Fearing being relentlessly questioned by Tie Wan about his moving situation, Xiang Ri, after finishing his lunch, hastily took his leave of Tie Wan's home, citing urgent business, despite Tie Wan's mother's warm insistence.
By a stroke of coincidence, the monkey called again, announcing the opening of a new bar and inviting him to join in the celebration.
Xiang Ri, still carrying the lingering scent of a certain female officer on his body, found the perfect opportunity to indulge in the foul air of those lazy scoundrels who seldom bathed even once a month, all the while enjoying a few drinks. Of course, it was only incidental.
Upon arriving at the location of the new bar as directed by the monkey, he was greeted with the familiar scene.
"Boss, what do you think?" The monkey beamed with pride over his "design," immediately showing Xiang Ri the layout of the bar upon his arrival.
Xiang Ri cast a casual glance around, finding nothing particularly striking. If there was anything unique about the place, it was that this new bar, apart from its different address, was almost an exact replica of the one that had burned down.
He could guess the monkey's smug expression—it was likely this unchanging décor that he was so eager to flaunt. "I swear, can't you aim a little higher? Recreating the same thing? Do you want your bar to burn down again?" he teased.
"Boss..." the monkey said, his voice tinged with embarrassment, "You know I have feelings for that bar, so…"
"Feelings, my ass!" Xiang Ri interrupted him gruffly, not buying the nonsense. He noticed that the bar seemed to be staffed only by the monkey. "Where's Fatty and the others?"
The monkey's face grew serious. "Boss, the Big Wolf has arrived, and Fatty's with him."
"Big Wolf?" Xiang Ri looked at him quizzically. "I remember you said he's tied up with a major business deal and rarely visits places like this. What's he doing here today?"
The monkey, however, seemed to be basking in an unexpected stroke of luck. "According to the rules, I'd be fully responsible if anything happened to the bar while it was in my hands. But my boss was generous—he paid half of the costs out of his own pocket and set up a new bar for me."
Xiang Ri's expression grew thoughtful. "Seems like your boss isn't so bad after all. Big Wolf really knows how to win people over."
The monkey nodded vigorously. "Oh, and by the way, boss, he wanted to meet you..."
"So it was him who had you call me here?" Xiang Ri interjected.
The monkey scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Well, since it's the grand opening, he thought we should have you here to celebrate…"
"So many people already? Did your boss bring them all?" Xiang Ri didn't press the issue further, knowing they'd meet in due course. His eyes scanned the crowd—at least a hundred young men, most of whom didn't look particularly friendly.
"The boss brought about thirty or forty…" the monkey lowered his voice, "The rest are from the Grizzly's gang."
"The Grizzly's here too?" Xiang Ri's eyes gleamed.
"Yes, boss. He brought someone else—a foreigner."
Xiang Ri's mind stirred. "Is he tall and thin, wearing sunglasses?"
"Yeah, that's him. The one you asked us to follow for the Grizzly some time ago…" The monkey was about to continue when Xiang Ri suddenly slapped him on the shoulder. "Monkey, you have good wine and don't call me over sooner? Damn you!" he said, nodding toward the person behind them.
The monkey was confused, wondering why his boss was acting this way. But upon catching his glance, he quickly realized. "It's just that today's the opening… so…"
Before he could finish his sentence, a cold voice interrupted them.
"Monkey, your boss wants you over there. Bring your friend along."
"Ah, it's Brother Long," the monkey turned around, a strained smile on his face as he carefully distanced himself from the stern-looking man in his thirties. "Brother Long, you go ahead. We'll be right there."
The man known as "Brother Long" didn't respond. He simply turned and walked ahead.
"Are you afraid of him?" Xiang Ri sidled up next to the monkey, pressing down on his trembling body, though his eyes were fixed on the young man walking ahead. He could sense a strong aura of bloodshed surrounding him—this was someone who had likely taken many lives. A dangerous man.
"Boss, he's Grizzly's second-in-command, the Tyrannosaurus. Even more dangerous than Black Dog." The monkey struggled to keep his voice steady. "This guy used to fight underground, and they say he's won 31 consecutive matches without a single opponent surviving."
"Is he really that formidable?" Underground fight clubs? Xiang Ri had heard of them; the competition was brutal, a matter of kill or be killed, and few who entered ever made it out alive.
"Though, compared to you, boss, he's still far behind," the monkey offered a small, complimentary remark.
Xiang Ri said nothing, his gaze following the figure that had already disappeared into the dimming lights. A barely perceptible smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. No matter how formidable someone might be, they were still human; yet, the power coursing through him seemed far beyond the grasp of any ordinary man.
"Boss, we've arrived." The monkey led Xiang Ri to a corner darker than the rest, where a table was occupied by just three people. In the weak glow of the light, Xiang Ri recognized them immediately. One was a muscular man who still appeared tall despite sitting down; another, a lanky figure, wearing sunglasses even in this dim light; and the third, a man in his forties, dressed in a suit, exuding the air of a corporate manager.
The first two sat together, facing the latter across the table. Behind them stood a few motionless figures, and Xiang Ri noted that the Tyrannosaurus was positioned directly at the right-hand side of the Grizzly. It was a position that combined both offense and defense, capable of shielding the Grizzly in a crisis and striking a fatal blow if the moment came.
Apart from the Grizzly and the manager-like Wolf, no one paid much attention to Xiang Ri as he entered. One had heard reports about his abilities, while the other was cautious, aware of his unclear connection with someone nicknamed "Crazy Chu."
"Monkey, you haven't introduced your brother here," Grizzly's voice rang out loudly, though it carried a certain malice.
The monkey, aware of his place among figures of equal stature to his boss, dared not be careless. He introduced Xiang Ri with great care. "This is my big brother, Xiang Kui."
"Oh? So he's Wolf's subordinate?" Grizzly laughed heartily, his intent clear—casting someone as a subordinate of Wolf was a deliberate attempt at sowing discord.
"My big brother…" The monkey quickly tried to clarify, but Wolf cut him off, "Old Grey, don't get the wrong idea. How could this brother of mine be my subordinate?" With a smile, he waved toward Xiang Ri and patted the seat beside him. "This brother sits here."
Xiang Ri, ever the one to bypass formalities, naturally seated himself next to Wolf, though he couldn't help but glance at Grizzly. Was this really the best he could do? Such a clumsy attempt at division?
No sooner had Xiang Ri settled in than a commotion arose outside. Shouts erupted, only to be abruptly silenced, as if some force had strangled the noise in its tracks.
The group in the corner all turned their attention to the scene outside, inhaling sharply. A large group of uniformed police officers stood face-to-face with a gang of delinquents, and scattered across the ground were several men, hunched over, clearly bearing the marks of severe beating.
"Everyone, stay calm," Wolf's voice was cool, his command steady. "Monkey, go see what's going on."
"Yes, boss." The monkey quickly ran to investigate, returning moments later with the news. "Boss, they say they've received a tip-off about drug dealers being here."
At the mention of drug dealers, Buck visibly tensed, and Grizzly beside him grew anxious as well.
"You're sure about this?" Wolf's casual glance toward the man wearing sunglasses was sharp.
"Yes, boss. It's true, they're coming." The monkey wiped the sweat from his brow, his nerves taut as he watched the approaching police officers. Though it was only a small fraction of the police force, his unease was palpable.
Xiang Ri, however, couldn't help but smile knowingly. He had spotted a familiar face—one of his old card-playing friends from the interrogation room at the police station. All three of them were there, but it was Little Wu, the one with the most loyalty, who was leading the charge. His face was alight with excitement, as if he'd just taken something potent.