"Yes, how could I, someone so clever, not have thought of that place? It seems love truly makes one lose oneself," Ning Shixuan touched her forehead. "Everything that's happened these past two days proves it, yet I kept myself in the dark. I've truly been foolish."

Yun Yao laughed, "Don't blame yourself. It's not too late to wake up now. Whatever Brother Zhao's identity, he is still our Brother Zhao, isn't he? Besides, he still intends to keep the two of us by his side. Otherwise, we’d just chase him all the way to his home in the capital."

Ning Shixuan sighed, "His home has an army of wives; we'll probably just get kicked out. As the saying goes, a daughter must strive for herself, Yun Yao. We must have our own ambition and not let the others look down on us. What others can do, we can do too. Zhao Qian, you must give us work to do, and we want to be like the others."

I comforted the two women, "For this period, why don't you stay by my side? When we get back to the capital, there will be endless tasks waiting for you. There will definitely be times you'll beg for mercy."

Ning Shixuan declared, "We aren't afraid. As long as we can achieve what those few women have accomplished, I'm willing to die for it."

I replied, "Fine, don't regret what you said. In any case, I won't let Yun Yao go along with your reckless ideas. Work is exhausting; you'll slowly come to realize that."

Ning Shixuan pouted playfully, "If I can't manage it, I'll just be difficult. If you ignore me, I'll just work myself to death."

The three of them arrived at the entrance of the Entertainment City, laughing. The young guard stopped them and asked, "What's the business?"

I said, "I'm here to see Brother Ba. Could you please announce me?"

Ning Shixuan looked puzzled, "Why are they stopping guests outside?"

I whispered an explanation, "It's probably because things have been tight recently, so they need to be cautious." Liang Kuan's men had just been killed by me. Although his influence in Liangshan suffered a major blow, he might still mobilize forces from Shimen or the provincial capital for revenge.

Scarface sprinted down from upstairs. He swallowed the greeting "Brother Qian" halfway and quietly led the three of us up to the fourth floor. Ning Shixuan pulled Yun Yao, saying, "Zhao Qian has business to attend to. Why don't we just look around? I’ve wanted to see the inside of this place for a long time; today my wish is finally granted."

Scarface called over a subordinate to lead the two women to the recreation room on the first floor to play. The two of us proceeded to the fourth floor and entered the office. Scarface said, "Brother Qian, this Entertainment City really makes money faster than the arcade! Our daily revenue is in the thousands, even tens of thousands. I truly never realized that Liangshan County, which always relied on relief grain, could have so many rich people."

I sat down on the sofa and said, "Gambling, prostitution, and drugs are the fastest ways to make money. Liangshan is economically backward and management is very lax. If this Entertainment City were in Shimen or the provincial capital, it couldn't operate openly. Here, the girls are free to do as they please, and gambling is overt. It would be strange if it wasn't profitable."

Scarface agreed, "Exactly. Many rich people from Shimen come here to play. Now that the road has been repaired, our business is even hotter. Those wealthy folks can drive over in half an hour. We're going to be rich! I always said following Brother Qian means you'll definitely make it."

I ignored Scarface's flattery. "Any movement from Liang Kuan?"

Scarface shook his head. "Although our strength hasn't been fully consolidated, most of the subordinates Liang Kuan left behind—except those unwilling to cooperate—have joined our ranks. Right now, besides Xie Lei, we are the biggest force in Liangshan City. As long as Liang Kuan isn't hiding with Xie Lei, we'll spot him the moment he shows his face."

I instructed, "It's right to increase vigilance. As long as Liang Kuan isn't dead, we can't relax. You must inform me immediately about anything important. I fear you can't handle things alone."

"Thank you for your concern, Brother Qian. There are a few girls on the third floor—pretty and know how to have fun. Want to go try them out? Don't worry, I'll have someone detain your two sweethearts first."

I found Scarface's eagerness somewhat amusing and frustrating. "Forget it, that's not my style."

Scarface conceded, "That’s true. The two girls by Brother Qian’s side are naturally much better than those common whores. But the feeling of an innocent girl versus a promiscuous woman is definitely different..."

"Stop talking about that. Do you have any cash on hand?"

Scarface replied, "Yes. All the cash Liang Kuan left has been sealed, waiting for Brother Qian’s command. The total is over 800,000, I think. We couldn't access the rest of the bank deposits; Liang Kuan likely transferred those as well."

"Give me 500,000 first. I'll write you an IOU. Hire a more professional accountant to properly organize our books. Liangshan's economy will develop quickly soon. Use this money to invest in legitimate businesses. Security here will eventually be tightened. The ladies on the third floor and the gambling on the second floor should gradually move underground. The entertainment venues on the first floor can be greatly expanded."

Scarface protested, "Why talk about an IOU, Brother Qian? This money is yours anyway. But are we still afraid of those police? With Brother Qian's strength, you can kill any god or Buddha standing in your way. That night so many people died here, and the police didn't even investigate. I think we should vigorously develop gambling and prostitution—those two make money too fast! If we continue at this rate, we could be earning tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands daily."

I said sternly to Scarface, "Don't make things difficult for me. The police don't investigate here because they're scared, but because they are following orders. What if I told you I am the head of the police? Would you believe me?"

Scarface shook his head, "Of course not. But we dare not doubt Brother Qian's abilities; everyone has seen them with their own eyes. We will do whatever Brother Qian says."

I patted the sofa armrest, "That's best. Sooner or later I will leave this place. I hope you can develop everything here according to my instructions, or you know what the consequences will be."

Scarface said seriously, "Rest assured, Brother Qian. The seven of us have sworn a solemn oath to the heavens to follow your path for the rest of our lives, never wavering in loyalty."

I waved my hand, "I cannot remain in the underworld. But after I leave, you can merge with the Brotherhood Alliance. That wouldn't be treating you poorly, right?"

"What? Merging with the Brotherhood Alliance? Brother Qian, you're not kidding, are you? Can people like us even join the Brotherhood Alliance?" Scarface looked utterly disbelieving. What level was the Brotherhood Alliance? They were now an undisputed international gang; why would they accept a bunch of low-level thugs like them?

"If I say it can happen, it can happen. But this isn't urgent; we'll discuss it later. Go get the money for me."

Scarface opened a large safe in the corner and took out fifty stacks of hundred-yuan bills. I casually stuffed them into a plastic bag, stood up, and said, "I'm leaving now. Contact me if anything comes up."

Scarface accompanied me downstairs, only to hear noisy commotion below. The subordinate who had taken Ning Shixuan and Yun Yao to the recreation room was standing aside, his face bruised and swollen. Scarface rushed over and asked, "What happened? Where are those two girls?"

This subordinate naturally knew nothing about my affairs, nor the importance of those two girls. He stammered, "Brother Hou, one of Brother Lei's men, brought a group in to play billiards. I took the two girls in to play too, and we ran into Brother Hou. He insisted on playing with them. They refused, so I tried to persuade Brother Hou, and then I got beaten like this."

Scarface urgently asked, "Then where are they? Take me there quickly! This Monkey in the Sky truly doesn't know how to value his life!"

Bang! The billiard room door was kicked in. Scarface roared, "Monkey, stop it! Are you tired of living?"

Sky-piercing Monkey was holding Yun Yao's hand, pretending to teach her how to play. Yun Yao was struggling, and Ning Shixuan was pinned against the billiard table by two subordinates. Seeing me enter, both women cried out, "Zhao Qian, save us!"

"Let them go!" I said coldly.

"Who are you, daring to shout here?" Sky-piercing Monkey released Yun Yao and walked toward me, clutching a pool cue. Yun Yao started running toward me but was grabbed by a subordinate behind her.

Scarface jumped in, "Monkey, you're showing no respect! It doesn't matter who this boss is to you, but you’ve committed a grave crime now. Release them quickly, and I might beg for mercy so you can keep your life."

Sky-piercing Monkey laughed wildly, "Who do you think you are, Scarface? You took advantage while Liang Kuan's enemy was showing up. Brother Lei has spread the word that Brother Kuan has entrusted him to clean up the situation. Hand over the Entertainment City immediately, or... hehe, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Scarface retorted, "If Liang Kuan wants the Entertainment City back, let him come himself. Monkey, I respect you as a man, but don't make things difficult for me."

Sky-piercing Monkey waved his hand, and the seven or eight subordinates behind him suddenly drew their machetes from their waists. "Scarface, out of respect for our past association, I'll only cripple your hands and feet. Cut them down!"

As Sky-piercing Monkey finished speaking, he suddenly felt a chill around his neck. He reached up to touch it. "What's going on?" Before the word left his mouth, a stream of blood sprayed violently from his neck. With a thud, his head fell from his shoulders. Immediately following that, all the subordinates behind him collapsed, their bodies dismembered, spraying blood throughout the billiard room.

Fortunately, I had already pulled Ning Shixuan and Yun Yao to the doorway, otherwise, their clothes would have been ruined. "What happened, what happened?" The two women insisted on turning back to look, but I blocked the view with my body. "You two wait for me in the lobby; be good and listen."

Scarface, who was once tough enough not to flinch even with a blade at his throat, was stunned by the scene in the billiard room. "Brother Qian, your speed is incredible! How did you do that? I didn't even see a shadow."

The subordinate who brought us here finally realized what had happened and shouted, "Bad news! Murder!"

Scarface punched him hard on the back of the head, knocking him out. "If you scream again, I’ll kill you too!"

I dropped the machete in my hand and said to Scarface, "Clean up, burn everything, and get ready. We are going to war with Xie Lei."

Scarface responded, "Yes! Brother Qian, no matter who we fight, as long as you are here, we are never afraid."

I considered having them strengthen their training so they wouldn't always depend on me, but then I thought that turning every one of them into a murderer wasn't right either. When I leave, I'll talk to Zhu Da and have him take over. With that thought, I said nothing more, pulled the two women along, and left the Entertainment City.

"You killed them all, didn't you?" Ning Shixuan asked me.

"Who told them to bully you without seeing clearly? They deserved to die!"

Yun Yao said, "Sister Xiaoning, I warned them, but they wouldn't listen. They brought this upon themselves."

Ning Shixuan countered, "I thought you would only scare them; I didn't expect Zhao Qian to be so domineering. Hehe, perhaps it’s not domineering, but such manly spirit. No wonder everyone crowds around you. Now I’m like Yun Yao—I won't leave even if you hit me."

I asked the two, "Did they do anything to you?"

Yun Yao replied, "No, they just pulled and tugged a few times. They came looking for trouble deliberately today, just provoking us using Sister Xiaoning and me."

Ning Shixuan shifted the blame, "It's all Yun Yao's fault! Look at her chest. Those men couldn't take their eyes off it when they saw it. Even if they weren't intentionally looking for trouble, they wouldn't have let us go."

Yun Yao complained, "It's not my fault they grew like this! I'm annoyed by them too; they're a hindrance when I dance. My dance teacher said I must reduce my bust size, down to below a C cup. Brother Zhao, can you help me find a solution?"

Ning Shixuan scoffed, "If you ask him, you'll only make things worse. If he touches them, they might 'reduce' to an E cup."

Yun Yao asked anxiously, "Then what should I do?"

Ning Shixuan advised, "Don't let him touch you anymore, eat fewer collagen-rich foods, and strengthen your pectoral muscles."

Yun Yao worried again, "But if I really do shrink down, I'm afraid Brother Zhao won't like it."

Ning Shixuan shrugged, "Then I can't help you."

I handed the bag to Ning Shixuan. "There's 500,000 here. Give it to your uncle first. When he makes money later, he can repay the Entertainment City's account."

Ning Shixuan and Yun Yao peered into the bag, their expressions like they had found gold ingots. "So much money! Where did you get it?"

"I borrowed it from the Entertainment City’s accounts first, from Scarface."

Ning Shixuan found it hard to believe, "He would lend you that much money? What is your relationship with him?"

I looked back at the Entertainment City far behind us. "He’s kind of my subordinate, but I can't stay in the underworld anymore. I'll hand them over to Commander Zhu to manage later."

The two women asked no more questions, instead tightly grasping my arms on either side, as if afraid I would suddenly run off. Passing pedestrians frequently turned back to gaze with envy.

The death of Xie Lei's man, Sky-piercing Monkey, quickly reached Xie Lei's ears. He immediately wanted to send men to massacre the Entertainment City, but he was stopped by Liang Kuan, who was taking refuge there. Liang Kuan naturally knew the strength of his own subordinates and the limited capability of the low-ranking Scarface; the kill certainly wasn't Scarface's doing. Moreover, Scarface wouldn't dare seize his Entertainment City without backing. To confront Scarface meant confronting the person behind him, so caution was necessary.

Xie Lei took a long puff of his thick cigar and said, "Brother Liang, your courage is getting smaller and smaller these days, not like your style back then."

Liang Kuan took a sip of tea. "Old Lei, although we've had conflicts before, it never hindered our friendship. As someone with experience, I must remind you: what was Sky-piercing Monkey's strength?"

Xie Lei replied, "He was definitely one of my top lieutenants, otherwise, why would I be so angry?"

"That settles it. You believe that Scarface could wipe out one of your main generals along with a dozen brothers, leaving no trace of shit behind?"

Xie Lei shook his head, "I checked that kid's background. Although he's ruthless, even ten of him wouldn't dare challenge Monkey, because challenging Monkey is challenging me!"

"That's right—because he's acting without fear! We should discuss how to find this mastermind."

Xie Lei mused, "We have countless old enemies. Who knows who it could be? It might be some old foe hiring someone to do this; this is hard to trace."

Liang Kuan countered, "It's hard for one person to handle this. We can use the strength of your uncle and Secretary Ma! I know you've always been on good terms with them. This isn't just my problem now. As the saying goes, one mountain cannot hold two tigers. If he eliminates me, he certainly won't let you off either. We are on the same boat now; we should cast aside all prejudices and cooperate!"

Xie Lei fiercely crushed his cigar. "You are right. But you still have most of your strength hidden in Shimen and the provincial capital, right? Don't hold back when the critical moment comes."

Liang Kuan confirmed, "Naturally. Once we find out who the mastermind is, we'll join forces to take his life!"

"Good! I'll call my uncle right now. We'll all meet tonight to discuss this matter."

The proceedings went smoothly. Xie Lei invited his uncle, Xie Sen, and Secretary Ma to attend. The four of them held a private meeting in a secluded room at Xunmeng Garden.

Secretary Ma stroked his chin, "So many homicides, and you dare not report it? Who will take responsibility for such an omission?"

Xie Sen signaled to his nephew. Xie Lei and Liang Kuan each took a piece of paper from their pockets and placed it before Secretary Ma. Secretary Ma glanced at them and smiled slightly before putting them into his official briefcase—they were two cash checks, each valued at 100,000. He believed that refusing money was foolishness; that was Secretary Ma's creed.

Seeing Secretary Ma fall silent, Xie Sen said, "Secretary Ma, you don't need to worry about this matter at all. The night the Liang Kuan Entertainment City incident happened, I received a call from Shimen. Director Hu seemed to be hinting that I shouldn't meddle in disputes between gangs. That's the real reason I didn't let the Public Security Bureau intervene."

Secretary Ma was momentarily stunned, then responded, "How is this involving the city level? What's the reason? How did Director Hu know about a gang event here? There's something fishy about this."

All four felt there were too many doubts. They stopped drinking and began to study the situation carefully. After detailed elimination, the focus shifted entirely to the new university student, because he had an unclear relationship with Director Hu in Shimen, was closely involved with Scarface, and kept the daughter of Yun Jian'an—who died due to Liang Kuan's torment—by his side day and night.

Secretary Ma worried, "Could this fellow be sent down by the Central Government to investigate us? This is very bad news."

Xie Sen countered, "Probably not. He's so young; how could he be connected to the Central Government? Didn't you say, Secretary Ma, that you were asking people in the capital to check his background?"

Secretary Ma replied, "No word back yet. I also don't believe he has any connection to the Central Government, but what puzzles me is how he is so close to the CEOs of Peach Blossom Company and Dadi Energy—it's almost to the point of sleeping together! Plus, there's that mysterious military woman. Could all these things just be coincidences?"

Xie Lei slammed the table. "Forget whether it's a coincidence or not, we'll know once we test him!"

Secretary Ma nodded, "Be cautious. Absolutely do not expose yourselves, and don't involve me, or I’m finished, and you won't fare any better."

Xie Sen stated, "Secretary Ma, we’ve been old friends for many years. Although we haven't had many opportunities to sit together like this recently, you see for yourself now: that university student is weakening our power everywhere. If we don't strike back, I fear we will lose the authority we hold. So, even if the mastermind isn't him, we must act against him. What do you think?"

Secretary Ma recalled the recent events and ground out hatefully, "Yes, you arrange people to do it."