My Heart Is Fire

Look closely, this fat, white old man is named Koruyaf. He brought his newly recruited henchman Jimmy, and the two of them arrived at the Black Pit Bar to hold a celebration party with representatives of militias from various places and leaders of the War Gang to commemorate the destruction of the White Shark Association.

Jimmy was a drinking companion recruited by Koruyaf. Last week, because Koruyaf's liver disease relapsed, the elderly veteran of the battle group could not resist the temptation of alcohol and women. Even with the help of White Lady's products and Universal Elixir, he often had to go in and out of the hospital to prolong his broken body.

District 54 now has a sun, and Lieyang Fort has been reborn. Koruyaf successfully escaped the Nameless One's pursuit; he didn't die on Cruise Ship No. 2, nor was he purged. He became even more afraid of death, and when attending parties, he hired Jimmy to drink on his behalf, wanting to drink until all his colleagues were satisfied.

Jimmy isn't particularly capable, but when it comes to drinking, he's a master. He's only twenty-one years old and usually idles away his time, a notorious spendthrift in the eastern part of Lieyang Fort. The villagers are overjoyed that he's gained Lord Koruyaf's favor—they never expected this kid to be able to join the Guangling Zhixi organization and become a glorious member of the battle group.

Jimmy was somewhat overwhelmed by his sudden rise to wealth. He never imagined that he would one day be able to attend such a high-class party. It was all thanks to Lord Koruyaf's kindness. He was filled with trepidation and trembled like a leaf outside the private room of the bar, asking Koruyaf questions.

"Sir, I... I'm just a nobody. Can I really sit at the same table as the militia representative and the bigwigs of the warband? I..."

Having lived so long, Koruyaf was a shrewd man. With a wave of his hand, he gently pressed Jimmy's shoulder and said with a smile, "Mr. Jimmy."

He addressed Jimmy as "Mr." and told Jimmy to shed his vulgarity and become more refined.

"I know quite a few talented young people, and it's my decision who gets promoted. Your statement is an insult to this old man's judgment. Hehehehehehe."

Jimmy immediately bowed his head and apologized. "It was my fault, it was my fault."

Koruyaf continued, "Why were you chosen to attend the party? It wouldn't sound good if we talked about it openly."

"--You've also seen the rising stars of the combat group, the rapid reaction force and the anti-drug special operations team, aren't they all exceptional individuals?"

"Take Clark Sean and Banner Ibge, for example. They're incredibly skilled and have a distinguished record, but in the end, they still end up as traffic cops, checking for speeding. They spend their days squatting by the highway eating boxed lunches and inhaling the dust from the road. In a few years, they'll both need complete lung replacements."

Why?

Jimmy didn't speak, he just nodded.

Koruyaf patted Jimmy's face, his thick, fleshy, rough hand waking the drunkard.

"Because they're disobedient. I acknowledge and appreciate the abilities of young people, but disobedient people have no value. Since they like catching thieves, let them do it. You're different, Jimmy! You're different!"

Jimmy asked, feigning ignorance, "How am I different?"

"Because you're a womanizer," Koruyaf bluntly stated. "The pharmaceutical representative I arranged for you, the receptionist Lily, and the Jiali I recruited from Cruise Ship Number Two—you like them all, you're absolutely infatuated with them all."

"You're not only lustful, but also greedy. What you want is simple, and you listen to me. You're loyal to me. If I say one thing, you don't say another. If I tell you to drink a certain number of drinks, you drink that many. You're the kindest and most upright young man in the world. I know you have a bright future."

Jimmy looked embarrassed, but also felt proud inside.

Koruyaf continued, "Today you should learn a lot from the militia representatives and brothers from the war gangs and guilds. You need to know that in Lieyang Fort, you can't get things done through violence."

"Violence solves nothing. What's the use of being able to fight? The nameless guy must be a formidable fighter, right?"

"They killed George Joshua, one mountain king is dead, who will be the new mountain king next month?"

Ultimately, it still depends on us to maintain order and to conduct business based on personal relationships.

"You have such a high alcohol tolerance, let me tell you, Mr. Jimmy—"

"--So much affection, so much unbreakable friendship, it's all contained in this little wine glass."

There are some rules to drinking alcohol.

Koruyaf put his arm around Jimmy's shoulder with great seriousness, making Jimmy bend over and listen carefully, as if this were Koruyaf's secret technique and winning move.

"Once you're at the table, first look at the seating arrangement, then listen carefully to how each friend is addressed."

"Building relationships depends on whether you can think straight, and you can't just drink indiscriminately."

"First of all, you need to know that you are one of my people. Your mouth is my mouth. If a subordinate tells you to drink, you can't actually drink it. That would be embarrassing for me. I have to speak up for you before you can drink."

"If a superior comes, we should take the initiative and drink them until they're satisfied. It's all about the rituals of power."

"We serve others drinks and toasts, we give them face, we express obedience to those with more power, and we intimidate those with less power. As long as you do this well, it doesn't matter if you can fight or not."

"--Even if you're in a wheelchair, I can carry you to the militia's district headquarters. If you were a little more capable, with your talent for drinking, becoming a centurion in the combat corps wouldn't be a problem."

Jimmy was stunned, feeling a sense of regret for not having met him sooner.

"Lord Koruyaf, I am a man of little ability, and I never expected to gain your favor one day. I will never forget this kindness! If you do not mind, I am willing to recognize you as my godfather."

"Hey! Hey!" Koruyaf suddenly became serious. "Jimmy!"

Jimmy broke out in a cold sweat.

Koruyaf said in a sinister and ruthless tone, "You want to be my son? Have you thought this through? Are you asking me for power? Are you forcing me to make a choice? You don't even deserve it!"

Jimmy apologized repeatedly, "No, no, no, no."

Koruyaf: "Enjoy this drink, then think carefully about your own limitations."

Jimmy had only just entered Koruyaf's network of connections; as a newcomer at the very bottom of the Lieyang Fort Underworld, he had no right to ask his master for any favors.

--The benefits here do not include the previous financial and sexual transactions, but rather the entire system built by the veterans of the warband, represented by Koruyaf, and the war gang.

Just now, Jimmy asked Koruyaf for the title of "adopted son." In Koruyaf's eyes, he was just like a dog that had just been brought into the house, trying to climb onto its master's dining table to find food.

If the owner gives the dog food, it's the dog's duty to eat it. If the dog dislikes the food, it will be severely beaten.

If a dog asks for something its owner is unwilling to give, that's wrong. If the dog dares to overstep its bounds again, it won't live long.

In Koruyaf's eyes, Clark Sean and Banner Ibgi were two wild and untamed wolves. These disobedient beasts were not worthy of entering his home and had no chance of wealth and honor. They deserved to be traffic cops on the highway.

Young men like Jimmy, with his incredible drinking capacity, are easy to control due to their greed and lust, and they lack ambition. They are very useful tools that can be manipulated.

Once all the guests had gathered, the militia representatives from each district, along with key members of the Chamber of Commerce, split into four groups, crowding a large round table with a total of eighteen people.

The leader of the Black Key militia brigade greeted Koruyaf.

"Uncle Koruyaf is hosting a banquet today, George Joshua, that monster, has died by the nameless gun, and Ming De has brought a new sun to our city. It's a double celebration!"

Koruyaf privately translated for Jimmy: "This is the leader of the Black Key militia. His father is the chief of staff of the assault team in the battle group—what he means is, the mountain king is dead, let's discuss how to divide the money?"

"Jimmy, you don't need to respond. He's here for me, to get me, a veteran of the battle group, to take his side."

When the militia leader of the Black Key saw that Koruyaf didn't respond, he immediately pressed him for answers.

"Uncle, this battle has been a drain on resources and manpower, and my Black Key brothers have suffered heavy casualties. To comfort their souls in heaven, I implore you to join me in a drink to express our gratitude to the brothers of the Chamber of Commerce and the War Gang—not long ago, we were fighting to the death in the streets and alleys. It can be said that we have survived all the hardships together, and now we can meet again with a smile and forget all our grudges!"

Koruyaf's face turned ashen; this damned brat was trying to force this old man onto the Black Key's ship.

"I'm not feeling well; I was in the hospital a few days ago, so Jimmy will drink this glass of wine on my behalf."

Jimmy quickly stood up and greeted him with a smile.

Koruyaf gave Jimmy's soft flesh a hard pinch. "Cry!"

Jimmy quickly changed his expression, tears streaming down his face from the pain, a piercing ache shooting through his buttocks.

"Oh, um... Oh! For the brothers of the Black Key."

"Hmm!" With Koruyaf's permission, the Black Key militia leader clinked glasses with Jimmy, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

The other two militia representatives were not so happy. Koruyaf was a veteran of the warband and White Shark Association not long ago. Now that George Joshua was dead, the old man immediately held a victory celebration and was making great strides to take over the business of George Joshua's warband.

On a grand scale, it represents the insurance premiums for the entire Westbrook Bay area's downtown core; on a smaller scale, it also encompasses the gambling, prostitution, and drug businesses of Westbush Old Town and the Zhan Gang.

The leaders of the war gangs were speechless; they were merely tools of these righteous figures, weapons used to intimidate the working people. Without demons and monsters, how could they expect the merchants to obediently worship the idols of the war gangs and militia?

The leaders of the war gang didn't care who would pay their salaries; the key issue was how much they would be paid. As a result, these man-eating monsters became civilized. No matter how noisy they were when committing crimes in the streets, they were now silent, waiting for the war gang and the militia to settle the matter.

"This isn't right!" The militia leader of the White Key immediately protested, "It was supposed to be a victory celebration, how did it turn into a funeral for the Black Key? Did your team lose people? Didn't my team lose people?"

Koruyaf immediately translated in unison with Jimmy: "This kid started as a marine policeman, he's an illegitimate militiaman, all alone and trying to get something out of it. He thinks I'm biased towards Black Key, and he made it clear right from the start. You have to drink this cup, Jimmy."

The representative of the White Key immediately stood up and, together with his brothers, opened up the discussion.

"--Out with the old, in with the new! George Joshua, that old bastard, is dead, so his rules don't count anymore! We brave warriors have finally gotten our revenge! From now on, we'll discuss things together! Today's just for a drink and some fun! Right?"

No one responded to the White Key, so the representative of the White Key changed his expression, showing that those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who have nothing to lose.

"Joshua's former men are still in my hands. You're not going to drink? So there's no room for negotiation? I'll talk to the prosecutor?"

This group of people are ultimately a bunch of snakes and rats in cahoots; they all have something on each other and are unwilling to openly confront each other. Koruyaf asked Jimmy to accept White Key's toasting etiquette, which can be considered White Key getting back at them.

Then look at the representative of Black Key, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked. He had encountered someone who cut off his livelihood and was hated by gods and ghosts. Naturally, he had a blood feud with White Key, like a murderer of his father and a wife stolen. This drink had cost him at least 300,000 yuan of his monthly insurance income, the friendship of four chamber of commerce representatives, and the intermediary information fees from sixteen industries. Moreover, the black assets he had inherited from George Joshua were countless.

"Uncle Koruyaf," Black Key continued, picking a fight with the elder, seemingly because his uncle's connections weren't strong enough. "I said before the banquet that everything should be kept simple. This wine is good, I recognize it, 8,200 a bottle, but if we keep drinking like this, we'll bankrupt the people of Lieyang Fort."

"Pah!" White Key scoffed. "Which of you here isn't a predator? Scratching the common people for a living, going door-to-door extorting their wealth? You think you can scare an old man like that? Pretending to be high and mighty? So what?"

These unruly militiamen, lacking any manners, spoke much more frankly. White Key was a corrupt official with no connections, and he never tried to hide anything.

"When discussing cooperation, sincerity is essential."

By this point, everyone's anger and resentment had mostly dissipated, so Koruyaf stood up and spoke.

"My nephew has no other requests. White Key, the head of the family, said it's a double celebration, and the brothers were fighting each other just a few days ago. It's not easy for them to get together at the table today—so I'll say a few words on behalf of my nephew."

"Back when the gunsmith was still around, I knew there were some things you wouldn't dare do, some money you wouldn't dare take. It wasn't just the name of the Death God Reaper; your elders would also find it unacceptable. So many soldiers have been saved by the gunsmith. If you were to ask him for more, you wouldn't be able to get past your parents and siblings. Those who received kindness from the anonymous gunsmith would come looking for trouble with us."

"Now that the gunsmith is gone, a wide-open road to wealth has opened up before us. We should thank George Joshua and Pellegrini Tuan, so that we don't feel guilty for using the Immortals Alliance to open the door to making money."

"How absurd is this? That's why this old man says that harmony is the most important thing in everything. Money gained through fighting and killing won't last. Sooner or later, you'll end up like a gunsmith, dying penniless in the streets."

Koruyaf spoke with great enthusiasm and vivid description—

"--My nephew, who's on duty at Black Key, doesn't have any demands. He's just a womanizer. If he could get half of the princess from the Valhalla Palace on the George Joshua II cruise ship, and you two are already inseparable militia brothers, you could work together to set up a platform. With this kind of reciprocal relationship, things will be easier to do in the future."

The Black Key represents. "Huh? Am I a pervert?"

Koruyaf glared fiercely at his little nephew.

The Black Key representative immediately realized what was going on, thinking to himself, "This old man still can't forget those prostitutes?! He wants to use my name to get some benefits?"

White Key did the math. There were still over two hundred people involved in the case being held in the detention center. According to Koruyaf, if they were handed over to Black Key and two large clubs were set up together, many officials from Lieyang Fort would inevitably fall back into the web of lust. Officials who had previously colluded with Joshua would also come knocking on his door through this human flesh trade. The old man's idea was good.

"Hahaha, the old man is so clever!"

Koruyaf asked Jimmy to continue offering toasts, and after a few rounds, everyone started eating, and the atmosphere eased considerably, avoiding the most important issue of the redistribution of black market assets.

After a few rounds of drinks, the young man with White Key had a flushed face and started calling the man with Black Key "brother".

Most of these the Beast revealed their true colors, while the leaders of the Zhan Gang remained calm and composed. They usually spent their time in alcohol-fueled battles, using alcohol to clean their wounds and relieve pain, making them more determined than these militiamen.

Black Key, White Key's brother, shouted, "Since you're going to open a nightclub, let us brothers see your stuff first! Call a few girls over to liven things up for us!"

Koruyaf shouted, "Hey! What kind of behavior is this! That's a princess modeled after the War King Glory! Is she someone you can summon and dismiss at will? Don't cause trouble for White Key's brothers!"

White Key laughed heartily, "The old man is so cultured! He calls these women princesses!"

Black Key then asked Jimmy, "So, let you, the hostess, tell us! What are these women? What's so special about them?"

"Yes, yes." Jimmy couldn't quite put his finger on it, and he looked nervously at Koruyaf.

Koruyaf quickly chimed in, shouting arrogantly, "On stage! That's the queen of nightclubs! A star you can't hire even with money!"

Black Key: "In bed?"

Koruyaf: "That's a sugar-coated bullet! Think about it, George Joshua has so many women on his side, these singing, dancing, and all sorts of uniquely talented 'sex bombs'! Aren't they secret weapons used to deal with bank leaders and members of Congress? Otherwise, where would George Joshua get the money?"

Jimmy's face turned bright red, and he cursed viciously, "She's a high-class prostitute! She's a chicken!"

Just then, Glory caught Crow and walked in.

Black Key exclaimed, "We're here so fast!? Amazing! Amazing!"

Koruyaf: "Hahahaha! Hahahaha, another one! Jimmy! Bring me some wine, I want to have a good drink with this princess!"

White Key was completely baffled, and said with a puzzled look on his face.

"I didn't call anyone."