The city of Wujiang sprawled beneath a silky sky, its skyline jagged like the outline of towering structures. The air was filled with the sound of the distant traffic and the occasional shout of a street vendor.
Leo stood outside the station, his gaze sweeping over the urban expanse as he blended seamlessly into the shadows.
He raised his hand, and a cab pulled over. He slid into the back seat.
"Three Knives Hotel," Leo said.
The driver's eyes flicked to the mirror, his expression tightening for a second. Leo noticed it but said nothing. He watched the city lights drift past the window as the cab carried him forward.
The cab stopped in front of the Three Knives Hotel.
Leo paid the driver and scanned the hotel. Its glass walls reflected the bright lights of the nearby shops. Everything about the place spoke of wealth. Polished marble at the entrance, uniformed staff at the doors, and soft lights that gave the building a quiet dignity. To the public, it was a landmark where officials and businessmen stayed without worry.
On paper, their hotel looked untouchable. The property was hidden behind a maze of shell companies. But beneath the calm surface, everyone knew whose ground it was.
Leo watched the lights on the upper floors. The first three floors were turned into the restaurant, while the rest served as a hotel. At the top floor sat Zhang's private floor, a lavish suite joined with a conference hall where he received his most important guests. Tonight, the hall was stripped of its courtesy. It had become a war room, where the three pillars of the Three Knives sat locked in tense discussion.
Leo approached the side of the building. The smooth surface of the glass wall offered little in terms of handholds as his fingers brushed against the cool surface. But it was nothing for Leo. He began climbing the wall, just like a walk in the park.
When he reached the balcony, he jumped and landed silently. He crouched low, scanning the room through the glass doors. The guards outside did not notice him. Leo pressed the door open gently and slipped inside.
A core meeting was being held inside the conference room. Zhang sat at the head of a rectangular table with an expression as sharp as steel. On his left was Cheng, while on the right, Fang was drumming his fingers against the wood.
"They have already started moving. If we sit idle, they will swallow us whole." Feng spoke with desperation.
Cheng frowned. "It's not about them only. I am pretty sure that someone powerful is backing them."
"Wasn't it your job to find out about their backer?" Fang scoffed.
Zhang leaned back, letting their words clash. His fingers tapped lightly on the table. Finally, he spoke in a low and steady voice. "If we wait, we die. If we defend, we bleed until nothing is left. We don't even know who their fucking backers are!" His gaze turned sharp. "We are here to discuss the countermeasures; while you fools are discussing the details we already know."
Cheng rubbed his temples. "Boss, I'm trying my best. Give me some more time."
His words had barely settled into the air when another voice echoed in the room.
"There's no need to go through these difficulties."
The three froze. Instantly, they drew their pistols towards the sound. Zhang's eyes widened. No one could have entered the room unnoticed. Yet the voice came from inside the room.
Before they could understand what was going on, a sharp sting burned across their wrists, and all three pistols fell to the floor. The pain was precise, as if invisible blades had sliced their nerves.
A lean figure emerged from the shadow, stepping into the light like he had always been there. He was a young boy with a calm and almost innocent smile. But to Zhang, that smile felt like the painting of death. This boy standing in front of him was washed in the murderous aura. Even a person like Zhang, who has been living off killing people, felt like his knees would give out.
But Zhang didn't earn his reputation in vain. Despite the shock and the pressure, he kept his composure and asked in a commanding tone. "Who are you? Did Shadow Wu send you?"
Leo laughed lightly, shaking his head. "Them? They could never afford me."
He then strolled toward the table casually and sat on Zhang's chair as though it were his rightful place. Crossing one leg over the other, he studied the three men with calm eyes.
"My name is Leo," he said softly. "And I have a proposal for you."
There was total silence in the room. Leo felt weird that three grown men were standing in a curve and staring at him like an alien.
"Please have a seat," Leo said casually, gesturing to the empty seat across from him.
Zhang's jaw tightened, but he lowered himself slowly onto the nearest chair. Fang and Cheng followed.
A boy just commanded Zhang to sit in his own hotel room.
"I won't beat around the bush," Leo began with a light tone, but there was an unshakable authority beneath it. "I have chosen your Three Knives gang. From this moment on, you will work under me. Zhang, you will be my direct subordinate."
The room went silent.
For a heartbeat, no one moved. Then Fang erupted like a hound.
His face flushed crimson, and his chair screeched back as he leapt to his feet. His hand slammed against the table, rattling glasses and scattering ash from the tray.
"Boy, enough of your little act!" Fang roared with anger. "Who the fuck do you think you are, daring to command Mr. Zhang? You even dare speak his name so lightly! You're nothing but a—"
The rest of his words were strangled in his throat.
A cold steel knife kissed the side of his neck. His breath caught as his eyes widened. A sharp sting spread across his skin, and a thin line of blood slid down his collar.
Zhang's body stiffened. His eyes darted wildly, searching for an explanation. Just a moment ago, Leo had been sitting directly across from him. Yet now, without a single sound, he was beside Fang.
When did he move? How?
Zhang had faced assassins and rivals his entire life. He had seen everything in his life. But this… he didn't even notice Leo's movement. It was as though he had stepped outside the laws of movement.
Fang's courage shattered instantly. His lips trembled, and the hot words he had prepared died in his throat. The tiniest shift of Leo's wrist would spill his life onto the floor.
For a moment, the only sound in the room was the ragged breathing of the three gang leaders.
Cheng decided to break the deadlock.
He scolded Fang in a commanding tone. "Fang! Shut your mouth before you get us all killed."
Fang's eyes darted to him. Technically, Cheng and Fang had the same authority in the gang. But Chang was the smartest, so Fang always had to listen to his commands. Even Zhang relied heavily on Chang's counsel.
Especially this time, when he's just a few centimeters away from death.
Fang lowered himself back into his seat. His hands clutched the table, trying to anchor himself against the fear.
Cheng turned to Zhang with a serious expression. "Mr. Zhang, I think if Mr. Leo wanted us dead, we would already be corpses. The fact that he is talking to us means he does not intend to waste time with games. He said he has a proposal. We should hear him out. Maybe it's a good thing for us."
Zhang was not a fool. He already decided that Leo wasn't someone he could mess with. Forget the background; his strength was enough to dominate the entire city. And how can someone so powerful not have a background?
He drew in a deep breath, steadying the storm inside his chest.
"Mr. Leo, forgive Fang. He is short-tempered and speaks without thinking. I hope you will not take his words to heart."
Leo's smile widened faintly, and he walked casually towards his seat as he spoke.
"You guys are at the dead end. Let's be honest here, Three Knives can't compete against the new alliance formed by your enemies. Let alone face their mysterious backer." He took the seat and crossed his legs like an emperor.
The trio was silent and waiting for 'the proposal.'
Judging the mood, Leo continued, "My proposal is simple. I would eliminate all the threats you are facing, and I'll protect you against their backer. When the time comes, the backer would be eliminated as well. In return…" Leo took a deliberate pause.
Zhang's heart tightened. He was sure that this young boy sitting casually in front of him could eliminate seventy percent of the underworld in the city. But he was scared about what he'd have to pay in return.
A harmless smile bloomed on Leo's face as he spoke. "In return, I'll get full control of the businesses those two gangs own. I promise that I'll never control your business or profits. But…"
Nothing good follows when someone uses 'but.' Zhang thought internally.
"But Three Knives will be under my direct control. And you'll all go clean. When the sun rises tomorrow, there should be no underworld in this city."
Five minutes ago, Fang would have scolded the seven ancestors of Leo. But now, he kept his silence. As the old saying goes, we mature every minute. And Fang had matured a lot in the last five minutes.
Zhang's fingers clenched tightly against the armrest. He was being dethroned in his own room, yet survival demanded obedience. Slowly, he reached for the bell on the table and rang it once.
The soft chime carried through the silence. Moments later, the door opened, and a guard stepped in. His eyes flicked over the unfamiliar boy sitting arrogantly in Zhang's seat, Fang with blood on his neck, and the strange heaviness in the air. Confusion flickered across his face, but he kept his mouth shut.
"Bring our finest wine," Zhang ordered evenly, though his tone carried a weight it had never borne before. He glanced at Leo briefly, then back to the guard. "For Mr. Leo."
The guard bowed his head and left quickly.
The door clicked shut again, sealing the four of them back into the tense, suffocating air. Zhang, Fang, and Cheng sat silently, each weighed down by their thoughts.
And at the head of the table, Leo lounged comfortably.