The kings Avater

Omega arrived home — a sleek, high-class self-contained apartment tucked inside a luxurious bachelor estate. The neighborhood was the kind of place where silence was golden and money did all the talking. It wasn't just quiet; it was exclusive — far from anything middle-class folks could afford.

He unlocked his front door with a swipe of his palm using the latest biometric recognition tech — retina scan combined with AI gesture control, the kind you only saw in spy movies or high-end security labs.

He pushed open the door and walked into a high-ceilinged, modern interior bathed in soft white lighting. The floors were polished black marble, and the walls carried clean, minimalistic décor—gray tones, abstract paintings, and glass panels everywhere. The living room to the right held a plush L-shaped couch, still untouched. Everything was neat, expensive, and quiet—too quiet.

He tossed the takeout bag carelessly onto the sleek kitchen counter without even glancing at it. Hunger didn't interest him anymore.

Dragging himself down the long hallway, he entered his bedroom—spacious, dimly lit, cool. He threw himself onto the large bed, arms spread, eyes locked on the ceiling fan spinning slowly above him.

Then it started to replay.

Somewhere between the silence, his memory wandered, Replaying when the news broke about the upcoming match.

Omega blinked. He snapped back to the present, his expression tightening. His thoughts moved again — this time to his team.

"Grayworm… Sparrow… Somi… Ye Qiu…"

He paused at that last name, the corner of his lips twitching with something unspoken. Was it worry? Sadness?

He turned onto his side, burying half his face into the pillow, but sleep didn't come.

And just like that, his thoughts slipped further — back to the beginning.

Back to that night at the café, when Yan and his gang cornered him.

Back to the moment everything changed for him, the day he met his his team.

That night, after Yanlou and his crew had educated Yan and his ragtag group, the defeated teens limped off into the darkness, bruised, moaning, and clinging to what was left of their pride.

The punishment wasn't even the worst Yanlou could dish out — not even close. Truth was, he'd gone easy on them. Kids who just barely graduated high school? Please. Compared to the 9 Hell Syndicate, they were tadpoles poking a shark. Still, what they got was more than enough to scar them for life. That night, they got a taste of the real underworld — and it burned.

Omega watched them hobble away silently, his face blank, while the rest of Yanlou's crew chuckled among themselves, mocking the awkward limp of the guy in the back.

"Yo, last one out limps home naked!" one of them shouted, grinning. "Swear if you trip, I'm takin' a pic."

Another fake-cried, mimicking their victims. "Boo hoo, mama said gang life was easy!"

Meanwhile, Yanlou leaned against their matte-black van, a cigarette between his fingers, the smoke curling upward like a lazy ghost. He watched the scene with mild amusement, then turned to Yu Chen, his eyes flicking to the café just across the alley.

"Playing games again?" he said dryly, blowing a thick cloud of smoke into the air. "Don't you got... I dunno, school tomorrow?"

Yu Chen narrowed his eyes. "School?" he muttered, almost offended. "Shūshu, seriously? I graduated last year. We've been through this like a hundred times now."

Yanlou raised an eyebrow, letting the smoke roll out of his mouth. "Oh? My bad," he said with mock sincerity. He gave Yu Chen a slow once-over. "Sure you done with high school? You still built like a keychain."

Yu Chen groaned internally. Of course. Another short joke.

"When puberty gonna come knocking already?" one of the guys in the crew chimed in with a grin. Laughter erupted.

"No wonder this tiny mosquito keeps getting jumped," another added, shaking his head. "He's fun-sized."

Yu Chen glanced at Yanlou. "Wait. You knew they were bothering me this whole time?"

Yanlou took another drag, eyes cool. "You thought I was bluffing when I said my intel never sleeps?"

Yu Chen frowned. "So you just watched?"

"I knew the second Yan and his babies started buzzing around you. Figured you'd either cry to mama or start singing. So you're dead set on walking solo, huh? Even knowing those little street rats will keep sniffing you out now that you're not rolling with a pack?" he asked, tone low, like a warning wrapped in silk.

"You surprised me thou," he said, nodding. "Didn't think you'd get hits in with those toothpick arms."

"Seriously," one of the gangsters said, laughing. "How the hell did you bruise anyone? I mean... I guess you really are the boss's nephew." He gave a slow, dramatic sigh. "What a damn waste of talent."

"I don't care," Yu Chen said quietly but firmly. "I've already made up my mind."

"Why?" Yanlou asked simply, locking eyes with him as he took a slow drag from his cigarette.

Yu Chen didn't answer.

Yanlou raised a brow. "Because you've outgrown it? Because of my sister?" He leaned forward slightly, smoke curling around his face. "You think she'd be disappointed?"

Yu Chen still said nothing.

"Guess I was right, huh? Your mom was worried sick, but I told her it was just your rebellious streak—trying hard to fit in, make noise. And look at you now… you actually pulled out. Changed your mind. Can't lie, I didn't see that coming. I was the same once, difference is… the life stuck to me." he said

Yu Chen raised a brow, something clicking in his head. "Wait—my mum knew?"

"Suprise!," one of the guys muttered dryly, dragging from his cigarette before passing it along like it was nothing more than shared candy. A few low chuckles followed, scattered among the smoke.

Yu Chen turned to his uncle, waiting for him to say more, but Yanlou just took another slow drag, clearly enjoying the suspense he was stringing along. His gaze drifted lazily back to the café building like it held some untold story.

"So… your new favorite hobby, huh?" he finally asked, tone casual but knowing.

"It's never not been my favorite," Yu Chen muttered, almost reflexively.

Yanlou smirked, flicked the cigarette to the ground, and stood up with a stretch. As if on cue, the rest of the crew piled into the van without a word—slick, practiced, effortless. Yanlou strolled to the front passenger seat and climbed in like he had all the time in the world.

"Where are you going?" Yu Chen asked, narrowing his eyes.

One of the guys stuck his head out the window, pressed a finger to his lips and hissed a playful "Shhhh," then grinned like a maniac, tongue sticking out like a cartoon villain. His uncle just chuckled.

"You wanna find out for yourself?" Yanlou teased, tilting his head.

Yu Chen gave a dry smile. "Nah. I'll pass."

"C'mon," Yanlou said, gesturing. "We'll drop you off first."

Yu Chen took a step toward the van, but suddenly froze. Something clicked in his mind.

"Ah, shit—I left my game running," he said with a groan. "I gotta go. You guys just head out without me."

The crew in the van groaned in mock heartbreak. "Ugh, c'monnn!" one of them whined dramatically.

"Party pooper!"

"Man, I was just starting to like you again!"

Truth be told, They always messed with Yu Chen, but underneath it all, they were fond of him. He was one of theirs

Just before he turned to leave, Yanlou called out, casually:

"If I told you your mom's cool with your past now… would you change your mind? Come back?"

Yu Chen went still. The words hit deeper than expected. As violent and chaotic as the gangster world was, it had a strange comfort to it—a sick kind of familiarity. Maybe because of the toxic mess he was raised in, where anger felt normal and silence was rare, Maybe it was the adrenaline, the strange comfort of being around people who didn't pretend to be something they weren't. But now… now he had something else. A second chance. Something honest. He was finally starting to earn from gaming—his thing. Maybe this was how he'd break the cycle, his first step to a better life.

He looked back, expression unreadable.

"…No." he said

Yanlou stared at him for a moment—long and quiet. Then, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at his lips.

"Good," he said simply, ruffling Yu Chen's hair like he used to when he was younger.

Then he turned, slid into the van, and the engine roared to life. Tires rolled, smoke swirled, and just like that—they were gone.