No. 81 Mysterious Magic in a Dreamlike State
A massive internet cafe spanning over 500 square meters, offering food, drinks, and entertainment. An arcade bursting with hundreds of game machines, buzzing with activity. If not for Pai Ge, I would never have believed that all of this belonged to the Black Dragon Society, the group I had once dismissed as a glorified kids’ club.
“After acquiring this arcade, our next step is to expand into the tech industry, followed by fashion and baby products,” Pai Ge explained.
“Baby products?” I frowned. “A gang is branching into baby products?”
“Haha, the Pai family’s core business was baby products. After my uncle was framed and the company was seized, I came here.”
He mentioned a well-known national brand specializing in baby products.
“That’s why you haven’t heard from them lately. My uncle protected the company’s assets. Once this whole mess is sorted out, he’ll be back.”
We reached the first floor of the arcade, a spacious area filled with cafes and restaurants.
The decor was opulent, the lighting warm and inviting, the music calming, the temperature perfect. The waitresses, dressed in maid outfits, moved with an air of professional grace.
“Excuse me,” Xiaodie asked hesitantly, her voice barely a whisper. “Was it… expensive to buy this place?”
Pai Ge hung his fedora on a rack near the entrance. “Not really. Compared to my uncle’s fortune, it was like buying a lollipop with your current allowance.”
I chuckled. “Some lollipops cost hundreds of yuan.”
“Well then,” he said, placing a playing card between his lips, his eyes crinkling with amusement. “Do you think I could steal your adorable girlfriend with a lollipop like that?”
“If Xiaodie could be swayed by a lollipop, my life would have been much easier.” I glanced at her, her face still pale with shock. “You said someone was looking for me. Who is it?”
“Right over there.”
He pointed towards an ornate wooden door labeled “VIP Room” and snapped his fingers.
“Young Master.”
A maid, appearing as suddenly as those suit-clad youths summoned by his playing cards, bowed before him. Then, she bowed to us. “First Young Miss, Second Young Miss.”
“Hold on.”
Those titles were too much, even for me. “Isn’t that a bit… cheesy?”
“It’s not cheesy, it’s youthful exuberance.” He grinned, unfazed. “Escort them to the VIP room.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
The maid, clearly new to the job, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, gestured towards the door. “This way, First Young Miss, Second Young Miss.”
“Where are you going?” I asked Pai Ge.
“I have some business to attend to in the arcade.”
He took a bite out of a playing card, seemingly swallowing it whole, then donned a pair of gloves. “You two go ahead. Don’t keep our guest waiting.”
He loved his theatrics. He couldn’t resist showing off his magic tricks.
Whenever he wore those gloves, it meant trouble, the kind that required his personal intervention.
But that was his problem.
I was just the figurehead leader of the Black Dragon Society. I had no interest in their petty squabbles.
“Just knock if you need anything,” the maid said, closing the door behind us.
Liang Zhenyi sat on a plush sofa, sipping milk tea and scrolling through his phone.
“I thought you were studying in another city. What are you doing here, drinking tea?” I asked, settling down beside him and grabbing two unopened bottles of milk tea.
“Yi Yao, thank goodness you’re here! I… I told Luo Wei I wanted to see you, and he brought me here…” He looked around nervously. “How much does it cost to rent this room? I-I didn’t bring that much money…”
I pointed at the grand Black Dragon Society logo emblazoned on the wall behind him. “You think we charge our own members for food and drinks?”
“Our own… What do you mean?” He blinked, confused. “You own this place, Yi Yao?”
“This is a Black Dragon Society establishment.”
“Black Dragon Society?” He still seemed lost. “Dragon’s gang?”
“Yes.” I took a sip of my milk tea and pulled Xiaodie closer. “This is Huang Yingdie. You know her, right? She used to be with the Jiangnan Association, but I stole her away. She’s my girlfriend now. Xiaodie, this is Liang Zhenyi, my brother.”
Although they had met during the previous incidents, I felt obligated to make the introductions.
“Nice to meet you, Liang,” Xiaodie said, waving cheerfully.
“Hey, everyone knows about you two.” He glanced around the luxurious room. “Are you sure this is free? This place has a private bathroom, a home theater system, and that computer alone is worth a fortune. Seriously, I can’t afford this kind of luxury.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Why would we charge you in your own home?”
I called out to the maid. “Excuse me, can you come in for a moment?”
“Yes, First Young Miss. What can I do for you?” she asked timidly, entering the room.
“How much does it cost to rent this room for an hour?”
“Which membership tier are you referring to, First Young Miss?”
“Tell me the prices for all tiers.”
“Regular members: 500 yuan per hour. VIP members: 200 yuan per hour.”
“And what about us?” Liang Zhenyi asked eagerly.
“We wouldn’t dare charge you, sir. You’re one of the owners. All our services are complimentary for you.”
“See?” I patted Liang Zhenyi’s shoulder. “Luo Wei bought this entire arcade. And we’re founding members of the Black Dragon Society, part of the core group. Don’t worry about money.”
“Whoa, seriously? So the internet cafe upstairs is free for me too?”
“Probably.”
“Sweet! I’m going to ask Luo Wei for a membership right now. I’ll deposit a few thousand yuan. That should cover me until I graduate from high school.”
He was a typical teenager. His first thought was entertainment.
I was starting to understand why Pai Ge discouraged me from getting too involved in the Black Dragon Society’s affairs.
“Alright, enough about that. You said you had something important to tell me,” I reminded him.
“Oh, right! I almost forgot.” He cleared his throat, his gaze drawn to my outfit. “Yi Yao, why are you wearing Chloe’s outfit?”
“I lost a bet. Just tell me what you wanted to say.”
“Okay, so my dad’s middle school friend contacted him. He wants you and Xiaodie to participate in the Upper Capital City Comic Convention he’s organizing on July 4th. He’s offering you a fee.”
“Your… father’s… middle school friend… wants me…?” I struggled to process the connection. “To participate in a comic convention? What does that even mean?”
“Just like any other cosplayer. He’ll promote your appearance, announce that the famous ‘Dieyi’ will be there. It’ll attract more attendees.”
I turned to Xiaodie. “You’re the expert on this. What do you think?”
“I would be honored if the First and Second Young Misses graced us with their presence,” the maid blurted out, her cheeks flushed with excitement. “Many of my friends are your fans. They would love to meet you at the convention.”
She realized her outburst and lowered her head. “I… I apologize. I got carried away…”
“Are we really that famous?” I asked Xiaodie, bewildered.
“You never even check our Weibo. Of course we’re famous.”
She pinched my arm playfully and showed me her phone. “We have over 230,000 followers. And that video of you at the train station has over five million views.”
“It’s not like every city is as boring as Upper Capital City,” Liang Zhenyi chimed in. “A terrorist attack is enough to make national headlines. And you’ve been involved in three! How many girls have escaped from terrorists multiple times and helped capture them? Especially beautiful girls like you. It’s unheard of!”
“The media exaggerates everything.”
“It doesn’t matter. That’s what people believe. So, are you in or out? I need to give my dad’s friend an answer.”
“Seriously, you’re a terrible liar. Your dad is probably bribing you, isn’t he?” I rolled my eyes and took her phone. “Maybe we should give it a try.”
“Yi Yao…”
“What?”
“You’re hurting my feelings.”
“Why?”
“You get all shy when I ask you to wear a shorter skirt, but you agree to this after a few words from a stranger.”
“That’s different.”
“How is it different? You don’t love me anymore!”
She pretended to cry, her shoulders shaking dramatically.
“You’re a university student, right?” I asked the maid, ignoring Xiaodie’s theatrics.
“Yes…” She looked terrified. “I… First Young Miss, I was wrong to speak out of turn. Please don’t fire me… I still have student loans to repay…”
“I’m not going to fire you. And I didn’t think you did anything wrong. Relax.” I waved my hand dismissively. “You’re part of the DK family now. There’s no need to be so formal.”
“Th-thank you…”
“Okay, Xiaodie, that’s enough.” I pulled her closer, her laughter betraying her fake tears. “Tell your father’s friend we’ll be there.”
Just then, Xiaodie’s phone rang. It was Pai Ge.
“Aren’t you upstairs?” I asked, answering the call.
“Haha, I knew you two were inseparable,” he said, his voice as calm and collected as ever.
“What’s up?”
“Well… there’s been a slight complication.” He cleared his throat. “Can you come up here for a moment?”
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