A Yao felt his breathing quicken.
The sea of thugs before him fell utterly silent upon hearing Little White Tiger's name.
It was his first time feeling the confidence that strength brought.
There were clearly only a few of them, yet they kept the other side too cowed to even breathe loudly.
Little White Tiger tipped his head up and took out a cigarette.
Hi Dog stepped forward to light it for him.
All the brothers looked like they didn't give a flying fuck.
"Know how to use it?" Xiao Gang glanced at the Shotgun in A Yao's hands. "Hold it steady. Don't let it go off by accident."
"Yeah." A Yao nodded firmly.
Looking at Little White Tiger's tall, imposing back, that inexplicable sense of security made his heart pound.
From then on, that figure became the goal he pursued all his life.
"Yao..."
Little White Tiger exhaled a thick cloud of smoke and called to him.
Like a little follower, A Yao obediently ran to Tiger's side.
"Know why I'm helping you?"
"Because you... used to be..." A Yao answered quietly.
"No." Little White Tiger smiled warmly and laid a hand on his head. "Because you're like me."
"Remember, if you want to establish yourself in this world, you have to be ruthless."
"Kill until everyone fears you, until no one dares set their sights on you, until people tremble at the mention of your name."
"Learn three parts of my wildness and seven parts of Old Ninth's madness, and no one in this world will dare look you in the eye."
Little White Tiger gently pinched his little face. "Drop the weapon."
Clatter. A Yao dropped the Shotgun without another word.
"A real man uses this." Little White Tiger took the Short Axe Hi Dog handed him