In a dimly lit meeting room, several underworld bosses sat on either side, staring at the man seated at the head of the table with puzzled expressions. None of them could figure out why he had summoned them all here at this unusual hour…
“Du Yanlong, our brothers are here out of respect for you. We’ve been waiting patiently since we arrived, yet you’ve remained silent. What exactly do you want?!” Unable to endure the awkward silence any longer, one man finally exploded, speaking to the silent figure at the front.
“If you don’t want to show me respect, you can leave right now. I never forced you to come here…”
The man who had remained silent was known on the streets as “Duyanlong Cheng Biao”—One-Eyed Dragon Cheng Biao. He had earned his nickname after once single-handedly storming a rival gang’s headquarters, leaving a trail of terror in his wake. It was during that incident that he lost one of his eyes.
“Piss off! I don’t give a damn about your respect. Who the hell do you think you are? If it weren’t for the Shadow Syndicate issue, none of us would give you the time of day!”
Clearly, the two were not on good terms. In the underworld, conflicts were inevitable, and just a few days ago, they had clashed over territory. Enemies meeting face to face naturally brought tempers to a boiling point.
But before he could finish his sentence, gunshots rang out. Everyone instantly stood up, only to see the man who had been speaking collapse onto the floor, along with the two bodyguards beside him, both lifeless.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Duyanlong? We came here to discuss the Shadow Syndicate, and you dare to open fire? That’s not how people in our world should behave. Aren’t you afraid of sparking outrage from everyone here?”
The entire room was thrown into shock. No one had expected Cheng Biao, the One-Eyed Dragon, to act so decisively and ruthlessly. They all felt a chill run down their spines. If they had been the ones speaking just moments ago, would they now be lying dead on the floor?
“You should all understand by now—Kuanghu Gang has become a lapdog of the Shadow Syndicate. The underground forces previously controlled by the Dongfang family have also fallen under their influence. This is a serious threat to our interests. This fool was still focused only on personal grudges, so he deserved to die!”
Cheng Biao’s gaze swept across each person in the room, a cold, sinister smile curling his lips. It was clear his intimidation tactic had worked. As for the leader of the Lei Gang—he had wanted him eliminated for a long time. This was just one less problem to deal with.
Upon hearing these words, everyone slowly sat back down. From Cheng Biao’s swift and decisive action, they could tell he had planned this all along. Dying over a dead man wasn’t worth the risk, so no one dared to speak up again.
A few men entered from outside, quickly dragging the three corpses away. Yet the crimson stains left on the floor made even these hardened gangsters feel uneasy. After all, they weren’t fearless—they were just as afraid of death as anyone else.
“You all know why I called you here. I, Cheng Biao, have long been a major figure in the capital’s underworld. I won’t stand by and watch as others steal what’s rightfully ours. Without money or territory, how can we support our brothers and maintain our lifestyles?”
It had to be said—though Cheng Biao’s voice was hoarse, it carried great persuasive power. Those who had been shaken just moments ago now fell into deep thought. The reason all these underworld bosses had gathered here in the first place was because the Shadow Syndicate had already begun to threaten their collective interests. They needed to discuss how to respond.
But those with sharper insight could easily see that Cheng Biao had his own agenda—he was clearly trying to seize the opportunity for personal gain. If an agreement were reached and the Shadow Syndicate eliminated, Cheng Biao’s Sihai Gang would be the biggest winner of all.
“So, Brother Cheng, what do you suggest we do about this? The Shadow Syndicate’s strength is beyond our imagination. Kuanghu Gang was no weaker than any of our factions, yet they willingly submitted to the Shadow Syndicate. That alone shows just how powerful they must be!”
The same man who had earlier been furious now quickly changed his tone, addressing Cheng Biao respectfully as “Brother Cheng.” The speed of his change was astonishing, but everyone understood without needing to say anything aloud. In the underworld, power dictated respect—those with strength commanded more authority.
A disdainful smirk crossed Cheng Biao’s face. His expression was arrogant and confident. While the Sihai Gang was indeed stronger than these smaller factions, it still hadn’t reached the level of Dongfang Haoran’s former power. Cheng Biao was an ambitious man—he dreamed of uniting all the capital’s underground forces under his control.
“None of us alone can stand against the Shadow Syndicate. That’s why we must unite now—drive them out first, and then we can settle our own disputes later.”
“Unite?”
Everyone frowned. These gang leaders had always gone their separate ways, avoiding close alliances. Suddenly asking them to band together was naturally met with reluctance. Moreover, if they did unite, new problems would inevitably arise.
None of these underworld bosses respected each other. Once joined together, they would need to choose a leader to speak for the group. Any disagreement could not only prevent unity but also trigger a major upheaval within the criminal underworld.
“I think none of you would dare to refuse this proposal. If the Shadow Syndicate continues to grow, we’ll all be finished. If you insist on holding onto your own interests, just wait for the Shadow Syndicate to come after you with bloodshed. Their methods are far from gentle!”
Cheng Biao skillfully tempted each of them, one by one. In his mind, he was already the natural leader of this united underworld force. After all, he had no qualms about silencing those who opposed him.
“My Qinglang Gang agrees to join. If we don’t deal with the Shadow Syndicate, we’ll always be living in fear!”
“Exactly! We must eliminate them, or our future will be filled with hardship…”
Several voices chimed in agreement—one by one, they were clearly those who had already been bribed by Cheng Biao. As soon as they spoke, the others realized the truth: Cheng Biao had already prepared everything in advance. Even if they opposed him, it would be useless. They couldn’t help but admire the depth of his scheming mind.
“Now that everyone seems to support my proposal, the next step is to choose a leader who can guide us all in eliminating the Shadow Syndicate…”
After a brief pause, Cheng Biao’s face broke into a wide grin. At this moment, he could already envision himself ruling over the entire underworld of the capital. In his mind, that future was already within reach—he had even begun fantasizing about the moment he would strike against the Shadow Syndicate…
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage