Xiao Ma let out a miserable scream as he was sent flying, tumbling a long distance before crashing to the ground. His eyes rolled back, and he lay sprawled there without a twitch. The pitch-black “vengeful ghosts” turned their heads toward He Chu San with a sinister glare.
He Chu San shuddered—then recognized them at once. Spinning on his heel, he bolted. “Brother Ma! They’re the assassins from earlier!”
The moment those words left his mouth, the “unconscious” Xiao Ma sprang up like a carp leaping from water, cursing loudly, “Damn it! Playing ghost to scare your father?!” He was terrified of the dead, but living men he did not fear in the slightest. Revitalized, he charged forward and picked one opponent to engage.
Meanwhile, the other assassin locked onto He Chu San, pursuing him relentlessly. To call it a duel would be generous—it was the assassin intent on fighting, while He Chu San, whose combat prowess fell short, could only employ Taiji, warding and evading as he fled.
On Xiao Ma’s side, the clash rang out with lively shouts and blows. On He Chu San’s side, the two figures circled again and again—around the altar, around the sofa—loop after loop.
At last, the assassin lost patience. With a furious roar, he lunged forward, finally seizing He Chu San’s arm and slamming him against the wall.
Yet the fist meant to crush him was suddenly halted midair—caught by another hand.
Jade Guanyin appeared at his side, her lips curved in a coquettish smile, yet her presence radiated chilling menace.
“This is the godson’s bride of our Lord Maitreya. He cannot be killed,” she said with a laugh—in Thai.
No sooner had she spoken than she twisted her grip—
Crack!
A crisp, sickening sound rang out as the assassin’s arm snapped like green bamboo in her hands.
The assassin howled in agony, releasing He Chu San, and swung his other fist at her. She caught it just as easily—
Crack!
In the blink of an eye, both his arms were twisted into grotesque spirals, like coiled ropes.
She kicked the back of his knee. The man collapsed, writhing and screaming, his shattered limbs contorting in agony. Jade Guanyin giggled sweetly, picked up the stone he had earlier used against Xiao Ma, and smashed it down hard upon his knee—blood spraying everywhere.
With his kneecap utterly crushed, the assassin’s shrieks grew even more piercing. Jade Guanyin stroked his forehead with false tenderness. “Shh, shh… quiet now.”
Then she clamped his mouth shut. As he convulsed and struggled, she used the butt of a gun and then the stone to smash both his hands one after another—until they were flattened into pulp.
Satisfied, she released him. The assassin, his arms twisted and hands reduced to mangled flesh, writhed and spasmed on the ground, shrieking like a live shrimp thrown into boiling oil…
Only after a full three minutes of agonized howling—when she had grown tired of the noise—did Jade Guanyin casually kick, snapping his neck. His body fell crookedly and lay still.
He Chu San, who had witnessed everything, stood silent against the wall, his face deathly pale.
Jade Guanyin smiled enchantingly, stepping closer to wipe the blood from her fingertips onto his shirt. “Young handsome one, scared stiff?”
He Chu San turned his head away and closed his eyes. His heart churned like a stormy sea—but not solely from fear. The assassin had deserved death, yes—but Jade Guanyin’s twisted delight in cruelty was far more terrifying.
That Xia Liu Yi would keep company with such a monster—this shocked him to the core.
Jade Guanyin patted his cheek with a smile before turning to assist Xiao Ma.
He Chu San soon heard several sharp cracks from that direction, followed by a man’s shrill scream—yet it was not the assassin’s voice, but Xiao Ma’s.
Xiao Ma had been locked in a drawn-out fight with another heavily wounded assassin, unable to gain the upper hand. Then Jade Guanyin arrived—smiling. With a single move, she dislocated both the assassin’s arms. Then, still laughing softly, she gouged out his eyes one by one.
Leaning close to his bloodied face, she whispered a question. The assassin, desperate for a swift death, struggled to answer with a few words—only to have his throat twisted and snapped immediately after.
Xiao Ma watched as a living man was dismantled into something like a broken doll before his very eyes. Terrified, he screamed continuously. Turning his head and seeing the other mangled corpse at He Chu San’s feet, he stumbled backward several steps.
“J-J-Jade Guanyin… y-you… you pervert!”
“What are you saying, Brother Ma? How rude. I’m so tired now—carry me to the sofa,” Jade Guanyin said weakly, draping herself over his shoulder, all the while wiping blood and eye fluid from her fingers onto his clothes.
Xiao Ma feared her even more than ghosts. “D-Don’t come near me!”
“What are you saying, Brother Ma?”
“Stay away from me! Help! Someone help!”
Crying out miserably, Xiao Ma was forced back onto the sofa step by step. Jade Guanyin straddled him, teasing him at will, his screams growing ever more pitiful.
Watching silently, He Chu San realized Xiao Ma’s nerves were even less suited for the underworld than his own. Meanwhile, Jade Guanyin—pale from blood loss—was merely forcing herself to endure, amusing herself by toying with Xiao Ma.
Before long, a convoy of cars roared up and stopped outside the villa. Xia Liu Yi entered first, flanked by several bodyguards.
Striding in, he immediately grabbed He Chu San, shining a flashlight over him from head to toe. Only after confirming he was unharmed did he relax slightly.
Then he swept the light across Xiao Ma and Jade Guanyin on the sofa—disheveled—and the two bloody corpses on the floor.
Releasing He Chu San, he walked silently toward Xiao Ma—and without warning, struck him with a fierce slap!
Xiao Ma was sent tumbling off the sofa, his head ringing. He did not dare utter a single excuse, only kneeling in defeat before the boss.
Xia Liu Yi raised his hand to strike again—but Jade Guanyin suddenly extended her arm, blocking him.
His voice turned icy. “Looking to die?”
“He’s my man. If you want to hit him, you need my permission.”
“The hell he is!” Xiao Ma shoved her aside, desperate to distance himself from this lunatic—only to be struck again by Xia Liu Yi’s powerful hand. The blow sent him crashing face-first to the ground, spitting out blood—and even a tooth.
Bruised and swollen, he crawled back to kneel properly, admitting his fault through a mouthful of blood. “Boss, I know I was wrong!”
“What’s the punishment?” Xia Liu Yi asked coldly.
“Fifty strokes of the rod.”
“Bring it!” Xia Liu Yi barked.
The bodyguard A’Nan froze—where would they find a rod in this empty house?
As Xia Liu Yi’s raised hand hovered in the air, his expression darkened further, fury about to erupt. Another guard, A’Mao, had a flash of inspiration—he grabbed A’Nan, loosened his belt, and offered it up.
Xia Liu Yi took it and lashed down without hesitation.
At once, Jade Guanyin protested, “Why hit him so hard? If you cripple him, who’ll play with me?”
Xia Liu Yi backhanded her across the face with the belt, roaring, “Shut up! You disaster-spreading whore!”
She fell back onto the sofa, clutching her face, lips swelling and bleeding. Yet instead of anger, excitement flickered in her eyes. Twisting on the sofa, she moaned softly, staring at Xia Liu Yi with obsessive fascination, as though seized by madness—no longer caring about Xiao Ma’s fate at all.
Ignoring her, Xia Liu Yi continued striking Xiao Ma mercilessly. Not only had Xiao Ma’s carelessness and harboring of Jade Guanyin caused this dangerous situation—but worse, he had allowed Jade Guanyin and He Chu San, two individuals of extremely sensitive status, to meet. The consequences could be catastrophic.
He wished he could beat the stupidity out of Xiao Ma’s skull.
Xiao Ma knew his mistake was grave. Gritting his teeth, he uttered not a single plea for mercy, only enduring in silence. After just a few blows, sweat the size of beans poured down his face.
At last, He Chu San could not bear it. “Brother Liu Yi, stop hitting him.”
“Move!” Xia Liu Yi snapped, still seething.
Gripping his sleeve, He Chu San lowered his voice. “Brother Liu Yi, the brothers outside can hear everything. Brother Ma is a Red Pole—he’s earned both merit and hardship over the years. Besides, if not for him protecting me just now…”
Xiao Ma suddenly raised his head, cutting him off. “Boss, don’t listen to him—keep hitting me! A real man stands tall under heaven. If I’ve done wrong, I deserve punishment!”
Xia Liu Yi lashed him again. “Stands tall? Tall my ass! Shut up!”
Xiao Ma obediently fell silent.
At last, Xia Liu Yi forced himself to stop, restraining his fury. Leaving his men to clean up the aftermath, he seized He Chu San by the back of his collar and dragged him roughly back to the car.
……
On the way home, the boss and his “lady boss” sat in the back seat without uttering a single word. A’Mao drove diligently, while A’Nan sat in the passenger seat with his head lowered, still threading his belt through his trousers—neither of them daring to make a sound.
He Chu San could not reveal the anger he felt after deducing Jade Guanyin’s identity. Xia Liu Yi, in turn, could not reveal the irritation of knowing that He Chu San had figured it out. The two of them spent the entire journey forcefully swallowing their emotions. By the time the car stopped downstairs at He Chu San’s rented flat in Tsim Sha Tsui, both had managed to conceal themselves well enough, ascending the stairs with outward calm.
“Brother Liu Yi, shower?” He Chu San asked casually, handing Xia Liu Yi a pair of slippers as though nothing were amiss.
“Sit first. Let me check your injuries.”
He Chu San bore only a few shallow abrasions and patches of bruising. After confirming there was nothing serious, Xia Liu Yi told him to go wash up.
Under the rushing water, He Chu San silently cleaned himself. Tilting his head back, eyes closed beneath the spray, his thoughts churned rapidly—snatches of conversation he had overheard while recovering at Xia Liu Yi’s village house, all related to Jade Guanyin; her shadowy, half-revealed identity as a drug trafficker; her cruel methods; Xia Liu Yi’s firm vows before prison to “go straight”, followed by his evasions afterward; Cui Dong Dong’s half-believing, half-concealing attitude; their nominal acceptance of him into the He Sheng Society, yet the large portions of business and accounts kept hidden from him…
Xia Liu Yi had always been hiding something—perhaps even preparing something.
His thoughts halted abruptly. He opened his eyes, alert—only to find Xia Liu Yi standing before him.
Fully clothed, Xia Liu Yi stepped into the mist of steam. Without a word, he pressed a hand to the back of He Chu San’s head and kissed him. Beneath the falling water, their lips and tongues met in silence. Xia Liu Yi wrapped an arm around his waist, pressing him against the wall, the kiss deepening with heat.
Yet only moments later, Xia Liu Yi’s brow furrowed. He pulled back, wiping at the corner of his mouth—another trace of blood.
He Chu San had bitten him again.
Meeting the burning look in He Chu San’s eyes, Xia Liu Yi let out a quiet sigh.
At this boy’s growing boldness, all he could feel was a growing helplessness.
He stepped back—and for once, took the initiative. Slowly, one by one, he undid the buttons of his shirt, revealing a firm, well-built chest. Pulling the fabric open further, he exposed even more.
The grief and fury in He Chu San’s eyes were instantly swallowed by desire. Before Xia Liu Yi could even tug his shirt free from his waistband, He Chu San lunged forward, pinning him to the opposite wall and kissing him with greater urgency and force.
His hands roamed—gripping, tugging, undoing Xia Liu Yi’s belt, sliding along his back and downward. Xia Liu Yi let out a muffled groan through their sealed lips.
Yet after only a brief moment, He Chu San abruptly forced himself to stop.
He released him, stepping back, turning as if to leave—only to be pulled back again by Xia Liu Yi.
For the first time, this domineering, unrestrained underworld boss yielded. Holding He Chu San tightly, he refused to let him go. Reaching out, he shut off the water. When the last droplets fell silent, he finally spoke with a sigh.
“She’s called Jade Guanyin. She was once my business partner. I didn’t invite her—she came on her own. I haven’t been in contact with her for a long time. I don’t want anything more to do with her…”
“You don’t need to explain anything to me,” He Chu San replied.
“A’San…” Xia Liu Yi called, a headache forming.
“You’re still hiding a lot from me.”
“I have my difficulties. My own arrangements.”
“You can let me help you.”
“You can’t help me.”
“You don’t trust me.”
“When the hell have I ever not trusted you?!” Xia Liu Yi snapped, anger flaring.
He Chu San’s chest rose and fell sharply, the fire in his eyes intensifying. “You don’t trust that I have the ability to protect you—to stand by your side. You carry everything on your own shoulders and bury all your secrets inside.”
“I…” Xia Liu Yi found himself at a loss. “That’s just the kind of person I am! What do you want me to do?!”
“Tell me what you’re planning.”
“I’m not planning anything!” Xia Liu Yi roared. “The only thing I’m planning is being with you! What, should I tie myself to you with a rope every day? Report every word and action to you?! Would that satisfy you?!”
He Chu San lowered his gaze. Xia Liu Yi did not see the disappointment and hurt in his eyes—nor did he realize that his sudden outburst betrayed guilt and concealment.
Suppressing both the raging fire and icy chill within, He Chu San endured for a moment before finally saying calmly, “Forget it. I won’t ask. I won’t argue with you—I won’t give you a reason to throw me out.”
“Who’s throwing you out?” Xia Liu Yi retorted, exasperated.
“If we argue, you’ll just tell me to get lost again.”
“You—”
He Chu San turned away. “I’m going to keep showering. You should leave.”
Xia Liu Yi stood there, choked for three seconds. He opened his mouth, then closed it again—before finally slamming the door and storming out.
Dripping wet, he strode into the living room, trembling with anger. He rummaged around, found half a pack of cigarettes from a meeting earlier that day, and collapsed onto the sofa. Lighting three at once, he puffed furiously, smoke billowing around him.
Just moments ago, he had truly been tempted to tell that brat to get out—get as far away as possible. The words had circled in his throat countless times, yet he could not even curse properly.
He couldn’t bear it.
He was afraid He Chu San would actually leave—and stay gone for another month, perhaps forcing him to go coax him back again.
That damn brat, pushing his luck! With a vicious kick, Xia Liu Yi struck the coffee table.
The table’s groan overlapped with the creak of the bathroom door. He turned to see He Chu San emerge, bare-chested, a towel wrapped around his waist. Instinctively, Xia Liu Yi tried to hide the cigarettes behind him—only to realize halfway through how absurd that was, and defiantly stuck them back in his mouth.
But He Chu San didn’t even glance at him. Calmly toweling his hair, he walked past as though no one else existed and entered the bedroom.
The three cigarettes hung stiffly from Xia Liu Yi’s lips. Even he felt childish and foolish. Annoyed, he pulled them out and crushed them underfoot.
He went into the bathroom and showered, baring his teeth as he moved stiffly. His injuries had not fully healed—every large movement tugged painfully at his muscles. Earlier, when he had whipped Xiao Ma, the strain had hurt him even more than the man being beaten.
After finishing, exhausted and irritable, he returned to the bedroom. He Chu San lay with his back to him, seemingly asleep.
Xia Liu Yi knew he was pretending. Yet he could neither drag him up for another argument nor bring himself to coax him. Swallowing his anger, he lay down silently and turned off the lights.
……
Xia Liu Yi spent half the night sleepless, the other half plagued by nightmares. When he finally awoke at noon the next day, the dreams had faded completely, leaving only cold sweat clinging to his skin. Reaching instinctively to his side, he found the bed empty and cold—He Chu San had long since left.
That afternoon, Xia Liu Yi arrived at the “headquarters.” The employees—since it was, after all, a company, there were ordinary office workers as well—had organized a cheerful “welcome back” party, complete with cake, champagne, and desserts.
But the boss had no mood for celebration. After reluctantly raising a couple of drinks, he dismissed everyone early and retreated to the CEO’s office under the pretense of feeling unwell.
Cui Dong Dong entered carrying a bottle of red wine, finding him slumped in his chair, frowning as he smoked.
“Argued with Sammy boy again?” she asked, having already heard about last night.
“Where is he?” Xia Liu Yi asked sourly.
“How would I know? He doesn’t work here.”
“Didn’t you hire him as some damn consultant?”
“He is a consultant, not a manager. Besides, I wouldn’t dare let him come snooping through accounts every day.” Seeing Xia Liu Yi about to explode, she waved a hand. “Alright, alright—I had someone check before. Aside from our company’s affairs, your Sammy boy has also been holding a position at a private equity fund in Central, and earlier this year he partnered to open a data analytics firm. At this hour, he’s probably at his own company. Want me to send someone to follow him?”
Xia Liu Yi waved her off impatiently. “What the hell is he up to?”
Cui Dong Dong shrugged. “Something that makes money. When you were in prison, I had him followed for a while—apart from visiting his father, he worked nonstop. With that kind of drive, he probably wants to earn a few billion and keep you as his kept man.”
She paused, then added, “Oh—there’s something I forgot to tell you. He once suggested taking our company public.”
Xia Liu Yi froze, staring at her. “Go public? What the hell?”
“Exactly! Listing on the Stock Exchange! That brat wants a triad to go public!”
Xia Liu Yi rubbed his face hard. “Am I hearing things?”
“I thought I was too! I told him—selling betel nut is still just selling betel nut. At best you switch to durians, but who’s ever heard of jumping to selling airplanes?” Cui Dong Dong clicked her tongue. “Boss, your boyfriend is something else.”
Cradling his face in shock, Xia Liu Yi seriously began to ponder for the first time: What on earth have I gotten myself into?
That “something else” did not come home all day. Near midnight, Xia Liu Yi finally lost patience and called him. The call was answered—but coldly. He Chu San said he was working overtime.
In the early hours of the next morning, Xia Liu Yi lay half-asleep when he heard the sound of the door unlocking.
He grew alert, listening carefully—the familiar footsteps, the sounds of setting things down, then the rush of water from the bathroom. After washing, He Chu San entered the bedroom softly, standing by the bed for a long moment as though checking if he was asleep.
Xia Liu Yi feigned a faint snore.
Reassured, He Chu San climbed into bed, moving close. A cool arm wrapped around Xia Liu Yi’s waist; his slightly damp face rested gently against the back of his neck, nuzzling softly with a tired, contented sigh.
What the hell have I gotten myself into…
A chill ran down Xia Liu Yi’s spine.
Is he playing a lukewarm war with me?
Futile Devices Scans 
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