Chapter 112: Gang Rules for Gang Members

After returning to the residence, Ding Li’s reopened wounds were examined and re-bandaged by the physician. The doctor once again strictly advised him to rest for at least two weeks to a month, noting that despite his robust physique, his body could not withstand such extensive injuries.

Ding Li smiled and nodded to acknowledge the physician’s well-intentioned advice. However, the moment the doctor left, he offered a bitter smile and shook his head. No one knew his condition better than he did, but unfortunately, whether he could afford the luxury of rest was entirely beyond his control.

Fortunately, there was good news upon his return: shortly after he had left, Liu Sheng, who had been in a coma, had regained consciousness for a brief moment. A maid attending to her had managed to feed her some medicine before she drifted back into a deep, hazy sleep. Even without the doctor’s confirmation, Ding Li knew this was a sign of recovery. He sat by her bedside for a while, watched over her, and then leaned down to plant a light kiss on her still-feverish forehead. Reluctantly, he tore his gaze away, filled with tenderness, and took a deep breath before quietly leaving the room.

Back in the brightly lit main hall, Ding Li closed the door behind him. Seeing this, the observant Hei Zi quickly shut the windows as well before standing beside Ding Li. Together, they turned their gaze toward Wang De and the others, who stood there like children who had committed a blunder.

Ding Li scanned the group, his eyes lingering on Wang Huan, who was still trembling. Feeling that his burning anger had nowhere to vent, he finally let out a long sigh. Keeping his voice as level as possible, he warned them, "I do not want a repeat of tonight’s events. And I certainly do not want the first thing I hear tomorrow morning to be that one of you has been found dead at the docks!"

"Brother Li, it’s all my fault. I didn't stop them, and I even led the way!" Wang De was the first to step forward, responding in a dejected, low voice as he took full responsibility.

"Brother De, how can you say it was only your fault!" Gou Zi, who had always enjoyed competing with Wang De, refused to be outdone. He pushed forward, intentionally nudging Wang De aside. With a glare of dissatisfaction at his companion, he turned to Ding Li and said, "Brother Li! A mistake is a mistake. It wasn't just Brother De’s idea; I participated too!"

"Brother Li, I agreed to it at the time! It wasn't just the two of them; I was in on it as well!" Xiao Lizi, sensing the shift in the room, hurriedly stepped forward to wedge himself between Wang De and Gou Zi.

Ding Li was baffled. In his memory, when they had worked as coolies at the docks, these guys were never like this; they were always looking to slack off or sabotage each other for fun. Although no major disaster had occurred, he was suspicious as to why they were all so eager to shoulder the blame. He turned his gaze toward Wang Huan, who had remained silent, and gestured with his chin, asking in a deep voice, "Wang Huan, what about you? Were you involved?"

This question put Wang Huan on the spot. It was impossible to deny his involvement, as he had been the one to suggest it, and the entire situation had largely escalated because of him. Seeing his brother, Gou Zi, and Xiao Lizi trying to shield him, his lips trembled. He looked at Ding Li with wide, pleading eyes, unable to utter a single word.

"It had nothing to do with him! Brother Li, you know his personality—how could he be involved in something like this?" Seeing the line of questioning, Wang De immediately stepped up to protect his brother, waving his hand as if to draw Ding Li’s attention away. But Ding Li’s gaze did not waver.

"Right, right, Brother Li, how could Wang Huan be involved? We were the ones who dragged him along!" Gou Zi quickly chimed in with a forced smile, attempting to block Ding Li’s view while shooting a glance at Xiao Lizi.

Seeing the situation, Xiao Lizi rushed forward to help, moving toward the table with his hands raised, as if to pour Ding Li a cup of cold tea to soothe his temper. "Exactly! Brother Li, us few..."

"Did I ask any of you? Can I take your silence for granted?" In Ding Li’s experience, these men were usually close, but their relationship was often one of petty rivalry. Seeing the three of them acting so out of character was almost amusing. However, he maintained a cold, stern expression, interrupting Xiao Lizi and casting a fierce glare at Gou Zi, who was blocking his view. "Move aside! I am asking Wang Huan! I am not talking to you!"

Gou Zi had no choice but to retreat, leaving the trembling Wang Huan exposed before Ding Li. Wang Huan knew there was no avoiding it. In truth, given his nature, he hadn't intended to evade the question; it was only his brother’s interference that had kept him quiet.

"L-Brother Li, it... it wasn't the way Brother Gou Zi and the others said..." As soon as he met Ding Li’s eyes, Wang Huan looked away, his head dropping so low he seemed to want to bury it in his collar. He stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. He licked his dry lips, stole a glance at Ding Li, and continued tremblingly, "Actually... actually, I was the one who proposed doing this..."

"Enough, say no more. I understand," Ding Li interrupted with a frown and a wave of his hand. He stood up and scanned the group. As everyone kept their heads bowed, Ding Li’s gaze finally settled on the expressionless Hei Zi. After a brief pause, he asked, "Hei Zi, based on your time at the Zhang Clan, how were situations like this handled?"

"Huh?" Hei Zi was stunned, clearly not expecting Ding Li to seek his opinion. After Ding Li nodded at him, he collected his thoughts and replied subconsciously, "The country has its laws, a household has its rules, and a gang naturally has its own codes."

"Oh? Gang codes?" Ding Li squinted, turning with interest toward Xu Hong, who had remained silent. "Xu Hong, you should have familiarized yourself with the Nanhai Gang’s rules by now. According to those codes, how should these men be dealt with?"

"This... this..." Xu Hong felt the weight of Ding Li’s gaze and felt a chill run down his spine. He found the situation extremely difficult. Just as Ding Li was about to press him further, Xu Hong cleared his throat, bowed slightly, and replied in a low voice, "Brother Li, according to the code, this matter could be considered either grave or minor. It all depends on how you choose to handle it!"

"Oh? Grave or minor?" Ding Li’s interest deepened. He nodded at Xu Hong with a smile, though Xu Hong failed to notice the hint of approval in his eyes. "Tell me, start with the grave."

"Uh..." Feeling cornered, Xu Hong recalled the rules he had studied and lowered his voice. "This could be seen as defying the leader’s orders and acting on one’s own initiative. If you want to handle this strictly, the primary culprit, Wang Huan, should receive 150 lashes and be expelled from the gang. The accomplices should receive 100 lashes and a stern warning; any repeat offense would result in the same punishment as the primary culprit."

Before he could finish, Ding Li caught the visible shudder that passed through Wang De, Gou Zi, and the others. Wang Huan’s reaction was the most intense—his face turned pale with shock, and he began to tremble uncontrollably. Even Hei Zi, who had just joined Ding Li, frowned slightly but remained silent.

"Tell me about the minor side," Ding Li said, ignoring their reactions and nodding thoughtfully, signaling for Xu Hong to continue.

"If we treat it as a minor issue, Brother Li, then this matter... it doesn't really reach the level of the gang code..." Xu Hong sneered a glance at Ding Li’s expression, but could read nothing. He took a deep breath and continued, "After all, no major harm was done, and the Nanhai Gang did not suffer any real loss. Therefore, it is not sufficient to invoke the gang code for punishment."

"Oh? I didn't expect you to be so good at finding excuses for them," Ding Li said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. It made Xu Hong shiver; he suddenly feared for his job, feeling it would be a great injustice to be fired over this.

"You are right about one thing: no major harm was done." Ding Li scanned Wang De and the others before nodding at the head-bowed Xu Hong. Then, his tone shifted sharply, turning severe. "But have you considered what position they hold in the Nanhai Gang? If they had been captured by the Chaozhou Gang and used as hostages to threaten us, what do you think the consequences would be?"

"The... the consequences..." Xu Hong’s legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed. He bowed tremblingly, his voice wavering, "The consequences... would be unimaginable."

"Good, as long as you know that!" Ding Li threw these cold words at him before exhaling deeply. He turned to Hei Zi, his tone softening slightly. "Hei Zi, how do you think this should be handled?"

"This..." Hei Zi lowered his head, his gaze sweeping over Wang De and the others. He understood that their relationship with Ding Li was extraordinary. After a moment of hesitation, he replied quietly, "Brother Li, truthfully, I personally think this matter could be punished or forgiven... After all, Mr. Xu is right; no major harm was done! Plus, they are... they are your right-hand men."

"Enough, say no more!" Ding Li suddenly waved his hand to cut off Hei Zi’s explanation. He had achieved his goal; the justifications offered by Xu Hong and Hei Zi no longer mattered. He had only wanted to see the true character of these two new recruits. Ding Li then declared in a deep, booming voice, "It is precisely because of their special status that they must be punished! And precisely because they are my right-hand men in the Nanhai Gang, they must be punished even more!"