Chapter 146: I'm Hurt, I Need My Sister to Heal Me - It’s the Cyber Age—Still Playing a Traditional Villain?

**Chapter 146: I'm Hurt, I Need My Sister to Heal Me** Here they come. The classic "Let's split the spoils" meeting. Lin Yue looked at her sister, thinking she had heard something like this before somewhere. Oh, wait, it couldn't be, her sister hadn't even spoken then... But there's still a hint of familiarity. Of course, the specifics can't be discussed in this chaotic place; it needs to be moved to the negotiation table. Song Ziyou, having returned to his normal size and changed his clothes, seriously scrutinized the sister duo in front of him. Whether it was this current "Sparks" or the previous iteration, he never really had much interaction with them. But today's encounter gave him a firsthand experience, attesting that these two were indeed a rising force in the City of Sin not to be underestimated. He had to admit, based on their strength and audacity, these sisters truly had what it takes... Being the "fly on the wall" isn't shameful in gang conflicts. There's no move too disgraceful in these battles; not taking your chance is the real loss. But, half of Sector Ten...? In all honesty, Song Ziyou could tell "Sparks" didn't truly intend to go against him. They showed more intentions of forming an alliance; otherwise, they wouldn't have just dealt with Chu Cuicheng and left him alive. If they wanted utmost chaos, they could have gone all out. Even with those "White Iron" members, they hadn't done much besides subduing the resistors without major bloodshed. This alone spoke volumes. At the very least, it was clear this was their bargaining chip for reconciliation. Given the situation, with Song Ziyou's temperament, taking a step back wouldn't be unreasonable. After all, "Sparks" wasn't something that could be extinguished just like that. Leaving some leeway is better than outright hostility. However... there was also the matter of "Prism"... Securing Sector Ten would serve as proof of his capabilities to Xie Qingyan, promising more rewards later. But only half... hmm... "Is there room for negotiation?" He asked, unwilling to give up, "Perhaps besides territory, there might be other things you need? Instead of..." "Territory is indeed the best option." Lin Xing interrupted his proposal, "Teaching a man to fish is better than giving him a fish, right, Leader Song?" Just material goods wouldn't suffice. No matter how much, it would eventually be depleted. But if they could hold territory, whether through production or expanding influence for acquisition, they could continuously gather resources. "If we proposed a trade of supplies for your territory, you wouldn't agree, would you?" "... But don't forget, 'Sparks' isn't as strong as 'White Iron'." Hearing this, Song Ziyou felt displeased, replying with a gloomy expression. "Funny, Leader Ding Jun of the 'Long Knife Gang' said something similar." Lin Xing squinted and smiled, "I admit we played to our advantage this time, but the situation is indeed in our favor. Or does Leader Song wish to engage in a tug-of-war with us? If so, we'll oblige." Lin Yue wanted to say something to support, but couldn't find the words, so she simply placed her dagger on the table and stared alongside her sister at Song Ziyou. "......" Song Ziyou grimaced. Damn it, these two tigresses, can't intimidate them! But the truth is, the situation is indeed in their favor. On a smaller scale, the "Sparks" members are vigorous and ready, while the "White Iron" members are exhausted... in his current state, fighting wouldn't favor him against these two. On a larger scale, considering another round of gang warfare is something he wishes to avoid, especially since the "Furious Wolves" seem to favor "Sparks" over "White Iron". Even if he forcibly took all of Sector Ten, latent problems would surely follow. Ugh. "What else can I say?" After weighing the pros and cons, he could only concede, "It's my lack of preparation that let you take advantage... fine, let's proceed as you propose." "Great! We'll rely on Leader Song in the future." Lin Yue and Lin Xing shared a glance, both relaxing. Thus, the annexation of Sector Ten concluded, with "Sparks" and "White Iron" each taking half. Hearing this news, Ding Jun just felt his heart bleeding from afar in Sector Seven. For "Sparks" to claim half, if it had been him, he might have managed more, right? Unfortunately, this was at Xu Shi's behest, and he could only grudgingly accept. Moreover, on second thought, he had negotiated with Lin Yue and Lin Xing in the past, eventually conceding half of Sector Six... it seemed quite similar to Song Ziyou’s fate. The difference being, he was acting, while the other side meant business. In this light, he felt somewhat balanced. At least it showed Song Ziyou was top-tier incompetent, ha! How could you let a second-rate gang play you like that? Heh heh heh. Little did he know, Song Ziyou was thinking the same. If Ding Jun also went through this, then… not a loss, not a loss. ... "Did we... succeed again?" Looking at the documents and files needing attention in front of her, Lin Yue was momentarily dazed. She always felt a sense of unreality, as if somehow, she'd managed to accomplish something remarkable once more. "Yes, congratulations, sister." Lin Xing beamed, "In terms of territory, sister is now one of the main district leaders." And a more distinguished one at that—formerly, the City of Sin had four leaders at this level: Zhang Shijun, Ding Jun, Song Ziyou, and Chu Cuicheng. Now it was down to three. Most importantly, it was Lin Yue who personally resolved the ones who disappeared, both in broader terms and in the literal, physical sense. "Why do I feel a bit of a headache, though?" Lin Yue laughed at her own thought, teasing, "Managing half of Sector Six was already burdensome; now there's another half of Sector Ten, hmm..." Versailles Syndrome, huh? Xu Shi rolled his eyes behind her, but this was indeed what he intended to discuss with Lin Yue. "Actually, I've been considering using the Sector Ten we acquired to broker a deal." "Hmm?" "My thought is, wounding ten fingers is less effective than cutting off one. Though the saying isn't quite applicable, the reasoning stands." Lin Xing explained, "Instead of holding half of Sector Six and half of Sector Ten, it's better to wholly control one major sector. What do you think, sister?" "Ah, you mean..." Lin Yue finally understood. "Yes, we exchange half of Sector Ten to get the other half of Sector Six from Ding Jun." Lin Xing stated seriously, "That way, we'll have a complete and genuine home base in the future." "In fact, vice versa would work too—exchanging Sector Six for Sector Ten. But since we've been operating here for so long, starting anew would be more troublesome." "You're right." Lin Yue agreed wholeheartedly. Aside from anything else, she also preferred having complete control over Sector Six—this was her true ambition. A clean area without the sordid sex trade was more important to her than mere territory. However... "Would Ding Jun agree to such a transaction?" She harbored concerns, given that what they were exchanging wasn't commodities, but land, each with its own intricate web of dependencies. Sure, they were managing Sector Six, but so was Ding Jun. Trading a relatively stable area for one newly stabilized isn’t exactly an equal exchange. "I think he would." Lin Xing wasn’t worried. Not to mention, she could pressure him if needed; even without it, he likely wouldn't hold on to Sector Six stubbornly. The sex doll trade he took over from Zhang Shijun hadn't brought the expected profits—thanks in no small part to Lin Yue's interventions. Many of those involved were desperate to escape to their part of Sector Six West, which made it incredible that Ding Jun wasn't losing money. For him, that half of Sector Six East became redundant. "Sister, you're such a rascal, you know~" Lin Xing playfully teased. "What nonsense, you brat." Lin Yue lightly tapped her sister's nose, "But there’s still one issue. If we fully control Sector Six, the arms supply route..." "The supply follows the people. Securing the intermediaries won't pose a huge problem." Lin Xing pouted slightly, rubbing her nose, "Moreover, controlling an entire district takes on a higher strategic value. In every aspect, it means more importance to others." Of course, these points were valid, but she knew the real truth was, securing weapon supplies wasn’t an issue as long as she could dictate it. If she didn't want to, even ruling the entire City of Sin wouldn't fetch them any armaments. But clearly, Lin Yue was unaware of this. The poor sister was being played by her sister and the ominous figure behind them... Nevertheless, these reasons were enough to persuade her. After preparing thoroughly, she sought negotiations with Ding Jun. Ding Jun, for his part, agreed readily after some back-and-forth. Clearly, Xu Shi had a hand in this, but it was also true that Ding Jun genuinely didn't want Sector Six anymore. After all, he was the head of a major gang, not a pawn at Xu Shi's beck and call. The meager profits from Sector Six weren't enough for him, especially with so many brothers to feed under his command. Moreover, the issues were hard to resolve because Lin Yue fundamentally despised the sex doll trade. No matter what was said, she'd always find ways to create trouble... Shifting to Sector Ten was more beneficial; Song Ziyou was more aligned with him. Whether by fighting or colluding, the gains would only increase. "I underestimated you," he remarked after the second exchange concluded. His words were heartfelt. Although he knew Lin Yue's rise was closely tied to Xu Shi, if she weren't capable herself, no amount of help would turn her into someone formidable. Just like Xu Shi himself; Ding Jun was equally surprised by his transformation. "Leader Ding jests, we still have much to learn from veterans like you," Lin Xing replied politely before exchanging a few more pleasantries and leaving. However, Xu Shi noticed that once everything settled, Lin Yue didn't seem as happy as expected—while it was true she was reserved and wouldn't burst into fits of laughter or tears, there was no reason for her to appear almost melancholic. "What's wrong, sister? Are you worried about something?" Lin Xing, ever the attentive sister, had to ask. "...Nothing, really. Just need some time to process everything," Lin Yue replied, waving her hand with an air of nonchalance. But her eyes, almost involuntarily, kept glancing at her left hand. Left hand? Lin Xing blinked, remembering her sister's severed pinky... Was her earlier metaphor inadvertently apt? "By the way, was your severed finger caused by that scoundrel Xu Shi?" Lin Xing asked, pretending it was a guess, even though she suspected otherwise. "...Didn't I tell you before?" Lin Yue shook her head. "It wasn't him, it was... someone else." Her sister's words had indeed triggered a train of thought, especially recalling how, to survive, she once submitted to Shen He of "Disgust." Her severed finger was a token of that ordeal. "Someone else?" Lin Xing feigned ignorance; indeed, her sister had never actively mentioned this, so she naturally had to pretend she knew nothing. "Want to hear the story?" Lin Yue paused, sighed, and said, "It's fine to tell you; actually it happened because I found out earlier..." "Oh, I see." After hearing the story, Lin Xing nodded, "Sister, punishing yourself for someone else's mistake is pretty foolish." "I suppose you're right," Lin Yue replied noncommittally. "At that time, my mind was a mess, and in a moment of impulse... it actually hurt quite a bit." "Good thing you have a new one now." Lin Xing consoled her with a gentle rub. "It's kind of like our current situation. There’s often more than one way to solve a problem." "True," Lin Yue agreed as she mused. Who would've thought that when she returned to Sector Six, it would be as a leader? Moreover, Sector Six had begun to take shape—no, it was becoming what she envisioned it to be. This realization proved that Shen He's choices back then weren't entirely out of desperation. With this in mind, she felt relieved. "Alright, let's head back. You got injured in the scuffle in Sector Ten, right? I'll see if we have any suitable pieces to fix you up." "It's just a minor injury; a hug with sister will heal it instantly." "...Off you go, walk yourself!" ... The lives of Lin Yue and Lin Xing were relatively content. However, not everyone had it so fortunate... or rather, not as fortunate. "...So, how did it go? I heard some rumblings from Sector Ten. How did our dear Qingyan fare?" In the "Babylon" restaurant, back in his main form, Xu Shi had invited Xie Qingyan for a candlelit dinner, asking with a grin. "Fairly well?" Xie Qingyan mused, unsure how to evaluate the situation. The attack on Sector Ten was far from flawless—if it had been perfect, she would have claimed more than she did. It was a strange predicament. You'd think Song Ziyou was incapable when he only conquered half, yet competent for taking as much as he did. As for any nefarious dealings... unlikely, as this falter was due to internal incompetence. Xu Shi truly had no part in the matter—at least in her view. "Long Knife Gang" hadn't even budged, so it couldn't rightfully be the sly man giving her a hard time, could it? Could it have been "Sparks"? She doubted it, although she did consider having Ye Shanshan silently investigate, she held no serious suspicions against Xu Shi. For her, as long as her fiancé remained composed, things weren’t too bleak. Perhaps she ought to thank him? "So, why the dinner invitation?" She asked, eyeing the delicious spread before her without digging in, resting her chin on one hand as she eyed Xu Shi with interest. "I'm celebrating your success." Xu Shi cheerfully poured her a drink, unfazed by her thoughts. "My beloved wife earns a victory; a celebration is due, right?" "Enough with the 'beloved wife' nonsense, you pig-head," Xie Qingyan retorted with a grin but still raised her glass. "If there's something to say, now's the time. Once the meal is done, your chance is over." "...Alright, alright, I do have a favor to ask. Or perhaps you could consider it a repayment?" Xu Shi offered no complaint about her teasing and upon clinking glasses with her, grew serious. "Actually, it's quite simple." "In a hospital in Sector Sixteen, there's a patient of mine—you should know that, right?" "I don't... but would Ms. Xie be interested in attempting a full recovery for her?" (End of Chapter)