Chapter Twenty-Three: The Lord of Black City

Today, Hong Jiuling had been in a fine mood, having just closed a lucrative arms deal. But the moment he heard the news that one of his men had been beaten, his good spirits vanished without a trace.

Someone actually dared to stir up trouble in the Underground City and broke his subordinate’s legs—an incident that hadn’t occurred in years. The Underground City might not be a dragon’s lair or a tiger’s den, but it wasn’t a place where just anyone could cause trouble. In Shanghai, there were few forces he truly feared; even the city’s major powers dared not provoke him lightly.

Nonetheless, he was not a rash or impulsive man. To have kept the shadowy Underground City running for more than a decade without falling was not merely a matter of innate strength—it was intellect that sustained him.

Since this man dared to make a scene in the Underground City, he must have something to rely on.

Hong Jiuling ordered someone to bring the surveillance footage and watched it carefully. He soon realized the perpetrator was indeed quite formidable—either a master of internal martial arts or a cultivator, and vicious at that. Yet, this level of skill was hardly worth his attention. There was no need for him to act personally; his men could easily gun him down in a hail of bullets.

He zoomed in on the assailant’s face and was startled. He had never met this person, but he immediately recognized him as Xiao Cheng, the young master of the Xiao family. Hong opened his laptop and compared a few photos—