"The young mistress? That’s still up in the air! Who knows if she’s even Liu Lei’s flesh and blood? And even if she is, so what? The Righteous Alliance has over a thousand brothers—are we really going to let some woman boss us around? I’d rather die than suffer that humiliation! You old-timers, have you all gone soft in the head, blinded by the Wanlong Syndicate’s money?"
"Jiang Bing’s got a point. Women belong in the kitchen or the bedroom, not running a gang! The idea of Liu Yutong leading us is a damn joke! All she’s got are her looks and a few cheap tricks to fool those spineless Wanlong dogs. Let her try stepping into the Righteous Alliance—we’d drown that slut in our spit before she even took a seat!"
"You think her money’s clean, good for laundering? But who really knows how dirty Wanlong’s underbelly is? I’ve heard their so-called ‘Wanlong Supermarket’ is a front—beatings for customers who don’t buy enough, right out in the open! They’re worse than us. We’d be fools to let their mess drag the cops down on us. With the underground fights coming up, bringing in a woman as boss? Other gangs would laugh us out of the underworld!"
The elders supporting Liu Yutong’s recognition slammed the table in fury.
"That’s all hearsay!"
"Don’t pretend you haven’t looked into Wanlong’s businesses—are they legit or not? If Miss Liu really is Liu Lei’s daughter, reuniting her with the family and merging resources could be huge for us! You shortsighted fools, clinging to your petty turf wars—where’s the future in that?"
"You’ll be the death of this gang!"
Jiang Bing jabbed a finger at the man, snarling, "Old bastard! You’re just money-hungry. Since when has the Righteous Alliance ever let a woman call the shots? What about our rules? Our dignity? That ‘Righteous’ on the wall—does it mean nothing?!"
Hong Jiao had planned to stay out of the squabble, but Jiang Bing’s relentless insults—"woman this, bitch that"—pushed her past her limit. She cut in coldly, "Jiang Bing, keep running your mouth about women, and I’ll tear it off your face."
In a way, his slurs weren’t just aimed at the unseen Liu Yutong anymore.
Scarface chuckled darkly, egging it on. "Damn right! Jiang Bing’s always looking down on everyone. Funny how the ‘woman’ he’s whining about nearly wiped him out at the dam that one time."
Jiang Bing flushed with rage at the reminder. "Scarface! Say that again, I dare you!"
Scarface shot to his feet. "I said it—what now? Know your place, you disrespectful prick!"
"Someone shut the door—we’re teaching this dog a lesson!"
Jiang Bing: "You motherf—!"
"Enough!"
Wu Rong’s fist crashed onto the table, silencing them. "This is a meeting, not a damn street brawl! Sit down!"
When the room settled, he continued, "Our priority is choosing an interim leader. No more nonsense—I support bringing Liu Yutong home."
The moment Wu Rong declared his stance, the room shifted.
Others might not know Wu Rong’s history, but everyone here did.
By all logic, he should’ve been the last person to back Liu Yutong.
Before the Righteous Alliance existed, Wu Rong had been the first boss’s right-hand man. By the time Liu Lei joined, Wu Rong was already second-in-command.
Then Liu Lei clawed his way over Wu Rong to the top—a betrayal that nearly shattered the gang in its infancy. For years, their feud burned.
Even when rumors spread about Liu Lei’s long-lost daughter, Wu Rong was the first to push Pan Xing to drag Liu Yutong back for "handling."
So why the sudden change?
Had Liu Yutong somehow bought him?
But now wasn’t the time to dig. The real question was: Who would take the throne?
Jiang Bing stepped forward, chest out. "Then I’m claiming that seat. I joined at eighteen, took the fall for the gang at twenty-three, and now I’ve got the biggest turf and the most men. By seniority, strength, or merit—that chair’s mine."
"Mark my words: Support me today, or you’ll regret it."
The elder Wang Shi shot up again, finger quivering. "Jiang Bing, who the hell do you think you are? This isn’t your call to—"
Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Bing struck without warning.
He suddenly grabbed a purple clay teapot from beside him and hurled it violently at the face of the elder surnamed Wang.
BANG—!
The teapot shattered instantly against the elder’s face!
"AHHH!!!"
The elder’s scream was cut short as he collapsed stiffly onto his back, clutching his face and writhing on the ground in agony.
The scene shocked everyone. No one had expected Jiang Bing to break the rules and attack someone so brazenly during a high-level gathering of the gang’s leadership.
Jiang Bing wiped the spilled tea from his hands, not even sparing a glance at the elder rolling on the floor.
Then, he glared fiercely at the others.
"Now, who still thinks it’s not my turn? Who still thinks I’m not qualified?"
"Speak! Look me in the EYES!"
Admittedly, his outburst had stunned everyone present.
Of course, aside from the sheer brutality of his actions, the appearance of a group of thugs outside—clearly arranged in advance—added to the intimidation.
A heavy silence followed.
Before Wu Rong, the leader of the Vermilion Bird Hall, could speak, Wang Shi, the White Tiger Hall leader who had been quietly sipping tea and observing the spectacle, slowly set down his cup and rose to his feet.
"I have no objections. In our Yi Lian Society, strength is everything. Whoever has the power deserves to lead."
"That useless Pan Xing should’ve stepped down long ago."
"What kind of era is this, where a so-called leader gets cut down like a joke?"
"And as for that woman, Liu Yutong—what does she even amount to?"
"I fully support Jiang Bing on this!"
Hearing Wang Shi, a formidable hall leader, openly back him, Jiang Bing’s spirits soared. "Hall Leader Wang is a man of wisdom!"
"In these times, real power comes from having a strong fist and loyal brothers. All that nonsense about ‘young mistresses’ can take a backseat! Since Hall Leader Wang recognizes the truth and stands with me, Jiang Bing, I—"
His words were abruptly cut off.
His entire body suddenly convulsed violently.
Seconds later—
THUD!
The once-arrogant Jiang Bing collapsed stiffly to the ground, limbs twitching uncontrollably, foam bubbling from his mouth.
Only then did everyone notice the electrified baton crackling with blue light in Wang Shi’s hand—he had struck Jiang Bing with a surprise attack.
The sudden reversal left everyone reeling.
One moment, Jiang Bing had taken down an elder; the next, Wang Shi had zapped him into submission.
"Enough."
"Pan Xing is finished. Jiang Bing is finished. I, Wang Shi, will be the new leader. Who agrees? Who objects?"
Hong Jiao was the first to rise. "On behalf of the Azure Dragon Hall, I agree!"
Her immediate support for Wang Shi sent another shockwave through the room.
After all, she represented Pan Xing’s faction—when had she secretly aligned with Wang Shi?
Gradually, the others noticed that the motley crew outside had been replaced by men in matching white suits.
Clearly, Jiang Bing’s men stationed at the door had been dealt with.
It also meant the Azure Dragon Hall—arguably the strongest fighting force—had defected. With two of the three major halls now backing him, Wang Shi held overwhelming support.
Only Wu Rong’s hall stood alone, powerless to resist.
Scarface wasn’t even considered a factor.
As the remaining members hesitated over whether to voice their stance—
BANG—!
A deafening crash echoed as the double wooden doors of the hall were kicked open, slamming against the walls.
A clear, slightly lazy yet commanding woman’s voice rang out.
"Just starting? Perfect timing, then!"
..........
