"En! One is a Grandmaster about to break through to the Azure rank, and the other two are Yellow ranks. These six youths seem anything but simple; their strength levels are surprisingly similar!" Yang Yi murmured, then spoke.

"But, Brother Yi, why would the Yamaguchi-gumi split into three groups to attack the Shijufang Building?" Murong Lianxue seemed genuinely puzzled by Kudo Taichi's intentions as she asked Yang Yi.

"Heh—!" Yang Yi smiled faintly, then stated, "This fellow is undoubtedly wary of the political influence of the Miyamoto family. After all, they belong to the official side. For someone in the underworld, no matter how powerful he is, he will always hold some reservations about the Japanese police!"

"But... Brother Yi, didn't you previously...?"

Yang Yi glanced at Murong Lianxue, still wearing a smiling expression, and said, "Lianxue, you are starting to learn how to observe the whole situation and then analyze it. It seems you've learned a great deal lately!"

"I suppose so!" Murong Lianxue pouted slightly, seemingly unconcerned.

Indeed, people grow up day by day, and Murong Lianxue was no exception. However, perhaps she understood better than others that as one grows up, troubles follow suit. Yang Yi saw right through this about her, which only made him sigh with a wry smile. True growth isn't forced; it happens naturally. "Perhaps, I should let her learn to grow up on her own," Yang Yi muttered internally, his eyes narrowing to slits as he stared fixedly at the raging, fiery battlefield...

"My Lord!"

"What is it?" Hearing the voice, Miyamoto Taro immediately turned to the three youths who had suddenly appeared.

"The Yamaguchi-gumi, over three thousand strong, has split into three groups, attacking us from three separate directions," said the fifth-ranked youth.

"Over three thousand men?" Miyamoto Taro frowned. The Yamaguchi-gumi's interference tonight had already surprised him greatly, and the manner of their attack now struck him as somewhat ironic and even amusing. "Kudo Taichi is certainly something. He's surely worried about the political faction of the Miyamoto family, afraid they might deploy the police soon. Splitting the forces like this clearly means he wants to be able to withdraw personnel immediately if any sudden situation arises. The speed of retreat would definitely be faster than if all three thousand charged in at once. He’s thought ahead, hasn't he, hmph hmph!"

Hearing Miyamoto Taro's sarcastic chuckle, the three youths merely curled their lips, saying nothing. Miyamoto Taro, however, walked back to his seat, picked up the dossier on the table, and began flipping through it without uttering another word.

After about three minutes, a middle-aged man in black rushed in from the doorway, urgently calling out, "My Lord!"

"Speak!"

"The Political Department has only dispatched a few thousand assassination operatives—only utilizing about twenty percent of their strength. There are no signs of them deploying the rest!" reported the middle-aged man in black.

A peculiar curve appeared on Miyamoto Taro's lips as he said, "Have all the members of the Black Dragon Society been deployed?"

"Yes! The Black Dragon Society members and the Shadow Ninjas have all been mobilized; only the Assassination Squad is on standby."

"Hmm!" Miyamoto Taro pondered for a moment, then commanded, "Continue to ascertain the situation. Report immediately if there are any unusual movements!"

"Yes, my Lord!"

At this moment, near the Shijufang Building, the ground was soaked with blood as groups of people fought fiercely, neither side yielding an inch. On the battlefield, it was kill or be killed; even a moment's hesitation could mean losing one's life next. Thus, both sides fought desperately, and the battle grew increasingly intense...

Imagine it: one side nearly five thousand strong, another close to three thousand, and another group of several thousand, all surging together—what kind of scene would that be? People would likely die from being trampled, more might die from being shoved, and perhaps even more would perish through insidious maneuvering. A melee involving over ten thousand people gathered together was beyond simple description!

The Japanese National Police Agency had already issued orders: no police were allowed in the Shijufang area. Traffic and pedestrians were blocked from approaching within eight hundred meters of the perimeter, and large-scale media communication was shut down—a clear indication of the gravity of the situation! The Japanese government was essentially fully aware of the battlefield unfolding in the Shijufang area.

"Sir! Is this truly the right course of action?" a middle-aged man in military uniform asked the Supreme Leader of the Japanese government, who stood not far in front of him.

"This is the only way to resolve it. After all, our nation still needs to develop! This is a conflict within the Miyamoto family; we cannot interfere," the man, who looked imposing and stern, exuded an innate air of authority without displaying anger. His voice was remarkably calm.

"But this battle is so intense; many people are likely to die!" the uniformed man seemed to agree wholeheartedly.

"There is no other way. It is better to lose some lives than to have the entire Miyamoto family fall under the control of this Miyamoto Taro," said the Supreme Leader, who seemed quite wary of the Miyamoto family himself. After a pause, he continued, "Who do you think will win this time—Miyamoto Taro, the other half of the Miyamoto family's forces, perhaps the Yamaguchi-gumi, or even other factions?"

"Sir, I just feel the entire situation is rather hazy, so I don't know where to begin."

"Heh, hazy, you say?" After a moment, he added, "This time, it might be a true test for Japan. I wonder what we will gain from this baptism..."

Upon hearing this, the uniformed man instinctively glanced at his superior, his thoughts unknown, but a knowing, meaningful expression flashed across his face, suggesting he tacitly agreed with the statement.

Returning to the battlefield now, one had to admit that Kudo Taichi certainly had his methods. His three-pronged attack nearly drove Miyamoto Taro to despair, hence his deployment of not only the Black Dragon Society members but also the Shadow Ninjas—reserving only the Assassination Squad as his lowest-tier force. Of course... Miyamoto Taro would never use the Assassination Squad as his trump card; his real ace was likely that mysterious Chinese man, or perhaps the three Chinese youths.

However, he never imagined that the best part of the show was yet to come. Currently, inside a black sedan, Kudo Taichi smoked a grayish-purple cigar, watching the battle unfolding a mere few hundred meters away with a placid expression, occasionally exhaling perfect smoke rings, appearing utterly relaxed!

"Group Leader, both sides are locked in a brutal struggle now, and the Miyamoto family faction not aligned with Miyamoto Taro is gradually weakening. Should we perhaps..." the man in the suit asked Kudo Taichi.

Kudo Taichi remained silent, still watching the battlefield with that amused look, the cigar in his hand burning shorter and shorter. After several minutes of silence, he finally smiled faintly, a smile that held a touch of the bizarre!

"Issue the order: the remaining two thousand plus men are to advance immediately toward the main gate of Shijufang. Be swift..."

"Yes!" The man in the suit momentarily blinked in surprise, then his composure returned, and he quickly pulled out a phone to make the call.

"Tonight has been truly spectacular..." Kudo Taichi flicked the finished cigar out of the car window, saying softly.

And just then, back with Yang Yi's group, Miyamoto Sakurako lowered her phone and said, "Dragon Lord, there is an anomaly."

"Oh?" Yang Yi's lips curved slightly as he asked, "What anomaly?"

"The Yamaguchi-gumi has suddenly deployed about two thousand more men, and they are attacking the main entrance of the Shijufang Building," Miyamoto Sakurako replied.

"Hmph, just as I suspected!" Yang Yi gave a cold laugh, pulled out his own mobile phone, dialed a few numbers, and said into the receiver, "Once the last batch from the Yamaguchi-gumi crosses into your boundary, surround and annihilate them immediately. Leave no one alive. Japanese lives are not worth cherishing."

"Understood, Dragon Lord!" Long Yi's voice came through the phone.

Beside him, Miyamoto Sakurako’s expression flickered momentarily upon hearing Yang Yi's words about not cherishing Japanese lives, before swiftly returning to normal.

Yang Yi glanced at her, knowing full well what she might be thinking. A cold smirk still played on his lips as he said, "You might think I harbor intense hatred for you Japanese people. I can tell you plainly! Indeed, my innate disposition prevents me from forgetting what your people did to our Huaxia. Even though it is past, to this day, I believe no Huaxia person harbors any less of that deep-seated resentment! Of course, one cannot damn an entire group with a single stick!"

"Yes!" Miyamoto Sakurako’s face paled slightly, feeling as if Yang Yi had completely seen through her inner thoughts, leading to a trace of shame.

"Immediately issue an order, notify your final contingent, and join the fight now!" Yang Yi commanded sternly.

"Yes!" Miyamoto Sakurako saw a cold glint flash in Yang Yi's eyes and felt a tremor run through her. She quickly pulled out her phone to make the call.

"Thump!" Murong Lianxue suddenly felt a sharp spasm in her heart. Her small face instantly turned pale, and her eyes flickered erratically.

Seeing this, Yang Yi frowned and asked her, "Lianxue, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

"It's nothing! Brother Yi, I'm fine!" Murong Lianxue forced a slight smile. That sudden feeling seemed to make her sense something. She hastily said to Yang Yi, "Brother Yi, I need to go to the restroom for a moment, hehe, I'll be right back."

"Hmm?" Before Yang Yi's question finished, Murong Lianxue had already vanished. Seeing this, Yang Yi, no fool, muttered with deep suspicion, "Did Lianxue sense something? Alas—the Murong family, oh, the Murong family..."

...