"Furthermore, do not doubt my methods in the future; you must be clear on that point." Yang Yi’s expression grew stern. Although he knew the man in black was currently unsettled in mind, he absolutely would not tolerate anyone questioning the way he did things.

"Yes!" The middle-aged man in black responded, kneeling on one knee, feeling a touch of dread. In truth, he knew his state of mind was still unbalanced, and a cold sweat beaded on his brow.

"It's fine, no need to be so serious. Just be more mindful from now on," Yang Yi said with a faint smile.

Whether one is a superior or a monarch, the art of employing people demands, 'Trust those you employ, and do not employ those you doubt!' This must be made clear. Every matter and every person requires wisdom in their handling and utilization. Sometimes, killing a person who doubts you yields less benefit than cleverly utilizing a capable one—this is the wisdom a true sovereign requires.

"The three-minute deadline has passed. Please state your answers now—are you willing or unwilling?" Han Zhong addressed the group of middle-aged men.

"Hmph. Forcing us into the Black God Gang without reason—how can we possibly submit to that?" The group of middle-aged men seemed reluctant to relinquish the authority they held.

"Oh? If that is the case, then we must apologize for our discourtesy," Han Zhong said as his voice trailed off.

"Swish!" Four Black God Guards instantly blurred, positioning themselves in front of Han Zhong.

"What are you trying to do? If the soft approach fails, you turn to force? You better think clearly about where this place is!"

"Heh heh, I’m afraid it is you who haven’t grasped that this place now belongs to the Black God Gang," Han Zhong replied with a faint smile.

"Could it be..."

"You only realize it now? Too late."

"Wait, we..."

"Enough nonsense. The Dragon Lord has commanded: those who do not comply shall be killed without mercy." Han Zhong felt it was pointless to waste more words with them and immediately gave the order.

Hearing this, the Black God Guards flashed their daggers. However, the group of middle-aged men showed no sign of backing down, drawing pistols. "Bang! Bang!"

"Swoosh, swish, hiss!!!" The sounds were strangely discordant.

"Thwack!" Daggers were instantly stained with crimson blood.

The group of middle-aged men, even at this point, could not believe that these men were just like those monsters—unafraid of guns, while their lives were being drained by those strangely shimmering blades!

Han Zhong shot them a look of contempt, shifted his body slightly to avoid the bullets, and said to the Black God Guards, "Handle this quickly. I need to report to the Dragon Lord."

"Yes!" The four Black God Guards responded with placid expressions.

August 18th. This day would be etched into memory, for on this day, the Black God Gang had completely seized control of A City’s influence. Some lived well, some died satisfied, and naturally, some died full of regret.

The current pace of the Black God Gang’s development was already maddening, not just in terms of influence but also creating huge waves in the business sector, causing even the largest gang in Jiangsu Province to become apprehensive.

"Gang Leader, should we send a few men to A City to check things out?" a middle-aged man asked the figure seated above him, his back turned.

"Mmm. Send a few men to observe. If any prove strong enough to threaten us, they must be eliminated." The voice sounded somewhat sinister—because it was dual-toned, carrying a particularly vicious edge.

"Yes!" The middle-aged man who had spoken started, thinking privately, Can a minor gang truly pose a threat to us?

############

"Dragon Lord, here is the data on our development in A City," Han Zhong stated, handing a file to Yang Yi.

"En." Yang Yi took the file and began flipping through it slowly.

In less than a minute, he seemed to scan through it rapidly. A flash of wicked charm crossed his face as he asked, "What is the total income of our Black God Gang's assets now?"

"Since A City is one of the main population hubs, our daily income is thirty million," Han Zhong admitted a little sheepishly.

"Thirty million?" Yang Yi started at the figure. Thirty million was by no means a small sum, especially considering it was a daily intake. Yet, he seemed far from satisfied. "Accelerate the cultivation of both beginner and advanced members, and rapidly boost our performance metrics."

"Yes!" Han Zhong understood that the Black God Gang currently required immense capital. Since incorporating the Bing Jian Association, their power had vastly increased, but so had the necessary funding. The Black God Gang was now under intense scrutiny; failure to develop quickly could lead to serious trouble, as other factions would not easily ignore a rising threat.

"Things are getting heated recently, so we must keep a low profile in our actions. At the same time, send some people to scout the major cities in Jiangsu Province, and pay close attention to anyone who might infiltrate our ranks recently," Yang Yi said, his face darkening.

"Understood..." Han Zhong replied.

It’s not time to clash with the established underworld yet. We have the power, but it isn't consolidated. All this requires time, Yang Yi sighed inwardly. He realized he was slowly inching toward the true criminal world—the kind that contended nationally. These were not jokes; a single misstep could lead to utter annihilation. Thus, he had to proceed with caution.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Director Ling Shan, whose son had previously clashed with someone named Yang Yi, now knew the details.

He felt a strange mix of excitement and gravity. After all, Yang Yi’s identity was too special—what kind of person required protection from the Southern Military Region?

"Hmph. Just because he has power and status can he kill my son?" It seemed the dark thought had completely overridden his reason, as Director Ling muttered this last question with a twisted expression.

"Yes, I cannot let him run wild! Hmph, even if he is from the Southern Military Region, I am the supreme authority here. Yang Yi, just you wait!" Director Ling seemed to make a decision, packed up the documents, and walked out.

"Director!" The police officers were surprised to see Director Ling emerge after having locked himself in his office for so long.

"A few of you, come in here!"

"Yes!" Although puzzled, the police squad captains followed him into the office.

"Find a way to bring this man back to me!" Director Ling violently slammed a file onto the desk.

"Yes!" The police captains acknowledged.

"Go!" Director Ling waved them off, then turned back to the window, a sinister smile twisting his face, as if he had already decided on his next move.

The most direct plan was already in motion: he had dispatched men to bring Yang Yi in, meaning Yang Yi would likely be framed with a fabricated charge first. What he would do after bringing him to the station was unclear for now, but the final thought of a man seeking revenge is always for the other party to pay with their life.

Elsewhere, the unsuspecting Yang Yi was fulfilling Li Qian’s request to accompany her shopping. He was frankly exhausted, not just from wandering aimlessly, but because Li Qian’s attire today was practically seducing him into crime. A very short denim skirt, a pure white top revealing glimpses of cleavage, and she kept grasping his hand, squeezing him repeatedly in that area—it was testing his self-control to the limit.

Don't act rashly, impulse is the devil! Yang Yi forcefully suppressed the desire rising within him.

Li Qian seemed to sense something and looked at him quizzically, her lips curling. She reached out and touched his forehead, squeezing his chest—the elastic objects he had held for the first time in his life—even more intensely.

"Yi, are you alright? Your face looks a bit strange."

Sweat. Isn't this all because of you? Yang Yi grumbled internally, but maintained a faint smile on his face, managing to say with great difficulty, "I'm fine. I just feel a little warm."

"Oh!" Li Qian murmured. Pouting, she glanced at the nearby ice cream shop. "How about we go grab an ice treat there first?"

"Uh, sure!" At this point, Yang Yi didn't care about ice cream or anything else, as long as the girl stopped tormenting him. Damn it, if this rogue hadn't been constantly cultivating his restraint, I really worry something might have happened, he kept muttering to himself.

Only after they entered the ice cream shop did Yang Yi let out a deep sigh of relief. Li Qian had been too alluring today; not only was her outfit sexy, but her chest kept beckoning him, seemingly whispering right by his ear: Come on, come on, grab me, ah, you grabbed me so well last time, mmm, come on, you devil... damn it! Thinking of this, Yang Yi shook his head vigorously, trying to clear his mind.

"Yi, why do I feel like you’ve been staring at me this whole time?" Li Qian asked, noticing his fixed gaze. Her heart was a mix of anticipation and apprehension!

"Ah!" Yang Yi started, immediately flashing a smile to cover his current embarrassment, and quickly said, "Let's order our drinks quickly!"

"Mmm—" Li Qian replied, her face flushing slightly, as if she understood something.