Yang Yi's lips curled into a slight upward arc. A roguish, devil-may-care grin was his signature expression for such matters, often enough to make others deeply uncomfortable, given that the man was hardly human when he decided to get serious.

The semester was rapidly drawing to a close. After the exams, they would move into the critical phase—the stage of success or failure. It couldn't be denied, the pressure leading up to the Gaokao was immense, a suffocating atmosphere that infected everyone on campus, even those who genuinely didn't care much for studying or harbored no ambitions of attending university.

For knowledge itself, Yang Yi absorbed it quickly, but his mind wasn't focused there right now. The current situation felt deeply enigmatic. City A fell under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province, and spanning all of Jiangsu, wasn't his current pace a bit too slow?

The entire East China region boasted another major faction, the so-called Hei Se Hui [Black Society/Syndicate]. They dominated this swath of territory, essentially acting as the underground emperors of East China’s underworld. When, if ever, would he be able to scale the Hei Shen Bang [Black God Gang] to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those colossal organizations?

Yang Yi had far too many things demanding his attention. What he knew for certain was that he absolutely could not afford to lose the first engagement scheduled for that evening; a loss meant forfeiting everything. Yet, he needed to conquer City A’s power structure with the utmost speed, then expand, and cultivate the strength of the Hei Shen Bang just as quickly. Only then could he amass the might necessary to challenge a behemoth like the Hei Se Hui, securing his right to stand on a higher stage.

"It seems he is finally starting to mature, sigh. He truly is a monster born from the Cave of the Dead!" At that moment, a middle-aged man stood unnervingly positioned on the balcony of the teaching building, squinting, his face etched with a smile as he watched Yang Yi sitting intently in the classroom below.

"Heh, I wondered who it could be." Suddenly, a figure materialized silently behind the old man.

"Oh, Old Li, long time no see." The elder knew exactly who stood behind him without even turning around.

"Old Qin, you're a national leader, yet you appear so casually at my run-down school. Shouldn't I be rolling out the red carpet and declaring my humble abode illuminated by your presence?" Indeed, the man behind him was Principal Li Yang.

This middle-aged man was Qin Feng. "Heh, I just wanted a look at that brat!"

Principal Li froze upon hearing this, then seemed to grasp something new. He walked over to stand beside Qin Feng, remarking casually, "It's been ages since the three of us brothers gathered. If it weren't for this kid, we'd probably just drift through life—you busy with your affairs, me with mine—with hardly any time to meet over the past decade."

"Heh, are you saying we should thank the kid for that?" Qin Feng asked with a placid smile.

"Old Qin, you seem quite taken with the boy," Principal Li suddenly shifted his tone.

Qin Feng glanced at him with a smile, returning his gaze to Yang Yi. "China is currently in a state of slow decline. The state apparatus worries about the underworld every single day. But in this world, where there is darkness, there must also be light. Of course, I want to see the nation's foundation stabilized."

"If the kid knew about our methods, what do you think his reaction would be?" Principal Li’s face suddenly twisted into a cold sneer.

"Sigh, I don't know. But I trust he will understand us. After all, he is Old Yang’s heir. He should have realized the moment he agreed to take over the Hei Shen Bang that this path was set. If he wants to change it, that choice lies entirely in his own actions," Qin Feng stated calmly.

"En." Principal Li nodded, finding the logic sound. After a brief pause, he continued, "Tonight marks his first campaign outside City A. I’m eagerly anticipating the surprise he’s going to give me!"

"Surprise?" Qin Feng looked puzzled, seemingly not grasping why Principal Li would put it that way.

"Haha!" Principal Li laughed, offering no words, merely casting a meaningful glance toward Yang Yi's classroom.

The morning slipped away all too quickly.

"Boss, let’s go eat," Xu Ming called out to Yang Yi, who had been staring blankly out the window all morning.

"Uh, class is over?" Yang Yi finally snapped out of his trance and asked.

Hearing this, Xu Ming adopted a theatrical expression of utter defeat. "Boss, you’ve been spacing out at the window all morning; of course, you didn't notice the time!"

"Uh, alright, let's go then!" Yang Yi realized he had been utterly consumed by his own thoughts, letting time vanish unnoticed.

"Yeah!" Xu Ming responded, and Lin Fatty also approached. The three noticed Ye Xiaohou already waiting by the door. They started walking out, but just as the four of them were heading toward the mess hall, a striking, delicate figure stepped in front of them.

"Yang Yi!"

"Uh!" Yang Yi paused, looking at her with confusion. "Is something up?"

Unmistakably, the visitor was Li Qian. She stood there, smiling broadly at Yang Yi, and asked, "Are you guys heading out to eat?"

"Yeah, what else would we be doing besides eating?" Yang Yi was genuinely bewildered. What was with this girl today?

"Hehe, nothing much. Could I perhaps join you guys for lunch?" Li Qian asked, her cheeks flushed.

Yang Yi stopped dead, unsure how to reply. The three accompanying him watched the exchange, suppressing laughter in their bellies. It was Xu Ming who broke the silence: "Haha! A beautiful woman to dine with? Of course, that’s acceptable, right, Boss!"

"Uh, well, this…" Yang Yi inwardly felt the urge to strangle Xu Ming. He and Li Qian were already in an awkward limbo, and this guy was clearly pouring gasoline on the fire.

"You can’t?" Li Qian suddenly looked crestfallen, staring at Yang Yi with a pitiful expression.

"Uh, well... hehe, it’s fine, let’s go!" Yang Yi forced a bitter smile. For some reason, he felt incapable of saying no to her lately; he just couldn't bear to refuse.

Ye Xiaohou and Lin Fatty exchanged a glance before secretly biting their lips to stifle smiles. Yang Yi turned back and shot them a fierce glare, then delivered a heavy, significant look to Xu Ming.

"Uh!" Xu Ming looked stunned.

"Haha, Third Brother, you’re done for. When the Boss gets angry, the consequences are severe," Ye Xiaohou remarked cheerfully.

"Exactly, exactly! Third Brother, should I put in a good word for you?" Lin Fatty teased maliciously.

"Damn it, why would I need you to beg for me? This is ridiculous," Xu Ming tried to play dumb.

Lin Fatty shook his head. "Third Brother, you should know. Brother Yi and Li Qian are in a delicate situation right now. You barged in recklessly; do you really think Brother Yi will let you off the hook?"

"Hmm! I don't think so… Worst case, Third Brother might end up with a bruised face," Ye Xiaohou chimed in.

"Tch, don't try to scare me. I don't believe the Boss would be that harsh!" Although Xu Ming spoke that way, hearing their words did start to prickle his nerves, especially after the fierce glare Yang Yi had just given him.

"Hehe, you can choose not to believe us, but don't blame us for not warning you when it happens," Lin Fatty said with a grin.

"You guys, are we eating or not!" Yang Yi turned his head and shouted when he saw the others lagging behind.

"Oh, coming!" Lin Fatty and Ye Xiaohou replied and hurried over.

Only Xu Ming remained behind, looking fraught with anxiety. "Damn it, could it actually be true? Hey... wait for me! Second Brother, Fourth Brother, I have something I need to tell you guys, hey... wait up for me..."

[Please do not forget to bookmark this. I’ll skip the nonsense, brothers, let’s keep this momentum going. August 15th marks the 64th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression; oppose visits to the Yasukuni Shrine!]