The butler selected a few servants with the most scars and facial blemishes to bring to Jiang Yutong.
They all returned to their servant quarters satisfied, carrying Jiang Yutong's ointment.
Over at the Golden Dragon Gang,
countless dignitaries sought treatment from Lin Xuan, the carefree physician. Money flowed in, and when the Golden Dragon Gang needed favors, these influential figures dared not refuse.
Though Lin Xuan wasn’t personally overseeing the gang’s affairs, Wang Ba still consulted him on all major decisions.
Every strategy Lin Xuan devised for the Golden Dragon Gang was flawless.
The gang acquired a substantial amount of weapons and wealth.
Moreover, the gang members trained in marksmanship and martial arts using the methods Lin Xuan taught them, significantly boosting their combat prowess.
In just a few months, the Golden Dragon Gang expanded rapidly, quickly making a name for itself in the underworld.
Rumors about the gang’s new leader spread like wildfire.
"Who exactly is the current leader of the Golden Dragon Gang? How is he so capable? The gang was in decline, yet in just a few months, it’s risen to this level."
"Aside from the new leader, there’s another formidable figure in the Golden Dragon Gang—the carefree physician. His medical skills are nothing short of miraculous, capable of bringing the dead back to life."
"Where did these two extraordinary individuals come from? If the Golden Dragon Gang’s leader and the carefree physician were willing to join my gang, I’d gladly hand over my position as leader."
Countless gangs were green with envy.
Many openly or discreetly tried to pry information about Lin Xuan and the carefree physician from Golden Dragon Gang members.
Wang Ba listened to his subordinate’s report and sneered.
"The leader is ours. Thinking they can snatch him away? Ha! Dream on!"
He couldn’t help but feel smug.
He even felt grateful to Lin Li—if not for him, he wouldn’t have thought to kidnap Lin Xuan. Who knew he’d end up with such a treasure?
Wang Ba grinned until his eyes nearly disappeared. "Thankfully, I had the sense to yield the leadership to Lin Xuan."
One of his trusted subordinates overheard and rolled his eyes.
"Second Boss," he couldn’t resist interjecting, "if I recall correctly, it was the leader who held you at gunpoint. You handed over the position to save your own skin."
This was hardly a case of "a wise man knows when to yield."
Wang Ba shot his subordinate a glare. "The end result is the same, isn’t it? Lin Xuan is the leader now!"
This brat had a knack for undermining him at every turn. No tact whatsoever.
"Yeah, yeah," the subordinate replied dismissively.
A phone rang.
Wang Ba answered gruffly, "What is it? Speak."
The subordinate on the other end urgently relayed the situation.
"What?!"
"Night Rose?"
Wang Ba’s eyes widened.
Soon, his expression darkened with concern.
He immediately called Lin Xuan.
Over the phone, he reported, "Boss, the weapons shipment we’ve been eyeing seems to have caught Night Rose’s attention. If we try to seize it, we might provoke them. Should we abandon the shipment or confront Night Rose?"
"Night Rose?" Lin Xuan’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
If he remembered correctly, Night Rose was the top gang in the underworld.
Their leader, Dark Night Rose, was a name that struck fear into hearts.
His goal was to elevate the Golden Dragon Gang to the top. Sooner or later, they’d clash with Night Rose.
Might as well make it sooner.
If they could defeat Night Rose outright, no other gang would dare challenge the Golden Dragon Gang.
And he could eliminate the threats to Su Hua sooner.
"Go ahead and take the shipment," Lin Xuan said coldly.
"Boss, this would essentially be a declaration of war against Night Rose. Are you sure?" Wang Ba asked nervously.
"Yes," Lin Xuan replied. "We’ll face them eventually. Might as well do it now. Send me the details, and I’ll give you the strategy."
"Understood, Boss."
Wang Ba relayed the specifics.
Lin Xuan nodded. "Got it."
Wang Ba sent over a terrain map. After studying it briefly, Lin Xuan began drafting a plan on his computer.
Facing Night Rose demanded extra caution.
After spending over ten hours in deep focus, Lin Xuan finalized the plan and sent it to Wang Ba.
Wang Ba’s response was a string of question marks.
"So fast?"
He opened the file and stared at the meticulously laid-out strategy.
Wang Ba was stunned.
He checked the call duration—only three minutes had passed.
Had the boss really completed the entire plan in that time?
Rubbing his eyes, he double-checked.
It was real. The boss had actually pulled it off!
Back at the night residence, Lin Xuan frowned at the "sent" notification.
Had he been too quick?
He considered recalling the message, but just then, Su Hua walked in.
Not wanting her to discover his underworld involvement—both to spare her worry and prevent her interference—he quickly switched the screen.
Su Hua approached, resting her chin on his shoulder with a playful smile.
"What were you up to just now, Xuan?"
Lin Xuan averted his gaze. "Nothing much, just handling some work."
"Oh?" Su Hua narrowed her eyes.
He was lying.
She considered pressing further but remembered a line from a book she’d read: "Give a man space. If you pry into everything, he’ll grow weary."
She held back her questions.
Fine. If he didn’t want to share, so be it.
As long as it didn’t involve his safety or another woman, she’d let it go.
"Hua, isn’t your international virtual meeting starting soon? Shouldn’t you prepare?" Lin Xuan reminded her.
"Right." Su Hua nodded and returned to her desk.
Lin Xuan exhaled in relief.
Thankfully, she hadn’t pushed.
If she’d demanded he leave the Golden Dragon Gang, he wouldn’t have known how to respond.
Originally, he’d only cared about making money, with no interest in the underworld. But Su Hua’s safety was at stake, forcing him to build the gang’s power.
Dissolving it wasn’t an option. For now, he’d have to keep hiding the truth from her.
When Su Hua went to shower, Lin Xuan switched back to his chat with Wang Ba.
A new message waited:
[Wang Ba]: Boss, you finished the entire strategy that quickly?
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
nce】【Lighthearted Comedy】【Ultimate Gentleman's Novel】【Viewer Discretion Advised for Under 16】 The mightiest human hero, Sharen Morian, is resurrected after a thousand years by his wife—the Demon King. This is not your typical hero-vs-demon-king tale.
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
