545: Two Brothers

"Little Earth, making new friends here again?"

He walked over to the booth, his gaze sweeping over Qi Yu and Qi Fang, his tone flat, yet carrying an aura that brooked no disrespect.

Qi Yu's brows knitted together almost imperceptibly.

The uniform of an Imperial Official represented discipline and dignity; how could it be appropriate to wear it ostentatiously in a place of debauchery like this?

Although it wasn't explicitly forbidden by regulations, such an outfit, so out of place with the surroundings, always seemed a bit frivolous and truly damaged the dignity of an Official.

Qi Fang didn't understand the ways of the officialdom; he only knew that another Official had suddenly popped up. He blinked, looking at the intense-aura Official before him, then turned his head to glance at Earth Tyrant, his face full of curiosity.

"And who is this?"

Earth Tyrant shot a cold glance at the man, his tone carrying undisguised aloofness.

"Hmph, Heaven Tyrant, what are you doing in my territory?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he waved his hand. The guards behind him immediately stepped forward, discreetly guiding the surrounding guests away. The once-bustling area instantly emptied out, leaving only them.

He then explained to Qi Fang.

"His name is Heaven Tyrant, my brother, though I don't recognize him as one."

Qi Yu and Qi Fang exchanged a glance, both seeing the same thought in each other's eyes.

One Heaven Tyrant, one Earth Tyrant; these names really sounded like they were deliberately set against each other.

Moreover, these two brothers—one as cold as ice, the other as hot as fire—carried an indescribable sense of confrontation when they were together, truly living up to the saying, "They are not of the same family, they do not enter the same door."

Qi Yu quietly nudged Qi Fang with her elbow. The siblings tacitly agreed not to speak, simply watching silently to see how this pair of brothers would "confront" each other next.

Regarding Earth Tyrant's resistance, Heaven Tyrant had no expression on his face, his tone devoid of emotion.

"That's a harsh thing to say. As your older brother, can't I come and see you? By the way, aren't you going to introduce me to these two?"

He swept his gaze over Qi Yu and Qi Fang with a sharp, scrutinizing look, but quickly withdrew it.

Earth Tyrant was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on; he stood up abruptly, causing the wine glasses on the table to clatter.

"Cut the act!"

He pointed at Heaven Tyrant, his tone full of stubbornness.

"They are my friends. Why should I introduce them to you? You don't deserve it!"

He paused, as if suddenly remembering something, and added viciously.

"And another thing, don't even think about what you mentioned last time! I built this bar through my own hard work, and you won't get a single share! Dad already agreed: you go your way into politics, and I'll stick to my business. We agreed to stay out of each other's business, so stop interfering in mine!"

Heaven Tyrant sat down slowly, his knuckles tapping lightly against the tabletop, producing a rhythmic tap-tap sound as if applying pressure.

"You shouldn't speak so rashly."

He looked up at Earth Tyrant, his eyes calm.

"It's not for me; a friend of mine has taken an interest in it. Besides, it's not like they're taking it for free. The political resources they have might not be any worse than Dad's. Just consider... doing your brother a favor, can't you?"

Qi Yu's hand holding the wine glass paused, her fingertips turning slightly cold.

She observed them calmly. Heaven Tyrant's tone remained steady, yet it carried an unquestionable sense of oppression.

Earth Tyrant, on the other hand, was like a lion with its fur standing on end, every word laced with gunpowder.

The two brothers—one like a powder keg ready to explode at any moment, the other like a mastermind hiding in a dark corner—just standing together filled the air with a tense, confrontational atmosphere.

So that's how it is...

It was gradually becoming clear to Qi Yu. One in politics, one in business—their father's arrangement was meant to let them each go their own way, but he hadn't expected a conflict to arise over the shares of this bar.

That "friend" and the resources behind them were clearly the crux of the conflict.

"My answer is still the same: don't even think about it."

Earth Tyrant's gaze was cold and sharp, his tone resolute, carrying an unanswerable firmness.

"I spent countless days and nights building this bar up bit by bit. Don't you dare think I'd hand it over for you to curry favor with others."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qi Fang quietly leaned over to the side, cupping his fingers as he leaned toward Qi Yu's ear. He kept his breath extremely low, his voice so soft it almost melted into the surrounding quiet, yet it couldn't hide the disdain in his eyes.

"So after all that, it turns out he's just a piece of work who wants to trade his own brother's assets for his own benefit. No wonder Earth Tyrant's attitude toward him is so aggressive."

Qi Fang understood the situation perfectly. Just moments ago, Earth Tyrant had generously treated them to expensive wine worth millions, acting openly and without pretension. He already had a very good first impression of this bar owner.

But looking at Earth Tyrant's brother, Heaven Tyrant, he had arrived with an aggressive sense of oppression, his words filled with schemes; such behavior was truly despicable.

He had kept his whisper as low as possible, but with the heavy, tense atmosphere of the two confronting each other, even the slightest sound was exceptionally clear, and in the end, it was heard distinctly by the sharp-eared Heaven Tyrant.

Heaven Tyrant's eyes flickered slightly, then he slowly turned around. His gaze fell upon Qi Fang and Qi Yu, and he asked with a hint of apology.

"I've let you two see something embarrassing. My apologies for the rudeness earlier. May I ask for your names?"

To this, Qi Fang appeared open and unafraid. He raised his eyes to meet Heaven Tyrant's gaze, his tone calm yet carrying a hint of hidden confidence as he responded loudly.

"Qi Fang, human citizen."

He deliberately emphasized his status as a human, his tone hiding an imperceptible certainty.

Not to mention his status as an officer, his identity as a human alone was enough to make the other party wary; he reckoned the other party wouldn't dare to easily harbor any crooked thoughts.

"I see. My apologies, my apologies."

A gleam suddenly lit up in Heaven Tyrant's eyes. The previously heavy expression faded for the most part, his tone becoming a bit more deliberately warm. He turned his gaze to Qi Yu, who was on the side, and asked politely.

"Pardon the intrusion, but who might this Young Miss be?"

When he had heard the four words "human citizen" earlier, a subtle glint had flashed in his eyes. Now, the look in his eyes as he gazed at the two of them held more scrutiny and calculation than before, and even the oppressive aura around him had softened slightly.

Earth Tyrant, standing to the side, took in this transformation completely. His face grew even colder and uglier, his brows knitted tightly, and the low pressure around him almost solidified.

He knew Heaven Tyrant's nature all too well; there must be deeper schemes hidden within such abnormal warmth, and he only felt his irritation growing even more intense.

"Qi Yu."

Qi Yu raised her eyes and gave Heaven Tyrant a faint glance, her voice as cold as tempered ice, the two short words devoid of any extra warmth.

As siblings, both she and Qi Fang naturally despised from the bottom of their hearts someone who would wantonly scheme against their own kin and completely disregard their feelings for the sake of their own future. The aloofness and coldness in her tone were undisguised; she couldn't even be bothered to engage in any unnecessary pleasantries.