The night deepened over Blackwater City. On a street corner bathed in the glow of lanterns, Li Fan and another man sat at a table, their wine cups clinking together in a steady rhythm. Their boisterous laughter occasionally caused passersby to glance over, smiling at the display of camaraderie.
Li Fan eyed the heavy money pouch pushed across the table toward him. He didn't need to open it; the sheer weight told him that his old friend, Brother
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