Are we doing this or not?

Old Zhou was forty-six that year. His official rank was hardly impressive, but he had spent nearly half his life working within the system.

He had his own particular experience when it came to dealing with superiors and subordinates. In his eyes, any organization contained only two kinds of people.

The first wanted desperately to get ahead. These people could be understood and "handled," whether they were subordinates or leaders.

The other kind had no hope of advancement and had temporarily given up trying. But they generally wanted to preserve the status quo, so with a little thought, it was easy to guess what they wanted too.

As for people who refused to answer to the Celestial Empire and acted without any regard for rules, those were extreme exceptions. As far as Old Zhou understood it, they either had the clout to back it up or were complete idiots who wouldn't last long in an organization anyway. Naturally, neither warranted his attention.

At first, Old Zhou had assumed Yan Duoduo could also be understood and handled. After all, he had become the Star Officer overseeing an entire city at such a young age and was a top genius among Star Gate Players. Someone like him surely wanted to get ahead...

Anyone who wanted to get ahead could be reasoned with, could negotiate, because they all had something to worry about.

But the moment Yan Duoduo stepped out of the car, Old Zhou realized he had misjudged him. His complete refusal to argue could mean only one thing... this kid belonged among those extreme exceptions. He was a lunatic who acted without considering the consequences.

And lunatics like that generally couldn't be reasoned with. Insist on persuading them, and you would only get rebuffed, perhaps even earn their contempt.

Sitting in the car and watching him walk away, Old Zhou's first thought was, This kid must have connections that reach all the way to the top!

You couldn't blame him for thinking in such worldly, cynical terms. Most people judged problems through the lens of their own values. Old Zhou had worked his way up from the bottom. He wasn't a player, had never witnessed the strangeness of a Star Gate, and had never faced a life-or-death ordeal... all he knew was the intricate web of office politics.

He stopped trying. There was no persuading him.

But Old Zhou was furious inside. He felt there was nothing wrong with his advice. He hadn't taken bribes from the Chaos Faction, nor would he dare. He had acted purely out of concern for Shanghai's stability.

So now he wanted to watch the show-Yan Duoduo's show.

Since you're so determined to do this, let's see how you clean up the mess.

The southern entrance to Tongren Road.

Temperatures in Shanghai had plummeted after the rain. A cool wind swept past, sending ripples across the puddles.

Yan Duoduo stood alone at the entrance to the bustling street, his hands in his pockets as he quietly gazed down Tongren Road.

All along the street, bars, performance clubs, the Mahjong Parlor, and other entertainment venues were packed with customers. The Chaos Faction players disguised as ordinary people were completely at ease.

They all possessed mystical abilities beyond ordinary people's comprehension. Each felt an ever-growing sense of superiority, but they were also fearful and lonely. Whenever they entered a Star Gate, none knew whether they would return to this world the following morning.

Whoosh, whoosh...!

After five or six minutes of quiet waiting, figures appeared behind Yan Duoduo one after another. Many wore old-fashioned yellow robes with flame emblems embroidered on their chests. From a distance, they looked like a group of anime cosplayers.

Within moments, more than fifty people stood behind Yan Duoduo. Everyone remained silent, gazing quietly down Tongren Road.

Screech!

Brakes sounded as cars stopped. Huang Wei arrived with Ren Ye, Gu Nian, Xu Peng, and the New Year's Watchers from Huangjiang and Qingfu Districts, more than forty people in total.

By now, the gathering of over a hundred New Year's Watchers had drawn the attention of the organizations on Tongren Road. Windows opened at numerous entertainment venues, and pairs of eyes turned toward the southern entrance.

Tap, tap!

Huang Wei jogged over and grinned. "Hey, Director Yan, Ren Ye's here."

The group gathered around. Yan Duoduo turned toward Ren Ye, looked him up and down, and smiled faintly. "You've been stirring things up!"

"...Reporting to Director Yan, I've been stirring things up because I have a powerful and righteous organization behind me," Ren Ye replied with a thoroughly serious expression. "That organization makes me fearless."

Hearing this, Huang Wei thought he had finally found the heir to his legacy. Quick on the uptake, straight to the point, and shamelessly syrupy.

Yan Duoduo had delicate, feminine features and long eyelashes. A faint smile touched his lips at Ren Ye's answer.

He sincerely hoped Ren Ye would come to feel a sense of belonging with the New Year's Watchers.

"You haven't put on the yellow robes yet, so we can let your unauthorized solo operation slide." Yan Duoduo paused, studying Ren Ye appraisingly. "Huang said that if someone's sister was attacked and his father kidnapped, he'd be an animal if he didn't react strongly. Do you agree?"

"I was the one who said that to the boss," Ren Ye answered, his expression still earnest.

"Good."

Yan Duoduo nodded in satisfaction, pointed down Tongren Road, and said gently, "At number 169, in the manager's office on the third floor of the Roadside Dogs bar, you'll find Limp and his Mastermind hiding out. Those two provided hiding places and intelligence to Mr. He and the other Bell Society members... they're the culprits behind the attack on your sister and the attempted kidnapping of your father. I'll stand right here. Take some people in and bring them out. Do you dare?"

"I'd be an animal if I didn't," Ren Ye answered without hesitation.

Yan Duoduo abruptly turned to Huang Wei and instructed him, "Tonight, everyone from Qingfu District will give Ren Ye their full support. Support, not command."

"Understood!"

Seasoned veteran that he was, Huang Wei knew perfectly well that Yan Duoduo wanted to test Ren Ye. This was a formal interview that went beyond mystical abilities.

After their brief exchange, Huang Wei turned toward his district's New Year's Watchers and shouted, "Everyone, get ready for combat. Follow me... no, follow Ren Ye in."

More than twenty people lined up behind Ren Ye without another word.

Ren Ye glanced down Tongren Road, his eyes bright, then took the lead. "The arrest location is the Roadside Dogs bar at number 169. Our primary targets are Limp and Mastermind. Boss, assign the containment positions. Anyone good at fighting, come inside with me..."

Huang Wei didn't treat Ren Ye like some clueless rookie. After all, he had worked in anti-fraud enforcement, so he certainly understood basic arrest procedures and deployment.

"Gu Nian, Xu Peng, me, Mingfan, Little Chestnut... follow Ren Ye into the arrest location and act on his orders," Huang Wei instructed rapidly. "Monster-Catching Team, Sky-Blasting Gang Team, cover the front and rear exits...!"

Once the orders were issued, Ren Ye led more than twenty New Year's Watchers from Qingfu District swiftly onto Tongren Road.

Meanwhile, Chen Hannian, who was observing from the shadows, called Yan Duoduo. "Will it work, letting a newcomer lead?"

"...!" Yan Duoduo didn't answer that question. Standing at the entrance, he simply asked, "Is the perimeter secured?"

"All sixteen districts have sent people. They're in position at their assigned points." As Chen Hannian spoke, his voice actually trembled slightly, as though he was nervous. "This operation is so big that Su-Zhe contacted me on their own to ask whether we needed help. They can mobilize people in advance. Several departments at headquarters have also asked what's happening..."

"You handle everything on the perimeter. I'll handle Tongren Road," Yan Duoduo replied softly. "If anything goes wrong, I'll take responsibility."

"We'll take it together," Chen Hannian replied, then hung up.

Inside the car at the entrance, Old Zhou squinted at the hundred-plus New Year's Watchers before him and at Ren Ye, who had already entered the street. "...This is it. Too extreme, far too close to the edge! If even one fucking spark catches, who could possibly contain it...?!"

With that, Old Zhou contacted people from the Mystical Tribunal and the Risk Committee and quickly began discussing the situation with them.

On the second floor of an interactive role-playing venue on Tongren Road, a middle-aged man rested both elbows on the windowsill. His eyes narrowed to slits as he watched Ren Ye, Huang Wei, and the others enter the main street. "What's he trying to do, sending a little kid in here?"

"Ren Ye isn't a New Year's Watcher. Yan Duoduo probably wants to leave himself some room to maneuver." A young man standing beside him with his hands behind his back asked, "Boss, the Predators and Limp both asked where we stand. If Yan Duoduo forces the issue, are we really doing this?"

"Which business on Tongren Road is clean? If we don't intervene when he goes after Limp, no one will intervene when he comes after us next." The middle-aged man replied evenly, "If he wants to do this, we'll do it. Play it by ear!"

"Understood!"

Not far away, inside an ordinary five-story hotel, the Predator Alliance's Shanghai representative gave a quiet order. "Help protect Limp. At the very least, we can't let the New Year's Watchers do whatever they please on Tongren Road."

"Understood." A woman left upon hearing the order.

Atop a signal tower over thirty meters tall on Tongren Road.

A shadow sat on the slender steel framework, a pair of little feet dangling in the air, an excited expression on their face. "Who knew that pet keeper... had a bit of a temper!"

Beside the shadow, Dandan from the Fraud Merchants' Association stuck out his round backside as he clung to a support column, trembling as he stared at the hard ground below. He desperately wanted to go down but didn't dare bring it up.

"...That Huang Wei and that Ren Ye... neither of them is any good!" Still nursing his grudge, Dandan stared at the pair. "Last time I sold them information at the bathhouse, I ended up... paying for their admission too."

"That Huang Wei really is no good," the shadow agreed with a nod.

On Tongren Road, as the Qingfu District New Year's Watchers strode openly toward the Roadside Dogs bar, plenty of spectators emerged on both sides to "watch the fun." Their appearances varied wildly, their eyes filled with excitement, malice, hostility... or calm.

People slowly poured out of the storefronts and gathered. In the blink of an eye, the entire street came alive.

Ignoring the spectators' stares, Ren Ye walked briskly to the entrance of the Roadside Dogs bar.

Rustle!

A dozen or so men and women came outside. One of them smiled and asked, "Have the New Year's Watchers come to Tongren Road to unwind too?"

Tap, tap...!

The New Year's Watchers from Qingfu District's two teams immediately spread out, blocking the front and rear exits.

Ren Ye walked toward the bar and said flatly to the dozen people, "Move."

Rustle!

Another dozen people surged out from inside, completely blocking the front entrance.

"We don't serve New Year's Watchers." The eyes of the player leading them suddenly grew deep and hollow, and a bloody aura emanated from his entire body. "Tonight's a dark-themed party. The lights are off, and everyone inside is insane. I'd advise you not to go in..."

Flash!

Light flickered, and an antique, lavish Heavy Sword appeared in Ren Ye's hand.

Ren Ye, who still had no class traits, abruptly raised his head and stared at the man. "Get lost!!!"

The third floor.

Limp slowly stood up, his former composure gone. He had even stopped smoking his cigar. "Cut the bullshit. I'm asking you, did they respond or not? Are we doing this or not?!"