In the dim light of early morning, at 6 o'clock, Zhang Wei found himself barely having slept for two hours. He was exhausted, yet determination burned in his eyes as he prepared to move again.
Gently cradling Lin Ruoxi's unconscious body, he covered her with a warm quilt.
With a purposeful stride, he made his way outside her door.
As he descended the stairs, on his way, he unexpectedly locked eyes with Guo Xiaoi, whose expression shifted from confusion to shock upon seeing Zhang Wei carrying Lin Ruoxi.
"W-Where are you taking the miss? What have you done to her?" Guo Xiaoi's voice trembled with concern and fear.
Zhang Wei's lips curved into a faint smile, exuding an air of mysterious confidence. "I haven't hard her in any way. She will be returned unhard in two weeks. But beware, if you breathe a word of this to anyone, you'll et her lifeless body."
At that mont, he extended his hand, and small bolts of thunder crackled from his fingers, dark violet flashes illuminating the surroundings. Guo Xiaoi's eyes widened in astonishnt as she realized she was facing a Cultivator, soone wielding extraordinary powers.
"Y-you are a Cultivator!" Guo Xiaoi stuttered in disbelief.
Zhang Wei chuckled, "Since you know about it, don't bother anymore. Your broken spiritual roots won't be able to stop ."
With a chilling warning, he brushed past the elderly woman, who stood frozen with terror etched on her face.
"H-How does he know about my spiritual roots?" she muttered in shock.
Outside the gate, Rose, his steadfast accomplice, stood waiting for him. As Zhang Wei approached, Rose executed a mock salute, a hint of playfulness in her eyes as she called him "Boss."
The estate had no guards as Lin Ruoxi disliked an overwhelming presence of people around.
Zhang Wei glanced at Rose, who had dressed more casually than usual, opting for shorts instead of her usual attire. "You look good in those," he remarked, acknowledging her change of style while brushing off her earlier teasing.
Rose's eyes sparkled with delight at the unexpected praise. "Really?" she replied playfully, enjoying the mont.
Without dwelling on the matter, Zhang Wei carefully settled Lin Ruoxi in the backseat of the car, positioning himself in the passenger seat while Rose took the wheel.
Her curiosity getting the better of her, Rose occasionally glanced at the unconscious Lin Ruoxi in the rearview mirror. "What are you planning to do with her, boss?"
Zhang Wei closed his eyes, deep in thought. "She's too troubleso to handle at the mont. First, I need to ta her, and then we can leverage the resources from her group. After all, your gang isn't making much money either, right?"
Rose humd in agreent, though a tinge of amusent laced her voice. "Feels like we're in a movie, with a mafia extorting a rich businessman."
With a sly grin, Zhang Wei teased, "Have you forgotten, that you're part of an illegal organization? How different are we from the mafia?"
Rose's agreent ca with a tinge of unease, "You're right, but I can't deny that the gang's been struggling financially. This new opportunity might just be what we need to expand our influence to other districts."
She couldn't help but feel conflicted; as the forr leader, she never resorted to blackmail and found Zhang Wei's thods disturbingly ruthless.
But now, she was bound to him as a re slave.
However, Zhang Wei had a surprise in store for her.
"You should leave the gang," he declared abruptly.
!!
"What?" Rose's lips twitched with disbelief, "Co on, boss, don't play gas with ."
As much as she hoped he was jesting, a hint of anxiety crept in, uncertain of his intentions.
Shaking his head firmly, Zhang Wei's deanor turned serious. "I'm dead serious. Money isn't what's been holding back the 'White Tigers' from expanding their territory."
The na 'White Tigers' belonged to their gang, ranking second in power within the waterfront district. Yet, in comparison to the Red Scorpions, they paled in significance.
The stark contrast between the two gangs was evident in their choice of bases alone. The Red Scorpions luxuriated in an expensive casino and conducted business at the prestigious Black Pearl, a five-star restaurant. In contrast, the White Tigers were relegated to operating out of a dingy old bar.
Rose clenched her jaw, acutely aware of their limitations. Their gang struggled to amass 'profits' without resorting to vile enterprises like smuggling and child trafficking – activities she vehently rejected. Moreover, they lacked the connections to indulge in such illicit dealings.
Zhang Wei's laughter echoed, filled with a mix of amusent and exasperation. "Rose, you're still fixated on money," he sighed, shaking his head.
"In the world of the underworld, a gang isn't just about petty earnings; it's about wielding raw Power! You were ant to harness that power and carve your Influence in stone. Money is rely one of the tools to attain it. Look at —I may not have started with riches, yet I effortlessly took over your gang. With your unparalleled fighting skills, you could have easily coerced the wealthy, blackmailed them, or pulled the strings for cunning politicians to earn their loyalty... Your approach simply falls short when it cos to running a successful gang, you are not a fit for underworld!"
He leaned back, regarding her with a calculating gaze. "Let Tang Bo take over; that cunning opportunist can handle the job far better. As for you, I have a far better position."
Zhang Wei's proposition brought up the image of Tang Bo—devious, opportunistic, and cunning.
Tang Bo had been operating right under Rose's watchful eyes, striking secret deals and forming his own faction within the gang, all without her knowledge.
Yet, Rose's voice cut through the air, a mix of determination and weariness. "Boss, I can't do that," she spoke, her tone heavy with history.
"And why is that..?" Zhang Wei arched an intrigued eyebrow, urging her to explain further.
Rose's fingers danced restlessly on the steering wheel before she unveiled her painful past.
She hadn't always belonged to the White Tigers; once, she was an integral part of the Red Scorpions, the sole ruling gang in Qingyun City a decade ago.
Adopted as a goddaughter by one of the highest-ranking mbers, she had been his confidante.
But behind the facade of a ruthless gang, lay the dark truth—Rose had been forced into heinous acts since childhood, committing murders and other vile cris under duress.
However, her resolve to break free had led her to seize an opportune mont and establish the White Tigers.
It was her vision to create an underground organization that upheld a moral code, refraining from delving into the abyss of extre evil.
Yet, her scars from the past weighed heavily upon her, a burden of trauma she carried silently.
Rose's ultimate aspiration, though, was to expand her gang's influence and, one day, confront her torntor and seek vengeance against the godfather who had shattered her childhood.
As Zhang Wei took in this revelation, he found himself both intrigued and amused by her motivation for forming the gang, and her backstory.
Her tough exterior had been carefully crafted to hide the vulnerability within, now he had far better understanding of her character, to properly use her.
He sighed softly, with an air of understanding.
Gently, he stretched his hand, placing it gently against her thigh.
The subtle flinch that followed spoke volus, revealing the tender soul beneath the hardened fa?ade.
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