As the sage of the Academy, one must first achieve profound cultivation and dedicate oneself to learning. The reason I chose the university was because the promise of that idyllic campus life deeply appealed to me. However, that was not my true objective, for only after entering the university did I realize that everything seemed to be arranged by some unseen hand. — Memoirs of Yang Yi

“Whoosh!” “Whoosh!”..........

A sound of tearing air accompanied the descent of several aircraft. A youth clad in black stepped off one plane, escorting a beautiful woman. Unlike others, he had no family or relatives to greet him, nor the grand fanfare afforded to the children of high officials on vacation, nor the solemnity of receiving a new post. There was only an expression of utter calm and natural composure upon his face.

“Young Master, shall I call someone to pick us up?” the beautiful woman asked, instinctively glancing at the youth.

“No need. I’d like to walk!” The signature smile he was known for played upon the youth’s lips. A strange sense of peace suddenly welled up within him; perhaps it was the feeling of being on his own soil.

“Yes!” the woman replied dutifully.

The two walked out of the airport step by step. Upon reaching the entrance, they did not hail a taxi, but merely followed the youth’s instruction: they wanted to walk...

After walking for about half an hour, the youth suddenly stopped. He unconsciously glanced toward a nearby coffee shop and curved his lip. “How about we step in for a coffee?”

“Whatever pleases the Young Master is fine,” the woman replied with a dazzling smile. She sensed a slight shift in her Young Master since his return; perhaps this was the feeling of a tranquil homeland.

“Welcome!” a standard greeting was offered by a young woman in Western-style service attire, who smiled warmly.

“Two Ice Blues for us,” the youth said casually, though inwardly he noticed with surprise that he seemed to have developed a taste for something new—drinking Ice Blue, no less.

“Certainly, please wait a moment!” The server nodded and hurried off to prepare the drinks.

The youth and the woman found a table and sat down. The woman then inquired, “Young Master, now that you’ve returned, what are your plans…”

“School, nothing but school!” The youth interrupted her before she could finish her question.

The woman suitably closed her lips. She understood that he had his own agenda and that she could not press further. After all, he was well aware of certain realities. Now, Huaxia was entirely transformed—not just the overall situation, but the people, too, were changing.

“Hey, did you hear?” one young man asked his companion.

The companion looked utterly confused. “Hear what?”

“Isn’t the Black God Gang the top dog in A City’s underworld right now?”

“Uh, so what?”

“Damn it, I want to join the Black God Gang! Shoot... Not only is the pay high in the Black God Gang, but it’s also structured and organized. I heard only true he-men—men standing eight chi tall—can get in.”

“Whoa, aren’t you an eight-chi man now? Could it be that...?” The companion suddenly looked at him uncomfortably, thinking, Could this guy be gay? Damn, there are so many of them these days!

“Go screw yourself,” the first youth sneered, throwing him a contemptuous look. “You listen up, I’m a bona fide man!”

“Ugh... okay, spit it out then!”

“Actually, I’ll tell you. I have an ulterior motive for wanting to join the Black God Gang. You know the leader of the Black God Gang is the legendary campus heartthrob over at No. 1 High? Wow, he’s ridiculously handsome!”

“No way! The Black God Gang is made up of students from our high school?”

“Yeah, you didn’t know? Heh heh, let me tell you, the Black God Gang is now the reigning power in A City’s underworld. Following him means guaranteed success! Didn’t you see our cousin? He joined the Black God Gang barely two months ago, and look at him now—a physique like tempered steel, even his whole demeanor is commanding! The other day when I went back to the countryside with him, the girls there took an immediate liking to our cousin. Can you believe how cool that is!”

“Damn, is it really that intense? A body like tempered steel in two months?”

“Absolutely! Let me tell you, back in my village, there were some cocky local punks who tried to bully us, bragging about their background as retired soldiers. Our cousin just used one finger to squash them flat. See? Joining the Black God Gang seems like an amazing deal.”

“Holy crap, is that true?”

“Of course it’s true! Would I lie to you? I just heard they have a rigorous screening process to join the Black God Gang; it’s not easy.”

“So what if it’s tough? You won’t know if you can make it until you try. If the Black God Gang is as formidable as you say, I’m not afraid of hardship. Suffering there for a few months to forge an iron body like that! What’s there to fear? I won’t get bullied anymore.”

“You really want to go?”

“Yeah! Tell me, how do I get in?”

“Alright, I’ll come with you later...”

“It seems Old Third and Old Fourth have been doing well lately. At least the Black God Gang has established a good reputation in A City,” the youth—undoubtedly Yang Yi—muttered, the corner of his mouth twitching.

“Indeed. In just two months, they’ve recruited nearly twenty thousand low-level and high-level members for the Black God Gang, including a batch of exceptionally outstanding individuals,” Feng Shi said, taking a sip of his coffee.

“Fatty has also worked diligently and hasn’t disappointed me. The Black God Gang is now the hegemon of the East China region. It looks like it’s time to make a move soon,” Yang Yi slowly picked up his coffee cup, took a sip, and asked Feng Shi, “How are preparations in Shanghai?”

“We’ve transferred a contingent there as you instructed, numbering around ten thousand people,” Feng Shi replied.

“Good.”

“Young Master, I have one point of confusion.”

“Heh heh,” Yang Yi smiled calmly. “You want to ask why I chose Fudan University in Shanghai, don’t you?”

“Yes. Young Master, since you aim to provoke the Green Gang in a short time, why choose Shanghai, so far from the south?”

“There are two major gangs in the south, not counting the countless smaller ones. Both the Dragon Gang and the Green Gang are connected to the Eight Great Families of Huaxia. Tell me, if not Shanghai, where should I choose?” Yang Yi countered.

“What do you mean, Young Master?” A strange gleam flashed in Feng Shi’s eyes as he quickly asked.

“Exactly... Just when everyone assumes I lack the qualifications or the courage to stir up trouble with all of them, I choose to do precisely that. That has always been my style.” Yang Yi took another sip of coffee and fell silent, his gaze fixed intently out the window. In reality, Yang Yi understood perfectly: his time at university would be the overture to a nationwide underworld war.

“Damn—Old Second, say something! When is the boss coming back? Hell, it’s already past five o’clock,” Xu Ming looked visibly agitated as he checked the time, then looked at Fatty Lin, who was lounging on the sofa.

“How would I know? Feng Shi’s report only said Brother Yi would return today. As for when he’d arrive, you ask me, who should I ask?” Fatty Lin glared back at the anxiously fidgeting Xu Ming.

“Uh!” Xu Ming blinked, then offered an apologetic smile. “Old Second, it’s just that I’m worried. After all, we haven’t seen our brothers in two months; I miss them!”

“Tell me about it! We listen to stories about the boss’s exploits in R Country every day. Damn, I truly admire the boss; toying with a godfather of the underworld in R Country like that—it’s incredible.” Ye Xiaohou chimed in resentfully.

“Exactly! When I first heard the news, I regretted not going with the boss,” Xu Ming said with a look of profound remorse.

“You two!” Fatty Lin was speechless.

Just as they were about to say more, a voice cut through, “If you had followed me then, how could the Black God Gang have achieved what it has today?”

“Brother Yi!”

“Boss!”

“Boss!”

The speaker was, undeniably, Yang Yi. He looked at his three brothers with a smile, sighing inwardly, Time truly changes people. After two months apart, these three have become... perhaps even more shameless.

“Get out of here! Old Fourth, what’s with that look? If strangers didn’t know better, they’d think you were a jilted lover! And Old Third, what’s with your expression? You look like a complete sissy! And Fatty, don’t you dare give me that baby face, it’s disgusting!”

“Pfft!” Feng Shi, standing nearby, couldn't help but burst out laughing, clutching his stomach at their expressions and Yang Yi’s scathing remarks.

Xu Ming’s face was a comical mix of near-tears and near-laughter, missing only a running nose.

Ye Xiaohou was composed, but his eyes held an almost ambiguous warmth, perhaps even a slight glistening of tears.

Fatty Lin was the shameless one; his cheeks were puffed out exactly like a baby’s face, and his plump mouth was even pursed like an artificial pout from a beauty—utterly grotesque.

Yang Yi looked at the expressions of the three and knew this was what they called brotherhood; wasn't he the same? He walked up to the three of them, clapped them on the shoulders, and said, “Alright, stop embarrassing me. I’m home for once tonight, aren’t you going to welcome me properly?”

“Hahahaha! Hahahaha!” As soon as Yang Yi finished speaking, the three burst into loud laughter.

Xu Ming rubbed his face. “Boss, let’s go drinking! We’ve had everything ready waiting for your return!”

“That’s right! Tonight, we won’t go home until we’re drunk!” Fatty Lin agreed.

“Good!” Yang Yi, feeling a surge of bold spirit, roared back.