Chapter 452: The Arrogant And Wild Young Man

To some extent, slums needed entertainment even more than other places. Peopleuld indulge and anesthetize themselves through entertainment, momentarily escaping their harsh realities.

Ofurse, not anyoneuld enter nightclubs in the slum. There were also divisions of class and status within the slum.

Li Xiaofei sat in an elevated booth closest to the main stage, drinking glass after glass of clear water. Naturally, the nightclub served ahol. But he didn't like drinking. Whatuld be more interesting and ostentatious than sipping crystal-clear water in this chaotic and mixed-up realm?

The spacious booth was large enough to ammodate twenty people. Yet at this moment, only Li Xiaofei was sitting there. It seemed empty and desolate. No one dared to join him. Even the beautifully dressed young women searching for prey, and the seasoned busy bees skilled at livening up the atmosphere, didn't dare approach him casually.

Countless curious gazes eyed the booth. This particular booth was the throne of the entire nightclub. Anyone sitting there was undoubtedly a renowned figure in the eastern district; someone with not only great power but also significant influence.

"Where did this wild bratme from?"

"He's going to be in trouble."

"Doesn't everyone know that the throne seat is exclusively reserved for Vice Leader Qin of the Haisha Gang?"

"I remember half a year ago, some naive snd-generation official from outside insisted on sitting there, and he disappeared."

"Yeah, they said it took less than ten minutes before someone saw a stray dog outside the Imperial Palace chewing on that guy's skull."

"So, what's happening today?"

"Who let this kid sit there?"

"Just another poor fool who doesn't know better."

The crowd whispered loudly over the pounding warm-up music, their voices filled with a mix of excitement and schadenfreude.

In therner, the security captain, Huo Yin, also kept a careful eye on the throne seat and the young man calmly sipping water. A bright red handprint stood out on Huo Yin's face, a testament to his earliernfrontation. That slap had been the price he had paid for trying to stop the boy from sitting in that seat. The young man’s strength was extraordinary. But still... Huo Yin clenched his fists. The boy would have to pay for hitting him.

Moments later, a subordinate ran over, panting heavily. "Captain, the message has been sent to the Haisha Gang. Vice Leader Qin will be here shortly."

"Good. Business as usual," Huo Yin said, touching his sore cheek.

The subordinate hesitated, glancing toward the throne. "What about over there?"

"Treat him as a regular guest," Huo Yin growled through gritted teeth.

***

The performance on the stage was dazzling. The nightclub's interior design, lighting style, and the attire of the staff all exuded a sense of nostalgia that was reminiscent of a bygone era.

For a fleeting moment or two, Li Xiaofei felt as though he hadn’t traveled five hundred years into the future. Instead, it seemed like he had stepped into the old Shanghai Bund. The music paused briefly and a wave of enthusiastic applause erupted from the crowd.

A young woman in a white cheongsam stood on the stage. Her figure was exquisite, her hair was styled in an elegant bun, and her face radiating both charm and beauty. She gracefully bowed to the guests below, expressing her gratitude.

She was a woman with a unique allure. Like a deep crimson apple ripened by time, she retained the sweetness of youth while carrying the seductive maturity of a sophisticated woman. She was perfectly ripe and utterly tantalizing.

Every inch of her body radiated a vibrant and luscious energy, mesmerizinguntless patrons who dreamed of pulling her into their arms for just one indulgent taste.

She was Nan Hua, a renowned dancer who was ranked sixth among the Top Ten Dancers in the slum nightclub scene. She had an extensive fan base and an even larger group of wealthy patrons.

Her routines were remarkably predictable. Every evening, she would appear at the Imperial Palace nightclub before eight o’clock and perform a captivating dance, followed by a song. Afterward, she would share drinks with the guest who tipped her the most generously.

"Hey." Li Xiaofei stood up and waved at Nan Hua on the stage. "Come down and have some water with me."

The throne seat was close to the stage. His words rang out clearly, reaching Nan Hua's ears without effort. She smiled faintly, her curiosity piqued as she studied the young man. In her four or five years navigating the nightlife scene, this was the first time someone had asked her to join them for water.

The young man before her stood tall and straight. His features were strikingly handsome. His sharp brows and star-like eyes carried a rare masculine vigor, though his slightly furrowed brows hinted at an overwhelming number of burdens weighing on his heart.

His gaze was bold and unrestrained. There was a rebellious arrogance in his demeanor, as if he regarded everything beneath his notice.

Nan Hua, seasoned byuntless eunters in the pleasure world, had seen all kinds of people. But a boy like this? He was a first. He seemed like he was born to belong here. Yet, at the same time, he appearedmpletely out of place. It was a peculiarntradiction.

For a brief moment, two, perhaps three snds, Nan Hua found herself intrigued, before she rvered with a practiced smile. She nodded slightly at the young man, acknowledging his gesture, but she didn’t reply.

Interesting people were plentiful. But Nan Hua wasn’t one to indulge her curiosity too much. She wouldn’t break her own rules just because someone seemed intriguing. However, just as she turned to head backstage to prepare for her next performance...

Crash!

A glass cup smashed heavily onto the stage. The noise instantly silenced the previously lively room as every eye in the nightclub turned toward the throne seat.

The young man stood atop the throne, his voice growing even more brazen, dripping with the arrogance of someone ignorant of thensequences.

"I said,me down and drink with me."

Something entertaining was unfolding. The patrons, who hadme seeking pleasure, suddenly grew excited. It had been a long time since anyone dared cause trouble in the Imperial Palace nightclub. After all, the Imperial Palace was the territory of the Haisha Gang.

Five major factions ruled in Haijing City’s slums: the Broken Gear Mutual Aid Society, the Haisha Gang, the Qiujin Boxing Gym, the Cloth Sect, and the Justice Academy.

Once, the Cloth Sect had boasted the most followers and held the greatest power. But now, it was the Haisha Gang that had risen to dominance. After aiding Hai Tiankuo in aligning with Jiepeng, the Haisha Gang had leveraged foreign support to cement their place as the undisputed top faction. Their behavior had bme increasingly tyrannical and outrageous.

Causing trouble in the Imperial Palace nightclub was akin to slapping the Haisha Gang in the face. Even the powerful forces from outside the slums wouldn’t dare act so recklessly. To offend the Haisha Gang was to offend Jiepeng. In the current Haijing City, with the influence of the Jiepeng people swelling due to the Wanmao District’s presence, who would dare provoke them?

The pleasure-seekers looked on with a mix of amusement and malice, eagerly anticipating the fallout. Nan Hua glanced at the shattered glass at her feet, the gleaming, razor-sharp shards scattered across the stage. She paused briefly, thenntinued walking backstage.

In her mind, the intriguing young man was already arpse that wouldn’t live to see the next hour. At that very moment...

"Haisha Gang’s Vice Leader Qin has arrived." A distinct announcement echoed from the entrance.

A tall, slender middle-aged man, dressed in a black robe and exuding an air of scholarly refinement, entered the venue at a leisurely pace, flanked by four bodyguards.

His sharp gaze swept across the room. It landed on his exclusive seat, where an unfamiliar young man was standing boldly.

"Take care of him," Qin Xiaotian said casually.

One of the guards behind him stepped forward swiftly, drawing a short blade from his waist as he strode toward Li Xiaofei. He didn’t utter a word as he raised his hand and drove the blade straight toward Li Xiaofei’s heart.

This was the slum and how its gangs operated. Killing someone was as insignificant as crushing an ant. Not a single word of nonsense was wasted.