Suzuki had been playing dead ever since Ryuzaki Shin threw him out!
He had witnessed the entire fight.
At this moment,
He looked at his accomplices still groaning on the ground, and at his brother, who was completely unconscious.
Only one thought remained in his mind—
Run!
He had to run immediately!
If he didn't run now, he would be next!
He took advantage of Ryuzaki Shin comforting his woman.
Silently, he hugged the wall, inch by inch, wriggling towards the door.
His movements were exceptionally cautious, afraid of making the slightest sound that might alert the devil who was 'cleaning up the battlefield'.
Fear, like an invisible venomous snake, tightly coiled around his heart, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.
His entire body trembled uncontrollably, and cold sweat poured down his forehead like a waterfall.
He could even clearly hear his heart pounding like a drum.
Finally!
He crawled to the doorway!
The light of victory was right before his eyes!
As long as he could crawl out, as long as he could escape this living hell!
He swore he would never see this man again in his life!
Overjoyed, he used all his strength to crawl towards the open door!
However, just as his fingertips were about to touch the cold ground outside the door, just as he was about to breathe the air of freedom!
A pair of blood-stained sneakers appeared silently before him.
Blocking all his escape routes.
Suzuki's body instantly stiffened!
He slowly raised his head.
He saw that the man, like a demon god, had already stood before him at some unknown time.
He was looking down at him with an expression that resembled looking at trash.
A smile, uglier than crying, instantly contorted Suzuki's face, and he stammered, his voice almost pleading:
"B-Brother... I... I was just passing by... Really, I didn't see anything..."
Ryuzaki Shin didn't speak.
He just slowly squatted down, then grabbed his hair and dragged him back to that bloody and desperate... purgatory on earth, like a dead dog.
He threw Suzuki's body heavily in front of the table, which was already stained with blood, and then said in a very calm tone:
"Don't be in such a hurry to leave."
"The show has just begun."
Ryuzaki Shin looked at Suzuki, who was scared out of his wits on the ground, and a gentle smile appeared on his face.
He slowly picked up an intact empty beer bottle from the ground, dropped by someone.
He casually weighed the beer bottle in his hand, then, under Suzuki's terrified gaze, slowly tightened his grip!
"Bang—!"
A crisp, extreme explosion!
The hard beer bottle was actually crushed by his single hand!
Shards of glass, like sharp blades, flew everywhere!
But Ryuzaki Shin acted as if nothing had happened; he didn't even frown.
He just held the glass shards in his hand out to Suzuki and then slowly said in a very calm tone:
"Look, it's all broken."
"What a waste."
"How about... you help me eat them all?"
"I'll let you go after you finish eating them. After all, looking at how lively you are, you probably didn't eat your lunch, did you...?"
"..."
Upon hearing this, Suzuki felt his mind go "buzz" and completely crash!
He looked at the table full of glass shards, then at Ryuzaki Shin's face, which bore a devilish smile, and shuddered in fear, scrambling backward, pleading incoherently:
"N-No... Please... I... I really won't dare again..."
"Oh?"
Ryuzaki Shin raised an eyebrow, slowly stood up, and then fiercely stomped on Suzuki's abdomen!
"Bang!"
Suzuki's body instantly curled into a shrimp!
He felt as if his internal organs were about to be crushed, and he opened his mouth, wanting to scream!
However, before he could cry out.
Ryuzaki Shin had already bent down, grabbed a handful of glass shards from the table, and then, without hesitation, stuffed them all into his mouth, which was open from the intense pain!
"Mmm... Mmm mmm!"
Suzuki's eyes instantly widened!
He felt as if his mouth was being severely cut by countless sharp blades!
Blood, mixed with glass shards, instantly filled his entire mouth!
He struggled frantically, trying to spit out what was in his mouth!
But Ryuzaki Shin just sneered, then extended his other hand and firmly pinched his jaw!
"Swallow it."
His voice was cold, devoid of any emotion.
Suzuki's eyes were filled with endless fear and despair!
He knew that if he really swallowed these things, then he... would truly be finished!
He desperately shook his head, emitting unintelligible, pleading whimpers from his mouth!
However, Ryuzaki Shin acted as if he didn't see it.
He just slowly raised his right fist.
Then, under Suzuki's terrified gaze, he punched him fiercely in the abdomen!
"Bang!"
"Pfft—!"
Suzuki's body trembled violently!
He felt an irresistible force coming from his abdomen!
The glass shards in his mouth, mixed with blood and saliva, uncontrollably slid down his throat!
He could even clearly feel those sharp shards cutting his esophagus, his stomach, one by one... The excruciating pain, like a tide, instantly engulfed him!
"Ugh... Ah..."
He writhed and convulsed on the ground in agony, constantly spewing fresh red blood and... shattered internal organs from his mouth.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at his living-hell-like state, without any expression on his face.
He just slowly stood up, then casually and methodically wiped the blood from his hands with a tissue until it was completely clean.
Then, he casually threw the blood-stained tissue onto Suzuki's face...
Only after Ryuzaki Shin had finished all of this did he slowly turn around and smile at Uehara Asuka.
"Asuka, is all the money packed?"
"Ah… oh… yes… it's… it's done…"
Uehara Asuka subconsciously nodded, clutching the bulging black tote bag tightly to her chest.
"Very good."
Ryuzaki Shin nodded in satisfaction.
He walked over to Uehara Asuka, and with extreme naturalness, extended his hand and wrapped it around her soft waist.
Then, he gently pressed a tender kiss on her smooth forehead.
"Let's go."
His voice was as calm as if he were discussing a trivial matter.
"We… are going home."
Uehara Asuka looked at him, and the fear that had filled her beautiful eyes was gradually replaced by an emotion called "peace of mind."
She nodded heavily, then, like a docile kitten, nestled tightly into his embrace.
However, just as Ryuzaki Shin was about to take her away from this living hell.
He thought for a moment, this time he had truly made an enemy of the Armed Front.
Since he had offended them, he would offend them to the death; this was his principle.
A cold glint flashed in Ryuzaki Shin's eyes.
He released Uehara Asuka's waist, and then, under her confused gaze, slowly walked towards the kitchen behind the bar.
"Shin…?"
Uehara Asuka followed him, a little puzzled.
When she saw Ryuzaki Shin's actions, her beautiful eyes, which had been relatively calm, instantly widened!
Ryuzaki Shin, it turned out, pulled out several barrels of… high-concentration industrial alcohol used as hotpot fuel from a corner of the kitchen!
He carried those heavy alcohol barrels, as if carrying a few bottles of mineral water, effortlessly to the center of the izakaya's hall.
Then, he unscrewed the caps and, like watering flowers, evenly sprinkled the clear, transparent, but pungent-smelling liquid into every corner of the shop.
On the floor, on the tables and chairs, on the walls… and even on the bikers who were still groaning on the ground, oblivious to their impending doom!
"Hey! Kid! Are you f*cking crazy?! What do you want to do?!"
A guy who was relatively close, upon smelling the pungent alcohol, instantly reacted!
His eyes were filled with endless fear and disbelief!
Ryuzaki Shin glanced at this person; he had no intention of killing anyone in public.
Then he said coldly.
"If you don't want to die, carry everyone in the room out. You have two minutes."
The people lying on the ground groaning, upon hearing this, were scared out of their wits. This person wouldn't really want to burn them to death, would he?
But they didn't dare to waste time. Only five or six people had their tendons cut by Ryuzaki Shin, and most of the others had fallen to the ground with one or two blows.
Now, after a while, there were still seven or eight people who could stand up.
They began to frantically carry people out of the izakaya.
Ryuzaki Shin just expressionlessly did what he had to do.
Until the last drop of alcohol flowed out of the barrel.
Only then did he casually toss the empty iron barrels aside.
Then, he slowly walked in front of Uehara Asuka.
He looked at her pale face, which had turned white with fear, and a very gentle smile appeared on his face.
He reached out and gently tucked a few strands of her disheveled hair, scattered from panic, behind her ear.
Holding her hand, step by step, he slowly walked out of the izakaya, which was filled with the smell of blood and alcohol.
At the entrance, members of the Armed Front were laid out haphazardly, having been carried out.
And some onlookers, who had gathered due to the commotion, instinctively took half a step back when they saw the two walk out, their eyes filled with awe and fear.
They looked at the man, covered in blood, but with unusually calm eyes.
And then they looked at the stunningly beautiful woman beside him, whose face was pale, but whom he held tightly in his embrace.
A thought spontaneously arose in everyone's minds—
This man… is not to be trifled with.
Ryuzaki Shin ignored the complex gazes around him.
He just led Uehara Asuka, step by step, to the harley motorcycle parked by the roadside.
Then, he slowly pulled out the slightly deformed pack of Seven Stars cigarettes from his pocket.
He pulled out a cigarette and put it in his mouth.
Then he pulled out a seemingly brand new lighter.
"Click."
A crisp sound.
An orange-red flame quietly bloomed in the cold night.
He took a deep drag, feeling the pungent smoke rush into his lungs, and then slowly exhaled.
Amidst the swirling smoke, his eyes became unusually deep.
Then, under everyone's horrified gazes!
He turned his back to the izakaya, and without looking back, casually tossed the still burning lighter behind him!
The lighter arced through the air, drawing a graceful, death-filled orange-red curve.
Then, with uncanny precision, it landed inside the shop, which was drenched in alcohol and resembled a powder keg!
Time, at this moment, seemed to stand still.
Everyone subconsciously held their breath, their eyes wide, staring intently at the tiny, still burning flame.
The next second!
"Boom—!!!"
A deafening roar, like a bolt from the blue, instantly exploded in the silent night!
Orange-red tongues of fire, like awakened evil dragons, instantly surged out wildly from the shattered paper doors!
Immediately after, the entire izakaya was completely engulfed by a raging inferno!
Blazing fire shot up into the sky, dyeing half the night sky an eerie blood red!
The crackling sound of breaking glass, the sizzling sound of burning wood… intertwined, playing a symphony full of destruction!
...Ultimately, all the scenes were frozen in this final moment—
Ryuzaki Shin, covered in blood, with a cigarette between his fingers, tightly embraced the beautiful woman in his arms, who was completely stunned.
There was no expression on his face, and his deep eyes, reflecting the soaring flames behind him, appeared exceptionally cold and indifferent.
Behind him were the towering inferno and the gradually approaching sound of motorcycles from afar.
It seems the Armed Front has reacted.
This place cannot be stayed in for long.
He himself didn't care, but since he was with a woman, it was time to leave.
Then, without further hesitation, he lifted the still dazed Uehara Asuka onto the back seat of the motorcycle.
He himself also got on.
He twisted the throttle!
"Boom—!"
The harley motorcycle let out a deafening roar from its engine!
Under the horrified gazes of countless people, it tore through the night like a black lightning bolt, instantly disappearing at the end of the street!
(I originally intended to create an image of this real man not looking back at the explosion, but no matter how I tried, I wasn't satisfied, so I had to give up.)
...At the entrance of the izakaya, a shabbily dressed, disheveled man watched the man and woman riding away on the motorcycle.
A sinister glint flashed in his eyes.
"Uehara, you hussy, you really are with this little bastard. This time, let's see how you two die!"
——————
I originally wanted to keep you in suspense, but then I thought, forget it, hurry up and finish this part, I'm going to write about the wife now.
Four chapters yesterday, five chapters today. Let's see who dares to say I'm short!!
It was eleven o'clock at night.
Jingi Ichiban Street, the core territory of the Armed Front.
Multicolored neon signs flickered in the damp air, painting the entire street with an ambiguous and dangerous hue.
"Vroom—! Vroom—!"
More than a dozen pitch-black heavy motorcycles, their engines emitting a low growl, slowly patrolled the street.
Wherever they passed, pedestrians on the roadside all gave way, their eyes filled with awe and fear.
On the lead Triumph Rocket, Kunō Hideomi casually smoked a cigarette; he wasn't even driving himself, just leaning lazily in the back seat.
He enjoyed the thrill of patrolling his territory.
Beside him, Kuno Issei, one of the twin brothers, rode a Kawasaki Ninja, vigilantly scanning his surroundings.
Kuno Issei and Kunō Hideomi are twin brothers, and they also have a younger brother, Kuno Ryushin.
The few of them had known Sugata Kazushi, the second-generation leader of the Armed Front, since childhood, and were led into the Armed Front by Sugata Kazushi.
After Sugata Kazushi's death for some reason, Kunō Hideomi inherited the position of the third-generation leader of the Armed Front. Issei, on the other hand, served as Hideomi's special operations agent, specifically solving some tricky problems for Hideomi.
He is skilled in using a blade, and his swordsmanship is quite good.
However, his character, like Hideomi's, is despicable and vulgar. The two brothers turned the third generation of the Armed Front into an organization that only sought numbers and suppressed other forces with despicable means, committing all sorts of evil deeds.
A very contented radian curved at the corner of Kunō Hideomi's mouth.
Ever since that imbecile Bando, who didn't know his place, was tricked by him and driven to that dump, Suzuran.
The entire Jingi Ichiban Street had completely become his ATM.
He was even already planning to recruit more people and expand his territory after some time.
Just as he was happily calculating his grand plans in his mind!
Suddenly, flames shot into the sky from the direction of the street's end!
"Boom—!"
A loud bang, accompanied by the sound of shattering glass and the startled commotion of the crowd, instantly tore through the night's tranquility!
The contentment on Kunō Hideomi's face vanished instantly.
It was replaced by an extremely cold fury!
Damn it!
Which blind dog dared to set fire in my territory?!
"Issei."
His voice was flat, devoid of any emotion, but the eyes hidden in the shadows flickered with a chilling killing intent.
"Go see, it seems… something has happened."
For the first time, Kuno Issei's usually expressionless face showed an extremely cruel smile.
He didn't speak, but merely let out a beast-like growl at the group of equally stunned subordinates behind him:
"You pups! Work has arrived!"
"Oh oh oh oh oh oh—!!!"
The entire motorcade instantly roared to life, like a black tide, speeding madly towards the scene of the incident!
...Just as Kunō Hideomi's motorcade rushed towards the end of the street.
At an intersection on Jingi Ichiban Street.
A harley motorcycle, also pitch-black, roared past from a perpendicular street, narrowly brushing past that black tide!
Kunō Hideomi instinctively glanced in the direction of that motorcycle.
He didn't see the driver's face, only a "red shirt" that was exceptionally conspicuous in the night, and a woman in a black dress with a breathtakingly curvaceous figure, holding tightly onto the driver's lower back.
His Adam's apple involuntarily bobbed, and an inexplicable heat surged through his body.
Damn it, this chick is really hot... If it weren't for the current situation, I would definitely stop this motorcycle.
He cursed inwardly, but then, more important matters occupied his entire mind, and he didn't delve deeper.
On the other side, on the harley motorcycle.
Ryuzaki Shin also felt the dangerous aura of the motorcycle gang that swept past him.
He and Kunō Hideomi did not know each other, so he naturally didn't recognize him.
However, Ryuzaki Shin knew that this should be the Armed Front coming to deal with the trouble.
There's no need to get entangled with them.
Going back to business now is the way to go.
Then, he twisted the throttle and sped away into the night, leaving a trail of dust!
...At the entrance of the "Tsumugi An" izakaya.
When Kunō Hideomi arrived at the scene, it had already turned into a sea of fire.
The roaring flames furiously devoured the quaint wooden building, emitting crackling explosions!
Thick black smoke, mixed with a pungent burnt smell, rose into the sky, dyeing half the night sky an eerie blood red!
And his subordinates, who should have been guarding the place, were now lying sprawled on the ground like dead dogs, each with bruised faces, broken limbs, and wailing everywhere!
Kenta and Suzuki were even more miserable.
One had his head smashed and bleeding, unconscious, while the other clutched his completely deformed arm, rolling and twitching on the ground.
Kunō Hideomi looked at the scene before him, like a battlefield, and for the first time, a serious expression appeared on his usually languidly smiling face.
This was not a simple provocation.
This was probably a vendetta.
He slowly dismounted his motorcycle, his cold eyes gleaming like a poisonous snake.
Then he slowly began to think about who it could be.
That fool Bando?
Impossible.
Although he didn't obey him, that guy was all about "benevolence and righteousness," and would never use such underhanded tactics, much less deal such heavy blows to his own people.
Could it be... A thought flashed through his mind instantly!
That pig Inokari?!
I just screwed him over, and I still owe him money. Has he gone desperate?
A cold killing intent flashed in Kunō Hideomi's eyes.
He felt that this guess held water.
The last time the two of them spoke, that fat pig was still threatening him over the phone.
And he hadn't offended any forces recently, just developing in his own small territory.
The more Kunō Hideomi thought about it, the more plausible it seemed, basically concluding it was Inokari.
Anyway, he should make a call to ask about the situation.
If it really was him, hehe.
He was strong now, killing an Inokari shouldn't be difficult, right?
Moreover, that old man ran a casino and a loan shark business, so he should have a lot of money.
Thinking of this.
He took out his phone from his pocket and directly dialed Inokari's casino's office number.
However, when the call connected, there was only dead silence on the other end...
True Dragon Society's temporary headquarters, the former Inokari Casino office.
Night had already fallen, and a faint smell of blood still lingered in the air, mixed with the acrid scent of burning low-quality cigarettes. No matter how one smelled it, it was unpleasant.
Most of the underlings who had gone to the warehouse had already received their money, and one by one, they were joyfully led out by the cadres to celebrate with drinks.
In the entire office, only Izaki Shun was left.
He didn't go to celebrate. Instead, he sat behind the newly replaced office desk, which still exuded the fresh scent of wood. Under the dim yellow light of the desk lamp, he meticulously organized the preliminary documents for Shinryu Credit and the accounts seized last night.
Just then, the old landline phone in the office suddenly rang, "Ring, ring, ring!" The jarring sound was particularly abrupt in the silent night.
Izaki Shun's movements instantly paused.
Who could it be, so late?
A flicker of vigilance crossed his mind. Out of caution, he picked up the phone but didn't speak immediately, wanting to hear who the caller was first.
On the other end of the line, there was a burst of noisy background sound, followed by a man's voice, laced with a fake smile and a threat, saying:
"Inokari, old brother, it's just that I didn't pay back the money in time. Are you playing such a big game?"
Izaki Shun was somewhat puzzled by these words.
Inokari?
Playing such a big game?
He didn't know who was on the other end, nor what they were talking about, but a strange sense of danger arose spontaneously.
He remained outwardly calm, only lowering his voice and asking in a hoarse tone, "Who are you?"
Kunō Hideomi on the other end of the phone sneered. He thought that Inokari, that dead fat man, was playing dumb with him.
"I'm Kunō Hideomi, old brother. Don't you recognize me?"
Kunō Hideomi!
Armed Front!
Izaki Shun's mind raced. He knew that he absolutely couldn't expose himself now.
The more he said, the more mistakes he would make.
He didn't know what had happened; it was better to wait for Shin-nii to resolve it tomorrow.
He said vaguely, in an extremely impatient tone, "Inokari has left. Call back tomorrow."
After speaking, he slammed the phone down decisively.
Izaki Shun looked at the blood-stained ledger in his hand, his eyes becoming incredibly solemn.
He decided that first thing tomorrow morning, he must immediately report this sudden situation to his boss... Meanwhile, outside the chaotic izakaya fire.
Kunō Hideomi listened to the dial tone on the phone, his expression growing even more sinister.
"Inokari, you bastard..."
He became even more convinced that Inokari was behind this, and the killing intent in his heart grew stronger.
Just then, his twin brother, Kuno Issei, walked over. He frowned as he looked at the Armed Front members still groaning in pain on the ground.
"Hideomi, should we send them to the hospital?"
"Send them to the hospital?"
Kunō Hideomi smiled sinisterly, a smile utterly devoid of warmth.
"How much money will it cost to send them to the hospital? How much will the damage to this izakaya cost? These good-for-nothings, do they even deserve me to spend money on them?"
"I spend money to keep them, and they can't even watch over a place!"
Kuno Issei was silent for a moment, then said, "But it's not good to leave them here either."
Kunō Hideomi leaned close to Issei's ear and said coldly, in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Find a van, load them all up, and send them to the Butcher."
"Tell him that although this batch of goods is a bit damaged, all the parts are still there, so they should sell for a good price."
Issei's face instantly turned pale when he heard the words "the Butcher."
When it came to ruthlessness, his brother was truly the most ruthless!
The Butcher was an underground black market doctor they knew. His medical skills were indeed good, and his fees were cheap, but that wasn't the main point.
The main point was that the Butcher dealt in human organ trafficking!
It seemed these people were going to be treated like piglets by Kunō Hideomi, dismembered and sold off alive.
Issei didn't dare to say more. He nodded and turned to arrange this matter.
Just then, a disheveled man, dressed in rags, reeking of alcohol and stale food, scrambled over.
It was Uehara Asuka's scoundrel ex-husband, Noguchi Kenta.
He grabbed Kunō Hideomi's sleeve and asked in an extremely fawning tone, "Are you the boss of the Armed Front, Kunō Hideomi?"
Kunō Hideomi was in a terrible mood at the moment. Seeing such trash dare to speak to him, his expression instantly turned sinister.
"You'd better have a reason to find me."
Noguchi felt a chill in his heart from that look, but he still mustered his courage.
After Ryuzaki Shin beat him away some time ago, he couldn't repay Inokari's money, so he didn't dare to stay in Karasumachi anymore and had to run to Jingi Ichiban Street to make a living.
Surprisingly, his luck was quite good there. He won a little money, just enough to get by.
Tonight, after finishing his drinks, he came out and saw a commotion here. When he got closer, he actually saw Ryuzaki Shin and that bitch Asuka again!
He knew that the trouble here must have been caused by them!
He wanted to exchange this information for some money from Kunō Hideomi.
"Boss, don't rush. Don't you want to know who did this?"
Kunō Hideomi raised an eyebrow: "Oh? So you know?"
"I know, but you understand..."
Noguchi had a fawning smile on his face, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together, the meaning self-evident.
Kunō Hideomi's expression turned dangerous: "Oh, you want money. Speak, how much do you want?"
"Not much, two million will do!" Noguchi thought for a moment, then demanded a high price, "This amount of money should be small change for Boss Kunō, right? And I guarantee the information is absolutely reliable!"
"Haha... Hahahahaha!"
Kunō Hideomi clutched his head and suddenly burst into unrestrained laughter.
When it rains, it pours. Was he, Kunō Hideomi, going to be extorted by such a small-time character?
Noguchi felt a chill from his laughter. He bit the bullet and took a step back: "If... if not, one and a half million is fine too..."
Kunō Hideomi stopped laughing. He looked at Noguchi, and the smile on his face became unusually cruel.
"How can one and a half million be enough?"
"You... should be able to sell for two million, right?"
"Wh-what do you mean?" Noguchi's voice began to tremble.
Kunō Hideomi suddenly threw a punch, hitting Noguchi hard on the temple!
"Bang!"
A dull thud!
Noguchi's body flew backward like a broken sack, landing heavily on the ground, and he immediately fainted.
Kunō Hideomi said coldly to Issei, who had just returned:
"Find a place, pry open his mouth, and verify if what he says is true."
"Regardless of whether it's true or false, in the end... send him to the Butcher."
"He dares to ask me for money? He doesn't know what's good for him."
...
At the same time, in Toyaru City, a detached villa in Matsukazetai.
A pitch-black harley motorcycle was quietly parked on the lawn in the courtyard. Ryuzaki Shin, riding the bike and carrying Uehara Asuka, slowly drove into the garage.
After parking the motorcycle, he picked up the still-dazed Uehara Asuka from the back seat.
Asuka returned to this house, which was like a dream castle to her, and casually placed the handbag full of cash in the corner.
She finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling much more at ease.
Just as she was fumbling to turn on the light, a hot body, full of masculine scent, suddenly pressed against her from behind!
Ryuzaki Shin pinned her tightly against the cold wall, and then, with his lips, fiercely sealed her two delicate red lips!
This kiss was domineering and brooks no refusal!
Uehara Asuka was also somewhat aroused. She closed her eyes and began to respond wildly.
Ryuzaki Shin's hand, without ceremony, silently slipped under the hem of her black dress.
Just as his hand was about to touch..., a trace of clarity returned to Uehara Asuka's eyes.
"Shin... wait..."
"What is it now?" Ryuzaki Shin's tone was somewhat displeased.
"We... we're covered in blood right now. Can we... take a bath first?"
Uehara Asuka's voice carried an indescribable shyness and plea.
"After the bath... you... you can do whatever you want..."
Ryuzaki Shin looked at her infinitely shy appearance and, amidst her gasp, picked her up by the waist and walked directly towards the bathroom.
"No... no, Shin... I've never showered with anyone else. Can we... shower separately this time, please?"
Uehara Asuka was startled by his sudden action. She desperately refused, afraid that Ryuzaki Shin would get angry.
Blushing, she gritted her teeth, stuck out her small tongue, and lightly licked Ryuzaki Shin's earlobe.
Then, she blew a breath into his ear and slowly said:
"Please, Shin~"
Asuka was, after all, twenty-eight, and knew that Ryuzaki Shin responded better to softness than to force.
She understood that if she kept refusing Ryuzaki Shin, her man would definitely be unhappy.
So she started to act coy.
Ryuzaki Shin was startled by her sudden teasing. He gently placed Asuka on the ground, and then, gave her perky backside a hard smack.
"You'd best be prepared not to get out of bed tomorrow."
Uehara Asuka blushed and said nothing, merely taking a few changes of clothes from her suitcase and, as if fleeing, rushed into the master bedroom's bathroom... and another bathroom.
Ryuzaki Shin casually tossed his blood-stained clothes onto the floor. He turned on the faucet.
Scalding hot water instantly poured from the large showerhead, washing over his perfectly sculpted, muscular body.
Blood slowly slid down his firm muscle lines, flowed onto the cold tile floor, and finally, merged into the dark drain, disappearing from view.
His mind, at this moment, was exceptionally calm.
Tomorrow, he first needed to go to the company to check on Sasaki Yu's progress.
Then, there were those smuggled goods; he had to find safe and reliable channels to sell them for cash as soon as possible.
Finally, he needed to properly organize his subordinates.
Things looked stable now, but Red Scorpion would soon know he was in their territory, and it was unknown whether Armed Front would know he was responsible.
The worst-case scenario was both major forces coming after him simultaneously.
With immense external pressure, he had to take the initiative and resolve the trouble!
Thinking this, he was also clean now.
Now, it was time to do the most important thing.
Ryuzaki Shin dried his body, wrapping only a pure white bath towel around his waist, and pushed open the master bedroom door.
He heard the sound of running water still coming from the master bedroom's bathroom.
He grumbled, saying women took forever to shower.
Then he lay down on the bed.
Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long.
The frosted glass door of the bathroom opened.
Amidst the steam, he saw Uehara Asuka, also wrapped only in a bath towel, standing somewhat uneasily.
Under the dim yellow light, her long, fair legs were slightly pressed together, and her small hands, restless from nervousness, were tightly gripping the edge of the bath towel.
Water droplets slid down her still-damp, smooth long hair, passed over her fair, slender neck, and finally, disappeared into the profound...
Ryuzaki Shin gently placed her on the soft, large bed, then leaned in and whispered an aggressive remark into her ear.
Uehara Asuka felt a shiver run through her body, her pretty face flushed so red it looked like it could drip blood, and she shyly closed her eyes.
The moonlight from outside the window filtered through the sheer curtains, softly spilling onto the bed, stretching the two intertwined figures long, very long... Due to the intense battle, and Asuka being a novice, she passed out.
After an unknown amount of time, the woman in his arms seemed to sense his gaze; her eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her beautiful eyes, still a little hazy.
Their eyes met.
"Ah!"
Uehara Asuka's pretty face instantly turned crimson. She gasped, instinctively trying to break free from his embrace, but Ryuzaki Shin's powerful arm held her firmly captive.
"Shin..."
Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum, carrying a hint of shyness.
Ryuzaki Shin didn't speak; he just lowered his head and gently pressed a kiss on her smooth forehead.
Then, with a slightly lazy, husky voice, he slowly said:
"You're not so tough either..."
Asuka was embarrassed by what Ryuzaki Shin said. She didn't dare to look at him, simply lying on Ryuzaki Shin's chest.
It was a while before she spoke.
"Shin... is this... is this really our home?"
Uehara Asuka finally couldn't hold back, asking softly with a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at her, his deep eyes devoid of their usual coldness and dominance, replaced instead by an unprecedented seriousness.
"It is our home."
"From now on, this will be our home."
When Uehara Asuka heard this, her eyes instantly reddened. She fought back tears and nodded heavily.
But then, something suddenly came to mind, and her beautiful, watery eyes filled with worry and unease.
"Shin... that man... will he... will he still come looking for trouble?"
The "that man" she referred to was, of course, her scoundrel ex-husband, Noguchi Kenta.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at her, smiled, and gently patted her back, comforting her:
"He's just a good-for-nothing, don't worry about him."
"But..." Uehara Asuka's body trembled slightly in his arms, "He... he won't give up. He'll call the police, he'll find more people... I... I'm afraid he'll hurt you..."
Ryuzaki Shin didn't speak. He knew this woman had endured too much hardship and was already a frightened bird.
Afraid that an accident would destroy the hard-won peace.
He just held her even tighter.
"Don't worry, I'll handle it. You just focus on being my woman; you don't need to concern yourself with anything else."
Uehara Asuka slowly raised her head, her tear-filled beautiful eyes looking directly into his, as if she had made some kind of decision.
"Shin, there's something I... I haven't told you."
Her voice trembled slightly.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at her, waiting silently.
"I... I and Noguchi... although... although we got our marriage certificate, but..."
She took a deep breath, as if using all her strength, to finally utter the complete sentence.
"But, I... I never let him touch me once."
When Ryuzaki Shin heard this, his heart stirred, but there was no surprise on his face.
He had already personally verified this point.
And he had already seen it on the panel.
Uehara Asuka looked at his calm gaze, thinking he didn't believe her, and eagerly explained:
"Really! Everything I said is true!"
"Back then, my mother was seriously ill and needed a large sum of money for surgery. I was desperate, so I agreed to Noguchi's pursuit."
"He promised me that if I married him, he would immediately pay for my mother's treatment."
"But..."
Her voice became choked.
"But, on the second day after we got our marriage certificate, he went back on his word! He said... he said he was tight on money and told me... told me to sleep with him first, to make him happy, and then he'd consider it..."
"I knew right then that he was a complete scumbag! A liar!"
"How could I let him succeed?!"
"From that day on, I never let him into my room again! Later, my mother still passed away... and I fought tooth and nail to finally divorce him."
At this point, she could no longer hold back, and tears, like broken pearls, silently streamed down her face.
She looked at Ryuzaki Shin, her beautiful, tear-filled eyes full of endless vulnerability and a hint of humility.
"Shin... I... I gave myself to you completely..."
Ryuzaki Shin looked at her like this, and the softest chord in his heart seemed to be gently plucked.
Damn, this foolish woman.
He cursed inwardly, then reached out and gently wiped away the tears on her cheeks.
He didn't offer comforting words; he just held her even tighter in his embrace.
Then, with a tone full of doting and possessiveness, he said to her, word by word, in her ear:
"Asuka, listen carefully."
"From now on, you are Ryuzaki Shin's woman."
"That scumbag..."
He paused, a hint of killing intent flashing in his eyes.
"I will make him disappear completely from this world."
"From now on, don't you dare shed another tear for trash like that, do you hear me?"
Uehara Asuka nodded heavily in his arms, burying her face deep into his firm chest.
She knew this man wasn't joking.
She also knew that from today on, her long-barren world had finally been illuminated by sunlight strong enough to melt all ice and snow.
2:30 AM, Chengnan Beach.
The air was filled with a cold scent, a mix of salty seawater and rusty iron. Occasionally, the distant sound of a cargo ship's horn added to the desolation of the silent area.
A dilapidated van, its headlights off, was parked by the deserted beach, blending into the darkness.
"Thud!"
Two heavy iron barrels filled with cement rolled off the van, landing with a dull thud on the soft sand.
Tamura Chuta and Tokaji Yuji were both panting heavily, soaked in sweat.
"Damn… this stuff is heavier than I thought."
Chuta wiped the sweat from his forehead, looking at the iron barrel that appeared particularly menacing in the dark. Yet, there was no fear on his face; instead, there was an indescribable excitement and pride.
He thought to himself:
"But… this is what real 'work' is!"
"Back in Suzuran, no matter how fierce the fights were, they were just kids playing house."
"And now, what I'm doing is truly part of the underground world!"
"Shin-nii entrusted me with such an important task; this is his trust in me!"
"And Shin-nii said that if I did well, he'd give me a reward. Once I get the money, I'll bring my sister to the city for school."
On the other side, Tokaji Yuji appeared much calmer.
He looked at Chuta's excited expression, shaking his head inwardly.
"This Chuta, his physical strength is decent, but his mind is still too simple. He's all excited, not realizing how risky this matter is."
"But, he does have guts, much stronger than those good-for-nothing talkers."
This task was originally meant for Izaki Shun.
However, Izaki Shun was tied up with Shinryu Credit's affairs and couldn't get away.
Tokaji, worried that the impulsive young man might get into trouble, offered to come along.
Without delay, the two men used all their strength to push the two iron barrels, one in front of the other, to the end of the makeshift pier by the sea.
Waves crashed against the decaying wooden pilings, making a "splash, splash" sound, as if playing a dirge for the impending death.
"One, two, three!"
At Tokaji's low shout, both men pushed simultaneously!
"Plop!"
"Plop!"
Two dull thuds rang out in quick succession as the two iron barrels, carrying their sins, splashed into the dark, cold seawater.
Then, quickly and silently, they sank into the bottomless darkness, leaving no trace.
Chuta let out a long breath, feeling much lighter all over.
He pulled a crumpled cigarette from his pocket, put it in his mouth, his face showing the relaxation and pride of a completed mission.
"Tokaji-nii, want one?"
"Smack!"
Tokaji Yuji slapped the cigarette out of his hand. His face, usually with a hint of playfulness, was now filled with sternness and impatience!
He lowered his voice, cursing viciously in an extremely cold tone:
"Do you want to die?!"
"No traces can be left at the disposal site, not even a cigarette butt! Let's go!"
Chuta was stunned by the sudden outburst of anger. He looked at Tokaji's cold face, and although he felt a bit resentful, he instinctively nodded.
He knew Tokaji was right.
Just as the two were about to get into the car and leave the dangerous place for good!
Several blinding beams of light, sharp enough to tear through the darkness, suddenly shot from a distance, illuminating both men and the dilapidated van, leaving them nowhere to hide!
Immediately after, a cold yet authoritative warning voice, amplified by a loudspeaker, boomed across the empty beach!
"Don't move!"
"Police!"
Chuta's mind went blank with a "buzz"!
It's over!
It's over!
They've been discovered!
How could there be police here?
His face instantly turned ashen under the stark headlights, and his legs felt as heavy as lead, unable to move a single step!
However, in the instant he was dazed!
Tokaji Yuji moved!
His reaction was as fast as lightning!
He suddenly turned around and punched Chuta hard in the face!
Then, in a rapid whisper that only the two of them could hear, he said in his ear:
"A gang fight! We're from Suzuran! Keep up the act!"
Having done all that, he didn't even glance at Chuta again.
Instead, he directly straddled him, wildly punching him without any pattern, while cursing him with the crudest language:
"Baka! You weakling, how dare you challenge me in Suzuran!"
Chuta was stunned by the punch, but hearing his reminder, he instantly reacted!
He knew this was not the time to be dazed!
He roared and began to fight back wildly!
"You're the damn trash! I'll kill you!"
The two of them, under the blinding headlights, like two enraged beasts, wrestled together!
Three or four police cars, like black phantoms, silently surrounded them.
Car doors opened, and a dozen uniformed police officers, armed with batons, rushed out in a well-trained manner, pinning the two men firmly to the ground.
Immediately after, an unassuming black sedan slowly drove up and stopped next to the van.
The car door opened, and a surprisingly long, straight, beautiful leg, encased in black suit trousers, emerged first, stepping onto the muddy sand.
Then, a tall, fiery woman with a cold demeanor like an eternal iceberg slowly stepped out of the car.
She was Kirishima Saeko.
Ever since she notified the port during the day to check for guns.
The port police kept saying it didn't follow procedure and so on.
Kirishima Saeko could only apply through official channels, which would take at least a day or two, greatly slowing down her investigation.
But the case couldn't be delayed, so she could only search a few kilometers around the crime scene to see if there were any suspicious individuals.
Tonight, as they were preparing to wrap up, they saw a van in the distance turn into the woods and head towards the beach.
Kirishima Saeko's intuition told her something was wrong, so she had the police cars follow it.
But now, seeing this scene.
Saeko's heart was filled with doubts.
Suzuran students?
Fighting in such a desolate place in the middle of the night?
Too suspicious.
But she still instinctively said, "Stop!"
Chuta looked at the woman before him, who seemed to have stepped out of a manga, exuding a powerful, queen-like aura.
Looking at her prominent, majestic chest beneath her tight suit, his brain, already muddled by fear, completely crashed at this moment.
He instinctively blurted out:
"So… so big…"
Saeko's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Her cold eyes slowly swept over Chuta's face, which was filled with terror and stupefaction.
Making him instantly feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave, cold all over.
Chuta felt that her aura could rival Shin-nii's.
She walked up to the two men, her voice flat and devoid of emotion, full of oppressive force.
"Students from Suzuran High School, why would you choose to settle personal grudges here?"
Tokaji Yuji suppressed the panic in his heart. He knew that now, he absolutely couldn't reveal even the slightest flaw!
He forced a very arrogant smile onto his face and replied in a thuggish tone:
"Officer, our Suzuran matters are none of the police's business, are they?"
"Besides, we're just having a fight, is it really necessary to make such a big fuss?"
However, Saeko seemed not to have heard him.
She simply slowly squatted down and, with her hands clad in spotless white gloves, gently picked up a tiny trace of blood from Tokaji Yuji's sleeve.
There was no expression on her face; she merely brought the trace of blood to her nose and gently sniffed it.
Then, she slowly raised her head, and an extremely sharp gleam flashed in her cold eyes.
"This isn't blood from a fight."
She paused, her tone becoming even colder.
"This blood has been congealed for a long time."
Tokaji cursed inwardly. There were indeed some traces of Inokari and Onizuka's blood on the iron barrels.
Are these damn police officers bloodhounds?
They could detect even this?
She then directed her gaze towards the dilapidated van. At least half of its wheels were stuck in the dirt.
The soil by the sea was relatively soft, but even so, based on her experience, the van shouldn't have sunk so deeply.
There was only one possibility: the van had arrived carrying some heavy objects.
Thinking of this, Kirishima Saeko opened the van.
"This van must have been carrying something."
But upon opening it, she found it empty.
Tokaji saw this and let out a slight sigh of relief, then taunted.
"Officer, aren't you being a bit overdramatic?"
Kirishima Saeko shook her head, turned on her flashlight, and shone it on the ground, revealing clear tracks of heavy objects having been dragged, leading directly to the pier.
Saeko had already made her judgment.
These two men's acting was terrible, their eyes were panicked, and it was definitely not a simple brawl.
They must have come to dispose of something.
Especially the tall one; although he tried his best to remain calm, his tone was too frantic.
She stopped talking nonsense, slowly stood up, and casually waved her hand at her subordinates behind her.
"Take them in."
"Interrogate them thoroughly."
"Click—"
The cold handcuffs made a crisp sound, locking Chuta and Tokaji Yuji's wrists, and also locking away all their hope.
The two exchanged glances, seeing endless despair and regret in each other's eyes.
They had messed up.
They had messed up the first important task their boss had assigned.
And they might even drag the entire True Dragon Society down with them.
After Chuta and Izaki Shun were handcuffed into the police car, Saeko instructed the police behind her.
"Tomorrow, find someone to check under the sea here and see if anything can be retrieved…"