Basement of the Entertainment City.

Besides Card Brother, I spotted Ouyang Earth and Lu Yibing here—both long absent from the scene. The usual Black Dragon Society extras were nowhere to be seen. The basement stood eerily empty, just tables and chairs scattered in the silence.

“Let’s cut to the chase,” Card Brother said, gesturing for us to sit around the largest mahjong table. He flicked two Joker cards onto the center. “Right now, Shangjing City is like these two Kings—highest bidder takes all. Everyone wants it.”

“Naturally, the Black Dragon Society has zero interest in power plays. Even if all of Yixian Province collapsed, we wouldn’t blink.”

*Whoosh.*

A playing card shot from Card Brother’s hand toward Xiaodie beside me. The quick-eyed girl caught it mid-air. Flipping it over, I saw the Ace of Hearts in her palm.

“Hah! Just like Yi Yao back then—sharp reflexes, total focus.” Card Brother chuckled, sipping tea elegantly. “You must’ve sensed it already… about your father.”

Xiaodie didn’t answer. Just a slight nod.

“Someone’s moving against him. At this rate, his downfall is inevitable.”

Under Card Brother’s cryptic smile, Huang Yingdie spoke her first words since arriving: “What do you need me to do?”

“No, no, little sister. You’ve misunderstood us from the start.” He set down his teacup. “We don’t meddle in politics. And frankly, it’s too late to intervene now—you still don’t grasp the reality. I didn’t bring you and Yi Yao here to save your father.”

Xiaodie’s small hands trembled slightly on her knees.

“You’re Yi Yao’s… friend? Let’s call it that. Yi Yao is one of ours. We won’t let her get dragged down. Do you understand?”

“Card Brother,” I cut in, “I’m not following—”

“Someone in this city has ironclad proof of the mayor’s corruption. They’re rallying allies to leak it to the media. When that happens, Huang Zhiqiang’s entire empire in Shangjing City collapses—including you, Xiaodie. Yi Yao, if you stay close to his daughter now, you’ll be swept up too.”

I froze.

In another timeline, Huang Yingdie’s father *was* executed for corruption.

But not this early. I remembered the scandal breaking in 2017. Why…?

“Normally, those people couldn’t touch the mayor this year. But he made one fatal mistake.”

“A mistake?”

Card Brother nodded toward Ouyang Earth.

“Yi Yao, remember your kidnapping?” Ouyang Earth sighed. “That group had deep roots here and in the Triangle Zone—that’s why I assigned a sniper to guard you. What I didn’t expect… was the mayor mobilizing every resource he had. In three days, he wiped out their entire Shangjing faction. And handed his enemies the perfect weapon.”

*So that’s how it happened…*

If I hadn’t saved Xiaodie back then, her father wouldn’t have risked everything for her. His crimes might’ve stayed buried.

Because she lived, his fate changed.

My single act had reshaped all of Shangjing City.

“Is there… no way to stop it? Destroy the evidence?”

“Politics would take three sleepless nights to explain. And yes—he *has* done unspeakable things.” Card Brother’s gaze turned grave. “All I can tell you, Yi Yao: within a week, Huang Zhiqiang falls. Once the public turns against him, even Huang Tianqi won’t be able to shield him.”

“Those people?”

“Who they are doesn’t matter. We face two questions: First, Huang Yingdie—when your father’s empire crumbles, where will *you* run? Second, Yi Yao—you’ve been photographed with her twice. When the nation condemns her father, you’ll be stained too. What then?”

*Thud.*

Huang Yingdie stood abruptly.

“I understand.”

Her head stayed bowed, hiding her face. Her voice was unnaturally calm.

She’d heard the subtext loud and clear: *Your family’s disaster threatens Yi Yao. We’re here as brothers to clean up the mess.*

“I just remembered… things at home. I should go.”

Still looking down, still calm, she turned toward the elevator.

“Xiaodie!”

I reached for her arm on instinct—but she pulled away sharply. Card Brother just shrugged, palms up: *Your call.*

“Xiaodie, wait!”

I squeezed into the elevator before the doors closed. The fragile-looking girl stood trembling. Softly, I said: “This isn’t your fault.”

“I know…”

She buried her face in my shoulder, her voice muffled. “I’ve known since I saw him take that money… this day would come.”

“I hated him so much. But hearing he’ll leave me soon… why does my chest ache like this?”

The elevator was a tiny, sealed box. Her faint floral scent filled the air.

No floor button pressed—the lights dimmed to darkness.

Only our faint breaths broke the silence.

“Yi Yao…”

After a long pause, her whisper floated up.

“Hmm?”

“Is death… very scary?”

“Yes.”

“He never wanted this path. It was all for me… Two years ago, I got terribly sick. The treatment cost a fortune. He had no choice but to funnel money to save me.” Her voice cracked. “The day I woke up cured, I was shoved into a ballgown. Forced to thank ‘saviors’ at galas, smile for cameras… That’s when I started hating crowds.”

“I’d rather face hundreds of assassins than those hypocrites. They keep reminding me I only breathe because of their charity…”

“There’s no turning back once you start. Lately, Dad keeps saying he bought me a house with ‘clean money’… telling me to leave. But if I go… who’ll be his last thread to this world?”

She stepped back, wiping her eyes. “Sorry. I’m making a mess of myself. It’s better out loud.”

“It’s okay.” I smiled gently. “My family’s not so different. My mom’s time is short too. Dad’s already planning to pull me out of school to ‘support the household’.”

“Sounds like your clan favors sons.”

“They do. All of them.”

“And you…?”

“I won’t give up. On you. Or myself.” I scratched my cheek, avoiding her gaze. “Though honestly? I’m still figuring out how we ended up like this.”

“Karmic bond.”

“Yeah. Total karmic bond with you.”

“Hehe… You’re kinda cute sometimes, Yi Yao.”

She pressed the elevator button.

“What are you—”

Before I could react, she shoved me out. “I need to go home. Alone.”

The doors began sliding shut.

“Don’t worry,” her voice drifted through the narrowing gap. “We’ll be fine. You took a bullet, I took a knife—we’re still standing. Maybe tomorrow… everything changes.”

Her words faded as the elevator descended.

“Well?” Card Brother ambled over, shuffling a deck with a grin.

I nodded. “She’ll hold up. She’s not the type to break.”

“Honestly?” Ouyang Earth cut in. “I never expected your bond to deepen like this. I thought you were just in it for the cash. Now… Yi Yao, got a crush?”

“Please. Even if I did, she’d never look my way.” I slumped back at the table, gulping cold tea. “So what now?”

Card Brother shrugged. “Huang Zhiqiang’s fate is sealed. We don’t do politics. The choice is yours.”

“Mine?”

“Exactly. That’s why we called Ouyang and Ice Sister.” He jerked a thumb at the stoic girl sucking a lollipop. “Ouyang’s military-connected. Can’t touch politics, but he *can* protect one girl. If you insist on saving Huang Yingdie, we can hide her where Ice Sister’s master trains.”

Ouyang sighed. “I *can* guard her. But it’s a remote mountain village. A pampered girl like her? She’d crack within months. Look at Ice Sister—used to be stunning, now martial arts made her weird…”

*Thwack!*

A lollipop smacked Ouyang’s head.

“Whoa—no throwing knives! I’m sorry, Ice Sister!”

Ignoring their antics, I locked eyes with Card Brother. “No other options?”

“Other option? Let nature take its course. No protection for Huang Yingdie.”

“That’s an option?”

“Hah! I’m not finished. ‘No protection’ means Ouyang won’t move officially. But Yi Yao…” He leaned in, voice dropping. “You’re the wild card.”

“You escaped kidnappers. You rescued people from Huang Qinghao. My gut says you’ve got the power to alter destinies.”

“You’re practically Card Clan now. We’ll train you—no strings attached.”

His hand landed on my shoulder, his smile sharp with meaning.

“How you use that power? Entirely up to you.”