9: merge

White Sand Child remained bowed low, his posture extremely deferential. The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only the sound of heavy breathing and Iron Arm Bear's suppressed groans of pain.

Lin Mo's gaze slowly swept over the elite members of the White Sand Gang behind White Sand Child, their faces a mix of panic, resentment, and fear, before finally settling back on the top of White Sand Child's lowered head.

He knew that mere intimidation through force was not enough. To truly win over people's hearts, especially a seasoned veteran of the Jianghu like White Sand Child, one needed to combine kindness with authority and offer a way out.

"Please rise, Gang Leader Bai," Lin Mo's tone softened slightly.

"Qingyuan Town is indeed not large, and endless fighting is unsustainable in the long run. After the merger, it will not be an annexation but an integration. The names Black Fish and White Sand can both be retained, and you and Liu Kui will continue to manage external affairs."

White Sand Child raised his head slightly, a flicker of surprise and inquiry in his eyes.

"What I need is a System that can work for me and get things done," Lin Mo continued, his voice clear and reaching everyone's ears.

"The docks, gambling dens, brothels, shop protection—everything will continue as before. In fact, I can even help you expand and earn more.

But the rules must be unified, the accounts must be clear, excessive bullying and exploitation of the common people are forbidden. All profits will be distributed according to newly established regulations.

Additionally, I need to draw elite members to form a direct force that answers only to me, responsible for handling special matters."

He looked at Liu Kui and White Sand Child: "The two of you will serve as Left and Right Stewards for now, managing your original areas of responsibility, but you must cooperate with each other and report to me regularly.

If there is any duplicity or internal strife..." He paused, not finishing the sentence, but the unspoken implication sent a chill down the spines of both Liu and Bai.

"We will strictly follow Young Master's orders!" Liu Kui was the first to pledge his allegiance.

White Sand Child hesitated briefly before bowing again: "Bai... is willing to serve Young Master. However, at the beginning of the merger, I fear many brothers below may not understand and will need time for explanation and reassurance."

"You have ten days," Lin Mo stated, leaving no room for doubt.

"Within ten days, I want to see a detailed list of the White Sand Gang's personnel and assets, as well as your proposed integration plan. If there are any who disobey orders or harbor disloyal thoughts, submit their names, and I will deal with them."

His use of the word "deal with" sent a cold shiver through White Sand Child, who hurriedly agreed.

"As for Protector Bear here..." Lin Mo looked at Iron Arm Bear, who still knelt on the ground.

White Sand Child quickly interjected: "Protector Bear is merely straightforward by nature; he bears no disloyalty towards Young Master! I beg Young Master..."

Lin Mo walked up to Iron Arm Bear and crouched down before him.

Iron Arm Bear looked up, the ferocity gone from his eyes, replaced by fear and a trace of confusion. His renowned external hard skills had proven as fragile as paper in the other's hands.

"You practice external hard techniques, blindly pursuing pure force, but you don't understand the balance of hardness and softness, nor have you touched upon internal cultivation for nourishment. Hidden injuries have long been accumulating throughout your body." Lin Mo's tone was matter-of-fact, as if stating a simple truth.

"Today, I sealed several of your Qi and blood nodes. While this was to subdue you, it also temporarily halted the worsening of your hidden injuries."

"If you pledge your sincere service, I can teach you methods for recuperation, and even... genuine introductory techniques for Body Refining."

Iron Arm Bear trembled all over, looking at Lin Mo with disbelief. He had vaguely sensed the issue of hidden injuries himself but had been unable to resolve it, which was also why his martial arts had long stagnated.

This person could see through it at a glance? And had recuperation methods? Genuine Body Refining techniques?

"Iron Arm Bear... vows to serve with his life! Thank Young Master for sparing my life! Thank Young Master for your guidance!" The rough man's voice choked up slightly as he struggled to kowtow.

Lin Mo raised his hand in a pressing motion, stopping him: "First, rest and recover properly. Later, have Liu Kui arrange a quiet room for you."

Subduing a relatively simple-minded martial arts expert was easier and more useful than winning over someone like White Sand Child.

After dealing with the main figures, Lin Mo had Liu Kui arrange a banquet, seating the key members from both the Black Fish and White Sand Gangs at the same table.

During the meal, he didn't speak much, only drinking a few cups lightly. However, his composed demeanor and the terrifying strength he had previously displayed were enough to keep the leaders of both Gangs on edge, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.

Late at night, Lin Mo left the Hall of Joy with the Death Warriors, not returning to the River God Temple, but heading to a secluded courtyard owned by the Black Fish Gang.

This was one of the accommodations Liu Kui had prepared for him in advance, much more comfortable and hidden than the dilapidated temple.

In the courtyard, Lin Mo gathered all eleven of his current Death Warriors. They stood in silence, like the most precise tools, awaiting orders.

"Qingyuan Town is now largely under our control, but our Foundation is still shallow, and external forces remain unknown," Lin Mo said gravely.

"Next, our focus will shift.

"One, take two others and assist Liu Kui in reorganizing reliable personnel drawn from both the Black Fish and White Sand Gangs to form the Shadow Guard. Their primary task is to monitor the internal affairs of both Gangs, with the secondary task of guarding several key businesses.

Training will follow the physical fitness, discipline, and basic coordinated attack techniques I previously established."

"Understood," One acknowledged the order.

"Two, Three, you will take three others and establish an intelligence network. Using Qingyuan Town as the center, infiltrate the surrounding towns, official roads, and waterways to set up intelligence points.

Focus on collecting information on government movements, news from traveling merchants, activities of nearby Martial Forest figures, and any information regarding Qingyuan City and more distant regions. Prioritize stealth; in the initial stage, focus on listening."

"Understood," Two and Three responded.

"Five, Six, continue your original directions, but you can try to utilize Gang resources to contact more specialized blacksmiths and apothecaries to learn more advanced knowledge.

Especially Six, keep an eye out for any formulas or medicinal ingredients that might aid in tempering the body, replenishing Origin Qi, or even assisting in Cultivation."

"Nine, you will operate independently, researching poisons and antidotes. Similarly, use resources to find relevant texts or talent, but exercise extreme caution. Do not harm the innocent indiscriminately. Report your findings directly to me."

"Ten (trap setting), Eleven (vocal mimicry, dialects), you will support the intelligence network group, responsible for base defense, disguising intelligence transfers, etc."

"Four, and any new companions who arrive later, will serve as a mobile force for now, acting with me. They will also begin attempting basic Cultivation."

Lin Mo paused here.

Regarding Cultivation, over the past few days, by combining the scattered information provided by Liu Kui and White Sand Child with his own extreme control over his body's strength, he had formed some vague ideas.

The entry into martial arts essentially boiled down to 'Refining Essence into Qi'—tempering the physique and nourishing the Inner Breath.

The Death Warriors' physical constitution was already 1.5 times that of an ordinary person. Coupled with the faint feedback of his own strength over this period, their Foundation was very solid, though the boost was minimal.

Perhaps they could start with the most basic Breathing Techniques, Stance Training, and strength exertion exercises for specific movements, to explore a cultivation path suitable for the Death Warriors—one that could also provide feedback to himself.

"Starting tomorrow morning, everyone will gather for unified physical training and basic posture practice. I will personally design the content and oversee it."

Lin Mo decided to use the simplest and most direct method.

Through extremely high-intensity repetitive training and subtle control of the body, to 'sense' and 'stimulate' any possible 'Qi Sensation' or internal energy.

He had time, had absolutely loyal and hardship-enduring experimental subjects in the Death Warriors, and had the shortcut of System feedback.