No. 23 Entrusting the Blade with Blood
As I stepped out of the hospital, the sky had cleared.
The sun, like a cheerful girl after a shower, chased away the chill, bringing light and rainbows to the world.
But my heart remained heavy.
Lan Zhuoyue’s father’s words, spoken in the hallway outside the ward, echoed in my mind.
“He was diagnosed with thalassemia when he was young, but it was mild. It only worsened in recent years.”
“He always wanted to see the world, but I wanted him to have a normal life, to go to school, to get into a good university, to make our family proud.”
“Now I realize only a useless parent would try to live vicariously through their child.”
“He has internal bleeding. He can’t eat solid food. The daily treatment costs thousands of yuan. We’ve borrowed from everyone we know, but…”
“The doctor said he only has two weeks left…”
I walked towards the meeting point I had arranged with 043, wearing the baseball cap Lan Zhuoyue had insisted I take.
It was a high-quality cap, stylish and cool, with two red hearts embroidered on it, similar to the ones worn by hip-hop dancers.
It was a gift from a boy who, despite his terminal illness, had bravely pursued his dream. It was more precious to me than any other gift.
“043, what do you think is the purpose of life?”
I asked as we walked home.
I saw him flinch slightly.
“Just say what you want. I’m not some delicate princess. Dati and the others are just putting on a show.”
Compared to me, an ordinary person with some skills in the computer world, I was sure this professional sniper had a far more interesting story to tell.
He shook his head. “Luo Wei wants me to take you to the entertainment complex.”
“Luo Wei?” The image of the carefree young man, dressed in a suit even for a casual card game, flashed through my mind. “What does he want?”
I didn’t know how to gamble.
“He said it’s just an invitation. You can refuse if you want.”
His voice was as flat as ever.
“Hmm…” I considered it briefly. “I’ll go.”
I had nothing better to do.
I needed to re-evaluate my understanding of this world.
I was confident in my abilities, but I needed to learn how to navigate the complexities of human relationships from those who lived on the fringes of society.
People first, tasks second.
That was a universal truth.
I arrived at the entertainment complex with 043. Unlike last time, the place was bustling with activity.
Perhaps out of respect for his superior, Luo Wei, 043 discreetly excused himself.
It was strange. It wasn’t even a holiday. Where did all these people come from?
The first floor was filled with arcade games and sports equipment. Young men were racing on motorcycle simulators, playing fighting games, and testing their strength on punching bags.
As one of the few girls present, my arrival attracted a lot of attention. And since I wasn’t accompanied by a boyfriend or anyone else, some of the gazes were filled with a predatory gleam.
“Hey, little girl, all alone?”
“Want to play with us? It’s free!”
A group of young men surrounded me. I waved them away. “Sorry, I’m looking for someone.”
This was the downside of being a girl.
In a place like this, if you were a boy, as long as you didn’t act too provocatively, no one would bother you. But if you were a girl, and not particularly unattractive, you were easy prey for these types.
“Don’t be like that. You can find your friend later. We’re only here today.”
One of them, a cigarette dangling from his lips, blocked my path. “I’m friends with the owner. We can play whatever you want.”
Did I look like I was here for fun?
I glanced at my androgynous outfit and shook my head. “I really have something to do. Maybe another time.”
“Hey, hey, hey!”
He wasn’t giving up. “Who are you looking for? Is he more handsome than me?”
“Yeah, little sister, don’t you know our boss is the most handsome guy in the Black Dragon Society?”
“Be smart and play with us. No one will dare touch you in this area.”
Why were there always a few idiots who couldn’t take a hint?
I suppressed my annoyance and tried to walk past them again. “Thank you for the offer, but I really don’t have time.”
I’ll let you off the hook this time, considering you’re the owner’s friend.
“Stop right there.”
I ignored him and continued walking.
Footsteps pounded behind me. Just as I felt a hand grab my shoulder, I spun around and delivered a roundhouse kick.
“Thud!”
My foot connected with his chest, sending the man, who was at least two heads taller than me, crashing to the ground.
“Don’t make me say it again. I don’t have time.”
My sudden attack stunned everyone, even those who were engrossed in their games.
No one expected a middle school girl to take down a grown man.
“Little sister, didn’t your parents teach you to show some respect?”
The man who had first approached me recovered from his shock and, after checking on his fallen comrade, walked towards me, taking off his shirt as he did so. His muscular arms were covered in black dragon tattoos.
“Looks like I need to teach you little flowers how to bloom.”
The Black Dragon Society?
I couldn’t help but laugh.
Long Fei had mentioned that the Black Dragon Society wasn’t just Hua She’s small group. There were other members scattered throughout the city. But since I was busy with school, I rarely attended their gatherings and didn’t recognize most of them.
“You can still apologize, girl.”
He stood before me, shirtless, a challenging smirk on his face.
I didn’t answer. I assumed a fighting stance.
“Good! I like a woman with spirit. Straightforward, no nonsense.”
He stretched briefly and beckoned me forward.
I advanced, feinted a punch, then spun around, appearing behind him in a blur of motion. I delivered two swift kicks to his waist.
“Wha…”
Despite his quick reaction, he was sent flying, landing two meters away.
The onlookers were stunned again.
Although it looked impressive, I knew I hadn’t inflicted much damage. His stance and muscular build were formidable. He had probably lost his balance due to the sudden force of my kicks.
As I walked past him, I saw him struggling to get up. “You’re… Yi Yao, right? The girl who single-handedly took down seven or eight Jiang Nan Gang members.”
I nodded.
“Of course! Haha, my bad, my bad. We’re on the same side.”
He scrambled to his feet, his tone completely different from before. “Yi Yao Jie, are you here to see the boss?”
“Yes.” Seeing that he was about to follow me, I added, “I can go alone.”
As I entered the elevator, swiped the card, and pressed the button for the basement level, I could hear them whispering behind me.
People were like that.
Self-preservation was a primal instinct, and we had simply complicated it.
“Yo, Yi Yao.”
The elevator doors opened, and I saw Luo Wei sitting at a card table, smoking a cigarette.
“Pai Ge.”
I walked over and sat down beside him, grabbing a bottle of soda. “What did you want to see me about?”
“How are you getting along with those knives?”
“I’m getting there.”
At least I could peel an apple without cutting myself now.
“Hmm…” He pondered for a moment. “Come here every night around nine. I’ll teach you the Pai family’s techniques. What do you say?”
“Pai family?” I was confused. “Is that a martial arts school?”
“Hahaha, you could say that.” He chuckled and flicked his cigarette into the ashtray. “Actually, my uncle was supposed to be the head of the Pai family. But after… well… that incident, he disappeared. To avoid those people, we’ve been using the Black Dragon Society as a cover. We’ll reveal our true identity when the time is right.”
This was getting more complicated by the minute.
“The Pai family’s techniques must be passed down, even if there’s no heir. Bing Bing recognized your S-rank potential. Personally, I hope you’ll join the Pai family. But even if you don’t, I want you to learn our fighting style. It’s very important to us.”
“What kind of fighting style is it?”
“The art of being cool.”
He spread out a deck of cards on the table and, with dazzling speed, drew two cards. He jumped off his chair, twirled the cards between his fingers, and struck a pose.
“This is the basic stance. You can modify it slightly to make it more feminine. The key is the use of the cards. Remember, the Pai family always maintains its elegance, even in death. We die standing tall.”
He flicked the ace of hearts. A gust of wind swept through the room, and before I could even blink, the card split in two.
“This is a card that can cut through a beer bottle. Imagine what it would do to a human body.”
He held the ace of spades between his fingers and smiled faintly. “Now imagine it’s a knife.”
