District Two.
Ice Spring Street.
At the end of the street, a sprawling mansion covering hundreds of square meters buzzed with noise and excitement. Torches were scattered throughout the compound, their heatwaves causing the falling snow to melt before it could even touch the ground.
This place was usually deserted, like a forgotten ruin. But only a select few knew that the owner of this mansion, which could buy half of Frost Street in District Three, was none other than Ma Zhong.
And now, this once-abandoned mansion had been transformed. Enchanting music filled the air, mingling with the coquettish laughter of women and the boisterous guffaws of men, creating an atmosphere akin to a paradise of indulgence.
"Brother Ma's mansion is truly impressive... It's such a waste to leave it abandoned for so long."
Qian Fan, dressed in the black-and-red uniform of a law enforcement officer, sat in the front row. He squinted as he watched the scantily clad women dancing on stage, unable to help but marvel.
"What's the waste? Brother Ma's mansion in District Three is even bigger," another law enforcement officer sitting beside him said, clinking his glass with Qian Fan's before downing the fine wine in one gulp.
"I'm so envious... When will I ever be able to afford a mansion like this?"
"Hahaha, come on, let's have another drink!"
"By the way, hasn't Brother Ma arrived yet?"
"He's on his way. He said to let us enjoy ourselves first."
Qian Fan nodded and was about to say something when Bone Blade, with a dancer under each arm, walked over to him with a smile.
"Come, come, let's toast to our Boss Qian! There were some misunderstandings before, but from now on, we'll need your guidance in our business dealings..."
"Bone Boss, you flatter me. This is Brother Ma's party. I'm just here to join in the fun," Qian Fan said with a laugh. "But when it comes to business, of course, we'll cooperate sincerely and mutually benefit..."
"Well said! Mutual benefit!"
The nineteen residents of Ice Spring Street all stood up and clinked glasses with Qian Fan. Among them were those in the firearms trade, the drug trade, and the flesh trade... But at this moment, they all smiled so warmly and harmlessly that anyone who stumbled in might mistake this for a gathering of business tycoons.
"Boss Qian, how was that batch of goods from the other day?" Bone Blade seemed to remember something and lowered his voice with a smirk. "That heart, and those organs... The quality was good, right?"
"Not bad," Qian Fan nodded slightly. "The buyer was very satisfied."
"It's not often you find a buyer with such deep pockets, willing to take all the organs at once... That batch went to Aurora City, didn't it?"
Hearing the words "Aurora City," Qian Fan's eyes narrowed, and he spoke leisurely:
"Bone Boss, in this line of work, it's best not to ask too many questions... You might bring trouble upon yourself."
"Hahaha, my apologies. I'll punish myself with a drink!"
Bone Blade downed his glass in one go, then turned his gaze to the voluptuous dancers on stage. His hand, resting on the shoulder of the woman beside him, slid down naturally, eliciting a coquettish giggle as he began to play around.
"Speaking of which, it's always the same few acts every time... Isn't there anything else?"
"What else do you want to see?"
"I heard that in Aurora City, performances include singing, skits, magic, and even opera... But here, all we get is dancing."
"Like you said, that's in Aurora City... In a place like District Three, where would we find that kind of variety? It's already impressive that we managed to get so many dancers and live music for you."
"...How boring."
Bone Blade's cheeks were flushed from the alcohol. He pushed the two beauties in his arms aside and strode to the center of the stage. The dancers, their formation disrupted, looked at each other in confusion.
The musicians below the stage, who had been playing the drums and bamboo flutes, abruptly stopped.
"Don't stop, keep dancing..."
Bone Blade's body pressed lightly against the back of one of the dancers, his hands slithering over her like snakes. Finally, he grabbed her wrists and manipulated her like a puppet, making her move in an awkward and grotesque manner on stage.
The dancer's face turned pale with fear, but she didn't dare resist, allowing Bone Blade to control her body. The other dancers glanced at Qian Fan below the stage, pretending nothing was wrong, and continued their synchronized movements...
The drums resumed, and the bamboo flutes played on.
"Hahaha, Bone Blade, your dancing is hideous!"
"Let me give it a try!"
"No, no, I think he's doing great! Keep going, keep going! Hahaha..."
"Who knew you had a talent for dancing? How about a pole dance for everyone?"
"..."
The crowd from Ice Spring Street burst into laughter, as if they had found a new source of entertainment, pushing the already lively atmosphere to an even greater climax.
Just then, a figure pushed open the mansion's gate and walked in through the snow.
"What? Has Brother Ma finally arrived?"
Everyone turned to look, their eyes landing on the front courtyard, but they all froze in place.
It wasn't Ma Zhong.
Instead, it was a young figure draped in a bright red opera robe. He silently walked across the stone path of the front courtyard, the falling snow dusting his temples with white.
In the pale world, that splash of crimson was both glaring and scorching.
When they saw his face, most of the people inside the mansion turned pale, as if recalling something, their eyes filling with venom and malice.
Meanwhile, Qian Fan was momentarily stunned. He exchanged a glance with the law enforcement officer beside him and stood up from his seat.
"Brother Chen Ling, what brings you here?" A warm smile spread across his face. "What bad timing. Right after you left, Districts Two and Three were unsealed. We thought we'd celebrate a bit. I was just saying earlier that we should've kept you here this morning...
Come, come, since you're here, sit down and have a drink."
Chen Ling didn't respond. He calmly walked through the snowy courtyard, his muddy shoes leaving deep imprints as he stepped into the house.
"No need," he said indifferently. "I'm here to retrieve something..."
"Retrieve something? What did you leave behind?"
Under everyone's gaze, Chen Ling walked through the banquet hall and stepped onto the stage... His eyes were locked on Bone Blade the entire time.
"Well, well, if it isn't Officer Chen..." Bone Blade, drunk and sneering, let go of the dancer and pushed her aside. "What's with the outfit? Are you here to put on a show for us?"
With Han Meng dead and Ma Zhong once again holding absolute power in District Three, Bone Blade and the others didn't believe Chen Ling would dare cause trouble... Now, Districts Two and Three were their domain!
"Hahaha! Let him perform!"
"He's dressed like that to perform opera, right? Which act is it?"
"..."
The crowd, feeling invincible at the moment, raised their glasses, their eyes filled with mockery as they looked at Chen Ling in his red robe.
Qian Fan's frown deepened. He had a vague feeling that something was wrong.
"Chen Ling, whatever you lost, just tell me... I'll help you find it."
"I lost a heart."
Chen Ling stared straight at Bone Blade's face.
"And my brother's life."
In the next moment, a hand shot through Bone Blade's chest!!