Chapter Ten: The Test
The nights in London's East End follow a different set of rules. As the daytime hustle and bustle subsides, those unassuming places hidden deep in the dilapidated streets begin to awaken, exuding a strong aroma mixed with cheap tobacco, sweat, alcohol, and naked desire.
The "Blood and Glory" boxing arena is one such place. Located underground in an abandoned warehouse, it has extremely poor ventilation and foul air, but every night it attracts a large number of thrill-seeking gamblers, desperate men, and boxers trying to prove themselves.
The atmosphere was particularly tense tonight. In the center of the arena, on a simple wooden boxing ring, two boxers were engaged in a near-savage fight.
There are no complicated rules, only the most primitive wrestling and striking.
Sweat, saliva, and blood splattered, and the roars, curses, and shouts of betting from the audience below blended together, creating a deafening cacophony.
The dim gaslight flickered in the smoke, casting distorted shadows onto the mottled walls.
Directly above the boxing ring, there is a narrow bleacher made of iron frames and wooden planks, offering the best view.
At that moment, a few people sat in the stands, completely out of place with the frenzied crowd below. They watched the boxing ring silently, their eyes as calm as if they were assessing merchandise rather than appreciating the match.
The leader, with half his face hidden in shadow, held an unlit cigar between his fingers and tapped the railing lightly and intermittently.
He wasn't particularly tall, but sitting there, he was like a rock, radiating an invisible, chilling sense of oppression. He was "The Jackal" Lian Yeyi, the leader of the WV organization, a name that rose rapidly in a short period of time through iron-fisted tactics and strategy.
His face was angular, with a strong jawline, and his lips were habitually pursed into a cold, hard straight line.
What is most striking about him are his eyes, a rare, almost amber-colored light brown that reflects a predatory green luster in the dim light, sharp and cold, as if it can instantly penetrate all disguises and look directly into the deepest fears and greed in people's hearts.
He wore a well-tailored but understated dark suit, which contrasted sharply with his surroundings, highlighting his undeniable control.
The fight in the boxing ring was nearing its end.
A burly, tattooed boxer clearly had the upper hand, his opponent a younger, more agile man who was already swaying and bleeding from his mouth and nose. The tattooed boxer let out a triumphant roar, preparing to deliver the final blow.
Just then, Lian Yeyi slightly turned her head and whispered something to one of her subordinates. Her voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable command. The subordinate immediately nodded and quickly disappeared into the shadows leading to the backstage area.
Moments later, the situation changed dramatically.
As the tattooed boxer lunged forward again, a fierce glint suddenly flashed in the eyes of the seemingly dying young boxer, a glint that did not match his frail appearance.
He dodged the heavy punch with an incredibly agile sidestep, while simultaneously delivering a precise and tricky uppercut that struck his opponent's jaw cartilage at an almost bizarre angle.
A soft, crisp "crack" was drowned out by the noise, but the tattooed boxer's massive body suddenly stiffened, his eyes filled with unbelievable pain and astonishment, before he collapsed to the ground like a wall, losing consciousness instantly.
The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted into an even louder uproar—there were cheers of ecstasy, curses of losing money, and mostly shock at the comeback.
Lian Yeyi's face remained expressionless, as if she had everything under control.
He waved his hand lightly. Immediately, several men dressed similarly inconspicuously but with wary eyes stepped forward and began quickly and orderly clearing the scene, paying the winner's bet, and dragging the unconscious boxer away. The entire process was efficient, calm, and without any hesitation, demonstrating the organization's strong discipline and control.
“It seems the era of ‘Butcher’ Jack is over,” a man with a sharp face and a short beard said in a low voice beside Lian Yeyi. He was Lian Yeyi’s deputy.
Lian Yeyi gave a faint "hmm," but her gaze did not linger on the boxing ring. Instead, she slowly scanned the crowd below the stage, as if searching for something.
“New rules need fresh blood to write them. Tell that kid he did a good job, and he’ll be in charge of maintaining order in the underground boxing matches in the East District from now on.”
"Yes," the deputy replied, a hint of awe flashing in his eyes.
Lian Yeyi's methods are always like this: seemingly risky, but in fact, every step is meticulously calculated, which can both establish her authority and recruit truly useful talents.
Just then, a slight commotion arose at the casino entrance. The crowd instinctively parted to make way. Lian Yeyi's gaze instantly locked onto it, her amber eyes narrowing slightly, the sharp light intensifying.
The moon has arrived.
She didn't bring a large entourage, only Gongyang Yandaosi and two personal guards. But the moment she appeared, the entire bustling casino seemed to be plunged into a block of ice, the temperature dropping several degrees.
She was still dressed in her signature black outfit, her short silver hair gleaming like a cold blade in the dim light.
Her steps were steady, and her gray eyes calmly swept across the entire venue before finally landing precisely on Lian Yeyi in the upper stands.
Without any provocation, it exudes an aura of authority that is incongruous with this filthy environment, an awe-inspiring and unassailable presence.
Ram followed closely behind, his long silver hair tied back, his face cold and stern, his eyes scrutinizing every potential threat like a scanner. His presence added to the oppressive atmosphere surrounding Xu Yue and her group.
Lian Yeyi slowly stood up, walked down from the stands, and went to meet her. The two stopped five steps apart.
The surrounding crowd instinctively held their breath; even the most avid gamblers sensed the unusual tension. This was the first formal meeting between the leaders of the two emerging powers.
“Saltwater crocodile,” Lian Yeyi spoke first, her voice low and slightly hoarse, yet clearly reaching Xu Yue’s ears, “I’ve long admired your name. I never expected you to come to a place like this in person.”
“Jackals,” Xu Yue’s response was equally concise, her voice cold, “you should see your territory for yourself to know its true strength.”
Their eyes met in mid-air; no sparks flew, but an invisible, heavy pressure spread through the air. Both were assessing, both were testing the waters.
Lian Yeyi saw the unfathomable calmness and control in Xu Yue's eyes, which was far beyond what an ordinary gang leader could match.
Xu Yue saw in Lian Yeyi's eyes a beast-like sharpness, decisiveness, and the enormous energy hidden beneath a calm surface.
“It seems we have some common…neighbors who are not so peaceful.” Lian Yeyi was referring to those small gangs that tried to survive between the two major powers and occasionally stirred up trouble.
“Noise needs to be cleared, and order needs to be established,” Xu Yue replied directly. “But the way we clear it will determine the future landscape.”
Just as this tense, probing conversation was taking place, Lian Yeyi's gaze inadvertently swept over a very subtle, almost imperceptible old scar behind Xu Yue's ear.
His pupils contracted sharply as a long-forgotten fragment of memory suddenly struck him.
In earlier years, during a conflict that was completely different from today but equally brutal, a young girl codenamed "Silver Hair" was grazed behind her ear by a stray bullet while covering her teammates' retreat, leaving her with an almost identical scar.
Lian Yeyi's breathing froze for a moment.
He stared intently at Xu Yue, trying to find more familiar traces in that cold and stern face.
Time has changed many things, but something deep in those eyes, that stubbornness and composure that never bows down even in dire straits, can still be faintly discerned.
“…Silver Hair?” Lian Yeyi’s voice was extremely low, almost only the two of them could hear it, and her tone was filled with disbelief and shock.
A very subtle ripple also flashed in Xu Yue's gray eyes.
She hadn't heard anyone mention this code name in a long time. She also looked closely at Lian Yeyi's face, peeling away the vicissitudes and ruthlessness left by the years, and gradually it overlapped with the image of her teammate "Jackal" in her memory, who was equally young, impulsive, but exceptionally reliable.
Silence. A silence that lasted for several seconds. The air around them seemed to freeze. The ram cautiously took half a step forward, his hand already on his waist.
However, the anticipated conflict did not occur. Xu Yue raised her hand and very slightly stopped the ram.
She looked at Lian Yeyi, the coldness in her eyes fading slightly, replaced by a complex expression, tinged with a hint of bewilderment.
"It seems that the stage of fate always likes to arrange some unexpected reunions." Xu Yue's voice remained calm, but her tone had subtly changed.
Even the wariness and probing on Ye Yi's face vanished instantly, replaced by a complex expression that mixed with emotion and vigilance. He took a deep breath, waved his hand, and signaled all his subordinates to step back.
“Let’s find a quiet place to talk,” Lian Yeyi said, her tone no longer distant as she spoke to the enemy leader, but rather with an urgency that came after a long separation, a need to clarify the current situation.
A few minutes later, in a well-soundproofed office behind the casino, only Lian Yeyi, Xu Yue, and Gong Yang, her trusted confidant, remained. The moment the door closed, all the noise from the outside world was shut out.
"I never imagined that 'Saltwater Crocodile' would be you." Lian Yeyi leaned against the desk, shook her head, and said with a hint of absurd amusement, "After we parted ways back then, I thought you..."
"You thought I was dead?" Xu Yue interjected, her tone flat. "I also thought you would disappear in that purge."
“Almost.” Lian Yeyi’s eyes darkened slightly, seemingly unwilling to dwell on the past. “We all survived, and… we’ve all gotten to where we are today.”
The atmosphere became delicate. Former comrades-in-arms now each controlled vast underground forces, their territories adjacent, making friction inevitable. Whether they were friends or foes needed to be redefined.
“Xu Yue,” Lian Yeyi called her name for the first time, her tone serious, “Past friendships are friendships, but now is the present. My organization needs to survive and expand.”
“Likewise,” Xu Yue replied. “My principle is that order is above all else. Chaos benefits no one.”
"So?" Lian Yeyi raised an eyebrow.
Xu Yue walked to the wall, where a simple map of London hung. She stretched out her finger and drew a line on the vague boundary representing the spheres of influence of both sides.
“This is the dividing line. You will dominate the docks and casinos in the East District, and my people will not interfere. I will control the liquor smuggling and underground finance in the North District, and your people will withdraw. As for those restless little guys…” Xu Yue pointed to several intersections with her finger, “Information sharing, and joint cleanup if necessary.”
Lian Yeyi carefully examined the map, her mind racing.
Xu Yue's proposal was not a concession, but a rational division based on actual strength, avoiding an unnecessary war of attrition and benefiting both sides.
This is indeed the style of "Silver Needle": calm, pragmatic, and with a long-term vision.
“Okay.” Lian Yeyi finally nodded, “but I have to add one condition. Neither party may take the initiative to contact or try to recruit the other party’s core members. This is the bottom line.”
“Agreed.” Xu Yue replied without hesitation. Loyalty was something she and people like Lian Yeyi valued most.
Lian Yeyi stepped forward and extended his hand. Xu Yue looked at him and also extended her hand.
Two hands clasped tightly in the air. No words were exchanged, but a new understanding, based on mutual recognition of strength and past trust, had been established.
"It seems that London is big enough to accommodate two beasts." Lian Yeyi loosened her grip, her tone softening considerably.
"The premise is that each of us guards our own territory well," Xu Yue replied calmly.
There were no celebrations, no alliances, only the simplest division of interests and a promise of non-aggression. But for people like them, this was far more reliable than any grand oath.
As Xuyue and Gongyang left the casino, it started raining again outside.
Lian Yeyi stood by the window, watching their convoy disappear into the rain, her amber eyes filled with complex emotions.
The reunion with old friends did not bring much warmth; instead, it made the future situation more delicate and... interesting.
He knew that peace was temporary.
But this truce, forged by the past, is crucial for both sides before the inevitable clash. The jackal and the saltwater crocodile, two beasts that have crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, have reached a tacit, dangerous, and fragile balance in the shadow of London.
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