huang Tianba, but at that critical moment, Huang Tianba flicked his hand, flinging a handful of dirt into the man’s face. Taking the chance, he wriggled free from under the man’s foot.

Just then, the roar of engines sounded in the distance—Chen Hao was arriving. Relief flooded Huang Tianba’s heart. “Hold on, brothers! Reinforcements are here—fight on!”