Sheriff

A hacker? Or some kind of expert?

Black Three's words left his underlings puzzled.

"This kid is involved in online criminal enterprises." Black Three grew more certain of his guess. "With technical skills, it really is different. He can sit at home and make money easily. Isn't that better than us struggling to run gambling dens and bars, collecting protection fees?

A Mao, sneak into his yard tomorrow night and take a careful look. Confirm it first. If he really is involved in online criminal enterprises, grab him. This kid's a damn money tree."

If they could really get this kid under control and make him obediently earn money for them, that would be a wonderful thing.

Wouldn't cooperate? Then beat him. If that still didn't work, break his legs. Operating a computer didn't require legs anyway. They had plenty of methods. There was no need to fear that the kid would refuse to submit.

A Mao immediately agreed. Another underling hesitated slightly. "This kid is close with Shen the Butcher. I heard Shen the Butcher has some ties to the Blood Gang. We..."

The Blood Gang was a major gang in Bridge Hole District, with several hundred men under its command. It was not someone Black Three could afford to provoke.

Black Three's eyelid twitched. "That kid dared run criminal operations on our turf without paying his respects. It's only right for us to make a move. No matter how strong the Blood Gang is, it's still an outside gang.

We don't interfere with Shen the Butcher, and he doesn't interfere with us. If Shen the Butcher refuses to show some respect, we're not afraid of him either."

"Yeah, let's do it! I hear online criminal enterprises are crazy profitable. Making a million a year is nothing!"

At the mention of one million, all the underlings became fired up. One of them even shouted, "Third Bro, why not make a move now and grab him directly?"

Black Three's eyelid twitched again. He cursed, "Are you stupid? Wait until A Mao confirms it tomorrow! If we get it wrong, not only will we get no criminal operation, we'll offend Shen the Butcher for nothing. Are you so full you've got nothing better to do?!"

The night quietly passed. The next day, Han Yang studied on his own until evening. After eating at Aunt Wang's food stall, he headed over to Shen the Butcher's place.

"Brother Shen, I'm going to Tanghuang Bar in a little while."

Shen the Butcher slammed his cleaver onto the chopping block and said in a muffled voice, "Black Three?"

"Yes." Han Yang nodded. "Black Three's men have set their sights on me. He'll be at Tanghuang Bar this afternoon, so I'm going to talk with him."

"What do you have to talk with?"

"I have my ways." Han Yang smiled. "I came to you just in case. If I'm not out within an hour after going in, I'll have to rely on you to save me."

Shen the Butcher stared at Han Yang for a long time. But Han Yang said nothing, so he did not ask. In the end, he merely waved a hand. "Go ahead."

With Shen the Butcher as his backup, Han Yang felt relieved.

No matter what, he had to settle the matter with Black Three, and settle it once and for all. His plan to lie low and develop could not be affected in the slightest.

Han Yang returned home and checked his phone, robot, drone controller, and drone itself. Only after confirming that everything was in order did he slide a dagger into the sheath at his waist and head straight for Tanghuang Bar.

Tanghuang Bar was also one of Black Three's businesses. Around dinnertime every day, whether he had business or not, he would bring his underlings to the bar and hold down the fort for a while, just in case someone caused trouble.

Standing at the entrance and looking at the tacky neon lights, some of which no longer even worked, Han Yang took a deep breath and walked inside.

The moment he entered, a wave of stifling heat hit him.

Flashing lights filled the bar. Deafening music mingled with the crowd's clamor, while two scantily dressed women strutted and posed in the center of the stage.

Han Yang looked around and immediately spotted Black Three in an inner corner. Several people sat beside him, noisily drinking. A few hostess girls giggled sweetly, practically draping themselves over him.

Han Yang did not order a drink. Instead, he squeezed through the crowd to the switches, shut off the neon lights and sound system, then turned on the overhead lights.

In an instant, the dim bar became bright as day. The noisy voices vanished at once. People looked at one another, not knowing what had happened.

"Fuck!"

Black Three cursed and stood up. "Who turned off the music?!"

"I did."

Han Yang's voice was not loud from beside the switches, yet it still carried through the entire bar.

Several bar thugs cursed and swiftly moved to subdue Han Yang. But Han Yang unhurriedly drew the dagger at his waist. Facing the vicious-looking men charging at him, he shouted, "I'm here to talk to Black Three. Is it your place to step in? Get the hell out!"

More than a decade of scraping by in Vegetable Market District had given him an aura of never seeking trouble, yet never fearing it either. It produced an extraordinary effect.

Huh?

Han Yang's presence instantly made those thugs hesitate. Even as Han Yang walked past them, none of them dared lay a hand on him.

Who the hell was this guy? Why was he so arrogant? What was going on?

Black Three watched Han Yang, his expression shifting uncertainly. A man beside him whom Han Yang vaguely remembered being called Tiger Bro stood up and shouted, "Do you think you can just call Third Bro by name? What gang are you with?"

Han Yang walked over unhurriedly and sheathed his dagger, though his hand remained on its hilt. He quickly swept his gaze across Black Three and the people beside him, and his heart immediately sank. Why is Zhou Da'an here too? Fuck, this is bad.

Beside Black Three sat a pale-faced man with huge dark circles under his eyes, looking as though wine and women had drained him dry. One of his hands rested on the thigh of the woman beside him.

Zhou Da'an was the sheriff overseeing several blocks in Vegetable Market District, an official figure.

Though order was chaotic in this era and gangs ran rampant, people on the official side were not someone men like Black Three could afford to offend. The Ita and the Earth Government simply did not want to intervene; it was not that they lacked the ability to do so.

If anyone dared provoke the authorities, the Earth Guard could casually send a few people to wipe out a major gang. The Ita would not even need to act.

Before coming here, Han Yang had considered nearly every detail of this trip, but he had never expected Zhou Da'an to be here as well.

"I'd heard that Black Three's people were Zhou Da'an's dirty gloves. Looks like it really is true. But what do I do now?"

Faced with this sudden complication, Han Yang's mind raced.

No matter what, things had reached this point. He could not abandon them halfway. If he left now or showed weakness, he probably would not make it out of this bar.

Having made up his mind in an instant, Han Yang wore a faintly smiling expression. "Didn't you all set your sights on me? What, you don't recognize me?"

"Han Yang, you're Han Yang!"

The short, skinny man Han Yang had seen yesterday suddenly cried out, "Third Bro, he's the one involved in online criminal enterprises!"

Black Three froze for a moment, then a smile appeared on his face. "So it's Brother Han Yang. A pleasure, a pleasure."