6: Chapter 6 The Three Sworn Brothers in the Sewers

The air in the sewer was as thick and murky as cotton soaked in sour water, with the stench of rot and rust intertwining and boring into one's nose. Lin Fan clutched his bleeding shoulder, staggering through the sewage with uneven steps. His worn-out canvas shoes had long been soaked through, their soles caked with slippery sludge, making him nearly fall with every step.

The wound on his shoulder throbbed with piercing pain. Blood had soaked through the corner of his clothes used for a temporary bandage, and dark red liquid dripped into the sewage beneath his feet, blooming into a small, murky red cloud. Gritting his teeth, cold sweat mixed with dust trickled down his forehead, blurring his vision until he could barely keep his eyes open. The faint sound of sirens behind him grew more distant, but those alternating red and blue lights flickered in his mind like a nightmare.

five-star wanted level.

These words were like a thousand-pound boulder, crushing the breath out of him. He finally understood that this world wasn't some damn open-world game; those so-called "NPCs" were each more ruthless and calculating than people in the real world. Victor's sinister laughter, Ghost's cold muzzle, and the savage grins of those thugs in the factory echoed in his ears over and over.

"Motherfucker..." Lin Fan cursed. His foot slipped, and he slammed heavily against the nearby concrete wall. A sharp pain shot through his back, making him grimace and bare his teeth, but he didn't dare stop. He could only lean against the wall and struggle forward.

Just as he was about to collapse, a faint flicker of firelight suddenly appeared in the darkness ahead.

The firelight flickered, casting two blurry silhouettes.

Lin Fan's nerves instantly tightened. Subconsciously, he ducked behind a thick water pipe and gripped the half-brick he carried for self-defense. His heart pounded so hard it felt like it would leap out of his throat. Was it the Snake Fang Gang catching up? Or the Enforcement Team searching this far?

"Kid, stop hiding. We're not here to catch you."

A familiar voice came through, tinged with a bit of impatient irritability.

It was Michael!

Lin Fan froze for a moment. Looking closely by the faint firelight, he indeed saw Michael De Santa leaning against a pipe with a cigarette in his mouth, the light flickering across his face. The person standing beside him was tall and thin, wearing a faded denim jacket—who else could it be but Franklin?

"Brother Michael? Franklin?" Surprised and overjoyed, Lin Fan nearly burst into tears. Ignoring the pain from his wound, he stumbled out from behind the pipe. "How did you guys end up here?"

Michael flicked his cigarette ash and glanced at Lin Fan's bleeding shoulder, his brow furrowing deeply enough to crush a fly. "How else? I heard you got screwed over by the Snake Fang Gang and were being chased through the streets by the Enforcement Team. I knew a kid like you would definitely crawl into a gutter like this. Franklin said this is the most secluded sewer line in the area."

Franklin shrugged, a helpless smile playing on the corner of his mouth. "Let's get one thing straight: I didn't exactly come here specifically to save you. Michael dragged me along, saying if you died, there'd be no witness for that bottle of whiskey he won off me."

Looking at the two of them, Lin Fan's nose tickled and his eyes instantly reddened. In this strange world where he had no relatives, these two men he had only known for a few days were actually risking themselves to find him. He sniffed, forcing back the tears, and grinned. "At least you guys have a conscience. When I get out of here, I'll treat you to hot pot—Yuan-Yang style, the spicy kind!"

"Hot pot? What the hell is that?" Michael frowned, looking confused.

Franklin also shook his head, clearly never having heard the term.

Lin Fan choked on his words, only then remembering they weren't from the same world. He scratched his head and said vaguely, "It's... a type of especially delicious food. It's numbing and spicy; one bite feels like heaven."

Michael scoffed and didn't press further. He just crouched down, pulled Lin Fan's arm over, and inspected the wound. "The cut didn't hit an artery; you're lucky. But we need to treat it fast, otherwise, if it gets infected, you'll rot to death in this sewer."

As he spoke, he pulled a small bottle of disinfectant and a roll of bandages from his backpack, deftly tending to Lin Fan's wound. The moment the disinfectant touched the cut, Lin Fan's whole body convulsed in pain. He nearly screamed, and cold sweat poured down his forehead even harder.

Franklin leaned nearby with his arms crossed, watching them. Suddenly, he spoke up. "How exactly did you cross the Snake Fang Gang? That guy Victor isn't someone to mess with."

Gritting his teeth against the intense pain, Lin Fan recounted everything from start to finish—from that inexplicable text message to the trap at the abandoned factory, Ghost's sniping, and finally being forced into the sewer. The more he spoke, the angrier he became, his fists clenching until his knuckles cracked. "Those bastards! They actually dared to play me! Talking about some interview... I think they're just a bunch of sinister, treacherous lowlifes!"

Michael finished wrapping the bandage and looked up to glare at him. "You deserved it! You have no brains at all! You knew that text was suspicious, yet you still stupidly walked into a trap? Do you really think you own Los Santos?"

"How was I supposed to know!" Lin Fan retorted indignantly. "I thought it was a side quest in the game! Who knew these NPCs... I mean, these guys were so devious!"

Franklin couldn't help but laugh. "One's short-tempered and the other's a loudmouth. You two are a perfect match."

Michael glared at Franklin and said crossly, "What are you laughing at? If it wasn't for that fair-weather friend of yours being bought off by the Snake Fang Gang, Lin Fan wouldn't have fallen for it! You're responsible too!"

Franklin's smile froze on his face. He rubbed his nose and said somewhat guiltily, "That guy owed the Snake Fang Gang money; I only found out after the fact. Don't worry, I'm keeping track of this debt."

The three fell into a temporary silence, with only the sound of sewage rushing through the cavernous sewer echoing around them.

Looking at Michael and Franklin, an idea suddenly popped into Lin Fan's head. He remembered the wuxia novels he had read before crossing over, specifically the story of the Oath of the Peach Garden. In this world fraught with danger, he would eventually be killed by the Snake Fang Gang if he fought alone. But Michael and Franklin—one was highly skilled and the other was sharp-witted. If he could team up with them, they might actually have a chance to strike back.

"Hey," Lin Fan suddenly spoke, a hint of excitement in his eyes. "I have an idea."

Michael and Franklin both looked at him.

"Let's become sworn brothers!" Lin Fan slapped his thigh and said excitedly. "Just like the Oath of the Peach Garden! We don't ask to be born on the same day, but we seek to die on the same day! From now on, we'll be brothers and take on the Snake Fang Gang together!"

"Oath of the Peach Garden? What the hell is that?" Michael frowned, looking completely lost.

Franklin also raised an eyebrow, clearly not understanding.

Lin Fan choked for a second, then had to explain, "It means... the three of us become brothers, sharing both fortune and woe! We'll take on the Snake Fang Gang together and get our revenge!"

Michael paused, then scoffed. He stood up and brushed the dust off himself. "Why bother with all that fancy talk? Still, I've hated those Snake Fang Gang bastards for a long time. Anyone who touches my people is going to get their skin flayed off!"

Franklin also nodded, his gaze becoming sharp. "Victor monopolizes the black market trade in Los Santos and constantly causes trouble for us racers. I've wanted to deal with him for a long time; I just never found the right opportunity."

Lin Fan felt a surge of excitement. He knew they had reached a consensus.

"Good!" Lin Fan held out his hand. "Then it's a deal! From now on, the three of us are brothers!"

Michael looked at his hand, hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took it. Franklin also smiled and extended his hand. The three hands gripped together tightly.

Sewage flowed beneath their feet and foul air filled the surroundings, but at this moment, a fire was lit in Lin Fan's heart. He was no longer fighting alone.

"Now let's talk business." Michael let go, his expression turning serious. "What do we do next? You're at a five-star wanted level; you can't even go outside. The Snake Fang Gang must be looking for you everywhere, wanting you dead."

Franklin also nodded. "Victor is ruthless; he won't stop until he gets what he wants. We have to find a way to clear Lin Fan's wanted status and give the Snake Fang Gang a lesson they won't forget."

Lin Fan lowered his head in thought for a moment, and suddenly his eyes lit up. He remembered something he had overheard the Snake Fang Gang members chatting about back at the abandoned factory—the gang had a secret armory containing a massive amount of hardware and gear, located in an old warehouse in the western suburbs of Los Santos.

"I know one of the Snake Fang Gang's secrets!" Lin Fan lowered his voice and said excitedly. "They have a secret armory in an old warehouse in the western suburbs! It's full of good stuff!"

Michael and Franklin exchanged a look, both seeing surprise and delight in each other's eyes.

"Really?" Michael asked, his tone carrying a hint of disbelief.

"Absolutely!" Lin Fan guaranteed, patting his chest. "I heard them say it with my own ears at the factory! And I bet Victor has hidden all the hardware he plans to use against us in that armory!"

Franklin rubbed his chin, saying thoughtfully, "If we can take out that armory, we won't just weaken the Snake Fang Gang; we'll also get enough hardware to face them head-on. More importantly, there might be evidence of Victor's crimes in there. If we hand that evidence over to the Enforcement Team, Lin Fan's wanted status might be cleared."

Michael's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh. "Great idea! Let's do it! We'll scout the place tonight and move tomorrow night! We'll take down the Snake Fang Gang's nest!"

"Wait!" Lin Fan quickly stopped him. "That armory is bound to be heavily guarded. We can't just barge in. We need a thorough plan, ideally one where we strike from both inside and out to catch them off guard."

Franklin nodded in agreement. "Lin Fan is right. Victor is meticulous; the armory won't be lightly guarded. We need to figure out the guard rotation times, find the entrance, and then make a detailed plan of action."

Despite his hot temper, Michael knew when to prioritize caution. He nodded and said in a low voice, "Fine, we'll do it your way. We'll stay in this sewer for the night. Once it's light, Franklin and I will go scout the place while you stay here and recover."

Lin Fan grew anxious. "I want to go too! I'm familiar with the Snake Fang Gang's tactics!"

"Go where?" Michael glared at him. "Your shoulder hasn't healed yet. If you go, you'll just be a liability. Stay here and wait for our word."

Lin Fan wanted to argue further, but Franklin stopped him. Franklin patted his shoulder and said with a smile, "Don't worry, we'll scout everything out. Your most important task right now is to heal up so that when we get back, we can pull off something big together."

Seeing the determined looks in their eyes, Lin Fan could only nod.

As the night deepened, the light in the sewer grew even dimmer. Michael pulled a piece of bread and a bottle of water from his backpack and handed them to Lin Fan. "Eat something and get your strength back."

Lin Fan took the bread and water and began to eat ravenously. The bread was dry and hard, and the water had a faint taste of disinfectant, but to him, it was the most delicious food in the world.

After eating, Lin Fan leaned against the wall, watching Michael and Franklin discuss their plan in low voices. The firelight flickered, illuminating their profiles, their faces full of seriousness and resolve.

Lin Fan felt a warmth in his heart. He knew that from this moment on, he was no longer that lone transmigrator struggling to survive in a strange world. He had brothers, partners to fight alongside.

He looked up at the ceiling of the sewer, and through a narrow crack, he could faintly see a glimmer of starlight.

"Victor, Snake Fang Gang," Lin Fan whispered, a flash of ruthlessness in his eyes. "Just you wait. I'll definitely be back! When that time comes, I'll make sure you pay in blood!"

Michael and Franklin heard his words, looked at each other with a smile, and nodded simultaneously.

The sewage continued to rush beneath their feet and the foul air still permeated the surroundings, but in this dark and damp sewer, an alliance belonging to three men was quietly forming. A storm aimed at the Snake Fang Gang was beginning to brew.