Several senior uncles supported Azure Dragon in ascending to power. At twenty-five years of age, he became the youngest Dragon Head in the history of all factions within the Gaau Lung Walled City.
Naturally, there were those below who refused to accept him, and others who worried about the future. Even before the Ascension Ceremony was held, some members had already led their followers to seek allegiance elsewhere. During the ceremony itself, an elder brother openly spoke against Azure Dragon, refusing to bow to such a young Hall Master.
Azure Dragon treated him with courtesy, had a chair brought for him, and walked up to speak with him face to face. As they spoke, he suddenly drew the dagger hidden within the Dragon Head Staff and thrust it straight into the man’s heart.
Those who had defected to other gangs were also personally hunted down and brought back by Azure Dragon. Before the hall, they were executed—three cuts and six holes.
This series of swift and decisive actions shocked the restless members within the gang and established his reputation in the jianghu as the Azure Dragon Boss. Compared to his father, he was even more daring—once his blade was drawn, it would taste blood. The uncles who had supported him were highly satisfied.
However, they believed reform was necessary. Xiao Qi Hall could no longer remain poor and struggling. Deputy Hall Master Uncle Yuan, one of his father’s sworn brothers, volunteered to take him to Thailand to “open new channels.” There, they met a minor warlord known as Golden Maitreya, a trusted subordinate of the Golden Triangle drug lord Kun Zhang.
Golden Maitreya treated Azure Dragon warmly, claiming to have known his father. When Azure Dragon’s father had once fled to the Golden Triangle, he had saved Golden Maitreya’s life, and the two had sworn brotherhood.
He invited Azure Dragon to participate in his “business.”
His legs had been crippled in a war two years prior, and he could no longer act as a warlord. He intended to retire in Thailand and use his accumulated connections and military strength to act as Kun Zhang’s agent for white powder trade across Southeast Asia. He chose Xiao Qi Hall as one of his distribution points within the Gaau Lunc Walled City.
Azure Dragon hesitated.
Uncle Yuan pulled him aside and explained the stakes in detail: Golden Maitreya and Kun Zhang represented a powerful force. With their backing, other gangs in the city would show Xiao Qi Hall respect. The city was filled with drug dens, and whoever controlled the supply controlled life and death. Moreover, this business would allow the brothers to live in comfort instead of struggling for survival.
He also reminded him—his father had struggled over this very issue, and what had been the result? The moment he died, other gangs moved to seize their territory and nearly destroyed his entire family. Did Azure Dragon still wish to live at the mercy of others?
In the end, Azure Dragon accepted Golden Maitreya as his “uncle.”
When he returned to the Gaau Lung Walled City, he brought back two large crates of “goods”. Golden Maitreya had generously lent them to him without upfront payment—he would settle the account only after selling them.
On the day A’Ying was discharged from the hospital, Azure Dragon placed the Red Pole nameplate together with a thick stack of banknotes on the table in the tattoo shop.
A’Ying’s father had died two years earlier from sudden illness. A’Ying poured a pot of fine liquor before his father’s memorial tablet and kowtowed three times. Accepting the title of Red Pole, he converted the tattoo shop into the first drug den under Xiao Qi Hall.
The following year, Liu Yi turned fifteen and formally took Azure Dragon as his master, kowtowing to join the gang.
Azure Dragon had originally been unwilling to let him enter the jianghu, but the boy already carried the unmistakable air of a street thug, and his determination was absolute.
“If you won’t let me follow you, then I’ll follow Brother Ying. Either way, I’m joining the gang. Either way, I’m helping you.”
Now that Azure Dragon had money, he hired the best martial arts instructor in the Walled City and personally trained Liu Yi during his spare time.
Liu Yi had no talent for studying, but in martial arts he was naturally gifted, able to draw inferences from one example. After a year of relentless day-and-night training, he wielded a pair of twin blades with fierce momentum—already looking like the real thing.
Their old building had become a haunted house due to too many deaths. Azure Dragon’s family temporarily moved into a standalone Tang-style building within the city.
The building had only three floors and limited rooms, and space was needed for new bodyguards. As a result, Liu Yi still shared a room with Azure Dragon.
Every day, the boy trained vigorously in the practice yard, returning drenched in sweat and collapsing into bed—often dragged up by Azure Dragon and forced to bathe.
One morning, when Liu Yi was sixteen, Azure Dragon awoke around six to the sound of running water. Opening his eyes, he saw that Liu Yi was not in the bed beside him.
He got up and went to the bathroom, where Liu Yi, wrapped in a towel, was vigorously scrubbing his underwear.
The moment he saw Azure Dragon, the boy’s face turned pale. He shoved him out almost frantically, even forgetting to call him Eldest.
“Go! Just go!”
Azure Dragon found it amusing. Judging by his age, he realized the boy’s development had been slightly late—this was likely his first nocturnal emission.
What puzzled Azure Dragon was that after this, Liu Yi refused to go near him for several days.
Not only him—he avoided everyone. He would sit alone in a corner of the training ground, holding his twin blades and staring blankly into space. At night, he no longer slept in Azure Dragon’s room, secretly carrying his blanket to the sofa, then sneaking back in the morning to pretend he had never left.
Azure Dragon felt a faint unease at his abnormal behavior.
In his own youth, when he realized his interest in women was not as strong as A’Ying’s, he had gone through a similar period. He did not dare think too deeply about it.
Instead, he adopted the typical approach of an old-fashioned guardian—he had A’Ying find an excuse to take Liu Yi to a brothel to “gain some experience.”
A’Ying quickly arranged it and soon returned to report.
“Hahaha! That brat of yours—he puked not long after going in! Ran away!”
“Could it be the boy likes men?” A’Ying sat on the desk, playing with a dagger. “If that little brat goes down the wrong path, I’ll chop off his thing.”
Azure Dragon felt irritated. “Why do you hate that so much?”
“It’s disgusting! Two men naked together—doesn’t that disgust you?”
“When you hang all over me in the bathhouse, why aren’t you disgusted?”
A’Ying grinned and shifted, sitting directly on his lap. “We’re brothers—that’s different! I’m completely upright with my handsome Boss, no improper intentions whatsoever! But if Boss had intentions toward me and wanted to… then I…”
“And then what?”
A’Ying began to undress with a cheeky smile. “Then I’d have no choice but to reluctantly comply…”
“Get lost!” Azure Dragon shoved him away.
A’Ying burst out laughing, his chest bare, revealing a dark eagle tattoo with wings spread, and swaggered toward the door. “I’ll go tease that little brat again!”
“You’re not allowed!” Azure Dragon snapped, then sighed. “He doesn’t like men. He’s just young and not interested in those things yet. Leave him alone.”
Letting Liu Yi sleep on the sofa every day was not a solution.
The boy was growing up—he needed his own space.
After several days of headache-inducing calculations, Azure Dragon finally made up his mind and bought a luxurious seaside villa.
Before moving in, A’Ying accompanied him to view the house, praising it endlessly.
“…This room for Xiao Man… this one for Liu Yi…”
Azure Dragon explained his plans one by one.
A’Ying strode into the bright and spacious room, looking around. “This kid’s luck is insane. Should’ve died by the roadside, but you picked him up. Did nothing and gets to live in a place like this.”
Azure Dragon smiled. “Jealous? Then come live here too—take the room next to mine.”
“Like hell I will!” A’Ying refused immediately. “You’ll ruin my parties with pretty girls!”
The whole family happily moved into the new house.
Xiao Man excitedly dragged Azure Dragon around, running from front to back, touching everything and asking questions. Liu Yi, however, sat in his room silently polishing his twin blades, rarely going out except to train.
Azure Dragon could only smile bitterly—the siblings seemed to have swapped personalities.
One afternoon, after finishing gang affairs, Azure Dragon went out with A’Ying.
At sunset, the two rode back together, the engine roaring.
Hearing the sound, Xiao Man put down her needlework and peeked out the window. Seeing them in the courtyard, Azure Dragon looked up and said, “Call your brother out.”
“Xiao Liu? Xiao Liu?” Xiao Man called happily.
After a while, the boy finally appeared at the window of his room.
Azure Dragon removed his helmet and patted the brand-new motorcycle beside him. “Come down and try it. It’s yours.”
After riding a few laps in the courtyard, the boy finally showed a long-lost smile.
Suddenly, he accelerated toward A’Ying, brushing past him before speeding off down the mountain road.
“Damn brat!” A’Ying shouted, chasing after him. “I was the one who helped your Boss buy that!”
Azure Dragon laughed, slinging an arm over his shoulder. “Fun, right? Want one?”
“Kid’s toy,” A’Ying scoffed, then grinned. “Year-end bonus—skip mine and get me a car instead?”
Azure Dragon tapped his forehead. “Fool. You’ll get your share—and I’ll gift you a car on top of that.”
“Wow, and you cover the fuel too?”
“Dream on.”
Less than a month later, A’Ying returned cheerfully with news.
“That brat met a girl at the racetrack—looks like something might be going on. But the girl’s pretty wild—more boyish than him. Seems the brat doesn’t like men, just has unusual taste.”
“Why are you spying on him?” Azure Dragon said. “Leave him alone.”
A’Ying clicked his tongue and left, but was called back at the door.
“What’s her name?”
“Xi Xi? Dong Dong? Something weird like that.”
Azure Dragon had someone investigate the girl.
Her name was Cui Dong Dong, the same age as Liu Yi. She had grown up in a brothel, was sold to a wealthy merchant at twelve, and two years ago, a fire destroyed the household—everyone inside died except her. The police suspected arson but found no evidence.
She produced a will, inherited the remaining wealth, and formed a small gang of delinquent girls in the Walled City. They spent their days racing cars recklessly—more fearless than men.
Rumors also claimed her mother had died of syphilis, and that she herself carried diseases.
Azure Dragon grew concerned. After much thought, he spoke to Liu Yi like a concerned father.
“Girls from brothels—just have fun, don’t take it seriously. And don’t rush into bed.”
Liu Yi stood before him listlessly, eyes lowered. He was nearly as tall as Azure Dragon now, wearing a fitted vest that revealed the faint lines of developing muscle.
“Didn’t you want me to date?” he said stiffly, without looking at him. “I know it was you who told Brother Ying to take me to a brothel.”
Azure Dragon was momentarily speechless.
“I wanted you to date a decent girl, not—”
“Dong Dong isn’t like what they say!” Liu Yi interrupted.
Azure Dragon fell silent. He was not eloquent, nor was he a domineering parent. Faced with the child he had raised himself, he could not bring himself to be harsh.
After a long time, Liu Yi lowered his head and said quietly, “Don’t worry. I won’t date her. I don’t like her that way. I’ll do whatever you want me to do. Anything you don’t want me to do, I won’t do.”
A drop of tear fell to the ground.
Azure Dragon quickly lifted his chin—the boy’s eyes were red and wet.
With a sigh, he pulled him into his arms. “Why force yourself like this? Did I scold you?”
“No… I didn’t,” Liu Yi said, turning his head away and wiping his tears.
“You can do what you want. When have I ever forced you? I just worry about you…”
Before he could finish—
The boy suddenly turned, his cheek brushing lightly against Azure Dragon’s lips.
He froze instantly, his face flushing red, and broke free, running off in a blur.
“…You—” Azure Dragon began.
But the boy was already gone.
Azure Dragon stood there awkwardly, the soft warmth still lingering on his lips. He had clearly seen the boy’s flustered, shy expression—the same look he often saw on Xiao Man’s face.
He was not a fool.
He stood there for a long time, then rubbed his temples in frustration.
He had no idea what to do.
All he wanted was to drag A’Ying out and give him a beating.
That damned jinx.
Futile Devices Scans 
Leave a comment