Chapter 518: Unruly Chaos in Black Marsh City

Seems like that’s not the main point, huh…

Watching Han Bing deliberately act nonchalant, Lu Xin clicked his tongue in amazement.

Han Bing is actually quite skilled, though she remains unaware of just how good she is.

If she’s now daring enough to brawl in front of me, does that mean she no longer minds showing her true self?

……

Looking up, he spotted Gecko flipping through the crowd.

Though he’d seen it countless times before, Lu Xin had to admit that watching a Spider-type brawl was a real treat.

In the midst of a frenzied crowd, Gecko was taking on foes one after another, every move executed with razor-sharp precision.

Fists, kicks, elbows, heads, hips, waists—and even every available object: bottles, chairs, plates, and even poached fish—were all exploited to their limit. Weaving through the melee like a nimble phantom.

Determined not to lose any ground, he knocked down one fierce, feverish fighter after another, leaving them writhing in pain.

At first, it was just a few dozen ganging up on him, but that soon changed.

With so many people, no one even knew who was fighting whom. Their slow reactions and explosive tempers soon had them brawling with each other, with vegetables, skewers, shoes, and even underwear flying through the air.

“Look at this—if Security Hall doesn’t step in, this is going to end badly.”

Lu Xin, ever the honest man, had never witnessed such a wild fight and shook his head in disbelief.

Yet he realized that the chaos made it easier for people like him to evaluate the efficiency of Black Marsh City’s law enforcement.

If one wanted to keep their identity hidden, leaving before Security Hall sent reinforcements was a smart move.

“Brother, brother, those guys are dancing…”

His Sister appeared atop a nearby tent, excitedly calling out, “Let’s join in too!”

Lu Xin subtly shook his head, dismissing her idea.

After all, he was the Captain—a leader. How could he possibly drop everything to fight?

Besides, he wasn’t exactly a fighter.

What if he ended up killing someone?

In this arena, Gecko was the true professional. Although his strikes seemed fierce, each one resulted only in minor injuries.

……

……

“Bang” “Bang” “Bang”

The escalating chaos quickly caught Lu Xin’s attention. He had been curious to see how quickly Black Marsh City would react, but instead of hearing Security Hall officers, he was suddenly met with several gunshots from a nearby restaurant.

The thunderous shots were intimidating, and the brawling crowd below instantly looked up in shock.

Then, a group from the neighboring restaurant charged over, brandishing machetes and sticks.

Leading the charge were two sturdy young men armed with guns. They barreled into the fray, unleashing a barrage on those already in a chaotic brawl, leaving several people clutching their heads in agony.

“Who’s causing trouble?”

A cool, composed voice rang out from the restaurant…

That voice proved even more intimidating than the gunshots, snapping many red-eyed brawlers to attention.

Startled, they hurriedly dropped their makeshift weapons and turned around trembling.

Descending from upstairs was a middle-aged man in a black trench coat and an old-fashioned hat. Limping slightly and leaning on an intricately designed silver-handled cane, he made his way through his divided subordinates to the front.

His narrow eyes swept across the area, and it felt as if the temperature dropped noticeably.

Many onlookers sheepishly shifted their gaze toward the circle, their eyes fixated on Gecko.

Of course, as soon as these people appeared, everyone instinctively shrank back—except for Gecko, who was busy rifling through the man who had earlier hired a little girl for a performance and then refused to pay. Suddenly, he stood distinctly apart.

Caught under the spotlight, he had no time to hide.

Gecko tossed aside the man and opened his wallet, pulling out a ten-yuan bill before carelessly shoving his wallet onto him.

Only then did he turn to face the group from upstairs, declaring, “That was a piece I pulled off in Central City. What do you think?”

“Crash…”

Before he could add another word, several guns pointed right at his face.

“So you’re one of those troublemakers from outside…”

Among the two young gunmen at the front, the bald, tattooed one sneered with venomous intensity.

His gaze fell upon a man in a white shirt with an inked tattoo on his neck, and in a low, menacing tone he said, “I don’t know how you started this brawl, but do you realize those guys are ours? And you ended up injuring them…”

“Do you understand what kind of consequences that brings?”

“……”

In the moment a gun was aimed at him, Gecko raised both hands.

Yet his aura remained unshaken. Tilting his head slightly, he said, “If we’re fighting, then fight. What’s the big deal?”

“Heh…”

Another tall man—so imposing his down jacket seemed about to burst—laughed coldly and remarked, “Our Group Leader can make all of Black Marsh City tremble with a single stomp. And you, an outsider who injured him—what do you think will happen?”

“……”

For a moment, Gecko hesitated and slowly lowered his hands while discreetly glancing toward Lu Xin.

Seeing Lu Xin seated calmly, showing no sign of anger or an urge for him to leave, gave Gecko reassurance.

“Stomping so hard that City No. 3 trembles—now that’s impressive…”

He produced a match from nowhere, lit his cigarette with his hand, and cast a lingering glance back.

“So, do you really believe that if my Big Brother stomps, Black Marsh City is finished?”

“……”

Instantly, the surrounding area fell silent.

Everyone’s eyes widened, their gazes fixed intently on Gecko.

Not far off, Han Bing chuckled softly, “Mr. Gecko, aren’t you exaggerating a bit?”

Lu Xin whispered, “Yeah, he’s really overdoing it…”

“I mean, he really went too far…”

Han Bing gave him a glance and giggled softly before, after a moment’s thought, murmuring, “Actually, I’ve got an idea…”

Curious, Lu Xin turned his attention toward Han Bing.

With a mischievous smile, Han Bing whispered something into Lu Xin’s ear.

Lu Xin’s expression shifted to one of utter surprise.

……

……

“Little brother, are you from Central City?”

Inside the crowd, Gecko boldly called out, instantly silencing many.

It wasn’t that anyone truly believed his Big Brother could trample Black Marsh City away; his outrageous boasting lent him a certain credibility, leaving people hesitating between drawing their guns and holding fire.

With a cool, dismissive snort, a Group Leader with a limp surveyed Gecko.

Undaunted, Gecko confidently replied, “So? What’s your problem?”

The Group Leader scrutinized Gecko—taking in his reaction, attire, even his robust build and noticeably superior skin tone—then chuckled, “Is this your first time in Black Marsh City?”

For the first time being sized up by a man, Gecko felt a chill. Lifting his chin, he retorted, “Are you checking my records?”

His brusque tone set off a stir, and the two gunmen glaring at him visibly bristled with anger.

The Group Leader said no more.

Given his standing, a couple of questions were sufficient—asking more might undermine his authority.

Moreover, the barely contained frenzy of his subordinates made it clear that preserving his dignity was paramount. With a slight flick of his eyelids and a gentle tap of his cane on the ground, he calmly declared:

“Whether you’re here in Black Marsh City for business or other reasons, you must follow the rules.”

“I won’t bully an outsider, but if you cause trouble, I can’t let you off the hook.”

Continuing, he looked at Gecko and added, “Here’s the deal: under Black Marsh City’s rules, you lose an arm. I’ll let you go. Heh, normally I’d demand a leg, but since you’re an outsider, I worry you won’t make it home without them.”

The Group Leader smirked, “Or you could call your Big Brother out and have a proper chat with me…”

……

After his words, the atmosphere grew markedly quieter.

The earlier restlessness subsided, with many onlookers exchanging excited glances at Gecko’s arms as if plotting something.

Some even instinctively huddled closer, afraid he might try to escape.

Suddenly, Gecko hesitated and cast a furtive glance toward Lu Xin not far away.

Things had escalated to the point where the Captain needed to give some sort of hint…

Should he incapacitate the opponent, or simply slip away?

But then, from his table, Lu Xin and Han Bing exchanged a few hushed words, smiled at him, and stood up, leaving with the sibling pair. Meanwhile, Red Serpent also rose, tightening the trench coat over her red dress, gesturing silently and murmuring a few words before following them.

Being a Spider-type, Gecko naturally picked up on lip movements, and his expression immediately brightened.

“Is that your Big Brother?”

Noticing Lu Xin’s departing figure, the Group Leader asked curiously, “What did he say?”

Gecko replied softly, “He said he’d leave first.”

The Group Leader smiled, “And what did he say?”

Gecko’s tone softened as he added, “He said he was taking his leave.”

“Tsk…”

The crowd fell silent for a moment, and someone couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

The laughter soon became infectious—one chuckle sparking another, until more people joined in.

Even the Group Leader couldn’t help but smile.

One had to admit, after boasting so grandly only to be outdone by his own Big Brother, it was rather pitiful…

Amid the uproar, Gecko looked at the Group Leader with a helpless expression.

“The thing is, my Big Brother not only said he’d leave first…”

He sighed lowly as he stepped forward, “but he also told me to settle the bill for this meal…”

The laughter paused briefly, then erupted even louder.

Amid the roaring laughter, Gecko looked even more resigned; he clasped his hands together, producing a soft crackle.

Then he looked up at the Group Leader, a smile slowly forming, “Most importantly…”

“My Big Brother said that after I settle up, he’d bundle you up and take you home…”