"Has the North already made its move? Hmph, just pawns?" Yang Yi stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, flicked out his cigarette butt, and exhaled a plume of smoke with a strange smile, watching the bustling crowds below striving for their livelihoods. Though he wasn't striving for his next meal like them, in one sense they were different, yet in another, they were the same. Too much old talk becomes tedious; too much fresh talk turns the stomach—that's the truth of it.

"Miss, why don't you go see him directly? Instead of...!" A middle-aged man, seated in a sleek black sports car, questioned the tearful young woman in the back seat.

The woman didn't reply, only wiping her eyes before saying, "Uncle Long, you find this amusing. It’s not that I don't want to see him directly, but the time is not right yet."

"The report indicates he is truly the Young Master?" Uncle Long, once a fierce general under Yang Lingfeng of the Tianlong lineage, was now fifty. He had only recently heard from Yang Xuan about the two surviving children of Yang Lingfeng in the world, and it was Yang Xuan who requested he protect this woman, Yang Rong.

While Yang Rong lacked an immediately stunning beauty, if one looked closely, they would find her more beautiful the longer they gazed—she possessed a sort of ethereal charm. Though she shared a set of lineage with a certain person, she only resembled him by thirty percent; the remaining seventy percent leaned toward Du Shishi.

"En!" Yang Rong nodded and said, "Uncle Long, let's head to the airport. Prepare tickets for City A, Jiangsu."

"Miss, you mean...!" Uncle Long was momentarily stunned. He glanced at Yang Rong in the rearview mirror and offered a wry smile. "Yes, I understand."

"Boss Zhou, you needed to see me?" A youth appeared at the headquarters tower of the Black God Gang's Jiangsu branch.

Zhou Hu, who had risen to the rank of Executive within the Black God Gang in Jiangsu, looked at the young man before him. He deeply appreciated the boy's capability and harbored a genuine desire to utilize him further. "Xiao Yu, I called you here because I need you to handle a very important matter for me!"

"A big matter?" The youth named Xiao Yu sounded suddenly delighted. "I wonder what Boss Zhou needs me to do?"

"You've been with me for three years now. In those three years, you’ve proven yourself ruthless, fast, decisive, and loyal—a man of real substance. Otherwise, you wouldn't have earned the title 'Overlord of the Underworld.' How is the territory in City A being managed?"

"I owe it to the respect of the brothers. It's mostly handled well, though some external forces couldn't withstand the pressure, so...!"

"En, those are minor issues. I trust you'll handle things perfectly. This time, the task I’m entrusting you with is a significant one. If it weren't for my current heavy schedule, and since he explicitly said I didn't need to pick him up, I could only dispatch you." Zhou Hu was indeed an old fox; first, praise, then a subtle manipulation—a classic tactic of those in power.

No matter the workplace in modern society, wherever people gather, this approach usually works. However, while Zhou Hu spoke those words, he held no intention of merely using the youth. In fact, this errand wasn't particularly grueling; it was just a pickup job. Furthermore, he needed this opportunity to confirm the young man's true strength so he might serve the Black God Gang even more diligently.

"Boss Zhou, can you just get to the point?" Xiao Yu smiled faintly, his face a picture of youthful aspiration. He was acutely aware that Zhou Hu held him in high regard, which is why he was given full control over City A's territory. Even though it was only one city, he'd heard his boss started from a single city too, and he resolved to climb the ladder step by step, eschewing any shortcuts.

Thinking this, Xiao Yu muttered internally, Damn, even though I know the boss is Black God Gang, which faction does he belong to, and what is his executive rank?

"En, the matter is actually like this...!" Zhou Hu laid out the situation for Xiao Yu. After a long explanation, his expression turned serious. "Xiao Yu, you absolutely must succeed in this. If even one mistake is made, not only you, but I too will face severe repercussions. Understand?"

"Sir, I really have to pick up the Gang Leader? And it has to be me...?"

"Relax. Someone will accompany you, though she might arrive before you. So, you must handle all the logistics perfectly; not a single error is permissible!"

"Yes, I understand." Xiao Yu nodded. "If there is nothing else, I will take my leave now!"

"En! Go on." Zhou Hu smiled faintly, only muttering once Xiao Yu had gone, "This kid is indeed material. Perhaps City A won't be able to hold him for much longer. Alas, the Overlord of the Underworld? Interesting!"

The next day, at the Hangzhou Airport, one man and two women walked toward the aircraft cabin. Once aboard, Xuanyuan Bing couldn't wait to ask, "Yi, why are there only three of us this time? Where are Fatty Lin and the others?"

"Oh, they took an earlier flight. I sent them ahead to Shanghai to sort out some matters for me before they loop around to Jiangsu," Yang Yi replied with a slight smile. The Black God Gang currently needed to select an elite team, a task he had clearly delegated to Fatty Lin and the others.

"But, Lianxue, isn't your approach a little too extreme?" Yang Yi asked with a smile.

"Since that old man agreed, Brother Yi, don't say anything more," Murong Lianxue pouted.

"Lianxue!" Yang Yi shook his head helplessly. Regarding Murong Lian Tian’s relationship with Murong Lianxue, he felt fifty percent sympathy and fifty percent helplessness. After all, it was their family affair; every family has its own tangled issues that only they can unravel—the knot must be undone by the one who tied it.

It turned out that Murong Lianxue was originally on her way to execute Yang Yi's mission, but halfway there, she encountered Murong Lian Tian and immediately handed the task over to him. That was why she was traveling with Yang Yi today.

Murong Lianxue burrowed into Yang Yi's embrace, causing the passing flight attendants to stare in surprise. After all, she was already a girl of twelve or thirteen, yet she was still acting so spoiled; it certainly drew attention. However, Murong Lianxue paid them no mind, pulled up the armrest, and reclined on Yang Yi's lap, closing her eyes to sleep.

Watching this scene, everyone felt a mix of amusement and helplessness. Xuanyuan Bing, sitting to Yang Yi's left, rested her head on his shoulder. She didn't know much about Murong Lianxue, only that, according to Fatty Lin and the others, this little girl was the only sister Yang Yi acknowledged, and moreover, she was part of the Xuanmen, someone who had once slain tens of thousands for Yang Yi.

City A, Jiangsu, inside the former headquarters of the Black God Gang.

"Boss! Boss!" A young man rushed into an office, shouting.

"What is it?"

"Someone is here to see you. They seem to be sent from the Headquarters," the young man said, sweat dripping down his face. Whatever he had experienced seemed to have left his eyes filled with terror.

"Oh? Sent from Headquarters?" The youth frowned, glanced at the clock on the wall, and said, "Lead the way. I'll go take a look!"

"Yes, Boss!" The young man nodded meekly.

After the youth led him out of the conference hall, the youth paused, momentarily stunned. He couldn't quite believe it; that face seemed familiar—cold yet beautiful, full of alluring charm. Meanwhile, Feng Shi, upon seeing the visitor, also froze. She seemed to be straining to recall that face, the one that looked somewhat immature yet perfectly matched the youth standing before her now. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed as she made a startling discovery. The exceedingly handsome youth, combined with that youthful face, caused a sudden, sharp realization—Clang!—to resonate in Feng Shi’s heart.

Both of them exclaimed simultaneously...

"Sister Feng?"

"Xia Yu?"

They stood frozen, as if suddenly faced with something utterly unbelievable. Feng Shi was the first to recover, smiling faintly. "What in the world is going on? Have you become the one in charge here?"

"Ah, ha ha, Sister Feng, please come in. Let’s sit down and talk slowly!" Xia Yu looked taken aback, scratching his head and grinning sheepishly.

"Hehe." Although Feng Shi was confused—she knew from Zhou Hu that he had dispatched the City A manager to meet the Young Master—she never expected this manager to be Xia Yu.

In truth, Xia Yu was no less surprised. Although he knew that this Sister Feng and his boss were both members of the Black God Gang, and high-ranking ones at that, he never imagined they would meet under these circumstances today. Feng Shi, halfway through entering, suddenly asked, "Wait, Xia Yu, don't you have classes?"

"It's summer vacation now!"

"Er, I forgot." Feng Shi pursed her lips and smiled.

"Don't worry. Although I'm involved in the underworld, I haven't forgotten about school."

"Is that so... However, this situation is serious now." Feng Shi gave a strange smile, inwardly sighing in exasperation. She could roughly guess the situation: Xia Yu getting involved in the underworld must have been kept secret from Xia Shiyun and his own family members. Otherwise... this situation truly would become catastrophic. If his Young Master found out as well, heavens above, she couldn't imagine how they would clean up the mess!