Chapter 449: The Scoundrel vs. the Rogue (Part Two)

——From *The Memoirs of Yang Yi*——

Perfection is the realm of gods, while mortals inevitably possess flaws that will offend others. Even if you're as smooth as polished marble and devoid of even a single sharp edge, there will always be someone who finds fault in your existence—such are humanity's subtle intricacies.

Yang Yi scratched his cheek when he saw Li Qian and Xia Shiwen both watching him with puzzled expressions. "We were planning to return to City A the day after tomorrow," he said hesitantly, "but I'm afraid we'll have to delay a few days."

"Delay?" The two women exchanged glances as if they'd failed to comprehend something fundamental.

"Mm... I need to attend an event in a couple of days, so it'll take me longer than anticipated," he admitted. Though the words tasted bitter on his tongue—he had already made up his mind about this decision. Originally, he had considered sending Han Zhong instead, but certain circumstances compelled him to go personally. This banquet was no ordinary affair; with eight major families in attendance, missing it would mean losing sight of critical opportunities.

"Is the event dangerous?" Xia Shiwen's concern was palpable as she asked this question. Unlike her, Li Qian cut straight to the point: "Yi, can we come along too?"

Yang Yi hesitated before replying, "This banquet is actually quite risky—it's a gathering orchestrated by eight powerful families."

"Very dangerous then," Xia Shiwen interpreted his words immediately with visible anxiety. She had always been worried about Yang Yi though she never made it obvious. For someone in his position, danger was as inevitable as the moon followed the tides. Though few recognized him publicly, his name held more notoriety among black underworld circles than any red-carpet celebrity.

After Black God's syndicate dominated half of China's criminal empire, "Yang Yi, Dragon King of Black God" had become synonymous with death itself in underworld legends. And yet people still forgot one simple truth: even legendary figures were fallible mortals. With his name now a curse among criminals, those seeking his demise numbered more than stars in the night sky.

"Don't worry," he reassured them with a casual smile, "I'm only going with Fat Lin this time."

"Only you and Fat Lin?" Li Qian's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Absolutely not! You need to bring more people!"

"Qian!" Xia Shiwen cut in sharply. To Yang Yi's astonishment, Li Qian immediately fell silent—a first-time occurrence for the usually defiant woman. He could only shake his head at women's inexplicable dynamics.

"If that's your decision," Xia Shiwen conceded finally, "then we'll delay our return. But promise me you'll be careful."

"Mm," Yang Yi nodded, then called to the waiter, "Check please."

As they left the restaurant, Zeng Shaolong watching from the shadows couldn't suppress a smirk curling at his lips. "They're coming out now—execute Plan A exactly as we discussed." The elderly tortoise observed their exit and barked orders to his men in a gravelly voice.

"Leave it to us," the baseball bat-wielding thug spat out a toothpick, barking commands to his gang of roughnecks. "Move!"

The five hooligans emerged from alleyways onto an otherwise empty street—ideal for their ambush since it was midday and traffic was light. Yang Yi's sharp eyes caught the threat immediately as he ushered his companions toward a side entrance.

"What are you doing?" Li Qian asked, watching him step aside suspiciously.

"Cleaning up some trash," Yang Yi smirked, motioning for them to stay inside the car. "Stay put."

The two women peered through the windows at five hooligans brandishing baseball bats and iron pipes with leering expressions. Reassured by the lack of firearms, they felt their tension ease slightly—until the situation escalated drastically.

"Hey pretty boy," the thug sneered, "care to join our little chat?"

Yang Yi arched a brow at being called "pretty boy." "Sorry pal," he deadpanned, "I'm definitely not your idea of pretty."

The baseball bat-wielding ringleader leaned in mockingly. "Then what are you exactly? The kind who plays with girls behind closed doors?" His henchmen snickered as one pointed both at Yang Yi and the women inside his car.

"Look at those two beauties," he sneered, eyes glinting like a wolf spotting prey. He licked his lips deliberately before continuing, "Tell me—stunning face or stunning bedmate?"

Before he could finish that sentence, Yang Yi materialized inches away in a blur of motion. His infamous rogue's grin widened as the thug suddenly found himself facing an entirely different situation.

"Sorry," Yang Yi drawled, "I'm not pretty boy. I'm not a gigolo either." He leaned closer, voice dripping with menace. "I am... a scoundrel."

The baseball bat-wielding thug paled visibly at the declaration, instinctively backing away from this obviously dangerous stranger. Though he tried to recover by roaring, "You call yourself a scoundrel? I'm the real thing! A major player in these parts!" his bravado unraveled when Yang Yi casually tossed back the very bat he had just threatened with.

Yang Rong observed all this through her rearview mirror while murmuring to herself: "That's odd... The information Master Yang gave me said Yang Yi was only a Green Level Master. But from what I'm seeing now..." Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel as she processed the implications.