Since the era of the Qing government, Kai Lung Walled City had belonged to a zone beyond the control of any authority. Neither the Qing court (nor the later governments in Nanjing and Beijing), the British government, nor the Hong Kong colonial government had exercised—or been able to exercise—jurisdiction over it. More than seventy people were killed or injured in that night battle. Because it had occurred within the boundaries of the Walled City, no inspector would come to investigate it. But being beyond the reach of government did not mean being without order. The various powers within the Walled City still needed to provide an explanation for such a major incident.
Three days later, Azure Dragon attended a so-called “Underworld Assembly” with the other bosses. At the meeting, Azure Dragon calmly and composedly explained the entire sequence of events. According to his account, A’Ying had killed the Hall Master of Liao Family Hall because the other side had provoked the conflict and attempted to seize territory first. Even if A’Ying had gone too far, there had been a reason behind it. As for Liu Yi, regardless of how many casualties he had caused during the night battle, he had acted in self-defense.
Once he put it that way, there were naturally those who maintained friendly relations with Xiao Qi Hall on the surface and hypocritically voiced their agreement, as well as those who slammed the table and vehemently disagreed.
“Boss Azure Dragon, everyone in the underworld says you’re the most righteous of men, but to me it looks like you’re the best at protecting your own people. So according to you, your subordinates bear no fault whatsoever?”
The two sides engaged in a fierce war of words that showed no sign of ending. Eventually, several highly respected senior elders of the underworld stepped forward and suppressed the dispute. The final resolution was that A’Ying would pay compensation for the funeral expenses and settlement allowances of all the dead and injured, while the remaining members of Liao Family Hall would simply disband if they wished. With that, the matter was considered settled.
The enormous amount of compensation left A’Ying completely bankrupt and once again penniless. However, Azure Dragon still remembered their old friendship and the fact that A’Ying had knelt in remorse, so he did not strip him of his position as Red Pole and even helped cover part of the expenses. After this incident, A’Ying reined in ninety percent of his former arrogance and began behaving himself. For major matters, he always sought Azure Dragon’s approval. For minor affairs, he adopted an attitude of tolerance and restraint. Even toward Liu Yi and Xiao Man, he became noticeably more courteous. During Liu Yi’s recovery, he frequently brought renowned bone-setting masters to the villa to massage Liu Yi’s muscles and ease his injuries. He also sent people everywhere in search of fine ginseng and rare medicines, delivering piles upon piles of them to the villa.
Over the next two years, A’Ying seemed like a completely different person. He became diligent, hardworking, and willing to endure hardship. Gradually, he even earned a reputation among the elders as someone “steady and sensible.” Even Azure Dragon slowly let go of his disappointment and once again promoted him to participate in important affairs within the organization. He even frequently instructed Liu Yi to accompany him on assignments. “Go see things with Brother Ying.”
A’Ying transformed himself into an affable and approachable elder brother figure, while Liu Yi had long since mastered the art of acting obedient and agreeable around him. The two of them appeared every bit the harmonious elder and younger brothers, successfully handling one major matter after another together. A’Ying even boldly proposed to Azure Dragon that their business operations gradually expand beyond the confines of the Walled City. When the year-end accounts were tallied, all the elders praised both A’Ying and Liu Yi generously.
Xiao Man also blossomed into an even more elegant and beautiful young woman. In the Walled City, many girls were promised in marriage while still in their teens. Xiao Man was now in her early twenties, in the prime of her youth and at an age when marriage was expected. Some coveted her beauty, while others hoped to form an alliance with Xiao Qi Hall. Matchmakers came one after another, constantly visiting the villa to propose marriage on behalf of various suitors. Even among the inspectors, some had begun making plans for their sons and nephews. One matchmaker after another sat in the villa’s living room, lavishly praising one handsome young man after another. Yet Xiao Man was unwilling even to meet them.
One night, brother and sister each lay on a large reclining chair on the balcony outside Xiao Man’s room, gazing at the moon. Downstairs, a newly arrived matchmaker was still chattering endlessly to Azure Dragon in the living room. Her voice possessed a magical ability to penetrate walls and floors, making every word perfectly audible upstairs. Liu Yi rolled over to face Xiao Man, rubbed his ears, and sighed. “Sis, do you just not want to get married?”
Xiao Man turned her head and looked at him, then replied softly, “What about you? Do you want to?”
Liu Yi was silent for a moment. “I’m not getting married. I’ll spend my whole life looking after you and Eldest.”
Xiao Man turned onto her side to face him as well. “Then I’ll spend my whole life looking after you and Eldest too.”
“You’re a girl. You’re going to get married someday,” Liu Yi said uneasily. “You’re not like Dong Dong, are you? Um… do you like Dong Dong?”
Xiao Man smiled gently and shook her head. “Dong Dong is a good person.”
Liu Yi only had time to spend a second silently mourning the latest good-person card his friend had received before he saw Xiao Man blush faintly. Then she lowered her voice and said, “Actually… I like Eldest. He’s the only person I want to marry in this lifetime. I don’t want to leave him. I don’t want to leave you either. If the three of us could stay together like this for the rest of our lives, wouldn’t that be wonderful?”
Liu Yi stared at her blankly. Over the years, he had vaguely sensed her feelings. No matter how dull he was when it came to matters of the heart, even he could see it. But hearing those words spoken aloud by the shy and reserved Xiao Man still struck him with the force of a mountain collapsing into the sea.
He did not know how to explain the indescribable bitterness in his heart. Softly, he asked, “Then will you tell him?”
“Tell him what?”
“Tell Eldest that you like him and want to marry him.”
Xiao Man shook her head. “I don’t dare. I don’t know whether he likes me. He treats me so well that sometimes I think perhaps he does like me. Then at other times I think he’s simply kind to me. He’s kind to you, and he’s kind to Brother Ying too. He’s kind to everyone.”
Xiao Liu sat up and hugged her. “That’s not true. Eldest… he definitely likes you. Who else could there be? You’re the only woman closest to him. If you don’t dare tell him, I’ll tell him for you. I won’t let him know that you know about this.”
Xiao Man blushed crimson and nodded in his embrace, letting out a sigh filled with longing.
After leaving Xiao Man’s room, Liu Yi returned to the bathroom in his own room. He filled the bathtub with water and slowly submerged his entire body beneath the surface. Underwater, he gazed silently up at the calm surface above him. The roar of waves thundered in his ears. The world was so blurred and indistinct. He could not move. He had nowhere to escape.
Holding his breath within his scarred and battered body, he pressed a hand against his aching chest. The sensation pierced him to the bone. It was a complicated, tangled sorrow unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life.
If the three of us could stay together like this for the rest of our lives, wouldn’t that be wonderful?
Yes. Xiao Man loved Azure Dragon. Azure Dragon loved Xiao Man. They would become husband and wife, and he would be the younger brother they shared. The three of them would spend their lives together like that. Wouldn’t it be wonderful?
As for his own humble and twisted love, it should remain forever at the bottom of the water, never seeing the light of day.
This was the best ending for all of them.
He choked on a mouthful of water and suddenly sat upright. Wet hair concealed his face as streams of water ran endlessly down his cheeks and dripped into the bathtub. Covering his mouth, he let out a low, suppressed sob.
Not long afterward came Liu Yi’s twentieth birthday. Azure Dragon planned to bestow a great honor upon him for his twentieth birthday by holding a coming-of-age ceremony for him in Xiao Qi Hall’s ancestral hall. Before his birthday, Azure Dragon asked what he wanted as a birthday present.
Liu Yi replied, “I want Xiao Man to become my sister-in-law.”
For the rest of his life, he would never forget the expression on Azure Dragon’s face at that moment. Later, when both Azure Dragon and Xiao Man were dead, when the villa he had lived in since childhood had been burned to the ground by A’Ying, when he stood in that charred shell of a house staring at Azure Dragon’s memorial tablet, he would still remember that shocked and restrained look in Azure Dragon’s eyes.
Azure Dragon looked at him for a long time before saying, “Whatever you want, Eldest will give it to you… except for that.”
He was stunned. He could not understand why Azure Dragon refused. Over the years, Xiao Man had learned singing, dancing, cooking, and flower arranging. Though naturally shy and quiet, she had still worked hard to socialize at the banquets and parties hosted by wealthy ladies. She had cultivated every virtue expected of a wife—gentle, graceful, capable both in public and at home. She was the perfect wife, the dream of countless men.
“That’s the only thing I want,” he insisted stubbornly.
Azure Dragon frowned—and Liu Yi had no idea why.
“Do you even know what you’re saying?” Azure Dragon asked.
Anxiety and bitterness hammered at his chest. “She’s my sister!” he blurted out. “She likes you!”
But Azure Dragon asked, “What about you?”
“…”
He froze. He did not understand what Azure Dragon meant.
No. He was not that foolish. Looking into Azure Dragon’s eyes, filled with pain and reproach, it suddenly struck him like a thunderclap exploding beside his ears. Aside from social obligations, Azure Dragon never frequented brothels or places of pleasure. Throughout all these years, there had never been a woman close to him. Those embraces. That concern. That slap. That tear. And that kiss that had seemed like a dream, faintly brushing his forehead while he drifted in and out of consciousness…
Scene after scene from the past spun through his mind like frames of film. At last, he realized something.
But he did not dare believe it.
He lowered his head and looked at his trembling hands. He could no longer control his breathing. He could not believe it. How could he believe it? And even if he did, what then?
He took a painful step backward. “I… I’m your subordinate. I’m the disciple who pledged allegiance to you. Once I acknowledge you as my boss, I’ll follow you for the rest of my life.”
He knew this was the best ending they could have.
Azure Dragon stared blankly at him as well.
Yes. This was the best ending they could have.
At the birthday banquet on June 1st, Azure Dragon announced his wedding date with Xiao Man to everyone.
Besides that, he also gifted Xiao Liu a pair of exquisitely crafted twin blades engraved with magnificent dragon patterns. At the end of the banquet, he brought Xiao Liu to the elders’ table and said to them, “This is the disciple I am most proud of, and he will soon become the youngest Red Pole in Xiao Qi Hall. Starting next month, I will hand over part of the organization’s business for him to manage. I ask all the elders to guide him and support him.”
The elders were somewhat surprised, but it was not entirely unexpected. They all raised their cups together to congratulate Xiao Liu. Yet no one noticed that at the neighboring table, A’Ying silently crushed the wine glass in his hand.
From that day onward, the intertwined fates of the four of them began their descent into the abyss.
Futile Devices Scans 
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