"Do you want me to step in?" Xu Weiyu tilted her head toward Su Nisheng.

"Go ahead." Su Nisheng took a deep breath. Xu Weiyu rose from her chair and headed toward the stage exit where Lin Ran was descending.

On the ring, Lin Ran held Xu Zhi’s hand as they stepped down. She was being led by him but kept crying uncontrollably. When Lin Ran saw the girl before him, he froze.

*Since when do sixteen-year-olds come to places like this?*

The adorable girl wore a sweet white LO dress. Her chest was ample—very ample—but her face looked barely fifteen or sixteen. She met Lin Ran’s gaze, gave him a meaningful look, then patted his shoulder gently several times.

A wave of warmth washed over him. The injury on his shoulder began healing slowly. Lin Ran murmured his thanks.

"Don’t thank me. Thank who you *really* know."

Xu Weiyu skipped back to her seat at the far corner. Lin Ran glanced up and locked eyes with Su Nisheng, offering a smile.

Su Nisheng ground her teeth in fury.

Lin Ran’s wounds were now fully healed. Qin You descended the stage, offering him a cigarette. Lin Ran accepted it with thanks. Qin You even lit it for him. Tonight was a huge win. He clapped Lin Ran’s shoulder. "I’ll transfer the money to your account later. Adding an extra hundred thousand—you fought brilliantly. That bastard surnamed Lin lost half a million. Serves him right."

Lin Ran grinned his thanks. The matches were over. He leaned close to Xu Zhi’s ear, whispering a few words before leading her out of the third floor to his private lounge and shower room. Seeing her biting her lip, he sighed softly.

"I wouldn’t lose. I only took the fight because I had a sure thing."

"Won’t lose? What makes you so sure? Do you even know how terrifying that monster was… you—" Before she could continue, Lin Ran pressed a finger to her lips.

"Listen first. I said I wouldn’t lose… because I cheated."

"Cheated?" Xu Zhi froze.

"I saw my ex-girlfriend. She came to watch my match. I borrowed money from her today—she refused—but she still showed up tonight. Her ability is telekinesis. As long as she’s here, I can’t lose."

"You were certain she’d help you?"

"Our history’s complicated. But she *would* help me. I value my life too much to risk this without absolute certainty. You understand?"

Lin Ran’s sly smile left Xu Zhi speechless. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Shame you didn’t bet on me. Could’ve made a fortune."

Xu Zhi stared at him, tears still threatening to fall.

Lin Ran kept grinning. After a long silence, Xu Zhi reached out and gently stroked his cheek. "Does your face hurt?"

"You’re too soft to cause any pain. Just buy me a few extra drinks tonight, that’s all."

Lin Ran turned toward the bathroom. "I’m showering. We’ll drink after. You change too. See you soon."

Xu Zhi bit her lip, nodded, and left the room.

……………………………………

Freshly showered and hair dried, Lin Ran stepped out of the bathroom. Su Nisheng stood outside, arms crossed, her eyes sharp enough to kill. She kicked his leg—once, twice—still unsatisfied. Lin Ran didn’t dodge; she wasn’t using much force anyway.

"If I hadn’t helped tonight, would you have let them beat you to death?"

"I’d have faked a knockout earlier," Lin Ran replied lightly.

Su Nisheng seethed, raising a fist before lowering it with a cold laugh. "So you used me just to impress another girl?"

"No, no—I’m not chasing her. She’s my… buddy. Yeah, just a buddy."

"Hmph." Su Nisheng shot him a withering glare, done with him. She stomped her little leather shoe on his foot.

"Whatever. I’m heading to the fifth floor. If anyone questions you later, say you know nothing."

Without another word, she turned and left. Xu Weiyu skipped after her, holding her hand. She glanced back at Su Nisheng in confusion, then at Lin Ran.

She didn’t quite understand.

The Alliance strictly regulated its personnel—casual intervention was forbidden. Though Su Nisheng held a special status, the owner of this building was someone even the Alliance avoided provoking. Yet Su Nisheng had acted here. If discovered, she’d face serious consequences: at best, disciplinary action; at worst, a month’s confinement.

But Su Nisheng, furious as she was, hadn’t complained about any of this to Lin Ran.

…………………………………………

Su Nisheng and Xu Weiyu went to the fifth floor, exchanging small chips for card games.

They weren’t here to gamble. They waited for the building’s owner to send someone to discuss tonight’s incident. Rumor said the owner was S Rank. Su Nisheng’s interference had a seventy percent chance of being detected.

They couldn’t leave yet. If spotted, they’d be summoned. Su Nisheng knew this. Yet after half an hour of play—turning a hundred bucks into over three thousand—no one had come.

*Not detected?* Su Nisheng exhaled in relief. Not for herself. This meant Lin Ran, that idiot, wouldn’t be marked for trouble.

……………………………………

"Boss, someone from the Alliance intervened."

In a dim room, a woman in a silver slip dress lounged on a sofa. A girl knelt beside her, massaging her legs with perfect pressure. The woman had wavy silver hair, a willowy figure, and skin that glowed under the lights.

"Report."

"During Lin Ran’s match against Blood Wolf, Su Nisheng clearly stepped in. Otherwise, Blood Wolf wouldn’t have fallen so fast. He’s conscious now but noticed nothing unusual. He’s been disciplined for disrupting order."

"Disciplined?"

"Half a pinky finger was removed."

"Not enough."

"Then… break a hand?"

"Not enough."

The girl massaging the boss’s thigh trembled slightly. Fear crept in—if she guessed wrong again, *she’d* be punished. After three seconds of silence, her voice shook.

"Bury him alive?"

"Break his bones first, *then* bury him." The boss’s tone turned impatient. The girl nodded frantically. "I’ll arrange it immediately."

The boss reclined lazily, her gaze drifting to the ceiling, a flicker of melancholy in her eyes.

"And the two Alliance agents?"

"Let them leave."

"What about the fighter, Lin Ran?"

"Leave him."

"Understood."

……………………………………

Lin Ran sat in a booth overlooking the dance floor. The DJ’s beats thumped hard. The table held only soda mixers. Xu Zhi’s eyes were still red-rimmed. The world roared on, unchanged.

Nothing *had* changed. He’d simply won a fight tonight. Xu Zhi owed him drinks. That was all. They kept drinking. Lin Ran lit a cigarette, watching the crowd. Several people toasted him—likely because he’d won them money. Soon, champagne arrived at their table. Lin Ran studied Xu Zhi’s profile. She was lost in thought.

A girl approached him. Pretty, but no one dared get close—she was one of the boss’s maids. Her presence meant the boss’s will. The crowd parted as she reached Lin Ran and handed him a card.

"This is Blood Wolf’s payment. PIN: six sixes. Keep it safe."

Lin Ran pocketed the card and tossed it to Xu Zhi. Qin You’s two hundred thousand had already arrived; Lin Ran transferred it to her too.

Xu Zhi met his eyes.

Lin Ran placed a hand on her shoulder—to stop her from refusing, or from kissing him.

"I don’t need it. Free money. Take it. You’re still short a hundred thousand—that’s on you." He pressed a finger to her lips before she could speak.

"Not tonight."

He rarely hugged her, but now he pulled her close. Xu Zhi stayed silent for several seconds. Then she leaned in and kissed his cheek. This time, Lin Ran didn’t pull away.

They played dice and drank. When tipsy, Xu Zhi poured champagne into a shot glass, her hand unsteady. She spilled tequila onto her delicate collarbone.

"Drink with me."

She tugged Lin Ran closer. He looked at her face, winked, and without hesitation, lowered his lips to her collarbone.

It was tender.

The maid who’d delivered the card lingered nearby, observing the third floor. After a while, she approached Lin Ran with a light smile.

"If you need cash, the fruit machines on the fifth floor might bring luck. The goddess smiled on you today."

Lin Ran paused, then softly thanked her.

The maid left. Xu Zhi, still dizzy, frowned at Lin Ran. "Is she… trying to make you lose the money you just got?"

"No. Didn’t you hear her?"

"Hear what?"

"She said the lucky goddess is smiling."

Lin Ran grinned at Xu Zhi.