Brother Long sat inside Ge's Yangchun Noodle House near the Xiaomo Family compound, waiting for Ouyang. He'd already passed their agreed meeting time, his eyes fixed anxiously on the watch on his wrist.
"Sorry," Ouyang panted as she rushed in. "I ran into trouble on the way and got delayed." She noticed Brother Long's empty bowl, the soup long gone—he'd arrived even earlier than planned.
"Isn't this Ouyang?" the noodle shop owner called warmly. "Same as always, a light bowl of Yangchun noodles?" The familiar greeting warmed Ouyang's heart. She remembered clearly: her last human thought had been craving Yangchun noodles. If nothing had happened to her, she'd have accepted without hesitation, drinking every drop of broth.
Hearing the regulars' easy laughter—everyone used to such daily chatter—Ouyang forced a bitter smile. "Boss, you're joking. Not today."
"What happened on the road?" Brother Long whispered, holding his water cup. He seized the moment when everyone's attention was on the owner's banter.
"I was followed. Handled it." Ouyang didn't hide anything, laying out her full connection to the Zodiac Cafe. Without the Blood Clan's rescue, a small incident could have spiraled.
Seeing Brother Long's stern, imposing face, she added, "I'll handle Xiao Long's side."
"Understood."
Brother Long's gaze softened slightly as he looked at the untouched noodles—now forever beyond Ouyang's reach. His eyes locked onto a new collar ornament around her delicate neck. That glaring bat emblem. A trace of worry flickered in his dark eyes. "The cafe benefits you, so I won't interfere privately. But any contact with the Blood Clan—you report to me first."
Before Zero District existed, children of mixed Mosterian and human blood faced exile from pure-blooded Mosterians inside Zero District. They hid in the city's shadows, surviving quietly. Even after Zero District's founding, the few remaining mixed-bloods maintained secret ties within. That collar on Ouyang? A constant reminder: she was watched, trapped under the Blood Clan's grip wherever she went.
*Sigh... this child truly doesn't understand.*
Brother Long exhaled softly, standing to escort Ouyang back to the Xiaomo Family with news of her miraculous return. "If anyone asks where you've been—you know the story?"
"That night, I was badly hurt in the warehouse. A stranger took me to the hospital. Chemical exposure caused internal changes... I can't tolerate light now. Strange transformations happened."
"Say it with confidence."
"Okay..." Ouyang replied tensely.
This cover story was vital. If her true nature slipped out at Xiaomo, it could endanger everyone. To spare Brother Long discomfort walking sunless alleys together, Ouyang had bought a sun umbrella beforehand. She trailed him closely as he outlined plans: "I'll reassign your duties. You're taking time off."
Ouyang burned to protest—she could still work. But how long was "time off"? Orphaned and brought home by Brother Long, she'd vowed her life to him the day she found Xiaomo. She didn't want to burden him with her condition or risk Xiaomo's safety with her non-human existence. Fists clenched hidden in her pockets, frustration gnawed at her. *Useless. I can't help at all now.*
"Brother Long, you're back!"
"Morning, Brother Long~"
Inside the dim white building, Ouyang moved quietly under her hood and sunglasses, desperate to avoid notice. But she couldn't block the whispers reaching her sharp ears:
"Wasn't that Ouyang's face shape...? Skin white as a corpse's?"
"Nonsense! Like someone who hasn't seen sun for years. But she looks thinner..."
"Even shorter now..."
"Brother Ouyang's back? Why wear a hood indoors?"
"Let's yank it off and check!"
"What if he gets mad?"
"Apologize. Easy."
"Come on—I'm curious too."
Two bold youths crept up behind her. Sensing a hand reaching for her hood, Ouyang spun and grabbed the offender's wrist. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Haha... just a joke for Brother Ouyang! Didn't expect it was really you." The youth grinned sheepishly. "Welcome home. Good to have you back."
After only a day's absence, the noisy chatter felt jarring. She followed Brother Long to his office after announcing the canceled funeral and her return.
"Fate is changed by your own hands," Brother Long said abruptly. Ouyang's gloomy heart skipped a beat. "I'm pulling you from your duties—you have a greater purpose." He slid open a drawer, placing a silver handgun and dagger on the desk. "Three pure-silver bullets. A pure-silver blade. Guaranteed to wound the Blood Clan." She'd kept this as a collectible, never imagining she'd wield it.
"Only you can get close to Zero District's leader now. I'll give maximum support—starting with training your strength." He twisted a potted plant on his desk. The elegant rosewood bookshelf behind him rotated 180 degrees, revealing an arsenal—even a rocket launcher. Calmly, he continued: "What you saw before was merely Xiaomo's survival path."
Outwardly, the Xiaomo Family ran legitimate tobacco and alcohol trade. This let them network with regional bosses, quietly securing side deals like weapons procurement. Funds flowed steadily into the Northern District, cementing Xiaomo's status: the strongest, most hidden, most enduring power. These twin white towers needed no name. Locals, other districts, the whole city—they all knew: this was Xiaomo's domain. Xiao symbolized new hope for the Northern District; Mo embraced the city's darkness. Xiaomo's code lived in every member's heart. Leaders like Brother Long made citizens feel truly safe.
"Now, I lead you down a death path. I'll forge you into an assassin." Brother Long smoothed his white temples, eyes deadly serious. "One year. Kill Zero District's leader. You end this yourself."
