The air inside smelled of desperation and stale, spilled alcohol, while the beat from the dance floor pummeled a background second heartbeat. Chen Yan leaned into the bar, nursing his drink without meaning to ever finish it. His eyes swung around the room, hitching on the tall figure back-a man with eyes that missed nothing and wore a sour expression, arms crossed to fold over his chest.

"That's Jiang Li," Lin Xia whispered, huddling in next to Chen Yan. "Are you sure about this? He's not exactly the trusting type."

"Neither am I," Chen Yan muttered. "But if we're going to take down Luo Ming, we need someone who knows his operation from the inside."

Lin Xia frowned but said nothing more.

Wu Tian’s voice crackled in Chen Yan’s ear through a discreet earpiece. “You’ve got about ten minutes before the club manager notices you’re not here to party. Get moving.”

“Copy that,” Chen Yan said. He straightened his jacket and started toward Jiang Li, weaving through the crowd. The System’s voice chimed in, sarcastic as always.

"Ah, the diplomatic approach. I give it five seconds before someone throws a punch."

"Shut up," Chen Yan hissed under his breath.

Jiang Li had noticed him well before he could get close on. The man's gaze was knife-sharp, slicing across the dimness of the lighting to home in on Jiang Li. Stepping ahead, Jiang Li made his imposing presence felt when Chen Yan neared.

"You're either brave or stupid to come here," Jiang Li said, his voice low and gravelly.

Chen Yan smirked, forcing confidence into his tone. "Can't it be both?"

Jiang Li didn't laugh. "What do you want?"

---

"I want to take down Luo Ming," Chen Yan said forthrightly. "And you're going to help me do it."

Jiang Li raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? And why would I stick my neck out for you?"

"Because we both want the same thing," Chen Yan said. "Revenge. Luo Ming left you out to dry, didn't he? Left you to take the fall while he walked away clean."

For a moment, Jiang Li's face hardened further, and the mention of his betrayal cut a bit close to home.

Chen Yan pressed on, "Look, I know you don't trust me, but I'm not here to waste your time. You help me, and I promise Luo Ming goes down. Hard."

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Jiang Li said nothing for a very, very long while, leaning in then, his tone very low and dangerous. "Alright, kid. You've got my attention. But talk is cheap. If you want my help, prove you're not just another loudmouth with a death wish."

"What do you have in mind?" Chen Yan asked, though he had a bad premonition that he might not like the answer at all.

Jiang Li gestured upwards, toward the stairs on the second floor. "Up there's the office where the club stores its records. Financials, client lists, that kind of thing. Luo Ming doesn't trust computer files, so he writes it all down on paper. If you're serious about screwing him over, get me something good to work with."

Chen Yan raised an eyebrow. "You want me to commit theft in an office in the middle of a busy nightclub?"

Jiang Li smiled wryly. "Just what I said, prove your worth."

The Interface of the System blinked out in view, and words scrolled along the screen.

[Mission 5: Gather Evidence from Luo Ming's Nightclub.]

Objective: Retrieval of incriminating documents from the office of the nightclub undetected.

"Oh, I love this dude," the System chimed in with mock appreciation. "He really knows just how to push your limits."

Chen Yan sighed. "Alright, I'll do it. But if I get in trouble, I blame you."

"Complain if you want, champ, just don't get in the way."

---

Chen Yan hustled low to the stairwell out of sight, the sounds of the dance floor a masking cloak; the problems lay with the bouncers stationed at the top of the stairs.

"Wu Tian," Chen Yan whispered into the comms unit. "Can you give me a distraction?"

"Already on it," Wu Tian replied. Moments later, the club's sound system screeched with feedback, causing several patrons to groan and cover their ears.

One of the bouncers cursed. "What the hell is that?"

"Go check the sound booth," the other bouncer said, motioning for his partner to leave.

One down, Chen Yan waited until the other bouncer was distracted and slipped up the stairs past him.

The office was locked, but the System was happy to chime in helpfully:

"Don't worry, I'll lend you a hand. Try the door now."

Chen Yan turned the knob, surprised that it wasn't locked. "You can hack locks now?"

"Just say I do, now hurry up before anyone sees."

In the office, Chen Yan rummaged through whatever drawers were of value. He pulled out a folder labeled "Accounts" and stuffed it in his jacket. Just as he was turning to leave, a small red light flashed on the desk.

"Shit," Chen Yan muttered.

"Silent alarm. Nice going, Sherlock," the System said. "Better move your ass."

Chen Yan slipped out of the office just as heavy footsteps echoed up from the stairs. Two bouncers were coming up fast-their voices angry.

Quick thinking, Chen Yan popped into a maintenance closet, holding his breath while the two bouncers stomped by. The coast clear, he slipped back down to the dance floor, instantly mingling with the crowd on it.

Jiang Li was waiting near the exit, his arms crossed. "You actually pulled it off," he said, a note of surprise in his voice.

"There was ever any doubt?" Chen Yan said, handing over the folder.

Jiang Li opened it, running his eyes down the contents. A slow smile spread across his face. "This is good. Very good."

"So, are you in?"

Jiang Li nodded. "I'm in."

---

Back at Wu Tian's hideout, the group sifted through the documents. Wu Tian's face lit up as he decoded the financial records.

"These accounts have everything: payoffs to officials, debts owed to bigger players, and… wait a second."

"What is it?" Chen Yan asked.

Wu Tian pointed to a name repeated in the records: The Broker.

"Whoever this Broker is, they're not just pulling strings-they own Luo Ming. Every major deal he makes goes through them."

Chen Yan frowned. "The Broker…

"Careful, champ," the System said abruptly, sounding serious. "You're getting close to the real game now. Don't bite off more than you can chew."

Chen Yan fisted his hands. "Why do I get the feeling you know more about this than you're letting on?"

The System chuckled. "Because I do. But that's a story for another time."

---

Their moment of triumph was disrupted by the knock on the door. Jiang Li instinctively laid his hand on his waist, where he had concealed a pistol.

"Expecting company?"

Chen Yan asked.

Jiang Li shook his head.

The door exploded open and three of Luo Ming's enforcers stormed in, guns pointed.

"Luo Ming says hi," the first thug sneered.