Longchuan had originally been home to fifty or sixty bandit gangs of various sizes. True, when they went into the fields, they were farmers, and when they took to the water, they were fishermen, but if all they did was farm and fish, could they still call themselves bandits? How would they be any different from ordinary, law-abiding subjects?

Now that Yuheng City had tightened its control over the Longchuan Trade Route, the amount of loot the water bandits brought back had fallen sharply, while the cost of obtaining it remained painfully high.

Once the returns could no longer cover the costs, how many people would still be willing to stay in such a money-losing business?

“Yuheng City has also swept through Longchuan’s outskirts several more times. By now, twelve or thirteen gangs have already disbanded, including the Lu Family Gang. Their members were either absorbed by other gangs or left Longchuan altogether. The atmosphere...