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Shanghai in the 1920s and 1930s was an incredibly vibrant city, one offering endless opportunities. With a booming economy that attracted foreigners from all over the world, it quickly became a hub of international trade. However, alongside this newfound prosperity came a certain level of danger as well – Shanghai was a city that could offer both wealth and ruin.

Beneath the hustle and bustle of everyday life lurked a well-developed criminal underworld. Gangs ran rampant, and corruption was widespread. Backstreets were filled with opium dens and gambling houses. Those who were brave enough to venture into the shadows could find quick money and fast living, but it was perilous. Shanghai was full of secrets, and those who crossed the wrong people often found themselves at risk. Locals knew that the city was dominated by five families that had been around for generations. The first family, the Wus, were well-known for their ruthlessness and cunning, and the second family, the Lius, for their intelligence and cold blood. They were locked in a bitter war over control of the criminal underworld, fighting over territory, resources, and power.

This wasn’t anything new to the locals. Everyone who understood the dark world of Shanghai, at least to some extent, knew that the Wus and Lius were at odds for a long time. It all began with their great-grandparents, who clashed over a business deal gone wrong. Their disagreement quickly turned into a bitter rivalry, and since then, both families had been vying for power and influence in the city, each trying to outdo the other. Over the years, the feud between them grew more and more intense. Every one of them became entrenched in their own criminal activities, and they had no qualms about taking out their competition with violence. The streets of Shanghai have become a battleground between them, with wars being fought over the control of the city’s illicit activities. Each family’s head had his own loyal followers and associates, and it seemed like no one could stop them from fighting… Then, in 1911, the Wu clan entered a long and bloody conflict with the Liu clan, which lasted for many years, and both sides suffered significant losses of life, property, and influence. Over time, the dust settled a little; and it seemed that the Wus had come out on top. The Lius didn’t fight back anymore, although their revenge was just a matter of time, at least according to Mr. Wu, who never relaxed his guard. He had his spies.

His twenty-two-year-old son, Zihan, gatecrashed the Lius’ party for an entirely different reason. Zihan was an ambitious young man, one who was always striving to reach the top of his field. He dreamed of becoming a successful business mogul and worked hard to make it a reality. But all his ambitions were forgotten when four years ago, he first laid eyes on Yichen Liu.

After seeing that young man, he was utterly taken aback by his good looks and quiet personal charm.