What. A. Dumb. Motherfucker.
My younger brother was a fucking idiot. And worse—he should've known better. People like us had a reputation to maintain. We couldn't afford to make mistakes, not publicly, not sloppily. But of course, Kang had found a way to screw up in the most humiliating fashion imaginable. He'd been caught snorting cocaine off a woman's ass—someone he assumed was just another prostitute. Turns out, she was a cop. An undercover one at that.
Now the word had reached our father. And calling him angry? That would be like calling a wildfire warm. Nobody crossed Li Wei. Not his enemies. Not his allies. And certainly not his own blood. If anything, his sons were expected to be even more careful—because when we fucked up, the consequences were worse.
Some got lucky and lived to tell the tale. Others… didn't.
Maybe this was it for Kang. Maybe this was his comeuppance. He'd always been the reckless one—the youngest, the loudest, the one who thought he could skate by on charm and blind luck. Up until now, our father had let him run wild. But this time, Kang had pushed too far. And I wasn't the only one who'd had enough.
I looked at him with pure disgust. "Nǐ zhīdào guīzé, Kāng. (You know the rules, Kang.) What the fuck is wrong with you?"
He didn't answer. Just gave me a half-hearted shrug like a spoiled brat.
I leaned in, tone sharp. "Do you even realise how fucking stupid you look? How stupid you're making all of us look?"
Still nothing—except that goddamn smirk, plastered across his face like he thought this was all some big joke.
That was it.
I stood abruptly, slamming my fist against the heavy dining table. "You're not even listening, are you? You're probably still fucking high!"
He flinched but stayed silent.
I shook my head, disgusted. "Húndàn." (Asshole.)
Chen, ever the diplomat, spoke from my right in a calmer tone. "Did you think you weren't going to get caught? Is that it?"
I glanced over and saw Kang reclining in his chair, drumming his fingers against the polished mahogany. It was infuriating.
"Kang!" I snapped.
He finally looked at me, his cold, pale eyes locking with mine. "What?"
"Chen is talking to you," I growled. "Don't be a child. Answer him."
Kang exhaled loudly, then rolled his eyes. "No, I didn't think I'd get caught. I guess I didn't pay her enough."
He never learns.
"You're pathetic," I scoffed. "You could have any woman in the organisation for free."
Kang grinned. "It's no fun if they're willing."
I sneered. "So instead, you pay to screw street trash that probably has more STDs than teeth. You make me sick."
His jaw clenched. "Fuck yo—"
I was ready to tear into him, but before I could, I heard the heavy creak of the office door down the hall.
Shit.
"Here we go," I muttered as I glared over at Kang. "If I get punished for this, you're fucking dead."
Kang swallowed hard, for once quiet.
A moment later, one of the guards stepped into the room and bowed. "You've been summoned."
Showtime.
We entered the office in silence, our heads bowed in unison.
Our father didn't say a word. He just looked at us—each of us—as if trying to decide which one he'd kill first. Then he reached for the bourbon, poured himself a glass, and took a long, deliberate sip.
Kang cleared his throat. "Father—"
I cringed. Rookie mistake. You never spoke before he did.
Li Wei raised a hand, silencing Kang with a single gesture. "Hold your tongue."
Kang bowed and shut up, his expression pale.
Father opened his cigar box, lit one, and eased back into his chair. The room smelled like smoke and death.
He looked worse every day—skin sagging, colour faded, like he was already halfway to the grave. Once, he'd been powerful and commanding: jet-black hair, expensive suits, admired by women and feared by men. But now? Now he looked like a relic, a worn-down emperor clinging to a fading empire. And I hated seeing him this way—because I knew I was next in line to inherit that throne of blood.
"I'm tired of repeating myself," he muttered.
Li Wei had ruled this family, and half the criminal underworld across Asia, with an iron will. Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, Taiwan—we owned it all. But ambition knows no borders. He wanted America now. That's why we were here.
He downed his drink and poured another. "Chen."
"Yes, sir?" Chen answered instantly.
"Remind me why we have rules."
Chen straightened. "To avoid chaos, sir. Because people are inherently selfish and dangerous. Rules are what separate us from them."
I groaned inwardly.
Ass-kisser.
Chen went on, unfazed. "They protect our interests. They preserve the order you've built."
Father turned to Kang. "And you—how hard is it to follow the fucking rules?"
Kang bowed deeply. "Duìbùqǐ." (I'm sorry.)
Li Wei growled. "Not yet. But you will be."
He stood, moved around the desk, and slapped Kang across the face.
Hard.
"You disgust me. I give you and your brothers freedom—but with the understanding that you don't get caught. You fuck up discreetly, not publicly. You don't do drugs. You don't whore around with outsiders. And now, thanks to you, I'm being watched."
Chen's eyebrows lifted. "Already? But we've only just arrived."
Father nodded grimly.
"How?" I asked.
He pointed at Kang. "Him."
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from lashing out.
"He got high with a hooker," Father growled. "Who turned out to be a cop. It's all on tape. They know who we are. It's only a matter of time."
"I didn't know she was a cop!" Kang pleaded.
"Of course not," Father scoffed. "You only cared about getting your dick wet."
"Fuck..." Kang mumbled.
"Fuck is right!"
"What will you do if the cops come?" Chen asked carefully.
"I'll do what I always do," Li Wei replied coldly. "Pay them off."
"And if they won't take the money?" Kang asked.
He smiled darkly. "Then I'll kill their families. And I'll make them watch."
Yeah... That sounded like him.
He looked to Kang. "When did you last see her?"
Kang hesitated. Big mistake.
"Answer me!"
"Last night," Kang said quickly.
Father turned to the doors. "Bring the fucking whore in."
My stomach dropped.
The guards dragged her in—red corset, black boots, mascara streaked down her cheeks. She looked like fear in human form.
"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "Please don't kill me."
She shouldn't have begged. That never worked.
Li Wei opened a drawer, pulled out a revolver. "Is this her?"
Kang didn't hesitate. "Yes, sir."
Bang!
One bullet. That's all it took.
She collapsed to the floor, her blood painting the carpet a deep crimson.
Kang just stared. No emotion. No regret. Nothing.
Li Wei tossed the gun back into the drawer. "Get her out of my sight."
Chen and Kang were dismissed.
As the guards cleaned up the mess, I remained behind.
"Yuta."
"Yes, sir?"
He motioned me forward. "It's your job to keep your brothers in check. Especially Kang. He's spiralling."
I nodded. "What would you have me do?"
He looked me in the eye. "Wúlùn nǐ xūyào zuò shénme.(Whatever you have to do.) You know what I mean."
"I understand."
"And on top of that," he added, "someone is stealing from me."
I tensed. "Again?"
"Second time," he confirmed. "Guns. Money. Women. Gone."
"You think it's him?"
"The Bull," he spat. "Arrogant bastard. And skilled. Don't underestimate him."
"Have we found him?"
"If I had," he snapped, "I wouldn't be sitting here bitching about it, would I?"
I bowed. "Understood."
He waved a hand. "You're dismissed."
I turned to leave.
"Wait."
I stopped.
"That undercover cops body will be in your trunk," he said, refilling his glass. "You and your brothers will dispose of it. Time you three did something useful."
"Yes, sir."