"Sister Feng, did we get the time wrong? Why haven't we seen the Boss?" Xia Yu broke out in a cold sweat, having learned from Feng Shi that his family might know about his involvement in the underworld.

Imagine the consequences for a family when the only son secretly involves himself with the triad. Moreover, in any typical family, being involved in the underworld is considered the lowest form of achievement—not to mention it's illegal, involves constantly running from the police, and carries an extremely high risk of injury. Xia Yu was the sole heir of the Xia family; one can only imagine the fallout if the Xia family ever found out.

"That's impossible. The Young Master clearly stated he would arrive at this time." Feng Shi stood by the airport entrance, having already dispatched people to search, but they couldn't locate Yang Yi and the others.

"Big Sister, nothing here!"

"Big Sister, nothing here either!"

"Where on earth did the Young Master go?" Feng Shi, puzzled, pulled out her phone and dialed Yang Yi's number.

"Brother Yi, your phone!" Murong Lianxue, sitting in a restaurant and taking large bites of food, spoke up.

"Uh, I know." Yang Yi took out his phone, glanced at the caller ID showing Feng Shi, and pressed the answer button.

"Young Master, where are you now?"

"Oh, Yanran, I'm at a shop. Hoo, it's been so long since I tasted the food here; my appetite is wide open!"

"Just as I thought!" Feng Shi felt a wave of helplessness and said, "Then wait there. We'll come pick you up immediately!"

"Oh, it doesn't matter if you come a bit later; I'll look around first!" Yang Yi wasn't going to pass up this opportunity. He glanced at Xuanyuan Bing, who was eating in front of him, and instantly knew what this was about.

"Alright, call me later. Don't stay out too late."

"En, got it!" Yang Yi hung up the phone and gave Xuanyuan Bing a faint smile. "I'll take you to some fun places later."

Xuanyuan Bing smiled subtly and nodded without speaking. Furthermore, the restaurant Yang Yi was currently at was the very one where he had previously offended the son of the Public Security Bureau Chief—that young man surnamed Ling—and it was also the place where he first dined with Xia Shiyun. This location had changed quite a bit. Also, the last time he returned, he had gone directly to his grandfather’s place, so he hadn't had a chance to sightsee around here.

"Sister Feng, what do we do now?" Xia Yu asked with a nervous flutter in his heart.

"We'll head back to headquarters first. Once the Boss calls, we'll go pick him up then!" Feng Shi said, already walking toward the exit.

But Xia Yu was filled with questions and began to doubt Feng Shi's attitude. Something suddenly crossed his mind, and he quickly called out to Feng Shi, who was by the door, "Hey, Sister Feng, wait for me! I have something to ask you! Wait up!"

"Brother Yi, that thing we just ate was delicious! Why didn't I notice it when we came here before?" Murong Lianxue asked, tugging at Yang Yi's hand as they walked.

"Heh heh, you silly girl. You did eat it before; you probably just forgot, right?"

"I ate it before?"

"Remember when you first arrived in A City? That’s when you had it...!"

"Ah, I forgot!" Murong Lianxue giggled adorably.

Xuanyuan Bing, walking beside them, pursed her lips and chuckled, "You two seem quite nostalgic about this place!"

"Of course! Sister Bing, you don't know. Brother Yi went to high school here. Plus, this is where he made his start, so naturally, it's worth remembering!"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Xuanyuan Bing laughed softly. The truth was, she wasn't finding their nostalgia excessive; it was the way Murong Lianxue called her "Sister Bing" that had truly struck a chord deep within her.

As the workday ended, Yang Yi and his group explored the area. So many memories, so much nostalgia, now relegated to the past, as they walked this place once more. One: they must have a purpose. Two: or they must have a greater purpose. Undoubtedly, Yang Yi rushing out of the airport so early was not purely for reminiscence.

Arriving in front of a small coffee shop, Yang Yi observed the attire of the people around and murmured, "This must be the place!"

"Brother Yi!" Murong Lianxue called out in confusion.

"If you don't mind getting a little tea after filling your stomachs, shall we?" Yang Yi said before stepping inside.

"Welcome...!" The woman behind the counter froze for a moment upon seeing who had entered but managed to shout out the greeting anyway, before immediately turning to a handsome man beside her and calling out, "Tian!"

"Hmm?" The handsome man followed her gaze toward the doorway, his eyes showing a ripple of emotion before he stepped out with a smile. "A rare visitor, a rare visitor indeed!"

"Heh heh, you flatter me. We're just here to visit an old friend," Yang Yi replied with a slight smile.

"Visit? An old friend?" The handsome man paused, then chuckled, "Good, a fine way to put it! Come, please come inside!"

Murong Lianxue and Xuanyuan Bing were quite perplexed but followed Yang Yi up to the second floor. The handsome man walked to the counter and instructed the woman, "Get Xiao Lin to prepare some food and wine for us!"

"En!" The woman nodded.

After the group reached the second floor, Yang Yi pulled out a cigarette and offered it to the handsome man, who was once a formidable figure of the underworld. "It seems your life is quite comfortable now!"

"Heh heh, not really. Just so-so, nothing special." The handsome man took the cigarette, lit it, and inhaled deeply. "It's been ages since I touched one of these. Breaking my fast today must be giving face to Dragon Lord, right?"

"Haha!" Yang Yi laughed loudly, taking a drag from his own cigarette. The view from the second floor wasn't bad; although A City was just a small, developing metropolis, it couldn't be called the largest city in Jiangsu. It seemed that from this vantage point, one could clearly survey the streets below.

"En, out of the rivers and lakes, one doesn't meddle in its affairs. Dragon Lord, may I ask why you've sought me out...!" The handsome man inquired.

Yang Yi regarded him with interest. He clearly tried to draw a line, yet still asked his business. This brought a touch of weariness to Yang Yi. "Now, whether one is in the rivers and lakes or not, life is often beyond one's control."

"Haha, Dragon Lord, you jest." The handsome man stubbed out his cigarette and immediately adopted a serious expression, turning to Yang Yi. "Come, let me introduce you. This is my private reserve of fine liquor—PJn, a 70-year-old British import. It's a rare vintage the world over. I know you have a particular fondness for red wine. It would be a waste not to share this with such a connoisseur!"

"Oh? Such a fine wine? Then I won't be polite." Yang Yi maintained his calm demeanor.

Murong Lianxue looked utterly confused, and Xuanyuan Bing was even more so. She recognized the handsome man from downstairs, and she also knew the woman behind the counter. These two were the former rulers of the Azure Dragon Gang; why were they now living in seclusion in A City? This was something she found utterly baffling.

"That old fellow Qinglong was ultimately wiped out by the people from the Carefree Sect. How unpredictable are the ways of the world!" The handsome man was none other than Long Tian. After being rescued by Fatty Lin and the others, he had brought them to A City to live in retirement.

"What? Brother Long, you seem very concerned about these matters!" Yang Yi seized the opportunity to remark. "However, the underworld is not what it used to be!"

"Heh heh, is there anything that could cause Brother Yang difficulty?" Long Tian smiled faintly. Yang Yi calling him Brother Long prevented him from acting too distant, so he reciprocated by calling Yang Yi Brother Yang. Still, these courtesies weren't the main point. Long Tian gave Yang Yi a strange look and said, "You didn't just come here for a mere visit, did you?"

"He's out," Yang Yi's expression suddenly changed.

"He's out? Have you met him?" Long Tian also became tense, as if he, too, understood something of consequence.

"En, we've met. I won't waste time. You know why I've come to find you. So, are you interested? Of course, name your price!" Yang Yi smiled faintly and took a sip of his red wine.

"Heh heh!" Long Tian merely smiled, not answering Yang Yi directly. "You wish to make an enemy of someone who commands so many powerful factions?"

"What, you lack confidence?" Yang Yi continued. "Of course, if you are willing to make a move, I can assign management of the Southeast Asian influence to you. There isn't much time left; the struggle between him and me will likely begin within a month."

"It seems I have no choice. This person, I can't say my ambition has been worn away after all this time!" Long Tian chuckled.

"Straightforward. That's what I like about you, haha!" Yang Yi raised his wine glass. "Here's to us!"

"Cheers!" Long Tian nodded and smiled.

Much later, Long Tian saw Yang Yi and his group off. The woman, Xu Yun, looked at Long Tian and whispered, "Tian, are you really planning...!"

"There's no other way. Rather than be hunted down by the Azure Dragon Gang and the Carefree Sect, we might as well follow his arrangements. If we want to survive, we have no choice but to trust him."

"Tian!" Xu Yun knew that ever since they left the Azure Dragon Gang, those two major sects had sent people to assassinate them repeatedly. In this vast world, where could the two of them hide? It was only since arriving in A City, the territory of the Black God Gang, that those two sects hadn't been so brazen. She also knew that Long Tian's decision was largely influenced by her.

"It's alright, Yun'er. Since we chose this path, we must walk it alive. Let's wait. Wait for the day the underworld finds peace; I believe he will bring that day to us," Long Tian said, his eyes filled with resolve, a faint smile playing on his lips as he watched Yang Yi's receding back.

"En!"

"Young Master!" Feng Shi's voice rang out.

Hearing the sound, Yang Yi turned his head. He saw Feng Shi driving toward him. However, Xia Yu, sitting in the car, looked complexly distraught, staring blankly ahead, muttering, "No way. The Boss is the Gang Leader?"