The Mid-Autumn Festival brought a sense of reunion, and although his grandfather wasn’t by his side, Xiao Yufan still felt a warm comfort. This also made him think of his adoptive parents—how were they doing now?
Satisfied with the new daughters-in-law, Su Jingyun spent a long time chatting with the three young women, unintentionally leaving Xiao Yufan somewhat neglected. Yet, in this atmosphere, the last remnants of coldness in Xiao Yufan’s heart finally melted away.
It wasn’t until the afternoon that Xiao Yufan thought of leaving. His purpose had been achieved, for he realized that by letting go of his inner resentment, he was far happier than he had imagined. At the very least, his parents had always been by his side, offering silent support.
After leaving the military compound, Xiao Yufan made his way directly to the secret headquarters of the Dark Gate. It being the Mid-Autumn Festival, it was only natural that he wanted to pay a visit and show his appreciation.
After making a significant impact in Linjiang, the Dark Gate had temporarily chosen to keep a low profile, as many factions had begun to take notice of them. This was not a favorable situation. If the Dark Gate continued to act too conspicuously, it would ultimately be detrimental to their survival.
At the underground facility, aside from the members of Heaven Squad, there were many selected elites from the Dark Gate. Their faces radiated fervor, for they were finally going to meet the legendary Young Master, a figure almost mythic in their eyes.
Although Tianyi didn’t know the exact reason for Xiao Yufan’s visit, he still felt a deep sense of dread. Previously, due to his mistake, the Young Master’s woman had nearly been injured. Even if he died a thousand deaths, it would not atone for his failure. If Xiao Yufan wanted to kill him, he wouldn’t even blink an eye.
The vast underground chamber exuded a grim and deadly aura. Under the training of Long Tian and Heaven Squad, the Dark Gate’s combat effectiveness had greatly improved. These elite members, though perhaps not quite matching real special forces, were certainly not ordinary men—no one could easily approach them.
To them, all of this was a gift from the mysterious Young Master. Thus, when they learned that Xiao Yufan would appear in person, their excitement soared. Being chosen as an elite of the Dark Gate was already proof of their worth.
When Xiao Yufan finally appeared in the underground chamber, the atmosphere reached a fever pitch. Only after he gestured for calm did the intensity subside slightly. The passionate devotion of the Dark Gate members was something even Xiao Yufan hadn’t expected. Infused by this fervor, he felt his very blood begin to boil.
“Brothers, since entering the north, the Dark Gate has never disappointed me. Especially in Linjiang, there are practically no forces left that we need to take seriously. If not for the need to be more cautious, we could have already taken over the entire city!”
Xiao Yufan’s gaze swept across the elite members of the Dark Gate, and he nodded in satisfaction. It was clear that Heaven Squad had invested a great deal of effort into training them. These men could become the unshakable pillars of the Dark Gate’s northern campaign.
“Long live the Dark Gate! Long live the Dark Gate!”
The response from the crowd was not in eloquent words, but in passionate, unified chants. From the moment they had joined the Dark Gate, they had understood one thing: they were ready to give everything—including their lives—for it.
“I see all your efforts, and one day, the entire underworld of Linjiang, even the entire north, will kneel before us!”
Fueled by emotion, Xiao Yufan raised his voice, further igniting the atmosphere. A surge of heroic ambition rose in every heart. Though they were part of the underworld, they longed to build their own hidden empire.
“Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, so I’m giving you all a break. Go home and visit your parents. We may be seen as a criminal syndicate, but we must still be men of feeling and righteousness!”
With every word, Xiao Yufan stirred the entire underground chamber, each sentence striking like thunder into the hearts of the Dark Gate’s elite. For them, such encouragement would serve as powerful motivation.
“Yes!” A unified, thunderous response echoed through the chamber. Each one of them had a family. They had entered the underworld either out of necessity or driven by passion, but none were heartless or ungrateful. Hence, Xiao Yufan’s words struck a deep chord.
Watching this, Tianyi was stunned. Xiao Yufan’s charisma was truly formidable. With just this gesture, he had won the hearts of everyone present.
“We may be criminals, we may kill and burn, but we do it to provide a better life for our women and our families. If you can’t even achieve that, then you have no right to remain in the Dark Gate!”
Xiao Yufan was very satisfied with the outcome. Looking at the fired-up crowd, his own emotions subtly shifted. Perhaps it was the festival, or perhaps it was finally the moment his last emotional barriers melted away, that allowed him to speak those words.
Everyone nodded in agreement. The Heaven Squad members, too, deeply resonated with his words. Though most of them had no parents, they longed for familial bonds even more intensely.
“Master, I don’t deserve to be in the Dark Gate. I’m a spy planted here by the Quinn Gang. Hearing your words today, I realize how wasted my years have been. Whether you choose to kill or punish me, I will accept it without complaint!”
At that moment, a man suddenly stepped forward and knelt to the ground. Though a man’s knees are made of gold, this one had been utterly humbled by Xiao Yufan. The legendary Young Master had surpassed even his wildest expectations in charisma and grace.
“I’m from the Axe Gang…”
“I’m a spy from the Heaven Gang. After hearing the Young Master’s words today, if I still didn’t step forward, I wouldn’t deserve to be called a man…”
Then, one after another, several more individuals stepped forward—most of them spies from Linjiang’s underworld factions. As these men came forward, Tianyi’s face turned pale. He had never imagined there were so many infiltrators within the Dark Gate. Had Xiao Yufan not spoken today, the consequences could have been catastrophic.
“Now that you’ve confessed, I won’t punish you. If the members from other factions wish to stay, they may. If they wish to leave, I won’t stop them either…”
Even Xiao Yufan hadn’t expected such an outcome. After a moment’s hesitation, he addressed the crowd. These words were like a pardon, bringing a wave of relief to those who had stepped forward—they still wished to live, after all.
“Thank you, Young Master! We will climb mountains of blades and cross seas of fire to repay your mercy!” Someone shouted first, and others followed in succession…
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