Ma Da walked to the entrance of the internet café.
Just then, a voice suddenly rang out beside his ear.
"Oh wow, is this the famous Phoenix Reign Internet Café of Bright Pearl City?"
"Look at this decor—did they learn their aesthetic from some back-alley hair salon? All purple and tacky, anyone would think it’s some shady establishment!"
"And with this level of ‘style,’ they still charge outrageous prices. Everyone, keep your eyes open! If you want to surf the web, come to Yan Net instead—half-price right now, plus free drinks!"
"............"
As soon as Ma Da stepped out, he saw Deng Zheyan standing at the entrance of Phoenix Reign, waving a megaphone and hurling insults like crazy.
Not only was he trashing the café, calling it worthless, but he was also deliberately twisting his hips and striking disgusting poses to provoke them, fully embodying the smug arrogance of a petty man who’d finally gotten his moment.
Of course, he dared to act this way for two reasons.
First, Zhao Junjie and his crew had each topped up 500 yuan in credit at Yan Net, instantly boosting the café’s revenue.
Second, Zhao Junjie had promised to back him up, telling him to go all out.
With Zhao Junjie—the young master of the East Sea Alliance—as his patron, Deng Zheyan naturally stopped caring about the Dragon Society’s reputation.
He’d always believed that an old-school syndicate like the East Sea Alliance was far more powerful than some upstart group like the Dragon Society.
So, with Zhao Junjie’s encouragement, he couldn’t resist rushing over to start trash-talking.
Ma Da clenched his fists in fury. "Deng Zheyan, are you fucking asking for death? Who gave you the guts to come here and run your mouth?!"
Deng Zheyan sneered. "Who gave me the guts? That’d be Young Master Zhao! What, you still think your Dragon Society can rule Bright Pearl City with an iron fist?"
"You’re not even qualified to talk to me. Where’s Liu Yutong? Tell her to come out!"
Liu Yutong, hearing the commotion, stepped out. Her cold, beautiful eyes locked onto him. "Deng Zheyan, has your arm healed already?"
For some reason, the moment Liu Yutong appeared, Deng Zheyan instinctively took a few steps back. Seeing her again sent a chill down his spine.
But then he glanced behind him—at the dozens of East Sea Alliance members inside the café—and his courage instantly surged back.
With Young Master Zhao backing him, what was there to fear?
Zhao Junjie had outright said he didn’t give a damn about Liu Yutong or the Dragon Society.
Given the East Sea Alliance’s power, that couldn’t just be empty talk, right?
Deng Zheyan smirked. "Oh, Miss Liu, your words scare me so much~ But hey, times have changed."
"See that? Standing behind me is Young Master Zhao of the East Sea Alliance!"
"Ever heard of the East Sea Alliance? Probably not, huh? Wouldn’t expect a woman with long hair and short vision to know anything about them."
"But no worries, I’ll educate you. The East Sea Alliance is one of Bright Pearl City’s top syndicates. And Young Master Zhao? Just a stomp of his foot makes the whole city tremble! He’s got connections everywhere—black, white, you name it!"
"Today, with him covering me, I’d like to see who dares lay a finger on me!"
The more he spoke, the more inflated his ego became. With Zhao Junjie as his shield, he no longer had to live like a coward. Now, he could even trample over them.
Nearby onlookers, hearing his words, began murmuring among themselves.
"Holy... the East Sea Alliance? That old-school syndicate from East Sea Road?"
"Zhao Junjie... I’ve heard of him. He’s pretty notorious, and his family’s got serious influence..."
"The Dragon Society’s in trouble now. The East Sea Alliance isn’t someone you mess with."
"Who knew the owner of Yan Net had connections like this..."
".........."
Ma Da, watching Deng Zheyan’s shameless, bootlicking display, couldn’t hold back. "What the hell are you, you piece of trash? Barking like a rabid dog—you actually think you’re somebody now?"
"‘Young Master Zhao’ this, ‘Young Master Zhao’ that—is he your damn daddy? The way you suck up to him makes me sick!"
Deng Zheyan, surprisingly, fired right back.
"Ma Da! You’re nothing but the Dragon Society’s guard dog! All you can do is yap! Look at yourself—following some woman around for scraps, and you’re proud of it?"
"So what if Young Master Zhao’s my daddy?! I’m happy about it! Proud, even!"
"Being his lackey is a million times better than being your pretentious boss’s lapdog!"
"........."
Ma Da was momentarily stunned. He genuinely wanted to crack open Deng Zheyan’s skull to see what kind of brain—or lack thereof—was inside.
Even the most hardened gangsters in Bright Pearl City wouldn’t dare speak to him like that to his face.
Yet this nobody, just because he’d latched onto Zhao Junjie, had suddenly turned into an insufferable loudmouth.
What kind of idiot was this?
Liu Yutong, however, wasn’t surprised by Deng Zheyan’s behavior. She’d known him in her past life—this was just his nature.
If you kept him under your thumb, he’d behave like a docile mutt. But the second he sniffed even the slightest chance to turn the tables—even if it was just an illusion—he’d immediately jump at the opportunity to humiliate you.
Zero patience, zero restraint.
Like today. Zhao Junjie must’ve promised him something, which was why he dared to openly provoke them.
The sad part? This idiot didn’t even realize he was being used as a pawn—or why.
Liu Yutong didn’t need to think hard to figure out Zhao Junjie’s motives.
First, he wanted to mess with her.
Second, the two investors who’d originally planned to fund his project with General Manager Sun had, after his stint in jail, switched sides and invested in the Dragon Society’s ventures instead.
Having lost face, Zhao Junjie was now using Deng Zheyan to get back at her.
But Deng Zheyan? He was too stupid to see it. He actually believed he’d scored a powerful ally, gleefully playing the role of expendable cannon fodder.
"Liu Yutong! Who the hell do you think you are? I’ll settle every last debt with you—with interest!"
Liu Yutong finally spoke. "Deng Zheyan, do you really think Zhao Junjie can protect you?"
"Still trying to scare me?" Deng Zheyan scoffed. "Young Master Zhao is the heir of the East Sea Alliance. His influence is massive. What, you gonna kill him or someth—"
Before he could finish—
BOOM!!!
CRASH—!!!
A deafening impact, followed by the sound of shattering glass, erupted without warning right behind him!
The second-floor windows of Yan Net exploded, shards raining down like lethal confetti.
Then, a figure in a blue suit plummeted from above—landing with a sickening THUD on the concrete barely a meter behind Deng Zheyan.
The ground trembled from the force.
Deng Zheyan's expression froze instantly, his neck stiff as he turned to look at the figure lying in a pool of blood on the ground.
It was none other than the young master of the East Sea Alliance—Zhao Junjie—whom he had just been boasting about as all-powerful.
