As soon as the woman's voice fell, a middle-aged man walked over and said.

"Go? Where to?" The woman's delicate eyebrows furrowed.

"Stop looking over there all the time. You must know, they are the protagonists of tomorrow's big show, and we are only ordered to stand guard here." The middle-aged man seemed utterly helpless when dealing with this woman.

The woman pouted and said, "Brother Five, must you always keep such a straight face? No wonder Second Sister doesn't like you."

"Xiao Wu..." The middle-aged man, addressed as Xiao Wu by the woman, looked clearly embarrassed.

"Alright, alright. I won't tease you anymore!"

"Let's go, we'll look elsewhere."

"En!" The woman agreed, then cast a lingering, playful glance towards Yang Yi's side, a hint of mischief playing on her lips. "You gang of underworld types better not cause trouble tonight, or else, hehe!"

"It seems Your Excellency Long Lord is determined to take the South?" Long Tian asked, sipping his wine with a knowing smile lingering in his eyes.

Yang Yi also smiled faintly, replying with a tone full of intrigue, "Does Leader Long perhaps think this young master is merely dreaming? Or perhaps, more directly, should Leader Long prepare to stop my southern campaign?"

"Heh heh!" Long Tian employed the tactic of answering three questions with no answers, always appearing remarkably calm and dismissing the tension with a brief, fleeting smile.

This subtle demeanor alone made Yang Yi regard him much higher. Capable individuals seldom resort to crude, boastful threats like 'You provoke me, and I'll smash your mother's face in' after the fact. Thus, Long Tian's composure, while outwardly placid, suggested a relentless, hidden scheming, revealing a dangerous quality beneath his steady exterior.

The adage 'Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will win a hundred battles' rang true. Undoubtedly, Long Tian's intention in inviting Yang Yi to this New Year's Eve banquet was transparent: to meet his adversary face-to-face and gather more insight through personal observation.

Time passed quickly; half an hour vanished as various activities simultaneously commenced throughout the World Capital Hotel. People were dancing, drawing for prizes, conversing, or watching performances; the atmosphere suddenly seemed one of pure harmony and delight.

However, whether all things truly were as they appeared was debatable. As previously noted, in such grand gatherings, most people dared not stir up trouble, yet there were always a few thoughtless brats who actively sought it out—especially those blockheads with more belly than brains.

At this moment, two young men appeared. One possessed what could only be described as a baby face, yet his physique was not to be underestimated. His pure roundness, coupled with the cherubic face, especially the bulging, dough-like rolls of his stomach—which would look repulsive if his shirt were lifted—made him surprisingly formidable.

The other youth was more handsome, but judging by his dark eye bags and gaze, he was clearly the type who frequented nightclubs every night. Lacking rest and heavy with carnal desire, his eyes held a distinctly lecherous look. Ever since Yang Yi and his group appeared, that gaze had never wavered. Had it not been for the implied threat of Long Tian's presence, he likely would have already been standing before Yang Yi.

"What do we do? That kid actually knows the Dragon Gang Leader."

The corpulent youth scoffed, "Tsk, what is the Dragon Gang? Just some gangsters. Don't forget what our fathers do."

"But Dad and my Dad both warned us not to stir up trouble in Macau recently, and we only just arrived to have fun today..."

"Look at you, look at your cowardly disposition, getting scared over such trivial matters. Your father is the Director of the Macau Police Bureau, and my father is the Commander-in-Chief of Macau’s largest military division. Your dad manages the police; I command the troops. Although our fathers constantly remind us never to cross the Dragon Gang, didn't you see the atmosphere between that kid and the Dragon Gang Leader seemed a bit off?"

The fat one—no, his name wasn't Fatso; his full name was Zhou Pangpang—was the son of the Macau Military Defense Command's highest-ranking commander, a true scion born with a silver spoon. The handsome youth was named Chen Bo, the son of the Macau Police Chief. Naturally frivolous and accustomed to nightlife, he had chosen this place for entertainment today. Both were the sole heirs to their respective powerful families.

Perhaps due to being only children, in contemporary Huaxia, the only son is highly guarded and protected within the family unit. Even if these heirs couldn't become dragons, they were certainly pampered by their parents—though this might not apply to every parent across the nation.

"Exactly. Wait, what exactly are you implying with that?" Chen Bo paused, then seemed to grasp the underlying meaning, asking, "Are you suggesting that as long as we don't offend the Dragon Gang, we can try to capture those two women?"

"Clever. I'm just a bit hesitant. Those two women are indeed beautiful, but is making a move worth the trouble?" Zhou Pangpang pondered.

"Damn it! To die under the peony's bloom, even as a ghost, one can be romantic. Don't you know that's the motto of a rogue?"

"Uh, I suppose that's true. Let's go say hello first. Time to unleash our rogue specialties!"

"That's right, that's how a rogue should act."

"Tsk tsk, I can't believe we're actually being rogues."

"Of course."

These two—who seemed to possess a certain naiveté—were presumed to be mere spoiled rich kids, yet they proudly referred to themselves as rogues, specifically the rogue subset among the elite.

"Your Excellency Long Lord, would you care to step out for a dance?" Long Tian asked Yang Yi with a smile.

"Dancing holds little interest for me, but I am rather intrigued by that piano," Yang Yi replied, his gaze fixed on the silver-white instrument. From a professional standpoint, it was an expensive piece; from a pianist's perspective, it was extraordinary—perhaps the most unique piano in the world currently.

"Haha, I didn't expect Your Excellency Long Lord to be so learned. I don't know much about pianos, but I've heard rumors about the origin of that one," Long Tian said, taking a sip of wine. "The piano originated in England. It was acquired by the Soviets when they invaded North China, and this specific instrument belonged to the British Consulate foreigners. We managed to seize it during the Macau War."

"Could this piano be the one Beethoven cherished and painstakingly crafted while he was in England..."

Sensing Yang Yi hadn't finished his thought, Long Tian continued, "Precisely. This is indeed the piano Beethoven poured his heart into. That music scholar was a master of all melodies and instruments. Upon Beethoven's death, the value of this piano skyrocketed higher than any current stock market gain."

"It seems it is indeed true. That piano is named 'Heavenly Sound'!" Yang Yi smiled faintly. To encounter such an artifact in Macau confirmed the city held an abundance of historical treasures.

"Heh heh, I wonder if Your Excellency Long Lord is interested in stepping forward to play a piece?" Long Tian suddenly proposed, seeming keen on seeing Yang Yi approach the piano.

"No harm in that!" Yang Yi was inclined to agree; he had intended to test it out anyway, as chances to encounter such a piano were rare.

However, just as Yang Yi stood up to move forward, two figures suddenly appeared, blocking his path.

"..." Everyone present, including Yang Yi, turned their attention to the newly arrived pair.

The two men completely disregarded the gazes directed at them and instead took a direct route to where Xuanyuan Bing and Feng Shi stood. They smiled courteously and spoke softly, "Uh, hello, beautiful ladies. My name is Chen Bo, and this is Zhou Pangpang."

"..." Feng Shi and Xuanyuan Bing remained silent.

As the saying goes, 'Where there are beautiful maidens, persistent flies will swarm!'

This moment perfectly illustrated that saying. Indeed, many 'flies' had previously targeted Xuanyuan Bing and Feng Shi, resulting in several unpleasant encounters.

"Is there something you need?" Xuanyuan Bing's voice cut through the air, sharp and frigid.

This abrupt coldness made Long Tian and Li Yun inwardly muse, 'Is this person an awakened one?'

Regarding awakened individuals, they seemed to already possess some general knowledge about Xuanyuan Bing. This wasn't surprising; after having investigated Yang Yi early on, how could they not know? Still, experiencing direct contact brought a measure of shock.

"Heh heh, nothing at all. We are merely admirers of two beautiful ladies and wish to invite you both to dance!"

"Dance?" Hearing this, not only was Lin Pangpang stunned, but Yang Yi was equally surprised.

The onlookers scrutinized the two men. Only Long Tian and Li Yun wore expressions of detached amusement, ready to watch a spectacle unfold.