Liu Shi stood respectfully to one side, beginning to report in detail on his meticulous preparations over the past few days. His voice was steady and confident: "Master, the raw gemstone ore for this quarter is all ready. I've been trying to contact you earlier, but I wasn't able to get through." He had no idea that Ban Shuang had been in deep seclusion cultivating his skills at that time.
Ban Shuang gave a slight nod, a flash of imperceptible thought crossing his deep eyes. After listening to Liu Shi's report, a personal plan began to take shape in his mind. The core of this plan was to find the whereabouts of his younger sister. He knew that to obtain any news about her, he needed a legal identity to enter the Middle District, and joining the Liu Family was the best method he could think of at the moment. Only through this path could he possibly track down his sister's traces. His fists tightened slightly of their own accord, and his eyes revealed a resolute determination, as if no matter how many hardships and obstacles lay ahead, he would find his sister.
Gaining entry to the Middle District was no easy task; it had strict admission thresholds, requiring a hefty fee of a full five hundred thousand just to acquire a legal identity there. To many people in the Lower District, this was undoubtedly an astronomical figure—an uncrossable chasm.
However, within this regional division system, people from the Upper District enjoyed special privileges. They could move freely in and out of the Lower District as if taking a stroll in their own backyard, completely free of any restrictions. As for Ban Shuang, he no longer needed to worry about such matters, for Liu Shi had already arranged everything properly.
Posing as a hired bodyguard for Liu Shi, Ban Shuang set off with the Liu Family transport convoy on their journey to the Middle District. Along the road leading to the Middle District, numerous trade caravans and lone travelers alike were lined up waiting for inspection.
In this long queue, one caravan stood out as particularly striking. One vehicle in particular was exceptionally unique; its body emitted a low-key yet luxurious sheen, and its exquisite craftsmanship and distinctive design made it obvious at a glance that it was an expensive luxury car.
The convoy carrying Ban Shuang was lined up directly behind this vehicle. Because the passage was rather narrow, this special car blocked the way like a giant boulder obstructing a stream, making it impossible for other vehicles to pass through smoothly.
Left with no alternative, Liu Shi had to push open the car door and get out to see what was happening. He walked quickly over to the side of the special vehicle, his eyes instantly caught by a large wolf-head emblem displayed on the car. This symbol was known to everyone far and wide in these parts—it was the signature mark of the Wolf King Gang.
The Wolf King Gang was an absolute powerhouse in the Middle District, akin to a colossal beast entrenched in the mountains, which no one dared to provoke lightly.
Knowing full well how tricky the situation was, Liu Shi had no choice but to bite the bullet and cautiously step forward to negotiate. Wearing a ingratiating smile, he politely explained to the other party about the convoy blocked behind them, hoping they could move their vehicle forward a bit to let everyone pass.
However, the Wolf King Gang's detachment this time was led by Silver Wolf, who was notorious for his ruthlessness and unfathomable strength. Sitting in his car, Silver Wolf didn't even cast a proper glance at Liu Shi before launching into a tirade, his words dripping with contempt and threats, as if Liu Shi's request was a grave offense against him.
Liu Shi stood there, his face turning pale and flushed by turns, yet he dared not utter the slightest retort. At that moment, a lackey from the Wolf King Gang suddenly leaped down from the car, cursing foully as he threw punches and charged straight at Liu Shi, clearly intent on teaching this ignorant fool a lesson.
Terrified by the sudden attack, Liu Shi turned ashen. He never expected the other party to be so unreasonable as to resort to violence before he could even finish speaking.
At this critical juncture, seeing Liu Shi's predicament, Ban Shuang pushed open the car door and stepped out with steady strides. Moving with lightning speed, Ban Shuang stepped forward to shield Liu Shi and easily intercepted the attack from the Wolf King Gang subordinate.
Seizing the moment, Ban Shuang grabbed the lackey's wrist and gave it a gentle twist, causing the man to bare his teeth in agony as his punching hand lost all its strength. Ban Shuang followed up with a sweeping kick, dropping the lackey like a sack of rags; after tumbling across the ground a few times, the man collapsed into a heap, groaning and unable to get back up.
Everything happened so fast that Silver Wolf, who had been watching the scene with casual indifference from inside the car, now revealed a hint of surprise. He had not expected that the Liu Family of the Lower District—mere ants in his eyes—would boast such a formidable expert.
A trace of probing curiosity entered his gaze as he locked his eyes tightly onto Ban Shuang, as if trying to figure out just how capable this sudden young upstart truly was.
Just as the standoff reached its absolute boiling point, duty soldiers on patrol shouted out a stern halt. Their imposing voices rang out like thunder amidst the noisy surroundings, forcing both sides to temporarily sheathe their competitive edge.
The soldiers issued a strict warning that this was an inspection checkpoint, and no conflicts were permitted; otherwise, severe punishment would follow. Reluctantly, both sides took a step back, though the hostility in each other's eyes did not dissipate, simmering like a suppressed fire that could burst into fierce flames at any moment.
The military of the Dragon Kingdom held supreme authority throughout the entire national system. They were the upholders of state order and an inviolable presence.
This had long become a consensus across the Dragon Kingdom; whether powerful gang factions or ordinary citizens, everyone was acutely aware of the stakes. Once you offended the military, it was akin to igniting a devastating bomb, practically inviting your own destruction.
That meant facing the full might of the Dragon Kingdom's entire military apparatus—a destructive force so absolute that no one would dare touch this high-voltage wire and commit such utter foolishness unless pushed to the absolute limit.
Though unwilling, Silver Wolf dared not continue his rampage under the watchful eyes of the military. He glared viciously at Ban Shuang and Liu Shi, spitting out a few harsh threats: "You got lucky today, humph!" With a wave of his hand, he signaled the Wolf King Gang convoy to start moving. The luxury car bearing the wolf-head logo pulled away first, followed by the rest of the vehicles in order, slowly entering the Middle District.
Liu Shi wiped the cold sweat of tension from his brow and let out a long sigh of relief. He cast a grateful look at Ban Shuang; had Ban Shuang not stepped in just in time, today's affair would surely not have been resolved so easily. Afterward, he hurried back to his own vehicle to direct the convoy onward. Ban Shuang returned to his seat, keeping his gaze vigilantly fixed on the surroundings, maintaining his cover as a bodyguard. Soon enough, the convoy of Liu Shi and Ban Shuang smoothly passed through the inspection and drove slowly into the Middle District.
Upon entering the Middle District, the scenery before them stood in stark contrast to the Lower District. The streets were wider and cleaner, the buildings on both sides taller and more grandiose, and all sorts of shops dazzled the eye. The pedestrians were dressed much more brightly and fashionably, exuding an atmosphere of prosperity everywhere. Yet Ban Shuang knew deep down that behind this bustling facade lay hidden even greater dangers and unknowns.
Once inside the Middle District, the convoy drove amid the bustling activity straight into a spacious warehouse. The massive iron gates slowly opened as the convoy arrived, emitting a heavy creaking sound like a giant beast opening its jaws. The interior of the warehouse was vast, piled high with all kinds of goods, and the air carried a faint scent of dust.