Hearing that familiar voice, Liu Ma struggled to lift his head.
What came into view was none other than his big sister—Yu Qianxia—who should have been expanding the group's business in the 'Seventh Floating City: Martial Heaven Capital'.
Yu Qianxia leaned casually against a broken wall, a black suit draped over her shoulders like a cape.
Training bandages, exclusive to martial artists, were wrapped around her abdomen and wrists. A toothpick, God knows where it came from, dangled from her mouth, completing her full-blown Yakuza-like aura.
"Boss, when did you get here?"
Liu Ma tried to brace himself against the wall to stand up, but with the slightest effort, a tearing pain shot through his bones. He could only slump back against the rubble in a sorry state.
Yu Qianxia bit down on the toothpick, smiling, "I arrived half an hour ago."
Liu Ma paused, then instinctively tried to say something.
But Yu Qianxia cut him off, staring him down.
"Don't ask me why I didn't help you. It's been a rule of our Qianxia Group for a hundred years not to interfere with the affairs of local association Star Envoys. I'm sure you know that."
"Besides, they didn't really mean to make things difficult for you. Otherwise, do you think you'd still be talking to me? You'd have long since gone down to complain with my useless old man about how terrible the signal is in this hell, receiving no information at all."
Facing Yu Qianxia's teasing, Liu Ma fell silent.
Seeing his dejected appearance, Yu Qianxia immediately took long strides over.
With a very Yakuza-like posture, she squatted down, resting her forearms on her knees, and nonchalantly examined his injuries.
"Not bad, not bad. Though you're in a sorry state now, that guy named Ink Wash had good judgment. He didn't hurt your bones and merely taught you a small lesson."
"Little Liu, I've told you before, the outside world is vast, and there are many monsters. But you never believed me, always saying you knew what real monsters were like."
"How about now? Do you realize how naive you used to be?"
Liu Ma didn't answer, but his despondent gaze was undoubtedly the best reply.
"Tsk, you look really ugly like that."
Though he was injured, Yu Qianxia mercilessly punched him on the head.
The blow made Liu Ma see stars.
Yu Qianxia stood up, patting the dust off her pants, "You lose one fight and can't get back up? When did our Martial Heaven Capital people become such cowards?"
"Get up. I think you're ready to begin some of the training I've arranged. After all, you've now gained the most precious thing: the taste of defeat."
Hearing Yu Qianxia's words, Liu Ma gritted his teeth, supporting himself against the wall, and slowly stood up.
But as he prepared to leave, he suddenly noticed Chen Kong in the corner, also propping himself up with some debris, his face as pale as paper.
After a moment of hesitation, Liu Ma said, "Boss, I want to..."
Yu Qianxia lifted her head, the corner of her mouth, still biting the toothpick, curving slightly upwards. Her peripheral vision darted to the pale-faced Chen Kong in the corner, and she said nonchalantly, "Bring him along. Although I don't see an ounce of martial spirit in this guy, if it's just to help him make up for his past weaknesses, that's not difficult."
"However, if you think you can defeat that guy from just now by doing this, then I think you might be disappointed."
"Because my martial spirit tells me that guy named Ink Wash... is far more terrifying than you imagine."
"I really don't know why such a person would choose to stay in a dump like Steam City, when the Seven Floating Cities are clearly the most suitable stage for a monster like him."
With that, Yu Qianxia said no more and walked directly out of the underground factory.
And after following Yu Qianxia out,
Chen Kong and the Dimensional Audience witnessed a scene they would never forget.
Dozens of burly men in black suits stood in formation, and upon Yu Qianxia's appearance, they shouted powerfully, "Good to see you, Boss!"
The neat, exaggerated roar not only made Chen Kong's ears ring, but also scared away some of the District Four citizens who had come to watch the show.
Yu Qianxia casually waved her hand, then walked straight towards a luxurious, elongated hovercar.
A subordinate at the front of the car pulled open the door, and Yu Qianxia directly got in.
But when she saw Chen Kong and Liu Ma still standing outside like two pieces of wood, she immediately said impatiently, "What are you two still gawking at? Get in here now!"
"I don't have all day. I don't have time to play these boring games of self-pity with you brats."
"If you want to become stronger, then you should seize every moment and climb upwards at all costs."
"Because only then can you live up to the immense potential hidden within you little monsters."
After being thoroughly reprimanded by Yu Qianxia,
Chen Kong and Liu Ma exchanged glances, then immediately, like two innocent young men, obediently squeezed into Yu Qianxia's vehicle.
"Boss, why are you suddenly here?"
As the hovercar ascended, Liu Ma immediately asked curiously.
"Why else? It's all because you broke our group's rules, and clients started complaining directly to me."
"Otherwise, do you think I'd come to this remote place?"
Hearing this, Liu Ma immediately scratched his head in embarrassment and said no more.
Fortunately, Yu Qianxia wasn't truly angry. Instead, she turned to look at the 'Upper City,' which they were about to reach.
"But you don't need to feel too guilty. After all, the client's complaint was one thing, but they also spread rumors outside that our Qianxia Group is a black-hearted organization that only takes money and doesn't get things done."
"Being complained about is one thing; slandering our group's reputation is another."
"I... really dislike people gossiping behind my back."
Watching Yu Qianxia's cruel smile, Liu Ma instinctively shivered.
Because he knew too well what that smile meant.
Someone in Steam City... was about to be very unlucky.
After this conversation, the anime's scene shifted to a large number of hovercars driving into the Upper City.
At this time, the dimensional bullet comments exploded.
'Holy moly, is this the protagonist group's master for the second season? What a powerful aura!'
'Martial Heaven Capital? Qianxia Group? This background seems like a hidden powerhouse!'
'Although they're in a tough spot now, it feels like the protagonist group is about to get a power-up!'
'Ink Wash, just you wait! The protagonist will beat you down eventually!'
Outside the car window, the outline of Steam City slowly became clear.
Inside the car, two Children of the Stars lowered their heads. Besides unwillingness, there was something else in their eyes.
A spark named 'realization' was about to reignite in the ashes named 'defeat'!