Episode 2: Bullets, Chapter 3: The Assassin World (Part 1)

Li Yang walked step by step towards Taibai Restaurant. He wasn't going because of Tian Gang, but because he smelled the familiar aroma of alcohol – the scent of Erguotou.

"It's been so long since I've had Erguotou. I didn't expect there to be a restaurant right in front of my new villa, and they even have Erguotou. My future days will be so comfortable, no more drinking that foreign vodka," Li Yang's smile widened.

"Old Jack, tell that unlucky boss from California to wait for me for an hour. If he can't wait, then so be it!" Between Erguotou and the villa, Li Yang chose Erguotou.

Old Jack's expression turned peculiar, a mix of confusion and disbelief. In any case, with Old Jack's money-obsessed mind, he couldn't understand why Li Yang didn't care about such an inexpensive villa.

Taibai Restaurant wasn't particularly striking on 57th Street in Manhattan. Compared to similar establishments, it occupied only a third of the space of more luxurious restaurants. Taibai Restaurant was only two stories high, and its decor appeared extremely traditional Chinese, resembling a restaurant from ancient China. Although the restaurant wasn't large, it had quite a few customers. Naturally, there were many Chinese patrons, but also many foreigners who enjoyed Chinese culture. The atmosphere here was peaceful, filled with the scent of ancient ink. Li Yang liked the restaurant the moment he entered.

The melodious sound of a flute echoed through the restaurant. An elderly Chinese man was playing, with a bottle of wine placed before him as he played leisurely...

Li Yang went directly to the second floor and entered a private room. A waiter from upstairs immediately approached him. Upon seeing Li Yang, the waiter asked in Mandarin, "Sir, are you Chinese?"

"Yes, I could smell the Erguotou from afar. I have something to do today, so bring me three bottles first!" Li Yang said with a smile. Seeing fellow countrymen abroad always made him feel a sense of kinship, especially in a place as elegantly traditional as Taibai Restaurant.

When the waiter heard Li Yang speaking standard Mandarin, his smile brightened considerably. He immediately said, "Please wait a moment, sir. Your Erguotou will be here shortly. Also, may I ask if you are from mainland China?"

Li Yang was in a good mood today and nodded slightly.

The waiter's face lit up with a smile as he quickly left the private room. After a while, a middle-aged man in a traditional Chinese tunic walked in, carrying three bottles of Erguotou.

"Haha, young man, you're from mainland China! This is truly delightful. I haven't met anyone from mainland China in a long time. Forgive me, I got too excited and lost my manners. Let me introduce myself, I am Ge Pu, the owner of this restaurant!" With that, the middle-aged man placed the three bottles of Erguotou on the table.

Li Yang picked up a bottle of Erguotou and said, "This is 57th Street in Manhattan. Most tourists are advised by their guides not to come here, and most Chinese people are in Chinatown. It's normal for there to be few Chinese here, especially those from mainland China. Boss Ge, you have the courage to open a restaurant on 57th Street, which is truly admirable."

Ge Pu shook his head and smiled, "I know this area is a bit more dangerous, but as long as we're careful, there won't be any problems."

Li Yang sniffed the aroma of the Erguotou and took a large gulp, drinking more than half of it. A fierce heat immediately filled his chest, and Li Yang felt as if he had returned to his training days at the research institute base...

During that year or so, Li Yang trained desperately, using training to numb himself, his sweat pouring like rain. But whenever he stopped training, he couldn't help but think of Xue, so he used strong liquor to get himself drunk. However, drowning his sorrows only made them deeper. As the saying goes, if the heart isn't drunk, how can one truly be drunk?

From then on, Li Yang never got drunk again. Every time the strong liquor flowed through his chest, the more intense the heat from the liquor, the more profound his longing became.

Li Yang stood up with a sigh, turned, and stood by the private room window, watching the people coming and going. Li Yang suddenly softly murmured, "Leaning against the high tower, the wind is gentle and fine; gazing far, spring sorrow fills the sky. The grass is green, smoke-like in the setting sun; in silence, who can understand the feeling of leaning on the railing? I wish to use wild abandon to get drunk; singing songs to wine, forced joy is still tasteless. My belt grows looser, but I have no regrets; for her, I've grown thin and haggard."

The poem "Butterfly Loves Flowers" only deepened the sorrow in Li Yang's heart.

"My belt grows looser, but I have no regrets; for her, I've grown thin and haggard," Li Yang whispered, then laughed heartily three times. He tilted his head back and downed the remaining half bottle of strong liquor in one go. Perhaps it was from laughing so hard, but Li Yang choked, coughing painfully, coughing loudly, his lungs aching with the effort...

"Haha..." As Li Yang's coughing subsided, he let out a few more laughs, picked up the other two bottles of Erguotou, and casually asked Ge Pu, "How much for these?"

Ge Pu looked at Li Yang with a complex expression. "Thirty dollars. It's our first meeting, so consider it my treat. Young man, don't blame an old brother for saying this. I'm also over forty, I've been through things. One must learn to let go of the past and not dwell on it too much. Otherwise, living in pain forever is not worth it."

Li Yang casually took out a hundred-dollar bill and placed it on the table. He glanced at Ge Pu, then shook his head and left the restaurant. As he departed, a hard-to-describe smile played on Li Yang's lips, a mix of a wry smile and melancholy...

After the contract was signed, Li Yang moved directly into the new villa.

"My dear Mu Yi, is this Erguotou really that good? How could you not even look at the contract when we were signing it, just kept drinking and speaking Chinese?" Old Jack looked at Li Yang with great confusion.

Li Yang smiled slightly, making Old Jack, this old American, understand that comprehending Song poetry would likely be harder for him than Li Yang reaching the Golden Core Stage.

"Old Jack, a few days ago, I signed a contract with you. You are now my agent. Have you made arrangements for my underground boxer identity? I want to visit the headquarters of the underground world!" Li Yang finally revealed his true objective.

Why did Li Yang come to New York? Why didn't he go directly to England?

The Shenglin Group was powerful and influential. If Li Yang went alone to the Shenglin Group's headquarters in England, he likely wouldn't accomplish anything. As for his brother Li Shuo suggesting the Hong Bang's influence help him, Li Shuo was merely a regional manager within the Hong Bang and hadn't truly reached the upper echelons. It was impossible for the Hong Bang to make a move now.

Only by entering the underground world, becoming a true member of it, and using the underground world's power to deal with the Shenglin Group, even if it couldn't bring the Shenglin Group down, could it make the Lin family live in fear. Moreover, making the Lin family perish in fear was what would truly allow Li Yang to vent his hatred. However, entering the underground world wasn't that simple, and becoming an underground boxer to enter the underground world was the easiest method.

Li Yang now had two goals: one was to destroy the Shenglin Group and the Lin family. The second was to cultivate diligently, reach the Tribulation Crossing Stage as soon as possible, and find Jiang Xue.

To destroy the Lin family, one needed at least strong personal influence. New York, the center of the underground world, was the best place. Here, you could connect with various factions and obtain the latest intelligence. Only here, with his formidable strength, could Li Yang thrive.

As for cultivation, only by fighting with strong individuals could one progress faster. Finding strong individuals? Naturally, the headquarters of the underground forces had the most experts!

What Li Yang needed to do now was to make the Lin family live in fear, while simultaneously rapidly accumulating his own influence! The Shenglin Group was in the open, while Li Yang was in the dark. Li Yang had a plan for everything, and the first step of that plan had now begun