152: The grand feast has come to an end.

AHao from Chashan was dragged off the ring roughly by the masked brute, like a slaughtered pig.

A thick, dark red, and shocking trail of blood was left on the rough concrete floor, silently recounting the tragic price of trampling on the rules.

The heavy scent of blood and the piercing murderous aura from that decisive strike still lingered in the air, stifling the thousands of people present, leaving them breathless and trapped in a deathly, fearful silence.

Everyone was deeply shaken by this merciless and severe punishment.

This silence lasted for a full ten seconds, feeling as long as a century.

Only when the organizer, Bai Shaqiang, walked to the center of the ring again did the suffocating pressure ease slightly.

The cold, murderous look on his face had faded, replaced once again by his slick and worldly smile, though a trace of lingering chill seemed to remain behind it.

He cleared his throat, his voice carrying through the microphone with an intentionally relaxed tone, "Alright... The black sheep has been removed, and the rules have been re-established! The minor unpleasantness has passed; I hope it hasn't spoiled the mood for all you big bosses."

His gaze swept across the audience, lingering especially on the faces of several powerful town spokespersons, as if verifying the effect of his display of authority.

"Now..." His tone suddenly rose, and he announced with enthusiasm, "Brothers! Friends! I announce that this year's Dragon-Tiger Tournament has officially—concluded successfully! The real celebratory moment is about to begin!"

Warm applause and cheers erupted from the crowd, mixed with sighs of relief.

"Thank you to all the big bosses for honoring us with your presence, and thank you to all the brothers for your support... The rules remain the same: grievances are settled on the ring! I hope that in the coming year, everyone can prosper in harmony..."

Bai Shaqiang's pleasantries were watertight. "Following the old rules, next, to celebrate the successful conclusion of our tournament, the Awakening Lion—Plucking the Greens!"

"Dong-qiang! Dong-qiang! Dong-dong-qiang!" The prepared percussion team immediately began to play vigorously, their cheerful and impassioned drumming instantly dispersing the bloody and murderous atmosphere that had permeated the air.

The colorful lion dance troupe flooded the center of the venue and began to move with agility.

However, unlike at the opening, the "green" hanging on the high pole this time was a giant red envelope, adorned with lettuce underneath, symbolizing "generating wealth" and "dividends."

Everyone's eyes turned toward Li Zhan's booth.

This was the unspoken rule: the team with the most dominant and dazzling performance of the tournament would perform this final honor ceremony.

And in this year's underground tournament, the Chang'an team was undoubtedly the brightest star.

From Old Zhou's steady ruthlessness upon his debut, taking out a Muay Thai expert in one strike, to Big Ox sweeping across the field like a humanoid beast and stunning the whole audience, to the spokesperson Li Zhan stepping up himself to crush an opponent on performance-enhancing drugs with absolute strength and wisdom, and finally pushing for a strict investigation to establish authority...

Their performance was perfect, combining both strength and strategy; having them perform this final Plucking the Greens ceremony was truly what everyone expected.

Li Zhan felt the eyes converging on him, smiled slightly, and nodded at Big Ox, who was already eager and ready to go beside him.

In Young Master Liu's booth, Liu Shijie's face was so gloomy it could almost drip water. Watching Li Zhan's side bask in such glory while his own side had suffered losses and lost face, the spite in his eyes almost materialized, his nails digging deep into his palms.

In the booths of the Hong Kong and Macau forces and others, Su Jingtang, Gold Tooth Bing, and other town spokespersons smiled one after another and were the first to applaud.

This was recognition of the strong and a gesture of goodwill toward potential future partners.

Su Ziqing was also among the crowd, clapping gently...

She had risked coming this time to witness with her own eyes the rise of an underground dynasty and the way this man manipulated the situation, feeling she had learned more than in the past ten years; her heart was filled with indescribable shock and curiosity.

Big Ox let out an excited low roar, took a few brothers, and hoisted the fierce "Black Lion" belonging to their Chang'an faction. Accompanied by the impassioned drumming, they moved with agility and power. With a few deft climbs, they finally snatched the red envelope symbolizing "successful conclusion" and the "top prize" with a precise bite!

"Good!" "Roar!" The Plucking the Greens was successful, drawing cheers from the whole hall!

It signified that good luck and wealth had been seized and would be shared among all participants.

Once the Plucking the Greens was finished, Bai Shaqiang picked up the microphone again, his expression becoming a bit more solemn. "Next, will all spokespersons please come to the stage!"

Li Zhan, Su Jingtang, Gold Tooth Bing, and the bosses of other towns and districts, regardless of any grievances they might have had on or off the stage, all stood up as instructed and walked slowly onto the ring.

Staff members quickly brought a full glass of beer to each person.

Bai Shaqiang was the first to raise his glass and said loudly, "No need for many words... Once grievances pass the ring, they stay on the ring! This 'Toast of Success' is for everyone... May all you big bosses have smooth sailing and abundant wealth in the coming year!"

"Cheers..."

"Cheers..." "Bottoms up..."

All the spokespersons on stage, whether sincere or fake, raised their glasses together and downed their drinks in one gulp!

This simple ceremony forcibly drew a seemingly perfect conclusion to the seven days of bloody fighting, maintaining the most basic decency and rules of the underground world.

After drinking, the big bosses left the stage one by one.

Bai Shaqiang announced the distribution of "Lai See" (red envelopes) to all core members of the competing teams and the hardworking staff. Although the amounts varied, everyone received one, which drew another round of cheers from the crowd, making the atmosphere even more lively.

However, everyone knew that the real main event had just begun.

The partitions on one side of the factory were completely opened, revealing the banquet venue that had been prepared inside...

Dozens of round tables covered with red tablecloths were filled with an array of delicacies—it was the "Nine-Course Feast," the most grand and sincere banquet!

Roasted suckling pig, white-cut chicken, "Fortune and Good Deeds" (oyster dried and pig trotters), lobster, abalone... The aroma of each hearty dish was tantalizing, and cases of iced beer and foreign spirits were stacked up.

The seating arrangement was extremely particular.

The main table in the center was naturally for the organizers, Bai Shaqiang and Prince Hui, as well as the most dazzling figure of the tournament, Li Zhan, and the Hong Kong and Macau forces like Su Jingtang and Gold Tooth Bing.

Other tables were arranged according to strength, region, and closeness of relationships.

Although Young Master Liu's face was extremely ugly, he could only sit in a slightly lower-tier position, accompanied by a few town spokespersons who were on good terms with him, appearing rather desolate.

Li Zhan brought Yang Yuying to the main table and immediately became the focus of the entire venue.

Bosses or prominent figures from other tables kept coming over to toast him, saying things like "Congratulations, Mr. Li" and "Please take care of us in the future."

Li Zhan responded calmly and behaved appropriately; he was neither overly enthusiastic nor lacking in manners, appearing as a regional lord who could sit on equal footing with the likes of Bai Shaqiang and Su Jingtang.

Yang Yuying sat by his side, watching him maneuver through the clinking of glasses, chatting and laughing with various big bosses; her heart was filled with a sense of unreality and immense pride.

Su Ziqing also sat beside her uncle, her gaze occasionally glancing toward the main table, her eyes complex.

This feast had long since transcended the banquet itself.

It was a hub for information exchange, a lubricant for relationships, and a testing ground for potential future cooperation.

Many new grievances might be brewing, but many new collaborations and alliances were also quietly reaching preliminary intentions amidst the drinking and merrymaking.

The Tiger Gate underground tournament... amidst a seemingly lively and noisy, yet actually turbulent feast, finally came to a complete close.

But everyone understood that the old order had been broken, and a new landscape was slowly unfolding with the rise of that new king of Chang'an...