As soon as the college entrance exams ended, Liu Yutong booked twelve banquet tables at the Imperial Capital Hotel.
She never expected that in less than a month, Yun Cheng and the others had recruited so many followers.
Though her original intention was to guide them toward a brighter path, somehow, she felt like she was the one being led astray instead.
Out of nowhere, their group had grown to over a hundred people.
But Liu Yutong didn’t dwell on it too much.
She could see the loyalty Yun Cheng, Ma Da, and the others had for her.
As long as they listened to her and followed her lead, they wouldn’t end up in trouble.
As the saying goes, "If the upper beam is straight, the lower beams won’t be crooked."
As long as she, the "upper beam," stayed on the right path, the others naturally wouldn’t stray.
Soon, word spread.
The young miss was hosting a banquet at the Imperial Capital Hotel that evening.
She had even given them the day off.
During the day, the group had been hanging out at internet cafes. The moment the news reached them, the bleached-haired youths in every gaming hub stood up excitedly and logged off their machines.
Liu Hao, the former boss of Youth Plaza’s internet cafe street, had just been released from jail when he received devastating news.
He was now a leader without followers!
All his former underlings had betrayed him and pledged allegiance to someone else.
Furious and eager to reclaim his pride, Liu Hao secretly trailed one of his ex-subordinates to the Imperial Capital Hotel, determined to find out who had the audacity to poach his men.
But the moment he reached the banquet hall entrance, he froze.
Inside the largest hall, over a hundred bleached-haired youths sat in neat rows, backs straight, as if waiting for someone.
Who on earth were they waiting for?
Who could command such a grand display?
Liu Hao knew most of Wushui County’s notorious troublemakers, but they were just small-time hoodlums like him—none could muster more than a few dozen followers, let alone afford a feast at the county’s most luxurious hotel.
The only person capable of such a spectacle was Wushui County’s underground kingpin—Niu Ben.
Though Wushui County was just an ordinary town, populated mostly by dropout students and vocational school delinquents, that didn’t mean organized crime was absent.
Niu Ben was the leader of the county’s largest syndicate.
He owned the only nightclub in town, two KTV joints, a large supermarket, three restaurants, and several gambling dens—his assets estimated in the tens of millions, possibly even reaching nine figures.
Later, he even started a construction company.
He also maintained a private force of over a hundred enforcers, specializing in "persuasion" during demolitions.
If anyone resisted, these men would personally escort them to experience the comforts of the hospital ICU.
In short, Niu Ben was Wushui County’s most feared underworld figure, a tyrant with a laundry list of crimes.
Just as Liu Hao wondered if Niu Ben’s men had absorbed his former gang, the elevator near the banquet hall chimed.
When he saw the three figures stepping out, his face paled, and he quickly ducked out of sight.
A beautiful girl in a blue dress emerged, flanked by two intimidating young men—one stocky, the other lean.
"Those are the guys from the Righteous Union!" Liu Hao muttered through gritted teeth.
If not for them, he wouldn’t have spent so long behind bars.
Of course, he didn’t dare confront them now—unless he wanted another beating and a return trip to jail.
After the girl entered the banquet hall, Liu Hao peeked through the door crack and witnessed a sight he would never forget.
The hundred-strong crowd of bleached-haired youths—many of whom were once his own subordinates—snapped to their feet in unison, voices booming.
"Young Miss!"
"Young Miss!"
The chorus was deafening, brimming with fervor.
"Sit!"
At her command, everyone returned to their seats in perfect synchronization, disciplined as soldiers.
Liu Hao’s heart twisted with envy.
Back when he led these same guys, they were rowdy and disrespectful, never once greeting him with such reverence.
How had these outsiders from Bright Pearl City whipped his former gang into shape so effortlessly? What did they have that he didn’t?
Even now, Liu Hao couldn’t pinpoint where he had fallen short.
In the underworld, loyalty mattered, but so did tangible benefits and structure.
Under his leadership, his crew had no real purpose—just aimless posturing. After a few years, they’d be forced into menial jobs, becoming mere cogs in the machine.
But with Liu Yutong, everything was different.
Her status as the Righteous Union’s young miss gave them a sense of belonging, a goal beyond mindless rebellion.
And she was generous—tonight’s feast wasn’t just about food; cash rewards were part of the deal.
Add to that Ma Da’s frequent trips with them to Zhao Tianyi’s law firm for "enlightenment," and they gradually learned discipline.
Through these combined efforts, Liu Yutong and Yun Cheng had cemented their authority.
After watching for a while, Liu Hao slipped away.
He didn’t dare linger, fearing discovery—and the consequences.
Tonight’s spectacle left a deep impression on him.
As he exited the hotel, he glanced back at the building and made a decision.
He would start fresh somewhere else—and this time, he’d make a name for himself.
Wushui County had no place for him anymore. Staying meant risking betrayal by his former underlings.
Alone and powerless, he’d be easy prey.
If he was leaving, he would sever all ties to the past.
Before departing Wushui County, Liu Hao visited a tattoo parlor.
After browsing the designs, he settled on a bold, intimidating eye motif.
"Tattoo a third eye on my forehead!"
"From now on, ‘Brother Hao’ is dead. Call me the All-Seeing Eye!"
