"You're not hurt, are you?"
In the bar's main hall, a fellow security guard arrived a moment too late. He glanced at the glass shards and spilled liquor on the floor and asked with concern.
Shaking his head slightly, Lu Chao didn't feel any discomfort. In fact, he felt like he had just vented some of the negative emotions that had been building up recently.
After that, things went smoothly.
Following procedure, he and his colleague carried the blond young man out and tossed him onto the street by the bar's back door.
His degenerate friends were thrown out along with him.
"Th-thank you."
"Excuse me, can I add you as a friend?"
The two scantily clad girls thanked him profusely. Blushing, they even asked for Lu Chao's contact information.
But he just shook his head and made an excuse.
Lu Chao once again wove through the crowd and returned to his corner, quietly observing all the booths in the bar.
...
'That kid...'
On the second floor of the bar, Chen Junhao, who had witnessed the entire scene, took a drag from his cigarette and smiled.
The black shirt he wore was impeccably sharp. He stood at the end of the hallway, looking down over the main hall, taking everything in.
"Not bad. He's got some nerve."
"Ah Qiang, what do you think? Didn't I tell you he'd be fine?"
"Xiaochao knows his limits." The security manager, Zhou Qiang, nodded in approval from behind him. "He's stepped in three times this month. Each time, he knocked the person out cold without causing serious injury."
"Speaking of which, Brother Hao, why not have Xiaochao join the Hongyi Society too?"
He quite admired Lu Chao's character and found him to be reliable.
'If we could recruit a talent like him, he'd definitely be useful to Brother Hao.'
"No."
However, Chen Junhao just shook his head gently.
"Society business isn't for them to get mixed up in."
He didn't elaborate, simply putting out his cigarette as if he didn't want to discuss the matter further.
Hearing this, Zhou Qiang grew thoughtful and didn't press the issue.
A moment later, his earpiece buzzed to life.
"Brother Hao, Lord Xu is here."
...
Back in his corner, Lu Chao brushed the dust from the chest of his suit and stood quietly.
The little drama ended simply.
The back door of the bar slowly closed, the killjoys having been forcibly removed.
Multicolored lights shone everywhere as the bar returned to its previous lively state.
"That guy was asking for it."
"This is Brother Hao's territory, and he still dared to cause trouble..."
Xiaoyang, dressed in a waiter's uniform, appeared at his side. He shook his head and clicked his tongue as he looked at the closed back door.
Having been here for a full year, he had seen many similar incidents and naturally knew what a huge mistake the blond young man had made.
"It's only because Brother Hao is kind-hearted. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten off so easily."
"By the way, you're not hurt, are you?"
Coming to his senses, Xiaoyang then turned to Lu Chao and looked him up and down.
He was still holding a tray, apparently having just finished delivering drinks to other customers.
"I'm fine."
Lu Chao shook his head slightly, indicating that he was uninjured.
Xiaoyang was a little surprised to hear that. Although he hadn't seen it himself, he had heard the gist of what happened and knew that Lu Chao had single-handedly subdued the rather aggressive blond guy.
'Could martial arts training really be that useful?'
The thought sprouted in his mind, shaking his previous skepticism.
He saw Lu Chao every day and hadn't thought much of it before.
But now, looking closely...
His once-slender frame had, at some point, become more robust, filling out his suit and creating a smooth line across his shoulders, back, and chest.
Combined with his short buzz cut and chiseled features, he looked calm and competent, radiating vigor. It was a significant change from how he used to be.
"What is it?" Lu Chao asked, sensing Xiaoyang's strange gaze.
"N-nothing."
Xiaoyang shook his head, a flicker in his eyes, but ultimately suppressed the thought.
'The difficulties of martial arts training are too great,' he thought. He'd heard other security guards and customers mention it more than once. 'You're only considered to have made some progress once you reach Fighting Level. Ah Chao probably just took some Muscle Building Powder for a temporary boost.'
'Whether he can truly make a name for himself in the future is another story.'
Thinking this, he quickly changed the subject.
The two chatted idly, and during the conversation, they mentioned Zhao Yuanqing and Lin Ze.
"I heard Lin Ze is getting another promotion. That guy's life just keeps getting better. I don't know what kind of dumb luck he has."
"And Yuhan, I heard she closed several big deals at the jewelry store last month. Sounds like she's about to buy a car."
A trace of envy flashed in Xiaoyang's eyes. Everyone wants to make something of themselves.
Lu Chao stood by, listening quietly. For some reason, he felt surprisingly calm.
SHHHK!
Just then, his earpiece suddenly crackled.
Lu Chao tilted his head slightly, his gaze passing over the noisy booths and the main hall toward the bar's front entrance.
Several security guards, led by Zhou Qiang, stood on either side of the entrance, seemingly to welcome someone.
'What a reception...'
His gaze sharpened. Lu Chao sensed that something was off about the atmosphere.
Soon enough, his view changed as two thick beams of light flashed from outside.
A sleek, pitch-black Sharp Light sedan with hard lines slowly pulled up and stopped at the curb.
The valet hurried over to open the car door.
"Lord Xu."
Amid the respectful address, three or four figures emerged from the car.
The waiters and burly security guards welcoming them at the door all bowed their heads slightly, lining the path.
Even Zhou Qiang gave a rare, slight bow, showing a deferential posture.
'Lord Xu?'
His eyes flickered as Lu Chao looked toward the center of the arriving group.
An elderly man wearing a black Tang suit.
His hair was graying, and his face was lean but without many wrinkles. On the contrary, his complexion was ruddy, and he exuded the subtle authority of someone long accustomed to a high position.
As he walked into the bar, the once-raucous main hall fell instantly silent.
The blaring electronic music, the drunken shouts—everything vanished. Many eyes turned toward him from the booths and the dance floor.
CLACK! CLACK! CLACK!
With crisp, steady steps, the group strode forward, their presence powerful. The crowd in the packed hall subconsciously parted to form a path, watching as they headed for the second floor.
"Holy crap, it's Lord Xu!"
Xiaoyang was the first to react. He leaned in closer and whispered excitedly, "I can't believe he's the one Brother Hao is hosting today! That's an elder of the Hongyi Society..."
He had clearly recognized the gray-haired old man, his eyes filled with envy and awe.
As one of the three largest gangs in the Iron Ring District, the Hongyi Society was famous for its code of honor. In the hearts of many in the Iron Ring District, its rules were even more binding than some laws.
'So it's him...'
Slightly stunned, Lu Chao quickly came to his senses, realizing the old man's identity.
Mountain Tiger, Xu Xiaoxing.
Rumor had it he was the one who had guided Brother Hao.
As if sensing his gaze, Xu Xiaoxing, who had just reached the second floor, paused. He narrowed his eyes slightly and tilted his head to look down at the main hall.
It was as if a sleeping tiger had opened its eyes a crack, its gaze carrying an intangible weight.
Lu Chao quickly averted his eyes. The other curious security guards and customers also lowered their heads as if they'd received an electric shock.
"A few more new faces?"
Taking it all in, Xu Xiaoxing's tone was calm, betraying no emotion.
But the other Hongyi Society members behind him all stopped in their tracks.
"Yes, Lord Xu."
"The bar's business has been good lately, and we were a bit short-staffed, so we hired a few new people."
Zhou Qiang, who was half a step behind, quickly nodded and offered an explanation.
"New people?"
The atmosphere tensed.
Xu Xiaoxing retracted his gaze and shot a sidelong glance at Zhou Qiang.
"More mud-legs from the orphanage, I presume?"
"Back then, Ah Hao was just a newcomer in my eyes. Now he's gotten so high and mighty that even I have to wait on his mood just to see him."
As soon as he said this, the look in Zhou Qiang's eyes changed.
A fine layer of sweat gradually appeared on his face as a silent tension enveloped the hallway.
Finally, just as the stagnant air was becoming suffocating...
"Haha, you flatter me, Lord Xu."
Chen Junhao had appeared at the end of the hallway at some point, the gold-trimmed wooden doors of the private room behind him wide open.
"I've already brewed the tea. I was just waiting for you to come and have a taste."
"Ah Qiang, go. Tell the others not to disturb us."
Zhou Qiang nodded quickly, looking as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
Xu Xiaoxing, still in his black Tang suit, snorted coldly and locked eyes with Chen Junhao for several seconds.
Finally, his expression softened slightly.
He then led his men forward and walked into the private room.