"This is a check for 100,000 yuan."

Under bright lights, the handsome young man in a tuxedo slid a paper stamped with official seals across the table to me.

"Texas Hold’em? Blackjack? Or Bull Bull?"

"I…" I hesitated, pushing the check back. "I don’t know how to play."

"Haha, kid. Didn’t Earth tell you? Everyone here’s family. Play or don’t—it’s up to you. But this is your reward for rescuing Huang Yingdie. Don’t refuse it."

The tuxedoed youth grinned warmly. "Truth is, my big brother asked me to look after you before he left. With him gone and this mess happening right after… I’ve been feeling awful about it. Thank goodness nothing tragic came of it."

"Hey! Watch your mouth—Long isn’t dead!"

Ouyang Earth plopped down beside the young man, snatching a beer bottle from the floor. He chugged two huge gulps. "Yi Yao, meet Luo Wei. Call him Brother Wei, Card Brother, Knife Brother—whatever you like. We’re all brothers here. Keep it casual."

"Card Brother." I nodded politely but firmly at the tuxedoed youth.

Honestly, this Luo Wei—with his bleached yellow hair—was undeniably handsome. His clean-cut face, slender frame, and sharp tuxedo screamed playboy. His smooth card tricks and practiced swagger confirmed he’d been in this line of work a long time.

"Luo Wei, this is Yi Yao. You’ve heard of her."

"Heard of her? Sure. But I thought Yi Yao was a guy."

I couldn’t help but ask, "And now?"

"Now? Honestly, that assumption doesn’t feel so wrong. Haha! Yi Yao, you’re the most tomboyish girl I’ve ever met. Most girls tremble like they’ve walked into a casino the first time they step in here."

*This literally is a casino.*

"Seriously, Yi Yao—if you need cash, just tell us." Luo Wei swept a hand toward bundles of cash on the mahjong table. "This is just a fraction of the Black Dragon Society’s assets. Even the entertainment complex upstairs is members-only."

I knew "members" meant core members—not Flower Snake’s middle-school crew. And now, I was one of them too.

"I bet you still think we’re a gang, huh?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Aren’t you?"

*Would any legit group call itself "Black Dragon Society"?*

"Heh. I like your bluntness." Card Brother pulled a heavily stamped ID from his pocket. "What if I told you we’re actually a legal organization? Would you believe me?"

"‘Black Dragon Society’ is just a front—to make people think we’re street thugs. Secretly, we answer directly to the state. Don’t worry about that 100k. We’ll give you an official title: ‘Outstanding Member of the Special Task Force for Severe Armed Kidnapping Cases.’ No one will question where the money came from."

"Unbelievable, right? In Shangjing, this is three years’ salary for most civilians—and you earned it in one day. Ever seen this much cash before?"

*I have. When I died last life, my bank account held over six million.*

To live, you need food. For food, you need money. Simple truth.

But some people spend in one meal what others earn in a lifetime.

Nothing in this world is equal. If anything is fair, it’s that this unfairness applies to everyone.

"Enough, Luo Wei. Stop teasing the kid. Spit it out—I need to take her home. She’s been missing a whole day and night. Her parents must be frantic." Ouyang Earth slapped the youth’s shoulder impatiently.

"Right! Almost forgot." Luo Wei laughed. "Yi Yao, you’re stunning. I bet if you wore something androgynous, you could walk down the street and pick up girls."

*Please. I know my own voice. It’s not princess-soft, but anyone with ears can tell I’m a girl.*

"Ice. Come here."

Luo Wei waved to a girl nearby.

"Hm?"

The girl in a pale sleeveless dress turned her head, a lollipop bobbing between her lips.

"You two spar."

*Huh? Why am I fighting her—*

The lollipop girl ambled over, eyeing me with mild reluctance. "100."

"50."

"80."

"Deal!"

*What are you two even talking about?*

Card Brother nudged the lollipop girl toward me. "Yi Yao, this is Lu Yibing. Call her Sister Ice."

I bowed slightly to the shorter, expressionless girl. "Sister Ice."

"Ice trained in the mountains with my master since childhood. She just came down two months ago. I want her to gauge your strength." Card Brother gave an apologetic smile. "Don’t hold back during the fight. Ice ranks top ten in the Black Dragon Society."

*They have rankings…?*

"My apologies."

Before I could process this, the lollipop girl lashed out with a kick. I barely blocked it. Our feet collided midair—*thud*—a jolt of force numbing half my leg.

*This girl… is strong.*

That first clash told me everything: her footwork and agility far surpassed mine. Worse, she’d kept one hand gripping her lollipop stick while the other hung loose at her waist.

She’d used less than 60% of her strength.

*And she’s only top ten in this small-time gang? When did they get so many monsters?*

I leapt back, settling into a fighting stance.

Taekwondo has two stances: performance mode guards the head (high scores in tournaments), while real combat lowers the guard to protect the torso. I shifted slightly, prioritizing evasion and blocks.

Forward. Dash. Lift leg. One fluid motion.

Taekwondo avoids close combat—I’m no grappler. I poured all my power into speed, aiming to strike fast.

*Whoosh—*

Two swift kicks missed as she dodged effortlessly. When I regained balance, she was still lazily licking her lollipop. Card Brother hadn’t been joking.

*Thud—*

A surprise side kick met her block. In her calm eyes, I saw only a blur—then she was behind me, her small foot already rising. Too fast to dodge.

Her pink Lolita shoe stopped against my waist.

"Over."

She withdrew her foot and walked back to Card Brother. "S-grade."

Card Brother’s eyes widened. "That high?"

"Mm."

The lollipop girl said no more, returning to her seat to scroll on her phone.

"Yi Yao, impressive!" Ouyang Earth laughed, beer in hand. "You earned an S-grade potential rating from Ice. Guess I underestimated you."

Card Brother studied me closely. "Real talent."

*What is this, a xianxia novel? Are we grading cultivation roots now?*

After a full minute of scrutiny, he pulled two cards from the table. "Yi Yao, know why Earth told you to call me Card Brother?"

I shook my head.

"Earth."

"Ugh." Ouyang Earth grabbed a beer and retreated to a stool fifty meters away. "Always me. Be careful."

"Got it."

Card Brother offered me the Ace of Spades. "Check it. Ordinary playing card."

I felt it briefly and handed it back. "Okay."

"Earth—heads up!"

Card Brother twisted into an odd stance and hurled the card at Ouyang Earth’s beer bottle.

The card sliced through air with a *hiss*, piercing cleanly two centimeters below the bottle cap. It kept flying, embedding deep into the wall behind.

*Magic? Or some card trick?*

"You and your showboating," Ouyang Earth grumbled, returning with the severed bottle. He grinned at me. "See that, Yi Yao? Card Brother’s the Black Dragon Society’s ace. Looks like he wants to take you as his disciple."

"Honestly? I’m jealous this time." Card Brother produced two slender knives with razor-sharp blades. "Yi Yao, if you ever want to learn, come find me anytime. The Card Clan has few rules—treat me like a martial arts coach. Your potential is exceptional. I want you to train properly. And don’t worry—this is personal. You owe the Black Dragon Society nothing, no matter what happens later."

*Learn card tricks from Card Brother?*

"These are my welcome gift. My uncle had them custom-made by an old craftsman. They’ve got spirit. Elegant, too—I think they suit you."

I took the knives, drawing them from their sheaths. My reflection glinted on the blades. Without thinking, I said, "Okay."

*Why refuse? Free training. Better combat skills. No downside.*

"Get used to them this week. I’ve got business to handle anyway."

Card Brother snapped his fingers, donning a tiny top hat. "Earth, take my disciple home. Don’t let her dad worry."

…

I stood outside my front door for three full minutes.

The check lay quiet in my pocket. The knives hid neatly in my pants.

None of that mattered. What haunted me was how my father would greet me after this.

Would he yell about my careless kidnapping? Rage over my skipped classes?

In my past life, I’d have known he was frantic with worry. But this world… I wasn’t sure anymore.

Trust had shattered. Memories lay in pieces.

Panic crept into my chest.

Finally, I knocked.

Rapid footsteps echoed inside. The door rattled open.

The dark stairwell flooded with light from within.

A middle-aged man’s weary face appeared.

"Yi Yao…"

Tears traced hot paths down his cheeks.

"You..."

His voice, choked with emotion, faltered and dissolved into sobs.

Holding me, my father slowly knelt on the icy ground.

"Dad..."

I held back my tears, gently wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, and whispered softly, "I'm back."