Chapter Sixty-Four: The King of Hell Decides Life and Death (Sunday, Fifth Watch; Second Watch Presented)

Gu Xiaotian was, after all, a man in his seventies. His steps were unsteady, and the tapping of his cane against the floor echoed through the quiet casino, each strike like a blade scraping across Shen Jiangchuan’s nerves.

I had never understood what made an old man of over seventy so formidable, but now, seeing how Shen Jiangchuan’s hand shook as he held his lighter, I finally realized that no matter how old Gu Xiaotian grew, he would always be a King of Hell in Shen Jiangchuan’s eyes—a figure who could dictate life and death at will.

Gu Xiaotian found a chair in the distance and sat down, awkward and strained.

Shen Jiangchuan was at a loss, unable to speak for a long while.

“Don’t stop! I’m here for the show tonight,” Gu Xiaotian said with a calm and genial smile. “Shen Jiangchuan, do what you need to do. This is your place—you’re in charge. Once you’re done handling things here, we’ll talk.”

Shen Jiangchuan put away his lighter, carefully carried over a cup of tea, and presented it to Gu Xiaotian with the utmost respect.

“Uncle Gu, what brings you here tonight?”

Gu Xiaotian didn’t even look up, his hands resting on the cane as he answered absentmindedly, “Ah, now that I’m old, my body’s failing me. The doctor says I’ve got cervical spondylosis—hurts like hell when I lift my head. Age really does render one useless.”

At these words, beads of cold sweat broke out on Shen Jiangchuan’s forehead. Without thinking, he dropped to his knees before Gu Xiaotian, so the old man wouldn’t have to strain his neck to speak.

Only then did I truly understand why Yue Leiting was so wary of this elderly man. Someone as ruthless and domineering as Shen Jiangchuan, who ruled the underworld with an iron fist, now knelt like a child awaiting punishment. In Gu Xiaotian, he did not see an old man, but a deity far beyond his reach; and more terrifying still, this deity was a judge of life and death.

Gu Xiaotian seemed quite satisfied with Shen Jiangchuan’s posture. The height at which Shen held the tea was just right—he could take it without effort. Gu Xiaotian lifted the lid, glancing with a half-smile at the people in the casino.

Almost at once, all Shen Jiangchuan’s men dropped to their knees. They were all from the underworld—if even Shen Jiangchuan knelt so reverently, how could they dare remain standing, especially before Gu Xiaotian?

When the King of Hell decrees death at midnight, no one lives to see the dawn.

It was an old saying, but everyone here believed it; in Gu Xiaotian’s world, there was no such thing as jest.

Shen Xiang still stood frozen, not understanding why he should kneel before such an aged, feeble man. He clutched his knife, bewildered, staring at Gu Xiaotian.

“Haha, this one’s got guts. Haven’t seen anyone hold a blade in my presence in years,” Gu Xiaotian chuckled, his tone amiable.

Shen Jiangchuan’s face turned ashen. He didn’t dare look back, only urging anxiously, “Why are you still standing? Drop the knife and kneel!”

Shen Xiang hesitated for a long moment. The situation had clearly been under his control—how had the arrival of one old man changed everything? But seeing how even Shen Jiangchuan was so fearful and obedient, he finally threw down his knife and knelt, albeit with obvious reluctance.

“Ha, why is everyone kneeling? I told you, I’m just here to watch. Shen Jiangchuan, don’t just stand there—get on with your business,” Gu Xiaotian said indifferently.

“Uncle Gu, Yue Leiting broke my son’s arm in public. I came here tonight to demand an explanation.”

“So you’re here for Yue Leiting,” Gu Xiaotian glanced at the soaked Lan Qing and Yue Qianling, smiling. “But why did you bring his family here? You’ve been in this world for decades—have you never heard the rule: never involve women and children?”

“Uncle Gu, Yue Leiting knew full well Shen Xiang was my son. Even when beating a dog, you look at its owner first. But he broke my son’s arm—I can’t just swallow that insult,” Shen Jiangchuan stammered, trembling.

Before he could finish, Gu Xiaotian slapped him so hard that blood gushed from his nose, splattering his clothes.

“So you know you have to look at the owner before beating the dog? Yue Leiting is my man. I’m still alive, and you dare touch my people so brazenly? Your son got his arm broken because he started trouble at the casino—I already know everything. Yue Leiting spared his life as a favor to you, and you, ungrateful bastard, come back trying to bite the hand that fed you!”

Shen Jiangchuan, clutching his face, knelt ramrod straight, shaking all over.

Gu Xiaotian struck him again, this time on the right cheek, his tone icy. “If you really want to settle things with Yue Leiting, I won’t stop you. If you have the guts, settle it with real blades and real bullets. But you play dirty tricks behind people’s backs—what kind of man are you? Worse yet, you drag your own son into this disgrace. You’ve wasted your decades in this world.”

He turned and berated Yue Leiting as well. “And you, useless fool! After all these years, you still don’t know how to guard against others. And you call yourself a boss? All your men, tricked by this bastard! Get your people together, grab your weapons, and stand aside.”

I almost wanted to laugh. It was rare to see a man in his seventies with such a temper. Gu Xiaotian’s voice was strong and domineering—one could easily imagine what he was like in his youth.

He looked down at Shen Jiangchuan and slapped him again on the right cheek. “I’m not dead yet. Stop kneeling there as if you’re at my funeral. Get your men up, grab your knives. Settle this here, in front of me. Whoever walks out alive wins.”

Shen Jiangchuan’s arms hung limp, no longer shielding his face. If Gu Xiaotian wanted to slap him, not even ten lives’ worth of courage would let him resist.

“Uncle Gu… I… I was wrong!” Shen Jiangchuan’s voice quivered.

“Wrong?!” Gu Xiaotian slapped him again, still not satisfied. “You know you’re wrong? Tell me—what did you do wrong?”

“I… I… I was wrong in every way!” Shen Jiangchuan, terrified of angering Gu Xiaotian further, hung his head.

“Can’t say it? I’ll say it for you!” Gu Xiaotian splashed the tea in Shen Jiangchuan’s face, then slapped him again. “Yue Leiting spared your son, only breaking his arm as a warning—a favor to you. But you repay kindness with malice, trying to kill him. Your first crime is ruthlessness!”

Shen Jiangchuan nodded silently, blood streaming endlessly from his nose.

“And you kidnapped Yue Leiting’s wife and daughter to threaten him. Never involve women and children! After all these years, you still resort to such dirty tricks. Your second crime is disloyalty!”

Gu Xiaotian sat squarely on his chair, looking every bit the King of Hell, punishing evil and rewarding good.

“Never shelter outsiders, never betray your brothers. Violate this, and you’ll die by a thousand cuts.” Another slap, delivered with righteous fury. “You colluded with outsiders to threaten Yue Leiting, betraying your own. Your third crime is treachery!”

Shen Jiangchuan’s face was swollen from the blows. Gu Xiaotian punctuated every accusation with a slap, yet Shen Jiangchuan knelt without flinching, not daring to dodge for a moment.

“You, disloyal, treacherous, ruthless—you possess every vice! By our rules, you deserve to die ten thousand times over!”

Su Lengyue was awestruck by Gu Xiaotian’s presence. She hadn’t expected such dominance from an old man. Even someone as ruthless as Shen Jiangchuan didn’t have the courage to avoid his blows.

Gu Xiaotian’s last words were clearly intended for her. In his eyes, she was the only outsider here. Fearing the situation might spiral out of control, Su Lengyue quickly stepped forward.

“Uncle Gu, please don’t let this harm your health. Master Huang sent me to handle this matter, and before I left, he instructed me to pay my respects to you first. He says you are a pillar of our world, and we are to follow your lead. I failed to visit you in advance because of how sudden things became. Please don’t be angry with me.”

Gu Xiaotian slowly raised his head, gave Su Lengyue a glance, and after a moment’s calm, replied coolly, “You’re one of Master Huang’s people?”

Su Lengyue nodded respectfully.

“Master Huang, he’s a man of some standing. Out of respect, I’ll not hold tonight’s incident against you.”

Miao Renhuan heard this and realized Gu Xiaotian had heard of Master Huang. He too had been awed by Gu Xiaotian’s authority, but now, seeing the old man’s different reaction to Master Huang’s name, he spoke coldly from behind Su Lengyue.

“When Master Huang wants something, nothing can stand in his way—that’s his rule. Uncle Gu, you’re a respected elder in our world, and Master Huang holds you in high esteem. But we hope you’ll give Master Huang some leeway. Otherwise, if there’s any misunderstanding, it won’t be good for either side.”

Gu Xiaotian laughed heartily, rubbing his forehead, then beckoned Miao Renhuan over.

Miao Renhuan glanced at Su Lengyue, uncertain what Gu Xiaotian wanted. Su Lengyue thought for a moment, then nodded silently.

Miao Renhuan approached, and Gu Xiaotian beckoned him closer still. Miao hesitated in confusion, then bowed his head.

With a loud slap, Gu Xiaotian struck Miao Renhuan’s face, leaving five clear finger marks like knife wounds.

“To hell with your Master Huang! I don’t care what rules he has—on my turf, we play by my rules. You dare threaten me? You should know by now, my guts were never easily scared. Not just you—if your Master Huang came in person, whether I give him face or not is for me to decide.”

Miao Renhuan hadn’t expected to be struck, and stepped back, eyes narrowed in fury. He started to raise his hand but Su Lengyue caught his arm and shook her head.

“Uncle Gu, please, don’t be angry. He’s not good with words. Of course, we’ll follow your rules here. Master Huang himself said to listen to you in all things. We acted too rashly tonight—it was our fault. Please, give us a chance.”

Gu Xiaotian looked at Su Lengyue in silence, then finally replied coolly, “Everything must have its reason. Since your Master Huang has shown me respect, I must return the courtesy. You’re after the Golden Dragon Tortoise, aren’t you?”

Su Lengyue nodded immediately at the mention of the Golden Dragon Tortoise.

“On the seventh day of next month, I’ll arrange a contest. The object will be displayed openly—whoever has the skill, wins. I’ll preside, and I won’t show favor to anyone.”

“A contest? What kind of contest?” Su Lengyue asked in surprise.

“You’re vying for the Golden Dragon Tortoise to seek the Fourteenth Ming Tomb. Since that tomb is legendary in the world of geomancy, the contest will follow the Taoist Five Arts: physiognomy, divination, mountain, fate, and spiritual combat. Anyone may participate. Where the prize falls will depend on your own abilities.”

Su Lengyue’s smile returned, her demeanor relaxed. “Uncle Gu, your fairness and integrity are renowned. We’ll follow your arrangements without complaint.”

“If you have no objections, I’ll consider tonight’s events settled as a favor to your Master Huang. You may leave. I have family matters to deal with now, and it’s not suitable for outsiders to remain.”

Su Lengyue nodded quickly and, with the still-indignant Miao Renhuan, left the casino without so much as a glance at the kneeling Shen Jiangchuan.

“I’m old now, and no longer wish to meddle in these underworld affairs. Since your feud is with Yue Leiting, and you kidnapped his wife and daughter with murderous intent, your crime is grave.” Gu Xiaotian turned to the still-bowed Yue Leiting. “Shen Jiangchuan is yours to deal with—his fate is for you to decide.”

Yue Leiting’s eye twitched. Liu Hao, understanding what that meant, picked up a knife from the floor. I did not stop him.

Liu Hao awaited Yue Leiting’s command. Killing was nothing to him—especially killing Shen Jiangchuan and his son. But Yue Leiting did not look at the kneeling Shen Jiangchuan; instead, he gazed at Lan Qing and Yue Qianling, a look of deep guilt and regret in his eyes.

“Let them go. I want no more blood on my hands,” Yue Leiting said, taking a deep, steadying breath.

I frowned, surprised and about to speak, but seeing Yue Qianling sigh heavily, I held my tongue.