As Yang Yi and the others left the Shidu Grand Hotel and got into the car, Yang Yi pulled out his phone and tapped at it randomly. “Are you all ready?”
“We are ready. All of the Dragon Gang’s casinos are under our control now—not a single one remains.” Qin Hou’s voice came through the receiver.
“Good. Remember to tighten up management to prevent any sudden moves from the Dragon Gang,” Yang Yi replied calmly.
“Understood!”
Qin Hou hung up and glanced at Tian She. “A call from the Dragon Lord!”
“Is it starting?” Tian She asked, his expression slightly agitated.
“It should be. There hasn’t been any major move tonight, and tomorrow is the first day of the Lunar New Year. I believe…” A ripple of emotion crossed Qin Hou’s face as well. If the Black God Gang eliminated the Dragon Gang, those of them who originally belonged to the Dragon Gang could legitimately establish themselves within the Black God Gang. As long as the Dragon Gang persisted, they might struggle to gain a foothold, win the favor of the Black God Gang’s Dragon Lord, or convince everyone, let alone reach a higher stage. This was only natural, and it represented the very ambition that drove Qin Hou. Power, clearly, was the engine that propelled relentless progress.
“Kicking off a major underworld disturbance on the first day of the New Year—it seems the Dragon Lord intends to unify the Southern underworld.”
“Indeed, it’s obvious. While the Dragon Lord hasn't moved against the Azure Gang yet, it’s easy to surmise. Attacking the Dragon Gang at such close quarters is likely a feint, meant to intimidate the Azure Gang and seize this opportunity to crush their morale. If the Dragon Gang is truly routed, the Azure Gang will fall easily enough,” Qin Hou said, his face alight with a smile.
“Yes. It looks like we’re going to be busy these next few days,” Tian She remarked with a faint smile.
############################################ Meanwhile, inside the Shidu Grand Hotel.
“Tian, it looks like those two are coming to find you,” Li Yun said to Long Tian, who was seated on a booth sofa on the second floor. “They must be here about what just happened.”
“Oh?” Long Tian smiled, pulling Li Yun closer, his gaze fixed amusedly on Chen Bo and Fatty Zhou as they approached. “Some people are just like that—use them as long as they’re useful. After all, it benefits both sides.”
“What are your plans?” Li Yun asked.
“Our people are already gathering, and we confirmed that the Black God Gang’s Dragon Lord intends to strike us tomorrow. At this critical juncture, every friend counts, especially a ‘friend’ who is so easily manipulated,” Long Tian took a sip of champagne, uttering words laced with intrigue.
“Dragon Gang Leader!” Fatty Zhou and Chen Bo arrived before Long Tian, smiling faintly. “Dragon Gang Leader seems to be in high spirits.”
“Heh heh, high spirits is hardly the word. But what brings you two to seek out this humble Long?” Long Tian feigned ignorance, his eyes sparkling with mirth as he studied the slightly rotund and the slender pair before him.
Fatty Zhou exchanged a look with Chen Bo upon hearing this. Suddenly, a smile spread across his face. “We came to see the Dragon Gang Leader because we actually want to lend you a hand.”
“Lend me a hand?” Long Tian’s heart skipped a beat, his smile growing even broader. “How so?”
“We’ve been hearing rumors that the Dragon Gang Leader is about to clash with the visiting Black God Gang. Is that news false? Or perhaps the Dragon Gang Leader is willing to let the Black God Gang swallow your casinos in Macau? Or maybe…”
“Just spit it out!” Long Tian’s expression changed. While he knew they were there because of the conflict with the Black God Gang’s Dragon Lord, their current tone made his blood boil. Who were they to speak to him like this?
“Hmph!” Long Tian let out a cold laugh. “Gentlemen, let’s cut the pretense. Don’t forget I was present earlier. Even if you weren’t looking for trouble with him, I doubt you’d live much longer. Especially since I hear the Black God Gang’s Dragon Lord once threw a fit over a woman. You toyed with his woman; the consequences should be obvious. Even with the most powerful official backing in Macau, erasing you would be a mere flick of his wrist.”
“You…” Chen Bo blushed, managing only a choked sound before falling silent.
Fatty Zhou wrinkled his fleshy features. “Heh heh. Since the Dragon Gang Leader has laid things out so clearly, perhaps we should have a proper discussion, yes?”
“Speak then. What kind of discussion do you propose? Of course, if it isn’t something that catches my ear, I’ll pretend I never heard a word,” Long Tian, being a man of the underworld, would never easily align with officialdom, especially those boasting the strongest governmental ties in Macau. In truth, he wasn't planning cooperation; he intended manipulation. The old adage remained: the underworld and the government were inherently opposed; there was no concept of cooperation, only mutual exploitation.
Knowing he was in the weaker position, Fatty Zhou smiled calmly, sat down, and began, “I won’t waste time. Before I learned his identity tonight, I had already offended him. But now that I know who he is, I feel an even stronger urge to offend him.”
That single sentence launched the conversation. Long Tian listened, his brow furrowing slightly, then breaking into a smile. His expression was complex and shifted rapidly. Most incredibly, as Fatty Zhou continued speaking, Long Tian fell into deep thought.
“Based on what you’ve said, ‘cooperating’ to sever the Black God Gang’s various lines of influence is indeed a viable strategy. But do you genuinely have the capability to block access through the air, sea, and land routes?” Long Tian inquired.
“You can rest assured on that point. Unless they plan to swim over from the ocean. Of course, if you agree to cooperate, I can make arrangements immediately,” Fatty Zhou looked brimming with confidence, seemingly having conjured a flawless plan.
“But do you realize the Azure Gang is an ally of my Dragon Gang? If their people need passage…”
“Please don't worry about that either. If you notify the Azure Gang in advance, our people will arrange dedicated aircraft for them.”
“Hmm.” Long Tian pondered for a moment, his thoughts hidden. After a pause, he finally spoke, “Very well, I agree. If you can deliver, I have no objection to cooperating with you.”
“Straightforward. Since that’s the case, let me show some spirit of cooperation,” Fatty Zhou nodded towards Chen Bo.
Chen Bo adopted a serious demeanor, pulled out his phone, made a brief call, and hung up. “Arrangements are underway. Within two hours, all routes to and from Macau—air, sea, and land—will be sealed off, except for the Azure Gang.”
“Good, very good.” A smile touched Long Tian’s lips as he raised his glass to clink against Fatty Zhou’s. “I look forward to the report in two hours!”
“Agreed!” Fatty Zhou understood the implication: Long Tian required immediate proof of capability.
In reality, Macau’s highest commander and Police Chief were currently AWOL somewhere. Furthermore, the families of these two men habitually indulged them to the point of reckless abandon, especially after hearing Fatty Zhou casually mention using the Dragon Gang. Any official with a modicum of ambition or hot blood would find the idea of leveraging the city’s largest gang exhilarating.
Macau’s highest commander had served three terms, never experiencing a real power struggle, only adhering to one principle: those who obey live; those who defy are purged. And ‘purged’ here meant dismissal, or worse, outright elimination. This simplistic—though highly effective in Macau’s environment—mindset allowed Fatty Zhou’s father to maintain his position for twenty years. Relying on the connection Fatty Zhou now shared with Chen Bo, Chen Bo’s father was even easier to understand: a modern-day ‘Heshen,’ lacking the legendary cunning but possessing the master-level skill of flattery. Not long after Fatty Zhou’s father secured the highest command position, Chen Bo’s father flattered him so effusively that the commander was nearly lost in confusion, resulting in a swift promotion from a minor section chief straight to the top post of the Macau Police Bureau. This explained why Fatty Zhou and Chen Bo could currently utilize official authority to choke off all avenues leading into Macau.
“Fifth Brother, those two bastards deserve to die,” Little Wu said, her expression furious as she stared sharply toward the second floor.
“Sigh, those two actually dare to do this? Aren’t they afraid of being discovered? Moreover, the misuse of state power is punishable by death, especially since neither of them holds any military rank. Before we arrived, Headquarters mentioned that Macau’s official structure is too chaotic and requires reorganization,” the middle-aged man shook his head slightly.
“Fifth Brother, I’ll go kill them right now.”
“Little Wu, calm down.”
“Fifth Brother!” Little Wu frowned deeply, asking, “Why are you stopping me?”
“You always have this spoiled temper, always shouting for violence whenever you see something unfair. Don’t forget the mission assigned by Headquarters. Right now, everything demands evidence. If you act against them without proof, Headquarters will criticize us for a lack of discipline. Do you understand?” the middle-aged man stated, his expression stern.