I have never claimed to be an upright man, nor have I ever claimed not to be a cold-blooded killer. In my eyes, everyone exists somewhere between an ant and the dust. To leap clear of these crawling insects, one must possess an ambition of colossal scale. The marriage of ambition and intellect allows me to manipulate these so-called kingpins of the underworld. — Yang Yi’s Declaration of War: Black Society Memoirs

The assassination atmosphere was thick in the air, yet Yang Yi seemed oblivious. Today, just like any other day, the four 'wolves' bolted from the dormitory and headed toward the classrooms.

Yang Yi had grown accustomed to the concept of ‘attending class.’ After all, despite jumping directly into the third year of high school, the curriculum, especially after the celebration gala, was gradually intensifying. With the Gaokao approaching, university lay just beyond the horizon.

The morning passed neither too quickly nor too slowly.

“Uh, why isn't Old Fourth here today?” Fatty Lin asked, perplexed.

Normally, Ye Xiaohou would wait by the classroom door for Yang Yi and the others when they broke for lunch. Today felt different; he wasn't there.

“I don’t know either. Should we go look for him in his classroom?” Xu Ming also seemed at a loss as to Ye Xiaohou’s absence.

Yang Yi pushed himself up. “Let’s go.”

“Ah!”

Suddenly, a cry drew the attention of Yang Yi and the others. They watched as a boy was knocked to the ground by Li Qian.

“Sorry, are you alright?” Li Qian apologized gently.

“Uh, I... I’m fine!” The boy seemed utterly flustered and surprised by Li Qian’s apology.

“Good. Please move aside,” Li Qian said before walking away.

“Hey, Second Brother, don’t you think Li Qian has been acting a little strange lately?” Xu Ming observed, noting Li Qian’s apologetic demeanor, which struck him as highly unusual.

“Damn, why do you care if she’s weird? I think you’re acting weird,” Fatty Lin shot back with disdain.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Xu Ming demanded, his eyes wide.

Yang Yi cracked a smile, a slight curve at the corner of his mouth. “Fatty is asking if you’ve developed a crush on Li Qian?”

“Pfft, absolutely impossible! That’s completely out of the question!” Xu Ming vehemently denied it.

“Uh, you don’t need to react so strongly,” Fatty Lin commented.

“However,” Xu Ming continued, deep in thought, “now that Second Brother mentioned it, I do think Li Qian looks at the Boss with strange eyes.”

Hearing this, Yang Yi immediately delivered a playful smack to Xu Ming’s head. “Screw you, man! You got called out, so now you’re trying to push it onto me, right?”

“Ah… Stop, stop, Boss, that hurts!” Xu Ming quickly dodged, crying out as he spoke.

“But, Brother Yi, now that Third Brother has said it, I actually think it’s true!” Fatty Lin chimed in, looking thoughtful, before quickly backing away. He had no desire to face the playful blows from Yang Yi, whose expression was turning less than natural.

Yang Yi shot the two shameless fellows an exasperated look before walking toward them.

“Brother Dong!” Shen Zi called out as he approached Chen Dong.

“Heh heh, it doesn't matter. Let them enjoy themselves for a while longer. I believe the Snake Ghost should make his move tonight,” Chen Dong murmured, his eyes narrowed as he watched Yang Yi and his group depart.

“Damn it, that damned tomboy actually made me clean the toilets. A tomboy! I wish you’d get hit by a car crossing the road, screwed by a tranny, and ridden by a garbage scavenger!”

At that moment, Ye Xiaohou, diligently working—or more accurately, forced to scrub toilets as punishment—was muttering vicious curses at someone.

But as he cursed, he suddenly sensed something amiss. A cold draft swept past him, and a shadow, appearing somewhat tall and imposing, was cast before him by the light. Seeing the silhouette, his face contorted violently, but he quickly masked it with a sugary, ingratiating expression. “Teacher!”

“Indeed, Student Ye. I’m impressed by how colorful your vocabulary is. Continue cleaning until this entire restroom sparkles, and only then will you be allowed to eat!” A tomboy? She did bear some resemblance: a face set in stubborn resolution, short hair, a towering frame, and somewhat developed arms, making her look almost masculine. If it weren't for the two mounds wrapped at her front, she would truly be indistinguishable from a man.

“Yes, Teacher,” Ye Xiaohou replied, a flicker of bitterness crossing his face. Whose fault was it that his curses had been overheard?

The tomboy teacher noticed Ye Xiaohou’s pained expression and advised, “Next time you curse someone, check if anyone is around first. Otherwise, you’re only hurting yourself!”

“Understood.” After Ye Xiaohou responded, he made a face at the teacher just as she was exiting the restroom. Seeing the coast clear, he quickly resumed his tirade. “It’s no exaggeration to call you a tomboy. This is the men’s restroom! Damn, she even dares to enter here!”

“Hahaha, Old Fourth, you are doomed, absolutely doomed! Getting punished to wash toilets,” Xu Ming’s voice echoed from the restroom door.

Hearing this, Ye Xiaohou immediately yelled out, “Get lost, you bastard, mind your own business!”

When Yang Yi, Xu Ming, and Fatty Lin entered, they saw the miserable-looking Ye Xiaohou. Yang Yi asked, “Old Fourth, did you commit some heinous crime to warrant toilet duty?”

“Forget it, Boss, don't ask. Just count it as my bad luck,” Ye Xiaohou said, clearly reluctant to reveal his transgression.

“Oh ho? Since Old Fourth doesn't want to say, then we should scrap our original plan to help him. Let’s bounce,” Xu Ming declared with a wicked grin.

“Ah, you guys came to help me wash toilets?” Ye Xiaohou’s spirits instantly lifted. He quickly exclaimed, “As expected of my good brothers! My true comrades! We share misfortune!”

“Cut the crap, don’t try to trick us with that line. Are you going to tell us or not?” Xu Ming sneered.

“Uh, well… um…” Ye Xiaohou stammered, still unwilling to talk.

Seeing this, Xu Ming declared, “Boss, let’s go. If Old Fourth won’t talk, we shouldn’t force him. Forcing things only leads to misery.”

“Yeah, Old Fourth, you just take your time washing,” Yang Yi said, suppressing a laugh as he watched Xu Ming tease Ye Xiaohou.

With that, Yang Yi and the others genuinely started walking toward the exit. Ye Xiaohou panicked inwardly and quickly called out, “Alright, alright, I’ll tell you! Don’t go!”

“Then spit it out,” Xu Ming turned back to say.

“Actually… actually, it’s nothing major. It’s just… just… I saw a pack of Hushubao fall underneath the girl sitting in front of me, and I tried to pick it up—”

“What—?!”

Before Ye Xiaohou could finish, the three—Yang Yi, Xu Ming, and Fatty Lin—gasped in unison, their eyes wide as dinner plates as they stared at him—

[Giggle, what’s Hushubao? Damn, don’t tell me you don’t know. I’m lustful, I collect things! The essential battle cry for the ultimate pervert. Rally up, keep boosting!]