Come, Let Me Take You Home 20

No. 20 Watching the Darkness, Praying for Dawn

“This is a check for 100,000 yuan.”

The handsome young man in the suit pushed a document towards me, his face illuminated by the bright lights.

“Poker, blackjack, or cow-cow?”

“I…” I hesitated and pushed the check back. “I don’t know how to play any of those.”

“Haha, little sister, didn’t Dati tell you? We’re all friends here. You don’t have to play if you don’t want to. But this is a reward for saving Huang Yingdie. Don’t refuse it.”

He smiled warmly. “Big Brother asked me to take care of you before he left. I feel terrible that this happened. Thankfully, it didn’t end in tragedy.”

“Hey, don’t talk about Long Ge like he’s dead.”

Ouyang Dati plopped down beside the young man and chugged a bottle of beer. “Yi Yao, let me introduce you. This is Luo Wei. You can call him Wei Ge, Pai Ge, or Dao Ge. Whatever you like. We’re all brothers here.”

“Pai Ge.” I nodded politely.

This Luo Wei, with his dyed blonde hair, was undeniably handsome. His clean-cut features, slender build, and stylish suit screamed “playboy.” His deft handling of the cards and practiced charm suggested he was a veteran of this world.

“Luo Wei, this is Yi Yao. You’ve probably heard of her.”

“I have, but I thought she was a boy.”

“And now?” I asked.

“Now? Now I realize it doesn’t really matter. Hahaha, Yi Yao, you’re the most boyish girl I’ve ever met. Most girls are terrified when they first come here, like they’ve entered a real casino.”

Isn’t this a casino?

“Seriously, Yi Yao, if you need money, just ask. Look at this.”

He gestured towards the stacks of cash on the table. “This is just a fraction of the Black Dragon Society’s assets. This entire entertainment complex belongs to us. It’s only open to our members.”

I knew he was referring to the core members, not just Hua She and his gang of middle schoolers. And now, I was one of them.

“I’m guessing you still think we’re a gang, right?”

“What else would we be?”

Would a legitimate organization call itself the “Black Dragon Society”?

“Heh, I like your straightforwardness.”

He pulled out a document covered in official seals. “What if I told you we’re a legitimate organization? Would you believe me?”

“The ‘Black Dragon Society’ is just a front. We want people to think we’re a bunch of delinquents. But we’re actually under government supervision. Don’t worry about that 100,000 yuan. We’ll give you an official title: ‘Outstanding Member of the Special Task Force for Violent Crimes Involving Firearms and Kidnapping.’ No one will question where you got the money.”

“Isn’t it amazing? You earned three years’ worth of an average citizen’s salary in just one day. Have you ever seen this much money before?”

Yes, I had. I had over six million yuan in my bank account when I died.

To survive, you needed to eat. To eat, you needed money. It was that simple.

But some people spent more on one meal than others earned in a lifetime.

There was no such thing as equality in this world. The only equality was the inequality itself.

“Alright, Luo Wei, stop teasing the poor girl. Just get to the point. I need to take her home. She’s been missing for a day and a night. Her parents must be worried sick.”

Ouyang Dati slapped Luo Wei’s shoulder impatiently.

“I almost forgot. Haha, Yi Yao, you’re really pretty. I bet you could pick up girls if you dressed a little more androgynously.”

Please, I’ve heard my own voice. It wasn’t as soft and sweet as a princess’s, but it was definitely feminine.

“Bing, come here.”

Luo Wei beckoned to a girl sitting nearby.

“Hmm?”

The girl, dressed in a pale sleeveless dress, turned her head, a lollipop in her mouth.

“You two, spar.”

Huh? Why do I have to fight her?

The lollipop girl walked over to me and glanced at me, her expression reluctant. “100.”

“50.”

“80.”

“Deal!”

What the hell are you two talking about?

Luo Wei pushed her towards me. “Yi Yao, this is Lu Yibing. You can call her Bing Jie(Sister).”

I nodded and bowed politely. “Bing Jie.”

“Bing Bing has been training with my master in the mountains since she was a child. She just came down two months ago. I want her to assess your skills.” He smiled apologetically. “Don’t hold back. Bing Bing is one of the top ten fighters in the Black Dragon Society.”

There’s a ranking system now?

“Excuse me.”

Before I could process what was happening, the lollipop girl launched a kick at me. I instinctively blocked it, our feet colliding in mid-air. “Thud!” A jolt of pain shot up my leg.

This girl… is strong.

That brief exchange gave me a glimpse of her abilities. Her footwork and agility were far superior to mine. What was even more terrifying was that she had delivered that powerful kick while still holding her lollipop. Her other hand remained at her side, unused.

She had used less than 60% of her strength.

And this monster was only ranked tenth in the Black Dragon Society? Since when did this small gang have so many skilled fighters?

I used the momentum to jump back and assumed an offensive stance.

Taekwondo, being a performance art, had two offensive stances. With your legs shoulder-width apart, in performance mode, your blocking hand would be raised to face level, while your attacking hand would be slightly higher. This stance prioritized head defense, as headshots scored high points in competitions. However, in a real fight, your blocking hand would be lowered to shoulder level, and your attacking hand would protect your waist.

Just to be safe, I lowered my blocking hand slightly, focusing on dodging and blocking.

I charged forward, lifted my leg, and launched a kick.

Taekwondo rarely involved close combat, and I wasn’t good at grappling. So, I focused all my power on my legs, hoping to overwhelm her with speed.

“Whoosh! Whoosh!”

She dodged both kicks effortlessly. As I regained my balance, staring at the girl who was still calmly licking her lollipop, I realized Luo Wei wasn’t joking.

“Thud!”

I tried a surprise side kick, but she blocked it easily. A blur of motion flashed before my eyes. Before I could react, she was behind me, her foot raised. Her speed was incredible, leaving me no time to dodge.

Her right foot, clad in a cute pink and white Lolita shoe, stopped inches from my waist.

“It’s over.”

She retracted her foot and walked back to Luo Wei. “S.”

“That high?” Luo Wei looked surprised.

“Yes.”

She didn’t elaborate, just popped her lollipop back into her mouth, returned to her seat, and started playing on her phone.

“Yi Yao, not bad. You actually have S-rank potential in Bing Bing’s eyes. Looks like I underestimated you.” Ouyang Dati chuckled, taking a swig of his beer.

Luo Wei walked over to me, his eyes scrutinizing me from head to toe. “You’re a natural.”

What the hell are you talking about? This isn’t a fantasy novel. We don’t have cultivation levels.

After a minute of intense scrutiny, he picked up two cards from the table. “Yi Yao Mei(younger sister), do you know why Dati told you to call me ‘Pai Ge’?”

I shook my head.

“Dati.”

“Ugh.” Ouyang Dati grabbed a bottle of beer and walked over to a stool about fifty meters away. “Why do I always have to be the target? Be careful, alright?”

“I know.”

Luo Wei handed me the ace of spades. “This is an ordinary playing card. Check it if you want.”

I felt it briefly and handed it back. “It’s fine.”

“Dati, watch out.”

He assumed a strange stance and flicked the card towards Ouyang Dati, who was holding the beer bottle.

The card sliced through the air, making a faint whistling sound. It passed two centimeters below the bottle cap, then continued flying, embedding itself firmly in the wall behind him.

Was that magic? Or some kind of trick using the card’s properties?

“Seriously, can’t you live without showing off?”

Ouyang Dati walked back, holding the beer bottle, which now had a clean cut through the neck. He grinned at me. “So, Yi Yao, Pai Ge is the ace of the Black Dragon Society. Looks like he wants to take you as his apprentice.”

“Indeed. I have to admit, I’m envious of your talent, Yi Yao.”

He pulled out two short knives with razor-sharp blades and offered them to me. “Yi Yao, you’re welcome to come here anytime. We don’t have many rules in the Pai family. Just treat me like any other martial arts instructor. You have great potential. I hope you’ll stay and receive proper training. Of course, this is just my personal offer. You won’t be obligated to participate in any Black Dragon Society activities.”

Learn how to gamble from Pai Ge?

“Consider these knives a welcome gift. My uncle had them custom-made by a master craftsman. They’re imbued with spirit and quite elegant. I think they would suit you.”

I took the knives and drew one out, staring at my reflection in the polished blade. “Okay,” I said, surprising even myself.

Training here was still training. I would learn valuable skills for free. Why refuse?

“Then spend this week familiarizing yourself with them. I have some matters to attend to.”

He snapped his fingers and put on his top hat. “Dati, take my apprentice home. Don’t keep her father waiting.”

…

I stood outside my apartment door for a long time.

The check lay heavy in my pocket, along with the knives, safely concealed.

Those weren’t my concerns. What worried me was how my father would react to all this.

Would he yell at me for being careless and getting kidnapped? Or would he be furious that I had skipped school for a day?

In my past life, I would have been certain that he was anxiously awaiting my return. But in this world, I was lost.

All those past memories, all that trust, had been shattered.

I was afraid of the future.

Finally, I knocked on the door.

Hurried footsteps approached, followed by the sound of the door being flung open.

The dark hallway was illuminated by the bright light from inside.

A haggard, middle-aged man stood in the doorway.

“Yi Yao…”

Tears streamed down his face as he saw me.

“You…”

His voice choked with emotion, unable to speak.

He pulled me into a hug and sank to his knees on the cold floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Dad…”

I fought back tears, wiped his cheeks, and whispered, “I’m home.”