Liu Kai's underlings all wore indifferent expressions, showing no surprise, as if they were long accustomed to such scenes.
Yang Chen was slightly surprised. Liu Kai was so brazen—even though this was his territory, gunfire would inevitably drag him into trouble.
Wang Qiang tried to turn his gun, but it was too late. Yet there was no fear in his eyes, only deep hatred and unwillingness.
*Swish!*
Just as Liu Kai's finger was about to pull the trigger, a playing card suddenly shot through the air with a sharp whistle, propelled by an immense force.
*Thud!*
Before he could fire, his gun-holding hand was cleanly severed at the wrist. The gun and his hand fell to the ground together, alongside a playing card now stained with blood.
"Ahhh—!"
The next moment, a scream of agony echoed through the private room.
All eyes turned to Yang Chen, filled with terror. At some point, he had produced a small stack of playing cards and was now casually shuffling them.
Wang Qiang's bald head was drenched in sweat, droplets rolling down into his eyes, making him blink rapidly.
Liu Kai's men trembled uncontrollably.
Earlier, Wang Qiang had forced them to lay their guns on the table by pressing his own against Liu Kai's head. Now, none dared to reach for their weapons.
Liu Kai writhed on the floor, clutching his severed wrist, until his screams abruptly ceased—he had passed out from the pain.
Outside the private room, a crowd had gathered, waiting to see the outcome after Yang Chen followed Liu Kai inside. Instead of seeing Yang Chen emerge, they heard a blood-curdling scream.
"Daring to cause trouble in Brother Kai's territory? Truly overestimating himself. Now he's probably been crippled."
"That scream sounded brutal. Must've been sudden, extreme pain to cry out like that."
"It stopped—must've passed out from the agony."
The onlookers murmured among themselves.
From the scream alone, no one could tell who it belonged to. But in this situation, no one imagined it could have come from Liu Kai.
Qin Xi, already worried sick, grew even more anxious. She knew Yang Chen's voice well—this scream didn't sound like his. But inside that room, apart from Yang Chen, everyone else was Liu Kai's man.
Unable to bear it any longer, Qin Xi rushed toward the private room, only to be blocked by two bodyguards stationed outside.
"What's your name?"
Yang Chen suddenly turned his gaze to Wang Qiang, who was still frozen in shock.
Back at Bu Ye Cheng, Wang Qiang had sensed Yang Chen was extraordinary. Now, witnessing a playing card sever Liu Kai's wrist, his suspicions were confirmed.
Trembling, Wang Qiang dropped to his knees with a *thud*, pressing his forehead to the floor. "My name is Wang Qiang. From today onward, I pledge my loyalty to you, Master Yang!"
The others stared in disbelief.
Though Wang Qiang held no real power in King's City—his title of "second-in-command" was merely nominal—he had once been a formidable figure in Jiangzhou's underground scene when he managed Bu Ye Cheng. Now, he was kneeling before a young man.
While Yang Chen had severed Liu Kai's wrist with a playing card, none had seen it clearly. They assumed the card was a diversion—something else must have done the real damage.
So though they feared Yang Chen, they weren't ready to kneel like Wang Qiang.
After all, Liu Kai was still alive, missing only a hand. He could always reclaim King's City.
Yang Chen didn't mind. Smiling faintly, he said to Wang Qiang, "Stand up."
"Yes, Master Yang!"
Wang Qiang obeyed respectfully.
Yang Chen then rose from his seat, sweeping his calm gaze across the room before pointing at Wang Qiang. "From today onward, Wang Qiang will take charge of King's City. Any objections?"
Wang Qiang's heart swelled with elation. He was certain now—Yang Chen was no ordinary man. With his backing, Jiangzhou's underworld would soon bow to him.
"Our boss isn't even dead yet, and you're already handing over King's City? You're really looking down on us," sneered the middle-aged man Liu Kai had called "Third Brother."
"Since you object..."
Yang Chen spoke softly, flicking a playing card from between his fingers before finishing his sentence.
*Swish!*
"...then die."
The card's trajectory was a blur.
All eyes snapped to Third Brother, whose eyes bulged as a thin red line appeared across his neck. Blood seeped out, then gushed forth in seconds.
His body collapsed, twitching briefly before going still. His widened eyes, frozen in terror, remained unblinking even in death.
Any doubts about Yang Chen severing Liu Kai's wrist with a card vanished instantly. The remaining men could only stare in abject horror.
Wang Qiang gasped for air, his heart pounding as if it might burst.
*A flick of the wrist to sever a hand. Another to take a life.*
*Was this even humanly possible?*
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
A dozen men dropped to their knees in unison, voices overlapping as they scrambled to declare:
"From today onward, we pledge ourselves to Master Yang!"
"We will follow Master Yang's orders without question!"
Yang Chen ignored them, turning instead to Wang Qiang. "I'm leaving Liu Kai's life for you."
"Yes! Thank you, Master Yang!" Wang Qiang replied fervently.
Yang Chen hadn't spared Liu Kai out of mercy—a man like him, steeped in evil, deserved death. But he had seen the burning hatred in Wang Qiang's eyes.
Losing Bu Ye Cheng alone wouldn't inspire such venom. There had to be deeper grievances.
With that, Yang Chen strode toward the exit. At the door, he paused, his voice icy:
"From today, Jiangzhou's underworld will have *zero* gray businesses. If I catch wind of drugs, gambling, or prostitution, I'll hold *you* accountable."
Wang Qiang shuddered, dropping to his knees again. "You have my word, Master Yang. No such operations will exist."
No matter where he went, Yang Chen never forgot his identity.
Vices like drugs and gambling ruined countless families. He couldn't stop everyone from indulging, but he could eradicate their roots in Jiangzhou.
Picking up his mask, Yang Chen put it back on and stepped out.
When the private room door swung open and Yang Chen emerged unscathed, the crowd gasped.
*If he walked out unharmed... whose scream had that been?*
Before Yang Chen could spot Qin Xi, a familiar fragrance enveloped him—followed by the warmth of her body crashing into his arms, her grip tight around him.