newbobooks Chapter 543 Tachibana Masahito VS Feng Yuxiu!
Chapter 543 Tachibana Masahito VS Feng Yuxiu!
As dawn broke, a tense atmosphere filled the air on Hong Kong Island.
In the courtyard of Hung Hing headquarters, footsteps and the sound of guns being cocked rose and fell. The brothers hadn't slept much, but they were all full of energy, their eyes revealing excitement and vigilance.
Tachibana Masahito remained guarding the back door, his back against the wall, his samurai sword slung across his waist. The cloth wrapping had been removed, and the cold blade occasionally flashed with a chilling light as the morning sun swept across it.
He closed his eyes, as if resting, but even the slightest rustle would make his eyelids twitch, and his ears would precisely detect the source of the sound—this is the alertness of a top expert.
Feng Yuxiu walked over, carrying two short knives in his hands. These were his usual weapons, with sharp blades that had been stained with the blood of many powerful enemies.
He stood next to Tachibana Masahito, glanced at the samurai sword at the other's waist, and said in a deep voice, "Brother Tachibana, your method of killing Lei Yaoyang's men with a single blow last night was indeed impressive."
Tachibana Masahito slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm and unwavering: "It's just my duty. Dealing with minor characters doesn't require too much effort."
“I’ve always wanted to spar with a top-notch swordsman,” Feng Yuxiu gripped his short sword, his tone tinged with a hint of fighting spirit. “Why don’t we have a little spar before Jiang Tianyang arrives? We’ll stop when we’ve made our point.”
Ye Haoxuan happened to be walking out of the hall when he heard this and chuckled as he interjected, "Axiu, are you trying to challenge Tachibana?"
Tachibana Masahito stood up, cracked his knuckles, and said in a calm tone, "Okay, but let's stop here and not hurt our feelings."
Upon hearing that there was going to be a sparring match, the brothers in the courtyard gathered around and whispered among themselves, "Brother Feng is one of the top fighters in our Hung Hing. Can Mr. Tachibana beat him?"
"Hard to say, Mr. Tachibana's slash last night was so cool, it felt even more powerful than Brother Feng's!"
"Look, it's about to start!"
Feng Yuxiu made the first move, wielding two short swords, one on the left and one on the right, slashing towards Tachibana Masahito with a whooshing sound. His swordsmanship was cunning, and every move was aimed at vital points.
Tachibana Masahito shifted his feet slightly, his figure dodging like a ghost, while his hand rested on the hilt of his katana, but he did not immediately draw it.
"Well done!" Feng Yuxiu shouted, his attack becoming even fiercer. His short sword flashed so fast that the only sound in the courtyard was the whooshing sound of the blades.
Tachibana Masahito remained calm and composed, managing to dodge attacks at the last second each time. He even occasionally managed to free one hand to gently deflect Feng Yuxiu's sword, his movements seemingly slow but incredibly precise.
The onlookers were stunned. Tian Yangsheng and his seven siblings also gathered around. Tian Yangjie couldn't help but say:
"Mr. Tachibana is amazing! Feng-ge's offensive is so fierce, yet he can still remain so calm!"
Tian Yangsheng nodded: "This is top-notch swordsmanship, using stillness to control movement, and striking after the opponent has moved."
Suddenly, Feng Yuxiu slashed at Tachibana Masahito's shoulder with his sword. He used 80% of his strength in this strike, and if it hit, the person would be either seriously injured or crippled.
Just as the blade was about to touch his clothes, Tachibana Masahito finally drew his sword!
With a "whoosh," a flash of light appeared, so fast that its trajectory was impossible to see. A crisp "clang" rang out, and Feng Yuxiu's short sword was deflected. Tachibana Masahito's katana was already at his neck, the blade icy cold but unharmed.
"I lost." Feng Yuxiu gave a wry smile and sheathed his short sword. "Brother Tachibana's swordsmanship is indeed superior to mine. Brother Xuan said you are second in combat strength, and he truly lives up to his reputation."
Tachibana Masahito sheathed his sword and slung it back over his shoulder: "Brother Feng's swordsmanship is also very impressive, but I've been practicing for a few more years than you."
Ye Haoxuan walked over and patted the two men on the shoulder: "We're all on the same side, it's good to spar a bit and strengthen our bond. Now is not the time for a fight, Jiang Tianyang's boat should be almost at the smuggling point, so be on your guard!"
"Understood!" everyone responded in unison, and the brothers who had been watching the excitement returned to their posts.
Ye Haoxuan gathered the core members—Feng Yuxiu, Tachibana Masahito, the Crown Prince, Tian Yangsheng, Xiao Ma, Tony, and others—and brought them to the map in the hall.
"Lian Haolong's intelligence reports that Jiang Tianyang's cargo ship has approached the waters off Hong Kong Island and is estimated to land at the smuggling point on the west side in about half an hour." Ye Haoxuan pointed to a bay on the map, "Their advance force should scout ahead first, and then the main force will follow."
"Brother Xuan, let the seven of us siblings lead the charge!" Tian Yangsheng volunteered. "We're familiar with coordinated operations, and with firearms, we're sure to drive their vanguard back!"
Ye Haoxuan shook his head: "No need. The vanguard will be handled by Lian Haolong and Partridge. Your task is to wait until the main force lands, then follow the Prince's assault team to flank and disrupt their formation. Brother Tachibana, you guard the back door of the headquarters to prevent Jiang Tianyang from sending elite troops to launch a sneak attack. I have already arranged for Guan Zu's team to cooperate with you."
"Understood." Tachibana Masahito nodded.
"Feng Yuxiu, you take fifty elite soldiers as mobile support. Go wherever the situation is critical." Ye Haoxuan continued to give instructions. "Xiao Ma, your gunman squad will guard the high ground in Causeway Bay. Once Jiang Tianyang's men rush into Causeway Bay, suppress them with firepower."
"Received!" Everyone accepted the order.
Ye Haoxuan finally looked at everyone and said, "Remember, Jiang Tianyang has heavy weapons, including rocket launchers. If you encounter this situation, don't fight head-on. Retreat first and wait for reinforcements to arrive before counterattacking. Also, Chen Haonan is with Jiang Tianyang. He is familiar with our deployment. Everyone should pay close attention to his movements to prevent him from playing any tricks."
"Don't worry, Brother Xuan!" Prince grinned. "I've wanted to deal with that traitor Chen Haonan for a long time. This time, when we meet, I'll definitely show him what I'm capable of!"
After the deployment was arranged, the brothers all performed their duties, and the atmosphere at headquarters became even more tense.
The seven siblings returned to the backyard and checked the guns and magazines again. Tian Yangyi asked, "Brother, do you think Jiang Tianyang's men are really that powerful?"
"They're definitely not weak. For Brother Xuan to take them so seriously, they must be ruthless veterans." Tian Yangsheng gripped his submachine gun tightly. "But we don't need to be afraid. As long as the seven of us siblings join forces, and with the weapons Brother Xuan gave us, we'll definitely win!"
Meanwhile, Xiao Ma and his squad of gunmen had reached several high points in Causeway Bay – rooftops, behind billboards, and alley corners. Machine guns and sniper rifles were set up at each location, and the gunmen lay prone there, their eyes fixed on the intersections, their fingers on the triggers, ready to fire at any moment.