"Qiao Yong, you dragged me out here just to watch some vocational college's internal brawl?"
"What, you’re not interested?"
"Why the hell would I care about some other school's drama?"
"Xiao Bin, you’re missing the point. How is this not your business?"
"What do you mean?"
"Ah, forget it, just talking nonsense."
"Qiao Yong, you better not be screwing with me. You really think Xie Dong’s about to eat dirt? Are those vocational college freshmen really that tough?"
"Hahaha… You’ll see when we get there."
"............"
Qiao Yong, the top dog of Grain Economics College, and Xiao Bin, the leader of Tech Institute, were currently riding electric scooters toward the battleground.
Xiao Bin had zero interest in this kind of mess, but Qiao Yong suddenly invited him to spectate, claiming the vocational college’s throne was about to change hands. Curiosity got the better of him, so he tagged along.
Little did Xiao Bin know, Xie Dong was already in deep trouble—and he himself had just walked into a trap.
The three schools had always kept to themselves, with tensions running high between them. Clashes were frequent.
Their income streams, aside from some shady dealings, mostly came from protection fees and hired muscle work—especially the latter, which was fiercely competitive. Rivalry between the schools was inevitable.
Uniting the entire university district?
The idea had crossed people’s minds before, but no one had ever pulled it off.
The schools were like those towering campus walls—clearly divided.
Plain and simple, it was tribalism.
An outsider trying to make students from another school bow to them? Nearly impossible.
Xiao Bin had never dreamed of ruling the university district. Neither had Xie Dong. But Qiao Yong had—and he was already putting his plan into motion.
Otherwise, why would he reach out to Ma Feifan, a freshman from the vocational college, offering to back him up?
This time, he invited Xiao Bin along to settle both of them in one go.
As a junior about to graduate next year, Qiao Yong faced the grim reality of "graduation equals disbandment." But he was ambitious—no way was he going to end up twisting screws in some factory like the others. He’d sworn to make a name for himself in Bright Pearl City.
Of course, pulling this off alone would be tough.
Luckily, he’d already secured a powerful backer—the Righteous Brotherhood.
If he could crush Xie Dong and the others into submission, his patron would spare no effort supporting him.
By then, the entire university district would be his to command.
Meanwhile, the brawl in the park had reached its peak.
Just as Xie Dong’s crew was about to wipe out the freshmen, a gang of thugs ambushed them from behind, catching them off guard and instantly turning the tide.
Xie Dong quickly recognized them—Qiao Yong’s men.
Eyes burning with rage, he glared at Ma Feifan and roared, "Ma Feifan! You goddamn traitor! This is our school’s fight—how dare you bring in outsiders?!"
Ma Feifan, though visibly nervous, shouted back, "Cut the crap! If you’ve got the guts, call your own backup! Besides, Qiao Yong promised—once you’re dealt with, I’m the new boss of the vocational college!"
That sent Xie Dong and his seniors into a frenzy. They fought back harder, no longer holding anything back.
But they were just student thugs, outnumbered and ambushed. The fight was slipping away from them.
Then—
An electric scooter and a van pulled up at the park entrance.
The van screeched to a halt, and a dozen burly men with "Righteous" tattoos on their arms piled out.
Qiao Yong parked his scooter and strode toward Xie Dong’s group.
Behind him, Xiao Bin was being dragged along by two of the gangsters.
"Qiao Yong! You goddamn snake! Let me go—I’ll call my guys and we’ll settle this!"
Now he finally understood why Qiao Yong had invited him to watch the vocational college’s fight. This bastard was trying to take over all three schools in one move.
What a power play!
Halfway here, a van had suddenly cut them off, disgorging nearly twenty men who seized him on the spot.
That’s when he realized he’d been played.
Even worse, Qiao Yong had somehow gotten ties with the Righteous Brotherhood—one of Bright Pearl City’s most notorious gangs.
"Xiao Bin, you really think you’d dare call for backup?!" Qiao Yong sneered, then gestured smugly to a scar-faced gangster beside him. "Know who this is? Scarface Brother—right-hand man of the Righteous Brotherhood’s boss. Cross him, and you cross the whole Brotherhood!"
Xiao Bin shrank back. "I..."
Truth was, he didn’t dare.
Student thugs and real gangsters like the Righteous Brotherhood were on completely different levels. No matter how tough he was on campus, facing actual underworld figures, he knew when to fold.
Scarface Brother cracked his neck impatiently, the scar on his face twisting like a centipede—utterly terrifying.
"Alright, Qiao Yong, quit wasting time. I’ve got a poker game to get to."
Qiao Yong instantly switched from arrogance to groveling. "Right, right, Scarface Brother. I’ll wrap this up fast."
Turning back to the crowd, he barked, "Everyone, freeze! The Righteous Brotherhood’s boss is here. If you still want a future in this university district, stand the hell down!"
His men already had the upper hand, and with the Brotherhood’s presence, the students immediately stopped fighting, exchanging uneasy glances.
Xie Dong’s face darkened. "Qiao Yong, we’ve never crossed paths before. What the hell are you trying to pull?!"
"Isn’t it obvious?" Qiao Yong laughed arrogantly. "Or are you blind?!"
He scanned the crowd—over a hundred people—and declared, "Starting today, there’s only one boss in the university district—me, Qiao Yong!"
"Who’s with me? Who’s against me?!"
"I’m against it!" Xiao Bin spat through gritted teeth. "You think I’d bow to you? Dream on!"
"Same here!" Xie Dong coughed up blood. "Qiao Yong, bringing in outsiders? I’ll never accept you!"
"Fine, fine." Qiao Yong smirked. "You two got guts!"
"Let’s see if your bones are as hard as your mouths!"
"Ma Feifan! They’re yours! Beat them till they submit!"
Ma Feifan had no choice now. Reluctantly, he waved his freshmen forward, and they descended on Xie Dong and Xiao Bin with kicks and punches.
Xie Dong’s crew tensed, ready to jump in—until Scarface Brother and his men stepped forward. They froze, fear winning out.
Soon, Xiao Bin and Xie Dong were curled on the ground, groaning in pain.
"Anyone else want to object?" Qiao Yong snarled, scanning the crowd.
The vocational college thugs lowered their heads in silence.
Qiao Yong nodded, satisfied, and was about to speak—
Suddenly—
"I object!" A lazy voice rang out from the darkness.
Everyone turned in unison, only to see a chubby figure emerge leisurely from behind a large tree.
