The air conditioning in my dorm was broken, making for restless nights in the sweltering summer heat. In a half-waking stupor, I heard the door of Ning Shixuan’s room—two doors down from mine—bang open, then slam shut again, the noise instantly jolting me awake. That girl, Ning Shixuan, never knew how to be quiet, even when her boyfriend was visiting.

I got up and called Scar. He was currently at the arcade, so I grabbed the two sketches and headed toward the government offices, planning to wander towards the arcade while I went.

Before I even reached the arcade, I noticed the large sign above the entrance had been replaced. The three characters, ‘Juyi Hall’ (), shone brilliantly. Scar stood beneath the sign, grinning at me. “Brother Qian, what do you think of this name? You know none of us are exactly scholars; we tossed it around until Lai P suggested this. Since we’re in the underworld, ‘Righteousness’ () is what matters most, so everyone agreed immediately.”

I nodded. “It’s definitely much better than the old ‘Yamato,’ which looked like it was run by those island devils. Anyone playing today?”

Scar held the door open, letting me go first. “It’s summer vacation, so business is okay. We pulled in nearly three hundred yuan today. Mostly students playing. We might see a dip once school starts up again.”

I said, “We can’t rely on this little shop for our livelihood. We need to think about other ways the underworld can make money. I’m useless with these things. Oh, right, is that Wang Gui still causing trouble?”

Scar replied, “He’s hospitalized. The lackeys who wouldn't join us have scattered. Even if he wanted to do something, he wouldn't dare. Liangshan doesn't have any major sources of income; the economy is too backward, and everyone is short on cash. Life isn't easy for us in the underworld either. Liang Kuan’s most lucrative business is counterfeiting. We don't know many of the inner workings, but Gangzi used to be a low-level grunt under Liang Kuan. Back then, he worked security at a fake cigarette factory.”

Seeing my confusion, Scar continued, “The fake cigarettes aren't sold in Liangshan at all; they’re shipped to the major cities nearby. The packaging is swapped for famous brands or imports—the profits are enormous. Many people say Liang Kuan got his start purely on counterfeit smokes. Now, his income streams outside Liangshan are vast, but Liangshan is just his hometown. The money-making sectors there have very few economic limitations. However, the ‘Soul-Shattering Holiday Entertainment City’ is a notorious casino across several surrounding municipalities. Because the economy is poor, security in Liangshan is extremely lax, and coupled with Liang Kuan’s local influence, nobody dares investigate his casino. Big gamblers from neighboring cities love coming here. His monthly income from the gambling hall alone hits over a million, not counting the numerous other entertainment options and the many hostesses he brings in from out of town. Most bosses who come to gamble leave completely cleaned out.”

I chuckled. “I’m not too keen on the counterfeiting business, but running a casino and entertainment complex—that’s a good venture.” I didn't want to deal in fakes because a huge portion of the Great Dragon Kingdom’s economy is controlled by my Zhao family; setting up counterfeit operations here in Liangshan, even if it brought in quick cash, would ultimately hurt Zhao family enterprises.

“Brother Qian, are you joking? The Soul-Shattering Holiday Entertainment City is Liang Kuan’s main stronghold in Liangshan. Trying to snatch his business with just the few men we have now—the security guards alone would wipe us out.”

I countered, “No one knows the outcome before the battle begins. If we’re going to do this, we hit big. First, look at these two.” After entering the office inside the arcade, I spread the sketches across the desk.

Scar examined the two portraits drawn on the plain paper. “Who are they?” he asked dubiously. Yun Yao had never seen these two either; the sketches were based only on broad features, so it was natural for Scar not to recognize them.

“They should be Liang Kuan’s men. Try to recall who they are based on their facial structure.”

Scar slid open the partition to the office and called the others in. One had an Emperor’s mustache, the other long hair. They were quickly identified: they were Liang Kuan’s personal enforcers. The one with the mustache was Hu Bing, nicknamed ‘Beard’; the long-haired man was Feng Chang, nicknamed ‘Brother Fa.’ Both were once top students at martial arts academies, hired by Liang Kuan for substantial sums as his personal bodyguards. In Liangshan County, they were considered figures of some standing; most people would politely greet them.

Scar pointed at the two sketches. “Brother Qian, why are you looking for them?”

“Revenge. Revenge for my wife. They killed my father-in-law and drove my mother-in-law insane. I’m going to kill them.”

Scar and the others shivered. “Brother Qian, this is no joke. If we really move against Beard and Brother Fa, it means total war with Liang Kuan. With our current strength, we simply can’t match them. Moreover, even if we take the Soul-Shattering Holiday Entertainment City, holding it against Liang Kuan’s inevitable counterattack will be impossible. The power he accumulated over ten years is far beyond our reach.”

I replied, “If we can’t hold it, we retreat. If he takes it back, we’ll take it back again. Don’t you people still believe in my strength? As long as I’m here, no matter how many men he brings, they won’t breach our territory.”

Scar and the others nodded confidently. “If Brother Qian is willing to act, victory is assured. We have complete faith in your strength now.”

I pointed at the men on the paper. “Find out where they are, and we’ll deal with them first.”

Gangzi chimed in, “These two used to always hang around the Entertainment City. As far as I know, they’re both lechers who have done too many disgusting things. As long as no one reports them, the Liangshan Public Security Bureau never investigates proactively. Everyone fears their influence, so even if they’re bullied, they just have to swallow it. That’s just normal business in Liangshan.”

I smiled faintly. “You lot haven't done any raping or kidnapping, have you?”

Gangzi scoffed. “We’ve thought about it, but only if we had the ability. We just scrape by for food and drink. To do the kind of wanton evil they do, unless you, Brother Qian, become the top boss in Liangshan.”

My expression turned serious. “I don’t care what rank I hold in Liangshan right now. Since you’ve decided to follow me, you’ll operate by my rules. I don’t object to scraping by for food, but if you casually bully the weak and old or harass decent women—if I don't know about it, fine. But if I find out, I won't go easy on you! (PC Novel Site http://www.16k.cn)”

Everyone touched their scars. “We understand, Brother Qian. You already taught us a lesson. We won’t even bother with scraping by for food anymore. Having this arcade guarantees our three meals a day; why would we get beaten up over ten or twenty yuan?”

“That’s for the best. Once you’ve dug up all the dirt on those two, call me. We’ll start by cleaning up Liang Kuan’s periphery, and then we’ll storm his nest.”

Gangzi quickly added, “I heard that Liang Kuan’s younger mistress’s Audi got blown up this morning. Is that true? Liang Kuan was out of town, so if his mistress was harassed, he’ll probably return to Liangshan to handle it. We need to move carefully.”

Niu Tiannan eagerly jumped in. “I know what happened! Bao Nana blocked some big shot who came to our county to invest, and one of his bodyguards shot her car up. You guys didn’t see it—those bodyguards were incredible! One kick actually sent the sedan flying into the air! I’m certain they are supermen, absolute supermen. No matter how powerful Bao Nana and Liang Kuan are, how can they fight supermen? So I think Liang Kuan is taking this loss for sure. At most, he’ll squeeze some compensation money out of the government. The Liangshan County government is as soft as dog shit; Liang Kuan doesn’t even look at the government.”

Ma Haibei kicked Niu Tiannan. “Brother Qian works for the government too! Can you watch your mouth?”

I waved my hand dismissively. “Stop talking nonsense. I need to get back. You’d better start investigating those two immediately; I don’t want to drag this out.”

Seeing me leave, Scar immediately pulled out the day’s receipts from behind the counter. “Brother Qian, here is today’s income. Take it.”

I said, “I don’t need money right now. Let Lai P manage it. A portion should be set aside for everyone’s expenses, and another portion must be saved for future needs. However, we’ll soon have many lucrative paths opening up. Use this money to recruit more men if possible; more numbers will bolster our reputation. I can’t guard the shop every day. Once we take the Soul-Shattering Holiday Entertainment City, we’ll need even more manpower. Start preparing now.”

Scar and the others had deeply envied the influence held by Liang Kuan and Xie Lei. Their lifelong goal had been to join one of their ranks. They never imagined they would one day be plotting to seize their territory. All of this stemmed from a brawl that nearly cost them their lives; they were now profoundly grateful for that free meal, otherwise, they would still be lurking around the night market, living aimless, hungry lives.

Everyone accepted the assignment cheerfully. These men were highly motivated now, after all, real cash had landed in their pockets. Thinking of the even greater fortunes ahead, who wouldn't be driven?