Hearing Yang Yi utter those words, every person present, save for those allied with him, instantly shared a single thought: "This man must be insane." No—to be more precise, he was beyond insane. Wasn't that utterly preposterous?

One hundred men challenging several thousand—what kind of audacity was that? But circumstances now allowed little room for imaginative contemplation, as the subtle smirk playing on Yang Yi’s lips, coupled with the murderous intent flashing in the eyes of the Black God Guards clutching their guns and daggers, forced even the supremely self-assured Hong Gang to feel a prickle of apprehension.

"Open fire." The command rang out, issued by Zhou Tian. Bang!

Bang! Bang!

The gunfire erupted with brazen disregard, and figures blurred into motion simultaneously. Yang Yi and Fatty Lin, along with their few companions, merely swayed slightly, their ground never shifting.

But the hundred-odd Black God Guards moved with constant, blurring agility; swords rose and fell, the daggers initially flashing with cold light, which moments later transformed into the glint of blood. Gulp.

Hong Gang, Zheng Shen, Zhou Tian, and the others watched the almost devilishly captivating figures of Yang Yi and his group. They were utterly shaken.

They had only vaguely heard tales of ancient martial arts, but witnessing it firsthand was nothing short of world-shattering; their throats bobbed several times. Click-clack.

The bullets were spent, and the surrounding thugs stood frozen, staring dumbfounded at Yang Yi and his group, who had already settled back into position. "See?

You attacked before I even finished speaking. Doesn't that make me seem completely unscrupulous, swallowing you whole without another word?" Yang Yi challenged Hong Gang, a taunt in his voice.

"What exactly do you want?" Hong Gang proved his mettle as a seasoned underworld veteran. Even though Yang Yi’s crew clearly possessed the power to annihilate his men, he saw two possibilities in the current situation.

One: He genuinely intended to wipe out Hong Gang’s thousands of men with his mere hundred. Two: He had another objective, and this display was merely meant to establish dominance—a severe warning indeed, one that had thoroughly provoked and infuriated Hong Gang’s side.

Yet, one could not deny that Yang Yi possessed the capital and the strength to afford such theatrics. Consequently, whether it was Hong Gang, Zheng Shen, or even Zhou Tian, every one of them wore expressions as grim as storm clouds, suppressing the fury rising from their cores.

"Hold your fire, all of you," Zheng Shen commanded with a deep, dark scowl, shouting to those behind him. Yang Yi responded only with a slight smile, then waved a hand toward the Black God Guards.

"Stand down for a moment." "Yes, Dragon Lord," the Black God Guards replied with deep reverence. "Speak, then.

What is your real purpose?" Hong Gang had never stopped watching Yang Yi, his gaze needle-sharp, as if trying to pierce through every hidden motive. Alas...

Yang Yi's particular brand of roguish smile was not so easily deciphered. "Gang Leader Hong is indeed exceptional, figuring out my intent so quickly.

Very good," Yang Yi remarked with a cold chuckle, then continued, "Currently, the four major triads of Hong Kong are under my control. In the blink of an eye, I could force a complete overhaul of the Hong Kong underworld.

However, I have chosen not to do so—yet." "What do you mean by that?" Hong Gang sensed he was onto something, yet he found himself strangely unable to articulate it. He felt Yang Yi's words were somewhat veiled.

While having such capability was impressive, the implication likely ran deeper. "It’s simple.

I need your cooperation." "Cooperation?" Zheng Shen frowned deeply. "What exactly are you planning?" "Relax, cooperating with me will not put you at a disadvantage.

Once you agree, I will immediately withdraw all my forces from Hong Kong, allowing the underworld to return to its former structure. Of course, the matters of Sun Yee On and Red Star Triad will remain for you to handle," Yang Yi said with a slight smile.

Hearing this, the bosses of Red Star and Sun Yee On flinched. In that instant, they understood the brutal reality of power: with strength, you dictate everything; without it, you are merely meat on the chopping block, liable to be consumed at any moment.

"Hmph, you say it won't hurt us? The Red Star and Sun Yee On have always been easy pickings for the Hong Hing and us.

Even without you, we would have devoured them ourselves," Zhou Tian sneered dismissively. "You underestimate people," Cai Hongxing and Liu Shen felt utterly crushed at that moment, their spirits battered beyond repair.

"Wrong, Second Leader Zhou, you are gravely mistaken." This line wasn't from Yang Yi, but from Fatty Lin, sporting an unreadable, enigmatic smile. After glancing at Zhou Tian, he stated, "Without our involvement, it would have been very, very difficult for your two triads to consume the Red Star and Sun Yee On." "What are you implying?" Zhou Tian demanded, mirroring Hong Gang’s earlier question.

"Could it be..." Liu Shen and Cai Hongxing suddenly seemed to grasp a terrifying truth, their eyes wide with disbelief as they looked at Fatty Lin, "The trouble at that small bar—that was you? You were impersonating others?" Hearing Liu Shen and Cai Hongxing voice this, Yang Yi merely suppressed a soft chuckle, remaining silent, his gaze fixed solely on Hong Gang and Zheng Shen.

"Does that need further explanation?" Fatty Lin arched an eyebrow, entirely unconcerned by the mounting fury of Cai Hongxing and Liu Shen beside him. "Alas, Boss Liu, who would have thought that after years dominating the underworld, we would be undone by such a cunning scheme.

We deserve it," Cai Hongxing seemed utterly deflated at that moment. It was obvious; a single plot had thrown two major gangs into turmoil, leading to infighting and bloodshed.

Even if the scheme now seemed minor, they had perfectly controlled every variable—a feat far beyond the capabilities of Cai Hongxing and Liu Shen. Indeed, in Yang Yi’s lexicon: 'Nothing is impossible; only the unimaginable exists.

Even a scheme as small as a pinky finger, if utilized successfully and brought to light to cause calculated damage, becomes a grand scheme. It echoes the old saying: it doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice—the same applies to strategy.' "Yes, we are nothing more now than puppets being manipulated by them," Liu Shen sighed mournfully.

However, not a single person present felt pity for them. To survive in the underworld, one must have killed, must have committed dark deeds.

Otherwise, you were nothing. Especially for triad bosses.

Therefore, from the perspective of those steeped in the shadows, these events were trivial matters. "Very well, Gang Leader Hong and the two bosses of the Fourteenth, are you now willing to cooperate?" Yang Yi asked Hong Gang and the others, showing no mercy.

"My Hong Hing Triad is already under your thumb. Do I even have a choice?" Hong Gang looked at Yang Yi with cold eyes.

To say he didn't resent Yang Yi would be a lie; being subjected to such an utter humiliation was something no one could have predicted. "No, you have two choices!" Yang Yi swept his gaze across them, eyes narrowed.

"First: You can choose to cooperate with us, and I will adhere to the terms I mentioned earlier. Second: You can choose to refuse, but consider the consequences.

Even if you still cling to any fantasy, let me be clear: 'Distant water cannot quench immediate thirst.'" Thud! Hearing Yang Yi's last sentence, the person whose heart sank the deepest was Zhou Tian.

Since their arrival, Zhou Tian had regarded Yang Yi with constant bitterness and outright hatred. He was clearly the one holding onto the most tenacious illusion, and thus, he was the one most profoundly shaken.

Yet, he suddenly seemed to clutch onto a sliver of hope, forcing a grim smile. "It seems you know us all very well?" "I sense you doubt my understanding of you, don't I?" Yang Yi raised an eyebrow, suddenly fixing his eyes on Zhou Tian, his expression conveying utter certainty, "If you think the Chief Executive behind you can help, you are mistaken." "You..." Zhou Tian’s eyes widened abruptly, his secret laid bare.

"Hmph, kid, I advise you to watch your mouth, or I'll gouge your eyes out," Fatty Lin's face turned icy, and a surge of killing intent erupted from him in that instant. "Enough," Zheng Shen closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Tell us, what kind of cooperation do you propose?" "As expected of the Chief Executive's son; far more rational than that other boy," Yang Yi remarked, uncertain whether he was mocking Zhou Tian or complimenting Zheng Shen, but the words carried a definite sting. "I require you to cooperate with my Black God Gang for fifty years.

All relationships will be established under the purview of the Black God Gang’s interests, including the powers backing you." "What? That appetite is far too massive!" This declaration stunned not only Hong Gang, Zheng Shen, and Zhou Tian, but also Xuan Yuan Bing and Fatty Lin standing beside Yang Yi.

Fifty years. Fifty years, established under the Black God Gang's interests—what did that signify?

Even without formally annexing the Hong Kong underworld, it essentially meant the Black God Gang would rule the territory from the shadows. "You must be well aware of the forces backing my Hong Hing.

Even if I agree, at best, only the Hong Kong underworld will cooperate with you. However, the power behind me is independent.

They might refuse you outright, and worse, they could bring in the military to cause you trouble. You must understand that," Hong Gang said, a cold smile creeping onto his lips.

"That's right. It's not just Hong Hing.

While we are children of Hong Kong's elite, the people backing us are the older generation of Hong Kong figures, especially those in officialdom... they have absolutely no connection to the underworld..." At this point, Zheng Shen trailed off, unnerved by the confident smile already adorning Yang Yi's face, sensing something deeply problematic.