"Me? This is just how I am now. I bet you can guess what I'm up to, right?" Blackie downed his drink in one gulp, smiling as he looked at Jason Carter.

"A real man knows what to do and what not to do. You're still so young—why are you doing this?" Jason Carter asked.

"I have no choice. Money may not be a good thing, but without it... anyone can push you around! Do you remember my girlfriend from high school? After graduation, she broke up with me and got together with a bald guy, just because I had no money! Before entering society, I always looked forward to it, but after I did, I finally understood what reality really means!"

After saying this, Blackie drank three bottles of beer in a row.

"Stop now, it's not too late." Jason Carter looked seriously at Blackie and said.

As soon as he finished speaking, Blackie's expression froze. He turned to the women and said, "You all go out for a bit."

Once the women had left, Blackie said to Jason Carter, "Chen, I knew you'd try to talk me out of this, but I can't stop anymore. This is just how things work here—once you're in, there's no way out! Maybe one day I'll get out, but that day... will be the day I die!"

"You have no future like this." Jason Carter understood everything Blackie was saying.

"I know. From the first day I got into this, I knew I had one foot in the underworld and one foot in prison! Chen, I've always seen you as a brother, that's why I brought you to a place like this, so you could see what I'm doing now!"

"If you ever need money, just come to me. If you ever need help, I'll be the first one there. In S City, I won't let anyone mess with you! Out of our group in S City, it's just you and me left. I've already gone down this path, so I hope you can stay on the right track. In the future... at least there'll be someone to collect my body!" Blackie said with a smile.

He was a straightforward person, not good with words, but his meaning was clear. He could let Jason Carter know everything about him, but he wouldn't let Jason Carter get dragged into this mess with him.

"You can still get out. I can help you, as long as you stop now." Jason Carter didn't ask what Blackie was doing, because he knew he couldn't hear it—if he did, it would mean he was involved too.

"Enough, don't say any more!" Blackie opened two bottles of beer, handed one to Jason Carter, and continued, "Finish this bottle, then leave! If we run into each other on the street later, let's just pretend we don't know each other! Don't worry about those two guys, they're my trusted men—they won't say a word about you coming here today."

At this point, Blackie took out two bank cards, handed them to Jason Carter, and said, "There's eight million in total on these two cards. Keep one for yourself—consider it my wedding gift to you in the future. Hold onto the other for me, and if one day I... give it to my mother! You're the only one I can trust here."

Blackie stuffed the bank cards into Jason Carter's hand, then said, "You've met Emily Brooks too, right? So? Don't you want to..."

"Ring ring ring!..." Before Blackie could finish, his phone rang. He took it out, and his expression changed. He said to Jason Carter, "Chen, something's come up. I have to go. Enjoy yourself here, I've already paid the bill."

With that, Blackie hurriedly left the private room, leaving Jason Carter sitting there alone, numb, holding the two bank cards.

"Forget it, I'll try to talk him out of it next time we meet, and give the cards back then." Jason Carter put the cards away, drank a few bottles of beer, and then left.

Chapter 5: Class Reunion

After leaving the nightclub, Jason Carter found a random food stall, ate something, and went back to his cheap hotel.

That night, Jason Carter slept restlessly and had a dream.

He dreamed that something happened to Blackie—he was killed on the street, his body mutilated beyond recognition. Before dying, Blackie wanted to say something to him, but just as Jason Carter got closer...

"Ring ring ring!..."

His phone rang, pulling him out of the dream.

Jason Carter opened his eyes, his forehead covered in sweat. He glanced at his phone—it was already eight in the morning, and the caller was Emily Brooks.

"Disgusting dream, but luckily dreams are always the opposite of reality." Jason Carter picked up the phone, muttered to himself, and pressed the answer button.

"Hey, are you awake? We're meeting at Jin Hao Hotel at eleven this morning. I was worried you'd forget, so I'm reminding you." Emily Brooks's voice came through the phone.

"Just woke up. I'll be there before eleven." Jason Carter leaned against the headboard and replied softly.

"Okay, hurry up and get ready. I'll hang up now." Emily Brooks said, then hung up.

Jason Carter tossed the phone aside, patted his face with his palm, squinted his eyes, and muttered to himself, "No, I have a bad feeling. No matter what, I have to get Blackie out of there at the reunion today. If this keeps up... something bad will happen sooner or later."

Blackie was Jason Carter's friend, and there was no way Jason Carter could just watch him sink deeper and deeper. If something happened to Blackie... his conscience would haunt him for the rest of his life.