No. 80 Promises Unforgiven
At seven in the evening, I arrived at the rooftop of the DK Arcade as promised.
DK, Dragon Dark Arcade, was the first official entertainment complex under the Black Dragon Group. Its predecessor was the arcade Pai Ge often took me to, a sprawling space filled with arcade games, PC gaming booths, a cafe, and even an amusement park. After a series of acquisitions and renovations, it had become one of the largest entertainment venues in Upper Capital City.
The arcade had five floors, with the sixth floor being a vast rooftop helipad, usually off-limits to the public. Only the original members of the Black Dragon Society and the Pai family knew the access route.
“You came.”
Hua She stood alone by a water tank, his floral shirt fluttering in the evening breeze, his figure a lonely silhouette against the backdrop of the city lights.
“So, what do you want to talk about?”
I approached him, the shadow of my cape trailing behind me like wilted flower petals.
The city’s excessive light pollution obscured the stars, even here on the rooftop. The moonlight was tinged with an unnatural, almost eerie glow.
“I told you to come alone,” he said, his voice laced with displeasure.
I lifted my chin, letting the wind tousle my hair. “You said you would be alone. You didn’t say anything about me coming alone.”
“Besides…”
I glanced at the girl standing behind me. “Xiaodie isn’t an outsider. We’ve shared meals, we’ve even gone drinking together.”
He frowned, the crimson glow of the city lights casting his face in a sinister light.
“Why are you dressed like that?”
“This?” I looked down at my revealing yet undeniably cool cosplay outfit. “This is Chloe von Einzbern. I lost a bet to Xiaodie.”
Chloe, from the anime “Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya,” had a complex relationship with the protagonist, Illya. Xiaodie had mentioned cosplaying as Illya, so I hadn’t objected to this particular costume.
But I had to admit, the black pants, boots, and tattered cape were stylish, even if the revealing design made me self-conscious.
Hua She bit his lip, his gaze lingering on my outfit.
“The rumors say you like her.”
“They’re not rumors.”
I smiled. “It’s true.”
He clenched his fists, his frustration palpable in the night air.
“I never imagined I’d be competing with a woman for another woman’s affections.”
“I never imagined my own brother would betray me.”
“I…”
He looked away, his guilt evident. “Yi Yao, is there no chance for us?”
“You should be asking yourself that question,” I said coldly. “You were the one who betrayed us, who proposed running away together, who claimed to want to save the city, to change the world.”
“Doesn’t this city need saving?”
His voice rose, his desperation palpable. “Look at those corrupt officials, look at this society! Have you ever seen a city so riddled with crime and violence? Gang fights, shootings, disease, death… what’s the point of saving a place like this?”
“So that’s your justification for betraying your brothers?”
I chuckled mirthlessly. “Spare me the melodrama. I’m not interested in your grand schemes. If you want to walk this path, go ahead. But was that the only reason you called me here tonight?”
He stepped closer, his gaze intense. “Yes. This is what I wanted to talk about. Yi Yao, don’t you see how dangerous this place is? Can you truly find happiness here?”
“Happiness? Let me tell you something. I told Liang Zhenyi and the others that your uncle took you to another city, that we might never see you again.”
He stared at me, stunned. “What… what did they say?”
“They just asked me to tell you to take care of yourself, to stay in touch, to eat well, that sort of thing. They’re good guys. They didn’t suspect a thing.”
I turned away. “If you called me here to rehash the same tired arguments, then my answer is no. I’m not going anywhere. I believe in Upper Capital City, I believe in Xiaodie, I believe in my parents. I’m happy here. Thank you for your concern.”
“Xiaodie, let’s go.”
I sensed a surge of hostility behind me, a sudden shift in the air.
“Clang!”
I drew my knives, deflecting a flying dagger with a swift motion. Several men in black had materialized from the shadows, surrounding us.
Among them were the one-armed man and the man who had spared me at the train station.
“Uncle?”
Hua She stared at the one-armed man, his confusion evident. “I told you…”
“You’re still a child.”
The one-armed man stepped forward, shielding Hua She. He turned to me, his gaze piercing. “Yi Yao. An interesting name. ‘A long journey tests a horse’s strength.’ Thank you for helping us eliminate Shadow.”
Hua She’s eyes widened in horror. “Uncle, you mean…”
“What else? You think we would expend so much effort just to capture a little girl for your sake?”
It all made sense now.
His uncle had never intended to recruit me. I had been bait, a lure to draw out Shadow and expose them to the authorities.
They could then blame everything on Shadow, preserving their own strength and continuing their twisted crusade.
“You’re doing this to your own nephew?” I asked, my voice laced with disgust. “You’re going to scar him for life.”
A parent’s betrayal was a heavy burden for a child to bear.
Perhaps many parents were unaware of the lasting impact of their words, their actions.
“Get a perfect score, and we’ll buy you a computer.”
How many students achieved a perfect score? Three? “That doesn’t count. Get first place in your class next time, and we’ll buy it.”
“You should be more concerned about yourself,” the one-armed man said, nodding towards the man who had captured me. “Bring those two girls to me!”
“Yes, sir.”
The man stepped forward.
“Whoosh!”
The moon, peeking out from behind the clouds, bathed the rooftop in a silvery glow.
A playing card, the Ace of Spades, its edges gleaming with a metallic sheen, spun towards us at a dizzying speed. It sliced through the man’s hair, then embedded itself in the concrete floor with a resounding thud.
“Well, well, well.”
Pai Ge materialized before us, his appearance as sudden and unexpected as a magic trick.
“Such a large group of men, ganging up on two innocent girls?”
He stood tall, his fedora tilted at a jaunty angle, his black suit impeccably tailored, his movements fluid and graceful as he shuffled a deck of cards.
“You…”
The man in black blinked, then chuckled. “You finally decided to show yourself, Luo Wei.”
“This is DK territory, a Pai family establishment. Why wouldn’t I be here?”
He casually tossed six cards behind him.
“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”
Six young men, dressed in similar suits, materialized where the cards landed.
The man in black drew his pistol. “You came prepared.”
Pai Ge shrugged. “You set my little friend free and sent her to me with a message. Your cunning is truly impressive.”
“Enough talk! Where’s your uncle?”
“My uncle? Do you know where he is?”
“Don’t play dumb. You don’t really think you can defeat us with a few playing cards, do you?”
He raised his gun, his finger on the trigger.
“You’re welcome to try.” Pai Ge produced more cards, as if by magic. “But I must warn you, carrying an unlicensed firearm in Upper Capital City carries a life sentence. And I doubt you, a man with such grand ambitions, would risk everything for a few insignificant pawns like us.”
A gentle breeze ruffled his hair, creating a dramatic effect.
The man in black narrowed his eyes, glancing at the one-armed man.
“Is he the obstacle you mentioned?”
“No, he’s ‘that man’s’ nephew.”
“Interesting.”
The one-armed man studied Pai Ge intently for a moment, then waved his hand dismissively. “The Pai family, huh? Tell your grandfather that after we’re done with those Upper Capital City fools, we’re coming for you.”
“Retreat.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”
They leaped from the rooftop, disappearing into the darkness with an agility that defied their size. The five-story drop was nothing to them.
The moon emerged from behind the clouds, bathing the rooftop in a silvery light.
“How did I do, Yi Yao? Was I cool?” Pai Ge asked, tossing his cards aside and producing a glass of red wine, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Instead of bragging,” I said, glancing at the young men behind him, “maybe you could explain how you all just appeared out of thin air.”
“Haven’t you seen those movies? Teleportation.”
“Seriously.”
“Seriously, it’s a bit complicated to explain. It’s a form of illusion. Or magic, if you prefer.” He took a sip of his wine. “Like life, don’t take it too seriously.”
“It’s not that I want to take it seriously…” I glanced at Xiaodie, her eyes sparkling with awe.
Her anime-infused brain would be fascinated by this.
“That was amazing!”
As expected, she rushed towards Pai Ge, her voice filled with admiration. “Tell me, tell me, how did you do it? I want to learn!”
You want to stand on a lamppost like Gilgamesh?
“Well…” He cleared his throat, sensing my jealousy. “It’s a Pai family secret. I’ll teach Yi Yao, and she can teach you later.”
He patted my shoulder, a smug grin on his face.
“You have some visitors downstairs.”
Leave a Reply