Yang Yi, tense and holding his breath, was dragged toward the cafeteria, sweat beading on his forehead, pulled along by Li Qian. He found himself in an awkward bind: withdrawing his hand felt wrong, as the soft, almost ethereal touch was surprisingly pleasant, yet if he allowed it to continue, he feared being physically consumed by the hostile mob surrounding them.

“Uh, Li—Miss Li, could you perhaps let go? I can walk on my own,” Yang Yi managed, the cold sweat prickling his skin. This girl seemed to have taken on a completely different persona today.

“Hmm? Oh, I’ll get your lunch later—no, more accurately, I’ll be getting your lunch from now on,” Li Qian replied with an unwavering smile, seemingly oblivious to his plea. She tightened her grip slightly, as if sensing his intent to break free.

“Damn that blasted bastard again!” A student angrily kicked a stone on the ground, sending it skittering with a sharp clatter. “Ow! Damn it, even this stupid rock is bullying me.”

“Heh, don’t dwell on it. You know perfectly well that the ‘bastard’ you’re talking about is a genuine hoodlum,” one student warned the complainer. “Didn’t you see his methods yesterday? How many bowls got lodged in that guy’s backside, how much blood was spilled? And he kicked him while he was down! If he overhears you badmouthing him here, you’re in serious trouble.”

“Tch, I know the guy’s a rogue, but hey, so am I—just not at his high level,” the student muttered, suddenly deflated. When he referred to a 'higher level,' he wasn't speaking of knowing Yang Yi’s secrets; it was about Yang Yi being absurdly formidable. Rumor had it that Yang Yi wasn't chasing the campus belle; the campus belle was chasing him. It was unjust! This distinction in 'level' was purely about status.

Xu Ming and Fatty Lin trailed behind, suppressing chuckles, until Ye Xiaohou jogged up to them. “Uh, Second Brother, Third Brother, you both look like you’re straining yourselves laughing—what’s so funny?”

“Ha! Just look at the Boss, and you’ll know,” Xu Ming managed, pinching his throat to keep his laughter quiet. He dared not laugh loudly and brazenly.

Ye Xiaohou followed Xu Ming’s gaze toward Yang Yi. He saw his Boss being held by Li Qian, and then— “Holy crap!” Ye Xiaohou gasped. It wasn't the hand-holding that shocked him, but the surrounding throng of students whose expressions and gazes were pure homicidal intent.

“What are you gawking at? Hurry up and move! If the Boss loses his temper, we’ll be the ones paying for it!” Xu Ming urged.

“Yeah, move it, Second Brother! Make sure you don't dawdle grabbing lunch for the Boss. Once we eat, we scatter back to class, or who knows what chaos will erupt,” Ye Xiaohou exaggerated.

Fatty Lin remained silent, shaking his head with an air of resignation. He instinctively glanced toward the door of the principal's office. A fleeting, strange glint crossed his eyes—he thought he’d seen two figures watching them intently just moments ago, but they were gone now. He blinked, dismissing the thought, and fixed his gaze firmly on Yang Yi, certain that his Brother Yi knew exactly what was going on.

Currently in A City, the Black God Gang, following Yang Yi’s original blueprint, had undergone massive expansion. Unlike other gangs relying solely on extorting protection or blackmail fees to motivate members, Yang Yi aimed to integrate casinos, bars, internet cafes, and even high-end entertainment hotels, creating a commercialized thoroughfare. His vision was to steer the underworld away from low-grade coercion tactics for profit. This, however, was only a partial strategy.

Opium trade remained necessary; arms dealing was essential; ecstasy pills still needed distribution. These were the established rules of engagement. Without these transactions, could the underworld truly claim to be the underworld? The essence of the dark side was exploiting the shadows for explosive profit, using any means necessary to secure vast wealth. This defined the syndicate, the organized crime network. Those involved in the underworld were, quite simply, villains—yet they were the ones standing at the apex, the masters capable of manipulating true power, akin to emperors reigning over the darkness.

Presently, apart from the Ice Mirror Society, Black God Gang dominion was absolute in A City. The former territories, branches, and headquarters of the Eagle Gang and the Hungry Wolf Gang now all belonged to Black God Gang. The message was clear: Black God Gang had fired the opening shot in A City, fully revealing itself to the world. This initial blast was enough to draw the sharp attention of many larger outside organizations—organizations that, at least for now, qualified as "larger" from Black God Gang’s perspective.

These external powers were now closely scrutinizing the Black God Gang. It was like a dark horse that had lain dormant for twenty years; only the older generation recalled its existence, while the newcomers had no idea. Consequently, many organizations underestimated them, which, ironically, helped Black God Gang avoid significant initial complications.

While the external situation evolved, Yang Yi, completely unaware of the gang's progress, was grimacing over his meal. Li Qian’s dramatic change in behavior utterly baffled him, and he couldn't bear the hostile scrutiny of the surrounding students. Yet, catching those harsh looks invariably reminded him of his date for that evening. "What would happen if the entire school knew I was actually with Xia Shiyun?"

The thought sent a chilling draft down his spine, making him shiver involuntarily. “Damn, just thinking about it is terrifying. What the hell am I supposed to do?”

“Yang Yi, are you alright? Are you feeling unwell? Maybe you’ve caught a cold?” Li Qian asked with genuine concern when she saw him tremble.

“Uh, no, I’m fine,” Yang Yi replied quickly, returning to his food as soon as he heard her voice.

The meal was far from graceful. Li Qian’s bizarre transformation was unsettling, and Yang Yi ate with his mind elsewhere, depressed. Meanwhile, Xu Ming and Ye Xiaohou snickered, while Fatty Lin remained speechless. The surrounding students, who had flocked around their table, ate their own food with one hand while rapidly shoveling rice with the other, making the entire cafeteria atmosphere quite unsightly.

“Are you guys looking for a beating? Can’t you eat in peace without crowding us?” Yang Yi suddenly stood up and rudely addressed the surrounding onlookers, spitting slightly.

“Pfft—you eat your food, we’ll eat ours. We aren’t saying anything; what’s your problem? We aren’t bothering you at all,” one of the onlookers retorted.

“Uh!” Yang Yi was left speechless, as their logic was sound.

“Puchi!” Li Qian let out a small laugh. For some inexplicable reason, she found Yang Yi’s frustrated predicament endlessly amusing every time she witnessed it.