"The one who smokes is lonely": Oh, Young Master Zhao, a busy man, it's rare to see you. I'll be there immediately.
"Lonely Cao thief": Received, received.
"Uninterested in foreign mares": Will you bring your own horses tonight, or will Young Master Zhao cover everything?
"I transport 900 billion every day": Wow, Young Master Zhao has spoken. This face, hehe, must be given.
The four young masters, seeing that Young Master Zhao had appeared for the first time in a while, all expressed in the group that they would come to the appointment immediately.
The nights in Yanjing are truly a sleepless city.
The taste of money and power lingers in the Yanjing sky, refusing to disperse.
Zhao Yunhai was quietly drinking tea in a private room of a teahouse. The faint scent of sandalwood permeated the entire room. The tea before him was fragrant, and he listened to a singer perform a traditional song.
A "lianren" was a woman who sang traditional songs. These women in teahouses usually only performed for money, not for sex.
However, as the saying goes, these women were dressed elegantly and with grace in the teahouse. Zhao Yunhai knew exactly what they were thinking.
It was nothing more than finding a wealthy man to foot the bill for their own physical needs.
At this place, one's status was the entry ticket, so these women treated every guest as if they were their own groom.
The most famous teahouse for its attentive service in Yanjing was Gulin Teahouse, which was this place.
The four friends arrived very quickly.
Li Yuanjing, Cao Pengtian, Gu Yunting, and Zhang Li were all famous young masters in Yanjing.
"Sit down, everyone." Zhao Yunhai gestured for the four to make themselves comfortable.
"Young Master Zhao seems to have something on his mind. Waiting for your brothers to help you sort it out."
Li Yuanjing watched as the attendant next to him poured tea, then twirled the teacup in his hand and said with a light smile.
"My family is urging me to get married and have children, which is very frustrating. Do you have any fun places to recommend?"
Zhao Yunhai spat out some tea leaves and said helplessly.
As soon as he said this, Li Yuanjing and the other three burst into laughter. "It seems even Young Master Zhao is troubled by such things."
The singer playing the guzheng, seeing that the attention of these distinguished guests was not on her, couldn't help but lament her poor background.
"Speaking of fun places, brother, I do have a fun and exciting place we can go."
Cao Pengtian said in a hushed tone.
"Then let's go."
Zhao Yunhai got up and walked towards the exit. "A'da, go settle the bill."
"Yes." A'da, who was outside the door, quickly responded.
"Where are you talking about?"
The other three were as curious as cats scratching an itch and quickly pressed Cao Pengtian for details.
"You'll know when we get there."
Cao Pengtian chuckled and pretended to be mysterious. "If I tell you now, there will be no surprise. You guys need to learn from Young Master Zhao on this."
"Tch." The three rolled their eyes and scorned him.
...
The more light there is, the darker the shadows will be.
Black Dog Arena, a place for raising dogs.
Zhao Yunhai initially thought it was a dog fighting arena, but upon entering, he realized that "dog" here referred to something else.
The place was filled with a clamor of voices and was dirty and chaotic.
"Esteemed young masters, please follow me this way."
The guide did not dare to be presumptuous, nor did he dare to truly lead them through the dirty path.
Li Yuanjing curiously looked at the surroundings. "I say, Brother Cao, you have places like this and you don't invite your brothers to come along? You're always keeping them to yourself."
"Exactly, exactly. You're not a true brother." Gu Yunting and Zhang Li chimed in.
"The main thing is to satisfy Young Master Zhao. Aren't I bringing you all here today?"
Cao Pengtian chuckled and shouted to the guide, "Get me the best private room. Make sure the view is excellent."
"I understand." The guide turned back with a fawning smile and replied.
Entering the elevator and arriving on the second floor, it was like an ancient Roman coliseum.
In a private room on the second floor, Zhao Yunhai could clearly see everything happening in the arena below, offering an excellent viewing experience.
"I never expected there to be a place like this beneath Yanjing."
Zhao Yunhai had never been here before. It seemed to have opened only in the last year or two. In the past, his former self would not have avoided such places.
"Distinguished guests, would you like escorts?"
The person dressed as a guide asked with a slight bow.
"Yes, one for each of us."
Cao Pengtian decided to pay for everything tonight and said very generously.
"Brother Peng is so generous."
Zhao Yunhai clapped his hands and whistled.
When you go out to have fun, you should let yourself go. Otherwise, why would Zhao Yunhai have invited these people? Wasn't it just to relax?
"Brother Peng is mighty!" The other three shouted in unison.
Although they were not short of money, they enjoyed the feeling of being treated to a complete package by their friends.
"Coming right up, I guarantee they're original and unopened."
This was commission-based, so the attendant quickly left the private room with swift steps.
Seeing Cao Pengtian sit next to him, Zhao Yunhai explained, "The people participating in the duels here are desperate individuals. Once on the stage, it's only life or death, no victory or defeat."
"Here, this is the list of participants for tonight."
As he spoke, Cao Pengtian picked up the list from under his buttocks and handed it to Zhao Yunhai while it was still warm.
Zhao Yunhai accepted it without disgust and casually flipped through it. However, his eyes narrowed, and he seemed to spot a familiar person.
He had almost forgotten about this guy.
Li Feng.
Once the captain of the蛟龙 (Jiao Long) team, he retired and left after a mission failure due to his misjudgment, which resulted in heavy casualties for his team. He could not forgive himself. However, fate was not on his side. Li Feng's family also encountered misfortune. His father went bankrupt and committed suicide by jumping from a building, and his mother fell ill.
The family's money was used to cover the loopholes in his father's company.
Also, for the families of his comrades, Li Feng, filled with guilt, sent money piece by piece, wanting to alleviate his inner remorse.
His mother's illness was another large expense. The once wealthy Li Feng had refused Zhao Yunhai's compensation because his family was not short of money.
By chance, he learned about this place from someone and Li Feng signed up for this competition.
It was a place of life and death, where human lives were not worth much.
Perhaps in the past, Li Feng would have acted impulsively and caused a scene here, making it impossible for this place to continue operating. But now, he needed money.
Li Feng, waiting backstage to participate, did not know that Zhao Yunhai was also here.
Zhao Yunhai, in the private room, watched one battle after another, anticipating Li Feng's appearance.
Beside him, Cao Pengtian was still agonizing over the betting. "Young Master Zhao, Li Feng is a newcomer. You bet two million, and the odds are five to one."
"Although we don't lack money, misjudging the situation can be very embarrassing."
As for Li Yuanjing and the other two, they unreservedly bet on whomever Young Master Zhao bet on. They were just doing it for fun.
Most of the women here were from poor families, sold here by their families for a large sum of money.
Zhao Yunhai looked at the woman in his arms, who seemed uncomfortable, and smiled. "You're quite attractive. Don't be uneasy. We'll get acquainted soon."