Though he didn't know what he would become in the future, he deeply trusted his methods and thus paid little mind to it. Still, a certain phrase echoed incessantly in his mind, a faint, ethereal voice looping within his thoughts: ‘When you feel the fire of your life about to burn out, come find me here. I will make you the true sovereign, the paramount ruler standing at the pinnacle.’

“Brother Yi? Brother Yi?” Fatty Lin called out, puzzled. He hadn't gotten a reaction despite calling him so many times.

“Mm!” Yang Yi snapped back to attention, glanced at Fatty Lin, and chuckled, “Fatty, I know what you’re thinking. I’m still me. I’m still the same Yang Yi who grew up with you.”

“Brother Yi!” Hearing Yang Yi say that, a wave of emotion washed over Fatty Lin. He knew that no matter what Yang Yi became, he would always be his boss, the Brother Yi he had known since childhood.

Time flew quickly. The entire morning had passed, and the morning classes were over. However, someone seemed a bit dejected; now in the third year of high school, these lessons felt far too simple.

This wasn't surprising, as Yang Yi was something of a prodigy. Back in the village, he had taught himself extensively just using books Old Yang brought back from outside. As mentioned before, he wasn't just academically brilliant; he was skilled in everything from the arts like music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, to the pursuits of both high society and the lowliest underworld. He just hadn't realized that what he had already learned was more than enough.

“Right, Xu Ming, let’s go eat together. My treat!” Yang Yi noticed his first-ever deskmate was about to leave and quickly spoke to him, not wanting to lose touch with such a kindred spirit.

“Sounds great! Someone’s paying, I certainly won’t refuse, haha…” Xu Ming laughed heartily.

“Fatty, let’s go, time to eat,” Yang Yi called out to Fatty Lin, who was engrossed in watching some pretty girls.

Fatty Lin quickly pulled his gaze away upon hearing the sound and replied, “Coming.”

And so, after a round of conversation, the three of them got acquainted. They say when a group of lecherous men gather, what sort of state do they achieve? Mutual appreciation? Good heavens, these three scoundrels were cut from the same cloth. They were already hitting it off famously, though, of course, don't misunderstand, giggle.

“Whoa, the food here is amazing,” Fatty Lin declared, shoveling mouthfuls of food.

“No way, even this food tastes good to you?” Xu Ming asked Fatty Lin in surprise.

“Yeah, it’s genuinely delicious,” Fatty Lin affirmed.

“Oh, well then, eat more,” Xu Ming said with a smile. In reality, this was the cheapest cafeteria in the school, and Xu Ming had chosen it specifically because he didn't want Yang Yi and the others to spend too much. However, Yang Yi and the others knew and saw this too: if the cafeteria were good, the dishes wouldn't be so monotonous, and the clientele wouldn't be so sparse.

“Xu Ming, whatever you need to say, just say it directly. Since we can sit here eating together, we must be good brothers,” Yang Yi said after finishing his bowl.

“Exactly. Both Brother Yi and I can tell you’re a friend worth making. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have brought us to eat here,” Fatty Lin added, apparently having polished off his own meal, wiping his mouth.

Sometimes, whether as friends or brothers, a single small gesture is enough to turn people who have only known each other for less than a day into fast friends and close brothers. That’s just how men are; that’s campus life.

“Uh, you guys already knew?” Xu Ming looked momentarily stunned, then added, “You certainly aren’t simple!”

“Hehe, there’s nothing extraordinary about us. We all crawled out of some backwater valley,” Yang Yi chuckled amiably.

“I’m sorry for bringing you to eat in a place like this,” Xu Ming managed a wry smile, a flicker of apology crossing his face.

Seeing his expression, Yang Yi felt a warmth in his heart. This kind of person was truly worth befriending. “Xu Ming, I know you brought us here to save me some money, so why apologize? In fact, I think you’re great—a friend worth having.”

“You really consider me a friend?” Xu Ming asked suddenly, surprisingly emotional.

Yang Yi frowned for a second, then instantly smoothed his expression, smiled, clapped Xu Ming on the shoulder, and said, “No, Xu Ming. To be precise, we already consider you a brother.”

“A good brother!” Hearing Yang Yi say that, Xu Ming’s eyes shifted slightly, and then he burst into laughter.

Lunch ended quickly, and the three had become fast brothers. From the initial feeling of kindred spirits meeting after too long, through mutual understanding during their exchange, and finally cementing their bond over a subtle, shared consideration, these three naturally became good brothers. But whether true friendship had been forged couldn't be definitively determined yet; after all, some things change, and friendships forged through hardship and tempering are the strongest.

Back in the classroom, it was unclear if Yang Yi was paying attention. His face held a gentle, refined look, yet it was undercut by a vaguely roguish smile as he stared intently at the blackboard, seemingly deep in thought.

Since ancient times, whether villains or ambitious warlords, they were driven by the allure of intellect and the ambition to chase desires, enabling them to become reigning monarchs. Although Yang Yi was confident he could manage the tasks set before him, this was also an attempt to change himself. While there might not be many obvious changes on the surface, he still held ideals he needed to fulfill.

To be an outstanding scoundrel, even if the entire world spurned him, as long as he was pleased—that was enough.

To be the dark ruler commanding the world, even if humanity spat upon him for being bloodthirsty, shameless, ruthless, or for everything he was—as long as it satisfied the darkness and the desires deep within his heart, wasn't that also a worthy path?

Lost in these strange thoughts, Yang Yi didn't notice the passage of time. Soon enough, it was the end of the school day, and the afternoon had passed in a blink.

“Brother Yi…” Fatty Lin appropriately appeared beside Yang Yi and called out.

“Fatty, let’s go!” Yang Yi said with a faint smile.

Fatty Lin had never seen Yang Yi wear such an expression and merely looked surprised, not questioning it.

“Brother Yi, that…” Although Fatty Lin suspected Yang Yi had sensed something, he thought playing the fool was a good choice for now.

“Fatty, since we crawled out of the Dead Man's Cave, you’ve changed, and I’ve changed too. No matter how much we change, our ultimate goal remains the same. This world is too chaotic; you can’t just overturn it with pure theory. Have Long Yi and the others investigate the factions within No. 1 High,” Yang Yi said, his eyes narrowed, blazing with a cold light.

“En.” Fatty Lin pulled out his phone, which had taken him two full hours to master, and made a call.

Yang Yi walked along the road, not hailing a cab or calling for a ride. It was less about going home and more about having no destination at all. Bathed in the sunlight nearing the evening glow, Yang Yi looked less like an ordinary hooligan and more like a leopard poised to strike.

【There’s one more update tonight, let’s go！】

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