The original plan made by Old Yang and the others should begin with Sect Leader Yang himself investigating the matter to see if this was purely a nest of swindlers or if there was a big demon holding the fort. After he had figured out the situation, they would decide on how to carry out the next step.

After all, this place was filled inside and out with old people who couldn't be handled roughly.

Director Yu had helped to look over the plan himself and had considered practically all the possible risks and their mitigation steps. But among those, there wasn't one that was "Old Yang is exposed before he achieves his goal."

Sect Leader Yang was a jianghu veteran, the very antonym of "hairless upper lip, can't work without a slip." If even he was unreliable, was there anyone that could be counted on in the whole wide martial arts world?

If Old Mr. Zhou was younger by twenty years, Old Yang would definitely hold back from saying anything. There was time aplenty for him to first infiltrate in and wait for a chance to pull Old Mr. Zhou over to their side.

But Old Zhou was already over seventy. Both his physical body and his spirit had deteriorated into a reed-like skeletal frame with barely any vitality. People in their seventies all had this type of reed-like skeletal frame. Even without anyone colliding into him, he would sway on his feet when there was no wind. There was no time to wait.

The cold in Xu Shaowen's eyes did not go away. "Grandpa Yang, is anything the matter?"

While he spoke, three or four people clad in white robes charged forward, seizing Old Zhou half by force. Old Zhou didn't know if it was because he fell on his butt just now or because he was scared witless but his legs weren't listening to him. Both his legs dangled down to the ground as he was dragged away.

Old Yang seemed to be exerting a lot of effort to stretch out his neck. He gripped his walking stick and tottered forward a few steps, pretending to be startled. "Is that… Is that Old Zhou? He's my downstairs neighbour, what happened to him? What is going on?"

Xu Shaowen narrowed his eyes. "You can see so clearly even in the dark. Grandpa, your eyesight is pretty good."

"What?" Old Yang seemed to be rather hard of hearing. He angled his head towards Xu Shaowen but didn't answer him. He looked towards his fellow elderly companions who had gotten down from the bus with a perplexed expression and said, "Old Zhou is a good person. A few days ago, he disappeared suddenly. His family is nearly going mad from worry and even made a police report. Who knew he would be here! Why didn't he call his family? Ai, Xiao-Xu, quick, tell those people to let him go. I think he's going to need to go to the hospital!"

Xu Shaowen's eye twitched. These old people were very easily obsessed. It was easy to deceive them into taking out money, handing the money over and getting aboard the pirate ship but a moment's impulse could not last long. The first night they arrived at the operations base was when they most easily felt regret and their hearts most easily swayed. A very practised set of flowery words was needed to keep them happy in the first place.

Who would have known that before he could put those flowery words to use, he met with this incident. The elderly people who had just got down from the bus looked at each other with doubt. All around, the sound of whispers rose.

"What is going on?"

"Why do I feel that this is rather frightening?"

"Actually, I didn't inform my family either… Ai, maybe I should give them a call. Hmm… why is there no signal?"

"My phone has no signal too…"

Xu Shaowen said patiently, "Maybe the nearby cell tower is under maintenance, the signal isn't very good these couple of days. Everyone, please don't worry."

Before he could finish speaking, he heard Old Yang shout from beside him. "Old Zhou!"

Old Mr. Zhou who was being kidnapped heard his voice and turned his head with much effort. When he saw a familiar face, his soul that had scattered in all directions returned to its rightful place and he started struggling. "Help! Don't drink their water, they've added something-"

Xu Shaowen, "..."

This old fool!

The man beside Old Zhou quickly grabbed his collar and pressed a few times in the area between his chest and his neck. Just like that, Old Zhou was like an old turtle whose neck was being pulled by someone. He extended his neck stiffly and didn't speak anymore.

He was dragged into the small building.

Sect Leader Yang's pupils contracted. He gripped his walking stick.

Xu Shaowen said, "This sir had been tormented by his children all this while, his mental state is really not very good. He said a few words during the afternoon sharing session but perhaps our effort to help him see things clearly wasn't done very well, so his mind is a little confused at night-"

"Surely not!" Old Yang raised his voice, cutting him off again. "I know Old Zhou's children, they are all good children. They didn't torment him."

Xu Shaowen's eyes were like a viper's, looking over dangerously. "It was Grandpa Zhou himself who said so."

Old Yang knew that there was no way things could end well today so he decided that he might as well stop pretending to be foolish. He said slowly, pausing between each word, "Tormenting the elderly is against the law. Did you make a police report?"

"Xiao-Xu." Right then, an old lady who had just gotten down from the bus was the first to speak. "I'm afraid my daughter will panic when she can't find me. How about I don't participate this time? You can call me the next time you organise an activity."

"Xiao-Xu, me too…"

"You can deduct the transport cost."

"I want to withdraw too. Who here wants to continue?"

The red-capped elderly swiftly fell into silence. No one spoke.

Xu Shaowen thought that the driver was right. In the past, this operations base of theirs was for training their loyal core members. The "hurdle" to get in had been very high. Those who were brought back were all loyal believers who had performed well outside. Only then did they have the right to be brought here to receive a more thorough and focused brainwashing, so that they could go back afterwards and continue to help them expand their downlines.

Now, for the sake of their mission and to make quick money, they brought everyone here including the foolish and the witless. The risk was very large because the moment someone made a fuss about refunds, it was very easy for the situation to go out of control. It was not possible to send them all back. Old people were all miserly; if they thought that their money had been swindled, they would definitely not let it go. Once they leave the operations base, the police might be immediately summoned here.

He said, "Before we came here, everyone signed the agreement. It stated clearly that if you withdraw halfway, there will be no refunds. Did everyone read it properly?"

When the red-capped elderly heard this, they immediately blew up. Some of the old comrades were very good at making a scene and when they heard these unreasonable words, they rolled up their sleeves and got ready to unleash all the skills they had.

"So, I would like to ask everyone not to worry and just enjoy yourselves." Xu Shaowen smiled coldly, the tip of his true intentions revealed. He had just finished speaking when a large group of people clad in white robes appeared out of nowhere around them, surrounding them and the bus. "Don't worry. Ten days later, we will send all of you safely home."

Han Dongsheng put down the binoculars. "I don't know why but Sect Leader Yang and the rest had a conflict with the people from the evil cult the moment they got down from the bus. They're surrounded now. Little Master Yu, what should we do?"

Yu Lanchuan's reply was brief. "Wait."

But Han Dongsheng did not plan to wait anymore. He sometimes felt that he was so used to being bossed around that he had become a spineless and cowardly man who was not in command of his own spirit, and only knew how to wait anxiously.

Waiting for his salary to increase, longing for his bonus to be paid, hoping that he would make it to team leader before his retirement… even if it was just an assistant leader role.

Sometimes when he dreamed, he would dream of his workplace giving their employees subsidised staff housing, like how things were in the past.

These so-called "dreams" were in poor taste and were nothing to be proud of. If the young people were to hear them, they would definitely snort disdainfully.

But in truth, they were also very far away. The faded and fatigued middle-aged people could break their brains trying and yet still could not find a way to realise those dreams.

Han Dongsheng pulled up the zipper of his coat. From the car trunk, he took a truncheon and left the car.

Old Yang held his walking stick across his chest. "Xiao-Xu, if you're not being reasonable, we won't be polite either."

Xu Shaowen angled his head towards him, a mocking expression on his face. He wanted to see how these old fools who were fit to be displayed in a museum would be impolite but before he could see clearly, the stick blurred in front of him. It smashed down on his head in the Strike form of the Dog Beating Staff, a lethal whistling sound accompanying the walking stick made of hardwood. Xu Shaowen was startled and hurried to cover his head and dodge. The walking stick did not stay its course; midair, it turned to the Poke form and lanced towards him. In an instant, it pierced through the gap between Xu Shaowen's arms, hitting right at his guts.

Xu Shaowen retched. He retreated several steps and a few people caught and held him up. His eyes widened in anger. "Dog Beating Staff! You… Who are you?"

Old Yang tightened his face. The passing years had drained his lips until only a thin line remained and they were pressed tightly shut. His ramrod straight back even had an aura faintly reminiscent of depthless pools and highest peaks. He said unhurriedly, "Young man, those of you with the surname Xu are a little out of control."

The big demon Xu Zhao was reported to have numerous disciples. Below him, for the sake of showing that they were his filial and worthy descendants, all his disciples took his surname.

Xu Shaowen spat angrily, "Meddlesome old fool!"

A few white-robed people charged forward. Old Yang swung his upper arm and the walking stick weighing five or six pounds moved as flexibly as tree vines. In the first place, Beggars' Sect was a sect that was proficient in fighting in groups and also fighting against groups. Old as he was, his Tangle form could keep ten vicious dogs barking but unable to get near him.

It was the first time the red-capped elderly behind Old Yang saw a nonagenarian fighting in real life. All of them stretched out their necks and felt that they too could fight for another 500 years.

Right at that moment, the red and blue police lights suddenly flashed from the front yard, followed immediately by the sound of police sirens!

The entire courtyard was like an exploded hive. The white-robed evil cult employees all rushed to the backyard.

Old Yang sent a white robe flying, then planted his walking stick on the ground and panted heavily. He didn't dare go forward to stop the flow of humans—after all, he was old now. Playing some tricks to exchange a few moves with young people who knew to respect the old and cherish the young was still possible, but brandishing his old arms and legs in a real fight took too much strength.

A red-capped old lady stood on tiptoe and pulled at him. "You're too amazing! Will you start a qigong class? I'll be the first to register!"

Old Yang, "..."

The fleeing evil cult members rushed into the backyard. The few at the front all squeezed into the buses there. For a moment, no one could be bothered to take care of anyone else and the buses charged their way out to escape even before the doors could be closed.

The engines let out an explosive roar. The fleeing evil cult members did not care at all if they hit anyone.

Suddenly, from among the shadowy figures of the trees by the wall, a few dark shadows fell down and leaped into the middle of the little courtyard. Their movements agile, they charged towards the few elderly people who were standing there foolishly instead of dodging the buses and pushed them towards the trees at the wall and other safe spots.

"Sect Leader Yang!"

The Beggars' Sect disciples had arrived.

Old Yang finally felt relieved. He felt like he had nearly sprained his old back. "Don't let them escape!"

"They won't!" A Beggars' Sect disciple turned around and smiled at him. "We threw the alarm into the front yard, the police are all at the back!"

Old Yang was momentarily stunned. From behind him, the ear-piercing sound of the buses braking could be heard again.

The evil cult members who were rushing out of the backyard just now were panicked and directionless. They practically stomped on the brakes until it touched the floor but who would have guessed that some outrageous people had scattered the road with long nails that punctured the tires on the buses. The big bus and the small bus lost air like they were letting out farts and collided together.

Right after that, lights shone towards them. The confused evil cult members finally realised that there was a row of police cars behind the long nails, quietly lying in wait in the darkness, waiting for their opportunity to attack.

"Little Master Yu said that this group of old men and old ladies have been infused with a load of Paradise and that their brains have been washed until there's barely anything left. They will definitely not listen to us. At the crucial moment, they will definitely insist on standing on the side of the criminals and might even act as shields for them. It is not feasible to 'rescue' them, we can only make these evil cult members abandon them," the Beggars' Sect disciple said in delight. "Hahaha, Old Sect Leader, Little Master Yu is really crafty!"

Old Yang was supporting his back with a hand, a hint of a smile on his face. But before his smile could unfurl, he heard a startled cry from beside him. "What's that!"

Old Yang turned his head and his face immediately changed. "Get out of the way!"

His voice was drowned out by a loud sound. He saw a glaring, bright light shine out of the first floor of the small building behind him. The windows shattered into pieces, falling all over the ground, and the boom of the explosion shook them until their brains were trembling along with the earth. Close on its heels, thick smoke and fire rose.

This rundown agricultural tourism chalet did not have gas piping. The kitchen used old-fashioned gas tanks and someone had exploded the tanks!

The winter in the north was dry, so it was already a season where fires happened frequently. The chilly and dry night wind swept through the building and the tongues of the flames instantly grew a few meters higher.

As the wind sliced past, all those near the building could smell kerosene.

The person who set the fire not only exploded the gas tanks, they even poured fuel on the first floor. The floors above were filled with old men and old women who hadn't escaped in time!

The Beggars' Sect disciple who had been laughing like a fool just now had his smile frozen on his face.

Suddenly, a shadow flashed past him, charging directly towards the fire.

"Dongsheng!" Old Yang shouted the person's name but Han Dongsheng seemed to not hear him. Old Yang clapped the dumbstruck Beggars' Sect disciple next to him. "Put out the fire and save them!"

The elderly people in the upper floors who were startled awake were like in a steamer basket. They all crowded at the windows, their jumbled wails and cries for help so raucous it made those hearing them feel agitated and distraught. The thick smoke roiled and curled towards the sky. This place was really too out of the way, who knew what century it would be before the fire brigade arrived. The police who had been leisurely lying in wait couldn't be bothered with the evil cult suspects anymore, they all rushed forward to put out the fire.

The air was scorching hot, yet sinisterly cold. The intense convection sent the ash and dust flying. Old Yang instructed the red-capped elderly in the courtyard to run outside. For a moment, he couldn't breathe. He gripped his walking stick and patted his chest.

Right at that moment, someone chuckled lightly from not far away. "I was wondering who it was, so it's Sect Leader Yang. Just look at you. At this age, you should admit that you're old. Why are you still indulging in these wild antics like the young?"

Old Yang slowly straightened up. The fire illuminated half his face.

He saw a tall and broad man clad in a black robe walking towards him calmly. His hand was even carrying Xu Shaowen who Old Yang had just now poked until he curled up like a large shrimp. This was the "advisor" who had been giving classes to Old Mr. Zhou and the others.

While the evil cult members were fleeing in panic after hearing the police sirens, he had unexpectedly stayed behind in the small building, methodically and unhurriedly pouring kerosene and setting fire.

Old Master Yang gripped his walking stick tightly. "You are…"

"You might not know me. I'm the head disciple under my shifu." The black-robed man smiled and let go of Xu Shaowen. "This unworthy kid is my disciple. It's almost New Year's, so he came to help the juniors prop up the situation and gain some accomplishments. Who knew he would be so lucky to meet the Dog Beating Staff techniques. It's truly the greatest joy of his life."

Old Master Yang said, "You're Xu Zhao's disciple!"

"I've brought shame to the old man again," the black-robed man said. He spread his hands, both of them were holding a three-edged dagger each. "Sect Leader Yang, why don't you give me a chance to make up for it?"

Xu Shaowen clutched his belly and retreated to the side, a sinister smile on his face.

Before the black-robed man finished speaking, there was a blur and he was already right in front of Old Master Yang. Old Yang could only swing his walking stick up but that man wasn't like those inferior goods who only knew to run when they heard police sirens. Old Yang had already felt that his back wasn't feeling too good just now. The hardwood walking stick also wasn't the Dog Beating Staff and was extremely heavy. He could just barely hold up against a few moves. For a second, his strength could not keep up and the three-edged dagger scraped past the glossy walking stick like a lightning bolt, aiming right for his throat.

Old Yang detected a metallic smell.

His heart thumped heavily. I've grown old, he thought.

Then, in the instant the ice-cold three-edged dagger reached his throat, the black-robed man abruptly leaped up and scrambled a few steps to dodge.

At the same time, a hand stopped Old Yang's upper back from falling backwards.

Old Master Yang turned his head, startled, but all he saw was a hood that was securely concealing a face…

T/N:

The Dog Beating Staff Techniques have eight principles, of which some were used by Old Yang in this chapter. They appeared in the wuxia stories by Jin Yong. The eight principles are

绊 (trip), 劈 (strike; I've seen this translated as 'block'), 缠 (tangle; also translated as 'trap'), 戳 (poke), 挑 (pick), 引 (lure). 封 (seal; I've seen this translated as 'steal' but based on the character I think it should be seal), and 转 (turn).