Kurosaki Junryu did not respond to Kowloon Seishin's sigh.
The two of them stood or sat quietly, listening to the howling wind outside the window, which swirled up the fallen leaves on the ground, making a rustling sound—the unique, somber sound of autumn.
Time seemed to stand still in the small room. After a long while, Kurosaki Kimryu broke the silence, his voice low and tinged with guilt.
"That sniper was sent by me. Although he didn't manage to take down the kid, the assassin was very professional and handled the situation cleanly, without being caught by the police or the True Dragon Society."
Kurosaki Junlong glanced at Kowloon Shixin's retreating figure. Seeing that he remained silent, gazing quietly out the window, he paused for a moment before continuing:
"But now it seems that I may have made a mistake in this move."
Those who live in the underworld, especially the old guys who have lived long enough and climbed high enough, to put it somewhat superstitiously, none of them lacked good fortune.
Those who were unlucky, no matter how capable they were, would have died mysteriously on the way and wouldn't have lived to this day.
The same applies to Kurosaki Kimiryu.
The reason he was able to evade countless assassination attempts and traps throughout his life was because of this keen intuition.
He now had a strong premonition—that Ryuzaki Makoto was not dead.
This feeling was so strong that it made him somewhat restless.
Kurosaki Kimryu had crawled out of a mountain of knives and a sea of blood; this almost premonition of danger had saved him from death countless times.
Just like that night, when Ryūmi Iemura left, the reason he inexplicably reminded her was because of that bad premonition he had at the time.
This time, he also chose to trust his gut feeling.
That means Ryuzaki Makoto is still alive and well, and is even hiding in some dark corner right now, watching them with a cold smile as they are in a mess.
If this inference holds true, then sending a gunman to assassinate the other party in public would be an utterly disastrous move.
This shot not only failed to eliminate Ryuzaki Makoto, but instead became the sharpest knife in the opponent's hand, stabbing fiercely at the Kowloon Group and helping them completely win public opinion and popular support.
Kowloon Shih-sum did not show any surprise upon hearing this.
He slowly turned around and looked at his old friend with his cloudy and deep eyes.
Although Kurosaki Kimryu was still in good health, his eyes were still bright.
But time waits for no one; the deep wrinkles on his face and the snow-white hair at his temples silently tell the tragic story of a hero's twilight years.
"Kurosaki, you've grown old, and as for me, my time is running out."
Kowloon Shih-hsin sighed inwardly.
yes.
If we weren't all old and hadn't lost the composure and sharpness of our youth, how could we have lost our minds and come up with such a foolish and desperate plan as to shoot Ryuzaki Makoto in public and in front of the media?
If we weren't so old, how could we have been so relentlessly pressured and manipulated by a mere child who hadn't even grown his first hair, leaving us in such a predicament?
As he gets older and his health deteriorates, he has gradually lost absolute control over the massive Kowloon Group.
Meanwhile, the group below, each with their own ulterior motives, were scheming against each other for their own benefit, and had long since fallen into disarray.
If Kowloon Group could still be like it was when I was young.
If everyone could be as united as they were back then.
Let alone a mere True Dragon Society, even if you add ten or a hundred more, what would they amount to in front of the giant dragon, Kowloon?
How did Kowloon Group end up in this embarrassing situation where it's being bullied and humiliated by a junior?
Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs"...
Kurosaki Kimryu didn't speak, but instead lowered his head and sighed heavily, a rare occurrence for him.
Perhaps Brother Kowloon is right.
That kid named Ryuzaki Makoto is a master manipulator.
This series of interconnected moves—inciting public opinion, manipulating public discourse, and finally resorting to a self-inflicted injury—caught them off guard and left them defenseless.
The other side did not try to win over high-ranking government officials like in traditional gang fights, nor did they resort to violence to seize territory, nor did they bribe or buy off anyone.
By taking this unconventional approach, they dismantled the Kowloon Group's carefully constructed plan over many years and destroyed their business empire built at great expense.
Kurosaki Kimryu stretched out his calloused hand and picked up the withered autumn leaf that had just fallen onto the table.
He stared at the withered veins on the leaf, his eyes filled with an inescapable sense of desolation.
Are we, this group of people, destined to fall helplessly from the high branches like autumn leaves, rotting in the cold soil, becoming nutrients to nourish the tender buds that sprout in spring?
Has the era that belonged to my generation truly passed?
Just then, Kowloon Shih-sum suddenly covered his mouth and coughed violently a few times.
The sound was muffled and hollow, as if he were coughing up his entire lungs.
His face was flushed, and he swayed as if he might collapse at any moment.
Upon seeing this, Kurosaki Kimryo immediately stood up nervously, wanting to go forward and help him.
Kowloon Shih-sum waved his hand, indicating that he was fine.
He tried to calm his breathing and finally stopped coughing before slowly sitting cross-legged in front of the tea table.
Kowloon World Heart picked up the cup of tea, which had already cooled slightly, took a sip, and moistened his dry throat.
"Kurosaki, what I just said wasn't meant to blame you. I just... I don't know when it started, but when people mention our Kowloon Group, their eyes are filled with undisguised disgust and fear. I've never seen that kind of look, like they're looking at a monster, before."
Kurosaki Kimyu opened his mouth, wanting to say something to comfort his older brother, but after his Adam's apple bobbed twice, he ultimately didn't say anything.
Because that is the truth, and any attempt to argue against it will only make things weak and unconvincing.
"I thought about it for a long time and couldn't figure out why, until finally I seemed to understand a little bit."
"Kurosaki, when exactly did our stance change from that of a protector of the weak to that of a vampire who only knows how to plunder?"
Kowloon World Heart seemed to be lost in distant memories, back when the Kowloon Group had just been established.
Back then, although they didn't have the power and wealth they have now, they were heroes in the hearts of the common people in the entire eastern district of the city.
At that time, armed with iron pipes and machetes, they drove the tyrannical thugs and bullying forces out of the neighborhood.
Back then, whether it was roadside vendors or elderly people living at home, seeing the Kowloon emblem embroidered on their clothes would bring a smile of relief and respect, and they would even warmly give them a few steaming hot buns or rice balls.
What an honor and pride that was!
Kurosaki Kimiya also shook his head, looking dazed.
When did this change begin?
It probably started from the day that Kowloon Group decided it was no longer content to be an underground gang, and wanted to completely clean up its act, step into the limelight, and compete with those glamorous capitalists for profits.
In pursuit of so-called "greater benefits" and to gain a foothold in this bizarre capitalist society, everyone has gradually lost sight of their original aspirations.
They began to resort to any means necessary, exploiting those they had once protected, becoming ruthless and cold-blooded, with only cold numbers and power in their eyes.
Kurosaki Junlong glanced at Kowloon Shixin in front of him.
After that violent coughing fit, my brother's complexion is actually quite rosy, and he looks very healthy, showing no signs of being seriously ill or fatigued.
However, Kurosaki Kimyuu wasn't naive enough to believe that his older brother's health had actually improved.
They've been brothers through thick and thin for so many years, how could he not know how exhausted Kowloon Shih-sum's body had become?
This is nothing more than a last gasp before the sun sets.
Kowloon World Heart, from the moment he stepped into the underworld, was a ruthless and domineering figure with absolute confidence.
He has never regretted any decision he has made, even if the decision seems wrong or even absurd to others.
It was this unwavering stubbornness and perseverance that allowed him to gradually reach his current position and build the vast Kowloon Empire.
But now, for the first time ever, Kurosaki Junryu heard an unprecedented sense of regret in Kowloon Seishin's tone.
Is this what they mean by "a dying man's words are good"?
It is probably only when a person is about to reach the end of their life that they will let go of all pretense and obsessions, begin to truly look back on their controversial life, and seriously weigh their merits and demerits.
As if suddenly remembering something important, Kowloon Shixin's eyes sharpened again, and he spoke to Kurosaki Junryu:
"That kid Liu Longren… he recently established the 'Liu Association,' but I haven't had a chance to tell you the details yet…"
However, he had only spoken halfway when the door to the reception room was suddenly pulled open.
Rikako Ninth Generation, dressed in a black kimono, pushed open the door and entered.
She first glanced at Kowloon Shixin, who was speaking, with some displeasure, and then turned her gaze to Kurosaki Junlong, who was kneeling to the side. Her beautiful eyes held a hint of indifference and a desire to see him off.
"President Kurosaki, the master isn't feeling well today. The doctor advised him to rest more. It's getting late, so if you don't have anything urgent, please head back..."