Word of Honor: Between the Rivers and Lakes

[A companion story to Word of Honor | Wen Kexing | Zhou Zishu | Modern setting | Gu Xiang | Cao Weining] Also known as A Journey Through the Mortal Jianghu

In the bustling modern metropolis of City A, Zhou Zishu was once a key member of Tian Chuang, a fairly large security company.

On the surface, the company took on all kinds of legitimate security work. Behind the scenes, however, it had countless ties to shady forces. After seeing the dark dealings going on inside the company, an exhausted Zhou Zishu resolutely resigned.

He set himself a “four seasons” limit, planning to use the short time after leaving the company to find a life of his own, free from worldly disputes.

Wen Kexing, a seemingly carefree bar owner who spends his days laughing and joking, carries the scars of a shadowed childhood that few know about.

His bar, Ghost Valley, is one of City A's most popular nightlife spots. But only he knows that it is also a secret base where he investigates the truth behind the massacre of his adoptive father Gu Fan's family.

The secrets hidden in the darkness for so many years are like sharp thorns in his heart, and he cannot let them go.

By chance, Zhou Zishu finds his way to Ghost Valley.

A few thugs are causing trouble, emboldened by drink. Acting on instinct, Zhou Zishu takes them down in just a few moves.

Impressed by Zhou Zishu's skills, Wen Kexing approaches him to strike up a conversation. As they talk, they discover that they share a distinct perspective on this seemingly prosperous yet hypocritical city. A feeling of mutual understanding quietly takes root between them.