No. 82 A Destination Shrouded in Mist
The second floor of the DK Arcade was a sprawling gaming haven, filled with a variety of arcade machines, dance machines, and other entertainment options.
The atmosphere was more chaotic than the internet cafe on the third floor, catering primarily to a younger crowd.
As Xiaodie, Liang Zhenyi, and I ascended the stairs, we encountered a large group of teenagers gathered in a tense standoff near the entrance.
They were all around sixteen or seventeen, their expressions hostile, their body language aggressive.
Pai Ge, impeccably dressed in his suit, stood calmly amidst the agitated youths, a faint smile playing on his lips. He seemed to be treating the situation as a mere amusement, a game to be played.
“Tell your boss to come out here, or I, Young Master Jie, will not leave!”
A young man with spiky hair, multiple piercings, and an arrogant swagger stood before Pai Ge, his voice laced with bravado.
“What seems to be the problem?” I asked, joining Pai Ge.
“Ah, you’re here.”
He adjusted his tie with a flourish, gesturing towards the young man. “This gentleman wishes to speak with you.”
I glanced at the young man, then turned to Pai Ge, my exasperation evident. “You called me up here for this?”
He shrugged. “The customer is always right.”
The customer is always right? You’re setting me up, aren’t you? Testing my leadership skills, my ability to handle a crisis?
I sighed inwardly and turned to the group of teenagers.
“What do you want?”
The leader blinked, surprised. “Whoa, the Black Dragon Society’s boss is a girl? And a hot one at that!”
“Boss, she’s cute! And the one behind her too!”
“Maybe we should…”
“Shut up! The boss has a girlfriend!”
Before I could even speak, they were already whispering amongst themselves, their gazes lingering on Xiaodie and me with a mixture of admiration and disrespect.
“What does the Black Dragon Society have to do with you?” I asked, my voice cold.
I was certain this wasn’t something I should be handling. The Black Dragon Society was a legitimate organization now, with Ouyang Dati smoothing things over with the authorities. Security would handle any minor disturbances. Unless a high-ranking official was involved, even Pai Ge wouldn’t be bothered, let alone a middle school student like me.
“Heh, the Black Dragon Society has nothing to do with me,” the young man said, his smirk widening as he took a step closer. “But you, little lady, have everything to do with me.”
I stepped back. “Security.”
“Now, now, didn’t you just say you preferred a peaceful resolution?” He glanced at the knives strapped to my waist. “I ordered some milk tea, paid for it, and you refused to deliver it. How do you propose we settle this?”
Pai Ge leaned closer, whispering in my ear. “He ordered five cups of milk tea from the internet cafe upstairs, paid through Alipay, then told the staff he wanted it delivered down here. But our milk tea is served in special cups that aren’t allowed outside the cafe.”
This was deliberate provocation.
“We can refund your money,” I said.
He shook his head. “No, no, no. I’m not short on cash. I want you to deliver it.”
“How much are those cups?” I asked the maid standing beside Pai Ge.
“They’re custom-made with our logo, so… they cost 80 yuan each,” she replied nervously.
“So you’re saying you’re afraid we’ll steal your precious cups? I, Young Master Jie, would never stoop so low!” he scoffed.
Pai Ge leaned closer again. “We’ve looked into his background. He’s the son of a nouveau riche businessman. Lots of money, a bad reputation, and no real power. He used to extort protection money from this arcade before we acquired it.”
“Luo Wei,” I said, turning to him, “are you sure I’m the boss of the Black Dragon Society?”
“Of course.”
“You’re not joking?”
“I’m not joking.”
“So I have the final say in everything that happens in this arcade?”
“Haha, all the key personnel are members of the Black Dragon Society, and you’re the boss. What do you think?”
“Alright then.”
I met the young man’s gaze, a faint smile playing on my lips. “We, the Black Dragon Society, value your patronage, Young Master Jie. Make an exception for him.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Wait!”
The maid turned back, her eyes wide with surprise.
“I’ve changed my mind,” he said, his smirk widening. “I don’t want the money. And you don’t have to deliver the milk tea. But you, and you,” he pointed at Xiaodie and me, “are going to spend the evening with me.”
“It’s your establishment, right? Surely, the Black Dragon Society wouldn’t object to entertaining a valued customer?”
The already tense atmosphere crackled with hostility.
I glanced at Xiaodie, who was snapping photos with her phone, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“What are you doing?”
“Updating Weibo.”
“Does everything have to be documented on Weibo?”
“How else will everyone know how beautiful, handsome, gentle, and adorable you are?”
Let’s skip those last two adjectives.
I sighed inwardly and approached the young man, my gaze cold.
He instinctively stepped back, his bravado faltering. “W-what are you doing?”
“Don’t worry,” I said, drawing my knives. “I’m not a nice person.”
“You…”
I lunged forward, my foot connecting with his chest.
He stumbled backward, caught off guard, his face contorted in surprise.
“Anyone else want to try their luck?” I asked, brandishing my knives, my stance a mixture of grace and aggression.
The sight of the military-grade blades seemed to deter them. They all took a step back.
“Don’t think you can…”
Young Master Jie, recovering from his shock, charged towards me. I sidestepped his clumsy attack and sent him sprawling to the floor with another kick.
This time, I put all my strength into it, aiming for his thigh. It should be enough to land him in the hospital for a few weeks.
“Someone else tried to harass Xiaodie like this. His grave is probably knee-deep in weeds by now,” I said, standing over him. “I don’t care if you’re a ‘Young Master’ or whatever. This is Black Dragon Society territory. Disrespect has consequences.”
“What are you waiting for? Avenge Young Master Jie!”
Someone shouted, and the other teenagers, emboldened by his words, surged forward, brandishing knives and other makeshift weapons.
This time, I didn’t have to give any orders. The security guards, handpicked by Pai Ge, intervened, swiftly subduing the attackers.
The commotion attracted the attention of the police, who arrived within minutes.
“Officer, help me!” Young Master Jie cried, as if seeing his savior. “My father is Wang Ligang! This is a den of thieves! They’re gangsters!”
The first officer who entered ignored him, walking straight towards Pai Ge.
“Playing with children today?” he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
“Haha, just laying the groundwork for the future,” Pai Ge replied, clapping the officer on the shoulder. He pulled out a pack of expensive cigarettes and offered one to the officer. “How’s everything at the station?”
“Same old, same old. Nothing exciting.” The officer took the cigarette, lit it, and took a long drag. “Come visit us sometime.”
Young Master Jie’s face crumpled in despair.
He had clearly underestimated the Black Dragon Society’s influence.
If he knew about Ouyang Dati’s connections, he wouldn’t dare cause trouble here.
“What are you going to do with them?” the officer asked, gesturing towards the subdued teenagers.
Pai Ge smiled. “They were just causing a little trouble. We’ll teach them a lesson. They’re minors. What can we do?”
His words stunned not only the teenagers, but also the surrounding crowd.
They could decide the punishment?
“Alright then. I’ll take them back to the station. Let’s have a drink sometime.”
“Haha, sounds good.”
…
The troublemakers were led away, their faces etched with defeat.
“Attention, everyone.”
I raised my voice, addressing the growing crowd. “We apologize for the disturbance. To compensate for the inconvenience, the entire arcade will be free to use until noon tomorrow. On behalf of the Black Dragon Society, we sincerely apologize for any disruption to your enjoyment.”
“Seriously?”
“Free? I’ve never heard of a free arcade!”
“Serves Young Master Jie right! He’s been asking for it.”
My announcement caused a stir. “And if anyone tries to extort protection money from you here, report it to security immediately. The Black Dragon Society will handle it.”
“Awesome! We don’t have to fear Young Master Jie anymore!”
“I’m telling Fei Fei about this. The Black Dragon Society is alright. We’ll be coming here from now on.”
“That girl is pretty cool. I like her.”
“Shh, she has a girlfriend.”
The crisis had been averted.
The clock on the wall showed nine o’clock.
“Are you satisfied with the outcome?” I asked Pai Ge, who was idly flicking a lighter.
He was the one managing the Black Dragon Society, including recruitment. I knew what this incident signified.
If the Black Dragon Society wanted to expand, they couldn’t rely solely on minors. And the founding members, like Liang Zhenyi and I, were still middle school students. We needed to prove ourselves, to assert our authority.
“Yi Yao…”
He closed the lighter, his gaze meeting mine.
“I shouldn’t have underestimated you.”
Leave a Reply