It had been three days since he met Qin Huihui. Meanwhile, Yang Yi and Xiu’er, students at Peking University, suddenly took a ten-day leave of absence, citing illness after attending only one day of classes. Despite this, Fatty Lin and the others continued their studies, though the motive behind their actions remained unclear. After all, even Murong Lianxue, who usually shadowed Yang Yi closely, was attending classes.

Coincidentally, because of this, the three great princes of the Northern Underworld Gang, after discovering Yang Yi’s residence, had attempted to visit three times. Yet, Yang Yi refused them under the pretense of being ill. This refusal astonished not only Ling Tian and his two companions but also Ye Han, who had been secretly monitoring Yang Yi all along. Any knowledgeable person understood that falling ill was a rare occurrence for a martial artist. What puzzled them was why Yang Yi suddenly took leave citing sickness.

Even the supreme leader of the nation was greatly perplexed. Inside his office, Wen Long frowned, genuinely unsure of Yang Yi’s intentions. He was equally baffled as to why Yang Yi had refused visits from the Northern Underworld figures.

“Old Wen!” Qin Feng walked in from the doorway, calling out.

“Old Qin, you’re here. Quick, please have a seat!” Wen Long earnestly invited Qin Feng to sit before asking, “What is your take on the current situation? That Yang Yi seems to be doing some very surprising things!”

“Old Wen, I understand how you feel. I’m anxious too. But our anxiety won’t help. Ever since that kid arrived at Peking University, Ye Han’s forces have surrounded the North, and many factions are closing in on the capital. You and I both know what that signifies!” Qin Feng stated with a grave expression.

“Sigh, I’m not overly worried about those things. I’m more concerned about what that kid is up to,” Wen Long mused.

“You mean his refusal of the Northern Underworld factions seeking to pledge allegiance to him?”

“Yes. With such a golden opportunity, why wouldn’t he seize the chance to unify the domestic underworld? It would ease some of the turmoil in the capital, and Ye Han wouldn’t be so arrogant, gradually tightening his grip around Beijing!”

Qin Feng frowned, contemplating for a moment. “I truly don’t know about that one either!”

“Sigh. Since we’ve placed our bet on him, let’s just watch his performance.”

“No… I think I’ve got it.” Qin Feng suddenly brightened, saying, “Old Wen, he’s warning us!”

“Warning us?” Wen Long looked at Qin Feng quizzically, his brow furrowing slightly as if a realization was dawning. “Could it be that he’s afraid that if he unifies the underworld and eliminates Ye Han, we might turn against him…?”

Qin Feng nodded heavily. Everyone knew that while the nation required both the overt (white path) and covert (black path) organizations, much like the world needs Yin and Yang in harmony, no one would tolerate an entity possessing absolute power. Undoubtedly, both men suspected that Yang Yi’s feigned illness was a deliberate warning to the government.

“If that’s the case, how can I sit idly by? This isn’t a warning; it’s a threat!” Wen Long stated sternly.

“Old Wen, don’t be rash. Don’t act impulsively!” Qin Feng exclaimed, immediately alarmed. He knew that if Wen Long intervened in this situation, it could escalate into a tripartite standoff reminiscent of the Three Kingdoms period in ancient times. The casualties would be the people of Huaxia, and if other nations sensed the internal instability, they might take advantage… The implications grew more severe the more he considered it.

“Then what do you suggest we do?” Wen Long asked.

“In my view, we should wait and see for now. After this incident concludes, we can have a proper discussion with him.”

“It seems that is the only course of action left,” Wen Long took a deep breath.

Qin Feng felt a knot in his stomach. While the current situation was troublesome, the real headache lay ahead. After all, one was the head of the legitimate path, and the other was the sovereign of the underworld; a clash was inevitable. Any mishandling could lead to a cascade of new problems.

As these events unfolded on one side, the happenings on the other seemed even more earth-shattering.

“Young Master, his sudden leave of absence, is it because…!” Tian San asked Ye Han while kneeling.

Ye Han offered a face full of disingenuous smiles. “Hmph, his actions undoubtedly serve as a warning to the white path factions. It doesn’t matter. Proceed according to the original plan. Immediately gather our forces in the capital. Once we eliminate Yang Yi and his key personnel, the Black God Gang’s dominion will be ours.”

“Yes, Young Master!”

“Also, for now, instruct everyone who spots Black God Gang members in the capital not to make any rash moves. Let everyone establish their positions first!”

“Yes!”

“Feigned illness as a warning? Yang Yi, Yang Yi, did you think this would be hard to see through?” Ye Han cackled sinisterly, unaware that his smile would soon broaden far more intensely.

Inside a villa in the capital.

“Husband, Shiyun and Qian’er are both protected by the eight great Blood Race princes. I’m sure there won’t be any issues,” Xiu’er said softly while gently combing the long, wispy hair of Yang Yi, who lay with his head resting on her lap, on the balcony outside the courtyard.

“Mmm, that puts my mind at ease,” Yang Yi said, gazing at Xiu’er. “Ye Han probably believes I’m faking illness to warn the white path factions, but that’s not enough yet!”

“Oh? What else do you plan to do, Husband?” Xiu’er asked with the same calm smile.

“Haven’t the three from the Crown Prince Party visited three times now?”

“Husband, you mean…?” A flicker of surprise crossed Xiu’er’s eyes. She could guess about fifty percent of Yang Yi’s intention, but she hadn’t anticipated him being this audacious.

Yang Yi mused, “Since they are so eager to submit to my Black God Gang, then let them come.”

“But, Husband, they want to retain their own power…”

“Of course, I know that. Precisely because of that, I want them to abandon that delusional idea. There is only one major underworld organization in this world: the Black God Gang. There is no ‘Crown Prince Party,’ other than as subordinates of the Black God Gang.”

“One stone, three birds?”

“No. It confuses Ye Han’s line of sight, secures the Crown Prince Party’s allegiance to the Black God Gang, allows me to warn the three princes through subsequent events, and deceives Ye Han into firmly believing his current assessment is correct. That is four birds with one stone,” Yang Yi said, a mesmerizing arc forming on his lips.

“Husband, you are wicked. You clearly want to suffer a temporary defeat just to trick people!” Xiu’er rolled her eyes at him. This glance was utterly enchanting, making Yang Yi’s breath hitch involuntarily, yet he managed to restrain himself. He didn’t want to defile Xiu’er when he still didn’t know if he loved her, or even if he would survive after everything was concluded.

As if sensing Yang Yi’s thoughts, Xiu’er’s eyes darkened slightly, and a hint of sorrow touched her brows. Seeing this, Yang Yi’s heart clenched, but he maintained his composure, not moving or speaking, simply lying there silently, his head resting between Xiu’er’s thighs, eyes quietly closed.

The next day, Yang Yi instructed Fatty Lin, Ye Xiaohou, and Xu Ming to inform Ling Tian and the others that Yang Yi’s condition had slightly improved, and he was hosting a banquet at his villa, inviting the three of them over. When Ling Tian and the other two received the message, they felt a mix of indignation and relief.

“Boss, Yang Yi is going too far. He rejected us three times previously, and now he suddenly invites us to his villa as guests. It’s practically an insult!” Fang Kai said angrily.

“Yeah, Boss, Yang Yi is being a bit too much,” Mo Leng shared the same sentiment.

Ling Tian pondered for a moment, then closed his eyes and said thoughtfully, “No, regardless of how much he made things difficult for us before, we must go.”

“Why?” Mo Leng and Fang Kai asked in confusion.

“Think about it. If we had sought him out the moment he arrived in the capital, we might have succeeded immediately, but he would have been deeply wary of us. Furthermore, if we had done that, he would have felt we lacked sincerity. Therefore, those three rejections were likely a test for us!” Ling Tian explained.

The other two fell silent, contemplating. A moment later, they both agreed that Ling Tian’s reasoning was sound.

“But, Boss, are we really planning to swear allegiance to his Black God Gang tonight?” Fang Kai asked.

“Yes!” Ling Tian nodded in assent. “Only if we submit to him can the Crown Prince Party survive. Only then can we minimize heavy casualties, especially since Ye Han is aggressively encircling us with his forces.”

“You’re right, Boss. We’d rather preserve ourselves wisely than easily squander the foundation we worked hard to build!” Mo Leng agreed.

“As the saying goes: building an enterprise is easy, sustaining it is hard!” Ling Tian shook his head, looking outside, his eyes filled with helplessness.

Seeing this, the other two felt even more helpless; the circumstances forced their hand. Little did they know, the real show was yet to come.