Liang Jiankong went straight to the point. “If I recall correctly, isn’t tomorrow the signing day?” He asked Ryuzaki with a cold smile.

Indeed, Ryuzaki was the young leader of Japan’s fifth-largest gang, but he wasn’t the ultimate authority in the organization. That role belonged to his father, the true power behind the throne. However, due to his advancing age, many of the gang’s overseas business had been entrusted to his brooding son.

For years, the Ryuzaki family had long been involved in all the traditional activities of the underworld. Lately, they had been testing the waters in real estate and entertainment industry. Times were changing, and even gangs couldn’t afford to stay stuck in the past. Despite their effort, their expansion hit a few rough patches.

Rumor had it that Liang Jiangkong had spent some time in Japan during his earlier years. Recently, the Ryuzaki family had managed to establish connections with him through various channels. The Li family had their sights set on entering the drug trade, and it so happened that the Ryuzaki family had the necessary resources. Hence, they were offering these resources in exchange for assets in other industries. 

When the Japanese approached Liang Jiankong for a fair deal, a sly grin crept onto his face. Fairness? That sounded appealing, and the fact that he personally welcomed Ryuzaki added an air of sophistication to the occasion.

But let’s be honest, in a world as dark as theirs, fairness was a rare gem.

“We’ve only had a few minor collaborations before,” Ryuzaki began with a disdainful snort, “but this time, I came with sincerity. Little did I know,” he continued, “that Mr. Liang here is quite skilled in the art of backstabbing, stealing our core secrets. 

The translator on the sidelines swiftly relayed the words while capturing the tone flawlessly.

Liang Jiankong swirled his empty glass with a genuinely puzzled expression. “I’m not quite following,” he said.

“If the Woodland gang wishes to do business with us, we welcome it. But stopping to theft to gain an upper hand? That’s beneath you,” Ryuzaki retorted, his disappointment evident. 

Before Ryuzaki’s arrival, Liang Jiankong’s reputation had preceded him. This man, by whatever means, had managed to seize control of the Li family and catapult the Woodland gang to new heights. Yet, rumors about him varied greatly. Some described him as mild-mannered, others as ruthless, and a few even as domineering. It was a mixed bag.

For instance, one moment he was all calm and composed, the next he abruptly slammed his glass down onto the table. A smirked played across his face, his crescent-shaped scar taking on an eerie twist. He crouched, casually picking up a shard of glass and slowly approached Ryuzaki. 

The people surrounding them immediately rushed forward to intervene but were preempted by others. At some point, the small courtyard seemed to have gained a few more occupants, and among them stood a familiar face: Ah Bao.

“Liang…”

Before Yoshida could finish uttering that word, Liang Jiankong suddenly made his move. He struck like a fierce leopard, a surge of deadly intent overwhelming Yoshida in an instant. Yoshida stood there in a daze as a warm trickle ran down his neck. Fresh blood slowly disappeared into his collar, painting vivid crimson patterns. The strike wasn’t fatal, but it tore through the tension in the air. 

For those fleeting seconds, Qu Xingyan’s world seemed to freeze in place.

Liang Jiankong was now just four or five steps away from her. He radiated a bone-chilling aura, akin to a shockwave, causing the Japanese to panic. For Xu Qingyan, who had never witnessed such a scene, her muscles refused to obey. She felt like a living corpse submerged in the icy waters of polar glaciers. Every hair on her body quivered.

In a daze, her mind went blank.

Before she could even register her own fear, the situation erupted in chaos. Liang Jiankong hadn’t uttered a single word, yet everyone sprang into action.

However, with Liang Jiankong’s people joined by Wang Jue’s crew, even the formidable Japanese found themselves in a tight spot. 

Whoever had claimed Liang Jiankong was the peacekeeping type, unlikely to resort to violence, and that Wang’s faction and the Woodland gang had a rocky relationship, making them steer clear of each other’s affairs—well, they were dead wrong.

Ryuzaki was left dumbfounded, a feeling of intense frustration rising within him. Their influence couldn’t hold a candle to Liang Jiankong’s might, but what he hadn’t expected was Liang Jiankong taking the lead without hesitation.

This was a far cry from his earlier predictions, and it veered entirely off the expected course.

And Liang Jiankong still held the trump card in his hand. 

Xu Qingyan found herself in a tight grip, her head pulled back, and she remained eerily silent. Her delicate neck was fully exposed, even in the harsh, sharp lighting, revealing the enticing purplish hue of the subtle pulse of her carotid artery. Ryuzaki’s bloodied hand cradled her chin, as if applying just a bit more pressure could snap her fragile neck.

As the moment hung in the air, the gag that had muffled her was already removed. The Japanese wanted her to plead for mercy, but she remained silent, her gazed fixed on the person before her. 

It was only when Liang Jiankong finally turned his attention to her that Xu Qingyan’s lips twitched. Yet, no plea for help could escape her lips.

His eyes were ice-cold, devoid of any emotion, making it nearly impossible for her to connect him to the person she’d recently shared a meal with and attended a concert alongside.

Ryuzaki’s grip was unrelenting. Xu Qingyan felt her neck bend at an unnatural angle. His other bloodied hand tightened around her throat, making it hard for her to breathe, and her mind began to starve for oxygen.

Amid the chaos, Ryuzaki’s men were subdued, leaving only Yoshida in the ground clutching his throat in distress. The translator beside him had been frightened into unconsciousness.

For Liang Jiankong, scenes like this were all too familiar, He didn’t seem concerned. Instead, he calmy gestured for a chair and sat down. Wang Jue, on the other hand, was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t anticipated Liang Jiankong taking action. There was no need for this man to do so as others had always handled his problems. Moreover, there hadn’t been anyone worth his intervention. Yet, today, he had acted in an unexpected twist!

Wang Jue stood by his side. She smiled slyly as she watched Ryuzaki and the subdued Xu Qingyan.

Liang Jiankong tossed aside the glass shard with a hint of disgust. He motioned toward the unconscious Japanese man on the ground. “Wake his translator up.”

Ah Bao ordered someone to douse the Japanese translator with a bucket of cold water. Liang Jiankong patiently waited for the man to regain consciousness as he casually wiped the blood from his hands. 

The translator on the ground shivered awake. When he saw Liang Jiankong, he jolted to his feet in an instant.

Liang Jiankong raised a finger and pointed at Ryuzaki, signaling him to translate properly. Then, he continued, “Do you really think I’d sit here and have a polite conversation with you about the whereabouts of the USB drive and the trial samples, or haggle over the price for someone’s release?”

Once Ryuzaki understood this, his stern façade cracked a bit, and he exclaimed, “How dare you…how dare you lay hands on us!”

Liang Jiankong’s cold gaze scanned the surroundings. He chuckled, “Listen up, folks. Someone here is complaining that we’ve been a little too rough.”

People around them responded with a mix of suppressed laughter and open mockery, all brutally unapologetic.

Liang Jiankong chuckled and leaned in slightly, with a challenging expression. “Brother,” he said, “in our world, force does the talking. That’s right, I’m the one striking you.”

His words, delivered in a stark contrast to his usual refinement, carried the weight of harsh reality.

Meanwhile, Ryuzaki teetered on the edge of losing control. Though his restrained nature kept him from an immediate outburst, his grip involuntarily tightened, nearly lifting Xu Qingyan off the ground.

If this continued, she would suffocate.

“Okay, we’ve proven our point with force. Now, let’s discuss intelligence, I’ll give you a chance,” Liang Jiankong continued, seemingly oblivious to Xu Qingyan’s suffering. “You claim she’s mine. Fine, let me face off with her. You provide some solid evidence.”

Ryuzaki seethed, “Now you’re talking about intelligence?”

Liang Jiankong appeared unfazed. “We’re all modern, civilized people here. Battling is just a side gig.”

Ryuzaki: “…”

Xu Qingyan: “…”

Wang Jue: “…”

Everyone else in the room: “…”