Thirteen Tigers: Schemes and Intrigue

After bidding Wei Jiang farewell in the dormitory hallway, Wang Zhen headed back to his own room.

Lying in bed, Wang Zhen tossed and turned, unable to find sleep. His mind kept replaying the image of Wei Jiang wanting to kill Liu Jie, a thought that grew more chilling the more he dwelled on it. Yet, what troubled Wang Zhen most was not Wei Jiang, but the mysterious figure whose identity remained a complete enigma. This mystery kept him awake throughout the night.

Early the next morning, a loud "bang" shattered the dreams of everyone in Room 305. A figure burst through the door with lightning speed and rushed to Wang Zhen’s bedside.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Get up, come with me to the Sports Department—fast!" Wei Jiang, full of excitement, pulled at the bleary-eyed Wang Zhen.

"I’m still sleeping, for God's sake! And can’t you knock? You’ve kicked our door off its hinges!" Wang Zhen glared at Wei Jiang in frustration.

"Quick, there’s no time! Something huge is going to happen at the Sports Department," Wei Jiang said, nearly jumping with joy.

"Huge? What could be more important than my sleep?" Wang Zhen slowly crawled out of bed and began to get dressed.

"Just come on!" Wei Jiang dragged him out and they bolted toward the sports facility.

On the way, Wei Jiang remained as giddy as if he had just hit the jackpot.

"What exactly is going on?" Wang Zhen finally couldn't help but ask.

"You'll see when we get there," Wei Jiang said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"Don't play games with me, tell me!" Wang Zhen grabbed him by the throat and shook him back and forth.

"I... I'll tell you... stop shaking... I’m going to die..." Wei Jiang gasped, grabbing Wang Zhen’s wrists to pry them away.

"Speak, what’s this all about?" Wang Zhen released him, though they didn't slow their pace toward the Sports Department.

"Didn't we catch Liu Jie yesterday? After he went back, he told Wan Daming. Wan Daming was furious, saying that if Liu Jie was scared like that by a single knife, he wasn't fit to stay in the Thirteen Tigers, and he even revealed their base location to me. Word is, Wan Daming is going to punish Liu Jie at the Sports Department today. They say they’re going to beat him to a pulp before kicking him out of the group." Wei Jiang sounded energized, walking even faster.

"But have you thought about why they leaked this information? Can you guarantee he isn't just trying to lure us into the Sports Department? That place is their stronghold. We have no idea how many enemies are waiting inside," Wang Zhen said, grabbing Wei Jiang’s arm and forcing him to a stop.

"I thought about that, but think about it: it won't just be us. There are plenty of students at school who want to join the Thirteen Tigers but don't qualify; they’ll definitely go to watch, and other students will be there too. I’m not worried about them trying anything against us in broad daylight," Wei Jiang explained carefully. "Come on, if we’re any later, there won't be any room left."

Inside the sports hall, Liu Jie was hoisted high onto a basketball hoop. He was covered in blood from head to toe, his skin torn—not just from beatings, but seemingly from blade wounds.

Wang Zhen and Wei Jiang stood at the entrance, staring at the scene. Beside Liu Jie hung a sign with five large characters written in blood: "The Fate of a Traitor." Just as they were taking it in, the second-floor door swung open.

"I’ve been waiting for you two. Once you sniffed out our base, I sent the word out to lure you here, and you actually came? Hahahaha!" Wan Daming emerged from the doorway, laughing wildly.

"Heh, using a trick to bait us—I thought someone else might show up, but I didn't expect you to tip off the other students too. Wan Daming, you’re quite something," Wei Jiang said, hands in his pockets, standing tall in the center of the court while casting a venomous glare at everyone on the second floor.

"Wei Jiang, it looks like they’ve mobilized their entire force. Since we’re inside their gym, I don’t think it’s going to be easy to walk out of here," Wang Zhen said, standing back-to-back with Wei Jiang as he scanned for enemies.

"Our main goal is just to get out of here. Once we’re out, we’re fine. But it looks like the exits are being blocked by a lot of people," Wei Jiang noted, his brow furrowing as he glanced at the doors.

"It’s fine. If we force our way through, we can probably break out, though we won't escape a few bruises," Wang Zhen replied calmly, his eyes following Wei Jiang’s gaze.

"Take them!" Wan Daming shouted from the balcony, signaling the crowd below.

His voice acted like a starting gun. The subordinates inside the hall surged toward the pair.

Over a dozen men lunged at Wang Zhen instantly. He pulled a telescopic baton from his waist without hesitation, dropping the first attacker with a single strike. The others hesitated, unsettled by such ruthless efficiency; they realized these two didn't seem to value human life.

"Come on! Keep coming!" Wang Zhen roared at the thugs.

"Brother, no need to be that harsh, ha!" Wei Jiang danced through the fray, striking out at the attackers, though he kept his eyes fixed on Wang Zhen.

"Don't be afraid! So what if they have weapons? There are only two of them! Keep hitting them!" Wan Daming bellowed in anger at his faltering men.

Spurred by his roar, the mob swarmed them again. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the two stood defiant. One brandished his baton with lethal precision, his movements agile as each strike sent an enemy crashing down. The other fought with clenched fists, his muscles taut, his blows raining down like a storm, keeping the enemies at bay.

Minutes later, bodies lay scattered across the floor, writhing in pain. Some clutched their heads, others their stomachs or legs.

Though the enemies were numerous, they were shaken by the sheer intensity of the two, their formation crumbling. The pair worked in perfect sync—one attacking, one covering—constantly finding opportunities to counter. Every clash was marked by the sharp ring of metal and the wails of the fallen.

However, the sheer numbers were an insurmountable wall. As time passed, their strength waned, and wounds began to accumulate. Wang Zhen was the first to falter, falling to the ground. Seeing this, the mob surged toward him. Wei Jiang reacted instantly, grabbing an attacker and hurling him into the crowd, clearing a path before rushing to stand over Wang Zhen.

But even Wei Jiang could not hold off the swarm alone. Soon, he too collapsed. The two lay on the floor, curled up to protect their heads, enduring the relentless rain of punches and kicks from their enemies.