Night deepened as moonlight spilled into the courtyard of the rented house, casting a silvery glow over the scene.
All members—core and peripheral—had gathered in the courtyard of the house Ma Da and the others had rented earlier. Though the house itself was small, the courtyard was spacious enough to accommodate over a hundred people.
Liu Yutong and Yun Cheng hadn’t arrived yet, but the crowd was already murmuring, speculating in hushed tones about the purpose of tonight’s assembly.
“What do you think the young mistress is calling us here for? Some big announcement?”
“No idea, but my guess is we’re finally going to war with Niu Ben’s crew.”
“Seriously? That guy’s practically the local kingpin here!”
“Kingpin? More like trash! If the young mistress gives the order, I’d risk my life to take them down!”
“Same here! Let’s show them who really runs Wushui County now!”
“Damn right! From now on, there’s only one ruler in Wushui County—the young mistress!”
“……”
The more they talked, the more fired up they became.
To them, there was only one reason Liu Yutong would summon them so suddenly: war.
They’d been holding back for too long. That bastard Mad Dog and his lackeys had been causing trouble at their restaurants nonstop. If not for the young mistress’s orders to stay calm, they would’ve already grabbed their weapons and fought back.
Besides, in their line of work, everyone dreamed of rising to the top.
But to dominate Wushui County, one obstacle was unavoidable—Niu Ben.
Niu Ben had ruled Wushui County for years. It was time for a change.
In the past, they wouldn’t have dared challenge him. But now?
Liu Yutong was the heir to the Yilian Society. Yun Cheng, Ma Da—they were all part of it too.
With the Yilian Society’s backing, they were confident they could overthrow Niu Ben and take control of Wushui County.
Then, they’d feast and prosper under the young mistress’s leadership, untouchable by anyone.
Just as their excitement reached its peak, the courtyard gate swung open.
Liu Yutong and Yun Cheng walked in, one after the other.
The crowd fell silent instantly, all eyes locked onto the slender yet striking young woman at the entrance.
As she made her way forward, the crowd instinctively parted, forming a path for her. Their gazes brimmed with admiration and anticipation.
Ma Da was the first to shout, “Young Mistress!”
The others immediately followed in unison.
“Young Mistress!”
“Young Mistress!”
“……”
There was a time when they’d first met Liu Yutong, and back then, they’d been shocked and skeptical.
How could such a delicate-looking girl possibly lead them?
But over time, they’d witnessed her cunning firsthand.
She might not have been a fighter, but her mind was sharp.
In such a short span, she’d expanded their group to this size and ensured every one of them was paid well. Her achievements spoke for themselves.
Standing before the crowd, Liu Yutong swept her gaze over the sea of faces, a complex emotion stirring in her chest.
“Tonight, I’ve called you all here to make an announcement.”
At her words, everyone leaned in, ears pricked for what came next.
“Starting today, I am formally cutting ties with the Yilian Society.”
She didn’t reveal the full truth—that she had never truly been the Yilian Society’s young mistress. That was a decision she and Yun Cheng had agreed on.
Admitting her identity was a lie outright might have been too much for many to accept.
So, she’d chosen this phrasing instead.
Even so, her words sent shockwaves through the crowd.
“What? The young mistress is leaving the Yilian Society?”
“Did I hear that right? Does that mean she’s giving up her inheritance?”
“Without the Yilian Society’s support, how are we supposed to take on Niu Ben’s crew?”
“Exactly… What’s going on here?”
“……”
They’d imagined countless reasons for this sudden gathering, but this? Never.
After all, they’d all assumed Liu Yutong was building her forces here to solidify her position as the Yilian Society’s heir.
Every new leader needed their own loyal followers.
And most of them had joined her and Yun Cheng precisely because of their Yilian Society ties, hoping to secure a place of honor in the future.
That was a real syndicate!
Anyone in this world dreamed of joining something that powerful.
But now…
The murmuring grew too loud for Liu Yutong to continue. She gave Yun Cheng a look.
Understanding immediately, he barked, “Quiet!”
Silence fell again as all eyes snapped back to the two figures at the front.
“From this moment on, we sever all ties with the Yilian Society. This is not a joke.”
“Now, I’m giving you two choices. First, stay with us. Those who remain will become the founding members of our new organization. Second, leave. Anyone who chooses to go will receive a severance payment of one thousand yuan from Yu Xin.”
“You have one minute to decide. Those staying, stay put. Those leaving, collect your money and go.”
With that, Liu Yutong turned to Yun Cheng and gave a slight nod.
Yun Cheng pulled out his phone and began the countdown. “Time starts now!”
The crowd, now certain this wasn’t a test, erupted into hushed debates. Some whispered anxiously, others frowned in thought, and a few glanced around, weighing their options.
Soon, the minute was up.
“Time’s over!” Yun Cheng announced.
The courtyard stirred as people made their moves.
About twenty or so chose to take the money and leave.
Most were those who lacked faith in the new group.
Without the backing of an established syndicate like the Yilian Society, they had no confidence in defeating Niu Ben’s faction.
Better to take the money now than risk getting burned later.
The remaining 107 watched the departures with barely contained fury.
Some gritted their teeth, muttering curses under their breath. To them, these people were traitors, cowards.
The young mistress had treated them well, and this was how they repaid her? Even a dog knew to wag its tail for a bone.
If not for Liu Yutong’s strict orders not to harass those who left, fists might have flown.
Once the last of the defectors had gone, silence settled over the courtyard again.
Liu Yutong scanned the faces before her. “Anyone else want out?”
This time, no one moved.
Every last one stood firm, their gazes unwavering.
Though they initially followed Yun Cheng and his Righteous Alliance because of their reputation, the alliance never gave them any benefits.
Instead, it was the young mistress, Liu Yutong, who led them step by step to where they were today.
Choosing to stay and follow her was the most natural decision for them.
Besides, forming a new organization had its perks—they would all become founding members.
If they stayed with the Righteous Alliance, they’d likely remain at the bottom.
More importantly, they believed Liu Yutong could lead them to greater heights.
"Alright, since no one’s backing out, I hereby announce the establishment of our new company starting today. Everyone present will be an official member."
"As for the company name, let’s brainstorm together." Liu Yutong was terrible at naming things, so she delegated the task to the group.
The mention of naming the new company sparked another wave of excitement, and everyone eagerly threw out suggestions.
"How about 'The Dark Force Family'?"
"That’s no good. 'The Speed Demons' sounds way cooler!"
"Speed Demons? Where’s your car? You don’t even have a tricycle!"
"What about 'The Red Elite'?"
"Red Elite? Might as well call it 'The Black Elite'."
"Then what should we call it?"
"There are so many of us, and we’re all from Dragon Country—why not use 'dragon' in the name?"
"Ten Thousand Dragons Society?"
"That’s not bad. Once we grow to ten thousand members, it’ll be fitting."
"..."
Listening to their suggestions, Liu Yutong suddenly regretted her decision.
Her whole reason for cutting ties with the Righteous Alliance was to go legit—no more underworld dealings, just running a proper business and making money together.
But these names they came up with?
They sounded even more gangster!
Ten Thousand Dragons Society?
That name alone screamed "shady."
Clearly, it would take time to steer them away from their street mentality.
