leonardwarren Chapter 95 The Freedom Group is Established
Chapter 95 The Freedom Group is Established
Chapter 95 The Freedom Group is Established
West District, late at night.
The moonlight was obscured by thick, leaden clouds, revealing only a faint, pale glow.
On the edge of the city, the outline of the industrial area looms in the darkness, like a lurking beast.
A black sedan rolled over the potholes and stopped in front of a factory.
The car door opened, and Yu Cheng stepped out. He looked to be in his early thirties, with a square face, furrowed brows, and an expression that conveyed obvious fatigue and heaviness.
A cold wind blew, and Yu Cheng pulled his collar tighter, looking up at the building in front of him.
This is a factory that produces mechanical parts, and it is inconspicuous in the industrial area full of factories.
But in reality, this is just a superficial cover-up.
Secretly, this factory is the Iron Curtain Society's core stronghold in the West District.
It was late at night, but there were still a few lights shining from deep inside the factory, and shadowy figures could be vaguely seen moving around.
The factory gate was ajar, and Yu Cheng pushed it open and entered.
There were two young men guarding behind the door. When they saw him return, they quickly went to greet him.
"Brother Cheng is back!"
"Thanks for your hard work."
As they talked, they stared intently at Yu Cheng.
Yu Cheng knew what they wanted to ask, raised his hand and shook the storage mark on the back of his hand, and said in a hoarse voice, "Don't worry, the procurement of supplies went smoothly, and this batch of supplies is enough for us to use for a month or two."
Both young men breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
"That's good. We've been consuming too many supplies lately, and equipment maintenance has almost become a problem."
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"Yeah, we just fought a battle with the Hunters yesterday, and our potions are almost gone. If we run out of supplies, we'll be in big trouble."
Upon hearing this, Yu Cheng frowned immediately.
He had just returned from outside and was unaware of the conflict between the Iron Curtain Society and the Hunting Fang, so he quickly asked, "What are the casualties?"
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One of the young men looked somber and said, "Two brothers died, and five were seriously injured."
Yu Cheng clenched his fists unconsciously, and the veins on the back of his hands became slightly visible.
He paused for a few seconds before continuing, "Where is the commander?"
"The guild leader is in the underground conference room, and the leaders of other groups have also arrived. They are having a meeting to discuss how to deal with the three major guilds."
Yu Cheng nodded, said nothing more, and walked straight into the depths of the factory.
The factory has a large interior space, but most areas are dark, with only a few places illuminated by portable lighting equipment.
The air was filled with a mixture of engine oil, rust, and a faint smell of blood.
Not long after walking inside, Yu Cheng saw his companions carrying several stretchers covered with white sheets, silently walking out.
A gloomy look hung over everyone's face, and their steps were heavy.
Yu Cheng's heart skipped a beat, and he stopped one of them: "Old Zhang, this is—"
The middle-aged man called Lao Zhang raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, his voice hoarse: "Brother Cheng, it was Xiao Wang and the others who were injured and didn't make it."
"How could this be?" Yu Cheng exclaimed incredulously. "Shouldn't the guild still have some healing potions in stock? Even if all else fails, aren't there Old Li and the others with their Radiant Hands of Healing? Didn't they put in the effort to treat him?"
"We did get treatment," Old Zhang shook his head, his voice low. "The injury was under control, and we all thought it would pull through, but for some reason, it suddenly worsened last night. Old Li and the others did everything they could, but they couldn't save it."
Yu Cheng stood there, stunned, staring at the vague human figure outline under the white cloth, his throat feeling as if something was blocking it.
Old Zhang sighed, said nothing more, and continued walking out with his companion carrying the stretcher.
Yu Cheng remained standing there until their figures disappeared around the corner. After a long while, he took a deep breath and continued walking deeper into the area.
Since the three major guilds in the West District joined forces to crack down on freelancer groups, death has become the norm.
The Iron Curtain Society originally had more than seventy members, but after this short period of fighting, those who died in battle or succumbed to their wounds... now there are less than fifty left.
This is only because freelancers who have been driven to desperation by the three major guilds keep joining and replenishing the organization; otherwise, the Iron Curtain Society would probably have been reduced to just a handful of members long ago.
"When will this battle ever end?" Yu Cheng sighed inwardly.
He came to a secluded staircase in a corner of the factory and went down the stairs into the underground.
The underground space is more regular in shape than the above-ground space, and has obviously been specially modified.
This is the true core area of the Iron Curtain Society, complete with meeting rooms, supply warehouses, a wounded personnel care area, training rooms, and more.
The spacious lobby in front of the conference room was already quite full of people, most of them chatting in small groups, creating a somber atmosphere.
Yu Cheng glanced around and quickly spotted a familiar figure.
"Chen Qi." He walked towards the other person.
Chen Qi looked up and saw that it was Yu Cheng. He immediately smiled, got up and walked over.
"Brother Cheng, when did you get back?"
"Just got back." Yu Cheng patted Chen Qi on the shoulder.
Chen Qi is a professional who fled from the North District a few months ago.
It is said that he offended a certain guild over there and had to leave his hometown to come to the West District with some friends.
Later, by chance, he met Yu Cheng and, through the latter's introduction, joined the Iron Curtain Society.
Because of his righteousness and good abilities, he was noticed by the regimental commander Sun Zhuo and rose to the position of cadre in just a few months.
With this favor in mind, Chen Qi naturally became very close to Yu Cheng.
After exchanging a few words, Yu Cheng's gaze immediately fell on another person behind Chen Qi.
It was a man of similar age to Yu Cheng, tall and with a rugged air about him.
"This is Cao Luo, the brother of the Twin-Sword Knight," Chen Qi introduced.
Cao Luo cupped his hands in greeting to Yu Cheng and said with a hearty laugh, "Brother Cheng, I've long admired your name."
Yu Cheng is the vice leader of the Iron Curtain Society, a senior level 5 professional with formidable strength. He was already well-known in the West District's freelancer circle, and his reputation has grown even more during the recent battles with the three major guilds. He is widely recognized as the strongest member of the West District's freelancer circle, second only to the two leaders, Sun Zhuo and Hong Qizheng.
Yu Cheng had also heard of Cao Luo, so he smiled and nodded at him as a greeting.
Seeing that the meeting was not over yet, the three of them started chatting.
During the chat, Yu Cheng learned that Cao Luo, like Chen Qi, had offended a guild in the North District and had to flee to the West District.
What's even more surprising is that both of them had been saved by fate.
"If it weren't for the right timing, my brothers and I would probably have become waste in the underground boxing rings long ago."
Cao Luo said with deep emotion, his tone revealing his gratitude for the opportune moment.
Chen Qi nodded and sighed, "I heard that there are no guilds left in the North District. They were all wiped out by the Heavenly Order. When I first escaped here, the North District was in chaos, but now it has become the safest district. The world is truly unpredictable."
"If only an organization like Tian Shi could emerge in the West District," Cao Luo sighed. "Then we wouldn't be forced into this situation by the three major guilds."
Chen Qi stroked his chin and suddenly said, "Do you think we could ask Tian Shi for help? Tian Shi has always been with the Hunting Guild, and the three major guilds might also fit their hunting target criteria."
Cao Luo was slightly taken aback, but quickly shook his head.
"It's possible, but how would you contact the Heavenly Court? Nobody knows where they are."
Chen Qi thought about it and realized it made sense, a hint of disappointment flashing across his face.
Listening to their conversation, Yu Cheng felt a pang of emotion.
He was of mediocre talent and failed to get into the professional academy back then. He later became a professional by chance and worked hard all the way to achieve his current status and strength.
If I had joined a guild earlier, I might already be a level 6 professional.
The reason I didn't do that and instead chose to become a freelancer is because I couldn't stand what the guild was doing.
Therefore, Yu Cheng had a rather favorable impression of the Hunting Guild, which never did evil.
He would be the first to agree if they could cooperate with Tian Shi to fight against the three major guilds.
But as Cao Luo said, the timing was unpredictable, and his whereabouts remain a mystery.
Legions and major guilds are investigating the timing of events, but no one knows its origins yet.
Needless to say, they were even worse off.
Even if they find the right opportunity, the other party might not necessarily be interested in them.
Shaking his head, Yu Cheng cleared his mind and changed the subject.
"Brother Cao, how's the situation with your Dual-Sword Knights lately?"
Cao Luo sighed and said, "It's not good. The casualties are considerable. Not to mention those who died in battle, there are also many brothers who couldn't be saved after being seriously wounded."
Yu Cheng was slightly taken aback; it sounded similar to what they had heard.
Just as I was about to ask more questions, the conference room door suddenly opened from the inside.
The group filed out.
The two men at the head of the group, the one on the left, was about forty years old, with a thin face, deep-set eyes, and slightly graying temples. He was Sun Zhuo, the leader of the Iron Curtain Society.
The man on the right is younger, around thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with a burly build. He wears a bone earring in his left ear, exudes a fierce aura, and carries a uniquely shaped curved knife at his waist.
This is Hong Qizheng, the leader of the Dual-Blade Knights, a well-known level 6 blade warrior in the West District.
Blade Fighter is considered to be at the bottom of the class hierarchy.
It's quite rare for a profession to reach level 6.
Thanks to this, Hong Qizheng's reputation among freelancers surpasses that of Sun Zhuo.
However, due to the limitations of his profession, Hong Qizheng's strength is slightly inferior to Sun Zhuo's.
The two were followed by more than a dozen people, all of whom were leaders of various freelancer groups.
Everyone in the lobby stood up, their eyes focused on Sun Zhuo and Hong Qizheng.
Sun Zhuo looked around and said in a deep voice, "After the meeting just now, all the guild leaders present have unanimously decided that, starting today, all freelancer groups in the West District will officially unite to form the Free Guild. I will serve as the guild leader, and Hong Qizheng will serve as the vice guild leader. From now on, all actions will be coordinated uniformly, resources will be shared, and we will work together to fight against the three major guilds!"
After the words were spoken, the hall fell silent for a moment, then erupted into low murmurs, which quickly turned into cheers.
"It should have been done a long time ago!"
"The commanders are brilliant!!"
"Now we don't have to be afraid of the three major guilds anymore!"
Yu Cheng, Chen Qi, and Cao Luo exchanged glances, and their faces also showed joy.
Although the various groups had cooperated in the fight against the three major guilds, they belonged to different factions, so their cooperation was far from seamless, and command and dispatch often went wrong.
Now that a unified group has been formed, under the unified command of Sun Zhuo and Hong Qizheng, it will certainly be able to exert even greater strength.
Sun Zhuo then stepped forward and said in a loud voice, "In addition, I would like to introduce a new companion to everyone."
He stepped aside slightly, and a figure walked forward from behind.
He was a man in his early thirties, with an ordinary face, the kind of person you wouldn't notice if you threw him into a crowd.
But when he stood still and looked up, a subtle sense of oppression quietly spread out.
He was dressed in simple dark clothes, with a sheathed longsword hanging at his waist, giving him an air of calm and composure.
"This is Brother Wu Song, a powerful professional from Mason City, a level 6 Sword Soul," Sun Zhuo introduced with a smile. "Brother Wu and I are old friends. After hearing about the situation in the West District, he's willing to join us to fight against the three major guilds!"
"A warm welcome to Brother Wu Song!"
Upon hearing this, everyone was overjoyed and clapped excitedly. Having an additional level 6 combatant was undoubtedly a godsend for the Freedom Group, which was currently in a difficult situation.
Yu Cheng clapped along, but looking at the man named Wu Song, for some reason, a strange, inexplicable feeling welled up in his heart.
There was something about this man that made me uncomfortable.
He shook his head, suppressing the pointless thought.
Given the current critical situation, having an additional powerful fighting force is always a good thing.
I think I've been under too much pressure lately, and I've become a bit paranoid.
"Thank you for your trust, Commander Sun, Commander Hong, and all the brothers."
Wu Song bowed slightly to the crowd, a perfectly measured, calm smile on his face.
"Now that I've joined the Freedom Guild, I'm a part of it. I can't stand what the three major guilds are doing either. I will fully cooperate with the two guild leaders' arrangements and work with everyone to get through this difficult time. I can't say anything else, but this sword is decent enough. When I'm needed, I will never back down."
"I hope to work with everyone to pave a path for freelancers in the West End."
As soon as he finished speaking, applause rang out again in the hall, this time with a more sincere welcome than before.
Many people who were initially skeptical of this unfamiliar expert softened their expressions considerably.
After the applause subsided, Sun Zhuo continued, "From now on, all cadres will stay, and the rest of you can go back and rest to recharge. We'll be taking action soon!"
The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only the original leaders and cadres of each group, about thirty people in total.
As one of the core members of the Iron Curtain Society, Yu Cheng naturally stayed behind.
Chen Qi and Cao Luo, being newly joined key members, were also allowed to sit in on the proceedings.
Everyone re-entered the conference room and filled both sides of the long conference table.
Sun Zhuo didn't waste any words and went straight to the point.
"The first thing the Freedom Guild did after its formation was to concentrate its forces and destroy one of the three major guilds."
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This matter had obviously been discussed in previous meetings, and all the leaders remained calm, except for the cadres who came in later, who looked surprised.
Yu Cheng's eyes flickered, revealing a thoughtful expression.
Sun Zhuo ignored everyone's reactions and continued, "We were previously suppressed by the three major guilds. Apart from our own shortcomings in scheduling and resource allocation, the main reason was the gap in the number of professionals and high-level combat power. Even now that the Free Guild has been established, these two problems still exist."
Everyone nodded in agreement instinctively.
Everyone knows this.
Leaving aside the disparity in the number of professionals, in terms of high-level combat power, although they have two level 6 combat power members, Sun Zhuo and Hong Qizheng, the guild side has a full three level 6 combat power members.
In terms of level 5 combat power, there are only three or four freelancers at most.
However, the three major guilds have seven or eight.
The difference in the number of Level 4 professionals is even greater.
That's why they've been constantly suppressed and beaten by the three major guilds.
Sun Zhuo's gaze swept over everyone, and he said in a deep voice, "But if the target becomes one of the three major guilds, then it will be a different story."
He pointed to the map on the wall, his finger stopping at the location of the Brotherhood of Emberfire headquarters.
"Although the three major guilds have joined forces, their respective headquarters are still scattered."
"We can take them down one by one, starting with one of them."
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"Our Freedom Group currently has three Level 6 combatants. Adding everyone here and the brothers below, we can mobilize over four hundred professionals. With careful planning, we are fully capable of wiping out the Ember Brotherhood!"
Everyone's eyes lit up.
Indeed, while the Free Guild is still not as good as the three major guilds, the situation is completely different when comparing only one of them.
On the contrary, they had the advantage.
"Taking down the Ember Brotherhood will not only weaken the overall strength of the three major guilds, but also allow us to seize their resources and equipment to replenish our supplies."
A glint of light flashed in Sun Zhuo's eyes.
"As long as we win this battle, we can reverse the decline."
"Does anyone have any objections?"
The meeting room fell silent.
No one raised any objections; on the contrary, everyone showed excitement.
He clearly approves of the plan.
"Then it's decided."
Sun Zhuo made the final decision and set the plan.
The group then discussed the specific details of the operation, including personnel deployment and evacuation routes, which lasted for more than an hour before ending.
After the meeting, Yu Cheng walked out of the conference room and was about to leave when he heard a sound behind him.
"Brother Cheng." Chen Qi and Cao Luo walked over.
Chen Qi laughed and said, "You just got back, haven't eaten yet? Come on, let's have a late-night snack together."
Yu Cheng rubbed his stomach. He hadn't felt it before, but Chen Qiyi's reminder made him realize how hungry he was. He nodded in agreement.
The three walked out side by side, and Chen Qi sighed, "We've been suppressed by the three major guilds for a while now, which is very frustrating. But now we finally see hope for a counterattack."
"Yes," Cao Luo nodded in agreement. "I hope everything goes well."
Yu Cheng listened silently to the conversation between the two, when he suddenly caught a glimpse of several figures out of the corner of his eye.
Turning around, I saw Sun Zhuo, Hong Qizheng and Wu Song walking together in another direction.
Under the lamplight, one could vaguely see that Sun Zhuo and Hong Qizheng did not look well.
On the contrary, Wu Song had a faint smile on his face.
"Brother Cheng?"
Chen Qi followed Yu Cheng's gaze with suspicion, only to see three figures from behind.
"What's wrong?"
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"...It's nothing." Yu Cheng shook his head. "I'm probably just a little tired."
Chen Qi suddenly realized and said, "Then you should rest well after you finish eating. You've been traveling around these past few days and you must be tired."
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Yu Cheng nodded and followed the two back to the ground.