ICE, like a soulless zombie, wandered aimlessly along the seaside promenade not far from the bar.
The streetlights cast his shadow long and short, mirroring his wavering heart at that moment.
The sea breeze howled and rushed into his collar, but he seemed not to feel the cold.
My mind is filled with the desperate and helpless look in my companions' eyes before they were forced to leave.
Pearl's anger, Bernie's helplessness, and Sarah...
Sarah's resolute departure.
Every scene was like a sharp knife, stabbing his heart again and again.
ICE stopped in his tracks as if possessed, and turned to look in the distance toward the "Funky Jungle" bar.
That place was his utopia, the final home he promised to his brothers and sisters.
"boom--"
Suddenly, a deafening thud came from afar.
Immediately afterwards, a dazzling ball of fire shot into the sky from the direction of the bar without warning.
Red flames danced wildly in the night sky, instantly engulfing all darkness and turning half of the bay area's night sky an ominous blood red.
ICE froze instantly.
He stared wide-eyed in disbelief, the flickering flames dancing wildly in his dilated pupils, gradually burning away his last psychological defenses to ashes.
He stared blankly at the fire for a very long time.
After a long while, two lines of clear tears silently slid down his cheeks.
He clenched his fist, his nails digging deep into his palm, blood trickling down between his fingers.
"I've said it before, no matter what... we'll be together forever."
His voice drifted away in the wind.
"I've already lost everything, and this time… I can't lose you all too…"
...
Two days later.
Huya International Conference Center.
As the main venue for this bidding process for the development of the nameless street, the security level here has been raised to the highest level.
Every three steps there's a guard, every five steps a sentry; the black-clad security personnel stare expressionlessly at everyone who approaches.
Because of the extremely negative impact of the previous violent clashes on the nameless street, the government deliberately avoided large-scale public publicity this time, and the entire bidding process was kept exceptionally low-key.
But the more low-key the event is, the more significant it is.
The huge fountain plaza at the entrance of the conference center has now been transformed into a top-notch luxury car exhibition.
"squeak--"
A customized Rolls-Royce Phantom with a Tokyo license plate smoothly came to a stop at the end of the red carpet.
Before the doorman could even step forward, several stern-faced bodyguards had already opened the car door.
An elderly man, dressed in a bespoke suit and exuding an air of refinement, slowly alighted from the car, leaning on a cane, surrounded by a crowd.
Exclamations and murmurs arose from the crowd not far away.
"My God! That's Mr. Iwasaki, the head of the Mitsubishi Group? Why would such an important figure come in person?"
"That's nothing! Look over there! That Bentley, isn't that the president of Sumitomo Bank getting out?!"
"Look! Those are people from the Fuji Group! And over there, my god, this is practically a gathering of the most powerful people in all of Japan! Just how much profit is hidden in this nameless street project?"
Passersby craned their necks, pointing and gesturing at the big shots they usually only saw on the front page of financial news, their eyes filled with awe and envy.
Just then, a low-key yet luxurious black Toyota Century silently glided through the crowd and came to a very smooth stop at the entrance.
Ryuzaki Makoto sat in the back seat and glanced down at his watch.
The bidding process will officially begin in half an hour.
He frowned and asked Nakamura, who was turning off the engine in front:
"Where is your young lady? Why hasn't she come yet?"
Nakamura turned around and smiled easily.
"Don't worry, Ryuzaki. Kyoko's car is already on its way and will be there in five minutes at most. She's always punctual."
Ryuzaki nodded, then straightened his suit collar in the rearview mirror.
In the mirror, there was a man wearing a custom-made Armani black suit, his hair neatly combed.
Whether in his past life or this one, Ryuzaki Makoto has been to countless places in the underworld, but this is the first time he has participated in a business bidding event where top tycoons gather.
Even though I feel completely at ease, I still need to maintain a proper sense of ritual.
Looking at him in the rearview mirror, Nakamura couldn't help but tease him:
"Alright, alright, you've watched this eight times already. You look absolutely stunning now, the center of attention is definitely you. Stop admiring yourself and hurry up and get out of the car to get ready. There are a bunch of important people waiting for you inside."
Ryuzaki glared at Nakamura with annoyance and straightened his cuffs.
"I'm naturally handsome, and my good looks are hard to hide. Do you need to tell me that?"
After saying that, he took a deep breath and opened the car door.
Looking at Ryuzaki Makoto's retreating figure, Nakamura raised an eyebrow helplessly.
"Hey, this brat..."
...
The moment Ryuzaki Makoto stepped onto the red carpet, he instantly attracted the attention of everyone present.
Countless eyes, some bright and some dim, were projected from all directions.
A large portion of them were ladies and socialites present.
They had originally come to accompany their husbands or parents, but now they were deeply attracted by Ryuzaki Mana's stunning appearance.
It's worth noting that Ryuzaki Makoto has accumulated a considerable amount of charm points along the way by making the choices he's made.
His current appearance is, for women who spend their days in social settings and are already tired of seeing the same kind of beauty, the most lethal "male hormone poison."
Handsome, domineering, with a touch of wildness and unruliness, his complex temperament captivates people at first glance, making it impossible for them to extricate themselves.
Many of the ladies' hands trembled slightly as they held their champagne glasses, their eyes gleaming with a restless desire.
After all, business occasions of this level are not only a platform for exchanging benefits, but also a natural platform for social interaction and marriage alliances.
If one could somehow connect with such an exceptional young talent, it would be an excellent opportunity, whether for expanding one's network or for any ulterior motives.
Of course, most of the attention comes from the business tycoons.
Their gazes toward Ryuzaki Makoto were filled with complex emotions.
There is curiosity, there is vigilance, but more than anything, there is scrutiny.
Everyone knew who this young man was.
It was this young man who, single-handedly, stirred up a huge wave, completely disrupting the casino bill that was set in stone, and even causing the usually powerful Kowloon Group to suffer a silent loss, thus creating an opportunity for the group of financial tycoons present to enter the market.
It's fair to say that without him, these people wouldn't even have the right to sit at this gambling table today.
Ryuzaki Makoto, ignoring the various gazes around him, strode steadily into the hall.
A skilled-looking bidding specialist, wearing a work badge, immediately approached with a professional smile.
"Mr. Ryuzaki, hello. I am Tanaka, the qualification examiner in charge of this bidding. It is a pleasure to meet you. Before you enter, we need to follow the procedure and ask you to go to the VIP room over there to verify your qualifications."
Upon hearing the words "verification of funds," Ryuzaki's heart skipped a beat.
The bidding threshold for this nameless street is extremely high. To enter the bidding, one needs to verify that they have at least 20 billion yen in disposable liquid funds. This is to prevent shell companies from taking advantage of the situation.
Although Zhenlonghui has money, most of it consists of various fixed assets and illicit activities. The amount of cash flow that can be obtained openly and legitimately is still far from 20 billion.
He didn't have that much money on hand, so he kept waiting.
Waiting for Kyoko Sasaki to arrive.
But who exactly is Ryuzaki Shin?
He would never show any weakness on his face.
Ryuzaki Makoto maintained a polite and elegant smile, waved his hand lightly, and said calmly:
"Mr. Tanaka, there's no need to rush. I have a very important partner on her way. It's better to wait until she arrives before we handle such a minor matter as capital verification together."
Ryuzaki Makoto had just finished speaking.
A mocking voice suddenly rang out from the crowd nearby.
"What? These days, petty gangsters, just because they put on a fancy high-end suit, actually think they're high-society businessmen?"
"If you don't have money, just say so. Don't put on airs. With the meager amount of money you've saved from collecting protection fees to buy cabbages, you think you can come here and join the fun with us real conglomerates? That's laughable! Why don't you take a piss and look in the mirror? Do you even deserve to stand here looking like a poor wretch?"