Return Of The Legendary Overlord

Know Thy Enemy

Kwang’s message created a new problem for Zi Han. His fingers glided over the smooth LED screen, itching to type a confident reply, but he controlled his urges.

Although Zi Han now had the Black Dragons at his side, he didn’t want the rest of the city to find out he was involved with a gang.

Argos College of Commerce was one of the most prestigious colleges in this city and one step in the wrong direction could get Zi Han thrown out in no time.

The first thought that crossed Zi Han’s mind was leaving his old life behind completely and severing all ties with people who knew him before. But he wasn’t selfish enough to do something like that.

Besides, Zi Han knew he still wasn’t ready to be a permanent part of this criminal syndicate. Without his powers, he was nothing more than a weakling who had to depend on his henchmen for protection, and he had little experience in this criminal world.

“If I only I could remember who I was in my past life!” he grumbled, staring at his bracelet. “I don’t even know who I keep seeing in my visions.”

On the ride back to Silver Wind mansion, Zi Han had plenty of time to decide what he wanted to do with his life. But there were simply too many variables.

On the one hand, he could simply leave college and throw in with the Black Dragons, and on the other, he could continue with his formal education and try to distance himself from the gang.

But neither of these two choices felt right to Zi Han.

Leaving the Black Dragons would be like spitting on the face of Lady Luck and spurning his good fortunes with his own feet. This was Zi Han’s only chance to get out of poverty and stop living like an underdog, but it came with a hefty price.

After a great deal of contemplation, Zi Han finally decided to take the middle road. “I am not letting you have the last laugh, you piece of crap,” he muttered, remembering Tanaka’s face as he was kicking and abusing him. “I will teach you all a lesson you will remember till your last breath.”

As they finally reached the mansion, Zi Han went straight to his room and sent for Dongxiang.

When Dongxiang arrived, he dismissed the rest of his men except Zhen Lee.

“I heard what happened on the way. Next time, please let me accompany you, Supreme Dragon,” Dong requested with a low bow.

But Zi Han shook his head. “You are never going out with me. We can’t be seen together in public. I still don’t know who my enemies are, and if they see us together, I will have a bullseye painted on my back.”

Dongxiang understood his mistake and immediately apologized. “Forgive me, Master. I did not think it through. You are right. We must be careful until you regain your memories and master the elements again.”

“I need some information, Dong. I have no idea who our enemies are, and you still haven’t told me everything about my past.”

Dongxiang bowed again and began in an apologetic tone. “In your past life, I was a part of your Honor Guard, master. But I wasn’t an immortal like you. My cultivation skills allowed me to prolong my life and ascend to the Celestial Realm. However, I was never allowed to enter the upper circles.”

Suddenly, Dong’s voice cracked as painful memories resurfaced in his mind.

“The Great Celestial War lasted for a decade, but you were on the verge of victory when your brother, Guan Yu betrayed you. In exchange for our lives, you sacrificed your own. But before leaving your mortal shell, you promised to come back and reclaim what was lost.”

“What happened after I died?” Zi Han asked. “How did you end up here?”

“Your Honor Guard was disbanded and banished from the Celestial Realm. We were sentenced to suffer a life of hardship on this mortal plane. But we banded together and defeated Shen Yorn’s assassins, surviving everything that he threw at us. And now that the Heavenly Emperor is about to awaken from his slumber, Shen Yorn is careful not to do anything too rash.”

“So you are a cultivator as well?” Zi Han asked.

“I am,” Dongxiang replied. “I have mastery over the Dragon Sword Technique.”

“What happened to Shen Yorn and my brother?” Zi Han questioned.

“The usurper rules the Emerald Vale now, protected by the Red Nagas. And the traitor, Guan Yu serves him as his Supreme Commander,” Dongxiang answered.

Zi Han was still trying to construct the whole picture, but the puzzle had too many missing pieces. “What exactly is stopping you from returning to the Celestial Realm and fighting the enemy?”

“Shen Yorn has sealed the only Dragon Gate in this mortal realm and it's guarded by his most loyal dogs,” Dongxiang replied, looking at Zi Han. “Forgive me, Supreme Dragon, but I wasn’t strong enough to stop them.”

"What's done is done. No point brooding about the past now," Zi Han replied.

Dongxiang lowered his head and spoke in a heavy voice. "We are honoured to finally have you back. This time, we will not fail you, Master. We only await your command."

"Thank you, Dong. I will keep that in mind." Zi Han's brow suddenly creased with worry as he recalled something. “There is one more thing. I…keep seeing a woman in my visions. She wears a violet gown, and her face is always veiled in front of me.”

Dongxiang’s eyes turned dewy as tears threatened to stream down his cheeks. His voice cracked as he spoke. “That must be Lady Ying Lao, your beloved wife.”

Zi Han was stunned by his words. His heart seemed to freeze for a moment as he tried to grasp the new information. “My wife? What happened to her?”

“No one knows, master,” Dongxiang replied in a low voice. “But it’s best if you take things slowly. Your body is still too weak and your mind needs time to heal.”

Zi Han felt a sharp pang in his heart as he recalled that woman in his visions. He still could not believe he was actually married in his past life.

“I can’t remember. I really can’t remember anything,” he grumbled, clenching his fist.

“Your mind is not strong enough to handle your past. You need time to untie the knots,” Dongxiang advised. “Please do not stress yourself. You have already been through a lot.”

After listening to everything carefully, Zi Han realized there were plenty of unknowns in this equation, and he had just discovered the tip of the iceberg.

As much as he wanted to dig up his past and learn about his previous life, he realized now was not the best time to focus on what was gone since he still had plenty of present problems to deal with.

“Alright. Let’s talk about something else. What’s the deal with Sand Scorpions? Who controls them, and why do they hate us so much?” he asked after a while.

Dongxiang’s expression soured at the mention of that lowly gang. “The Sand Scorpions are loyal to no one. They only live to satiate their greed. I am sure someone has paid them to be a thorn in our behinds. Whoever is pulling the strings knows we are vulnerable without a leader’s guidance. But they don’t know that you have returned!”

“And let’s keep it that way for now,” Zi Han retorted quickly.

Dongxiang nodded like an obedient butler and bowed again.

Zi Han now understood how deep the waters ran. He had only just stepped into this stormy sea, and it was slowly starting to unravel its secrets. However, there was still a lot he needed to know about both worlds before he could make sense of it all.

“I want you to take a map of the city and mark all the territories under our control. After that, make a list of all known enemies, starting with the most prominent members of the Sand Scorpions.”

“It will be done by tomorrow,” Dongxiang replied, crossing his chest with his right arm.

“I will spend the night here and visit the car dealership in the morning. After that, I will be heading back to my college,” Zi Han said, carefully articulating his routine.

Dongxiang seemed surprised by his plans. “Why do you need to return to the college? There is nothing those people can teach a Jade Immortal like you.”

“Because I still have unfinished business there. Besides, I need to keep my identity a secret until I can master the elements and regain my memories,” Zi Han explained.

Although a bit hesitant to let Zi Han attend college like a mere commoner, Dongxiang knew he could not go against his wishes. “We will await your return. Zhen and Suzuki will be near you at all—”

“I don’t need bodyguards in college. That defeats the whole purpose of keeping my identity a secret,” Zi Han replied with an air of finality. “I will go alone.”