Ace Lind sat leisurely on the sofa, reading his newspaper, as if the chaos unfolding outside had absolutely no bearing on him.

“Father…” Ace Karen entered, his brow deeply furrowed, addressing Ace Lind.

“Hm?” Ace Lind responded, raising his head with a look of confusion as he regarded his son. “What is it? Has something happened?”

“The Black God Gang and the Lesa family made their moves simultaneously?” Ace Karen stated grimly.

“What?” Ace Lind’s eyebrows knitted together instantly, his previous composure vanishing without a trace. “What’s the current situation?”

“The Lesa family is subdued, and it looks like the Weeping Blood Assassin Guild will also be wiped out by the Black God Gang,” Ace Karen sneered slightly before continuing, “The Dragon Lord of the Black God Gang truly deserves my respect with his strategy.”

“Oh?” Upon hearing the report, Ace Lind paused, letting the newspaper fall from his grasp. “We’ve lost the advantage this time!”

“The advantage?” Ace Karen questioned, perplexed.

“Yes…”

“Is it because we delayed our strike?”

“It’s not just a matter of delaying the strike; it’s that we completely underestimated the strength of this Black God Gang Dragon Lord from the start,” Ace Lind said with a cold smile plastered across his face. “The current dynamic proves that the Black God Gang has played a move against us. Furthermore, I suspect the Weeping Blood Assassin Guild has already pledged allegiance to the Black God Gang.”

“What? That’s impossible! Aren’t they afraid of our retribution?” Ace Karen seemed unable to believe it.

“It’s not that they aren’t afraid; it’s extreme terror. But precisely because of that, they chose to align with the Black God Gang,” Ace Lind appeared to have instantly seen through the Guild’s true intentions. He continued, “If the Weeping Blood Assassin Guild hadn't chosen to align, they could have foreseen two possible outcomes.”

“Two?”

“Indeed… One: being used by us until their demise. Two: being encircled and annihilated by the Black God Gang.” Ace Lind stood up, a cold smirk touching his lips as he glanced at Ace Karen. “Aside from those two ways to die, the outcome the Weeping Blood Assassin Guild most dreaded was seeing their Guild vanish from the world rankings, along with facing utter annihilation.”

“Father, are you suggesting that when the Lesa family, the Black God Gang, and the Weeping Blood Assassin Guild were locked in conflict, if we had intervened, the result would have been what you described?”

“Yes… In summary, the Black God Gang has seized control of the situation now. We are effectively bystanders, unable to interfere,” Ace Lind felt a flicker of hidden admiration for Yang Yi; his maneuver had been brilliant.

He had not only eliminated the chance of the Mafia making a move but also executed a brilliant counter-play. Most critically, if the Mafia didn't act, it meant other underworld factions couldn't interfere either, because in the current volatile climate, no one could afford a major blow-up; one wrong step could spell disaster for the entire structure of the UK underworld—or rather, the global one.

“Indeed, if we intervene now, we might face unforeseen consequences,” Ace Karen’s face showed a trace of seriousness; he understood the gravity of the situation.

“All we can do now is watch the Weeping Blood Assassin Guild fall under the Black God Gang’s banner,” Ace Lind shook his head regretfully, suddenly curious about how Yang Yi managed to handle the two rebellious factions within the Lesa family.

Meanwhile, back at this very moment, deep below, Yang Yi and his party entered the black doorway. After walking for about five minutes, they arrived at a door, already three hundred meters beneath the surface.

“Master, the Black God Gang’s Dragon Lord has been brought here,” the middle-aged man in black respectfully reported to Xu Ling inside as he opened the door.

“Show him in!” The voice emanating from within sent a chill through Yang Yi, who silently mused, This leader of the Weeping Blood Assassin Guild is likely a Master-level expert as well…

“Please!” The man in black gestured toward Yang Yi and his group.

Yang Yi smirked, ignoring the attendant’s formality. He peered into the room, advancing with his eight Ten War Generals to a position near Xu Ling, his gaze sharp and penetrating, attempting to read the man entirely.

“What fiercely sharp eyes,” Xu Ling was startled. Although he had seen Yang Yi in the surveillance footage, the live presence was a world apart from the recording. “I am Xu Ling, the current head of the Weeping Blood Assassin Guild!”

Seeing Xu Ling raise a cupped fist in greeting, Yang Yi’s face broke into a smile as he returned the gesture. “Yang Yi, Dragon Lord of the Black God Gang!”

“I’ve long heard how formidable the Dragon Lord of the Black God Gang is, and I’ve heard you are barely twenty years old. Seeing you now confirms it; truly, the younger generation surpasses the old,” Xu Ling regarded Yang Yi with calm composure.

“Heh, you’re too kind.”

“Come, please have a seat!”

Yang Yi showed no reserve, settling onto the sofa immediately, watching Xu Ling with a steady smile. He was waiting for Xu Ling to initiate the discussion; otherwise, any conversation would feel forced and pointless.

Xu Ling seemed to sense this, offering Yang Yi a faint smile. “Shall we get straight to the point, or…”

“Ahem, do you think getting straight to the point is best, or something else? To put it plainly: if I am not out of here in ten minutes, I guarantee this entire place will turn to dust…” Yang Yi glanced at Xu Ling, observing the rapid shift in his expression. “Of course, esteemed Guild Master Xu, you are free not to believe me…”

“Ugh!” Xu Ling’s heart sank. He could clearly sense Yang Yi was not joking, so he quickly conceded, “Very well, let’s be direct.”

“Ahem?”

“You are surely aware of the current situation. Although my Weeping Blood Assassin Guild could potentially be crushed by the Black God Gang right now, do you think…”

“N, N, N!” Yang Yi cut him off before he could finish, having already anticipated his line of thought, repeating the negative emphatically three times. “I know what you’re about to say, but I can state it plainly: please do not doubt my words!”

“……” Xu Ling froze momentarily, sighing inwardly. Alas! He had hoped to salvage some dignity for his Guild, but the sheer power arrayed against him made it impossible. He was backed against a wall. “Then, speak.”

“It’s simple. If your Weeping Blood Assassin Guild submits to us, all issues can be resolved. As for your standing within the Black God Gang, it will not be beneath that of the Black God Guards,” Yang Yi stated, his smile placid.

“Black God Guards?” Xu Ling looked at Yang Yi, confused.

“The Black God Guards are considered assassin-level figures within the Black God Gang. Although you assassins are martial artists, my Guards are not lacking. If we were to compare, it would take two of your assassins to defeat one of my Black God Guards!” Yang Yi sounded utterly self-assured.

“Uh!” Xu Ling’s aged face flushed. He realized that in front of Yang Yi, he was like a transparent object; any thought he harbored was already preempted and shut down by Yang Yi. He felt deflated and said, “May I ask you one question?”

“Hm?” Yang Yi looked at him, surprised. “Certainly, as long as I wish to answer it.”

“Did you perhaps foresee me seeking you out? Or more directly, did you already know I would pledge allegiance to your Black God Gang?”

“Heh heh…” Yang Yi stood up, walking toward the exit while saying, “No sane person throws stones to smash their own feet, especially an organization like yours, one of the world’s top four assassin groups? Someone will soon contact you regarding the terms of your submission. While I have promised you a position within the Black God Gang, I hope you won’t disappoint me. Remember: water can bear a boat, but it can also capsize it.”

“Yes!” Xu Ling replied, his admiration for Yang Yi now complete. He understood the clear warning in those words and secretly counted himself lucky that he hadn't directly opposed the Black God Gang; the Yang Yi he saw today was leagues beyond the one in the video. Damn, the Goddess of Fortune finally favored this old man today, a crude thought surfaced in his mind.

Meanwhile, Xu Bin, who had remained silent at the back, finally understood why a youth barely his age could command the title of Black God Gang’s Dragon Lord. It wasn't just a gap in strength, but a chasm in mentality and methods of execution. “Alas, the difference is too vast, far too vast,” Xu Bin sighed internally.

After Yang Yi and his group exited the Weeping Blood Assassin Guild headquarters, he delegated the Guild’s affairs to Long Yi. Since the Weeping Blood Assassin Guild originated from the assassin world, Yang Yi unofficially granted them the title of the “Weeping Blood Killer Squad,” with ranks equivalent to the Black God Guards, while leaving Xu Ling in charge of their management.

This indeed proved Yang Yi’s earlier assertion about water supporting and capsizing a boat—he was allowing Xu Ling complete autonomy to continue managing the Weeping Blood Assassin Guild, merely renaming it the Weeping Blood Killer Squad.