Queen of the Underworld

Chapter 4: The Savior from the Shadows

Ten years later, at the prestigious Bai Ying Girls' Academy in the Mo Bei District, known for its rigorous academic standards and the production of refined young women, a scene unfolded atop its high wall.

Yes, atop the wall, a sweet-faced girl in a school uniform was casually sitting, her long legs swinging freely as she chewed gum with evident boredom. Anyone passing by would undoubtedly pause to admire.

After all, this was Bai Ying Girls' Academy—a place renowned for its refined students!

But the girl on the wall was a stark contrast to the image of grace associated with the academy. If it weren't for her well-fitting school uniform, no one would believe she was a student here.

Of course, her feelings about the prim and proper uniform were quite the opposite. The gum in her mouth had lost its flavor, and her legs were starting to feel numb from hanging off the wall. She retrieved a tissue from her backpack, wrapped the tasteless gum inside, and tossed it in a nearby trash can with a practiced flick, muttering under her breath, "D*mn it all."

Just as her curse faded, five figures in uniforms from Gui Jia Academy approached her.

The girl on the wall tossed her backpack down and leaped lightly to the ground, landing gracefully. The two boys and three girls quickly gathered the backpack and greeted her respectfully. "Sister Qingning!"

"D*mn it all! Yu Xiaoxiao, how long does it take to ditch class? I've been waiting here so long my legs are about to fall off."

"It's all Xiao Bai's fault! She couldn't climb the wall, and after we finally got her up here, she was too scared to jump," one of the girls with short hair, who had been named, quickly retorted, glaring at the girl in question. If only she had kicked Xiao Bai out of the wall back then; it would have been so simple.

Single Qingning scrutinized the girl who stood at the back. Although she wore the Gui Jia Academy uniform, her demeanor was more refined than that of Qingning, who was from a girls' academy known for producing young ladies. "Sh*t, what's going on with you guys? Didn't I tell you countless times not to bring troublemakers? She's not even from our country—why bring her here? Dare to disobey me and you'll get a beating."

"Hey, you!" Qingning pointed at the girl named Xiao Bai. "Good students stay in class and listen to lessons, being good children for their parents. Why are you skipping class with us? Go back to school now, or I'll beat you."

Xiao Bai, frightened by Qingning's fierce glare, retreated further behind Yu Xiaoxiao, hiding her whole body except for her black eyes, which looked up at her idol with admiration.

"Sister Qingning, please give Bai Yingtong a chance. She really admires you. Besides, we're short of someone who's good with computers in our gang. She's a computer genius and might be able to help you," the boy at the front quickly spoke up in defense.

"Yes, Sister Qingning, you could have Xiao Bai help you hack into the president's computer and find out his secrets." Yu Xiaoxiao knew that mentioning the president would always sway Qingning. Bringing up the president of the Shengfeng Group, who was their ultimate target, could turn any problem into a minor issue.

Sure enough...

Single Qingning tilted her head thoughtfully and said, "Xiao Ye, are you trying to hit on her?"

"Of course, Sister Qingning, you can tell right away. Qin Ye has been pursuing Xiao Bai for a long time, but she hasn't paid him any attention because she has so many admirers. This is the first time he's asked me to introduce you to her. Please, just help Qin Ye out. Besides, Xiao Bai is really good with computers." He wanted to persuade Qingning to let Xiao Bai join their gang in exchange for a big meal.

Single Qingning scrutinized Bai Yingtong, then beckoned her forward with a curled finger. "Hey, Yu Xiaoxiao said you're good with computers. Can you really get into Sha Ya Hao's computer and find the information I need?"

Bai Yingtong, mustering her courage, met her idol's gaze and nodded confidently. Though she wasn't sure about other things, she was certain that no computer problem was too difficult for her. Hacking into someone's computer to steal information was child's play. It seemed Qin Ye was right—Sister Qingning must really like that Windstorm Group president, which explained why their gang was named "Hao Gang."

"Alright, I'll let you join. But first, tell me why you want to join Hao Gang? You don't seem like the type of troublemaker who'd be out here." Qingning gave her a thorough once-over, still finding it hard to believe.

"Sister Qingning... um, can I call you that?"

"Isn't that what you've been calling me? Just call me whatever you like. It's just a title," Qingning said with a shrug. Though she was the youngest in their group, everyone called her "Sister Qingning," and she was used to it.

Bai Yingtong nodded again, her nervousness clear despite her attempts to stay calm. "Oh, Sister Qingning, you might have forgotten, but a month ago, you saved me." Ever since that day, she had looked up to Qingning as her idol because her fighting skills were so impressive. She had been trying to find her ever since, hoping to join Hao Gang and become just as formidable. She only found out about Hao Gang through Qin Ye, who had been pursuing her. That's why she asked him to introduce her to Qingning.

She still remembered the incident vividly. As she walked through a narrow alley on her way home, she was cornered by three thugs who intended to harass her...

A backpack came flying from behind, knocking one of the thugs to the ground. "D*mn it, three bullies picking on one person are the worst scum."

Bai Yingtong turned toward the source of the voice and saw a stylish girl standing at the alley's entrance. Her sleek black hair was casually draped over her shoulders, with bangs covering her forehead and the ends of her hair slightly curled up, exuding a youthful and energetic vibe.

The three thugs, stunned by the sudden attack, only regained their composure when the girl nonchalantly picked up the backpack and dusted it off, making a disgusted face as if the backpack was filthy. The thugs, initially bewildered, were chagrined to realize they had been scared by a girl.

"Hey, you punks want to play too? Perfect, I haven't had a chance to play with someone like you yet..." One of the thugs leered, wiping his mouth, but his grin turned into a grimace as his lip was suddenly split open by a punch.

Single Qingning threw the backpack to Bai Yingtong, then removed the hair tie from her wrist and casually gathered her hair into a messy ponytail. With a swift kick, she silenced the thugs, making quick work of them. The man who had been so bold before ended up with a crooked mouth and several missing teeth. It was truly pathetic!

"Hey, got any tissues?" Qingning asked.

Bai Yingtong wasn't sure what Qingning needed tissues for—perhaps to wipe the thug's blood? But she didn't ask further and handed over a pack of tissues from her bag.