"Gang Leader, there’s been a development in Macau," Liu Xinbei reported to Qing Long.

"Oh? What development?" Hearing this, Qing Long immediately rose, gesturing grandly for Liu Xinbei to take a seat on the sofa before asking him to explain slowly.

Liu Xinbei paused to collect his thoughts and said, "All three major transport routes into Macau have been sealed off. Word is that this blockade lasts for three days, from the first day of the Lunar New Year through the third. Crucially, this restriction only applies to outsiders; only members of our Green Gang can enter Macau during this period. This intel came from the Dragon Gang, urging us to prepare immediately!"

"Prepare?" Qing Long pondered for a moment, then paced a couple of steps, his expression suddenly darkening. "Does the Dragon Gang intend to use the Black God Gang's Dragon Lord as bait?"

"Given the current situation, that appears to be the case!" Liu Xinbei confirmed.

"But has Long Tian considered what happens if the Black God Gang discovers their Dragon Lord is trapped in Macau and they go into a frenzy..."

"Yes, which is precisely why Long Tian also sent subordinates to specifically inform you, Gang Leader, that a contingent of our men should be dispersed across East China, linking up with the Hong Kong routes, to intercept any advance from the Black God Gang," Liu Xinbei took a deep breath, the tension escalating everything overnight from near-stillness to boiling point. "Long Tian's actions undoubtedly aim to pin down the Black God Gang's Dragon Lord, using their strength to eliminate the Black God Gang, and then carve up their territory with us."

"No, you're mistaken if you see it that way. Long Tian may not be our enemy, but in the underworld, such cooperation is merely exploitation. It seems Long Tian has ulterior motives!" Qing Long immediately grasped the crux of the matter.

"Then, Gang Leader, what should we do now?" Liu Xinbei inquired.

"Go. Muster a force immediately and depart for Macau tonight. Simultaneously, dispatch a separate group of elites to hold the line in Hong Kong."

"Gang Leader, since you believe..." Liu Xinbei couldn't help but shake his head. "Since you suspect Long Tian's intentions are treacherous, why proceed with this?"

"Heh, hold your horses. Immediately gather the highest echelon of the Green Gang leadership, along with our core super-elites, and keep them stationed in Hainan. I suspect we are about to witness a cataclysmic confrontation." Qing Long’s eyes narrowed to slits, a confident smile spreading across his face.

Liu Xinbei sobered, saying no more. Qing Long's arrangements covered the three essential defensive positions, and given their current standing, their only viable strategy was defense, not offense. Any aggressive move now could lead to unimaginable consequences.

So much transpired in a single night that it felt as if Macau itself had been turned upside down.

"Ding-dong! Flights bound for Macau suspended for three days!"

"Ding-dong! Trains and buses heading to Macau suspended for three days of service!"

"Ding-dong! All vessels traveling to Macau subject to a three-day maritime transport halt!"

These three major arteries of global transit were all shut down overnight—a feat only possible with the direct decree of the Macau administration. Consequently, the personnel dispatched from the Central Government, currently lodged at the World Capital Hotel, were undoubtedly incandescent with rage.

"Hmph, this Macau Commander is utterly contemptuous! He cut off all three major transit routes without any confirmation from the Central Authority. It's audacious!" a young man spat out in fury, gesticulating wildly.

"Long Er, stop raging here. What good will that do? What we need now is to secure evidence and proof of the Commander's corruption. While he has sealed off Macau's three main routes, the justification he used is quite reasonable. Even if we tried to prosecute him now based solely on this, it would be useless," Long Wu shook his head.

"Alas, Long Wu, what do you suggest we do now?"

"What else can we do? Long Yi, Long San, Long Si, and Feng Yi, Feng Si—none of them are here. The higher-ups clearly sent the three of us to handle this matter in Macau as a mere test run," before Long Wu could finish, Feng Wu interjected.

Her casual remark nearly drove Long Er and Long Wu to the brink of smashing their heads against the wall, as high-level classified data revealed that behind the Macau Commander's actions lay hidden, significant machinations. That was the real reason the state sent them: to investigate and seize the opportunity to replace the current Commander, placing Macau firmly under the control of the Huaxia Central Government.

"Xiao Wu, mind your words. Remember obedience..."

"I know, obedience to orders is our sacred duty. Fifth Brother, you always use that line to suppress me," Feng Wu pouted slightly.

Shaking his head, Long Wu continued, "Long Er, how about this: you monitor one person, while Xiao Wu and I go conduct reconnaissance."

"Monitor who?" Long Er asked.

"The Black God Gang's Dragon Lord!" As Long Wu uttered that name, a strange, profound light flickered in his eyes, startling the other two.

"I have no problem monitoring him, but are you and Xiao Wu... sure you'll be fine?"

"Long Er, what do you mean by that?" Feng Wu sounded distinctly displeased.

"Heh, I... I didn't mean anything," Long Er stuck his tongue out, glanced at the exasperated Long Wu, chuckled lightly, and turned to leave.

Seeing this, Long Wu felt even more helpless. Feng Wu’s spoiled temperament was truly trying; she seemed utterly unrestrained in everything she did. "Xiao Wu, let's go."

"Fine, I get what you mean. Am I guaranteed or not? I guarantee this mission's sole objective is task completion, and I absolutely won't stir up any trouble—is that enough?" Feng Wu’s lips jutted out, before she let out a cold snort. "Hmph!" and then walked toward the door.

Long Wu watched her, shaking his head with a faint smile. "That would be for the best, but this girl treats her every word like passing gas. Sigh, how utterly helpless!"

A little past one in the morning, Yang Yi sat heavily on the sofa, the sole occupant of the room.

Given the current circumstances, he, Yang Yi, certainly resembled a trapped animal being beaten. The surrounding arrangements had thrown him into disarray. The ten thousand troops previously summoned had only managed to secure the northern route and the path from Hainan to Macau, their primary objective for tomorrow being to prevent the Green Gang from 'crossing the river.'

Meanwhile, the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends and the other Black Guards had been redeployed to lie in ambush near the Green Gang headquarters. This deployment was clearly calculated to inflict fifty percent casualties before the main force even arrived. Thus, while the arrangement within Macau appeared somewhat desolate, it was nonetheless potent.

But strength in isolation—less than two thousand men against the regionally dominant Dragon Gang? Yang Yi was incapable of making such a reckless, stone-striking-an-egg move. Yet, what other choice did he have? Since encountering those two young masters and their decision to align with Long Tian, the entire situation had shifted, especially regarding...

"Right, how could I forget that? Damn it." Yang Yi's eyes suddenly snapped open, cold light blazing, a chilling smile curving his lips. "I almost forgot about those men from the Central Government, hah."

Muttering to himself, Yang Yi paused, frowning as if he had suddenly found a way to reverse this predicament. "It seems I need to utilize those few individuals. But even if I use them, those three defensive lines can't be opened immediately, can they? And I’ve already made arrangements..."

The more Yang Yi thought, the more convoluted things seemed, returning him to the starting point. His brow furrowed tighter, yet suddenly, he seemed to grasp something, murmuring, "It looks like I'll have to play the devil for a while. But what should be exploited will still be exploited."

Saying this, he glanced at the watch on his wrist. "It's 1:15 AM now. Good, still some time left."

In no time, Yang Yi appeared in the hotel lobby. Seeing Fatty Lin and the others finishing their late-night snacks, a smile touched his lips as he approached them. "Alright, have you eaten enough?"

"What's up, Brother Yi?" Fatty Lin asked, noticing the smile on Yang Yi’s face.

"Let's go. We have something to do." Yang Yi spoke without offering much explanation, ignoring their confused expressions, and walked toward the exit.

The group hurriedly paid their bill and rushed to follow Yang Yi. After exiting the Macau Grand Hotel, Yang Yi took the driver's seat and instructed Feng Shi, "Yanran, have three thousand of the sharpest elites from those ten thousand troops take up fortified positions on the Macau border. Their sole objective is to reach Macau as quickly as possible."

"Yes!" Yanran responded, starting the car, though she remained deeply puzzled.

She wasn't the only one; Fatty Lin and Xuanyuan Bing shared her confusion, though neither voiced their questions, instead analyzing the situation in their minds. Having followed Yang Yi for so long, even the dullest among them had sharpened; perhaps this was the essence of applying learned knowledge.

"A bitter fight?" Yang Yi mused inwardly as he drove, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Even if it is a bitter fight, I will make it the justification for my slaughter. I will make it the reason for my conquest of Macau. Be it ruin and devastation or bloodthirsty fiends—Dragon Gang, Macau’s Supreme Commander—I will make you pay the heavy price for everything you have done."

The car moved slowly, the atmosphere inside growing increasingly perplexing, save for Yang Yi. Just as their vehicle pulled away, a figure emerged from a shadowed corner, frowning slightly before softly saying, "Why are they going out so late? Hmm, I'll follow them for a look."