The tempestuous night had thankfully passed, giving way, unquestionably, to a massive shockwave—though only those in the underworld would ever know. The common folk, meanwhile, continued their quiet lives, clocking in and out of work, only to return home and perhaps trade a few blows under the veil of night before facing the next day with bruised eyes.
This was the existence for ordinary people. For those in the triad, however, the situation unfolding now was likely far too intense for them to endure.
“Boss, Leader!” A middle-aged man burst into Qing Long’s office, shouting.
“What is it?” Qing Long stood by the window, gazing out at the scenery with an almost unsettling calm.
The middle-aged man paused, his expression hardening. “The Black Dragon Society has been wiped out.”
“What?” At this news, Qing Long’s frame visibly jolted, registering a profound surprise. “By the Black God Gang?”
“Yes…” the man confirmed.
“It seems we cannot underestimate the Black God Gang,” Qing Long murmured, his eyes flashing with an inscrutable light. He then inquired, “Any movement from the Dragon Gang?”
“Not a whisper.”
“Heh. It takes some nerve for that fellow to sit so steadily. The Black God Gang!” Qing Long remained fixed on the view outside, though his hand clenched tightly at his side.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, the atmosphere mirrored that of the Qing Gang, as Long Tian sported a distinct smile on his face.
“Young Master Long, should we recall the men we stationed previously?” asked the impeccably professional woman adjusting her gold-rimmed glasses.
“Not yet. Keep them monitoring the situation for now. The Black God Gang’s strength should not be taken lightly,” Long Tian replied with that same measured smile.
“Young Master Long, the Black God Gang annihilated the Black Dragon Society in a single night. Shouldn't we perhaps begin making preparations?”
“No need. I doubt the Black God Gang will be foolish enough to come after us immediately. While I commend the Black God Gang for executing such an effective 'kill the chicken to scare the monkeys' maneuver, I doubt they possess the strength to challenge my Dragon Gang yet,” Long Tian declared with unshakeable confidence.
“The Black Dragon Society is merely a branch established in Huaxia by a certain organization from Country R. Now that they’ve been eradicated by the Black God Gang, I doubt the Black Dragon Society of Country R will simply let it go,” the professional woman stated coolly.
“Indeed. Country R has two major organizations: the Black Dragon Society and the Yamaguchi-gumi. The Black Dragon Society is just a minor group that never managed to truly sprout. However, if the Yamaguchi-gumi decides to intervene, the criminal underworld of Huaxia will face not just a cleansing, but a true bloodbath.”
“You think the Yamaguchi-gumi would cooperate with the Black Dragon Society? They are sworn enemies!” Surprise flickered across the professional woman’s face.
Long Tian let out a faint smile, stood up, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag, seemingly savoring the sharp burn. He glanced at the professional woman and said, “There are no eternal enemies in this world, only eternal interests. Don’t forget what the Black Dragon Society is truly about.”
Hearing this, the professional woman pondered for a moment, then merely adjusted her golden spectacles and remained silent.
Across town, a young man sat in a coffee shop, leisurely puffing on a cigar, dressed head-to-toe in designer brands.
Moments later, two other young men, also clad in name brands but sporting a more fashion-forward look, arrived. One of them pursed his lips and spoke to his companion. “Third Brother, the Boss is over there.”
“Oh!” the other responded.
“Boss…” The two youths approached the cigar-smoking young man, greeted him, and sat down.
“What’s the status?”
“It went exactly as you predicted. As soon as the news of the Black God Gang wiping out the Black Dragon Society reached the Black Dragon Society headquarters in Country R, they immediately went silent. It seems they aren’t planning to challenge the Black God Gang head-on for the moment,” the youth named Mo Leng reported seriously.
“That’s only natural. If they couldn’t establish themselves in the Jiangsu and Southern regions, there’s no way they’d dare try to expand into our North,” said the cigar-smoking youth, who was undoubtedly Ling Tian.
“But Boss, I noticed something quite interesting. Do you think the two major organizations in Country R might actually unite—or more directly, form a consensus to cooperate—and the first target would be the Black God Gang?” the remaining youth, Fang Kai, asked.
“That possibility cannot be ruled out. After all, the pursuit of profit might compel those two ancient rivals to temporarily set aside their feud.”
Ling Tian smiled faintly and continued, “For now, the Qing Gang and the Dragon Gang probably won't make a move against the Black God Gang. The Huaxia underworld will likely settle into a period of quiet. And the Black God Gang, as its name suggests, will accelerate its own development and won't stir up trouble immediately. Well then, since we have some downtime, shouldn't the three of us brothers take a vacation?”
“A vacation?” Mo Leng and Fang Kai exchanged a look of surprise, questioning him. “Where are we going?”
“Hmm… How about we choose somewhere to the East for now?” Ling Tian asked with a strange smile.
“The East?” Mo Leng and Fang Kai exchanged glances, seeming to understand each other perfectly, and both gave a knowing chuckle.
And indeed, their assumptions proved correct. Back at the Black Dragon Society headquarters in Country R, an elder was issuing stern orders, commanding all Black Dragon Society assets still operating in Huaxia to withdraw back to the homeland.
“Master,” three Japanese men, dressed in traditional kimono, knelt before an elder.
“You are aware that the majority of our Black Dragon Society influence in Huaxia has been eliminated by that Black God Gang?” The elder’s expression remained severe, though a tremor of palpable killing intent could not be suppressed in his voice.
“Yes…” the three responded.
“The Black Master may already be deceased…” The elder uttered this, his tone tinged with disbelief.
Truthfully, he had not taken the Black God Gang seriously before. Although he had heard the name, for a faction that had been dormant for twenty years to resurface with enough strength to so easily wipe out his established branch in Huaxia was astonishing. These events were difficult for him to accept, especially the possibility that his most prized disciple might be dead.
“The Black Master is slain?” Hearing this, the three Japanese men visibly shuddered, their eyes fixed on the elder with unconcealed shock.
“I understand your reaction. It is precisely because of this that I have summoned you here today—to entrust you with a mission,” the elder said, taking a deep breath.
“We await your command, Master,” the three affirmed, nodding sharply.
“All three of you have reached the level of Jōnin. I trust sending you out. This time, I want you to go to Huaxia to investigate whether the Black Master is truly dead, and gather all possible intelligence on the leader of that Black God Gang.” The elder’s gaze sharpened as he spoke the last words, revealing clear anger.
“Yes!” the three responded.
“Go then…” The elder bowed his head slightly, then rose and retreated behind the curtained entrance.
#####################
Meanwhile, in Jiangsu, Huaxia.
At the headquarters of the Black God Gang's Jiangsu Branch.
Lin Fatty, Ye Xiao Hou, and Feng Shi all wore expressions of deep gravity and anxiety, yet they seemed to be waiting for something. In Yang Yi’s office, only Xu Ming was pacing incessantly, a picture of frantic worry.
“Damn it, Third Brother, can you stop pacing back and forth? You’re making my head spin,” Ye Xiao Hou complained, clearly irritated by Xu Ming’s restless movement.
“Hell if I can stop! I’m worried sick,” Xu Ming muttered, frowning deeply, his face a mask of distress.
“Don’t worry, Brother Yi will be fine,” Lin Fatty said, though his own confidence was shaky—no, utterly absent.
“Second Brother, what good is saying ‘should be fine’? Damn it, I’m frantic!” Xu Ming retorted.
“Worrying won’t help, especially since Zhou Hu hasn't returned yet. If we keep getting anxious, it’s—” Lin Fatty trailed off. To continue would mean admitting that he, too, was terrified, rather than comforting Xu Ming.
“You mean, instead of just waiting here, we should go find Zhou Hu and get the situation straight?” Xu Ming asked.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Ye Xiao Hou exclaimed, “Zhou Hu is back.”
“Uncle Zhou, how is it? Any news of Brother Yi?” Lin Fatty strode forward several paces to meet Zhou Hu.
Zhou Hu caught his breath and reported, “We still have no trace of the Dragon Lord. His vehicle is also missing. The only report we have is that near a tunnel far from here, only one body was found—and that body belongs to the Black Master of the Black Dragon Society.”
“You didn’t see the Boss? Nor his car?” Xu Ming asked, his brow furrowed.
“No. Only the Black Master and his car. No sign of the Dragon Lord or his vehicle,” Zhou Hu replied, repeating himself with a sense of conflicted urgency, knowing how anxious they all were.
“Quick! Dispatch more men to search. I want him found, alive or dead, even if you have to tear the earth apart,” Feng Shi commanded, his voice cold, having remained silent until this moment.
“Yes, yes!” Zhou Hu acknowledged and rushed out.
From Zhou Hu’s grim accounting, everyone present understood one terrifying truth: Yang Yi was missing.