In the eyes of the thugs, the Water Ghosts were extremely difficult to deal with and impossible to kill, but in my hands, they were very fragile. Soon, those thugs discovered that their opponents had inexplicably lost their strength and were easily cut down to the ground.
The scene suddenly became eerily quiet, the shouts of fighting gone. The thugs’ bloodshot eyes were red, and the large amounts of adrenaline still stimulated them, unable to recover from the fierce deathmatch.
It wasn’t until they looked around again and confirmed that everyone still standing was alive, and there were no more enemies, that they slowly relaxed their taut muscles and asked in an uncertain tone, “We… we won?”
The river channel was filled with blood, gnawed and incomplete corpses, bloated and rotten Water Ghosts, dried out corpses, and shattered body parts, mixed with the stench of decay, creating a hellish scene everywhere.
“Hoo! We won, we won, we survived, ha, ha, ha, ha.” Bartholomew collapsed onto the ground, completely exhausted, even his laughter intermittent due to his heavy breathing.
Up until now, he had been driven by sheer determination to fight. He hadn’t expected to survive. Anyway, he just fought to make it worth it. Now that he had relaxed, he couldn’t even stand.
No one laughed at him. Everyone was exhausted, and if their boss hadn’t fought so bravely, they would have collapsed long ago, only to be killed by the dead individually.
“What the hell are these things!” A thug angrily kicked the corpse of a Water Ghost, only to kick off another piece of skin. Even for thugs who were accustomed to dirty places and dead bodies, they frowned and retreated, not wanting to touch these rotting corpses.
Once the magic that supported them dissipated, only ordinary floating corpses remained, with nothing of value on them.
“Boss, what do we do now? So many brothers are dead,” a thug said in confusion, and the other thugs also showed sad expressions.
Although they might not have had deep friendships, they had fought together just now. Seeing them lying dead in the river channel, it was inevitable to feel a sense of shared sorrow.
Bartholomew looked around. Only about half of his subordinates were left. The “tenants” seeking refuge in his territory were also about the same number.
Jayad, who had left a deep impression on him earlier, was holding the girl he had brought. The girl had bled a lot and might be seriously injured. Seeing her pale face, she might not live much longer.
The other tenants dared to come out now. Some threw themselves on their loved ones and cried. Bartholomew then saw the corpses of several patrol officers lying in a puddle of sewage not far away.
Bartholomew’s eyes suddenly narrowed: “Not good! We have to leave quickly. Some patrol officers died here, and with the loud gunshots and shouts just now, patrol officers will definitely come to investigate. We won’t be able to escape!”
“Boss, but where can we go?” The thugs immediately showed terrified expressions. They all understood that with patrol officers dead, no matter the cause of death, anyone associated with the patrol officers would be taken in for questioning.
Not to mention their already questionable backgrounds, if the real culprit couldn’t be found, they would likely be framed. Anyway, they couldn’t argue, and no one would care if a few low-level thugs died.
“Quick! Pack your things, only take important items and weapons. Leave all the big stuff here. I know the boss of Sino District, and I used to have some dealings with him. I’ll take you to him. He should need people. Hurry up!” Bartholomew urged anxiously.
“Yes!” The subordinates immediately got to work, packing their belongings. In reality, they didn’t have much to pack, just their bedding and weapons.
“Um, boss Bartholomew, what’s wrong?” At this time, the others also gathered around, seeing Bartholomew directing his subordinates to pack their things and asked in confusion.
“A patrol officer died, and such a bizarre incident happened. This place has become a dangerous area and cannot be stayed in. I’m leaving. You should also find a way to leave quickly,” Bartholomew said irritably.
After all, this was the slum he had painstakingly managed. Although it was poor, it was a place where they could find shelter and live carefree. It was naturally difficult for him to give it up now, but he knew that staying here would be suicidal.
Moreover, he was going to seek refuge with a more powerful boss, and he could only take his most trusted brothers with him. They were his capital for a comeback. He couldn’t take the remaining burdensome ones with him. He reminded them to prevent them from staying and being caught, which could lead to them betraying him.
The faces of the displaced poor people changed. They knew how serious it was for a patrol officer to die, and they quickly turned back to pack their things. Jayad also frowned, preparing to take me back to pack.
“Wait a moment, Jayad, do you want to come with us? I’ll cover you. Although it might be a bit tough for now, we’ll definitely find a better place to stay later,” Bartholomew shouted to Jayad.
He was an exception. Bartholomew had just witnessed Jayad single-handedly take down a group of Water Ghosts. Such a formidable man would be a great help to him in the future. He had already started thinking about making a comeback.
Jayad showed a hint of hesitation. He was contemplating whether to follow Bartholomew. This boss was quite reliable.
He glanced at me in his arms and asked for my opinion. I slightly shook my head. I had become a witch at this moment, with countless unspeakable secrets in the future. It was impossible to trust anyone other than Jayad.
Jayad nodded, understanding my meaning. Just as he was about to refuse, a subordinate looked at the patrol officers’ corpses and asked, “Boss, should we…?” He made a throwing motion, meaning to dispose of the bodies in the river to eliminate evidence, as they had done before.
If it were before today, Bartholomew would have done so. However, he was still shaken by the Water Ghosts and didn’t dare to go near the riverbank now. “Don’t throw them away. What if a few more corpses climb out? Right, take their weapons!”
Upon hearing this, Jayad was quick-witted. He reached out and snatched a gun from the hand of a patrol officer. He had already seen how powerful the patrol officers’ firearms were. If it weren’t for a drowned dead person who could cast magic, they might have lasted until the end without any injuries.
“Jayad, what do you mean?!” Bartholomew’s expression darkened. This was snatching food from a tiger’s mouth.
“It’s nothing, boss Bartholomew. What one sees, one takes. I’ll only take one, and you guys can divide the rest. Do you have any objections?” Jayad said. He was the kind of person who would seize every opportunity and profit from any situation.
