Prologue

The man, like a withered plant, possessed little hair and deep eye sockets -- a typical figure of those who consumed “white flour*” in the city.

1

He was in a deadly escape. As he ran through the dark narrow alley, sounds from his tread squelched underneath his feet, revealing the countless oily rats killed with his footsteps. Behind him, a few tanned men chased with machetes in their hands. They yelled, their threats always lacking in creativity -- “Hey brat stop f*ck I’ll kill you ya heard me stop hey!”

As he turned his way at the corner ahead, he approached a few bustling dog-meat stands. Dozens of small hot pots were densely stacked. Bottles of leftover alcohol and bones lay on the dirty tables. The man shoved his way past with all his strength, knocking down many tables at a time. The crowd grew chaotic. People shouted out curses and started fighting, in a mess.

The tanned men were immediately surrounded by the tumultuous crowd like dumplings thrown into boiling water! Floating and drowning back and forth, they were beaten up when they got out from the crowd – and the man had disappeared.

“F*ck!” One of the vicious men with stylish slicked-back hair and a scar on his face spat.

“What shall we do? Boss* Ma?” The rest of them asked.

2

“What the he*l we do! You piece of shit! Split up and find him!”

……

The man ran, his life exhaled heavily. The darkness of the alley before him seemed to be endless, but he knew he would be temporarily safe if he passed this way and left the region of Snapdragon Walled City.

A slight sound was abruptly heard from the darkness with a swift light.

The man suddenly stopped and opened his eyes wide. Cold sweat instantly wet his back.

His legs shivering, he looked at the long knife embedded into the wall – the sharp knife was only a breath away from his neck, and had he stopped for a second later, he would have been stabbed and beheaded!

The one who lit a match stood against the wall, tilting his head to light a cigarette. Then, he smoked deeply with pleasure.

His cold profile eased into view from the dim light of fire.

The man kneeled down at once, “B-b-b-boss Liuyi……”

Xia Liuyi lowered his head, dropped the cigarette ash on the other knife that was still in the sheath beside his waist, and asked relaxedly: “Wanna run away?”

“N-n-n-no I don’t! I-I-I’ve already realized my mistakes. Boss Liuyi……”

“That’s good,” Xia Liuyi lifted his chin lazily, “take it out.”

The man trembled and got up, tried for many times and eventually took out the long knife deep into the wall. He gave it back to Xia Liuyi with both of his hands.

“Carry it,” Xia Liuyi straightened his body, holding the cigarette in his mouth, “good kid, I’ll invite you to spend a Children’s Day* with me.”

3

What he said at last softened the man’s legs. He fell down again and cried out, “Boss Liuyi, I really realized my mistakes! Forgive me! Leave my life to me ahhhh……”

Xia Liu Yi had already stepped faraway joyfully. He said nothing but waved his hand like waving it to a dog.

The man followed him embarrassingly, crying and holding the bright long knife for him.