Futile Devices Scans

It took He Chusan three full days to come up with a script.

A painfully cliché one at that—something that had been circulating in the streets for ages:

A wealthy young lady and a poor boy secretly fall in love. Before anything can come of it, the girl is abducted by a ruthless underworld boss, stuffed into a sack and hauled back to his lair. The poor boy, risking his life, storms the hideout, battles the boss, and in the end, the lovers elope and live happily ever after.

Xia Liuyi lazily poked at a fish ball with a bamboo skewer, rolling it twice through the curry sauce.

“This boss… uses dual blades too?”

He Chusan stood obediently in front of him and replied with sincere admiration,

“Very imposing.”

Xia Liuyi crooked a finger.

The moment He Chusan stepped closer, he was grabbed by the collar and slammed onto the table. His head was seized and smashed down with a bang! Blood burst from his forehead instantly. The world spun violently around him. By the time his vision cleared—

Cold sweat drenched him.

Xia Liuyi was holding the skewer—aiming straight for his eyeball.

He Chusan shut his eyes in resignation.

He waited.

And waited.

…Nothing came.

Confused, he opened them again—

Only to see Xia Liuyi flip the skewer around and press its blunt end lightly against his trembling eyelid.

“Quiet as hell, but plenty of schemes in that head, huh?” Xia Liuyi sneered. “Taking the long way around just to mock me, yeah?”

He withdrew the skewer.

“Don’t try to get clever with your Brother Liuyi. Get the fuck back and rewrite it.”

With a turban-like bandage wrapped around his head like some street vendor, He Chusan obediently spent another three days writing.

When his father asked what happened, he simply said a flowerpot had fallen from upstairs and smashed his head open.

Every day, he still left early with his little school bag. The moment he turned the corner of the alley, a few burly men would grab him and haul him off to the company. He wrote all day, then late at night was “packaged” and delivered back home again.

Three days later, he handed in a new script.

This time—

A free-spirited underworld enforcer falls in love with a fallen beauty from the red-light district. After a heart-wrenching romance, the woman is kidnapped by a rival gang. To save his beloved, the enforcer fights drenched in blood—wielding dual blades alone, cutting down over forty men, carving a path of carnage through a narrow alley—

Xiao Ma, standing to the side, felt something was off. He leaned over and whispered to a subordinate,

“One guy, dual blades, chopping down forty people? Doesn’t this sound like when Boss Liuyi rescued Boss Qinglong back in the day…?”

“Cough! I didn’t hear shit, Brother Xiao Ma.”

As Xia Liuyi listened, his expression darkened further and further.

Meanwhile, He Chusan remained completely oblivious. Head lowered, he read through the outline, convinced that switching from criticizing the underworld to glorifying it this time would at least save him from a beating.

After finishing, he stood there obediently, waiting for feedback.

The room fell silent—so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Xiao Ma subtly cracked his knuckles, ready to jump in and help his boss beat someone.

“Where’d this story come from?” Xia Liuyi tapped the table lightly with his knuckles.

“I heard it,” He Chusan said, sneaking a glance up—finally sensing something was off.

“Heard it from who?”

“Everyone says—”

Before he could finish—

He was sent flying.

His frail body smashed through two stools, tangled with broken legs as he slammed into the wall. When he collapsed to the ground, he was covered in dust, coughing—

And then he spat out blood.

“Eighty percent strength,” Xiao Ma mentally noted.

Xia Liuyi strode over in long steps, grabbed a broken stool leg, and smashed him again!

He Chusan let out a cry. A jagged nail tore into his arm, blood immediately seeping out.

Pain and confusion flooded him.

What the hell had he done this time?

Why was this unpredictable underworld boss snapping again?!

Xia Liuyi flipped the stool leg around, the jagged end pointed straight at him. His expression was blank as he raised it high—

Ready to stab it down.

The door suddenly burst open.

“Boss!”

“Boss!”

Hao Chengqing stepped in just as a dull thud sounded.

At twenty-five, he had inherited the gang as its crown prince. After ten years navigating the underworld, he carried himself with calm authority.

He didn’t even react to the noise.

His gaze swept the room once before he asked evenly:

“Where’s Liuyi?”

Xiao Ma and the others froze, sweating, all turning toward the door—

Creak—

The wooden door opened.

Xia Liuyi stumbled out from behind it, clutching the back of his head, looking utterly miserable. He casually tossed aside the stool leg.

“Boss.”

Hao Chengqing frowned.

“I was beating someone behind the door, Boss!” Xia Liuyi complained, wincing as he rubbed his head. “Next time, give a heads-up before you come in, yeah?”

Hao Chengqing laughed, slinging an arm over his shoulder and pulling him close, personally rubbing the back of his head.

“Hurts?”

“Hell yes!” Xia Liuyi snapped. “You owe me compensation.”

“I’ll give you the new nightclub to manage. Enough?”

“Enough! More than enough!” Xia Liuyi immediately accepted, then shot a murderous glare at Xiao Ma and the others.

They instantly sprang into action—serving tea, cleaning up blood, dusting everything—escorting Boss Qinglong to the sofa like royalty.

Meanwhile, He Chusan, still twitching on the floor behind the door, was picked up by two men and carried out—completely removed from sight.

Once the door closed, only Qinglong and Xia Liuyi remained.

Xia Liuyi plopped down beside him.

“Boss, what brings you here?”

“Xiaoman wanted to visit the filming set—”

Before he could finish, Xia Liuyi shot to his feet.

“She came?! Where is she?!”

Qinglong calmly took a cigar from the box on the table.

Xia Liuyi immediately sat back down and lit it for him.

“Boss, my bad—I cut you off again. Go on, I’m listening.”

Qinglong took a slow drag, then passed the cigar to him.

Watching Xia Liuyi take it and bite down, he continued:

“She felt dizzy near the entrance. I had someone send her back.”

“Still not in good health? How’s her mood lately?”

Qinglong shook his head. “I’ve been too busy. Haven’t had time for her. When you’re free, go keep her company.”

“Got it,” Xia Liuyi nodded, then hesitated. “That nightclub—you’re really giving it to me?”

“When have I ever lied to you?”

“…Still feels off,” Xia Liuyi muttered while lighting another cigar. “Xu Ying’s been pissed at me lately. After I reassigned that underling, he stuffed more people into my side. Everything outside the Walled City is his territory—I’m crossing the line. He’s not happy.”

“Don’t worry about him,” Qinglong said calmly. “If you don’t understand the accounts, ask Dongdong.”

Xia Liuyi lowered his head, running everything through his mind.

“Alright. Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”

Qinglong smiled faintly.

“You’ve grown sensible. I trust you.”

After discussing business, Qinglong noticed the scattered handwritten pages on the ground—some stained with blood.

“What’s this?”

“Script for a new film,” Xia Liuyi said awkwardly. “Got some college kid to write it. Kid’s full of shit—just making things up…”

Too late.

Qinglong had already picked up a page and started reading.

“Pick up the rest.”

Xia Liuyi had no choice but to scramble around, gathering the papers.

He stood stiffly as Qinglong flipped through them one by one, heart pounding.

“That kid’s brain is fucked,” he rushed to explain. “I already beat the shit out of him, I—”

“Not bad,” Qinglong said calmly.

“Shoot it like this.”

“…Huh?!”

Qinglong set the script down and rose to his feet. He gave Xia Liuyi a light pat on the head.

“I’ve got business to attend to. I’ll head back first. Don’t forget to visit Xiaoman often.”

“Ah… this…” Xia Liuyi was still hesitating when the door opened from outside. Two sharp-eyed bodyguards ushered Qinglong out. As he walked, Qinglong waved a hand—a clear gesture that there was no need to see him off.

Xia Liuyi watched his figure disappear from sight. Once the door shut, he leaned back heavily against it.

He stared blankly at the stack of scripts for a while, then let out a quiet sigh.

Fishing out a cigarette, he tilted his head and lit it.

“Xiao Ma!”

“Yeah!”

“Take that kid to get his injuries checked.”

…

He Chusan now had bandages wrapped around his chest, his arms, and his head—his “Indian turban” still firmly in place. He had upgraded from Indian street vendor to full-on mummy.

He sat by the edge of the film set, head lowered, watching a group of hooligans scurry about under the director’s orders, moving props back and forth.

Suddenly, everyone stopped at once and greeted in unison—

“Boss  Liuyi!”

Xia Liuyi had come to inspect the set.

Everyone rushed to flatter him.

Everyone—

Except He Chusan.

He kept his head down, ignoring everything, continuing to write dialogue for the next scene—a pitiful little act of resistance.

Everyone here was a thug.

And Xia Liuyi was the worst of them all.

He only wanted to finish the script as fast as possible, get the damn movie shot, and go back to school.

He had already missed two weeks of classes. His attendance rate had tanked. This semester’s scholarship? Gone for sure.

Next term, he’d have to ask his father for tuition.

At twenty-one years old, still not able to support his father—still taking his money…

Just thinking about it made his chest ache.

He scribbled furiously, face dark—

When suddenly a gentle voice beside him startled him so badly his pen flew out of his hand.

“What’s your name?”

He looked up.

A finely made-up woman stood there—it was the film’s female lead, Xiaoman.

Qinglong’s wife.

The sister-in-law of the Xiaoqi Hall.

He had seen her around the set these past few days but never paid much attention.

Now, seeing her up close—

He realized she was delicate and refined, with a gentle temperament. Completely different from the gaudy or brash women he’d seen in his neighborhood.

Yet somehow…

She looked a little like that bastard boss.

Especially the upward tilt of her eyes.

Only, where Xia Liuyi’s gaze hid calculation beneath laziness—

Hers was unfocused, hazy… tinged with a lingering melancholy.

He stared blankly, too stunned to respond.

Xiaoman didn’t mind.

“What’s your name?” she asked again.

“He Chusan.”

She smiled.

“Born on the third day of the New Year?”

“…Yeah.”

She smiled again—and casually reached out to ruffle his bandaged head like petting a dog.

For some reason, He Chusan felt something… off.

Her gaze seemed slightly unfocused. Her movements a bit strange.

“I heard you’re a university student?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s nice. I never even went to primary school. Is university fun?”

He Chusan thought for a moment and answered completely off-topic:

“There are a lot of books in the library.”

“I don’t like reading,” Xiaoman replied just as randomly. “I like singing.”

She glanced around. Seeing no one paying attention, she leaned in and softly sang a short verse for him.

He Chusan found her even stranger now—

But said nothing.

He listened quietly.

Her voice was clear and bright—

Like a spring oriole.

“Sister-in-law! We’re starting filming!”

Someone called from afar.

Xiaoman straightened.

In an instant, her expression turned cold and composed—dignified, untouchable.

The caller didn’t dare rush her anymore.

She turned back to He Chusan.

“What happened to your head? You’re hurt?”

“…Yeah.”

“Who hit you?”

“…Boss Liuyi”

Xiaoman sighed.

“A-Liu… misbehaving again. I’ll talk to him for you.”

“No, no—please don’t!” He Chusan panicked.

“I must,” she said, eyes wide and hollow as she shook her head. “He’s always like this. He never makes any friends. Don’t blame him… he just has no one to play with.”

“There was a time when it was just the two of us. He was so pitiful back then…”

He Chusan felt a chill crawl up his spine.

She was talking about that psychotic tyrant—

Like he was some abandoned stray puppy.

To stop things from getting even weirder, he carefully changed the subject:

“Sister-in-law… shouldn’t you go film?”

Xiaoman smiled faintly.

“What’s there to film? No matter how much I act… he won’t watch.”

He Chusan assumed that “he” meant Xia Liuyi.

Given the script he’d been writing lately—

His mind immediately spiraled into a dramatic tale of forbidden love, tangled emotions, life-and-death separation between Xiaoman and Xia Liuyi—

“Hey, sis. We’re rolling. Why are you still here?”

The voice snapped him out of it.

He Chusan’s eyes widened.

He watched as Xiaoman stood on tiptoe, hooked Xia Liuyi’s head down, and kissed his forehead intimately—then ruffled his hair like he was a dog.

Xia Liuyi. with messy hair, smiled gently—like a lion suddenly turned vegetarian.

“Go on, sis. Everyone’s waiting.”

Xiaoman smiled at He Chusan, then skipped off lightly.

He Chusan stared after her, dazed—

Until—

THUD!

A bowl of beef offal slammed down in front of him.

“What the hell are you staring at?” Xia Liuyi snapped. “Want me to gouge your eyes out?!”

“She… your real sister?”

“Call her sister-in-law!”

“…Oh.”

He Chusan stole a glance at Xia Liuyi, now sitting on his table eating beef offal.

His head.

His chest.

His arms.

All started aching again.

At any moment, it felt like Xia Liuyi might suddenly snap and smash a stool over him.

Can you not sit here? I can’t write with you hovering like this, he thought bitterly.

While he sulked—

Xia Liuyi, on the other hand, was in a great mood.

Recently, he’d clashed with a mid-level leader from the Sha Family Gang over business. Their people had come to smash up one of his gambling dens.

Xiao Ma had been quick—he grabbed the cash and pulled his men out fast, leaving behind only the two spies planted by Deputy Hall Master Xu.

The Sha Family Gang trashed the place but found almost no money.

So they beat the shit out of those two unlucky bastards instead.

The next day—

Xia Liuyi personally visited the underground clinic to “check in” on his “brothers.”

He lifted their blankets, admired their utterly fucked-up injuries—

And then, naturally, replaced them with his own men.

With full justification, he led his crew to wipe out three of the Sha Family Gang’s operations—

And looted over a hundred thousand in cash from their safes.

Clean.

Efficient.

And ruthless as hell.

The head of the Sha Family Gang personally called Qinglong to demand an explanation.

Qinglong’s response was smooth as ever.

First, he made it clear—this was merely a minor grudge between juniors; it wouldn’t be appropriate for bosses like them to interfere.

Then he gently “soothed” Boss Sha, saying that although that was the case, Xia Liuyi still listened to him quite well. So how about this—he’d have Xia Liuyi do him a favor, withdraw all his men from Sha Family territory, and from now on, they’d each mind their own business.

Water from the river wouldn’t mix with water from the well.

Boss Sha was so furious he nearly coughed up blood.

Killed his people. Took his money.

And now—“let’s just stay out of each other’s business”?

What a fucking performance.

But after that battle, his losses had been devastating. There was no easy comeback in sight. In the end, he had no choice but to swallow the humiliation—teeth broken, blood swallowed along with it—and quietly put the entire grudge on Xia Liuyi’s head.

Xia Liuyi, meanwhile, was happily counting money.

Not only had he made a fortune, he’d also boosted the gang’s reputation and brought face to Boss Qinglong.

As for Boss Sha’s petty resentment?

He didn’t give a shit.

He’d been licking blood off knife edges since he was fourteen. Ten years in the underworld—he’d long since lost count of how many grudges he carried.

Sitting on the table, eating beef offal while going over the accounts, he waved at Xiao Ma, ready to have the money distributed so the brothers could enjoy themselves.

Xiao Ma jogged over in quick little steps—

But before he even got close, his eyes went wide, and he pointed upward with a scream:

“Boss Liuyi—watch out!”

For the second time that day, He Chusan’s pen flew out of his hand.

He instinctively looked up—

Just in time to see it.

A section of iron beam overhead, with two long fluorescent tubes attached—

A massive chunk of metal—

Loosening, creaking—

And then crashing down.

He sat against the wall, his stool wedged tight.

There wasn’t even time to react.

No time to push the stool away.

No time to run.

He could only watch—

As that entire iron frame came smashing straight toward his head.

In that same split second—

Xia Liuyi, who could’ve easily dodged to the side—

Instead lunged forward.

He bent low, pulling He Chusan into his arms—

And at the same time, drove his arm upward in a punch!

BANG—!

A thunderous crash!

He actually smashed the falling iron structure aside with sheer force!

He Chusan was completely stunned.

Face buried against Xia Liuyi’s chest—

His nose filled with the smell of beef offal from this damn thug.

The weather had turned cool lately, but Xia Liuyi was still only wearing a thin sleeveless shirt.

He Chusan’s warm lips brushed against a firm little protrusion on his chest—

And cold sweat instantly broke out across his body.

That spot—

Was absurdly sensitive.

Xia Liuyi’s face turned dark as hell. He shoved him away.

“The fuck are you rubbing against me for?! Trying to nurse or what?!”

He Chusan stared blankly.

Then lowered his head—

Only to see, on his shoulder—

A bloody handprint.

A crowd of underlings rushed over, shouting:

“Boss Liuyi!”

“Are you okay?!”

“You’re bleeding!”

Blood covered Xia Liuyi’s hands, arms, and forehead—scraped open by the iron frame.

He himself thought it was nothing.

His men, however, panicked like hell, surrounding him and insisting on taking him for treatment.

They had barely taken a few steps—

When a woman’s piercing scream tore through the air.

“A-Hao—!!!”

Xia Xiaoman came charging in like she’d lost her mind, shoving people aside.

Her ten fingers—painted with bright red nail polish—dug viciously into Xia Liuyi’s arm as she shrieked hysterically:

“A-Hao! What happened to you?! Don’t die! A-Hao—! Waaaah—!!”

She clung to him and burst into uncontrollable sobbing.

Wild.

Unhinged.

Nothing like a normal person.

The underlings exchanged looks—

Watching helplessly as Xia Liuyi, who hadn’t died from injury, was about to be strangled to death by her instead.

Xiao Ma finally stepped forward, bracing himself.

“Sister-in-law…”

“AAAH—!!!”

Her shriek nearly sent him stumbling back.

“Don’t come over! Don’t hit him! Stop hitting him!”

She suddenly let go, curling into herself, trembling violently.

Then just as suddenly—

She crawled back, throwing her frail body over Xia Liuyi to shield him.

“No! Hit me! Hit me instead! Don’t hit A-Hao! I’m begging you—you’ll kill him! Wuuu… A-Hao…”

“I’m fine, sis…” Xia Liuyi said weakly, barely able to breathe under her grip.

“Wuuu… don’t die… A-Hao…”

“I’m really fine. You were just scared. I’ll take you home.”

“A-Hao… wuuu…”

Xia Liuyi turned his head slightly, signaling with his eyes.

Several underlings immediately stepped forward to help.

Xia Xiaoman still clung tightly to his injured arm, refusing to let go. Xia Liuyi’s face turned pale from the pain—

But he made no move to push her away.

Instead, he gently placed his free hand over hers in comfort.

And like that—

One clinging to the other—

They were escorted away.

Xiao Ma stayed behind to handle the aftermath.

He grabbed one of the older underlings and lowered his voice.

“Hey… what was that just now? Sister-in-law called him ‘A-Hao’?”

“Seems like his old name,” the man whispered. “He wasn’t called Liuyi before he started following the Boss. Changed it after.”

They had completely forgotten—

He Chusan.

Still sitting stiffly at the table.

The poor bastard who had just narrowly escaped death—

Was staring blankly at the plate of beef offal in front of him.

Now—

Stained with blood.

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