He wasn’t wrong. Once Steven Morgan was agreed to, it would undoubtedly mean that the Hongmen was declaring war on the Green Gang. Both were nationwide organizations, and if a real fight broke out, it would be no small matter—perhaps even more intense and explosive than the North-South conflict. David Harris didn’t dare make a hasty decision; that was the first reason. The second was that, although the Northern and Southern Hongmen had formed an alliance, the internal factions were still very clear: on one side were the Southern faction [the original core members of the Southern Hongmen], and on the other, the Northern faction [the original core members of the Northern Hongmen]. Naturally, the Southern members would follow David Harris’s decisions, while the Northern members mostly looked to William Carter for leadership. If they were to go to war with the Green Gang, internal harmony was essential; otherwise, not only would they fail to gain the upper hand, but they might even fall apart as soon as the fighting began. Therefore, he had to secure William Carter’s support.

David Harris himself advocated for avenging the Hongmen in Taiwan and reclaiming their territory there. As for whether William Carter would support him, David Harris wasn’t sure—that was the main reason for his visit this time. He could have asked over the phone, but he made the trip in person, which showed how seriously he took the matter.

William Carter rubbed his chin and asked, “What’s your opinion, Brother Xiang?”

David Harris replied straightforwardly, “Fight!”

William Carter sighed, “The North-South conflict has just ended, and both sides have suffered considerable losses. Now should be a period of recovery, not a time for large-scale conflict.”

David Harris asked in doubt, “So, Brother Xie, you don’t support fighting?”

William Carter shook his head and smiled, “The moment you took in the remnants of the Taiwan Hongmen, the outcome was already set. Since you took them in, it means the Mainland Hongmen and the Taiwan Hongmen are on good terms. If you’re on good terms but don’t avenge them, people in the underworld will mock you, saying the Hongmen is afraid of the Green Gang. That way, you’ll lose to the Green Gang in terms of momentum and damage the Hongmen’s reputation.”

“Ah!” David Harris looked at him in surprise, secretly full of admiration. William Carter’s quick thinking and thorough consideration were astonishing. He had taken in Steven Morgan and the others, but until now, hadn’t thought of this point. What he’d been considering was whether or not to fight, and if so, what the odds of victory would be.

He said, “In the underworld, nothing is more important than reputation! So, does that mean we have to fight?”

William Carter smiled faintly, “The arrow is already on the bowstring; it must be released. Brother Xiang, you have no choice but to fight.”

David Harris let out a long sigh of relief and said, “With your words, Brother Xie, I’m at ease.” He paused, then added, “There’s one more thing!”

William Carter smiled, “No need to stand on ceremony, Brother Xiang. Just say it.”

David Harris said, “I hope this time you can return to the mainland with me. After all, the Hongmen isn’t mine alone, and with you there, if we do end up fighting the Green Gang, our chances of victory will be higher.”

William Carter lowered his head with a smile, remained silent for half a minute, then slowly said, “Lately, I have been thinking about returning to the mainland…”

David Harris and Charles Foster were both delighted to hear this.

But William Carter continued, “But after I return, I don’t plan to get involved in Hongmen affairs. The place I want to go is the Northeast.”

David Harris was taken aback, “The Northeast? Why?”

Charles Foster also found it strange, not knowing what William Carter was up to, but as long as he could return to the mainland, he didn’t care where they went.

William Carter said, “Heh, I’m going back to the Northeast to finish my studies. What I want is a diploma, not an unemployment certificate!”

Standing by the door, Henry Bennett nearly lost his balance and almost fell to the ground. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t imagine William Carter would come up with such a lame excuse.

Chapter 3

David Harris didn’t stay long on Jile Island. Since he had decided to go to war with the Green Gang, there was much to prepare within the organization. That evening, after having dinner with William Carter, he took a helicopter to Hong Kong and then made his way back to Guangzhou. Although he hadn’t managed to persuade William Carter to come out of retirement on this trip to Jile, he had successfully secured his support, allowing the Hongmen to reach internal consensus before the war. David Harris felt the trip was worthwhile.

That night, William Carter lay in the attic of the villa. The attic wasn’t large, only a dozen or so square meters, with a thick carpet on the floor and a roof made of tempered glass. Lying there was both comfortable and allowed him to gaze at the countless stars hanging in the sky.

At this moment, Linda Parker was nestled in his arms. William Carter might have been a slender man, but his chest could make you feel a strong sense of security and deep warmth.

She truly wished time could stop flowing, so she could always lie by his side like this. But she knew that was impossible; William wouldn’t stay on this small island forever—sooner or later, he would leave. David Harris’s sudden visit had only added to her worries.

Linda Parker was a sensible woman; she would never force what couldn’t be changed. She turned her head, gazing into William Carter’s long, clear eyes, and softly asked, “William, are you leaving?”

William Carter smiled and asked in return, “Where would I go?”

Linda Parker asked suspiciously, “Aren’t you planning to return to the mainland?”

“Mm!” William Carter brushed Linda Parker’s silky hair, nodded, and said, “I do have that plan, but not right now.”