# 636
Chapter 637: Black Kill Group's Invitation
The east began to brighten.
At dawn, Lin Qiye, who had completed his day's search mission, returned on time to the entrance of the Black Phoenix Club, where Amemiya Haruki had been waiting for quite some time.
The two pretended they had just returned from drinking, walked up the stairs, chose an empty private room, and locked the door.
"I've discovered some problems." Amemiya Haruki sat down on the sofa across from Lin Qiye.
"What?"
"Today, while searching the territory of the Ghost Fire Society in the west, I noticed several suspicious individuals lurking around the Ghost Fire Society's establishments, acting furtively as if gathering intelligence." Amemiya Haruki said seriously, "Moreover, I found that the Ghost Fire Society has been completely wiped out, and it has become the hideout of the Kanges family."
"Someone's still secretly investigating the Kanges family's arrangements?" Lin Qiye asked in surprise.
"Probably, and the other party is organized and disciplined, with clear division of labor. It doesn't seem like something those opportunistic small gangs could accomplish."
Not a small gang…
"Could it be the Black Kill Group?" Lin Qiye frowned slightly.
"Kansai has always been the Black Kill Group's territory. The Kanges family extending their reach here, and doing so so brazenly—the Black Kill Group wouldn't swallow that quietly. If they're secretly investigating the Kanges family's deployments to prepare an attack, that's highly possible."
Lin Qiye thought for a moment. "If the Black Kill Group is going to strike at the Kanges family, that's also good news for us."
"It would be good if someone stirs up the waters of Osaka, but only if they don't go too far. Otherwise, once Kanges Shi activates Magatsu Blade, it might affect our plans instead. After all… that blade in Kanges Shi's hands isn't something a bunch of gangsters can handle."
"By the way, what's the name of his blade? How could it cause such massive destruction from such a great distance?" Lin Qiye recalled that blade that had fallen from the sky to sever the bridge, unable to help but ask.
"Fifth of the Nine Magatsu Blades, 【Black Rope】. Within a thirty-kilometer radius of the blade's wielder, as long as coordinates are given, the blade's projection can be summoned to strike down at that location, causing terrifying destruction."
Amemiya Haruki paused, then continued, "By the way, the ranking of the Nine Magatsu Blades isn't based on power level, but on the order they were forged. So a higher ranking doesn't necessarily mean stronger."
Lin Qiye nodded. "In other words, as long as he doesn't know our coordinates, 【Black Rope】 poses no threat."
"That's right."
"Let's wait and see for now. Let's see how far this conflict between the Black Kill Group and the Kanges family can go." Lin Qiye looked out the window at the street gradually illuminated by sunlight and said slowly.
…
Due to business hours, the staff of Black Phoenix had completely reversed their sleep schedules—they slept during the day, woke up in the afternoon, and prepared to open for business in the evening.
By twilight, Little Jin lethargically walked out of his room and, seeing Uncle Kyosuke standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, greeted him.
"Good afternoon, Uncle Kyosuke."
"K-Ky-Kyochin…" Uncle Kyosuke stood rigidly in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, staring at the floor below, his body trembling slightly. "We… seem to have gotten into trouble?"
Little Jin froze.
He walked to the window and looked down, his tiger body jolting!
At the entrance of the Black Phoenix Club, four or five black sedans were neatly parked below, and more than a dozen fierce-looking men in black had surrounded the entrance. At the front of the leading car, a sinister middle-aged man in his fifties sat on the headlight, a cigarette between his fingers, casting a casual glance up at the building.
"I'm Asakura Ken, a cadre of the Black Kill Group. You have one minute to come down and open the door, or we'll open it for you."
One of the burly men beside him pulled an axe from the car trunk and stood at the entrance, a savage grin forming on his lips.
"Open the door! Open it now! I'm not letting my expensively renovated door get destroyed like this!"
Uncle Kyosuke quickly made his decision and raced down the stairs. Due to his professional demeanor, he instinctively straightened his clothes, smoothed his hair, and smiling warmly, opened the door.
The group of burly men stood beside the entrance, turning to look at Asakura Ken sitting on the car headlight, awaiting his command.
Asakura Ken unhurriedly stepped forward to the entrance of the Black Phoenix Club. His calm eyes, hiding killing intent, gazed into Uncle Kyosuke's eyes, patting his shoulder as he spoke slowly:
"Don't be nervous. We've come today to bring you money."
Asakura Ken glanced back at his subordinate, who immediately understood and opened the black case in his hands—inside was a neat stack of cash.
Uncle Kyosuke and Little Jin both froze on the spot.
…
A few minutes later.
Inside the private room, a dozen Black Kill Group members stood like a wall by the door. Asakura Ken sat alone on the large sofa inside the room, his calm eyes gazing at Uncle Kyosuke and Little Jin seated across from him.
Uncle Kyosuke was handling it better—after all, he was of an age where he'd weathered storms. Even facing the leader of Osaka's largest criminal organization, he didn't lose his composure, sitting upright with a warm professional male host's signature smile on his lips.
Little Jin, on the other hand, was much more nervous. He sat gingerly, avoiding Asakura Ken's gaze, sweat forming on his forehead.
"…I believe I've made my intentions quite clear, haven't I?"
Asakura Ken pushed the black case filled with cash toward Uncle Kyosuke and said calmly:
"Lately, whoever those two hosts at your club are—Asaba and Amemiya—they're the hottest hosts in all of Osaka. As long as you're willing to lend them to us, to accompany our Black Kill Group's Big Boss for a period of time, this money is all yours.
"Additionally, from now on, your Black Phoenix Club will be under the protection of the Black Kill Group. No protection fees required. Anyone who causes trouble in your establishment is our enemy.
"I believe my sincerity is sufficient… What do you say, Manager Kyosuke?"
Uncle Kyosuke stared at the case full of cash on the table, falling into silence.
Outside the private room.
Yuzuri Nana yawned, descending the stairs step by step. Noticing that the second-floor dining area was empty, she seemed somewhat puzzled.
Just as she was about to say something, a palm covered her mouth.
Yuzuri Nana turned her head in terror, only to see Lin Qiye standing right beside her, raising an index finger and making a "shh" gesture at her.
Upon recognizing Lin Qiye's face, Yuzuri Nana immediately quieted down, blinking her eyes, her gaze filled with confusion.
Beside Lin Qiye, Amemiya Haruki drifted like a ghost to the door of the private room, pressing his ear against it to listen to the conversation inside, his eyes narrowing slightly.