Category: Come, Let Me Take You Home

 No. 49 As If Guided by a Dream of Stars

A hundred square meters of space, seven or eight computers, two servers, eight bunk beds like those in a student dormitory, an empty living room devoid of even a television, replaced by a tangle of wires and cables—this was the Queen Bee Hacker Alliance’s headquarters in Upper Capital City.

Ten years could truly change a lot…

I entered the room, led by Wang Cai. As the only girl present, I immediately drew the attention of the four young men inside.

“Wang Cai, is this your girlfriend?”

“Didn’t you go to pick someone up? Who’s this little sister?”

No one would have guessed that the prestigious Queen Bee Hacker Alliance, ten years from now, would have such humble beginnings.

These young men, all in their late twenties or early thirties, looked disheveled and exhausted, their faces greasy, their eyes shadowed with dark circles. They looked nothing like successful professionals. They must have been pulling all-nighters for days. The floor was littered with instant noodle cups and takeout containers, the air thick with the smell of sweat and stale food.

Hmm… was it because I was a girl now that my sense of smell was heightened? I had experienced similar situations in my previous life, but I hadn’t been this bothered by the smell.

Coincidentally, I knew all of them.

“Uh… she’s the little bee.”

Wang Cai stammered under their scrutiny.

“What little bee? Where’s the person we’re waiting for?”

A man with a scruffy beard grumbled. “And didn’t I tell you not to bring girls here? Sorry, little sister, we’re a bit busy these days, that’s why it’s such a mess. How about I take you to a milk tea shop?”

Are you trying to abduct a child?

“She’s the little bee.”

Wang Cai repeated himself.

“Who the hell is called ‘little bee’?” Another young man stood up, then his eyes widened in realization. “Wait, what did you say?”

Gouzi, the future owner of the largest bakery chain in Upper Capital City. He was a kind and genuine person, but he could be a bit goofy and disrespectful at times.

Wang Cai shrugged. “Are you guys traumatized or something? I’ll say it again. She’s the little bee. We don’t use real names in the Queen Bee Alliance. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

The young man stared at me, his jaw slack. “You mean she’s…”

“The one and only. The one who’s been tormenting us for the past seven days.”

“She… how old is she?”

“Just turned sixteen.”

“Thud!”

Gouzi, who had just stood up, collapsed back onto his chair, his eyes glazed over as he stared at the ceiling. “I think I’m officially useless.”

“That’s impossible! How could she be so skilled at such a young age?”

A young man with curly hair and a square jaw approached us. “Wang Cai, are you messing with us? Is this your cousin or something?”

“I don’t have a cousin!”

Wang Cai sighed, placing his laptop on the table and taking a sip of water. “Little Bee, why don’t you tell them yourself? These guys are good people, but they’re a bit slow.”

“Tell you what?” I asked playfully.

It was so good to see them again.

Like reuniting with long-lost friends, a chance encounter at a familiar street corner.

“Tell us how you hacked into our server.”

“Well… my software handled most of the attacks and defenses during the day. I only had time after seven in the evening. You’re using a Linux operating system, which made it quite challenging.” I smiled at Gouzi. “But I remember you made a fatal mistake on Thursday, I think.”

I noticed that everyone, except for Wang Cai, had turned pale.

“You intercepted my main data packets, but you confidently ignored a small, disguised packet, only 9KB in size. Were you planning to analyze it?”

Yes, if they hadn’t been so arrogant, thinking they could crack my code, I wouldn’t have won so easily.

“The server’s root password is JKR*bee.678914. I’ve already sent you the patch for the main vulnerability. Is that enough to prove my identity?”

Several gasps filled the room.

A slightly older man in a floral shirt, sunglasses perched on his nose, looked up from his computer and walked towards me. “You’re only sixteen?”

“Yes.”

“You used a regular home computer?”

“Yes.”

“You were at school for most of the day, and you managed to block all our attacks with a few custom-made programs?”

“Yes.”

“You only had less than three hours each night to actually engage with us.”

“Well… not always three hours. Sometimes my dad made me do my homework.”

“Damn.”

He took off his sunglasses and ran a hand through his hair, his face etched with awe. “A genius. A once-in-a-millennium genius. To achieve this level of skill at your age… I can’t imagine what you’ll accomplish in the future…”

“I, Zhui Feng, am honored to be defeated by such a talented individual.”

Zhui Feng, Jing Lei, Shan Dian, Gouzi, Wang Cai—those were their nicknames. Zhui Feng was the leader of the Queen Bee Hacker Alliance in Upper Capital City and the main investor in this headquarters.

“Honestly, we barely slept for the past few days, trying to defend against your attacks. But we never imagined that our combined efforts, five people and eight computers running at full capacity, would be defeated by a single home computer and a sixteen-year-old girl.”

“I apologize for the trouble I caused.”

Technically, I had spent far more time studying computer science than they had.

I was an anomaly in this world.

“Don’t worry about it. We’re thrilled to have such a talented member join our ranks.”

Zhui Feng handed me a glass of water, then pulled out a notebook from a folder on his desk. “You know the rules, right?”

“Yes.”

“Nickname.”

“Bee.”

“Date of birth.”

“January 9, 2000.”

“Hmm… just to be sure, you’re a girl, right?”

“Yes.”

At least physically.

“Okay, welcome to the Queen Bee Alliance. I’ll apply for your membership card. It should be ready in about a week. You can pick it up here.” He closed the folder, then asked, “Can you tell us why you wanted to join us?”

“I need information about the current political situation in Upper Capital City.” I was direct. “Specifically, about Mayor Huang Zhiqiang and those who are accusing him. I need their information.”

They exchanged glances. “That’s sensitive information. Even if you hadn’t asked, we have people monitoring the situation. It’s a major case… but why do you need this information?”

“The mayor’s daughter is my friend. I don’t want her to get hurt.”

I knew that admitting this would expose my identity.

But it didn’t matter. I was already a semi-public figure after those news reports. There was no point in hiding my true self from them.

“I see. I understand.”

Zhui Feng nodded, then led me to a computer with a glowing screen.

“Bee, the accusers aren’t individuals. They’re a group, a politically motivated group. Like a rebellion in ancient times. Do you understand?”

I had already anticipated this. I nodded.

“I understand your concern, but unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do. The mayor’s actions have had a significant impact on Upper Capital City and the entire Yixian Province.”

“What’s the worst-case scenario?”

“There’s no ‘worst-case scenario.’ Everyone connected to the mayor is scrambling to clear their names. By the end of this month, the leadership in Upper Capital City will be completely reshuffled…”

“I’m not asking about the city’s political landscape. I’m asking about the mayor’s fate.”

“Most likely, execution.”

…

An hour later, I arrived at the temporary residence Ouyang Dati had arranged for Xiaodie, carrying a USB drive containing all the information I had downloaded from the Queen Bee server about the corruption case.

It was an apartment complex funded by the Air Force, mostly occupied by retired soldiers. Apparently, Ouyang Dati had pulled some strings to secure a unit for Xiaodie.

“Yo, Yi Yao, you’re late tonight.”

Ouyang Dati opened the door, his face brightening as he saw me. He put down his gun and walked over to me. “I have two pieces of good news. Which one do you want to hear first?”

I glanced around and changed into the slippers by the door. “Where’s Xiaodie?”

“She’s in her room. Hey, aren’t you going to ask about the good news?”

“Oh, right. What’s the good news?”

I asked, my voice flat. I pushed open Xiaodie’s bedroom door.

Before I could even process the scene before me, a dark figure, smelling faintly of feline musk, pounced on me.

“Woof!”

Something soft and wet licked my face. I instinctively picked it up and, under the fluorescent lights, saw… a tiger cub?

“Heh, it seems to like you and Xiaodie. It always tries to bite me whenever I approach it.”

Ouyang Dati entered the room, a smug grin on his face, and grabbed the cub by the scruff of its neck. “That’s the first piece of good news. The little tiger you found in the cave has recovered.”

It was sick?

“The other good news is, Xiaodie has a natural talent for shooting. During her first target practice, she even outperformed our best sniper.”

Ignoring the cub, which was squirming in his grasp, trying to reach me, I looked at Xiaodie, who was fiddling with a sniper rifle in the middle of the room. Our eyes met, and I saw a reflection of myself in her gaze.

After a long silence, she looked away. “Well… I was bored, stuck at home with nothing to do. So, I asked Ouyang Dati to teach me some self-defense techniques…”

No. 48 The Nightmare Absolved by Glory

Under the quiet fluorescent lights, lines of data flickered across the black DOS interface.

This cyber battle had been raging for an entire week.

The difference was, I had to attend school during the day and could only participate in the evenings, while they were on defense 24/7.

The Queen Bee Hacker Alliance, the most secretive and skilled hacker group in the country.

I had joined them in my previous life, driven by professional necessity, and had gained access to a wealth of information about this city.

Including historical events and the movements of influential figures.

The alliance possessed a vast database of intelligence. If I wanted to investigate the people Pai Ge had mentioned, they were my best resource.

It was a highly secretive organization, unaffiliated with any particular group or cause. They didn’t impose restrictions on their members or force them to complete tasks. They didn’t actively recruit. If your skills were exceptional, they would extend an invitation. Once you joined, you could seek help from other members whenever you encountered difficulties—although they had the right to refuse.

Joining the Queen Bee Hacker Alliance was one of the few things I didn’t regret in my previous life.

Now, I was a sixteen-year-old girl. Logically, I had no business being involved in the world of hacking. Even if I knew their website, their headquarters, even the contact information of their key members, I couldn’t join them with my current identity.

How could I convince a group of elite hackers that I was their equal?

Simple: by breaching their defenses.

So, I had chosen one of their servers in Upper Capital City, a server they claimed was impenetrable.

I possessed advanced hacking techniques and knowledge from ten years in the future. They had superior computing power. And so, the battle had raged for seven days and nights.

During those seven days, Xiaodie’s father had been formally accused of corruption by an “anonymous citizen.” Due to the large sum of money involved and the public outcry, the court had scheduled a hearing in two weeks. For her safety, Xiaodie was now staying at a safe house arranged by Ouyang Dati on the outskirts of the city.

It was worth noting that Ouyang Dati had suppressed the Huang Qinghao incident, officially labeling it as a “gang-related death.”

Huang Qinghao’s father, pressured by the military, had reluctantly agreed to this arrangement, vowing to find the true culprit.

“Beep! Beep! Beep!”

At 8:20 PM, a triumphant chime echoed through my headphones. I had gained root access to the server.

After seven days and nights, I had emerged victorious.

“We surrender.”

As I established a connection, those words appeared in the chat window.

“We don’t know if your attack was malicious or benevolent, but we have to admit, it’s been a long time since we’ve encountered such a formidable opponent.”

Like martial arts, the world of hacking followed the law of the jungle: survival of the fittest.

This server was specifically designed for penetration testing. Breaching it wouldn’t cause any real damage. So, instead of immediately patching the vulnerabilities and transferring data, they chose to communicate with me, acknowledging their defeat.

“We’ve never seen such sophisticated sniffing and encryption techniques. Even after analyzing your Trojan, we couldn’t decipher its syntax and structure. We’re truly impressed. Please allow us to address you as ‘Master.’”

Three messages appeared in rapid succession. I considered my response carefully. “You flatter me. I’m just a humble computer enthusiast. I don’t deserve such a title.”

“No, no, we’re the losers. You’ve earned that title, Master. Please tell us your demands.”

In the world of hacking, there was no time for formalities or polite exchanges. These people were direct and to the point.

No one wasted their time attacking servers for no reason.

“I want to join your alliance.”

I typed those words without hesitation. The chat window fell silent for a full minute.

Yes, I needed their help.

My own abilities were limited. I could access any information I wanted, but time was running out. Xiaodie was the only person whose future I couldn’t see. Who knew if those people, after framing the mayor, would turn their attention to her and me?

“That’s all?”

A message finally appeared.

“Yes.”

“Please forgive my bluntness, but you’re wasting your talent on the Queen Bee Alliance. With your skills, you could join a more prestigious organization, even the national cybersecurity department.”

“No need. The Queen Bee Alliance has always been my dream. I’ve been working towards this goal for a long time.”

Technically, I had learned the Queen Bee Algorithm, the very technique I had used to defeat them, from their future leader in Upper Capital City.

“If that’s your wish, Master, we won’t turn you away. Are you free tonight?”

They were clearly excited about my request.

“Yes.”

“This might be a redundant question, but please allow me to ask: are you a resident of Upper Capital City?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, one of our members will be waiting for you at the Rice Ball Coffee Shop in the city center with a black laptop. The password is: ‘Are you the little bee?’ The response is: ‘The little bee has been taken home by the Queen Bee.’”

“Okay, I’ll be there in about half an hour. I’ll send you the patch for the vulnerability and the hacking tools I used in five minutes.”

I completed the transfer, shut down my computer, which had been running nonstop for seven days, and sighed in relief.

Unlike the Black Dragon Society and the Jiang Nan Gang, whose true nature was still unclear, the Queen Bee Hacker Alliance was an organization I could trust.

Their members came from all walks of life, united by their passion for hacking.

Their operations were transparent, including their finances and member activities.

It was like a university club… or perhaps even more liberal. At least they didn’t have constant meetings, mandatory events, or fundraising drives.

And most importantly, I knew all their members in Upper Capital City.

I changed into a pair of shorts, concealed the knives Pai Ge had given me in the seams of my pants, and put on the baseball cap Lan Zhuoyue had brought back from France, which had become my signature accessory.

I remembered the location of their headquarters in my previous life, but I wasn’t sure if it was the same now.

The city center was quite far from my home. It took me over an hour to reach the Rice Ball Coffee Shop by bus.

Coffee shops were usually frequented by wealthy people. It wasn’t that the prices were exorbitant, but most people weren’t accustomed to going to a special place just for coffee. Only those with leisure time and disposable income would spend their afternoons in coffee shops, sipping lattes and working on their laptops.

The Rice Ball Coffee Shop wasn’t crowded. I quickly spotted the guy with the black laptop.

Wang Cai, a gentle-looking boy with glasses, a tech geek, a local, and a mechanic. Yes, the kind who toiled under cars and trucks all day. Despite his unassuming appearance, he transformed into a “mad scientist” whenever he encountered a mechanical problem, oblivious to the world around him.

Every member of the alliance had a unique nickname. You could ask for their real names if you were close, but in formal settings, you addressed each other by your nicknames. I had been good friends with Wang Cai in my previous life. Of course, he wouldn’t recognize me now. I had to reintroduce myself.

I adjusted my cap and sat down across from him.

“Little sister, this seat is taken.”

He glanced at me, his tone apologetic.

You were thirty in my previous life. You must be around twenty now, still in university. And you’re calling me “little sister”? Do I look that young?

“Aren’t you going to ask if I’m the little bee?”

I sighed inwardly and gave him what I hoped was a charming smile.

He stared at me for ten seconds, then his eyes widened in recognition. “You’re…”

“The little bee has been taken home by the Queen Bee.” I maintained my smile. “Hello, I’m the little bee. Pleased to meet you.”

“No way!”

He jumped to his feet, his face full of disbelief. “You’re the one who…”

I held up a finger, silencing him.

“Oh, sorry…”

He glanced around, making sure no one was paying attention to us, then sat back down. “Is this for real? How old are you?”

“It’s rude to ask a girl her age, you know.” I placed my hands on the table. “My birthday is January 9, 2000.”

“You just turned sixteen? My god… you…”

He was about to lose it again, so I interrupted him. “Maybe we should talk somewhere else?”

No. 47 Kissing the Petal

The full moon quietly climbed the night sky.

On the messy balcony, Huang Yingdie, wearing cute bunny slippers, leaned against the smooth wooden railing, her face pale and drawn as she gazed at the bustling city below.

“Dad told me they had a son before me, but he died during childbirth. It was the same when I was born, but this time, Mom didn’t make it. I miraculously survived.”

“I guess you could say I was a miracle baby. When I was little, Dad wouldn’t let me play with other kids. He enrolled me in countless extracurricular classes, including Taekwondo. The more strangers I met, the more withdrawn I became. I spent most of my elementary school holidays in cram schools.”

“But now that I think about it, most parents in this complex are the same. They don’t let their kids play outside.”

“My grandmother passed away shortly after I started middle school. I already hated talking to strangers, and it only got worse. I started skipping class, going to internet cafes, getting into fights. That’s how I met Huang Qinghao and his gang. They tried to rob me of my internet cafe fees, but I beat them all up. They became my followers, and Huang Qinghao called me ‘sister.’”

“I grew to enjoy that lifestyle. But somehow, the more ‘friends’ I had, the emptier I felt. I was so naive back then. I believed everything they said. I thought he could truly make me happy.”

Aren’t you still naive now?

“Yi Yao, don’t you have anything to say after hearing all this?”

“Say what?”

I smiled faintly. “I’m curious. Why do you believe I can protect you?”

“I… I don’t know…”

She turned her head away, her gaze fixed on the moonlit city. “But I just feel like you can. You always seem so indifferent, so unfazed by everything. You’re only a few months older than me. How can you be so strong? I envy you.”

“You envy me?”

I walked over to her, my tone unchanged. “My family isn’t as peaceful as you imagine.”

“My clan is deeply patriarchal. Your father encourages you to study and improve yourself. My father wants me to drop out of school and get a job to support the family because I’m a girl. Since middle school, my allowance hasn’t been enough to cover my expenses. I’ve had to work at the Taekwondo gym every night to make ends meet. Did you know any of this?”

She turned to me, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Patriarchal? People still think like that?”

I nodded. “It’s more common than you think. At least in Upper Capital City.”

It wasn’t just patriarchy. These outdated customs and superstitions were prevalent throughout the country.

Like forcing a daughter-in-law to delay childbirth to choose an auspicious date, resulting in the death of both mother and child.

Like trusting a quack doctor instead of seeking proper medical treatment, performing “exorcisms” on a sick person, and causing permanent disability.

“I always thought…”

“You always thought the mayor’s daughter was a kind, cheerful, and beautiful girl.” I finished her sentence. “Like a princess from a fairy tale.”

“Don’t be mean.”

She pouted and walked back into the apartment. Seeing that I wasn’t following her, she stopped by the sofa. “Yi Yao, are you sure this is okay? Don’t you have things to do at night?”

“It’s fine.”

I followed her into the living room and hugged her from behind, enjoying the softness of her body. “My family doesn’t care where I go. Besides, I’m happy to spend time with such a beautiful and adorable girl.”

I meant it. Humans were visual creatures, and Xiaodie wasn’t a bad person, despite her flaws.

“You…” Perhaps my warm breath against her ear was a bit too intimate. She shivered. “Do other girls do this?”

“Hmm? Do what?”

“Hold hands, hug… I read online that it’s normal in our country. In other places, girls holding hands is considered lesbianism.”

“What do you think it is?”

“I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking you. The other girls in my class hate me. They say I’m arrogant and stuck-up. No one wants to talk to me. You’re my first female friend, Yi Yao.”

You’ve asked the wrong person. I have no idea about girl stuff.

Yi Yao was a girl, but I wasn’t. How could I possibly know?

“Really…” I leaned closer to her face. “You can imagine our relationship however you like. I don’t mind.”

They said most girls were bisexual, especially those who had been hurt by men.

I didn’t know where that saying came from, but I could sense that Xiaodie had those tendencies.

“Hmph, fine, keep your secrets.” She pushed me away, pretending to be angry, and walked towards the stairs. “I’m going to take a shower. You can read some manga in my room if you’re bored. The password for my computer is 20160502.”

Wasn’t 0502 Misaka Mikoto’s birthday?

I followed her upstairs. Despite the mess downstairs, her room was still as clean and tidy as I remembered. She grabbed a nightgown, a shower cap, and a towel, then entered the bathroom, closing the door behind her. I could hear the shower running. The frosted glass door offered a blurry glimpse of her silhouette.

She really had no sense of modesty around me, just because I was a girl.

“A Certain Scientific Railgun,” “Is the Order a Rabbit?,” “Puella Magi Madoka Magica,” “Riddle Story of Devil”…

Her bookshelf was filled with manga. To my surprise, there were even a few yuri manga, mostly ones without any male characters.

During my previous visit, I had been too preoccupied with my injury to pay attention to her room. I only knew she was a bit of a shut-in and an anime fan.

Now, it seemed she was more than just a casual fan.

I turned on her computer, browsed the Heavenly Fire Forum, answered a few unanswered questions, then shut it down. Just then, Xiaodie emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a pale yellow towel.

Her skin was as white as snow, her long hair cascading down her back, her face flushed from the hot shower. The towel barely covered her, revealing her budding breasts and her long, slender legs. She didn’t seem to be wearing anything underneath.

Despite being a girl now, I couldn’t help but feel a stir of arousal.

“This nightgown is new. I washed it, but I haven’t worn it yet.”

She pulled out a cute light blue nightgown from her closet and handed it to me, along with the towel. “You can use anything in the bathroom. Make yourself at home. We’ll be moving out soon anyway.”

So, you were expecting me to stay over?

“Thank you.”

I took the clothes and entered the steamy bathroom.

The en suite bathroom was practically a separate room, unlike the shared bathroom in my apartment. I noticed a lot of feminine products.

“What will my future be like?”

I stripped down and stared at my reflection in the mirror. My face was handsome, but my body was undeniably feminine. I was both familiar and a stranger to myself.

That girl had entrusted everything to me, a stranger.

Her life, her memories, her future.

I touched my chest, the soft sensation beneath my fingertips and the tingling sensitivity reminding me that this was my body now.

Yi Yao’s memories were simple: a carefree childhood, a rebellious adolescence, a school that failed her, a family that berated her. In the end, she had chosen to give up, unable to bear the weight of her own despair.

She was so innocent, she didn’t even have any sexual memories.

…Well, neither did I.

“Let’s focus on the present.”

I finished showering, my heart heavy with emotions. As I was getting dressed, I realized I didn’t have any spare underwear. The ones I had taken off were soaked. I had no choice but to leave the bathroom in just my nightgown.

Xiaodie was lying on her bed, reading manga, her feet swinging back and forth.

“Um… do you have any spare underwear…”

I walked over to her, my face burning, acutely aware of my bareness beneath the thin nightgown.

“I don’t have any new ones. But we’re going to sleep anyway. Does it matter? Do you usually wear underwear to bed, Yi Yao?”

She turned to me, her eyes wide with surprise, and pulled her nightgown up slightly. “I read that it’s better for breast development to sleep without a bra. So, I’ve always done that.”

What kind of books are you reading?

Well, if the owner of the house didn’t mind, neither did I.

“Do you always sleep alone?”

I asked as I picked up the hairdryer from her vanity table.

“Yes.”

Her voice was barely audible.

Moonlight streamed through the window, casting silvery patterns on the floor.

…

I had a feeling I wouldn’t be getting much sleep tonight.

No. 46 The Warmth That Exists Here

We found Huang Qinghao’s body in an abandoned factory on the southern outskirts of Upper Capital City.

The air was thick with the stench of blood and rust.

Under the harsh light of Ouyang Dati’s phone, a bullet wound was clearly visible on his forehead. His eyes were wide open, his expression frozen in a silent scream.

Members of the Jiang Nan Gang and the Black Dragon Society surrounded the factory, their faces grim. The boy who had led us here was sobbing uncontrollably. Most of the others averted their gazes, unable to bear the sight of the corpse.

Huang Yingdie clung to my arm, as if I were her only anchor in this storm.

“I never imagined Upper Capital City would become this chaotic.”

Ouyang Dati sighed, putting on his gloves and gently closing Huang Qinghao’s eyes. “Did he have any enemies?”

One of the Jiang Nan Gang members spoke up. “No, he just had a few minor scuffles with other guys. The most serious one was with Yi Yao Jie, but he didn’t intend to hurt her. He just wanted to teach her a lesson, like he always did.”

Ouyang Dati turned to the first witness. “Stop crying for now. Was he already dead when you arrived, or did he die after?”

“After… after I arrived… I saw him lying there… I was curious… so I went to check… then I ran away…”

“I see.”

Ouyang Dati stood up and pulled out his phone. “Hello, it’s 017. No, it’s not that. We have a shooting here. Can you send someone over? I’ll share my location.”

He hung up and scanned the factory, his gaze lingering on a small hill in the distance. “You might be young, but I hope this incident teaches you a valuable lesson. Life is fragile. While some people are complaining about not getting the latest gadgets or losing a few games, others have been robbed of their very right to live.”

He was essentially telling them to stop messing around and appreciate their youth.

I understood his sentiment.

I had often encountered such people on my journey through life.

The wages in Upper Capital City were below average compared to other cities in the country. 2,000 yuan, a decent monthly salary here, was just a week’s wage for a part-time worker at a fast food restaurant in other cities.

What was even more disheartening was that whenever these hardworking individuals, who toiled day and night, shared their meager earnings online, they would be mocked by people from other cities: “That’s impossible! I earned more than that as a waiter in high school! You’re a university graduate! You must not be trying hard enough!”

Here, people were struggling to afford medical bills. There, people were complaining about their allowance.

I gathered my courage and approached Ouyang Dati, who was examining the body. “Any findings?”

He shook his head. “Judging from the wound, it was a small-caliber sniper rifle. The shooter was a professional. We haven’t determined the exact shooting location yet. We didn’t find any footprints or other evidence when we arrived. This case is going to be tricky.”

“Yi Yao, take a guess.” Pai Ge, still calm despite the presence of a corpse, patted my shoulder. “Who benefits the most from Huang Qinghao’s death?”

“Who benefits the most?” I thought for a moment. “Me?”

“Hahaha, I’ll never understand how you girls think.” He chuckled. “You might have had a conflict with him recently, but there’s no need to kill him to sow discord between you. And even if they wanted him dead, they wouldn’t use a sniper.”

“Yes,” Ouyang Dati agreed. “A death caused by a brawl is a completely different matter from a sniper assassination. The former can be attributed to personal grudges, but the latter…”

Lu Kai, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up. “Just tell us who this was aimed at! Huang Qinghao might have been a jerk, but he was still our brother. Don’t let him die without knowing the truth.”

Ouyang Dati looked at Pai Ge.

Pai Ge smiled. “I have the same thought as you.”

“Stop playing games and tell us!”

“It’s simple.” Pai Ge pulled out a playing card. “You’ve all played “Fighting the landlord”, right? If you instigate a fight between the two peasants, who benefits the most?”

Lu Kai frowned. “The landlord?”

“Exactly. That’s how it works in the game. Now, let’s change the scenario: in an entertainment complex, you instigate a fight between two peasants playing Fighting the landlord, then shoot one of them. Who gets in trouble?”

Ouyang Dati answered, “Regardless of who’s at fault, if someone dies, the owner of the entertainment complex is in trouble.”

“Exactly.”

Pai Ge looked at Xiaodie. “This is reality, not a game. A city plagued by kidnappings, prostitution, and now a murder. The citizens will panic, and their trust in the mayor and the city government will erode.”

“And if, at this crucial moment, someone releases news about the mayor’s corruption and his incompetence in managing the city’s economy…”

I could feel Xiaodie’s hand trembling in mine, her palm clammy with sweat.

“This enemy has no interest in our petty gang wars. Their target is Upper Capital City, and—Mayor Huang Zhiqiang.”

“You’re still students. You shouldn’t be involved in this. Leave it to us. Luo Wei, take them back.”

Ouyang Dati waved us away, sensing our fear. “Sometimes, knowing too much can be dangerous.”

“Haha, you’re still as cautious as ever, Dati.”

“I have to be. I never imagined this city would be so chaotic… Alright, go now. My men will be here soon. It wouldn’t look good if they saw a bunch of kids here.”

…

Xiaodie remained silent, her hand gripping my arm tightly, as Pai Ge drove us back to her complex.

She finally spoke as we got out of the car, bowing to him and thanking him.

“Calm down, Xiaodie. Life is full of partings.”

Pai Ge, dressed in his suit, his demeanor serious, looked like a nobleman in the darkness. “Go home and get some sleep. It’s Saturday tomorrow. Go shopping with your friends, play some games. You’ll be safe in the city.”

“Okay.”

She didn’t elaborate, but her voice was still shaky.

“Yi Yao, I’m counting on you.”

He gave me an encouraging look, then closed the car door.

I watched the car drive away, then turned to Xiaodie. “Let’s go.”

“Yi Yao.”

She spoke softly as we walked along the dimly lit path.

“I’m here.”

She tightened her grip on my arm, her voice trembling. “Aren’t you afraid?”

“Afraid of what?”

“A person… just died… I hated him, but I never wanted him to…”

“Are you afraid of death, or are you afraid of this city?”

“I…”

“Xiaodie, death is inevitable. There’s no point in fearing it. All we can do is live each day to the fullest.”

Witnessing the death of a classmate was a traumatic experience for a teenager.

“Why are you so calm, Yi Yao?” She looked up at me. “Why do you always speak so calmly about such things?”

Because I’m used to it.

I had seen countless deaths, both of friends and family.

Coming from the future, I had witnessed the city’s transformation over a decade, the rise and fall of countless lives. I had experienced hardship and loss beyond their comprehension. So, I wasn’t fazed by things that terrified them.

But I couldn’t tell her the truth.

I was a visitor from another time, living in my sister’s body.

“Maybe I’m just insensitive.”

I mumbled, leading her into her apartment.

“Get some rest. Take a shower, go to bed early. And remember to come to school tomorrow.”

I grabbed my bike keys from the coffee table and was about to leave, but she grabbed my arm again.

“Don’t…”

She looked exhausted, her voice weak. “Don’t go…”

“I told you, you’re safe in the city. Be good.”

“Stay…”

“What?”

She lowered her head. “Stay with me… please…”

She was truly afraid.

“Isn’t your dad coming home tonight?”

She shook her head.

“What about school tomorrow?”

She shook her head again.

“You’re hopeless.”

I sighed, took off my shoes, and looked around the messy living room. “This place is a disaster. Where am I supposed to sleep?”

She pointed upstairs. “My room. With me.”

No. 45 Eyes Gazing into the Darkness

“To be honest, we’ve been investigating the mastermind behind the incidents involving you and Yi Yao for the past two weeks, trying to identify the mole within our ranks.”

“Who is it?”

Xiaodie blurted out the question, then her eyes widened in realization. “You mean Qinghao…”

“No, we initially suspected him, but Huang Qinghao is just impulsive, not the type to betray his brothers. The mole is still among us.” Pai Ge tossed a playing card onto the poker table behind him. “There’s no real conflict between the Black Dragon Society and the Jiang Nan Gang. Whoever orchestrated those incidents reacted immediately after you and Yi Yao clashed. It was clearly premeditated. This person is dangerous.”

“What are the consequences if we let this mole continue operating?” I asked.

Although their nature had shifted somewhat, I still struggled to view the Black Dragon Society and the Jiang Nan Gang as serious criminal organizations.

The Black Dragon Society had started as a small group formed by my “boyfriend,” Long Fei, on a whim at a local internet cafe. It was like a bunch of kids playing pretend, calling themselves the “Axe Gang.” Long Fei, being the son of Long Teng, the CEO of the largest internet company in Upper Capital City, had endless pocket money. After forming the Black Dragon Society, he would often treat his “brothers” to internet cafe sessions and drinks.

With ample funding, the group quickly gained notoriety in the city.

In other gangs, the underlings paid tribute to their leader. But with Long Fei, it was the opposite. Other delinquents, seeing the perks of joining the Black Dragon Society, flocked to join, and the group grew rapidly.

Long Fei had once confessed to me that he had formed the Black Dragon Society out of loneliness. He craved the camaraderie and acceptance he lacked at home and school.

What did rebellious teenagers want most? Simple: money.

Long Fei gave them money, let them indulge in his escapades, filling the void in his life. Their relationship was that simple.

I didn’t know if there were any real gangs in Upper Capital City, but I had assumed that small groups like the Black Dragon Society would disband after Long Fei left. It was all just a game, and these kids would eventually grow up.

But Pai Ge’s appearance had changed my perception of the Black Dragon Society.

Long Fei was a rich kid who had once saved Ouyang Dati, a soldier. This gave the Black Dragon Society a certain level of protection. And now, with Pai Ge’s involvement, the entertainment complex had become part of their assets. Their status had become more complex.

Which meant that, after Long Fei’s departure, Pai Ge, with his vast wealth, had become the true leader of the Black Dragon Society. But due to his sensitive identity, he had to remain hidden, fearing his enemies. He needed someone to act as his proxy, to maintain the facade of a “fallen rich kid joining a delinquent group.”

If the mole was indeed targeting Pai Ge, it made sense that he would be worried.

“Haha, the consequences are as unpredictable as a deck of cards. Isn’t that what makes it interesting? You never know what the next card will be.”

He chuckled, then gestured towards a man in sunglasses sitting alone on a sofa, smoking a cigarette. “Let me introduce you. This is the leader of the Jiang Nan Gang, Lu Kai. His father is a real estate tycoon in Upper Capital City, a very arrogant man. And he’s Lu Yibing’s brother.”

“What?” I was confused. “Isn’t Lu Yibing…”

“She’s a member of the Jiang Nan Gang. Didn’t I tell you?”

Jiang Nan Gang members frequenting your entertainment complex?

“She has a sweet tooth. Her brother would never buy her lollipops, so she comes here.”

I stared at him, speechless.

So, you have a soft spot for little girls.

Lu Yibing looked even younger than Huang Yingdie, her clothes and demeanor childlike. She was the epitome of an emotionless anime loli.

“Hey, hey, don’t look at me like that. By the way, have you considered pursuing Bing Bing?” He leaned closer, shielding his face with a playing card, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “She told me she has a crush on you. If you win her over, with her father’s connections in the real estate industry, half the properties in Upper Capital City will be yours for the taking.”

I glanced at Xiaodie, who was still confused. “I’ll pass. You pursue her yourself.”

“Haha, I told you, she spent her entire childhood in the mountains. She has no concept of romance. She’s only interested in things she likes.”

Just then, the man in sunglasses stood up and flicked his cigarette butt at us. “Hey, blondie, don’t think I can’t hear you just because you’re hiding behind a playing card. I’ll beat you up.”

He was wearing a half-unbuttoned shirt, revealing his muscular chest. Although he wasn’t as bulky as Ouyang Dati, he was clearly not someone to be trifled with.

“Haha, you’re still as hot-tempered as ever.”

“Cut the crap. What did you call me here for? If it’s nothing important, I’m leaving.”

“Okay, okay, let’s get down to business.”

Pai Ge waved at everyone, signaling them to stop what they were doing.

“We called you all here today to discuss something important.”

Ouyang Dati stepped onto the poker table, all eyes on him. “I’m Ouyang Dati, the current leader of the Black Dragon Society. I’m sure you’ve all heard about the incidents involving Yi Yao and Xiaodie. We’ve had our share of fights, but that’s normal between men. We bleed, but we don’t cry. We fight, then we drink together, we complain together. That’s what youth is all about. No pain, no gain, right?”

“Right!”

“Haha, so you’re one of us now? Remember that punch you owe me?”

“Bring it on! Let’s settle it upstairs! Loser buys drinks!”

It felt like a gathering of close friends.

“Usually, our internal squabbles are our own business. But…” Ouyang Dati paused for effect. “The conflict between Yi Yao and Xiaodie was an internal matter. Yet, someone hired outsiders to attack Yi Yao’s father. This means there’s a mole among us, someone who’s trying to sow discord between us.”

His words sparked outrage among the crowd.

“What the hell? I didn’t know about this!”

“Yeah, I thought they just had a fight. I didn’t realize it was so serious.”

“So, that incident with Qinghao Ge was also…”

“What incident with Qinghao Ge?”

“You didn’t hear? He was beaten up shortly after he was discharged from the hospital. They said they were from the Black Dragon Society.”

“Quiet down!”

Dati raised his hand for silence. “The problem is, we don’t know who the mole is, where they’re from, which gang they belong to, or what their motive is. I’m warning you all to be careful. And if any of you have any information, speak up.”

“This is troublesome.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Kai, the sunglasses-clad leader of the Jiang Nan Gang, stepped forward. “Listen up, Jiang Nan Gang! If you’re the mole, confess now. If I find out later, your family will be collecting your body.”

He was as domineering as Long Fei.

“That’s all we have to say. Be vigilant, but don’t be too suspicious of your own brothers.”

He scanned the crowd, his brow furrowed. “Where’s Huang Qinghao? I told him to come.”

Just then, the elevator doors opened, and a boy in black clothes rushed towards us, his face pale, his breathing ragged. “Boss, boss… cough, cough, we have a problem!”

Lu Kai grabbed him by the collar. “Are you trying to get yourself killed? Slow down!”

“Huang Qinghao, he…” The boy’s eyes were wide with fear. “He’s dead!”

“What?!”

Everyone, including Lu Kai and even Lu Yibing, who had been silently licking her lollipop, stared at him in shock.

“What happened?”

Lu Kai released the boy and took off his sunglasses.

“I received your message around five o’clock and went to inform Qinghao Ge. He said he needed to pack some things and told me to meet him at that abandoned factory we used to hang out at. But when I got there… when I got there…”

“Spit it out!”

“He was… he was shot…”

The boy’s voice trailed off, his eyes filled with horror.

“You’re saying only you and him knew about the meeting place?”

Lu Kai immediately grasped the key point.

“Yes, we talked on the phone. Only we knew…” The boy’s eyes widened in realization. “No way, Kai Ge, you don’t think…”

What did it mean if only two people knew about the meeting place?

“Don’t jump to conclusions.”

Pai Ge, seeing that Lu Kai was about to lash out, casually placed a playing card between them. “Did you call the police?”

“N-not yet… that area is deserted. I…”

“Alright, let’s end the meeting here. We need to go to that factory and investigate. If any of you are afraid of seeing a dead body, or have other matters to attend to, you’re free to leave.”

No. 44 Continuing the Endless Road

On our way back, Xiaodie kept talking about my mother.

“Yi Yao, your mom is so positive! She even peeled an orange for me while you were gone. She’s the epitome of a good mother.”

“And she doesn’t seem sick at all. She’s always cheerful, and she was like a little kid when we played Dou Di Zhu(‘fighting the landlord’).”

But my mind was elsewhere.

During our half-hour visit, I had sensed that my mother wanted to tell me something, but she had held back because of my father’s presence.

I knew their future, both my father’s and my mother’s, but I couldn’t fathom what she wanted to say.

As for my father’s concerns, I didn’t take them to heart.

Like Liang Zhenyi, I was a loyal person. Once I considered someone a friend, I would help them however I could, without expecting anything in return.

In this society, friendship had become transactional.

After graduating from university, most people chose their friends based on their usefulness: “Will their personality hold me back?” “Can their connections benefit me?” “Will their luck rub off on me and make me rich?”

Like Liang Zhenyi’s naive belief that “helping friends now will guarantee their support in the future,” such a mindset negated the very essence of friendship.

It was true that Xiaodie had been nothing but trouble since we met. Kidnapped one day, drugged the next, her personality constantly shifting. Even I was surprised that we had become friends.

Perhaps I saw a reflection of my own past in her.

“Yi Yao, Yi Yao, what are we having for dinner tonight?”

She dragged me to the bustling market near her complex. As expected, despite knowing the way, she looked completely out of her element, her eyes darting around in confusion.

“It depends on what you like.” I shrugged. “You’re the one treating.”

“Hmm… something good for my skin?”

You’re already beautiful. What more do you want?

Whether due to genetics or her skincare routine, she had flawless skin. Yi Yao had similar skin, but I knew from her memories that she had never used any skincare products.

Was it because of her training?

“Any food you dislike?”

“No.”

“Okay.”

Beauty was a form of health preservation. Skin problems were essentially health problems. If your body was free of toxins, your skin would naturally improve. Cosmetics and skincare products could only mask the symptoms, not address the root cause.

Of course, I was just making this up. I wasn’t a girl in my previous life. I had only worked briefly at a health spa and knew some basic health tips.

In the end, I convinced her to buy pork trotters, sour plums, soy milk, broccoli, and a bunch of bananas.

“Pork trotters and chicken feet are rich in collagen, which is good for your skin and slows down aging.”

We arrived at her villa, laden with groceries. As I stepped inside, I was greeted by a chaotic living room.

Clothes, even underwear, were strewn across the sofa. Tables and lamps were overturned, and the floor was covered in dust and crumpled papers. It looked nothing like a home.

I remembered her apartment being clean and tidy during my previous visit. Xiaodie might have her flaws, but she was meticulous about cleanliness.

“They’re going to search the place because of Dad’s situation. I might have to move to the new house soon, so I’m packing.”

She explained, noticing my surprised expression.

I see…

But in your heart, this place is no longer “home,” is it?

You would rather seek refuge in the home of your enemy than return here.

“What are you going to do?”

I carried the groceries into the kitchen, examined the equipment, and started washing the ingredients and utensils.

“If Dad can’t get out of this, he’ll be arrested, and I’ll have to move to the new house.”

“Don’t you have any other relatives?”

“My grandmother, who raised me, passed away last year. And my other relatives are avoiding me like the plague.”

“I see…”

“Let’s not talk about that now. Yi Yao, teach me how to cook! I want to be able to cook for myself in the new house.”

Her cheerful tone couldn’t mask the sadness in her eyes.

Huang Yingdie was born on December 13, 2000. Technically, she was still a fifteen-year-old girl. She had grown up in a single-parent household, rarely seeing her father, and now, she was facing this crisis alone.

So many parents had high hopes for their children. But how much support and guidance had they actually provided?

After dinner, as Xiaodie showered me with compliments, my phone rang.

“Yi Yao, it’s me. Are you with Xiaodie?”

I glanced at her, who was happily gnawing on a pork trotter. “Yes.”

“Bring her to the training session tonight. Tell her to dress formally.”

“Formally? What do you mean?”

“Just tell her to avoid revealing clothes. It’s a special occasion. We’ve invited everyone from the Black Dragon Society and the Jiang Nan Gang.”

“Okay.”

I hung up and looked at Xiaodie. “Your current outfit should be fine.”

She looked up, confused. “Hmm?”

She was wearing the same denim overalls she had worn to the plaza meeting. It made her look younger, but it was definitely not revealing.

“Nothing. Just come with me to a place later. Your Jiang Nan Gang friends will be there too.”

“Is it about the spy?”

“Spy?”

“You know, the one who hired those people to harass your father’s shop and cause trouble between us.”

I had almost forgotten about that.

“I don’t know. It must be something important. Are you full?”

“Yes, yes. It’s all your fault, Yi Yao. Your cooking is too good.”

…

When we arrived at the basement of the entertainment complex, Pai Ge, Dati, and the others were already there. The usually empty space was now crowded with people.

“Holy shit, I never knew this entire arcade belonged to the Black Dragon Society!”

“Yeah, internet cafes are so expensive these days. If I had known about this place, I would have been playing games here every day.”

Hua She, Liang Zhenyi, and the others were playing pool with Yi Yao’s former “brothers.” They greeted me enthusiastically. “Yo, Yi Yao, long time no see!”

“Long time no see.”

I didn’t have any real connection with them, but they had been a part of Yi Yao’s life for over a year. I considered them friends, for her sake.

“Pai Ge.”

Pai Ge, still looking like a spoiled rich kid, was sitting at the poker table, his attention focused solely on his cards, even as Xiaodie and I approached him.

“What did you want to see us about?”

I remembered that this basement level was restricted to members only. Was it really okay to have so many outsiders here?

“Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to let you know that from now on, the Black Dragon Society and this building are yours.”

He dropped a pair of Aces onto the table, his words stunning me. “I fold.”

“What… what did you say?”

I almost spilled my tea.

“The Black Dragon Society is yours now. And this entertainment complex. Long Fei’s plan was to hand over the reins to you when you were ready, but you’ve exceeded his expectations.” Ouyang Dati chuckled and handed me a bank card. “We haven’t prepared the official documents yet because you’re still a minor, but the owner and the manager are both our people. If they encounter any problems they can’t handle, you can step in.”

“What the hell is going on?”

I took the card, staring at my name printed on it. “Why this sudden decision?”

“Dati can’t get involved in this. He’s from the military. And you know the situation in Upper Capital City is a bit tense right now. We’re short-handed.”

Pai Ge ended the card game with a flourish, tossing two Jokers onto the table, then took off his top hat. “Or you can consider this a responsibility of the Pai family. We teach you martial arts, you manage our business.”

But this was practically abandoning the business! They had an owner, a manager, and now they were giving me a bank card, implying I was in charge of the finances?

“Can I refuse?”

I had enough on my plate. I didn’t want to take on any more responsibilities.

Ouyang Dati scratched his head, looking troubled. “Well… you can refuse, but we still need you to handle the Black Dragon Society. You’re closer to Hua She and the others…”

“That’s fine.”

Managing those “brothers” was manageable.

We didn’t have a strict hierarchy. We played together, we fought together. Hua She even used to fight with Long Fei when he was around. Now, they were like brothers.

“Then it’s settled. Actually, the main reason we called you here today was to discuss Xiaodie’s situation.”

“Me?” Xiaodie, unsure of Pai Ge’s status, asked timidly, “What about me?”

Pai Ge smiled faintly, his gaze fixed on her pale face. “What do you think of Huang Qinghao?”

No. 43 Blurred by Rouge

Just as I remembered, Mom had been transferred to the nearest hospital, City Central Hospital, yesterday.

Traditional Chinese medicine was indeed more effective in treating chronic illnesses compared to Western medicine.

Most things in this world could be disguised with flowery words or beautiful images, but not death. For living beings, death was the ultimate end, abrupt and cruel. Excess words only amplified the sorrow.

The debate between Chinese and Western medicine was a long-standing one. But what I never understood was, if there was a 100 yuan bill and a 400 New Taiwan dollar bill on the ground, why would people argue about which one to pick up?

Why not pick up both?

“Don’t press too hard when you’re cutting. It’ll toughen the meat. Just chop it into small pieces.”

I demonstrated basic knife skills to Xiaodie in my kitchen.

“Next, we need to remove the gamey smell from the meat. There are many ways to do this. Most families just use cooking wine. But we can’t use alcohol for this dish, since it’s for my mother, and she has a blood disorder. Ginger has blood-activating and detoxifying properties, so it’s perfect for removing the gamey smell.”

I mixed the chopped meat with minced ginger, added some salt and warm water, then washed my hands. “Let it sit for a while. Xiaodie, can you pass me the sweet potato leaves?”

“Okay!”

I took the washed leaves from her and turned on the stove. “We need to preheat the wok before stir-frying vegetables. Hot wok, cold oil. Then we add the leaves.”

“Sweet potato leaves are good for digestion, anti-aging, increasing platelet count, and stopping bleeding. My mom is bedridden and doesn’t get much exercise, so eating sweet potatoes and their leaves is good for her health. Oh, and garlic. Adding a clove or two while cooking can prevent most digestive tract diseases. It’s also a great seasoning.”

It was worth noting that garlic belonged to the lily family.

I skillfully tossed the ingredients into the wok, and soon, the aroma of stir-fried vegetables filled the kitchen.

“The meat should be ready now. Remove some of the ginger, add salt and water, and steam it.”

When I was a child, I was a picky eater. My mother often chased me around with a bowl of steamed minced pork soup to ensure I got enough nutrients. Now, it was my turn to take care of her.

“What’s wrong?”

I turned around, noticing Xiaodie’s silence.

“You’re so amazing…”

Her eyes sparkled with admiration.

“Huh?”

“Yi Yao, you know, you look like a perfect housewife right now. Whoever marries you will be so lucky… no, I won’t let that happen! Marry me, Yi Yao!”

She suddenly hugged me. “I’ve decided! You’re my personal chef from now on.”

“Hey, hey…”

They said the way to a girl’s heart was through her stomach. But in reality, few girls actively sought to have their stomachs conquered.

To save money, most working-class people had given up on takeout and learned to cook for themselves.

Seven years from now, the average starting salary for graduates in Upper Capital City would be 2,000 yuan. After deducting 600 yuan for rent, 100 yuan for utilities, and other living expenses like phone bills and toiletries, you would only have about 1,000 yuan left for food. Which meant you couldn’t afford to eat takeout every day. You had to learn to cook.

And that was assuming you were healthy and didn’t encounter any unexpected expenses.

Even a common cold could cost you hundreds of yuan in medical bills. And if you accidentally scratched a luxury car, the compensation could bankrupt you.

On top of that, I still had to repay my father’s debts and my student loans.

Desperate times called for desperate measures.

“With that attitude, you’ll never find a husband.”

After the soup and porridge were ready, I packed them into a special insulated container my father had bought for hospital patients. “Let’s go,” I said to Xiaodie.

“But I haven’t discovered your secret yet!”

Huang Yingdie, in my apartment, was like a curious kitten, exploring every nook and cranny. “I don’t believe you’ve always been this strong. You must be afraid of something.”

“I’m afraid of dealing with girls like you.”

I sighed and opened the door. “If you don’t come in, I’m locking you out.”

“Wait, wait, I’m coming!”

She rushed in, changed her shoes, and took the food container from me. “It smells so good… Your mother must be so happy.”

“I hope so…”

I couldn’t forget my mother’s words from my previous life, spoken on the day she died.

“Yi Yao, I wish you were a girl…”

She hadn’t left me with any grand advice, like “study hard” or “find a good wife.” Just that one cryptic sentence.

I knew she had been trying to tell me something, but I had been too preoccupied with my studies to understand.

If I were a girl, how would my life be different?

Would I have been tricked into the world of martial arts because I was more approachable to girls? Would my father have ignored my declining grades and my rebellious internet cafe escapades? Would he have refused to support my education?

Those didn’t seem like positive changes.

Our apartment was within walking distance of City Central Hospital. We chatted as we walked, and soon, we arrived at the hematology department.

“Mom.”

I led Xiaodie straight to my mother’s ward, familiar with the layout.

Four beds, one empty, three patients.

Hmm… I remembered an elderly woman being admitted to that empty bed in a week. She would pass away three days later.

Hospitals were like battlefields. You never knew when your fellow patients would leave this world.

You could be laughing and joking with them one day, and the next day, they would be gone.

“Xiaoyao.” My mother wasn’t hooked up to any IV drips or blood transfusions today. It seemed her condition had stabilized.

“Is she… the mayor’s daughter?”

Her words drew the attention of the other two patients.

“Hello, Auntie.”

Xiaodie, seemingly unfazed by their stares, smiled brightly, placed the food container on the bedside table, and sat down on a stool beside my mother. “My name is Huang Yingdie. You can call me Xiaodie.”

“Xiaodie… what a beautiful name.”

My mother tried to reach out from under the covers, then stopped, just smiling at her.

I had seen her hands countless times. The frequent injections had caused her veins to collapse, so the nurses had left a catheter in her arm for easy access.

She probably didn’t want to scare the young girl.

“Mom, where’s Dad?”

I pulled out the privacy screen and set up the adjustable table for her meals.

“He said he was going to buy some fruit.”

She watched me set up the table, her brow furrowed. “Yi Yao, you already know how to use this equipment? We just transferred here.”

My hand froze as I was opening the food container.

Damn it, I forgot this was my first time here.

I could explain away my familiarity with the bed by saying I had asked the nurses. But I shouldn’t know how to set up the meal table. Even in my previous life, I had needed my father’s help to figure it out. Which meant that, without prior experience, I wouldn’t even know such a device existed.

But I had assembled it so effortlessly…

“I saw it in a magazine article about this hospital.”

I made up an excuse and laid out the porridge and soup. “Let’s not worry about that now. Eat your dinner. I bought everything from the local market. Fresh and organic.”

My phone buzzed with a new message. I glanced at it. It was from my father: “Yi Yao, I’m outside your mother’s ward. Come out for a minute. I need to talk to you.”

“Mom, I’ll be right back. Xiaodie, can you keep her company?”

“Of course.” She was too excited about tasting my cooking to question me.

I stepped out of the ward and saw my father standing by the stairwell, smoking a cigarette. He waved at me.

“What’s wrong?”

I walked over, covering my nose, my brow furrowed.

He took a long drag, then extinguished the cigarette and tossed it into the trash can. “You’re friends with Huang Yingdie?”

“Yes.”

“Have you seen the online comments about the mayor?”

“No, why?”

I had been busy with martial arts training every day. Even when I was online, I only browsed the computer forums. I had no time for gossip.

“The internet is going crazy. They’re saying he embezzled a hundred million yuan.”

“That’s impossible. You can’t believe everything you read online.”

Although he would eventually be executed for embezzling tens of millions and causing severe economic damage to the city…

“Anyway, I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to continue associating with Xiaodie.”

“Even if he’s corrupt, it’s his problem, not hers.”

“Have you considered what will happen if he’s convicted? What if Xiaodie becomes homeless and asks you for money? Will you support her?”

Like most people in this city, my father was an opportunist.

He went with the flow, siding with whoever was in power.

It was a basic survival strategy, I suppose.

“Don’t worry, even if her family falls apart, she won’t ask me for money.” I patted his shoulder. “She’s in Mom’s ward right now. If you don’t trust her, go see for yourself.”

No. 42 Searching for a Face to Bid Farewell

I quit my part-time job at the Taekwondo gym and dedicated myself to mastering the Pai family’s techniques under Luo Wei’s guidance every evening after school.

According to Ouyang Dati, the Pai family was a martial arts lineage that had existed in Yixian Province for over a century. They were known for their low profile and rarely accepted outsiders as disciples.

They didn’t prioritize bloodlines, but they valued talent. Anyone with good character who passed their rigorous training could become a formal member of the Pai family.

However, two years ago, this peaceful and unassuming family had been massacred.

It sounded like something out of a martial arts novel, but it was a harsh reality. On that fateful day, everyone in the Pai family, except for Pai Ge and his missing uncle, had been killed. Pai Ge, carrying the family’s wealth, had disguised himself as a delinquent and joined the Black Dragon Society, living a “difficult” life of gathering information and indulging in pleasures.

He hadn’t told me who their enemies were, nor did he intend to involve me in this matter. I didn’t press him for details.

Meanwhile, Huang Yingdie’s personality had changed after learning about her father’s situation.

She was less shy, less demanding, and less prone to tantrums.

She could go to the restroom by herself, answer questions without hesitation, and even thank the group leader for collecting her homework.

I could see her trying to adapt to this new reality.

Perhaps, like Yi Yao, she had been hiding her vulnerability behind a facade of aloofness and defiance.

However, one thing worried me: she still avoided interacting with boys.

She was somewhat okay with male teachers, but she often ignored her male classmates. When a boy in our class, who was both handsome and academically gifted, gave her a love letter, she returned it unopened in front of everyone. Within three days of transferring, she had offended most of the boys in our class.

Love letters were unheard of in our school. Boys in this era were generally shy. The bolder ones had followed Huang Qinghao’s path and joined gangs. So, the incident with the love letter quickly spread throughout the school, and her rejection cemented her image as an unattainable goddess in the minds of those single boys.

That’s how males were. The more unattainable something was, the more they desired it. Conversely, if a girl was too eager, too available, they wouldn’t cherish her.

“Just you wait, I’ll win her over.”

“I bet she rejected him because he’s not rich. Maybe we should ask that rich kid in our class to try.”

“No way. He spends all his money on games. He wouldn’t waste it on a girl. I think our class president has a better chance. He’s handsome and good at basketball.”

“Not necessarily. What if she likes younger guys? Maybe we should try a crossdresser.”

“Ew! Don’t even suggest that! We’re roommates! If you do that, we’re no longer friends.”

Rumors and speculations spread like wildfire. Everyone was trying to figure out what could win the heart of the “school beauty.”

Most ninth-graders were boarders. Bored and with too much time on their hands, they could milk a single topic for weeks.

Only I knew their efforts were futile.

Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t targeting any specific boy. I meant that all the boys in the school had no chance.

Xiaodie was suffering from a broken heart. She was still healing. Pursuing her now would only worsen her condition.

Her boyfriend had tried to drug and assault her, her friend had been stabbed, and she had just transferred to a new school. And now, these boys were writing her love letters and professing their undying love. Even an animal could tell they were only attracted to her looks, driven by hormones.

“Yi Yao, can you help me with this problem?”

It was Friday afternoon, and the teacher for the second period was absent, giving us a self-study session. Xiaodie, as usual, turned to me for help.

Despite her initial struggles, her grades had improved significantly since transferring from Nurturing Talent. As she put it, “It feels like I’ve gone from a primitive farming village to a modern metropolis. I feel so much more alive.”

“This triangle is equilateral. This side is equal to this side. You can use the Pythagorean theorem to calculate the lengths of the two sides. If they’re equal, you’ve proven it.”

“Do I need to use any formulas?”

“The cotangent formula. Page 241 in the textbook.”

“Oh…” She flipped to the page, her face lighting up with understanding. “I see! You’re a genius, Yi Yao.”

“You can do it too if you practice enough.”

These junior high problems were child’s play for me, like a high school student solving elementary school math.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the period.

“Yes! PE!”

A few boys, carrying basketballs, rushed past me. One of them turned back at the doorway. “Yi Yao, want to play basketball later?”

I smiled. “Let me know if you need an extra player. Aren’t you guys always fighting for court space?”

“Heh, if we can’t get a court, we’ll just play with Class 12. Now that you’re on our side, we’re not afraid of anyone.”

He glanced at Huang Yingdie, then waved at me. “We’ll be going now.”

“Be careful.”

I turned around and saw Xiaodie frowning at me.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing!” She slammed her textbook shut, her voice petulant. “Yi Yao, can you come over for dinner tonight?”

She added, “Just the two of us. I want to learn how to cook from you.”

A week was enough time for two strangers to become close friends, especially since Xiaodie and I had already known each other for over a month.

Through countless conversations during breaks, we had learned more about each other.

I discovered that she was an anime fan, that she had a terrible sense of direction, and that she loved exploring new places.

Aloof, tsundere, innocent, yandere—she could switch between countless personalities depending on the situation. Sometimes, even I couldn’t tell which one was the real her. Or perhaps, she was simply a free spirit, unbound by labels.

She had once told me that her dream was to “live in a small but cozy home, where she could watch anime, attend conventions in cosplay, and explore the world with someone she loved.”

Huang Yingdie defied my expectations of a spoiled rich girl. She rarely spent money extravagantly, never asked her father for anything unless it was necessary, and never used her connections for personal gain. Apparently, few people in the Jiang Nan Gang, besides Huang Qinghao, knew she was the mayor’s daughter.

She had met Huang Qinghao through a coincidence similar to mine: her father had repeatedly broken his promise to take her out on weekends, so she had gone to an arcade in a fit of anger and met the local delinquents there.

“It’s just dinner for two. How complicated can it be?”

I capped my pen, stretched, and stood up.

She jumped up and hugged me, her arms wrapped around mine, her voice playful. “I want to learn everything you’re good at, Yi Yao.”

“I’m not good at anything special. Just basic home cooking.”

We left the classroom. The scorching sun made me realize that my skin would definitely get tanned if I stayed out too long.

Had I become so accustomed to being a girl that even my thought process had changed?

“Home cooking is fine. Training doesn’t start until eight. Just keep me company.”

Our relationship was somewhere between friendship and romance. She was incredibly dependent on me at school, and even at home, she would often message me on QQ, sharing everything from her father being harassed by reporters to what kind of underwear she was wearing. Although she claimed I was just her best friend, I couldn’t shake the feeling that our dynamic was a bit strange.

“I can keep you company, but I need to visit my mother at the hospital after school.”

Between a girlfriend and family, most people would choose family.

Besides, she wasn’t even my girlfriend.

“Okay, I’ll come with you.”

To my surprise, she agreed readily. “Let’s get our story straight. What’s our relationship?”

“Friends… I guess?”

“Okay, friends. How long have we known each other?”

“A month?”

“Your mother wouldn’t be comfortable with that. We’re best friends who have known each other for six months.”

“Wait, my mother reads the newspapers. She knows who you are.”

“So what? Can’t I be friends with you for six months?”

“Fine, six months it is…”

“…”

This was getting ridiculous.

[Volume Title] Volume 2: Holding Your Hand Tightly

No. 41 Gently Untangling the Threads

We were in the basement of the entertainment complex.

Besides Pai Ge, I also saw Ouyang Dati and Lu Yibing, who had been absent for a while.

The other Black Dragon Society members, who usually filled the room, were nowhere to be seen. The basement, with its empty tables and chairs, felt strangely desolate.

“Let’s get straight to the point.”

Pai Ge gestured for us to sit around the largest poker table, then tossed two Joker cards onto the felt surface. “Upper Capital City is like these two Jokers. Everyone wants them, the highest bidder wins.”

“Naturally, we, the Black Dragon Society, have no interest in power struggles. Even if the entire Yixian Province collapses, we won’t bat an eye.”

“Whoosh!”

He suddenly flicked a card towards Xiaodie, who caught it reflexively.

She flipped it over. It was the Ace of Hearts.

“Haha, you’re just like Yi Yao. Excellent reflexes and focus.” He chuckled, then took a sip of tea from his cup. “You must have noticed what’s happening with your father.”

She nodded silently.

“Someone is targeting him. At this rate, his downfall is inevitable.”

Under Pai Ge’s enigmatic smile, Huang Yingdie finally spoke. “What do you need me to do?”

“No, no, little sister, you’ve misunderstood us from the start.”

He waved his hand dismissively. “We don’t interfere in politics. And even if we wanted to, it’s too late. You seem to be unaware of the reality of the situation. We didn’t call you and Yi Yao here to help your father.”

Her hands, resting on her lap, trembled slightly.

“You’re Yi Yao’s… friend? Let’s just say that. Yi Yao is one of us, and we don’t want her to get hurt. Do you understand?”

“Pai Ge,” I interrupted, “I don’t quite understand…”

“Someone in this city has concrete evidence of your father’s corruption. They’re planning to expose him to the media, along with their allies. When that happens, not only your father, but all his associates in Upper Capital City will be destroyed. Yi Yao, if you’re still close to his daughter when that happens, you’ll be dragged down with them.”

I was stunned.

In the other world, Huang Yingdie’s father had indeed been executed for corruption.

But not this early. I remembered his downfall happening in 2017. Why…

“Originally, those people wouldn’t have been able to touch him this year. But he made a fatal mistake.”

“Mistake?”

Pai Ge gestured towards Ouyang Dati.

“Yi Yao, you remember the kidnapping incident, right?” Ouyang Dati sighed. “That organization had connections in Upper Capital City and the Golden Triangle. That’s why I assigned a sniper to protect you. But I didn’t expect the mayor to use all his resources to eliminate their entire network in the city within three days. He gave his enemies the perfect opportunity to strike.”

So that’s what happened…

If I hadn’t saved Xiaodie, her father wouldn’t have taken such drastic measures, and his crimes wouldn’t have been exposed.

Because she lived, her father’s fate was altered.

My actions had inadvertently affected the entire city.

“Is there nothing we can do? Like destroying the evidence…”

“Politics is a complicated game. It would take three nights to explain everything. And he has indeed committed many unspeakable acts. Yi Yao, all I can tell you is that, within a week, his crimes will be exposed. And once public opinion turns against him, even Huang Tianqi won’t be able to save him.”

“Those people?”

“Their identities are irrelevant. We have two issues to address. First, Huang Yingdie, what’s your plan when your father’s empire crumbles? Second, Yi Yao, you and Huang Yingdie have been in the news twice, portrayed as close friends. When her father is publicly condemned, you’ll inevitably be implicated. What will you do then?”

Huang Yingdie stood up abruptly.

“I understand.”

She kept her head down, her expression hidden.

Her voice was calm, eerily calm.

Even the usually clueless Xiaodie could understand the underlying message: your family is in trouble, and it’s affecting Yi Yao. We’re here to help, as friends.

“I just remembered I have something to do at home. I’ll be going now.”

She turned and walked towards the elevator, her head still bowed, her voice flat.

“Xiaodie!”

I instinctively reached for her arm, but she pulled away. I looked at Pai Ge, who simply gestured for me to let her go.

“Xiaodie! Wait!”

I squeezed into the elevator just as the doors were closing. I looked at her, her small frame trembling slightly, and said gently, “This isn’t your fault.”

“I know…”

She suddenly threw her arms around me, burying her face in my shoulder. “I know… I knew it would happen someday… ever since I saw Dad accepting bribes…”

“I hate him so much, but why does my heart ache knowing he’s going to be taken away from me…”

The elevator was a small, enclosed space. I could smell her faint fragrance.

We hadn’t pressed any buttons, and the lights dimmed.

Only our soft breaths broke the silence.

“Yi Yao…”

She whispered after a long silence.

“Hmm?”

“Do you think death is scary?”

“Yes.”

“My father wouldn’t have gone down this path if it weren’t for me… Two years ago, I was seriously ill. The treatment was expensive. He had no choice but to use his power to gather funds. The surgery was successful, but on the day I was discharged, I was forced to wear a fancy dress and attend a banquet for those who had helped me, to face the reporters. I’ve hated public appearances ever since.”

“I’d rather face hundreds of enemies than those hypocrites. They constantly remind me that I’m only alive because of their charity…”

“Once you start down this path, there’s no turning back. Dad has been telling me that he’s bought me a new house with his legitimate earnings and that I should move out soon. But… I can’t leave. If I leave too, he’ll have nothing left…”

She released me and wiped her tears. “Sorry for burdening you with my problems. I feel better now that I’ve said it out loud.”

“It’s okay.”

I smiled faintly. “My family is in a similar situation. My mother doesn’t have much time left, and my father wants me to drop out of school and get a job to support the family.”

“Sounds like your family favors boys over girls.”

“They do. Our entire clan does.”

“Then you…”

“I won’t give up. And neither will you.”

I scratched my cheek awkwardly. “Although I still don’t understand how we became so close.”

“Fate.”

“Yes, it must be fate.”

“Heehee, you have your cute moments, Yi Yao.”

She pressed the button for the ground floor.

“What are you doing?”

She pushed me out of the elevator. “I want to go home alone.”

The doors started to close.

“Don’t worry, everything will be fine. I survived a gunshot, you survived a stab wound. We’re both still here. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.”

Her voice faded as the elevator descended.

“How did it go?”

Pai Ge approached me, a deck of cards in his hand, his face cheerful.

I nodded. “She’ll be fine. She’s not the type to give up.”

“Honestly, I never expected your relationship to develop this way.” Ouyang Dati chimed in. “I thought you were just helping her for the money. But now, it seems like there’s something more. Yi Yao, are you falling for her?”

“Please, even if I was, she wouldn’t be interested.”

I walked back to the poker table, picked up Pai Ge’s teacup, and took a sip. “So, what do we do now?”

Pai Ge shrugged. “Huang Zhiqiang’s fate is sealed. We have neither the desire nor the ability to interfere in politics. The decision is yours.”

“Mine?”

“Yes. That’s why we called Dati and Bing Bing here. Ouyang Dati has connections in the military. He can’t get involved in politics, but he can protect a girl. If you insist on saving Huang Yingdie, we can take her to a safe place, Bing Bing’s master’s place.”

He gestured towards the emotionless girl who was licking her lollipop.

Ouyang Dati sighed. “I can protect her, but it’s a remote mountain area. Sending a pampered girl to a place like that… I doubt she’ll last long. Look at Bing Bing. She was a perfectly normal girl, but martial arts training turned her into…”

“Thud!”

A lollipop hit him squarely on the head.

“Don’t… don’t throw knives! Bing Bing, I’m sorry!”

Ignoring their antics, I looked at Pai Ge. “Are there any other options?”

“Other options? The other option is to do nothing. Let nature take its course.”

“That’s an option?”

“Haha, I’m not finished. By ‘doing nothing,’ I mean Ouyang Dati won’t provide any protection. But don’t forget, Yi Yao, you’re a wild card.”

“You escaped from kidnappers, you saved Huang Yingdie from Huang Qinghao. My gut feeling tells me you have the power to change people’s fates.”

“You’re practically a member of the Pai family now. We’ll train you unconditionally.”

He walked over to me and patted my shoulder, a knowing smile on his face. “How you use the skills we teach you is entirely up to you.”

No. 40 Praying in Vain

“Hold it right there!”

A crescent moon rose in the sky.

Dim streetlights flickered around the plaza.

The children and elderly who had been playing here earlier had vanished.

“Our boss gave us strict orders. You’re not leaving until you sign this contract.”

The tall man in black grabbed Huang Yingdie’s arm as she turned to leave.

“Here’s 200,000 yuan. Please don’t make us…”

She reacted instantly, spinning around and delivering a roundhouse kick to his face.

Caught off guard, he stumbled backward, clutching his cheek in pain. He only recovered after his companions steadied him.

“Don’t fight! Don’t fight!”

The man who had initially spoken to Xiaodie rushed between them, trying to prevent a brawl.

“Gao Lao Da(Gao Boss), let’s talk this over. Don’t hurt her. She’s the mayor’s…”

“Get out of my way!”

The tall man, enraged, kneed the man in the stomach, sending him sprawling to the ground. He then approached Huang Yingdie, his face contorted with anger. “You’re a feisty one, aren’t you? Heh, I’ll teach you a lesson.”

“Yi Yao…”

The man on the ground, clutching his stomach, gasped for air and gestured towards me. “Run… run away…”

“Bang!”

A muffled gunshot echoed through the plaza, silencing him. He collapsed, motionless.

We were alone now.

“Hold your fire. I’ll teach these bitches how to please a man.”

He waved at his three remaining companions, then stretched and cracked his knuckles, approaching us with a menacing grin. “You two can come at me together. I don’t mind.”

Xiaodie, what kind of people do you associate with?

My mind raced, searching for an escape route, my eyes scanning for any potential weapons.

Excluding the unconscious man on the ground, there were four of them, all presumably armed. The odds were stacked against us.

Perhaps the only good news was that they probably wouldn’t kill us, at least not immediately.

“Who do you think you are?!”

Huang Yingdie launched another kick, but this time, he caught her leg mid-air, his grip firm.

“Taekwondo? Ah, yes, that fancy dance routine they perform on stage.”

He scoffed, then tossed her aside like a rag doll. He turned to me, his eyes narrowed. “You’re Yi Yao, right? I know about you. As expected of a martial artist, you’re still calm even in this situation.”

Do you want me to cry for you?

I glanced at Huang Yingdie, who was lying on the ground. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine…”

She clenched her fists, her eyes burning with defiance.

“Ooh, tough girl, huh? Still in the mood for chit-chat? Looks like I need to teach you a lesson.”

I reacted instantly, raising my leg and assuming a defensive stance. A powerful blow landed on my knee.

“Women are just playthings for men. Understand?”

I wasn’t going to stand there and wait for another attack. I retreated, dodging two punches, then faced him, ready to fight.

He was too tall. At least 1.8 meters. I couldn’t reach his head.

My gaze shifted to his chest.

His heart was on the left side. If I could land a kick there…

“Don’t think we’ll go easy on you like that pathetic Huang Qinghao. He’s useless, except for the drugging part. I’ll give him credit for that.”

“What did you say?”

Huang Yingdie, who had just gotten up, trembled with rage. “Is that how you men view us? As objects?”

“Isn’t it the truth? All’s fair in love and war. I don’t see anything wrong with what he did. It’s like training a dog. If it doesn’t obey, you punish it. If punishment doesn’t work, you drug it.”

“Don’t flatter yourself. We keep you around, we pamper you, only because you can bear our children. A beautiful wife produces beautiful offspring. Don’t play hard to get. Just be Qinghao’s woman, and we wouldn’t have to go through all this trouble. Stop acting like you’re so special.”

This is bad.

I knew Huang Yingdie was about to snap.

She had already been hurt by one man. Hearing this, her opinion of men would probably plummet to rock bottom.

“I’m saying this to your faces. What are you going to do about it? Huh?”

He chuckled, enjoying our anger. “Come on, I have plenty of time. I don’t mind playing with you two.”

“You!”

Huang Yingdie lunged at him, but I stopped her.

“I’ll handle this.”

I pulled out the playing cards I had prepared, closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and assumed the Pai family’s offensive stance.

“What’s that? Some new magic trick?”

“If you’re so confident in your masculinity, why don’t you put away your weapon?”

I glanced at the silenced pistol concealed beneath his jacket.

“Haha, fine.”

He tossed the gun to one of his men and cracked his knuckles, assuming a typical kickboxing stance. “Let’s see how the genius Taekwondo instructor fights without Taekwondo.”

The moonlight was bright.

The faint sound of a car approaching reached our ears.

As the engine noise faded, I charged towards him.

The playing cards in my hand blurred into motion, aimed at his neck.

Pai Ge was right. What I lacked was confidence.

And I couldn’t back down, not in front of my junior.

“You’re trying to slit my throat with playing cards?”

He finally lost his smirk, sensing the shift in my demeanor. He dodged my attack, then threw a punch at my chest.

He fell for it.

I ducked, slid behind him, and delivered a powerful kick to his knee. I drew the knives from my pants, moved in front of him as he stumbled, and kicked him in the stomach. He collapsed to the ground. The entire sequence took less than ten seconds.

“Don’t move!”

I pressed the knives against his throat.

“Heh… hahaha… I underestimated you.”

He chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. “But you’re either naive or foolish. You think this will stop my men from shooting? You think your knives are faster than bullets?”

I smiled faintly. “What do you think is faster? Their pistols or a sniper rifle?”

As I spoke, countless red dots appeared on the foreheads of the four men, including the one beneath my knives.

“What?!”

He looked around, confused. “You called the police?”

“Do you think the police are that efficient?”

Pai Ge emerged from the shadows, dressed in his suit and top hat, twirling a playing card between his fingers. He looked at me with approval. “Well done, Yi Yao. You sensed our presence and mastered the techniques I taught you. You’ve exceeded my expectations.”

“You said the same thing last time.”

I sheathed my knives, helped Huang Yingdie up, and said, “Xiaodie, this is Luo Wei. We call him Pai Ge.”

“Pai… Ge?”

“Haha, just a nickname. Call me whatever you like.”

He waved his hand dismissively, then crouched down beside the man on the ground. “You’re from Da Shan, right?”

The man glared at him defiantly. “So what? You think you can scare me with your guns? I’m not afraid to die.”

“Hey, hey, hey, I never threatened you. You’re free to leave anytime.”

Pai Ge looked innocent. “I’ll give you some face, considering you’re from Da Shan. But let me make this clear: we’re taking Huang Yingdie and Yi Yao with us tonight. Your mission is a bust.”

The man scrambled to his feet, his eyes narrowed. “And what if I refuse?”

“Risking your life for a job? Suit yourself.” Pai Ge pulled out a small notebook and a lighter, then started reading. “Fang Wenhao, resident of Upper Capital City, address: Unit 6, Building 18, Changning Street. Owns another property on Chongyuan Street. Married with one daughter. Parents work in Dingyuan Town… Do you want me to read your friends’ information too?”

The men’s faces turned pale.

He had done his research. They were surrounded.

No one would risk their family’s lives for a pointless standoff.

“Let’s go!”

Under the unwavering gaze of the sniper rifles, they fled the plaza.

“Drugging their own people. These guys are full of tricks.”

Pai Ge stood up after his men carried away the unconscious man.

He didn’t address me immediately. Instead, he turned to Huang Yingdie, his expression serious.

“You’re Huang Yingdie, right? Hmm… this might sound harsh, but if you don’t leave Upper Capital City soon…”

He hesitated, then said, “You’ll die.”

---

[Volume Title] Volume 1: Cherry Blossoms Flutter in the Sky (End)