Chapter Fifty-Nine: Clarifying Face to Face

Chief Steward Lin Jian, along with the others, followed Xiao Tianci’s gesture and halted. Lin Jian glanced at the wounded Azure Dragon and said, “Boss...”

Xiao Tianci knew that even injured, Azure Dragon was fully capable of killing him if he got too close. He might even take him hostage. Especially with that dagger in hand—at such close range, it was no less deadly than a bullet.

“I know. It’s alright,” Xiao Tianci replied calmly, a faint smile on his face, brimming with confidence as he strode toward Azure Dragon.

Lin Jian nodded silently and signaled to Vajra in the distance. Xiao Tianci walked up to Azure Dragon, and in a blur that no one could clearly see, Vajra was suddenly standing beside him.

Now, Vajra could probably shield two Xiao Tiancis without any trouble. The weather was pleasant, the sun shone brightly, but up on the high rooftop, the wind was fierce. Far off, on a skyscraper invisible to the naked eye, some people were watching the scene unfold with great interest.

“Mmm... smack... smack... I must say, this steak is really quite good,” said a short, stout man, happily munching away at a large plate.

“What are you doing? We’re working here. Can’t you focus? And must you make all that noise while eating?” retorted another man, identical in height and build, so much so that if one wasn’t guzzling food, they could be mistaken for mirror images.

“Eh... mm... smack... what’s there to see? Vajra’s still as monstrous as ever. With him there, what’s to worry about? Even if someone tossed a bomb—mm... smack... smack... he could still get that Xiao kid out of here.”

“I never expected him to become so formidable after some minor modifications. By the way, when are we going to approach that Xiao kid?”

“Hmph... look around; at least a dozen groups are watching us. If we get too close, we’ll invite trouble. Mm... mm... I must admit, food nowadays is tastier than ever.”

The other man stroked his chin, revealing a faint stubble. “So what do we do? Should we just try to lure him to us and shake off those tails, then...?” He shook his head. “No, that’s not clever enough. What do we do? This kid’s surrounded by so many people—maybe they’re just trying to flush us out, baiting us to reveal ourselves, then follow the trail back. Yes, I’m a genius for thinking of that! But, even with this clever plan, it doesn’t solve our problem. So, what now? Should we just wait for him to come to us? But who knows what he’s up to, and when will he finally make his move?”

“Mmm... delicious... smack... smack...” The noisy eating was so loud it disturbed the other man’s train of thought. “Hey! I told you, eat quietly! Stop smacking your lips—ah, you scoundrel! You’re eating my share too! Spit it out! I’ll kill you!” he shouted, lunging at his companion. The one holding the plate quickly stuffed the last piece in his mouth, and the two began to tussle.

If not for the sudden shadow cast by Vajra’s massive figure blocking out the sun, Xiao Tianci wouldn’t even have realized Vajra was now standing beside him.

Xiao Tianci looked up at Vajra in awe—truly worthy of the name. He thought, if he ever had the chance, he’d love to spar with Vajra someday. It was astonishing, almost unimaginable, that someone could truly transform their body like that; his speed and strength had far surpassed the limits of ordinary humans.

But now, Xiao Tianci had to talk to Azure Dragon. He’d considered it carefully. Though he didn’t know Azure Dragon well, his actions thus far showed he was calm and possessed a heroic spirit—willing to stand alone for his sister and his men, brave enough to shoulder responsibility.

“Vajra, you go down too. I need to speak with Captain Azure Dragon alone.”

Xiao Tianci’s move left Azure Dragon a bit stunned. If Vajra were at Xiao Tianci’s side, even uninjured, Azure Dragon would stand little chance of a surprise attack. Just now, when he’d tried to throw his dagger at Vajra, the man had caught it effortlessly in his massive hand.

Vajra hesitated, glanced at his boss—who smiled and nodded reassuringly—then eyed Azure Dragon. Even after taking a heavy blow from him, which left Azure Dragon coughing blood and likely with three broken ribs, he was still more than a match for the boss. If he left... well, now Vajra weighed obedience to orders against his judgment of Azure Dragon’s character.

Xiao Tianci wanted, above all, to earn Azure Dragon’s trust and set the stage for fruitful negotiations. He’d shown his power with a blow, but now, by showing trust, he made it easier to talk, no matter what happened next. The simplest methods were often the most effective: demonstrate strength, then extend a gesture of goodwill before getting down to business.

Finally, Vajra chose to obey, shooting Azure Dragon a warning look before stepping back to Lin Jian’s side, more than ten meters away.

“Ha... cough... you’re quite bold...” Azure Dragon rasped.

Xiao Tianci laughed and shrugged. “Actually, I’m not that bold. I weighed it for a long time and decided you wouldn’t harm me, or take me hostage—otherwise, I wouldn’t have come.”

“Ha... Don’t you... cough... cough...” Azure Dragon tried to laugh, but his injuries forced him into a fit of bloody coughing. Xiao Tianci said, “Alright, don’t laugh. You were going to say that a dying man will do anything to survive, right?”

Finishing Azure Dragon’s thought, Xiao Tianci left him gazing back in confusion. He couldn’t quite figure out this young man—just what kind of person was he?

“Alright, whatever you’re thinking, let me recount what happened that day, then share my perspective, and then we can talk.” With that, Xiao Tianci recounted everything that happened up to the point of leaving the VIP lounge; he remembered those events clearly.

When he finished, Xiao Tianci said, “That’s it. I admit I went a bit too far, but it wasn’t so serious that things had to become this grave—like it’s a matter of life and death. Besides, I’d had a bit to drink and was half-joking, just trying to humble Miss Phoenix a bit, make her yield. Who knew... Well, that’s how it turned out.”

Azure Dragon’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped in astonishment. Xiao Tianci wondered if his tone was off. Was he still angry? No, he decided, he had to apologize formally. Azure Dragon and Phoenix were independent, with no major backers; this was the perfect chance to draw them in, whether by punishment or reward. Surely, they wouldn’t truly want his life over this.

With that in mind, Xiao Tianci bowed deeply. “I, Tianci, acted disgracefully under the influence and acted rashly. I submit to any punishment, without complaint.”

Azure Dragon finally snapped back to reality, doing a complete about-face. “No... cough... Mr. Xiao, I’m the one who should apologize...”

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