PEERLESS GENIUS SYSTEM

by Kideo11

Xiao Luo and his girlfriend had been in love with each other for four years when she proposed a break up. Because of this, Xiao Luo sped his car in the night and ended up in a car accident. But it was a blessing in disguise as he unexpectedly fused with a high tech system that originated from a universe hundreds of billions of light years away. From this moment on, the entire world

3. Chapter 201 - 300

Chapter 201

After the tie with Gi Qianxue in the shooting contest, the two competed in many other events, including obstacle racing, rock climbing, among a host of other things. The Auxilliary Police trainees were impressed, and even Yan Wang and Feng Zixiao were profoundly taken by the capabilities that these two had shown.

Whether negotiating the hazards effortlessly in the obstacle race or climbing rock structures of seven to eight meters with the supreme ease of a seasoned free solo climber, these two were literally monsters. Xiao Luo and Gu Qianxue were irrefutably the most capable trainees to ever attend the Auxilliary Police training camp.

In fact, half a month of special training couldn't be considered long. Strictly speaking, it was really short. After completing the final assessment, the group would now be bidding farewell to a place that would hold the memories of their very first days in the force. It would forever remind them of their trials and tribulations, friendships, and perhaps even the of the scent of bare earth and toiling sweat. Although they had despised this place over the last two weeks, when they were finally about to leave for good, an inexplicable feeling of sadness surged.

"When you leave this place, please do not resent Feng and me. We trained you strictly because we want to secure you in your path of being an auxiliary police officer. After all, everyone only gets to live once. Therefore, your life is extremely precious. As you leave on both feet, I don't wish to hear anyone of you becoming a martyr in the future. Yes, being a martyr is glorious, but the most important thing is to stay alive!"

Yan Wang's solemn voice was comforting and caring. This was the first time everyone heard his voice in such a pleasant way. It was not ear-piercing at all, and it even had a sense of empathy.

"Sir, I can't bear to leave you, sir!"

Liu Tieguo stepped up and wanted to give Yan Wang a farewell hug.

Yang Wang ticked him off with absolutely no kindness. He scolded, "Liu Tieguo, lowest score in the assessment, the person I'm most disgusted with is you. Scram as far as you can, and don't tell people that I'm your instructor, I cannot afford to be embarrassed like that." He promptly delivered a final kick up his posterior to make sure the message stayed in his mind for good measure.

"Hahaha..."

The newly minted auxiliary police officers couldn't help bursting into laughter, seeing Liu Tieguo falling on his buttocks as he tried to avoid the incoming bum ripper.

After laughing, however, their emotions returned and got the better of them. They couldn't bear to leave the training camp, just like Liu Tieguo. They couldn't bear to be parted from Yang Wang, Feng Zixiao, and everybody else.

A female officer had red eyes, and choking, she cried, "Officer Yan, Officer Feng, we will come back and visit you in the future."

"Yeah, we will come back once we have the time."

"This place will forever be our home."

"Officer Yan, Officer Feng, please take care of yourselves!"

The others echoed.

Xiao Luo was also feeling some inexplicable frets at this moment. He turned around to find Gu Qianxue staring and winking at him with her bright eyes. As a courtesy, he returned her with a smile. But Gu Qianxue, for some reason, changed her countenance, making a grimace by puffing up her cheeks like a pufferfish.

"Enough, stop being sentimental! Get your asses out of this place and report yourselves at your assigned police stations!" Yan Wang was issuing an immediate eviction order! If he were to let the nostalgia go on, he was afraid that he would lose his own composure.

Get moving!

The group of auxiliary police officers marched smartly towards the training camp's entrance with the visions of their future and memories of the training camp in their minds. They would soon begin their career as auxiliary police officers.

"Salute!"

When there were before the gates, Yan Wang's loud and penetrating voice came from behind them.

The crowd turned around, only to see Yan Wang and Feng Zixiao standing firmly on their feet and giving them a standard salute. Under the sun, they were like two range poles, standing firm against the wind with a passionate sense of patriotism.

"Strive forward with courage, fight relentlessly against crime, never retreat, for justice will reign!" The group subconsciously shouted the training camp's slogan.

...

...

Xiao Luo and Liu Tieguo were assigned to the Liren Police Substation, together with another loathsome figure, Ma Pinjin.

Upon leaving the training camp, a black SUV drove over and stopped right in front of Gu Qianxue. The door opened, and Gu Qianlin in police uniform came down from the car.

"Qianlin..."

Gu Qianxue was like a child that has done something wrong, lowering her head and dodging Gu Qianlin's eyes.

"Get in the car!"

Gu Qianlin's face was sullen. Evidently, she wasn't entirely happy about her sister becoming an auxiliary police officer.

"Let me say goodbye to someone, and I'll leave with you."

"Fine, I'm giving you three minutes," Gu Qianlin said faintly.

Gu Qianxue nodded, turned around, and ran towards Xiao Luo.

Initially, Xiao Luo thought he could avoid Gu Qianlin, but when he saw Gu Qianxue running towards him, he knew that it was inevitable.

To his expectations, Gu Qianlin seeing that it was him, walked briskly towards him as well. She was understandably surprised.

"Xiao Luo, why are you here?" She spoke before Gu Qianxue in a questioning tone.

Gu Qianxue blinked her gorgeous eyes, "You guys know each other?"

"I think you can say that we are old acquaintances."

Xiao Luo smiled, then greeted Gu Qianlin, "It's been a while, officer Gu!"

Gu Qianlin nearly went berserk looking at his innocent display. That man played her like a fiddle at Yellow Skies Casino, landing her in the hospital for weeks. It was impossible to say that she doesn't despise him.

"What are you doing here?" Gu Qianlin wished to see Xiao Luo through.

Xiao Luo said with a smile, "I guess you should have noticed that your sister and I are wearing the same uniform, which means that I'm also an auxiliary police officer."

"You? An auxiliary police officer?"

Gu Qianlin sneered. Boss of Luo's workshop, a net worth of six to seven billion dollars, becoming an auxiliary police officer? Are you sure that this isn't a joke?

Xiao Luo nodded, "Yep, I suddenly gained interest in fighting crime."

Right after saying that, he wished Gu Qianxue farewell, then left with Liu Tieguo as there was no need for him to get entangled with Gu Qianlin at this venue.

Gu Qianlin figured everything out in a snap. Xiao Luo intended to deal with the Dragon Gang. Mafias, like the Dragon Gang, had always been the target of police prosecution. But the way they carry out their crimes were very seclusive and well planned. The organization's modus operandi ensured that core members of the Dragon Gang would never participate in the action directly themselves. And even if they did, the tactics they adopted would not leave behind any trail that could implicate them. All this while, the police have been powerless against the Dragon Gang.

She had also recently acquired intel on the deaths of the Dragon Gang's two protectors, Leng Bao and Da Yuan, that occurred half a month ago. Da Yuan's death was still unknown, while Leng Bao was smashed to death by a plunging car that fell from above a building more than ten stories high. What puzzled her was that there weren't any pathways allowing a vehicle to be driven to the roof. The question of how that car that got up there was still an unsolved mystery.

In her mind, the prime suspect was Xiao Luo, but she couldn't imagine how he managed to accomplish such a feat.

"Xiao Luo, I'll go find you when I have time." Gu Qianxue shouted at Xiao Luo's back.

"You are not allowed to find him!" Gu Qianlin warned.

Gu Qianxue gazed her dazzling eyes at her sister and asked in bewilderment, "But why?"

"He's a demon that kills without even blinking his eyes, only that we can't prove that yet. Once we get evidence, we will arrest him for sure. I don't care about what bonds you have with him since training camp, but from now on, you must make a clean break with him.

"But he doesn't seem like a bad guy..."

Gu Qianxue wanted to speak in Xiao Luo's defense, but under Gu Qianlin's unbending gaze, her voice grew softer, first to a whisper, then complete silence.

Chapter 202

"Good, I can see great potential in you guys. Work hard and earn merits for yourselves. When the time comes, I will apply for you to serve as official police officers!"

Inside the Liren police substation, a man in his thirties, a smile on his face, was speaking to Xiao Luo, Liu Tieguo, and Ma Pinjin. The three of them were here reporting for duty. The man was the head of the Liren police substation, Feng Yuqi. He was tall, sturdy, had a macho look, and exuded a strong sense of integrity.

Including himself, there were only some 20 people in the entire police station. There were less than five regular policemen, while the rest were all auxiliary police officers. The regular policemen that were deployed to this station were all older in age. They did not have the desire to go further in their careers. They were prepared to spend their remaining days as a police officer in this place, then retire, and enjoy their old age.

"Report, sir! We do not condone evil, and we will fight crime until the end!" Ma Pinjin expressed his vow with an emphatic voice.

Liu Tieguo wasn't willing to be outdone. He added, "Yes, we are resolute in fighting to the end against crime!"

Xiao Luo kept quiet. He wasn't too interested in uttering such clichés and in buttering up the Chief. Now that he was already an auxiliary policeman, he could begin striking at the Dragon Gang.

"It is very great for you to have such determination, but if you want to fight crime as a cop, you mustn't be afraid of doing things. For those who are against the law, arrest those you should and educate them if necessary. Never forget that the country is our strongest supporter, and absolutely nothing can be more important than our nation," Feng Yuqi said with comfort.

"Yes, sir!" 𝓁𝑖𝘣𝑟𝘦𝘢𝒹.𝑐ℴ𝘮

Ma Pinjin responded loudly.

...

...

As newcomers, they were all assigned an older auxiliary policeman to mentor them.

The auxiliary policeman assigned to mentor Xiao Luo was a man in his thirties, Sun Haoze. He had already been in this place for some six to seven years, and one could say that he was an expert in matters such as power distribution in this area, and the figures mustn't be provoked.

When night fell, Sun Haoze and Xiao Luo went to patrol the area they were responsible for on their motorcycles. As a newcomer to Liren, he felt it necessary to appraise Xiao Luo of the area they were responsible for, "The biggest force in the Guangming district is the Dragon Gang. Their businesses are scattered throughout almost the entire Guangming district. Casinos, hotels, entertainment cities, brothels... and many more. This area we are responsible for is the Dragon Gang's red-light district, operated by the Dragon Gang's protector, Han Mian!"

"If I'm not mistaken, prostitution is forbidden in our country. Since you know that such a red-light district exists, why don't you just sweep it clean?" Xiao Luo asked with a frown.

Sun Haoze sighed, "In this world when there's light, there will be darkness. Without darkness, how can there be light? This is just like our relationship with these dark forces. Justice and evil have co-existed since the beginning of time. No place in this world can justice prevail purely. Likewise, no place on earth is pure evil. I shouldn't be saying this as a cop, but this is the truth. What I want to say is that, don't even think of vanquishing evil. In my opinion, our responsibility as policemen is to maintain the balance between justice and evil. No matter us, or them, whoever that breaks the balance should be punished."

"I don't understand." Xiao Luo didn't expect that being an auxiliary policeman was also an art.

Sun Haoze smiled and patted his shoulders, exhorting Xiao Luo earnestly, "You just have to remember that these red-light districts aren't to be messed with. Just turn a blind eye at them, and only then, you can be an auxiliary policeman in peace."

"I got it!"

Xiao Luo nodded, playing along with the older man. But the fact, the sole reason he became an auxiliary policeman was to destroy the Dragon Gang. Since the Dragon Gang was running a red-light district in this area, this would be an excellent opportunity to go after them, naturally.

To prevent Xiao Luo from inadvertently causing any trouble, Sun Haoze brought him to one of Dragon Gang's red-light streets.

The so-called red-light district wasn't really a place that had red lights. On the contrary, it was a dimly lit alley a few hundred meters long. The place was filthy, messy, and simply awful. Litter was strewn everywhere, and on both sides of the alley, prostitutes paraded their wares with flamboyant makeup every other distant, exhibiting their thighs on a cold night wearing miniskirts, while their hour-glass figures incited lustful reverie.

"This is one of them. I'll bring you to the other two locations. We auxiliary policemen shouldn't be messing around at these three places, leave that the regulars," Sun Haoze continued his tutorage.

Xiao Luo lifted his eyebrows and followed him to the next red-light district.

However, as they were about to depart, he heard a hapless shriek of woe coming from behind him. From where he heard the loud commotion, a woman came running out from the street. Although she had heavy makeup on her face, he could tell that she was still young, perhaps about 20 years in age.

She fell to the ground. There was a massive footprint on her back. Obviously, she was kicked to the ground by someone, and her pretty face was crumpled in pain. Five bulky men strode angrily after her, cursing, and lifted her from the ground.

One of them took on a cruel expression, punching her in her stomach then grabbed her hair as he shouted, "You f*ckin dare to run, girl? Do you know what this place is? When you come to this place, you need to serve your customers and earn money for me! Take this b*tch away!"

The woman howled in agony, desperately calling out for help. It was a tragic cry that pierced one's soul.

"Let's go, stop looking," Sun Haoze sighed helplessly.

Xiao Luo said, "That girl is obviously being forced to do so. Forcing a fine girl into prostitution is a serious crime even during ancient times. Haoze, are you sure that we shouldn't be interfering?"

Sun Haoze stared at him, "Interfere? How should we do that? If we interfere, the next ones who'd suffer might be our family."

"But someone has to stand up to them!"

Xiao Luo got down his motorcycle. From controlling child beggars, to deliberately torturing children into an unbearable state to gain sympathy, to forcing young girls into prostitution, everything the Dragon Gang had done made him bristle with anger. He never thought of himself as a nice person, but what Sun Yu had gone through fired up his determination to go against the Dragon Gang. He refused to believe that he couldn't vanquish this evil force.

"Xiao Luo..."

Sun Haoze wanted to stop him but was too late. He could only follow him to prevent him from messing things up to a state of no return.

Xiao Luo shouted at the five bulky men, "Release her at once!"

The five men turned to look at him strangely.

Seemingly seeing a ray of hope, the girl cried for help.

A particularly muscular man with a scar on his face said chillingly, "Hey kid, you have no business here, you better stay out of this!" After he noticed Xiao Luo's auxiliary police uniform, he snorted in contempt, "So you are an auxiliary policeman. Kid, you must be new, right? Didn't the one that took you here tell you to keep an eye shut?"

"My apologies. I'm a cop. You are suspected of persecuting women for prostitution, and I hereby arrest you in accordance with the law. You have the right to remain silent, but every word you say shall become evidence in court!" Xiao Luo took out some handcuffs.

When the five men heard him, they cracked up.

The scarred man laughed sarcastically, "Hey kid, you watched too many movies, don't you? Rights to remain silent? You sound like a f*cking fool! Are you doing a movie or what?!"

"Hahaha..."

The others broke out in tears.

Chapter 203

"I will repeat, release her at once!" Xiao Luo said coldly.

"Hah, another little hothead punk! Hey kid, you know to spell the word 'death'?"

The scarred man squinted his eyes and looked at Xiao Luo. The scar on his face was like a centipede, adding a touch of gruesomeness to his fearsome bearing.

At the same time, one of his underlings blew a whistle with his fingers. The whistle served as a flare being fired into the skies. Suddenly, a host of burly men emerged from both sides of the alley, holding metal bars and wooden cudgels in their hands. They surged over like a tide of darkness, quickly surrounding Xiao Luo and Sun Haoze.

Sun Haoze's expression changed immediately. He quickly pleaded with a skittish smile, "S-Scar, this is his first day on the job, he doesn't know the rules yet."

"Haoze, I really don't know what rules we could possibly have here. We are cops, and fighting illegal crime is our duty," Xiao Luo snorted.

"Xiao Luo, are you for real or what. We are just auxiliary policemen, and we don't even have a proper weapon with us. Our main job is dealing with civil disputes. These things are not within the scope of our supervision."

Sun Haoze continuously signaled him with his eyes. Their opponent was numerous in numbers, while they were only two. If this conflict were to go on, they would definitely be getting the shorter end of the stick. Even if they had intended to interfere, the correct procedure would have been to leave this place first, call to inform the substation, then wait for the substation to send some other people. And as to whether the girl could be saved if they had done that, it would remain a mystery.

"Auxiliary policeman is also a cop. They are forcing a girl into prostitution right in front of us, and they're certainly are more of those dirty deals going on behind our backs."

Xiao Luo's expression dimmed as he shouted at the scarred man, "Last warning, release her now, or I will bring all of you back to the substation!"

"What do you mean by you will bring us all back? You mean your tiny substation is so big, can fit us all?" a sloppy looking man said casually while whistling.

The others all laughed out loudly.

"Hey, little auxiliary policeman. If you could bring any one of us away, I will accept your surname," the scarred man said arrogantly with his nose lifted.

"Fine then, your surname will be Xiao after this!" Xiao Luo said faintly.

As soon as he ended his words, he greeted the scarred man's face with his fist, instantly smashing his nose.

The scarred man fell to the ground. He touched the blood that was oozing out from his nostrils and roared, "F*ck, kill him!"

The battle-horn was thus sounded...

Xiao Luo smirked. Don't mention these 40 to 50 people before him, he had no fear even if there were a hundred of them.

Anyone who was struck by his fist, feet, elbows, joints, were knocked down instantly, twitching and shrieking in pain. He would dispatch anyone that came within range of his fist and feet. Simple, efficient, and brutal. Elegant footwork or dodging wasn't necessary at all when dealing with such incompetent scumbags. The dull sound of fists on flesh echoed through the alley, accompanied by the rising and falling moans.

Sun Haoze gawked in horror, forgetting to even move his legs. He couldn't believe that Xiao Luo had such brutal power and skill within him. He single-handedly put these 40 to 50 Dragon Gang members on the ground with only his pairs of hands and legs. He was literally a raging beast.

Now that Xiao Luo had Yijin Jing, he could, in fact, not use his hands at all. He could just as easily dash around randomly like a raging bull and instantly knock down five to six people.

A total rout without any suspense!

After about ten minutes, no one was left standing in the alley.

Xiao Luo reached out his hands, grabbed the scarred man by his collar, and pulled him closer.

The scarred man was suddenly as timid as a mouse. He said, "Don't forget that you are a cop. Cops can't simply hit people."

"I see that you have a scar on your face, and I thought you were vicious. Turns out that you're just garbage!" Xiao Luo said chillingly, as he dropped him to the ground.

His words triggered something in the scarred man. When Xiao Luo turned around and was walking to the girl, he gritted his teeth and pulled out a knife from his pocket.

"Go to hell, you b*stard!"

With a bellowing roar, he dashed at Xiao Luo and viciously stabbed his back.

However, as if he had eyes behind his back, Xiao Luo turned, pivoting with his left leg, then forcefully thrust his right leg and slammed it into the scarred man's chest.

BAM!

The impact sent a devastating force surging instantly through his body, and the scarred man could feel his internal organs trembling as he flew backward, spitting blood. Then he collapsed from the intense pain.

Sun Haoze was in a stupor. His face was pale with fear, and he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Xiao Luo ignored him and went to the girl, inquiring her name, age, hometown, and the reason she was forced into prostitution.

She was still quivering in fear but felt reassured by Xiao Luo's presence and the uniform of an auxiliary police officer. She answered the questions one by one.

She was from Shan Province. After graduating from high school, she went looking for a job as she didn't gain admittance to any university. She came to Jiangcheng via her middleman, but little did she know that her middleman was a nefarious pimp. After arriving at Jiangcheng City, she was placed under his control. To force her into servitude and destroy her will to resist, five to six men raped her day and night, even going as far as to beat her with electric batons. Later on, she was brought to this filthy alley to serve customers.

"Haoze, don't you feel anything after listening to her?" Xiao Luo turned around and asked Sun Haoze.

Sun Haoze smiled bitterly. Anyone would have been infuriated listening to the girl's miserable experience, but he also had his own family. As an auxiliary policeman, how would he dare to fight against a colossal monster like the Dragon Gang?

Xiao Luo turned back to the girl, "Aside from you, are there any others who are being threatened?"

"No one is willing to become a toy for men. We were all threatened from the very beginning. But after going through despair and struggle, many of them could no longer resist and succumbed to their fate,"

...

...

The next day, the Liren Police substation was bustling with noise.

The reason was that Xiao Luo had arrested 20 brothel patrons, 35 people who were controlling the business, and 45 prostitutes who were forced into the trade but whose will to resist still remained.

"Brother, are you going against the Heavens here?!" Liu Tieguo gulped as he was shocked by Xiao Luo's astonishing work.

Xiao Luo shrugged his shoulders slightly and spread his hands in a silent reply, then followed his instructor into went to Feng Yuqi's office. 𝙡𝙞𝓫𝙧𝒆𝙖𝓭.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Before Feng Yuqi could speak, the instructor reprimanded Xiao Luo without giving him a chance to explain himself. He was in a sullen mood, and it showed on his face.

"Xiao Luo, what the hell you think you're doing? Who told you to meddle with that area?"

"Instructor, could you please answer my question before I answer yours?"

"Speak!"

"What is our duty as a cop?" Xiao Luo asked.

The instructor snorted, "The police have to maintain social order, protect our citizens safely, freedom, and legal assets, and prevent, stop, and punish illegal and criminal activities."

"Alright then, I saw a lady being forced into prostitution last night. As a policeman, do you think I should interfere?" Xiao Luo said coldly. Although it was the Dragon Gang he was dealing with, he didn't feel that what he did yesterday was wrong.

"You..."

The instructor was infuriated, "You are an auxiliary policeman, not a criminal policeman, nor a regular police officer. You just have to inform the station, and we will send someone to handle it."

"It would've been too late by the time the station actually sent someone. The girl that was crying for help would've already be locked up in someplace long before that," Xiao Luo retorted.

Chapter 204

"I think Xiao Luo will definitely be disciplined for this. He has arrested so many people, and they're all at once. Our lockup is almost full. Besides, the instructor's face was so icy and serious a while ago. He's probably berating Xiao Luo inside right now." Ma Pijin said to Liu Tieguo outside.

"They're all criminals who broke the law. Why can't he arrest them?" Liu Tieguo uttered with a snort, speaking up for Xiao Luo.

Ma Pijin crossed his arms firmly in front of his chest, unwilling to accept any other opinion. He then explained to Liu Tieguo, like someone with vast experience offering earnest advice, "It's not that he can't arrest them. It's that he shouldn't overstep his role and create trouble. The district station should be the one to deal with this kind of criminal activity, where so many people are involved. Our substation is only a small place on a lower level. The main responsibility for us is to solve the ordinary civil dispute. It's not our part to crack down on serious crime."

Liu Tieguo snorted lightly in disagreement and didn't bother to respond.

Ma Pijin continued to speak, "You just wait and see. Xiao Luo will certainly pay for his action. This could even be the end of his career with the auxiliary police. What a hothead. He's crazy about gaining some honor but doesn't realize he has to follow the rules to do the business."

Ma Pijin was gloating, and it certainly did not sound like he sympathized with or pitied Xiao Luo. He could hardly bear the sight of Xiao Luo, he hated his personality and was envious of his excellence during training camp. And now, he couldn't wait to see Xiao Luo being punished for his faux pas or better yet, even expelled from the force. Spite, such was often the outcome of envy and jealousy.

...

...

Inside the office of Feng Yuqi, the station chief, the instructor was infuriated. He couldn't believe Xiao Luo would have the gall to speak in such a way, not to mention those nasty insinuations. His ears turned red as he was lost for words.

"When I came to report for duty the day before yesterday, the station chief told us himself that a policeman shouldn't be afraid of trouble. Anyone afraid of trouble shouldn't join the police force. I took it seriously and acted strictly by that principle. Now the instructor is criticizing me for provoking people in that filthy place. Does that mean the instructor doesn't agree with the station chief's opinion?"

PHFFT!

Feng Yuqi was sitting on the chair, listening as they laid out their arguments and drinking tea as he did so. Hearing Xiao Luo's words, he almost spurted out his tea and was momentarily stumped. He composed himself quickly and said, "Smartass, it turns out you've been waiting to use my words against me. You're right. I did say that a police officer should not be afraid of trouble. But who would think you are so reckless as to dare encroach into the district station's jurisdiction!"

The instructor nodded sternly as if he finally caught Xiao Luo's vulnerable point. He echoed instantly, "Exactly. Do you know what kind of behavior this is?

Overstepping your authority. You're only

a mere auxiliary police officer. Who gave you the power to make arrests? And who gave you the right to talk to your supervisors in this way?"

Xiao Luo was not in a mood to argue further with such a self-righteous and petty official. He decided to remain silent and only offered a deadpan look to anything more the instructor had to say.

"Xiao Luo, you can leave for now," Feng Yuqi said firmly, but not in

a harsh way.

"Yes."

Xiao Luo saluted his Chief, turned around, and left the room. He didn't even glance at the instructor on the way out.

"Old Feng, look at this youngster. He shows no respect for elders and superiors. So haughty and arrogant!" Irked, the instructor seemed to be blowing off steams through his nose like an agitated bull before a fight.

Feng Yuqi casually sipped on his tea, laughing, and he said, "I actually find this young man interesting!"

...

...

"Brother Xiao, how did it go? What did the station chief and the instructor have to say?"

Liu Tieguo hurried forward, concerned, as soon as Xiao Luo came out.

Standing close by, Ma Pijin sneered, "What else could they say? They definitely told him off and put him in his place with a stern warning. It's not like they were going to reward him."

Xiao Luo glared coldly at Ma Pijin then said in a calm but threatening tone, "You better hold your tongue unless you want me to introduce my knuckles to your teeth!" 𝘭𝑖𝑏𝘳ℯ𝑎𝑑.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"You're a lout!"

Ma Pijin did worry that Xiao Luo would actually beat him up. He threw a quick comment before promptly removing himself from harm's way.

Liu Tieguo looked at Ma Pijin slinking away, and with a look of disgust and said to Xiao Luo, "He is just an annoying *ss-kisser. You don't need to be bothered by him. This kind of person is no different from those fat flies that can be found on smelly piles of sh*t."

Xiao Luo smiled. Needless to say, he wasn't paying any attention to Ma Pijin, and only threatened him to get under his skin.

"By the way, what on earth did the station chief and the instructor say? They didn't say they're going to punish you, did they?" Liu Tieguo asked with grave concern.

Xiao Luo curled up his lips and said, "Don't worry, brother Guo. Everything is fine."

As he was speaking, he couldn't help noticing that a rude, boorish woman scolding the police officer who was questioning her at his desk.

"Take out your evidence if you have any. If you don't have any proof to show I stole anything, you better let me go immediately. Otherwise, I will get a lawyer and sue you for unlawful custody!"

Behaving with unbearable insolence, her harsh voice was so loud and disturbing that it could be heard from all corners of the entire substation.

After catching a glimpse of Xiao Luo staring at her, she immediately thumped on the table and yelled up a storm, "D*mn you auxiliary police. What are you looking like? Have you never seen a beautiful woman like me?"

Xiao Luo frowned, turning to Liu Tieguo, who was next to him, and asked, "What's the deal with this woman?"

"She stole a wallet. The surveillance camera caught footage of her. But they couldn't find the wallet that she took. You see, even Old Zhang is too afraid to speak loudly. This woman is so difficult to deal with." Liu Tieguo whispered to Xiao Luo.

The Old Zhang Liu Tieguo referred to was the police officer who was questioning the woman. He was counting down his days to retirement and didn't care to make any slips that would affect his pension. In such a situation, he would instead let the guilty ones go rather than risk making a wrongfully arrest.

"Turns out to be a female thief." Xiao Luo raised his eyebrows, feeling a pang of disappointment, frustrated by the ways of the world.

The woman thought she could escape from the charge of theft if she behaved churlishly, to add to her fierce and unreasonable personality. She was quite sure that Xiao Luo was a newcomer who could be pushed around. She had noticed that he was only a young auxiliary police officer, fair in complexion, and had a face she had never seen before.

Picking up from where she left off moments ago, she vented her anger directly on Xiao Luo and said, "Hey, I was talking to you, you damn auxiliary police. Don't you pretend to be deaf! How did a suckling of a boy like you become a police officer? Aren't you afraid of bringing shame to police forces with your stupid look? Hey... still playing dead and pretending you can't hear me? F*ck your mother and all of your families..."

Xiao Luo was viciously cursed with such venom for merely taking a glance at her.

Many other auxiliary police officers in the substation were furious at the treatment he got. Only Ma Pijin took great pleasure and satisfaction from watching the commotion.

But Xiao Luo was no pushover. He walked straight up to the woman and stared down at her from a height. His cold, chiseled face filled with disdain. He said, "Are you a shrew yelling abuse in the street? Unfortunately, this is not the street. It's the police station. You better behave yourself. Otherwise..."

"Otherwise, what? Are you going to lynch me?"

The woman suddenly shot up from her chair, screaming at the top of her lungs, her expression uncouth and ill-bred, "You d*mn auxiliary police, I'm setting myself against you right now! If you can't find evidence to prove that I stole the wallet, I will definitely hire lawyers to sue you and your sh*tty police station!"

"You really think I wouldn't do anything to you?" Xiao Luo said in a cold voice.

The woman felt an anxious fear creeping upon her. But she was emboldened and confident that the young auxiliary officer in front of her wouldn't dare to lay his hands on her. She climbed on her chair and stared eye-to-eye at Xiao Luo angrily, and sneered, "Good. Come on. Hit me. You're f*cking bastard if you dare!"

Chapter 205

Standing on her chair, the woman only rose a little taller than Xiao Luo. She placed her hands aggressively on the hips and cursed at Xiao Luo like a furious witch. The words she spewed were filled with foul invectives and disgusting, inappropriate references to his entire ancestral line; all in all, she was quite a nasty piece of work.

"Enough. You're in a police station. I can charge you with insulting police officers if you keep going like this!" Old Zhang let out a dry cough and reminded her.

The woman became even more aggressive and said, "Insulting police officers? Stop talking to me in this bureaucratic tone. How dare this d*mn auxiliary police call himself a police officer? He's no more than a fart in my eyes!"

Xiao Luo smiled and turned around without saying a further word.

Thinking Xiao Luo had given in, the woman was puffed up with arrogance and got carried away. She screamed even louder at Xiao Luo, "D*mn auxiliary police, why did you leave? Come back here! Didn't you say you're going to hit me? Come on. You bastard, son of a b*tch. If you don't have the guts..."

Bending slightly, Xiao Luo picked up the chair next to him, turned around, and smashed it right into the frenzied woman.

BANG! It all happened in a split second!

The vile and incessant curses came to an abrupt stop. The despicable woman with the foul mouth was thrown back several meters, landing hard on the floor. An expression of panic and fear appeared on her wide-eyed face. She let out a blood-curdling scream pointing at the blood in her mouth.

For a second, everyone froze in the police station lobby. They looked at Xiao Luo in disbelief with shock in their eyes. They never thought Xiao Luo would pick up a chair and attacked a woman in a police station. But despite the excessive reaction, for the most part, the officers actually felt a sense of... delight! She had it coming, and they wished they could've given it to her as well.

"Attack! Police brutality! Almost beat me to death!" Coming out of her stupor, the woman realized what just happened and started rolling on the ground and acting hysterically.

Xiao Luo strode toward her and looked down on her with piercing, cold eyes.

"You... What are you going to do? I- I can sue you... you..."

The woman shrunk in terror. She could see now that the auxiliary police officer standing in front of her was not someone to be trifled with. He had a cold, devil-like face when angered.

"Didn't you say I don't have the guts to hit you? I'm going to hit you now just to show it to you!"

As Xiao Luo reached out to slowly pick up another chair, his wicked smile convinced the woman what was about to happen next.

Could he be planning on teaching this woman another lesson?

Everyone in the room shuddered at the thought. The look of unbridled anger on Xiao Luo's face frightened them.

Old Zhang sensed the situation was turning nasty and hurried to stop Xiao Luo. He said, "Xiao Luo. It's enough. Don't ruin your career over this kind of woman."

"Old Zhang, just pretend you didn't see anything." Xiao Luo forced a smile at the man.

The smile was quite disturbing in other people's eyes.

Ma Pijin stood up at that moment. He pointed at Xiao Luo and said harshly, "Xiao Luo, you have done enough! Do you really think the police station is your house where you can do whatever you want?"

Ma Pijin was waging a tit-for-tat against Xiao Luo. Standing on the legal and moral high ground this time, he admonished Xiao Luo forcefully.

Finding in Ma Pijin, a straw to clutch at, she dramatically appealed for his help, "Officer! Please stop him! This man is crazy!"

"Don't worry, lady. We won't let him run wild!"

Ma Pijin promised that to her in all sincerity. He then continued to chide Xiao Luo again, "Xiao Luo, you need to stop your abuse right now. Otherwise, I will arrest you and hold you responsible according to the law even though we're colleagues."

"Ass-kisser, I usually don't bother to pay attention to you. I now find you aggravating!"

Xiao Luo forced out a cruel laugh, then deliberately stepped on the woman's hand. Although he didn't apply much pressure, the hard sole of his leather shoe made the woman scream like a pig before slaughter.

"Ai! You, you..."

Intimidated, Ma Pijin broke out into a cold sweat. He immediately thought about instigating everyone in the room to berate Xiao Luo. He shouted, "Xiao Luo deliberately broke the law. Let's hurry to stop him. We can't let him keep committing crimes!"

To his chagrin, no one responded to him. All the police officers who were looking on simply went back to whatever they were doing before. Answering the phone, writing reports, pretending that they did not hear or see anything.

"You all..."

Ma Pijin felt wronged by his colleagues and not a little embarrassed as well. He wondered why everyone shut their eyes to it when Xiao Luo was clearly doing something wrong.

"Fine! I will go find the station chief since you all too afraid to act!" Ma Pijin said defiantly and ran straight to the station chief's office.

After a few minutes, the Chief's door swung open, and Ma Pijin walked out, disheartened. Not only Feng Yuqi did not support him, but he was also given an earful by the Chief.

"Do you have to bother me for this kind of trivial matter? What the hell do I need you all for?"

Feng Yuqi made clear where he stood. Ma Pijin didn't understand what he did wrong. Why did everyone choose to side with that lout Xiao Luo?

"Hit a snag?" Liu Tieguo asked with a chuckle.

Ma Pijin pulled a long face and glared angrily. 𝙡𝙞𝓫𝙧𝙚𝓪𝒅.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"With the size of our station, how could it be possible that the station chief didn't know what was happening outside his office? Ass-kisser, your cleverness indeed overreached itself." Liu Tieguo said to Ma Pijin. "Oh, by the way, I need to tell you, the wallet that the woman stole was found. It was hidden inside of her bra and fell out when Brother Xiao Luo grabbed her feet upside down and shook her a little. With the surveillance footage and the stolen goods, the woman's theft charge is now substantiated." Liu Tieguo piped in further, with his hands together under his chin, tapping on his fingers and smiling with glee.

What?

She really was a thief?

Ma Pijin felt devastated and demoralized at the same time when he heard it from Liu Tieguo.

He turned his head and watched the woman in the chair. She looked dejected and was now making a truthful account to Old Zhang about what happened.

As for Xiao Luo, he stuck his hands in the pockets and walked toward Ma Pijin. Almost in reflex, Ma Pijin jumped out of the way for Xiao Luo, with eyes full of fright.

"Brother Xiao, tell me. How on earth did you find out the wallet was hidden in the woman's bra?"

Liu Tieguo was fawning and expressing his deep admiration for Xiao Luo. He had found the wallet that even Old Zhang, with his seniority and experience, couldn't. For anyone looking, it would seem like he was infatuated.

"I didn't know in the beginning. I only realized it when I hit the woman with the chair."

Xiao Luo answered honestly. Even though he used a chair, it still felt different when the chair hit on the woman's chest.

"Hahaha... You're so awesome. I couldn't admire you enough."

Liu Tieguo burst out a roar with laughter. He then said, "Congratulations. Let's play video games tonight!"

...

...

"The boy is quite good."

Feng Yuqi had understood what had just happened as he watched through the blinds in his office. His praise was naturally for Xiao Luo's action.

The instructor scorned dismissively, "He's quite good? What a typical hothead would strike a blow at a single word of disagreement. This kind of fearless characters will probably get us into trouble someday."

"Eh, you can't only look at one side of things. Everything needs to be considered from both sides."

Feng Yuqi rested his chin on the back of his hands and said with a smile, "This Xiao Luo is a double-edged sword. If we can use him properly, he will be a natural enemy against crime. Didn't the district station say we're negligent and have far less achievement compared to other substations? I was very concerned and was just looking into that. By good fortune, this youngster Xiao Luo has come right in time."

"Station chief, you... Are you saying you want to put Xiao Luo in a key frontline position?" The instructor looked surprised.

Feng Yuqi only responded with a mysterious smile.

The instructor gulped. He had worked with Feng Yuqi for too long, not to realize what Feng Yuqi had meant. But putting the hothead Xiao Luo in a frontline position?

It was so reckless and irresponsible! How was he not afraid that the youngster would make a huge mess?

Chapter 206

Xiao Luo returned home and turned on his computer. He couldn't help but shake his head when he realized his internet firewall was being hacked. It was that hacker "BaiLing" again. For the past few weeks, this BaiLing had been persistent, relentlessly trying to crack his firewall and obtain information from his computer.

He typed a message right way, "You really want to break into my computer that badly?"

"Yes!"

In the women's dorm of Huaye University, Bai Ling replied with pure determination.

She then thought for a moment and sent another message, "Mie, I want to know you!"

Xiao Luo smiled softly and typed to reply, "We already know each other, don't we?"

"No, I meant in real life."

"Let's wait till you crack my firewall."

After typing the last sentence, Xiao Luo shut down his laptop and went to the bathroom to shower. He had full confidence in his firewall security and decided to use it to reject BaiLing's request.

Bai Ling bit on her lips in annoyance. Xiao Luo's words stirred up her desire to take him on his challenge. Now she had no choice but to break into his computer.

...

...

Three days later, a bombshell was dropped at the Liren Police Substation. Feng Yuqi had made an exception and submitted an application for Xiao Luo to become a regular police officer. Through the connections he had, the application was approved by the district station within a short time, which meant, Xiao Luo was no longer auxiliary police, but a full-fledged police officer.

Ma Pijin was beside himself with jealousy on finding out about this.

Many people envied Xiao Luo as well. They knew the process for auxiliary police to become a permanent police officer on regular payroll was fraught with difficulty. Some people didn't have the opportunity to apply even after working for several years. On the contrary, Xiao Luo had already achieved it only four days after arriving at the station. It was simply unbelievable!

"Haha... I'm really excited for brother Xiao Luo. Somehow, he became a permanent police officer. I can follow him and have a good time from now on!" Liu Tieguo congratulated Xiao Luo loudly on purpose while being next to Ma Pijin.

With a resentful face, Ma Pijin smashed his fist on the table, said, "Xiao Luo must have pulled some strings. Otherwise, there is no way that he would be put on regular payroll so fast. These kinds of people who abuse connections are so shameless."

"Look, *ss-kisser, you still don't get it. Brother Xiao Luo was promoted for his ability. Why don't you arrest dozens of criminals if you're so capable? I guarantee the station chief would break every rule and have you promoted as well." Liu Tieguo felt absolutely delighted and derived great satisfaction from looking at Ma Pijin's frustrated and angry face.

"Liu Tieguo, why are you always going against me?" Ma Pijin asked in an offended tone.

"No one is going against you. You are doing this to yourself. We all came from the same training camp. Why are you always so jealous of Xiao Luo's achievement? As we were all classmates at the training camp, isn't his promotion beneficial for all of us? Why can't you understand this?" Liu Tieguo answered, feeling annoyed.

Ma Pijin sneered, "It's not that I don't understand this. I just don't want to advance by nepotism as Xiao Luo did!"

"You're sick. Very sick."

Liu Tieguo had had enough of Ma Pijin, but before he left, he said, "I remind you one more time. Xiao Luo was promoted for his ability. The nepotism you mentioned is only in your head. It's a fiction of your imagination."

Ma Pijin ground his teeth and tried hard to contain his anger. He just couldn't accept the fact that Xiao Luo was an official police officer now.

...

...

"Do you know why I promoted you?"

Inside the station chief's office, Feng Yuqi looked at Xiao Luo straight in the eyes, but it was a look associated with the high expectations of one appreciating a precious treasure.

"I don't know. I hope the station chief can tell me."

Xiao Luo shook his head and answered candidly. He certainly didn't anticipate anything good; instead, he was wondering if the station would punish him for the incident at the yard. Much to his surprise, not only was he not censured, he was rewarded with a promotion. It was beyond all expectations!

"Because you're resolute and dare to stand up to your opponents, I want you to be the sword of our station and crack down on those filthy criminal activities!" said Feng Yuqi.

Xiao Luo was astounded by Feng Yuqi's words. He didn't realize Feng Yuqi was such a forthright station chief who was bold and decisive in action. He had promoted Xiao Luo precisely to grant him more authority and afford him the freedom to carry out his future mission.

"Chief, do you mean it?"

"I already promoted you. Is that not enough to show my seriousness?"

Feng Yuqi took out a red book from his drawer and handed it to Xiao Luo, said, "Take it and have a look. I prepared this for you as well."

Xiao Luo didn't need to open it at all. The yellow characters were printed clearly on the cover: Firearm License!

With this firearm license, he would be allowed to carry a weapon when he went out for patrols or other police missions. Of course, carrying a gun did not mean he could act recklessly. The usage of the weapon and the number of ammunition rounds discharged were strictly controlled and monitored. And he would have to prepare a detailed report any time he fired the gun.

"Besides this, you can pick three auxiliary police officers to be your direct subordinates to assist you. Xiao Luo, you go out there and do a good job. I have confidence in you." Feng Yuqi said keenly, and his eyes showed he meant it.

"Yes, sir. I will never waste station chief's trust and guidance!"

Holding up his head and pushing out his chest, Xiao Luo answered in a clear, firm voice. He initially felt that he was hamstrung in the role of auxiliary police. He had finally gotten what he wished for since Feng Yuqi had freed him from those restraints, and now gave him the latitude to carry out his job.

...

...

"Station chief, to be honest, I'm feeling quite restless. What if Xiao Luo really brings back trouble now that we have given the authority to him?" After Xiao Luo left, the instructor was troubled and asked Feng Yuqi in an anxious voice.

Feng Yuqi casually poured a cup of hot tea, sat down and took a sip, said, "You're too cautious and have too many fears. How are you going to fight the criminals this way? I admire Xiao Luo's style. He's like a fierce tiger. A tiger locked in a cage can't achieve anything. We can only appreciate its value once we set it free. I have had enough of waiting all these years. It's time for us to put more pressure on those b*stards."

"Can Xiao Luo do it? Those are a bunch of vicious killers. If we took any action, all of our families will be threatened by them!"

A fearful look was in the instructor's eyes. Being a police officer didn't mean he was not afraid of anything. They had to compromise all this time, for the sake of their families' safety, when dealing with very influential and powerful criminals.

Feng Yuqi slammed down the lid of the teacup. With a strong sense of justice, he raised his head and said, " Sometimes, we have to choose to gamble." He stood up and walked to the window. A smile formed on the corner of his mouth as he looked at the scene outside. "The weather is changing!"

The instructor widened his eyes and looked at the broad back of Feng Yuqi. Only now did he realize how determined Feng Yuqi was about striking out at the Dragon Gang.

Chapter 207

As instructed by the police chief, Xiao Luo was to pick three auxiliary policemen to make up his team, and he picked Liu Tieguo, Ye Qiu, and Wang Lihu. He hadn't planned on pulling Liu Tieguo into this, not since he owed Liu Tieguo a favor, and he really did not want to put him in any danger. But in the end, Liu Tieguo insisted, and Xiao Luo couldn't dissuade him from being a part of the team.

As for the other two, Ye Qiu and Wang Lihu were both born troublemakers, and that was well known among the police officers in the station. They had worked for two years, but yet a promotion was nowhere in sight for them. It wasn't because they did not have the necessary skills and experience, but rather because they would often get into trouble.

For instance, they were supposed to mediate a dispute between city patrol officers and melon farmers. Not only did they fail to resolve the conflict, they even sided with the melon farmers and beat up the city patrol officers.

In another incident, Ye Qiu and Wang Lihu chased an alleged thief that got away. However, after they caught him, they didn't question him at all before hitting him with sticks and knocked out two teeth. Later investigations then revealed that the person was, in fact, not a thief at all. A couple happened to have a fight, and the wife lied to the police about her husband being a thief for them to catch him.

Therefore, people in the substation put a label on Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu, "thugs in uniforms! "

Xiao Luo chose them because he took a fancy to their character of daring to stand up to criminals, or to anyone else for that matter.

He did not want to rope in chicken-hearted cowards, but instead, tusked beasts who was not afraid to tear up the enemy.

As it turned out, Ye Qiu and Wang Lihu deeply resented that a fresh auxiliary police officer had gotten the chance to become a regular officer in next to no time. In addition to that, they also despised Xiao Luo because Ma Pijin had been planting the seeds of discontent among his colleagues to convince them that Xiao Luo was only promoted because of his connections.

"First, prove you have the ability to be our boss. Otherwise, I would rather spend my time hanging around in the station than being a lackey behind your *ss."

Wang Lihu was standing with his legs spread apart and spoke gruffly to Xiao Luo in the police substation yard. There was not a shred of respect in his eyes, only resentment. He was a tall and sturdy fellow, six feet tall and weighing more than 200 pounds, and had stubble on his jaw. Standing in the yard, he looked every bit a conceited and arrogant thug in uniform.

Ye Qiu also turned up his nose at Xiao Luo and echoed Wang Lihu's stand. He spoke with a squeaky voice, "That's right. People who don't have a kill or two don't deserve to be our boss!"

He had a smaller build and a thin, angular face. His oily skin was shiny under the sunshine.

"Wang Lihu, Ye Qiu, this is the appointment made by the station, so don't you try to pick holes in this on purpose. Bring it to the station chief if you have any disagreement." Liu Tieguo spoke up for Xiao Luo.

"We're not like someone who has a deep background. How dare we bring anything up with the station chief." Ye Qiu squeaked, making insinuations.

"You..."

Liu Tieguo was annoyed. He was genuinely happy for Xiao Luo for his promotion. However, people in the station had been gossiping in recent days about how Xiao Luo only became a permanent officer because of his connection. He could hardly contain his anger for these rumors.

Looking at Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu, Xiao Luo smiled slightly and said, "I can see that you two are not convinced."

Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu exchanged a look and answered in chorus, "Of course we're not!"

"You sound very confident. I bet you both have some skills. Tell me, what can you do?" Xiao Luo didn't want to waste words on them. He chose the easiest and the most straightforward way, he would beat them to submission if he had to!

...

...

"Everyone, stop now! Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu are not willing to take orders from Xiao Luo and are messing with him outside right now!" An auxiliary police officer rushed into the office and described the scene in the yard with his loud voice.

"Even an idiot would know this would happen. Those two are well-known troublemakers in the station. Xiao Luo was asking for trouble when he picked them to work for him."

"Wang Lihu is endowed with extraordinary strength. He can easily lift a pig that weighs hundreds of pounds. Even five people couldn't hold him down when he throws his weight about. How would he possibly succumb to Xiao Luo?"

"Yes, that Ye Qiu is not an easy one to deal with either. He used to practice hawk's claw boxing. His hands can tear skin effortlessly, almost better than knives. They're all martial arts practitioners."

Some people sighed, some sympathized with Xiao Luo, while some thought he had it coming and were gloating. Many people were jealous of Xiao Luo being promoted so soon and would have loved to see Xiao Luo being humiliated in public.

Ma Pijin, for example, had to keep himself from dancing around to express his joy. He stood up with relish and shouted to the crowd, "Let's go. Let's go out and have a look. Xiao Luo is a skinny guy. I hope he won't be crushed by Wang Lihu's fist."

His words were filled with mockery and derision. Maybe he wanted to witness Xiao Luo being embarrassed so badly that he forgot that Xiao Luo had once fought off Yan Wang back in the training camp.

Soon after, the crowd went outside and became the audience by the side.

Xiao Luo had already learned about what Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu could do from their remarks. He pointed at Wang Lihu and said casually, "Make a decision. Do you want a match on strength or boxing?"

Wang Lihu was taken by surprise initially. He snorted and said, "Let's compete in strength. I'm afraid I may beat you to death if we tried boxing."

"Good. Let's compete in strength, as you said." Xiao Luo said with an indifferent shrug.

"You're overestimating yourself."

Wang Lihu sneered, then strode to a police motorcycle parked in the yard.

He lowered his body in a horse-riding stance. With his left-hand grabbing on the handlebars and the right hand on the rear shock absorber, he took a deep breath and let out a deep howl. The muscles on his entire body were taut, and the veins were bulging. The motorcycle was slowly hefted above the ground. With another roar, the whole bike was lifted over his head.

At that moment, he looked mighty and fierce!

Everyone at the station was dumb stricken. Even though they already knew Wang Lihu had great strength, they were still shocked now that they had seen it with their own eyes. It was not a typical motorcycle, but a police patrol motorcycle which weighed more than 500 pounds. Even one person could hardly help it stand up if it fell on the side. Yet Wang Lihu had lifted it over his head. How could they not be astonished by it?

"Awesome!"

Ma Pijin applauded and cheered for Wang Lihu in great excitement.

Other people started to applaud following Ma Pijin's lead. Wang Lihu's performance indeed deserved such applause.

"Born with extraordinary strength. It's such a pity Wang Lihu didn't join the national weightlifting team." Watching from the office on the second floor, Feng Yuqi couldn't help joking about it.

The instructor shook his head and said in frustration, "You need to care more about Xiao Luo. He's asking for trouble by competing in strength with Wang Lihu."

"Don't be so sure. Xiao Luo read Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu's files before he selected and knew about them already. He must have a way to subdue them since he insisted on picking them on his team. Have a little patience and wait and see." Feng Yuqi laughed. He was still very confident about Xiao Luo.

"Haiyah..." 𝒍𝒊𝙗𝓻𝒆𝓪𝙙.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The instructor exhaled a long sigh. He really didn't understand why the station chief trusted Xiao Luo so much.

BANG!

Wang Lihu put down the patrol motorcycle with a loud bang causing the entire ground to tremble slightly.

Chapter 208

"It's your turn now!"

Wang Lihu turned around and looked at Xiao Luo. He spoke to him with a confident smile as he dusted his hands off.

Ye Qiu also shot Xiao Luo a mocking look and sneered, "Xiao Luo, I would quit if I were you. The game is not worth the candle if you pulled your back."

Xiao Luo didn't respond. He gave them a soft smile and walked directly to the same motorcycle.

"He can't be thinking that he can lift the motorcycle too, can he?" Someone said in suspicion.

"With his built? Stop joking around." Another person snickered.

Xiao Luo stretched out his hand and pushed the motorcycle gently as if he was estimating its weight.

Wang Lihu couldn't help but ridiculed, "I was flattering you when I said you overestimated yourself. You're simply a sham who is going to make a fool of yourself!"

Xiao Luo didn't pay attention to him. He shook his head at the motorcycle and turned away.

"Looks like you have some self-awareness after all. You know when to give up."

The grin on Wang Lihu's face was even broader. He said, "Since you quit, why don't you talk to the station chief and pick someone else. I have no intention of being your..."

His voice ceased all of a sudden, and the smile on his face froze. He was left aghast with his mouth open.

Everyone else on the spot was staggered and couldn't believe what they saw with their own eyes. Because Xiao Luo lifted the front of the police car parked in the yard with one hand. Not only that, but he also held the chassis with his left hand and grabbed the front bumper with his right hand. Using the strength from his shoulder, he raised the entire police car up in the air!

If Wang Lihu was powerful and fierce before, at this moment, Xiao Luo was imbued with a spirit that could conquer mountains and rivers!

"This... How could this be possible!" Ma Pijin's face was filled with astonishment.

Liu Tieguo was knocked sideways. He mumbled to himself, "Oh my god! Brother Xiao Luo is beyond words, he lifted a car that weighs at least two or three tons!"

Feng Yuqi and the instructor were dumbfounded as well in the office on the second floor. The stupefaction dried their mouths. They gulped down saliva involuntarily.

The entire yard of the police substation was silenced in shock.

BANG!

The police car was put down by Xiao Luo and smashed hard on the ground, raising a thick cloud of dust.

The loud sound brought people back from the daze. They now looked at Xiao Luo in awe and veneration.

Monster!

That was people's assessment of Xiao Luo. 𝑙𝘪𝒷𝓇𝑒𝑎𝑑.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Xiao Luo turned his head to look at Wang Lihu and asked in a gentle voice, "Are you persuaded?"

Wang Lihu ground his teeth and clenched his fists. He would have tried to lift the car himself before if he had anticipated Xiao Luo to have such powerful strength. However, he would be reaching his limit even if he could actually uplift the car. There was no way for him to do it as effortlessly as Xiao Luo did.

"I'm not persuaded!"

Ye Qiu suddenly launched his attack with an angry roar. He rushed forward at full speed and reached Xiao Luo in a split second.

He stomped the left foot on the ground and stopped abruptly. Using the forward momentum, his hands became claws, and his ten fingers struck at Xiao Luo's chest with incomparable power. With a slashing sound, Xiao Luo's uniform was torn apart like a tattered rag, almost as if he was attacked by a hungry wolf.

Fortunately, Xiao Luo backed up in time and wasn't injured physically. It was only his innerwear that was exposed.

Even so, it made the onlookers at the scene gasped in dismay. They thought that Ye Qiu indeed reached the acme of perfection of the hawk's claw boxing. Even without long fingernails, his fingertips were still sharp like knives. How frightening.

"Ye Qiu, why did you make a sneak attack?" Liu Tieguo criticized him loudly.

However, nothing could register in Ye Qiu's brain right now. Growling and snarling in a frenzy, he bounded into the air again and thrashed toward Xiao Luo with his hands. With the whistling wind, his blade-like fingers fiercely streaked across the air.

Xiao Luo was moving back while fighting against Ye Qiu. From an outsider's view, he was the underdog in the race and was suppressed by Ye Qiu. While in fact, he was observing Ye Qiu's hawk's claw boxing technique. One of the advantages of Yi Jin Jing was that it allowed the practitioner to learn and copy other types of martial arts.

After studying for about five minutes, Xiao Luo stopped retreating. He moved forward for the first time, jumped up and flipped in the air. Under great risk, he dodged Ye Qiu's savage fingers as he landed on tiptoe. He instantly leaned forward with his right hand forming a stiff claw, and grasped on Ye Qiu's hand as fast as a flash of lightning. The tips of Xiao Luo's fingers dug in Ye Qiu's hand and held it in a vice-like grip. He then yanked Ye Qiu's arm across harshly, throwing him off his balance.

"AHH ~"

Ye Qiu howled in pain, his arms shivering.

"You lost!" Xiao Luo gazed at him emotionlessly.

The table was turned so fast that the people around them didn't have time to react.

"Where did you learn the hawk's claw boxing style?"

Even suffering excruciating pain, Ye Qiu was still astounded that he had been defeated by his own boxing style. It was a type of kung fu handed down from the Ye family's ancestors. How could Xiao Luo know it too?

"I just learned it from you." Xiao Luo gave an honest answer.

Did he learn it just now?

Did he master the Ye family's hawk's claw boxing in a few minutes? Ye Qiu had practiced studiously for more than 20 years!

There was no way Ye Qiu would believe that. He was certain Xiao Luo was talking nonsense. Being the troublemakers in the station, he and Wang Lihu had enjoyed unshakable freemasonry. Right now, he didn't care about anything else anymore. He turned his head and shouted at Wang Lihu, "Laohu, what are you waiting for? Come, help me!"

"HAH!"

Wang Lihu bellowed and rushed toward Xiao Luo, waving his giant fists.

Xiao Luo kicked Ye Qiu out of the way. His right hand flattened and blocked Wang Lihu's blow. He smiled while shaking his head, said, "Aren't you proud of your strength? Even a random martial practitioner could have fended off this punch."

Wang Lihu looked at his fist in a daze. He knew perfectly about his strength. Even 20% of it was enough to knock ordinary people out. He immediately stepped back from Xiao Luo and spoke in an insolent voice, "I was worried you won't be able to take it. Since you aren't satisfied with my hit, I will spare no effort now!"

"Just to my liking!"

Xiao Luo looked at him calmly, and a smile remained on his face.

AARRGH!

Bellowing like a beast, Wang Lihu exerted his strength and stomped on the ground. The strength of his entire body surged toward his right fist and propelled a strike.

Xiao Luo's pupils dilated. The power in Wang Lihu's fist made him excited as if his blood was boiling.

"I will stop you now!"

Clenching his teeth, Xiao Luo roared and greeted Wang Lihu with his own fist.

BANG!

The fists crashed together. Wang Lihu's fist was stopped. The force gushed backed to him like a raging river. His shaking body flung away violently as if he was hit by a train. He didn't stop until hitting the wall of the yard.

Xiao Luo, on the contrary, maintained his posture, unwavering and upright like a pine tree.

The yard was so silent that even the sound of a needle dropping could be heard. Everyone stared at Xiao Luo's slender figure in a stupor. At that moment, Xiao Luo was magnificent and untouchable in their minds.

Chapter 209

He did not have a massive build, nor was he ripping with muscles, and yet exhibited such tremendous strength and power, which was literally beyond human!

The crowd in Liren Police Substation yard just stared wide-eyed at Xiao Luo, who stood upright, oblivious to his own superhuman feat. Everyone was awestruck and could barely recover from the tremendous shock.

"A completely one-sided victory, this Xiao Luo...he..."

The instructor watching from the second-floor office was trembling and was in such a state of disbelief that he was mumbling incoherently.

"I've said, he's a fierce tiger!" Feng Yuqi said with great excitement.

In the yard, Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu acknowledged their defeat, and from hereon would not think to ever look down on Xiao Luo anymore. As practitioners of the martial arts, they walked up to show their respect towards Xiao Luo, knelt down with one knee, and bowed with their fists clenched against each other.

"Boss, I, Wang Lihu, will follow you anywhere and everywhere, you have my service at your command."

"I, Ye Qiu, will do the same. I hope, boss, that you will be magnanimous and not mind our past wrongdoings. Please forgive our disrespect just now."

Both of them were straightforward fellows. As Xiao Luo had thoroughly won them over with his supreme display of power and skills. With such capabilities, he was a worthy man to follow.

"You guys got your *sses whooped and are finally convinced now?" Liu Tieguo came over and laughed at them.

"Yeah, we're convinced, totally convinced!" Both Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu blushed and said awkwardly.

Xiao Luo smiled and said, "Get up and clean yourselves up, then follow me for patrol."

"Roger."

They got up and saluted smartly with their heads up and backs straight.

...

...

Liren was a small town in the Guangming district. Although it was small in size, it was very prosperous; it could even be compared to an affluent provincial city. This was largely a result of Jiangcheng's enormous commitment to its economic development. Liren's burgeoning success could be attributed to the multiple large-scale industrial areas close to its borders. The boom of its industrial parks had attracted countless people from all over the world. And this attracted all sorts of people, not only professionals and skilled workers, but undesirable elements of society also made their way there. This had heightened the need for more visible public security presence as incidents of street crime and gang fights became commonplace.

Xiao Luo had known that Dragon Gang's primary operations in this area were the red-light districts. There were three such areas, and all were located close to the industrial zones. It was good business sense, as many of their employees had sizeable disposal incomes and could easily afford social escort services. Splurging a hundred yuan or two for a night of fun would not put a dent in their wallets.

He had only recently cracked down on one of the red-light districts by himself, so there were two left behind for him to clean up!

Xiao Luo parked his motorbike at a sentry post with a clear view of the commercial street, now milling with a crowd of people seeking the thrills of nightlife. He had no business there during the day, as that street would only be filled with people scurrying hither and thither on business errands. However, after dark, it's true colors would emerge and that street would be transformed into something very different.

There were flyers on the floor, post-it notes on walls, even the power supply boxes, and they were all little advertisements for sexual services.

Xiao Luo looked at the small stream that had now turned into a filthy, disgusting sewer and frowned. Everyone was trying every possible way to get themselves a place in a big city, but they were only drawn to its beautiful façade, neglecting its dark, ugly side.

Ding. Ding. Ding~

The familiar sound of a monotonous ringtone brought him out of his contemplation.

Xiao Luo took the phone from his pocket and checked, it was Zhang Dashan. He accepted the call by swiping right.

"What's up, Dashan?"

"You motherfu*cker, can't I call you even if I've no issues? I haven't heard from you for a couple of days, can you be more aware that you should give me a call every other day? You haven't been keeping in contact with me for so long, I almost thought that Dragon Gang had cut you to pieces already." Zhang Dashan snapped.

Xiao Luo frowned, "Spit it out. If there's a problem, let me know; if not, I'm hanging up. I'm busy and not free to chit chat now."

It was a rule in the station that a policeman on duty was not allowed to speak on the phone. Being suited in his police uniform to deal with Dragon Gang, he felt that obliged to obey the rules.

"What the f*ck are you busy with? I'm in charge of Luo's Workshop, so what else do you have to be busy with?"

"I'm hanging."

"Don't, don't, don't... I have something serious to talk about."

"Can you cut the crap?"

Xiao Luo wished that he could kick him up the posterior, and said impatiently, "So what's going on, spit it out."

Zhang Dashan cleared his throat and said, "What else could it be? It's your very own romantic debt, sis Huang is here for you."

Xiao Luo frowned even harder, then asked irritably," Who's sis Huang? You better stop giving me bullshit."

"I ain't giving you bullshit, it's Huang Ruoran from Huaye University. The girl who was almost raped by the five gangsters, you've forgotten?" Zhang Dashan cautioned.

Huang Ruoran!?

Xiao Luo suddenly remembered, and had he not been reminded by Zhang Dashan, he would've forgotten entirely about the bunch of people from Huaye University.

"Why'd she look for me? Wait, how did she know my location?"

"F*ck, she saw me! I'm sort of a role model for juniors now since the public trial clip had gone viral, and sis Huang had watched that clip. So, she came straight to the headquarters of Luo's Workshop. To be honest, sis Huang had visited a few times but was stopped by the security guard every time. She even tried trespassing. I happened to run into her today by coincidence as I passed by the company's gate. If not, I wouldn't have known that sis Huang came all the way to the company to find me."

Hearing that gave Xiao Luo a headache. When he had appointed Zhang Dashan as Luo's Workshop's spokesperson, he had overlooked the fact that Huang Ruoran had seen Zhang Dashan before. He had already put Huaye University behind him, but now it seemed that they were back in his life.

"So what should I do? She's now waiting in the guest room and won't leave until she gets your whereabouts." Zhang Dashan said, unsure how he should handle this

"Tell her I've left Jiangcheng."

"It f*cking won't work, she' already asked about your hometown address, it seems like she wouldn't quit easily until she finds you."

"You're usually so good with your crap, that you could even hoodwink the deceased, why can't you do it now?" Xiao Luo yelled.

Zhang Dashan could not help himself, and answered," Bro, you're really being a dick here. Sis Huang is completely sincere, and you want me to fool her? It pains me to even think about it."

"F*ck you!" Xiao Luo knew where Zhang Dashan was going with this.

"Believe it, the television soap operas had always contained scenes of the hero saving the beauty, and she ended up repaying her debt of honor by marrying him. Do you really think that these were all just fiction? In my opinion, sis Huang came to repay her debt and wants to bear your children." Zhang Dashan said.

Bear my children?

It was so thought-provoking that Xiao Luo broke into laughter, "I'm not gonna argue with you, you help me settle Huang Ruoran, that's it!"

He hung up immediately as he spotted Liu Tieguo rushing over to him with an anxious look on his face. He obviously had something urgent to report.

He put the phone back and asked, "Brother Guo, what's going on?" 𝒍𝓲𝒃𝙧𝒆𝒂𝒅.𝓬𝙤𝒎

"There're two rich women with their bodyguards embroiled a quarrel in the department store, it's getting out of the hand, and they're almost close to a fight. Laohu and Houzi are trying to mediate, but it's no use." Liu Tieguo was panting heavily from his run and was trying to report everything in a single breath. The Laohu and Houzi he had referred to were none other than Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu.

"Let's go, take a look!"

Xiao Luo frowned as he rode on his motorbike with Liu Tieguo riding pillion, they headed towards the department store.

Chapter 210

As they entered the department store, they could hear a commotion coming from the two well-dressed ladies, just as Liu Tieguo had described. They both had bodyguards with them and were insulting each other with their fingers pointing aggressively at each other. They quarreled loudly without any regard of those around them and would have started fighting if Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu had not intervened in the argument.

"Boss!"

Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu came over immediately.

"So, what's going on?" Xiao Luo asked.

"Actually, it's not even a big issue, they knocked into each other accidentally. The woman in yellow had accidentally bumped into the one in green and her purse fell to the ground, then they started arguing." Ye Qiu said.

"These women must be bored to death!"

Xiao Luo shook his head and decided to let them be. He intended to be the bad cop and let them continue fighting.

The lady in green snapped coldly, "I'm giving you one last chance, apologize right now and pick up the purse. Then we'll call it a day, if not..."

"If not, what? Do you actually think that I'm afraid of you?"

The lady in yellow said fearlessly, "You have bodyguards, so do I. If you want to fight, I'll fight you the end."

At that very moment, a cohort of some thirty-plus fierce-looking men walked through the front entrance. The one leading them had silver hair, and he shouted fiercely, "Who the f*ck's bullying our sister-in-law, you must be getting tired of living!"

His loud shout immediately drew everyone's attention.

"They're from Dragon Gang, let's get outta here immediately. Don't look at them, beware of getting into a mess with these troublemakers."

Many of customers knew about the background of these men, and their expressions changed suddenly. They quickly urged their companions to leave the premises as soon as they could.

The lady in yellow suddenly felt threatened upon seeing the situation change, especially after knowing that the men were from Dragon Gang. Her earlier bravado immediately turned into meek humbleness, "It's just a small incident right, do you even need so much backup? Okay, I'm sorry." She bent over and picked up the expensive purse from the floor, then presented it to the lady in green respectfully with both hands, "My husband runs a textile mill nearby, perhaps we can make acquaintance?" 𝓁𝘪𝒷𝘳ℯ𝘢𝑑.𝒸𝘰𝑚

The lady in green smirked, "Bitch, now you wanna make acquaintance, huh?" She grabbed her purse and had no plans to let the lady in yellow off so easily. "Just keep up with your arrogance, why don't you keep behaving like a b*tch? Weren't you being so rude to me just now? I'll give you two choices now, you either kneel down and lick my heels or be stripped naked and paraded around the mall!"

"You..."

The lady in yellow clenched her teeth in a rage.

"Who are you trying to yell at? So do you want to lick our sister-in-law's heels or have us strip you naked? Choose now!" The cocky youngster with the silver hair yelled at the lady dressed in yellow, pointing his finger at her.

The lady in yellow would not choose either option as they both were too humiliating. She stared at the lady in green with menace and retorted, "You better don't cross the line!"

"I AM crossing the line, what can you do about that?"

The lady in green laughed, then ordered with a cold voice, "Go, strip this bitch naked at once!"

"Roger, sister-in-law!"

The silver-haired youngster answered and waved his hand forward, and all thirty-odd of them made for the lady in yellow.

The bodyguards of the lady in yellow did not stand idly by, of course, and the five braced themselves and rushed up to fight. The mall was in chaos with display racks toppled, and products, of all shapes and sizes, strewn all over the floor. Screaming could be heard everywhere.

BANG!

The piercing sound of a gunshot got everyone's attention, and they all stopped immediately. Several female workers at the mall even squatted down fearfully on hearing the shot fired.

The silver-haired youngster and the two ladies turned and looked towards the direction of the gunshot. They saw a young, handsome but grim-faced man in a police uniform approaching them. He put the gun back in its holster on his waist, with white smoke still wisping thinly out the muzzle.

Xiao Luo stood before them and asked coldly, "You guys seem to have totally ignored the police's presence."

If both parties were equally balanced in strength, he would not have intervened. However, with Dragon Gang was now involved, he had an obligation to do so. And he did not intend to do so half-heartedly.

The silver-haired youngster was initially taken aback, but seeing it was just a cop on the beat, he looked at Xiao Luo as if looking at a fool and said, "Sir, that was impressive. You even fired a gun, who're you trying to scare?"

The lady in green seethed, and wanting to show off to the lady in yellow, how easily she could scorn the police, she sneered, "Such a puny and unimportant local policeman like you would dare to mind our business. Are you too bored with your life?"

Xiao Luo answered impassively, "I understand the situation, and this matter's not that serious. It's simply a misunderstanding, and you don't have to resolve it in such an extreme way. On top of that, this lady had already apologized, you should be more reasonable."

The lady in yellow realized that Xiao Luo was supporting her, so she looked on him kindly.

"You, ride your motorbike and go patrol somewhere else, don't be nosy here, or else I'll make sure you regret your decision." The lady in green said coldly.

Xiao Luo shook his head, "Don't try to challenge a policeman's authority!"

"Humph...you, a policeman? In my eyes, only the federal investigators deserve the title of police. A local policeman like you better not pretend to be one!" The lady in green said disdainfully.

Xiao Luo smiled and accentuated his tone, "I advice you to call it a day, dismiss your people, and I can take it as nothing happened."

The lady in green spat on Xiao Luo's shoes, raised her head, and smirked at him, "Is your brain full of sh*t? Can't you understand my words?"

"Very well!"

Xiao Luo smiled, took the handcuffs from his waist, stepped up to the lady in green, and quickly cuffed both her hands.

She was shocked, not expecting anyone would dare lay a hand on her. Her expression changed suddenly, and she yelled at the top of her voice, "Son of a b*tch, what are you trying to do?"

"You are arrested, under the charge of contempt of a police officer." Xiao Luo had her cuffed up and then dragged her out.

"Boy, how about you try arresting the rest of us!"

The silver-haired youngster and his men blocked Xiao Luo's way and surrounded him completely. They had formed a human wall that had encircled Xiao Luo and the lady within.

Wang Lihu, Ye Qiu, and Liu Tieguo wanted to help out but held back when they noticed Xiao Luo's eyes staring at them. Dealing with Dragon Gang had become like a hobby to him, and had now brought on some excitement, a welcome change from the drudgery that came along with performing his patrol duties.

"Let go of our sister-in-law!" The group of Dragon Gang retainers roared and cursed at Xiao Luo.

Xiao Luo would not let go, and instead, he merely smiled at them.

"You better f*cking let go of her, are you deaf?"

The silver-haired youngster was in a rage and threw a furious punch at Xiao Luo.

However, he froze immediately after raising his fist, as the black, cold muzzle of a gun was pointing directly at his forehead in a flash of a second. The muzzle was still warm from its previous discharge, and it reeked of gunpowder and metal. The youngster with the silver hair trembled and broke into a cold sweat.

Chapter 211

Xiao Luo narrowed his eyes slightly as he calmly gazed at the silver-haired young man. "Obstruction of justice is a crime as well, so hurry up and ask your men to back off!"

Gulp!

Being held at gunpoint, the silver-haired young man couldn't help but roughly swallow. Cold sweat cascaded down his body. He quickly calmed down. From what he remembered, he had never met a cop who would actually pull the trigger. They all merely used a gun to intimidate people and dared not even put their finger on the trigger.

Thinking of that, disdain appeared on his face. Furthermore, it was a good opportunity to build a tough reputation in front of his subordinates. He immediately and recklessly said to Xiao Luo, "Do you think you're badass just because you have a gun? Pull the trigger, I dare you. Do you have the f*cking courage to do it?"

"Dumbass cops, unholstering their guns at any opportunity."

"They never change their method of intimidating people."

"Pull the trigger if you dare, dumbass!"

The other people all had mocking smiles on their faces. Someone even blew a large bubble with the bubblegum he was chewing and completely disregarded Xiao Luo, a community police officer.

Xiao Luo calmly smiled and pointed his gun downwards. Without thinking, he pulled the trigger. He was aiming at the thigh of the silver-haired young man.

Bang!

With a piercing gunshot, the silver-haired young man's thigh was penetrated by the bullet. It quickly formed a bloody hole. Blood gushed out. It was so painful that he howled as he fell to the ground. It was too painful. Along with his thigh being penetrated, his femur had snapped due to the bullet's violent impact.

Hiss...

The expression of everyone present froze. They each took in a deep, cold breath. They hadn't expected it in the slightest that Xiao Luo would pull the trigger. Was this man, who had pulled the trigger as he pleased, really a cop?

Xiao Luo's cold gaze scanned over the others. "I have just joined the police force. I don't know who you all are and have no intention of finding out. If you dare to hinder me from performing my duties any further, I will send all of you to the police station. Now, get out of the way!"

His final yell shocked the group of minor gangsters so much that their bodies trembled. They instinctively made way for him. Other than being shocked by Xiao Luo's fierce stance, they were more wary of his identity as a newbie cop. F*ck, no wonder he dared to pull the trigger! He is just a total newbie! Anyone who dared to speak up would definitely be shot like their superior.

"Wang Lihu, handcuff this fella here with his hair dyed silver and take him back to the police station!" Xiao Luo shouted at Wang Lihu.

"Yes, Sir!"

Wang Lihu loudly replied.

"It's satisfying to work with our head guy. I haven't felt so at ease in a long time."

After Liu Tieguo spoke to Ye Qiu, he immediately ran forward and handcuffed the silver-haired young man. 𝓁𝘪𝑏𝓇𝑒𝑎𝑑.𝑐𝘰𝑚

The silver-haired young man had been shot once and could hardly bear the pain. After Wang Lihu handcuffed him and helped him up, to not lose face in front of his subordinates, he glared at Xiao Luo angrily and yelled, "I have taken note of your serial number! Just wait and see! I will kill your whole family!"

His unharmed right leg viciously kicked Xiao Luo.

He swore to God that he was only doing that action without any actual intention of kicking Xiao Luo. He just wanted to make himself look tough and unafraid of the cops, that was all. Without warning, Xiao Luo shot his thigh again.

Bang!

The burning bullet dug right into the silver-haired young man's thigh, creating another bloody hole. The intense pain caused the silver-haired young man to shriek at the top of his lungs.

The two shots had crippled both of the silver-haired young man's legs and completely shocked everyone.

Everyone now knew how vicious Xiao Luo was. At the moment, no one dared to look at Xiao Luo with contempt anymore. How can he be a cop? He was clearly more vicious than them, and they were involved in gangs.

The silver-haired young man lifted his head and looked at Xiao Luo in fear. "I... I am already handcuffed, you... you..."

He had already been subdued, so why did Xiao Luo shoot him again? It was not at all in line with the regulations regarding the police department's usage of guns.

Xiao Luo raised an eyebrow and innocently said, "Sorry, I'm a newbie. The gun accidentally discharged when my hand trembled. If you continue to behave aggressively, I feel that my gun may accidentally discharge again!"

Accidental discharge?

F*ck you!

The silver-haired young man wanted to cry. He wanted to curse loudly even more, but he dared not. Even though Xiao Luo was smiling, he knew that the man in front of him was not like other cops. Xiao Luo was able to pull the trigger seemingly without worrying about the rules or anything else. The young man even believed that Xiao Luo was even capable of killing him with a single shot.

Xiao Luo turned and looked at the lady in green. One look from him scared the woman so much that her body started to tremble.

"Madam, can you now follow me back to the police station without causing any trouble?" he asked.

The lady in green dared not say no. Her voice trembled as she said, "I... I will definitely hire a lawyer and sue you..."

"Please, go ahead. It is your right."

Xiao Luo smiled slightly and asked Liu Tieguo and Ye Qiu to come over and take the woman back to the police station.

Before leaving, he turned to the 30-plus, low-level gangsters of the Dragon Gang and said, "Oh right, my name is Xiao Luo. Tell Han Main, yes, I think he is called Han Mian, tell him that I will be coming to arrest him soon, so he should hurry up if he has any unfinished business."

He left the mall without looking back.

The 30-plus, low-level gangsters of the Dragon Gang stood stunned where they stood. Han Mian was none other than the lord protector of the Dragon Gang. How dare Xiao Luo directly address him by the name! What on earth was the background of this fella?

The lady in yellow was secretly relieved that she was the weaker party. Otherwise, it would have been her men who had gotten shot. Of course, she didn't know the past affairs between Xiao Luo and the Dragon Gang. If she had known, she wouldn't have thought of it that way. Regardless of whether the Dragon Gang was the weaker party or the stronger one, Xiao Luo would target them.

"He's quite an interesting cop. I wonder how long he will stay interesting," she murmured as she watched Xiao Luo leave.

...

"Oh no, oh no, this Xiao Luo has caused us trouble!"

After learning that Xiao Luo fired his gun in the mall, the instructor barged into the chief's office as agitated as a cat on hot bricks.

"Chill, I've already heard about it. It's not that serious. Our country's laws clearly state that when another police officer, guard, the person or target being protected, or the law enforcement officer is attacked, damaged, or under urgent danger of being attacked or damaged, it is alright for the law enforcement officer to fire a gun. Xiao Luo fired three times. The first time was to stop a fight. The second time was to protect his safety, and the third time was still to protect his safety. All three shots were reasonably fired. How could it be considered causing us trouble? We just need to write a detailed report and submit it to the superiors."

Feng Yuqi held a cup of hot tea in his hand and slowly sipped it while sitting at his desk. He was very calm and steady.

"You can continue siding with him, but if we let him continue fooling around, our police station will be dragged down with him."

The instructor couldn't remain calm. In his eyes, Xiao Luo was not suited to be a cop. His actions and behavior weren't simply disobedient. They were as forceful, overbearing, and vicious as gangsters. "I suggest that we revoke his qualification to bear arms and suspend him from the job. Otherwise, we will not be able to justify ourselves."

"Justify? Justify what?"

"There are a bunch of lawyers down there blocking the entrance of the station, and they are all asking for you and me to go out and provide an explanation," the instructor said. "They are insisting that Xiao Luo fired illegally. They have sent us attorney letters one after another. If we can't get them to shut up, the district office will have to find a scapegoat. Other than Xiao Luo, you and I can hardly absolve ourselves of the blame either."

Chapter 212

"Please explain to my client and me the reason why she is being detained."

"My client has been shot twice and is receiving medical care in the hospital right now. Even when his legs are healed, he won't be able to move about normally. Who on earth has given you cops the right to fire your guns as you please?"

"If you don't give us a proper explanation today, Liren Police Station will receive mass complaints from us lawyers!"

Feng Yuqi learned about the situation in the main office through his shutters. There was a crowd of high-spirited lawyers demanding an explanation. They were very arrogant. It was as if the police station was their home. They even requested that the employees serve them beverages.

"What should we do, Chief? These lawyers have come to look for trouble!" The instructor sighed.

Feng Yuqi frowned and paced about in his office a couple of times. He lifted his head and said, "You go out first to stall them."

Upon hearing that, the instructor's face turned green. He resignedly laughed. "Asking me to clean up Xiao Luo's mess, Chief, is really too unfair of you. Furthermore, I am just an insignificant instructor. I am still capable of helping the staff build a healthy mindset, but do you think I am capable of debating with those impressive lawyers?" He paused for a while. He sighed slowly and said, "They have made it obvious that they want to get Xiao Luo into trouble. I think the only way to pacify their rage is to sacrifice Xiao Luo."

Feng Yuqi was lost in thought and indecisiveness. To be honest, it would not have been satisfying to lock this tiger of a man, Xiao Luo, back into a cage just because of troubles at this level.

There was a sudden commotion downstairs. After looking through the shutters, he realized that it was because Xiao Luo had arrived at the police station for duty.

When Xiao Luo, Liu Tieguo, Wang Lihu, and Ye Qiu entered, all the employees in the police station looked at them in awe. No, to be exact, they were looking at Xiao Luo. He was too f*cking badass firing three shots in one go. And, the last two crippled the other party's legs. It was their first time seeing such a badass cop after working for so many years.

Ma Pijin was gloating. He said to the colleague beside him, "See, this fella is a classic example of ego-inflation. He shot at people as he pleased, and he fired two shots in one go. Even if he knows someone in the district office, they can't save him, let alone our chief."

"Yeah, Xiao Luo is definitely a gone case this time around. No one can save him!"

Ma Pijin was not the only jealous one. There were others like him in the police station. Birds of a feather flocked together, so Ma Pijin had become very close friends and colleagues with them.

Although she was detained in a temporary detainment cell, with lawyers to support her, the lady in green pointed at Xiao Luo and loudly cursed, "It was this assh*le! It was he who arrested me!"

The five or six lawyers all surrounded him and angrily glared at him.

"What crime has my client committed? Why did you arrest her?" a lawyer demanded.

Xiao Luo calmly replied, "She organized a mass-fighting incident. That is why she has been detained."

Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu pushed the lawyers out of the way and opened up a path for Xiao Luo to pass through.

Xiao Luo walked to the door of the cell. He took out a key and unlocked the door. "Madam Xin, you may leave, but please keep in mind not to gather in a crowd and cause trouble from now on. Otherwise, I will still arrest, detain, and educate you."

"Heh, now you finally know how to humble yourself. That is what you should have you been doing all along!"

However, the woman in green had no intention of coming out of the cell. She crossed her arms before her chest and coldly snorted, "Do you think I am a stray cat or dog by the roadside that you can arrest and release as you please?"

She thought Xiao Luo was intending to appease her, but she deliberately wanted to go against his wishes and blow the matter up. She had to make Xiao Luo pay a high price for his actions.

Xiao Luo plainly asked, "Don't you want to leave?"

The woman in green snickered. Feeling secure because of the backing present, she fearlessly sat on the iron stool embedded into the wall and loudly replied, "Do you think you can arrest and detain people as you please just because you are a cop? If you don't provide me with an explanation, I will remain seated here and refuse to leave!"

The five or six lawyers timely chimed in, "Officer, may I know what reason you have to arrest my client?"

"Participating in a mass fight, refusal to comply with investigations, and insulting law enforcement officers with swear words," Xiao Luo coldly said. "Are these reasons not enough?"

The lawyer slowly replied, "All these are based on your accusations. Are there any witnesses to prove your claim?"

Another lawyer stood up and laughed. "My client is a gentle lady. How could she have participated in a mass fight? Do you think what you are saying is believable?"

"She didn't participate directly, but she is the direct organizer of the mass-fighting incident at the mall," Liu Tieguo said. "We can all be the witnesses for that."

The lawyer said, "Just now you said that my client participated in a mass fight, now you are saying that she was the organizer behind the mass fight. I can't help but doubt your case investigation abilities. Plus, you all are colleagues and friends, so your testimony cannot be counted."

"The court is a place that looks at the evidence. We will sue you all for arresting and detaining our client without proper investigation. Then, you all will lose your jobs, and you all will have to compensate my client for moral and reputation damages."

A lawyer with glasses said in a firm and strong tone, "The two items will add up to at least a million dollars!"

A million?

This considerably shocked everyone in the police station. Even if they had wrongly arrested someone, surely the compensation wouldn't cost such a terrifying sum of a million dollars.

"How pitiful!"

Ma Pijin expressed his deep condolences toward Xiao Luo, but he was actually very happy.

Even Feng Yuqi and the instructor in his office were shocked. It was true that regardless of whoever you mess with, never mess with lawyers. They could casually demand millions-worth of compensation. How could people like them, who were doing actual work, defeat lawyers in court?

"One million is too little. He must compensate me at least $5 million!" The woman in green viciously glared at Xiao Luo.

"Alright, as you request, Madam, we will get him to compensate you $5 million," the lawyer in glasses said.

"Also, you fractured my client's legs with your gun. That was extremely wicked behavior. You have broken the law despite knowing it very well. You will be sentenced to 10 years in prison at the very least."

"We will follow the necessary court procedures and sue you formally, as well as the Liren Police Station behind you."

"You must pay for your dumb actions!"

The crowd of lawyers bombarded Xiao Luo with words. Their phrasings were very aggressive. 𝓵𝓲𝓫𝙧𝓮𝙖𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝙢

Liu Tieguo, Wang Lihu, and Ye Qiu wanted to say something. In the end, they didn't say anything despite having opened their mouths. It was true that people like them couldn't express themselves very well.

Xiao Luo laughed coldly and said, "You all really think you are a somebody."

"What did you just say?" the lawyer in glasses angrily asked.

Xiao Luo turned and looked at him with contempt. "You think you can decide the sum I must pay as you please and sentence me to 10 years in prison as you please. You all dumbass lawyers are very powerful, huh? If the situation really is in your favor as much as you put it, what's the point in trying to intimidate people here? You wouldn't have sent me an attorney's letter but a court summons."

"You..."

The lawyer in glasses was quite enraged. He had never met a cop who wasn't afraid of lawyers in the seven or eight years he had been working as one.

"There are witnesses everywhere in the mall, as well as surveillance footage," Xiao Luo said. "Do you think your client can be absolved of responsibility regarding the mass fight? No, you can't. The reason why you are exaggerating things over here and talking about $5 million worth of compensation and 10 years in jail is only to intimidate me."

Chapter 213

The faces of the lawyers immediately turned red. They had, of course, come with the intention to shake up Xiao Luo. After all, neither Ms. Xin nor the silver-haired youth had an exceptionally glorious background. They would not reap many benefits if this case was escalated to court.

"We will not be negotiating with you! Hurry up and ask your director to come out!" shouted the lawyer who was wearing glasses.

Xiao Luo ignored him and looked straight at the woman wearing green in the detention room. He softly asked, "Ms. Xin, are you really not going to come out?"

The woman in green gritted her teeth and harshly replied, "I will come out if you are willing to compensate me for the loss of $5 million and kowtow to me as an apology. If not, I will have no choice but to blow up the issue. Then, you will see. I'll even take down the entire Li Ren clan with me."

"You're acting like a woman whose brain has been filled with water. Alright, in that case, I'll fulfill your wishes. In view of you gathering a crowd to make a scene and still having yet to repent after spending an entire day in the detention room, I will extend your stay here."

Xiao Luo heavily closed the cell door and turned to the group of lawyers. "Come back again in 14 days to get her!"

"Would you really dare do that?" shouted the lawyer who was wearing glasses.

"Why wouldn't I dare?" Xiao Luo coldly asked. "There are witnesses and surveillance footage that she gathered a crowd to create trouble. We have a clear conscience in detaining her within our facility. If you are dissatisfied, you can go ahead and bring this matter up to the court. In fact, I want to see which court will be on your side."

The lawyers' faces instantly turned ugly. It was as if they were constipated. It was the first time they had come across such a troublesome police officer.

Wang Lihu, Ye Qiu, and Liu Tieguo, all felt awestruck by what had happened. They felt that their Xiao Luo was so mighty, and they loved it. Hehe! Our head guy is mighty! I love it, hehe!

"You bastard, do you dare to lock me up?"

The woman in green's expression took a great turn. Having to stay in detention made every fiber of her body uncomfortable. The torture was beyond words. If she had to stay there for another 14 days, she couldn't imagine not going insane.

"I'm sorry, but I really dare to."

Xiao Luo narrowed his eyes as he looked at her until they were nothing more than a line. A cold light emerged as he said, "Your man is Feng Zhiqiang, and his nickname is Cockroach. He's a small sect leader in the Dragon Gang. The person behind all these indecent dealings is him, am I right?"

"You... How do you know..." The woman in green shivered.

A smile appeared in the corner of Xiao Luo's mouth. He took out a USB stick and inserted it into the computer. He searched and played the video inside the folders. It depicted the main person, who was the silver-haired youth who suffered from two bullet wounds on his thighs.

He faced the camera in tears and confided that he was guilty. He explained that a few female newcomers were resisting, disobeying their control, and wanting to escape. They had ended up beating them to death and burying them in the forest while the night sky was darkest. He mentioned that the mastermind was Feng Zhiqiang. For every new woman that came, those who dared to defy orders would first be defiled by him before being handed over to the other lackeys for punishment.

Xiao Luo coldly laughed. He looked toward the lawyer and said, "This person is also your client, and his name is Xu San. He admitted to following the instructions of Feng Zhiqiang and killing these four defiant women before burying their corpses in the wilderness. Can you all grow a brain? Do you all want to be his representative and help defend a murderer?"

Upon hearing these words, the faces of the group of lawyers instantly turned a bright crimson.

The lawyer wearing glasses loudly exclaimed, "That's impossible! This is your doing to extort a confession of guilt through torture. How can Xu Sun possibly be a murderer?"

It was bizarre that Xu San suddenly took the initiative and declared the truth behind the murders.

Xiao Luo opened another video, which showed a barren wilderness. Under Xu San's directions, they found the four buried bodies that were buried. When they dug them out, the bodies had already decomposed into skeletons.

"This..."

The lawyer wearing glasses immediately shut up and did not utter another word.

"Didn't you guys want evidence?" Xiao Luo asked with a snarky laugh. "Now, I've presented it to you. Oh, right, which one of you mentioned that Xu San was their client? Raise your hand and let me familiarize myself with you."

Nobody in the group dared to respond. These two videos alone were enough to turn Xu San into a convicted murderer. Only people who had their brains kicked by a donkey would dare to defend a murderer. At the same time, they felt that there was something fishy about the situation. Could it be that Xu San really had his brains kicked by a donkey? If not, why would he openly confess to the murder? There was no need for that at all.

What they did not know was that Xiao Luo had an extremely strong proficiency in hypnosis. He had hypnotized Xu San and urged him to confess the truth about the crime.

"Do you have anything else to say? If not, I will leave. This is a police station. If you want to make trouble here and disrupt our law enforcement, I'm sorry, but I will have to lock you up for disciplinary issues. Do not doubt my words."

The group of lawyers slowly took a step back. They fully understood that the police officer in front of them was fully capable of following up on his words.

"Didn't you hear what our leader said? Hurry up and leave!" Wang Lihu chased them away after speaking.

The lawyers were reluctant. With no other choice, they left feeling deserted. This was a stark contrast to their conceited and bold attitudes when they had first arrived.

"Awesome, this is truly awesome, hahaha..."

Feng Yuqi couldn't help but loudly laugh in his office. He thought that he would have had to sacrifice Xiao Luo this time around. He didn't expect Xiao Luo would defeat a group of lawyers and even cause them to flee like flies. Furthermore, he had managed to dig up dirt on that silver-haired youth, Xu San. With the evidence, he could issue an official arrest warrant for Xu Zhiqiang.

On the other hand, the instructor had his concerns. He thought, How did Xiao Luo make Xu San confess? Regardless of what happened, there was no need for him to confess to the crime of murder at this point.

Logically speaking, Xu San should have held the advantage with both of his legs crippled. No matter the situation, Xiao Luo would have been the one receiving punishment since he had fired the gun. Now, Xu San willingly confessed to committing murder. Exactly what kind of situation was this?

"This is what's so amazing about Xiao Luo," Feng Yuqi said with a laugh. "You should hurry up and send people to deal with the scene. Feng Zhiqiang is the leader of the Dragon Gang and is deemed to be a big catch. Once this big fish surfaces, there is no reason to let him dive back into the deep."

...

The night arrived. The order to arrest Feng Zhiqiang had been approved.

Feng Yuqi gave Xiao Luo full authority to handle it. "Xiao Luo, go and stir things up over there. If there is anyone who dares to obstruct you, go ahead and arrest them. The bigger the commotion the better. If anything happens, I will have your back."

"Yes."

Xiao Luo took the orders. He had been waiting for that sentence.

... 𝓵𝓲𝓫𝙧𝓮𝙖𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝙢

"The bigger the commotion the better? Director, what are you trying to achieve with this?" the instructor asked. He looked at Feng Yuqi in horror after Xiao Luo had left.

"Don't they always say that we have done nothing? Let us now whip up a strong wave of presence in the district and general bureaus!" Feng Yuqi smiled as he looked up and drank the tea in his cup in one shot.

The instructor couldn't believe that this was the director he knew. Ever since Xiao Luo had returned, he felt that Feng Yuqi had lost his mind. To be precise, he was no longer the careful and calculated old veteran from before.

Chapter 214

After midnight, the nightlife revved up to full force. It was the time when things became the wildest and people seemed to do whatever they wanted. It was something that decent people avoided. A taxi driver familiar with the nightlife scene once said that if there was anyone not in bed at that time but was instead preparing to head out, he was either planning to cause trouble or going to find some girls. In Liren, which was an area that was not considered either too big or too small, that decadent style of nightlife was about to officially begin.

Bright lights, feasting, and pleasure-seeking were what it was all about for the people who enjoyed the nightlife. The streets quickly filled with people ready to explore whatever the nightlife had to offer, as well as to make their own kinds of fun. There were many entertainment venues filled with random males. Most of them were high on alcohol and recklessly carrying out a range of less than becoming activities. They were either crazily slamming bottles of wine or swearing so loudly that others couldn't hear their own conversations. Some even started fights with one another. Most of them didn't care if they were trashing the place they were in or what their behavior looked like. The young men usually gathered closely and formed large crowds. From the looks of it, they were not people to be trifled with.

Xiao Luo did not bat an eye to anything the nightlife produced. Along with Wang Lihu and the others, they drove two police vans and headed straight for Hualong Commercial Street.

Compared to what it was like in the morning, Hualong Commercial Street was just as lively and crowded during the night. Some people were planning on playing mahjong until the break of dawn while others were playing cards or billiards. There was also a group of young women standing on the streets dressed in enticing and revealing outfits. They leaned their delicate backs against the wall as they waited for eager customers to approach them. If a customer was interested in what the ladies had to offer, as well as satisfied with the price for their services, the customers were taken into a dimly lit rental room where they would engage in sex with the women.

"All these mahjong and billiard players are just peripheral members of the Dragon Gang," Wang Lihu said, explaining the situation regarding the men playing games. "Their job here is to keep a close watch on these women and prevent them from escaping."

Liu Tieguo deeply sympathized with these women. "This is like purgatory for them. They don't have any freedom at all. All they do is sell their bodies every single day for men to have fun with. The Dragon Gang is f*cking inhumane, especially to women!"

"Did anyone say they weren't?" Ye Qui asked with a sigh. "Many of these poor women eventually end up getting infected with diseases and die at a very young age."

Xiao Luo had few thoughts or feelings regarding the matter. If it had not been for Sun Yu, he would not have needed to go against the Dragon Gang. Another reason was that he did not see himself as a good person or someone who represented justice.

He did not say a single word. He took a step forward and walked toward Hualong Commercial Street.

Wang Lihu and the rest quickly followed behind him. In the past, they had to turn a blind eye to many of the things they witnessed. They only opened one eye while keeping the other one closed to certain matters, especially when it came to the Dragon Gang. They dared not to even fart or make any sudden movements in some situations. However, it was different now. Not to mention the red-light district, but even if it was the Dragon Gang's headquarters, they now had the guts to swagger their way in and arrest someone because Xiao Luo was around.

At the entrance of the street, seven or eight tough-looking guys were blocking their way. With an unfriendly expression, one of them gruffly said, "This is not a place where police officers like yourselves should be at all. You are not welcome here. If you want to patrol, you better go somewhere else!"

Xiao Luo did not stop his actions. Instead, he continued to make his way in. He treated them as nothing more than air or some invisible thing that had no effect on him. It was as if he hadn't even seen them.

One of the men placed his hands on Xiao Luo's chest and shouted, "Are you f*cking deaf? I'm talking to you!"

Xiao Luo did not say a word. He suddenly lifted a foot up to the man's chest and kicked him.

Bang!

The majestic strength he possessed was like a turbulent wave as it crashed into the man. It caused the man to fly backward about nine or 10 feet. The man loudly groaned in pain as he fell flat to the ground.

"You are obstructing a civil servant," Xiao Luo said with an expressionless face. "Catch them!"

"Yes, he-he..."

Wang Lihu laughed as he took out his handcuffs and walked toward the man lying flat on the ground.

Many of the other gangsters were completely stunned by what had just happened. This was the first time they had encountered a police officer with such a tough attitude. Usually, police officers left them alone or did what they were told. However, they quickly returned to their senses and took out the iron rods hidden in their sleeves. They immediately dashed toward Xiao Luo. They were confident that they would have no problems taking him down.

Ye Qiu's eyes seemingly shot out two beams of cold light as his face became completely serious. Like an electric wave, he rushed straight into the group of men. Displaying the prowess of an eagle, only a little bit of effort was all it took for him to cause them all to lie on the ground screaming and writhing in pain.

"You guys are all a bunch of useless trash," Ye Qiu said as he spat at them. "Do you think you guys alone have what it takes to injure our head?"

After hearing all the commotion, all the people who had been playing mahjong, cards, and billiards gathered in a giant cluster. They formed an encirclement, trapping Xiao Luo and his crew in the center.

"Officers, you guys are really impressive," a fat guy sarcastically said. His face was covered with acne marks. "You have come all the way into our territory to look for trouble. Are you not afraid that you or someone in your family will come across an accident?"

"If I was afraid, I never would have become a police officer!"

Xiao Luo coldly said, "Get your chief, Feng Zhiqiang, out here this instant."

"Do you think Brother Qiang is somebody you can see just because you want to? Do you think you are that awesome just because you are in that outfit?"

"In our eyes, people who choose to become police officers are nothing more than a bunch of lame dogs. If you were given some bones to chew on, you would have no choice but to be obedient and listen."

"Let our people go. Otherwise, none of you will be leaving this place unscathed."

As more people heard the commotion, more gangsters came over. The group encircling the police officers had now grown to around 20 to 30 people. They angrily shouted at the officers, completely disregarding Xiao Luo and his crew or their positions as police officers.

"Wang Lihu, Ye Qiu!" Xiao Luo hurriedly shouted at two of his men.

"Yes, Head, we heard you," Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu respectfully replied. 𝑙𝒾𝘣𝘳𝑒𝒶𝒹.𝑐𝘰𝓂

Xiao Luo waved his hands and faintly ordered, "Beat them up until they obey!"

"Roger that, he-he..."

Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu eagerly licked their lips. Ruthless smiles appeared on their faces.

Beat them up until they obey?

The group of gangsters thought they were hallucinating and hearing things. They had around 20 to 30 people on their side while their opponents were but four measly people. Did they really have the nerve to say that they were going to beat them up until they obeyed? Were they brain dead as well?

The guy with the face covered in acne marks laughed and said, "With just you guys, you dare to..."

His words came to an abrupt stop. Wang Lihu had dashed forward without the man noticing. His palm resembled that of a palm-leaf fan. He instantly slapped the man's face. A pow sound echoed out upon contact. The horrifying strength he unleashed caused an explosion on the man's face. He had slammed the acne-faced guy onto the ground before the man even had time to react. A bloodied tooth flew out of the man's mouth. The left side of his face began to swell up at an unbelievable speed.

However, Wang Lihu did not stop there. He dashed a few steps forward, stretched out his hands, and grabbed the foolish-looking man in front of him. Like throwing a sack, he slammed the acne-faced man into the wall. A few other guys screamed in fear and fainted on the spot.

When he released his natural god-like powers, nobody present was his match.

On the other hand, Ye Qiu's movements were as agile as a monkey. His hands were like claws. They seemed as if they were as sharp as knives. Anyone who attacked him was bound to have bloody wounds all over their bodies.

The group of 20 to 30 people was somehow being crushed by only two people. The sounds of people howling in pain were heard all around. It echoed down the streets and into everyone's ears.

Xiao Luo walked to the side of the activities and sat down on an empty seat in front of a closed jelly store. Liu Tieguo brought him a bottle of mineral water. The two of them sat there drinking water as they watched Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu teach those Dragon Gang members a lesson.

"Head, will we get into trouble by doing this?"

Like Wang Lihu and the others, Liu Tieguo had changed the way he addressed Xiao Luo and was now calling him "Head." He genuinely admired the man from the bottom of his heart, especially how overbearing and mighty he was in the way he handled things.

"When dealing with stubborn jerks like them, the only way to do it is to fight violence with violence, " Xiao Luo said with a smile, shrugging it off.

Liu Tieguo raised an eyebrow, but he did not raise any objections.

Hualong Commercial Street was boiling over with frantic activity. The street girls, who were waiting for customers, screamed in shock and immediately ran away in fear. All the restaurants that were still open for business were hurriedly closing their doors, hoping to avoid the trouble coming their way.

About 10 minutes later, everyone in the large group had been thoroughly beaten to a pulp by Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu.

The guy with acne marks all over his face had blood dripping from his teeth. He had a bloodied nose and a swollen face. Wang Lihu roughly grabbed him. He dragged him by the collar and took him over to Xiao Luo.

Xiao Luo waved his hands, indicating for Wang Lihu to let him go and step aside. He looked at the man and asked, "Where is Feng Zhiqiang?"

"I don't know. Even if I did, I would never tell you where he was."

The man ferociously stared at Xiao Luo and said, "You stinky cop, just you wait and see. I'll make sure you pay for what you've done today!"

Xiao Luo slightly shook his head. In the next second, he stretched out his hand and roughly grabbed the man's hair. He proceeded to smash the acne-faced man's head onto the table.

Bang!

That man's head cracked open. The wound was badly bleeding. His brain felt like it was humming. The pain was excruciating.

Xiao Luo held the man's head down and coldly said, "It seems like you still don't know what your current situation is. You are threatening a police officer, so I'm honored to tell you that you'll be spending some time in the detention center."

Chapter 215

Fresh blood flowed from the man's head and followed the curvature of the table. It flowed down the sides and dripped drop by drop onto the ground.

The 20 to 30 men, who were lying on the ground after being taught a lesson by Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu, suddenly changed their faces upon witnessing this scene. In their hearts, they thought, Are the four of them really police officers? When did the working style of police officers become this fierce?

Xiao Luo's eyes turned frosty cold. He looked icily at the man who's head was being held in front of him and said, "Alright let me ask you again. Where is Feng Zhiqiang?"

The man no longer had any guts. He felt like he had encountered fake police officers. They showed no mercy in their beatings and even used brutal means. He looked at Xiao Luo in horror and muttered, "He is... He is..."

"Why the f*ck are you looking me for?"

A powerful and fierce voice was suddenly heard in the distance.

Xiao Luo and the other men looked up. A large group of fierce and evil men came walking in slowly from both sides of the street. They seemed extremely bad and evil. They were led by a fat man in a white top and gold chains. The fat man held a cigarette in his hands. He looked like a big smoker because his teeth had already turned yellow and black from the constant smoking.

The group of men walked over like two huge walls of people. They squeezed along Hualong Commercial Street without proper crowd flow. This gave them a menacing sense of oppression.

Liu Tieguo's face changed tremendously. Even Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu slightly flinched.

The man whose head was held by Xiao Luo seemed to have found his gang and excitedly shouted to the fat man, "Boss, these annoying police officers are here to smash up our place! They even beat up all our brothers! You must stand up for us!"

Xiao Luo kicked the man to the ground and stood up. He faced the fat man in the white top and said, "Are you Feng Zhiqiang?"

"Yeah, that's me."

The fat man calmly spoke. He conveniently took a deep puff from his cigarette.

"You are suspected of coercing women into prostitution, selling women, and cruelly killing women who violated your brand of discipline, as well as rape and corrupting women," Xiao Luo said. "I am now arresting you based on the law. This is an arrest warrant, please follow me!" He followed procedures and showed the arrest warrant to Feng Zhiqiang.

"Liren Police Station?"

Feng Zhiqiang glanced at the arrest warrant and smirked. "Shouldn't your little police station be dealing with some civil disputes instead of coming into my territory and finding trouble? Does this mean that you have no self-knowledge or do you really not have any brains? Oh, by the way, you are the officer Xiao who caught my wife, right?" His smile converged. The look in his eyes became fierce. "Release her immediately, or you and your friends are dead meat!"

Xiao Luo smiled playfully and replied, "I absolutely hate it when people threaten me."

"So what if I threaten you?" Feng Zhiqiang asked with a grin. "In this land, here in Jiangcheng, no one dares to jump in front of the Dragon Gang. You are the first, and you will also be the last."

After finishing his sentence, he threw the cigarette in his hand to the ground and stomped it out fiercely with his foot. Turning to the crowd, he waved his hands and coldly said, "Hack them to death!"

A large group of people received their orders. They loudly screamed and rushed up like a ferocious tide.

Bang!

Xiao Luo fired a shot into the sky. The sound resonated in their eardrums. It had a great deterring effect. The people from the Dragon Gang simply stopped moving.

"You have all been arrested. You now have the right to remain silent. Every word you say will be henceforth used against you as a testimony!"

Feng Zhiqiang recovered from the deterrent gunshot and jokingly said, "You brainless piece of sh*t. Do you think this is some big show? Do you really plan on arresting people from the Dragon Gang just relying on the four of you?"

Xiao Luo nodded seriously and said, "I am a police officer. You are from a secret society that disobeys the law. Catching you is my moral duty."

Looking at his serious look, the members of the Dragon Gang were about to hold their stomachs and burst into laughter. They thought, a sheep just said that he would catch a group of wolves! How ignorant and arrogant is he?

Feng Zhiqiang was equally amused and said, "Police officer, I sure want to see how you intend to catch us. Go, kill them!"

A burly man with a knife rushed toward Xiao Luo with a smile.

Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu prepared to start moving. Suddenly, the piercing sound of a gunshot was heard.

Bang!

Xiao Luo pulled the trigger without any hesitation. It was just one shot, but it went directly into the man's head. 𝓵𝓲𝓫𝙧𝓮𝙖𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝙢

The burly man was in utter shock as he fell straight down without making a sound.

Feng Zhiqiang and the other burly men's smiles instantly froze. Although they heard that Xiao Luo dared to shoot indiscriminately, they had never heard that he actually dared to kill people at will. He had fired shot in the middle of that man's eyebrows. Even if the Darrow Fairy were to come, he probably couldn't be saved.

"You better not force my hand anymore," Xiao Luo said while waving his pistol. "Drop your weapons and obediently follow me back to the police station."

"As a police officer, firing indiscriminately and killing people can be considered a felony," Feng Zhiqiang coldly said.

Xiao Luo hummed softly and sighed. "You attacked a police officer. In order to ensure my own personal safety, I had the right to shoot."

Wang Lihu, Ye Qiu, and Liu Tieguo felt a terrible cold pass through them. They understood the situation earlier between Xiao Luo and the big man who had charged toward him with the knife, yet it was the big man who had fallen. There was no threat to Xiao Luo's personal safety at all. Xiao Luo had fired with the intent to kill.

"Oh, really?" Feng Zhiqiang asked. "You of all people should know that there are only nine bullets in your 92-type match gun. Two rounds have already been used, and there are seven rounds left. Just seven bullets. How do you deal with my 200 brothers here?" He was the leader of the gang because he naturally possessed extraordinary courage and insight. If more than 200 people were scared by a single broken gun, it would have been quite ironic.

He worked hard to increase the morale of his team. "Brothers, go forth and avenge your loyal brother who's now dead!"

Four men were just getting ready...

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Xiao Luo raised his hand and pulled the trigger. He immediately fired four bullets.

"Ah!"

The four men screamed and fell to the ground. There was a bullet hole in the middle of each man's eyebrows. Blood was gurgling from their wounds non-stop.

The 200 men who had originally begun charging toward Xiao Luo immediately withdrew their footsteps. Their intention to fight had dissipated into the air. They stood still, not daring to move.

Feng Zhiqiang's face also dramatically changed. Subconsciously hiding behind several men, his right hand reached for the firearm behind his back. This was his last resort.

"You have but three bullets left. How can you survive with three bullets? No matter how capable you are, you can only deal with three of us."

He had begun to play the game of psychological warfare. He was trying to psychologically crush Xiao Luo. At the same time, he was cursing in his heart. Where did this bastard come from? Let's not even talk about his marksmanship, but he is so f*cking ruthless. After killing five people, he didn't even blink an eye.

"Indeed I can only deal with three people. For the first three who rush up, their mortality rate will be 100%. Which of you men would like to be the three who have to die?" Xiao Luo smiled with disdain.

As soon as he spoke, the expressions of the Dragon Gang members became very complicated. They wanted to hack Xiao Luo to death, but they did not want to be shot in the head. After all, this life was only lived once. No matter who it was, it was an expensive price to pay.

Chapter 216

Feng Zhiqiang knew how to conduct psychological warfare, but Xiao Luo knew it even better.

He aimed his gun at Feng Zhiqiang and shouted, "Feng Zhiqiang, if you have balls, come out by yourself! Don't ask unrelated subordinates to die for you!"

Feng Zhiqiang gritted his teeth. Suddenly, he kicked one of his subordinates. He sent him flying to attract Xiao Luo's attention. With a swoosh, he took out the gun he had been hiding behind him and aimed it at Xiao Luo.

"Go to hell, you brainless retard!"

Bang! Bang!

In an instant, he fired twice. The bullets whistled as they shot out and cut through space.

Regardless of how good Xiao Luo was in martial arts, he couldn't possibly move faster than bullets. Furthermore, Wang Lihu and his other men were behind him. Even if he could have dodged the bullets, he could not do it. Otherwise, Wang Lihu and the others might have been killed by the bullets. At the same time Feng Zhiqiang fired, Xiao Luo fired twice.

Bang! Bang!

Incredibly, the two bullets accurately stopped the bullets fired by Feng Zhiqiang in midair. It was a direct collision of high-speed objects. The four bullets instantly shattered into dust.

Boom!

Xiao Luo was a half-beat faster than Feng Zhiqiang. He fired the third shot. The one bullet left in the barrel tore through layers of air and hit Feng Zhiqiang in the chest. To be exact, it hit his heart. Feng Zhiqiang was seeking his own death from the moment he dared to take out his gun. Xiao Luo was naturally happy to help him with it.

Poof!

Feng Zhiqiang spurted blood out from his mouth and nose. He dropped his gun. His plump body was thrown backward about nine or 10 feet. With the help of his subordinates, he stood up.

"Huh, not dead yet?"

Xiao Luo narrowed his eyes, appearing rather puzzled. He saw the black garment inside through the hole in Feng Zhiqiang's clothes and said in realization, "Oh, so he was wearing a bulletproof vest. He is indeed well-prepared."

Bearing with the pain, Feng Zhiqiang roared, "He has no more bullets! Hack him to death with your knives! Hack him to death fast!"

His gaze was vicious, and his eyeballs bulging. He wished that he could swallow Xiao Luo alive.

"Kill him!"

Upon hearing this, the 200 men pounced toward Xiao Luo like 200 wild wolves. Since he had no more bullets, nothing was holding them back.

Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu, who had been prepared, roared loudly and rushed toward them. Wang Lihe snatched the baseball bat from a person and began to viciously smash it at people. Due to the powerful strength he possessed, each swing of the bat by him caused a member of the Dragon Gang to fall to the ground with a head bloody. Each fallen man was unable to get up again.

Ye Qiu didn't need weapons. His hands were lethal enough.

His iron-like hands, which formed eagle-like talons, waved about viciously. With terrifying strength, which was enough to tear flesh apart, his 10 fingers attacked the members of the Dragon Gang, forming bloody trajectories all over the place. One after another, the gang members fell to the ground howling in pain. The wounds on their bodies, which had been torn open by Ye Qiu's fingers, were incredibly painful. It made their screams extraordinarily shrill.

Xiao Luo rushed forward in a few steps. His swinging right hand rotated as it moved and abruptly hit the person in front squarely in the chest. The terrifying impulsive force surged like furious waves. The first shattered the man's ribs and entered his chest. Due to the force and shattered bones, his beating heart ruptured.

Poof!

Thick blood spluttered out from the man's mouth. As if he had been hit by a train, the poor man flew backward. He forcefully smashed into five of his companions, who were rushing up behind him.

The body, which had smashed toward them like a cannon, heavily landed on them. After a series of cracking sounds and screams, their arms were left broken. Blood shot out. All of them laid on the ground.

The terrifying outburst shocked everyone present.

The expressions of Feng Zhiqiang's subordinates immediately changed. Their momentum weakened as they rushed toward Xiao Luo.

Liu Tieguo's capabilities were the weakest, but Wang Lihu, Ye Qiu, and Xiao Luo had attracted most of the firing power. Still, he was capable enough to protect himself. Moreover, he was more far-sighted. Making use of the fact that his existence was relatively less prominent, he carefully inched his way toward the gun that Feng Zhiqiang had dropped on the ground. No matter how good they were at fist-fighting, it was the safest bet to ensure that such lethal hot weapons were in their hands and under their control.

The few Dragon Gang members who were supporting Feng Zhiqiang by the arm were trembling. Looking at the three attacking figures on the battleground, their gazes turned fearful. They questioned whether those men were humans or monsters.

Feng Zhiqiang was badly wounded. Even though he had been wearing a bulletproof vest, the huge impact from the bullet exerted on him caused his internal organs to be shaken so badly that he felt as if they had shifted places. The pain was excruciating.

With difficulty, he shouted, "Hurry... Hurry up and get my gun back! Hurry!"

"Yes, Sir."

Upon hearing his words, one of his subordinates began searching the ground.

However, Liu Tieguo was one step faster than them. He picked up the gun that had been dropped in a corner on the streets. He rapidly rushed toward them. He aimed it at Feng Zhiqiang from a short distance and announced, "Feng Zhiqiang, you are being arrested!" 𝘭𝘪𝑏𝑟ℯ𝒶𝑑.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Right after he finished speaking, he fired at the sky.

Bang!

The sound of a gunshot was always intimidating. The group of people who had been fighting fiercely immediately stopped.

"Put all your weapons down and squat down! Hands above your heads! You have all been arrested!" Liu Tieguo shouted with a strong, thick voice.

The crowd, which had long since been scared sh*tless by the fighting skills demonstrated by Xiao Luo, Wang Lihu, and Ye Qiu, lost all will to resist after seeing that Feng Zhiqiang had been controlled. They all threw down their weapons.

"Good job, Tieguo!"

Wang Lihu cheered for Liu Tieguo. He had several wounds. He had been hacked open by knives. Blood was flowing non-stop, but his spirits were high and fearless.

Ye Qiu began to laugh. His fingers were covered in the blood and flesh of the members of the Dragon Gang. It was as if he had used his hands to tear people apart alive. He was hurt as well, and his back and shoulders were covered in knife wounds.

On the contrary, Xiao Luo had very few wounds on him. Although there was blood on his uniform, it was all from the members of the Dragon Gang.

...

All the 200 men, in addition to Feng Zhiqiang, were arrested and taken back to the police station. They didn't have enough handcuffs, so the criminals were tied up with rope.

That night, everyone on duty at the police station worked overtime to lock up the 200 people. The detention cells were full, so they locked them up in jail.

With just four men and a gun, they managed to completely uproot Feng Zhiqiang's business in the sex trade. This significantly shocked the people in the Liren Police Station. One needed to take note of the fact that, generally, only the regional police were able to handle criminals of that level. However, the regional police had failed to do so, yet they managed to succeed. It was simply unbelievable.

"Now, I would like to see whether those fellas will still dare to complain about us."

Feng Yuqi was extremely pleased. He felt that the success this time had helped him vent out a lot of pent-up anger. Not only did they shake up the members of the Dragon Gang within their area, but they also gained face and made their name known at the regional police station and police headquarters.

The instructor didn't say anything. He was still immersed in the shock he felt because of Xiao Luo and the other's actions.

...

When Xiao Luo returned to the police station, he realized that Feng Zhiqiang's wife was no longer detained. He only learned that she was released by Ma Pijin after asking around.

"Did you let her off?"

Xiao Luo walked up to him and stared at him coldly.

Looking at Xiao Luo, who was covered in blood like an asura soaked in blood, Ma Pijin couldn't help but tremble. "You... What do you want? Don't you... Don't you act recklessly... We are at the police station..."

"I will ask you again, are you the one who let that woman off?" Xiao Luo's tone turned slightly more demanding.

"Yes, I am the one who let her off." Ma Pijin forced himself to calm down and explained his actions. "She was only arrested for gathering a crowd to fight and cause trouble, and nothing serious happened. Detaining her for a day was already enough. My release of her is in accordance with the rules. I have done nothing wrong!"

Chapter 217

Xiao Luo didn't say anything else. Instead, he kicked Ma Pijin hard.

Like a ball, Ma Pijin rolled onto the floor. His teeth bit his tongue. Blood soon filled his mouth. A trace of blood trickled down the corner of his mouth.

"Wang Lihu, Ye Qiu, handcuff him!" Xiao Luo shouted, pointing at him.

"Yes, Sir."

Like two steely warriors, Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu walked up to Ma Pijin and helped him up before handcuffing both of his hands.

"You d*ckhead surnamed Xiao! What do you want to do?"

Ma Pijin widened his eyes and loudly shouted, "How could you handcuff me? What right do you have to handcuff me?"

"Feng Zhiqiang admitted that his wife, Madam Xin, has also participated in forcing women to prostitute themselves. You have let a crime suspect off, so what right do you think I have?" Xiao Luo coldly laughed. 𝙡𝒊𝓫𝓻𝓮𝙖𝙙.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Hearing his words, Ma Pijin looked as if he had been struck by thunder. He only went against Xiao Luo because he couldn't stand how dominant Xiao Luo behaved in the police station. He felt that it was very unfair for Xiao Luo to be able to become a full-time police officer. Furthermore, him releasing Madam Xin was perfectly reasonable and in accordance with the rules, so he wasn't afraid of Xiao Luo. In fact, he was very confident. He wanted to see Xiao Luo suffer a silent defeat. However, he ended up digging a hole for himself.

There was no way he knew that the woman was a wicked person who had broken the law.

Cold sweat cascaded down his body. He humbled himself and apologized with a forced smile. "It was... It was a mistake, Brother Xiao. I didn't know that she was also involved in forcing women to prostitute themselves. If I had known, I definitely wouldn't..."

Xiao Luo waved his hand and interrupted him. "You can explain it to the presiding judge in court. Lock him up!"

Wang Lihu acknowledged his order and pushed Ma Pijin. He snickered and asked, "Ma Pijin, what are you still waiting for? Let's go. You probably know the way. Surely there isn't a need for us to resort to force."

"Usually, if you seek trouble, our head is too lazy to respond, but aren't you seeking your own death by finding trouble with our head at this juncture?" Ye Qiu coldly asked.

"Dumb*ss," Wang Lihu coldly said.

There was no way Ma Pijin could remain calm. He was panicking. Cold sweat cascaded down his body. He said to Xiao Luo, "I am innocent. I really didn't know that Madam Xin also participated in forcing women to prostitute themselves..."

With the side of his hand, Wang Lihu hit Ma Pijin on the neck. It caused Ma Pijin to immediately faint.

"He is really noisy and has no sense of self-awareness. It seems that we have to resort to force."

With a single hand, he grabbed Ma Pijin and lifted him. He walked towards the direction of the jail. Wang Lihu could handle it alone without Ye Qiu's help.

Hiss!

All the other people in the police station inhaled deeply. When they looked at Xiao Luo, their gazes were full of respect and fear. The auxiliary police close to Ma Pijin were so scared that they even trembled. They were deeply worried that they might also get involved.

...

"What? The spots where the sex trade is conducted in Liren have all been uprooted? Liren Police Station is behind it? Since when was Feng Yuqi so capable?"

"I heard that it was a community police officer who did it. Along with three other auxiliary police, he managed to arrest 200-plus criminals who had been forcing women to prostitute themselves. Their leader is Feng Zhiqiang. He is one of the group leaders in the Dragon Gang."

"He did well. It can be considered a serious hit to the gangs of Jiangcheng. Oh yeah, what's the name of that community cop? What's his background?"

"About that... It's still unclear."

"Look into it. I want to see detailed information about him within the hour."

"Yes, Sir."

Upon hearing that Feng Zhiqiang and the large gang of criminals he controlled had been uprooted, the chief of the Guangming District was so excited that his spit flew everywhere as he spoke. One had to take into account the fact that the district police had targeted the sex trade in Liren for more than a few days. In fact, it had been almost two years. Even in his dreams, he wanted to annihilate those dirty businesses.

However, the matter was too complicated. There were spies from the other party in the district police station. Every time they sent a team of police to enforce the law, the other party always received word of it in advance. It made their efforts useless. He had long since considered it a long-term battle, so just he didn't expect victory to come about so suddenly.

...

In the office of the Jiangcheng police headquarters, a middle-aged man in a uniform stood on the balcony. His hands were behind his back. His hair had greyed, but he stood perfectly straight like a mountain. He gave off an air of righteousness. He was Fan Changlong, the Jiangcheng chief of police. He held a concurrent post as the deputy mayor of Jiangcheng. He was a man of power and influence.

After some time, he suddenly turned and said to Gu Qianlin, who was standing in front of his desk, with a smile, "This Xiao Luo is rather interesting. He is fairly capable of fighting crime and a rare talent. If not for your prior report, even I would be oblivious to it. Who could believe that the boss of a successful company would be willing to go work as a cop."

Gu Qianlin nodded slightly. "His intention is already very obvious, which is to use his identity as a cop to damage Long Sankui's illegal businesses."

"In your report, you mentioned that the first time he came into conflict with the Dragon Gang was three months ago when he saved a little girl forced to work as a beggar by the Dragon Gang," Fan Changlong said. "He had several consecutive clashes with the Dragon Gang after that. He was even a major suspect for the 912 incident. Next, it was Fang Changlei from Taste Buds. A conflict finally occurred because of a girl named Sun Yu. Did I get anything wrong?"

"Yes, Xiao Luo was the major suspect for all those, but every time, I couldn't find any evidence pointing to him," Gu Qianlin said "Some of the things that we can confirm were done by him ended up being proven to be unrelated to him, but my intuition tells me that he is behind this series of events. Even the fall of the Red Scorpion Mercenaries is likely to be his doing. He must be the 'Mr. X' we have been searching for all along." She was very sure of herself.

The so-called Mr. X referred to the mysterious criminal behind the fall of the Red Scorpion Mercenaries and the 912 incident. Gu Qianlin had been searching for him all along. In the process, Xiao Luo gradually entered her field of vision.

"I know that I should not determine the identity of Mr. X based on my subjective judgment before having any evidence, but I will definitely find him."

"Of course, we must find this Mr. X, but we are in no hurry to draw conclusions regarding whether he is Xiao Luo or not. Just from the fact that he dared to go against the largest gang in Jiangcheng for a girl, this Xiao Luo is definitely a man with balls."

Fan Changlong loudly asked, "Doesn't he want to damage the Dragon Gang? In that case, I will give him a platform to do it. We can see four ourselves whether he is truly capable."

"Chief, you..."

Gu Qianlin was shocked and thought that Fan Changlong had gone mad. It was extremely likely that Xiao Luo was Mr. X, yet he still wanted to give Mr. X even greater power. Wasn't he worried that the situation might go beyond control?

Fan Changlong waved and interrupted her. He sat back onto his soft chair and said, "You want to find evidence to prove that he is Mr. X. The only way to do so is to let him have his way. If we can annihilate the Dragon Gang and find Mr. X, it will be killing two birds with one stone. Furthermore, you have probably seen Old K. His opinion is to let him have his way as well. Xiao Luo will be the bane of Long Sankui."

Gu Qianlin slowly calmed down. "Will Old K be in mortal danger?"

Fan Changlong shook his head and said somewhat resignedly, "He's in the special service. How could it not be dangerous? Besides his task is to conceal himself around Mr. X."

The image of the hospital director He Ruanliang being killed in the basement carpark suddenly appeared in Gu Qianlin's mind. Mr. X was incredibly cruel and cold-blooded. She couldn't help but shiver when she thought of the scene.

Chapter 218

The vigorous crackdown on the sex trade and the gang behind it caused Xiao Luo's name to be known throughout all major police stations at the community level, district level, and even at the headquarters. Many cops wanted to meet Xiao Luo in person and see if he had three heads and six arms. They found it simply unbelievable that just four police officers were able to arrest 200-plus people.

In the vintage study of a villa in the Guangming District, were rows of bookshelves. On the table was a rare and expensive tea set.

No one would have thought that such a quaint study, which seemed like a place for scholars to read, belonged to the leader of the Dragon Gang, Long Sankui.

Long Sankui was standing before his study table. He was holding a calligraphy brush in his hand and writing the Chinese character "Ren," which meant tolerate. He had a serious expression. The news Han Mian brought him made his expression grow uglier. He threw the brush onto the ground hard and shattered the table with a single hit of his palm. He angrily roared, "That mother*cking piece of sh*t became a police officer and uprooted all your businesses?"

Han Mian, who was wearing a suit that looked exceptionally clean and was void of even a speck of dusk, looked rather uneasy. He lowered his voice and replied, "Yes..."

"F*ck!" Long Sankui loudly cursed. "If so, I was right for not showing Chu Yunxiong due respect. Immediately take your men to kill him tonight."

"Mr. Long, this is inappropriate. Xiao Luo is a cop now. The repercussions might be very serious if we publicly kill a cop." Hei Lang, who was usually quiet, had finally spoken up. His face was expressionless. He was wearing all black, which made him seem extraordinarily forbidding.

"If we can't do it publicly, can we do it secretly?"

Long Sankui's face was grotesque as he shouted at Han Mian, "I command that you all wear a mask during the operation tonight! I will give you 100 elite troops! Bring me that little bastard's head tonight."

"Yes, Mr. Long!"

Han Mian acknowledged his order and turned to leave.

Hei Lang still felt that it was not a wise move. After all, they had yet to get to the bottom of Xiao Luo's actual capabilities. Since Mr. Long had made his command, it was not his place to say anything else.

Long Sankui was angered beyond measure. Not only had Xiao Luo destroyed his casino, but he had also uprooted his business in the sex trade. Other than that, there was still his modus operandi of controlling children and forcing them to be beggars, as well as Taste Buds, which Long Sankui was the most upset about. Taste Buds was a steppingstone for him to whitewash himself, but he didn't expect that it would be taken down before he could use it. All these had to do with Xiao Luo.

Xiao Luo was like a thorn in his side that he desperately wished to get rid of, so, naturally, he couldn't tolerate it any further.

...

Feng Yuqi sat on a chair in his office. He had a forlorn expression. He wasn't even in the mood to drink his tea.

The instructor sighed. "The district police have crossed the line. They are obviously trying to poach our employees!"

"Clearly, but since they have asked for him, we can only obey."

Feng Yuqi sighed slightly. "Heh... We miscalculated. I was fixated with showing off in front of them and ignored the fact that they might poach him from us. I'm so annoyed just thinking about it. Xiao Luo is like a sharp sword. He can use his talents in our station all the same. Now, he will be using his talents in the district police station and become the ace up someone's sleeves, helping them with their personal achievements."

It was like he was about to lose a treasure. He was incredibly sad.

"Go and ask those four fellas to come in. There's nothing we can do no matter how reluctant we are to let them go."

The instructor obliged and walked out. Not long after, Xiao Luo, Liu Tieguo, Wang Lihu, and Ye Qiu, the entered the room.

Feng Yuqi cleared his throat and said, "The four of you, listen. The district police station will send a car to fetch you all this afternoon. From then on, you all will be part of the district police."

What?

Liu Tieguo, Wang Lihu, and Ye Qiu all thought that they were hallucinating. District police? They were joining the district police? The sudden promotion from auxiliary police at a local police station to joining the district police was too fast, wasn't it?

Xiao Luo was just momentarily surprised, but he didn't show much change in his emotions.

"Chief, after joining the district police, are we still considered auxiliary police?" Liu Tieguo hurriedly asked.

"There are no auxiliary police at the district police station," Feng Yuqi somewhat impatiently said. "You will all become formally employed members of the police force."

Hearing his words, three of the men cheered in joy and excitement. They were going to be formally employed, which meant that they would officially be part of the police force from now on. How could they not be excited and happy?

"Do I have to go?"

Just as they were immersed in joy, Xiao Luo suddenly spoke up.

They all were stunned and looked at him questioningly.

"Head, it is a good thing, so why not?" 𝒍𝒊𝙗𝓻𝒆𝓪𝙙.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Yeah, it is my dream to work in the district police station."

Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu furrowed their brows and expressed their puzzlement.

Xiao Luo did not reply to them. He felt somewhat uneasy. It was as if he had been targeted by one of the higher-ups in the police force. This was especially so because Gu Qianlin surprisingly didn't even come and ask about it after he caused such a huge commotion. It was too out of the ordinary and not in alignment with that woman's personality.

Feng Yuqi looked at him intensely for a while before replying, "No, it is a direct order given by the district chief. Unless you quit, you can only obey and report to the district police station."

"Everyone in this station would fight tooth and nail just to be sent there," the instructor said. His gaze was intense. "Xiao Luo, can you tell me why you don't want to go?"

Xiao Luo thought for a moment and came up with a perfunctory excuse. He laughed and said, "It's because I've already developed feelings for this station. I'm worried that I might not be able to get used to the new, foreign environment."

"Dude, you're overthinking," Feng Yuqi said. "You four will continue working as a team in the district police station, but there will one additional team member. Thus, you will form a special task force to specifically target the underground drug trade in the Guangming District."

Xiao Luo was very sensitive, so he asked, "Why us? Aren't there more suitable people for the job in the district police station?"

"Head, isn't it obvious?" Wang Lihu asked with a laugh. "It must be that the district police have approved of our capabilities because we have successfully arrested 200-plus people in one go. That's why they made an exception and promoted us."

Feng Yuqi said to Xiao Luo, "Sometimes I feel that you are quite smart, but sometimes I feel like you have a brain made of wood. See, even Wang Lihu knows the reason, but here you are still asking why. Are you dumb?"

"Well, it's because I believe that if there's free lunch falling from the sky," Xiao Luo solemnly said. "There must be a trap on the ground waiting for you to step into it."

"Where did all these dark thoughts in your mind come from?"

Feng Yuqi slightly reprimanded him before earnestly saying, "I can pat myself on the chest and tell you loudly that you can relax. This isn't a trap. Furthermore, I am the one they are screwing over this time around. You all are the talents in our station. Now that they have poached you, I'm left with a bunch of incapable fools. We won't be able to handle any major cases next time. We'll only be dealing with a bunch of trivial civil disputes."

His words boosted the ego of Liu Tieguo, Wang Lihu, and Ye Qiu significantly. So, they were all talents in the chief's eyes. Without realizing it, they puffed their chests out and held their heads high.

Xiao Luo said nothing else. He was only able to take one step at a time, and he had to be more careful about it.

Chapter 219

After finishing packing up his belongings in the afternoon, he took a bus to the district office.

Xiao Luo and his crew of three had been directly summoned by the director of the district bureau. The director was a short and chubby man, about 45 or 46 years old. As he had been raised in the army, so he naturally gave off an aura of military authority.

"The four of you actually brought all the indecent trading spots in Liren to an end," Hou Zhijie said with a smile. "Putting aside the fact that you have all become famous all over Jiangcheng's police stations, your name in the Jiangcheng underworld is like rumbling thunder. Well done. I, Hou Zhijie, especially appreciate youngsters such as yourselves."

The praise brought the trio of Liu Tieguo, Wang Lihu, and Ye Qiu to cloud nine. This was the director of the district bureau. Receiving such high praise was better than having tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars thrown at them.

Xiao Luo was very calm. If possible, he did not want to deal with these veterans. Since they had reached such a high rank, it usually meant they were cunning and scheming like a fox. It made them difficult to read.

"There is only one single purpose in transferring you here to the district bureau, and that is so you will destroy the underground drug network in Guangming District."

Hou Zhijie opened the door and said, "Before that, let me introduce you to a person who will be joining you to work on this case."

Knock! Knock! Knock!

At that moment, someone was knocking on the office door. The door was quickly pushed open. A man with a stern face and shimmering bright eyes entered the room.

"Speak of the devil. Come, let me introduce you."

Hou Zhijie came out from behind his desk and gestured to the man entering. "This is Wang Yongjia. He is the captain of our district bureau's anti-drug team. He has been tracking and cracking down on the underground drug network in Guangming District, so he is very knowledgeable of the situation here in Guangming District. With his guidance, you will be able to put in half the work and get double the result. He will be a great help."

"Yongjia, these four courageous youngsters are the ones who took care of the indecent dealings in Liren. Meet Xiao Luo, Liu Tieguo, Wang Lihu, and Ye Qiu!"

"It's nice to meet you. Welcome to the district bureau."

Wang Yongjia smiled as he greeted Xiao Luo and his crew.

Liu Tieguo immediately turned into a bootlicker. "Hello, Team Leader Wang, your name is familiar. I've often heard it back when we were at the Liren Police Station. After meeting you in person, it seems you are indeed as talented and charismatic as they say."

"Yes, yes, yes, charismatic and exceptional," Wang Lihu quickly added.

"It's not only exceptional, but it is also truly shocking," Ye Qiu said. "Team Leader Wang is the epitome of an upright man."

Although they were not as proficient as Ma Pinjin, there was still a need to say some praising words.

Wang Yongjia just shook his head and smiled. He looked a little helpless.

On the other hand, Xiao Luo was just quietly watching him. Based on Hou Zhijie's words, he was able to deduce the subliminal message. In this newly formed five-person task force, Wang Yongjia had an absolute leadership position. However, that was not the main point. The most important thing was whether or not Wang Yongjia had been sent to monitor him. He did not believe that Gu Qianlin would not take any action. If Wang Yongjia was there to collect evidence of his illegal crimes, he had to be on guard.

...

Upon leaving the director's office, Xiao Luo ran into a familiar acquaintance.

He saw the beautiful face that gave off an icy aura and made it difficult to approach. She was wearing a police uniform. She had bright eyes and a cold expression. Her snow-white skin gave off a delicate feeling. This was none other than Gu Qianxue.

"Are you here too? As a police officer?"

Xiao Luo was slightly astonished. The girl had been as naïve as a blank piece of paper. She had left a deep impression in his mind.

Gu Qianxue nodded. "My sister let me stay here."

"Oh."

Xiao Luo suddenly realized that having a connection was beneficial. Personnel could be mobilized or arranged at will.

"Xiao Gu, do you two know each other?" Wang Yongjia curiously asked.

"Team Leader Wang, we were from the same training camp, so we know each other."

Liu Tieguo looked at Gu Qianxue and said with familiarity, "Little Sis Gu, we will be colleagues from here on out."

Gu Qianxue glanced at him and quickly looked away. Her eyes fell back onto Xiao Luo.

"What are you always looking at me for?" Xiao Luo asked. Her constant stares made him uncomfortable.

"Because you are handsome," Gu Qianxue seriously replied.

Huh?

Wang Yongjia felt that the relationship between the two of them was rather enigmatic. Since she had arrived at the station, Gu Qianxue was usually cold as an iceberg and basically never took the initiative to talk to people since. She completely changed when she saw Xiao Luo. He tactfully coughed and said, "You all can talk first. Let's go out for dinner tonight and get to know each other better!"

"Head, we'll wait for you outside."

Liu Tieguo and the others smiled at him, which seemed to have a hidden meaning, and left.

"I'll go too," Gu Qianxue suddenly said.

"Where to?"

"The dinner tonight."

Xiao Luo shook his head and said, "It isn't very nice since it's not my treat. Why not go ask Team Leader Wang first?"

"I want to go."

Gu Qianxue's tone was firm. Her bright eyes looked at Xiao Luo without blinking. Since coming to the district bureau, she couldn't integrate into the environment and didn't even have a real friend. Unlike the others, this place was very foreign to her.

Xiao Luo's arrival had made her feel much more secure. Like back in the training camp, she had initially lacked a sense of security until she met Xiao Luo. It was like having a grown-up that a little girl like her could trust and rely on. To her, Xiao Luo was someone she could depend on.

...

The wind that night was very chilly. After all, winter was quickly approaching.

The restaurant that Wang Yongjia had reserved was a Western-style mid-range restaurant with a decent atmosphere.

Seated in the private room, Wang Yongjia, who took on the role of a host, was enthusiastically asking Xiao Luo to order food. There were no airs of being the task force leader of an anti-drug team. He gave off a very cordial feeling. There was little to no distance between them.

"Ladies first. Let's let Gu Xiaomei order first," Liu Tieguo said. Acting more like a gentleman, he handed over the menu and task of ordering food to Gu Qianxue.

Gu Qianxue showed no restraints. She took the menu and began to flip through it.

"This, this, and I want this as well!"

Upon finding a picture of a meat product, she ordered it. In the blink of an eye, she had already ordered nine dishes.

Wang Yongjia's face was a little awkward. He had clearly seen that the nine dishes were all the restaurant's signature dishes and very expensive. After adding them together, the price exceeded $400. He was worried that when it was time for the bill, he might have not brought enough money. Furthermore, Gu Qianxue showed no intention of stopping, and she was only halfway through the thick menu.

"I want this, also this..."

Gu Qianxue did not understand social occasions. If someone was treating, she felt that she should order more. What's more, money had never been a problem for her, so she didn't factor money into her considerations.

"This is sufficient. There is enough to eat!"

Xiao Luo spoke and drily coughed to give a reminder. He was worried that Gu Qianxue would order all the meat dishes on the menu.

Gu Qianxue raised her head and looked resentfully at him. "It's not."

"It is."

Xiao Luo looked at her and signaled with his eyes that he was not the one treating today. Ordering this much made it seem like it was done deliberately to take advantage of Wang Yongjia.

"It's not!" Gu Qianxue repeated her words.

Xiao Luo bitterly said, "OK, it is enough." 𝑙𝑖𝑏𝓇𝘦𝑎𝒹.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"No, it is not," Gu Qianxue replied.

It was as if the two were in a reenactment of Uncle Zhao's "Not Short of Money."

"No problem, no problem at all. Just let Xiao Gu order what she wants to eat."

In order to express his magnanimity and generosity, Wang Yongjia spoke with a smile on his face. When he saw Gu Qianxue bury her head in the menu and continue to order like a child pointing at an electronic toy, the smile on his face quickly turned into a wry one.

Chapter 220

In the end, the six of them ordered 15 dishes, all of which were main dishes. The food completely filled the table.

Xiao Luo felt rather awkward. Wang Lihu, Ye Qiu, and Liu Tieguo were all excited. On the other hand, Wang Yongjia's heart bled when he looked at the table filled with food. He initially thought that a thousand dollars would be enough for dinner. In the end, a whole lamb had already set him back $2,000. He truly felt like crying.

"Team Leader Wang, you are very generous for using such a feast to welcome our arrival," Wang Lihu exclaimed as he patted his chest.

Wang Yongjia suppressed his pained emotions. He smiled and replied, "It's fine, it's fine."

"This is not generosity but nobility," Liu Tieguo said, pouring himself a glass of beer and standing up to give Team Leader Wang a toast. "Which superior would even spend such a huge amount on one meal to treat his subordinates? What else can this be other than nobility? Come, Team Leader Wang, let me give you a toast out of respect."

What the f*ck? The price of this nobility is huge!

That was what Wang Yongjia was thinking. Outwardly, he maintained a smile on his face as he returned the toast.

Whereas the person that started all of this, Gu Qianxue, had not said a single word. She was only focused on eating the food. 𝒍𝒊𝙗𝓻𝒆𝓪𝙙.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Xiao Luo didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He thought, Most people take advantage of their dead, but you took advantage of your superior!

Knock! Knock! Knock!

There was a knock on the private room door. A staff member walked in with two bottles of coconut juice.

Wang Yongjia's eyes turned wide with shock as he said, "We didn't order this coconut juice!"

He was determined to distance himself from those two bottles of coconut juice. He was afraid he would be charged for them.

The staff member laughed and said, "Sir, you have misunderstood. These are on the house. As your table has spent a grand total of $2,998, our boss asked us to present these two bottles of coconut juice to you as a token of our appreciation for being so supportive to this restaurant."

"Oh, it's free of charge. In that case, just leave it here," Wang Yongjia said, heaving a sigh of relief.

"Sir, please enjoy the meal."

The staff member turned and left, leaving the two bottles of coconut juice behind.

The $2,998 was indeed a bit expensive. Even though Wang Yongjia was the leader of the anti-drug task force, his monthly salary was only about $7,000 to $8,000. After taking the various expenses into account, what he was left with barely exceeded $4,000.

"Team Leader Wang, why don't we go Dutch this time around and you can treat us another time?" Ye Qiu, who was better able to read the situation, suggested.

Wang Yongjia immediately raised his hand to reject it and said in an awe-inspiring tone, "I've already said this is a welcome dinner. If I let you fork out money, wouldn't that be like slapping my own mouth? It's just around $2,00, so it's OK. Just feel free to eat. We can always take the food with us if we can't finish it. As a police officer of the people, we absolutely can't be extravagant or wasteful!"

The words "extravagant" and "wasteful" were emphasized. As expected, his eyes glanced over to Gu Qianxue.

Gu Qianxue sat there like nothing had happened. Without uttering a word, it was like she was on her mission, but her mission was just to eat.

"Team Leader Wang is right. We should not be wasteful. Let's quickly eat while the food is hot."

Xiao Luo shot a glare toward Wang Lihu and the rest with a tinge of command. In order to absolve Gu Qianxue of her crimes, the least they could do was finish the food on the table.

"Right, let's eat with our stomachs wide open!"

Wang Yongjia also started to move his chopsticks. Since he had already decided to pay for the food, he might as well eat the food and get his money's worth.

This group dinner let Xiao Luo gain a rough understanding of the sort of person Wang Yongjia was. He didn't have the air of a superior. He was very easygoing and a genuine person.

After 30 minutes, everyone's tummy had been filled to the brim. They sat on their seats to relax and let their stomachs rest. The 12 main courses, along with a whole roasted lamb, had been entirely finished by the group. Bones had piled up in front of everyone. However, the one with the highest count of bones was none other than Gu Qianxue.

"Little Sister Gu, don't tell me you eat this much for every meal?" Liu Tieguo asked with astonishment.

Back at training camp, he had not really noticed Gu Qianxue's food intake. After all, men and women ate separately.

Gu Qianxue nodded and lightly replied, "Yep."

"Oh my god, other females must be extremely envious when they find out that you can still maintain such a good figure with such eating habits!" Liu Tieguo exclaimed.

Gu Qianxue furrowed her brows and asked Xiao Luo, "Is my figure that good?"

Xiao Luo thought, Why are you asking me? How does this concern me?

In the end, he scanned her from head to toe and raised his eyebrows. "It's still OK."

"When Head says it's OK, he means it's excellent," Wang Lihu said with a laugh. "We all understand."

One couldn't tell from Gu Qianxue's face whether she was happy or upset. She was expressionless, yet she was still so beautiful and moving.

"You guys can talk. I'll go ahead and settle the bill!"

Wang Yongjia burped as he got up. He had already said he was going to pay. The dishes had all been finished, so he had no choice but to pay no matter how painful it was.

...

"What? The money in my card isn't enough?"

Wang Yongjia was in disbelief. He looked at the cashier at the front desk and said, "Try again, maybe it's a network problem."

"I've already tried it three times, and the message shown is that there's an insufficient balance." The cashier shook his head.

Wang Yongjia carefully recalled that a few days ago he had bought some clothes that cost more than $800 to please his wife. His card initially had $3,000 on it. After remembering the $800, it was only natural that he didn't have enough left. He had enough in savings, but that was on another card that his wife kept. It wouldn't be nice to call his wife for payment, right?

This was bad. What was he to do?

Wang Yongjia furrowed his brows like a piece of kitchen rag. He had treated his subordinates to a meal but did not bring enough money. If such news spread, where would he put his face as the leader of the anti-drug task force?

"What happened?"

At that moment, a man wearing a suit walked in wondering what was going on.

"Boss, his card couldn't proceed with the payment due to an insufficient balance," the cashier respectfully replied.

The restaurant's eyes held a deeper meaning. He was happy because just now Wang Yongjia's table had ordered more than $2,900 worth of dishes. In the end, he didn't have enough to pay for it. It was inevitable he was thinking they were planning to dine and dash.

Wang Yongjia was preparing to explain, but a plate of leftover food was brought over from the side and slammed heavily onto the desk. Immediately afterward, he saw a blonde man, who looked pissed off, followed by others with fierce-looking faces walk out of their private rooms and surround the front desk.

The blonde man slammed the table and shouted at the front desk.

The restaurant manager quickly turned and greeted him with a smile. "I am the owner of the restaurant. How may I assist you?"

"What's wrong? Are your eyes blind? Didn't you see that this dish has a disgusting cockroach in it?"

The blonde man pointed at the vegetables on the plate and roared, "Damn, our brothers were all having a good time eating all the dishes and suddenly a dead cockroach pops up. Do you expect a f*cking restaurant with such sh*tty hygiene standards to stay open?"

The restaurant owner took a closer look. There really was a cockroach. He could also recognize that this cockroach had been placed after the meal had been served. If it had really followed in with the dish during the presentation, it should have been cooked at a certain point. Taking a closer look, it was obviously raw. Someone had put it there intentionally.

Chapter 221

The restaurant owner felt that it was better not to escalate the situation. It made sense to just accept his losses since the other party had the strength in numbers, and their intentions were clearly hostile. As a foreigner, it wasn't easy to open up restaurants here, and they were sometimes treated as outcasts. They might even be subjected to harassment if this incident were to be blown out of proportion.

After pondering a little while, he looked at the blonde-haired man and said: "On behalf of our restaurant, I'm really sorry for this incident. The dish will be on the house, come, everybody, let's go and smoke a cigarette and cool our heads a little."

He pulled out a pack of cigarettes as he spoke and passed it around.

Knowing that the other party had deliberately put the dead cockroach in the dish, yet still having to apologize and compensate them for it, made the restaurant owner feel victimized and helpless.

The blonde-haired man pushed him away and yelled angrily, "Don't f*cking pull this on me." He then picked up the dish with some remnants of the food and continued, "We finished the entire dish that had a cockroach in it. What if we were to suffer from food poisoning the next day? How would you compensate us then? You still expect us to pay the bill? Did your brain fucking cramp up, huh?"

After he shouted, he smashed the plate on the ground in a show of anger.

SHATTER!

The plate was smashed to pieces, and the remnants of food were scattered around as well.

The restaurant owner had a look of horror on his face. He realized now that they wanted more than just a free meal, they also intended to extort money from him.

Wang Yongjia intervened at that moment, "I clearly saw it from here just now. The cockroach was obviously placed in after you finished the meal. Putting aside the fact that you want to get a free meal, you still want the restaurant owner to compensate you? Are you trying to "calculate your wishes with an abacus?" [1]

The blonde-haired man reacted to the intrusion and angrily said, "And who are you? Are you tired of living? This doesn't concern you, hurry up and scram, or else I'll kill you."

"Kill me? Brat, are you sure about that?"

Wang Yongjia forced a smile and took out his police badge.

The faces on the gangsters changed after seeing the badge.

The restaurant owner regained some confidence. An outsider couldn't argue with these hoodlums, but having a police officer around would naturally make all the difference in the world. It gave him a boost of confidence.

"Yo, I see that you are a police officer. Apologies for the disrespect, but you are off duty right now, so quickly put that police badge away. Don't take it out, it's embarrassing," said the blonde-haired man. He was slightly taken aback at first but returned confidently as he was not intimidated by a mere police officer.

"What's so amazing about being a police officer? You are the same as us after taking off your uniform."

"Police officer, don't put yourself in the position of a judge. People will only think you are a fool."

"That's right, why don't you just enjoy the time you have after work? Instead, you come here, stand up and refuse to mind your own business, going so far as to show off your police badge. Just who are you trying to scare?"

These seven or eight men were all in a group with the blonde-haired man, and they showed no fear when Wang Yongjia identified himself as a police officer. They stared at him cockily and chose to make a mockery out of his badge.

Wang Yongjia knew the situation in Guangming District very well. He knew that these gangsters were associated with the Dragon Gang, and therefore they dared to act audaciously without care, even in the presence of a police officer. The blond-haired man had also proclaimed that the underworld rules took effect after midnight, and their hearts would not waver.

Wang Yongjia shook his head and, with a hint of warning, said, "I advise you not to stir trouble and properly pay for the bill. Or else, I'll arrest you all and take you to the police station."

The blonde-haired man gave him an enigmatic smile, "Officer, having a brain is a good thing, so I do hope you have it. Did you not see the dead cockroach in this dish? As consumers, if we find a dead cockroach in our dish, don't we deserve some rights for compensation?"

"We all know in our conscience what the real situation is. If it really is the fault of the restaurant, then I will certainly stand on your side. However, you are trying to stir shit after you've had the meal, and you're even blackmailing the restaurant owner now. Right, I'll add one more charge to your offenses, insulting a police officer." Wang Yongjia said.

"Then there's nothing else to say!" the blonde-haired man said, readying his hands.

At the same time, the other seven to eight men walked towards an empty table and began picking up the beer bottles lying on the table and checking the sturdiness of the stools.

"Everyone, it's our restaurant's responsibility. How about this, let's just forget about the bill. Let's treat this as a meal to make friends, what do you think, brothers?"

Seeing that these people were about to fight, the restaurant owner hurried out to calm the situation. He was afraid that his restaurant would be destroyed, and even if it wasn't, it would definitely scare away the diners who were still eating. Considering the gains and losses, he would willingly give up on collecting payment for the meal this time around.

The blonde-haired man shoved the restaurant owner aside roughly and started scolding him, "Make friends with your mum's f*cking c*nt! There's a cockroach in your dish, and you still expect me to f*cking pay for this meal? Let me tell you this, if you don't pay at least 700 to 800 for the mental damage we've suffered, we will not let this rest. Don't think you are f*cking big just because you have a police officer on your side. He can protect you now, but can he protect you forever? What's more, can this garbage police officer even protect you now?"

"What did you say?" Wang Yongjia said. He was incensed, and his face darkened with rage.

"Yo, you're angry? I see you have some bloodlust in you."

The blonde-haired man laughed with a happy-go-lucky attitude, then pointing straight at Wang Yongjia, he said, "I said you are garbage, so what? Not happy? If you're not happy, then come for me."

Wang Yongjia cocked his eyebrows fiercely, slapped the blonde-haired man's hand aside, and gave him a crushing kick right to the chest.

As the captain of the drug enforcement task force, he was well-trained and definitely possessed a set of skills. The kick sent the blonde-haired man straight to the ground. He crashed heavily into the wall, which caused him to immediately bleed on the spot.

The blonde-haired man wiped off a handful of blood from his forehead, then he shouted at his companions, "F*ck it, go get him!"

The seven or eight men immediately picked up the beer bottles and stools and began charging Wang Yongjia like a pack of wolves.

Wang Yongjia was unafraid and started to unleash a series of military combat style punches towards the hooligans.

The lobby of the entire restaurant immediately became a mess. The diners who were still having their meals hurried over to the corners as the fight between Wang Yongjia and the thugs began to encroach across the entire restaurant floor. Stools were flung around, and the sound of shattering beer bottles could be heard one after the other.

"Stop fighting, stop fighting now!"

The restaurant owner felt like crying, but there were no tears, only his desperate screams to stop the brawl. If the fight continued on, his restaurant would be completely destroyed. 𝒍𝓲𝒃𝙧𝒆𝒂𝒅.𝓬𝙤𝒎

CLANG!

The blonde-haired man picked up a wine bottle and slammed against the edge of the table. The broken part of the bottle was rimmed with sharp edges looking like the pointed teeth of a ferocious canine. He pointed at the restaurant owner and shouted, "You shut up! If you talk again, I will kill you!" Then he looked over at Wang Yongjia fighting for his life, and continued to scream, "Beat him, beat him relentlessly! This police officer is really tired of living!"

As he looked for an opening to strike, he used his sleeve to wipe the fresh blood flowing down his forehead.

At that moment, a large hand, vice-like and hard as steel, grabbed him by his collar and tossed out as if he were garbage.

CRASH!

The blond-haired man was thrown in an arc across the floor and fell smashing into a table, breaking it apart. The half-broken beer bottle sailed out of his hand in the process.

Before he could even recover, the big hand grabbed the back of his collar and lifted him up like a puppy with his feet barely touched the ground. He was dumped unceremoniously on the floor, and when he regained his vision, he only saw a man with both hands in his pockets. The handsome young man stared at him with a cold, hard glare.

Chapter 222

The handsome young man staring at him with a cold, hard glare was none other than Xiao Luo. The soundproofing in the rooms of this restaurant wasn't the best quality. But yet, they heard nothing and only came out to take a look since Wang Yongjia had been away for quite a while. They were shocked to see Wang Yongjia being besieged by a group of people.

Wang Lihu dragged the blonde-haired man and brought him to Xiao Luo. He delivered a nasty kick to the side of the blonde-haired man's calf, and that made him drop into a kneeling position right in front of Xiao Luo. His knees landed hard on the floor, causing him immense pain, and he involuntarily cried out in agony.

"Ask your men to stop!"

Xiao Luo looked down at him while standing up. His voice was soft, but the tone of his voice made it hard for anyone to disobey him.

The blonde-haired man couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva because his opponent was no more just a single man, but a group of tough-looking men. Leading them was a tall and muscular man who had, just a moment ago, easily lifted and tossed him about like a pup. He carefully said, "Who are... who are you guys...?! Do you know that we are the Dra...uugh!"

The voice stopped abruptly. Wang Lihu, bearing a ferocious look, slapped the back of the blonde-haired man's head with an open palm, and yelled, "Ask your men to stop, can you hear me? Believe me, I will cripple you!"

The blonde-haired man was so terrified of the mean look on Wang Lihu's face that he hurriedly shouted at the seven or eight men that were besieging Wang Yongjia, "Gou Zi, San Tou, stop, stop now!"

Finally, hearing the blond-hair man shouting for them to stop, the men pulled out from the fight and quickly ran over, brandishing their broken bottles and stools, to assist their compatriot.

"What's happening over here?"

"Who are you guys? Are you looking for trouble?"

"If you are here to fight, then we won't give in so easily and will fight you till the end!"

They stood facing Xiao Luo and his companions in an aggressive stance armed with their bottle and stools.

"We're police officers!"

This one sentence from Xiao Luo silenced the mob. They all looked at one another, and all of a sudden and were at a loss, unsure of what to do next, or what they were supposed to do at all.

Quickly recovering from the fight, Wang Yongjia walked over cautiously towards the group of men. Although he was a capable trainer, he still did not have the skills to deal with seven or eight local fighters at once. Right now, he was a rather pathetic sight. The shirt he was wearing was torn in several places, and his sleeves had been ripped to shreds. He looked in bad shape, and his garments resembled used old rags. His hair was all messed as well, and he suffered many bruises and lacerations all over his body caused by the broken beer bottles.

"Team Leader Wang, are you alright?" Xiao Luo asked with obvious concern.

Wang Yongjia nodded his head, "I'm alright, brother." He then turned and stared hard at the blonde-haired man and his gang, "They are all a bunch of scoundrels. We will bring all of them back to the police station. If they're not sent off to prison, I will refuse to carry on leading the anti-drug task force leader for now on!"

After the injuries he had sustained, he couldn't help but be furious. He had gone out to have a meal with his colleagues and had the misfortune of meeting up with a bunch of hoodlums that had the nerve to beat up a police officer. He found it hard to contain his rage, especially when this bunch had spoilt his evening out with friends.

The gangsters became anxious when they heard that they were going to be sent to the police station, and with the likelihood of incarceration. There was simply no way that they would allow such a thing to happen. They were prepared to fight it out.

"F*ck your mother, you smelly rotten cops!"

"Let's go, get them!"

They raised their weapons and postured for the fight, they were ready to take on the cops. They would beat their opponents in a quick brawl and make their escape, confident that these police officers would never be able to find them afterward.

Wang Lihu grinned, relishing what was to come, and without a word pounced towards them like a tiger. One punch was all it took, and the man right in front of the group slumped. He was squirming on the floor, retching uncontrollably from the ferocious hook rammed into his mid-section. Without even a moment's pause, he had already grabbed two more of the men, one in each hand, and slammed them together. They both of them dropped to the floor, wailing in pain. Of the remaining four, two were taken out with swift kicks, one more with a knee thrust in his chest, and yet another was slapped senseless. He then dragged all of them and brought them in front of Xiao Luo.

Wang Lihu had taken out seven opponents without breaking a sweat!

Wang Yongjia stared in disbelief, and thought to himself, "This Wang Lihu's skills are awesome. He is no average boxer!"

As a keen practitioner of Army Boxing, Wang Yongjia could quickly tell that Wang Lihu was a formidable master in his own fighting style. Just by his sheer power alone, Wang Lihu would be able to crush his opponents with his ferocious brute force. He was a beast in human guise. He now understood how Xiao Luo and his three compatriots, were able to apprehend over 200 people.

Seeing his defeated men kneeling in front of Xiao Luo, the blonde-haired man was stunned. He looked fearfully at Wang Lihu, his eyes wide open.

"You still want to teach us a lesson? Do you think mediocre trash like you lot has what it takes?"

Wang Lihu said in a cold, threatening voice, then grabbed the blonde-haired man's hair, and pulled his head up so that he was looking directly at Xiao Luo, "This is our leader, do you know who ended the red-light district that was run by the Dragon Gang in Liren Town?"

What?!

The blond-haired man could not believe his bad luck! Did he actually have the misfortune of coming face-to-face with the infamous demon cop of Liren District?

The blonde-haired man could feel an overwhelming sense of fear run through his entire body, he pointed shakily at Xiao Luo and mumbled incoherently, "He's ...Xiao Luo, Xiao...O-officer Xiao?"

"Hǎo ...seems like you can still see properly."

Wang Lihu sneered, then, still grabbing a tuff of blond hair in his firm hands, he forcefully yanked his head to face Wang Yongjia, "Do you know who he is now?"

The blonde-haired man shook his head, shaking in fear. The other men were equally terrified, their eyes filled with pure anguish after realizing the man standing in front of them was Xiao Luo.

As Jiangcheng's Black Force, Xiao Luo had a renowned reputation for his harsh methods. Even an insignificant hooligan would surely have heard of this name. It was said that he was brutal, even worse than the secret society. He had crippled someone by firing two shots into his legs at a Department Store. And at Hualong Commercial Street, his small team of four police officers had taken down 200 people. Someone like him struck fear in the hearts of gangsters because he did not work by the rules. If he said he would cripple someone, that was precisely what he would do. Thus, the moniker, the demonic cop.

"He's the superior officer of our leader, you dare to beat the superior of our boss? Are you fools courting death?" Wang Lihu said coldly.

Fearing for his life, the blond-haired man dashed towards Xiao Luo and repeatedly kowtowed, pleading, "Officer Xiao, we have eyes but are blind, please forgive our ignorance. If we knew he was your superior, we'd never have offended him no matter what. I beg of you, just let us off like we are nothing but a fart!"

The others quickly followed suit and bowed respectfully, begging for their lives. No one found the courage to challenge Xiao Luo, their fighting spirit had utterly deserted them.

The restaurant owner and diners looking on were shocked. The reputation of Guangming district as a gangsters' haven was no secret to anyone. Hooligans and thugs roamed freely and carried out acts of violence and crime with impunity. They had no fear of the police. Over the years, they had seen police officers giving in to local gangsters. But to now to see this arrogant gangster begging for mercy in front of a police officer, they never thought this could ever happen! 𝓁𝑖𝒷𝑟𝘦𝒶𝑑.𝒸𝘰𝘮

"Why did you create trouble?" Xiao Luo asked softly.

The blonde-haired man knew better than to lie and promptly explained the truth. They had planned to leave without paying. And, finding out that the restaurant owner was a foreigner, they even put in a cockroach in the dish to get compensation. They knew he was bound to stay quiet to avoid trouble. Free meals and extorting money through blackmail, that seemed like a great plan.

"Ye Qiu, use your handphone and take pictures of their ID card, make sure their faces can be seen clearly, " Xiao Luo said.

"Got it."

Ye Qiu stepped forward and carried out the instructions with the full cooperation of the trembling men, still on their knees.

"Team Leader Wang, I believe there's no need for us to bring them back, the most that we can do is shut them up for 15 days. As this restaurant has been badly damaged, can I propose we must make them pay for ?" Xiao Luo suggested. Sentences for such offenses would not discourage hooligans and gangsters like these from repeating their crimes, however, making them pay through their own pockets would serve a more substantial deterrent and be more beneficial to the restaurant owner.

Wang Yongjia thought it made sense and nodded in agreement. The anger had left, and his mind was now clear and more discerning.

Xiao Luo turned around and stepped towards the blonde-haired man: "I already have all of your information, make sure you don't create trouble anymore, otherwise..." He bent over and continued to whisper four words in his ear: "I will kill you!"

Demonic cop!

The blonde-haired man turned sheet white and almost lost control of his bladder. Breaking into a cold sweat and shaking uncontrollably, he said: "I-I got...I g-got it..."

Xiao Luo patted him on his shoulders and smiled: "Good that you've got it. Foot the bill, and besides that, make sure you pay for the damages as well. Everything that you've broken."

"Y-yes. T-thank you, thank you, Officer Xiao!" The blonde-haired man teared up, feeling deeply grateful as if he had been granted a stay of execution.

Xiao Luo smiled: "You should be thankful that you're not from the Dragon gang."

He could clearly tell that they were nothing more than street hoodlums and not members of the Dragon Gang. They did not have the dragon-head symbol tattooed on their arm.

Chapter 223

The blonde-haired man and his group, on their knees, kowtowed repeatedly and paid obeisance to Xiao Luo. Indeed, they had something to report to Xiao Luo.

"Officer Xiao, I have news that the gangsters from the Dragon Gang have gathered a gang of a hundred elite fighters to deal with you."

Xiao Luo's face was impassive, with a half-smile, and he asked casually, "Oh, is that so? Then do you also know when they will be ready to deal with me?"

The blonde-haired man thought about it carefully then and said, "Maybe today, maybe tomorrow. Anyway, it will be these two to three days. I also heard a friend saying that they have an accomplice in Han Mian's bar. I actually overheard by accident." He paused before continuing, "Officer Xiao, rest assured we will never do bad things again. We will strive to be good citizens and contribute to the harmony of our society and country!"

Hearing him speak with such a patriotic fervor, Wang Lihu and everyone else burst out laughing. Gu Qianxue, however, wasn't quite so impressed. She stood aloof behind Xiao Luo, elegant as always, acting as if nothing had happened.

"Okay, I got it." 𝙡𝒊𝒃𝓻𝒆𝒂𝓭.𝙘𝓸𝓶

Xiao Luo said, waving him off rather impatiently, with a big smile on his face.

The blonde-haired man and his group bowed and made to leave. When they got to the door, they turned and saluted Xiao Luo smartly, and said, "Officer Xiao, thank you for your kindness. And thank you for your hard work."

Wang Yongjia grinned and tried not to laugh. His experience told him that these thugs were controlled by a ruthless gang leader, and it was fear that made them do his bidding. But Xiao Luo...?

He pondered and looked at Xiao Luo from head to toe. Fair of complexion, handsome with a lean body, and somewhat reserved in his demeanor. He didn't look like a ruthless person, no matter how one looked at him. Unlike Wang Lihu, who showed how terrifying he was when he was angered earlier, a beast.

"A protector, plus a hundred elites. Boss, it seems that this time the Dragon Gang has spent all their resources just to deal with you," Ye Qiu said, slightly concerned.

"It can't be possible. The blonde-haired man must be talking nonsense. No matter how vicious the Dragon Gang is, they would never dare to blatantly kill a police officer."

Wang Yongjia said, waving his hands and strongly disagreeing with the information they were given. He explained, "Killing a police officer is a felony. If Long Sankui was this stupid, then we would have already gotten evidence of all his crimes."

"Boss Xiao disrupted his income sources, he is very likely to take such an extreme measure in a fit of anger," Wang Lihu said.

Liu Tieguo nodded and said: "Yeah, don't look at Liren Town as if the Dragon Gang only controls three red-light districts. Instead, look at the money-making potential, it's tremendous, and there are abundant new opportunities. If it belonged to us, Long Sankui would definitely get very furious."

These words took Wang Yongjia by surprise. The Dragon Gang was the biggest secret society in Guangming District and Jiangcheng. It was impossible to know all of their criminal activities, or what had gone unnoticed, including assassinations. So, who's to say that they would not dare to kill a police officer?

Acknowledging the facts, he urged Xiao Luo to be alert over the next few days, and said, "Keep your mobile phone turned on 24 hours. Once you encounter any unusual situation, immediately notify the bureau for an emergency back up."

Xiao Luo nodded nonchalantly, "Okay."

"Xiao Luo, are those baddies coming for you?" Gu Qianxue suddenly asked, both shocked and concerned.

Xiao Luo smiled softly and said, "I guess so."

"Then you can come with me. I can protect you," Gu Qianxue said, in her own earnest way.

Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu saw the funny side of what she had just said and laughed. With Xiao Luo's abilities, why would he need the protection of this pretty face? It'd make more sense if it were the other way around.

Liu Tieguo laughed as well, but then coughed dryly twice. He had seen Gu Qianxue shoot, and her skills were unmatched. But it did seem a little awkward to hear her saying that to Xiao Luo. He vividly recalled how Xiao Luo once sparred with Yan Wang, their instructor in the training camp. With only a single punch, he had terrified Yan Wang, who quickly backed off and ended the bout.

"You want to protect me?" Xiao Luo said.

Gu Qianxue nodded firmly, and said: "Yes, I will protect you."

Xiao Luo looked at her for a while, then he gently patted her forehead. He didn't smile but simply said: "This earth is a dangerous place. You should go back to Mars."

He borrowed a line from a Stephen Chow movie to reply to her statement.

"You don't believe me?" Gu Qianxue said, frowning. She was clearly annoyed.

"I do believe you, but didn't your sister tell you to keep your distance from me?" Xiao Luo said.

Gu Qianxue said candidly, "She did say so, she said you are a demon, but I..."

"Then you should listen to her, stay away from me."

Xiao Luo said, and his smile appeared again. He did not want this innocent girl to get caught up in the nasty business between him and the Dragon Gang.

...

The restaurant owner was very grateful to Xiao Luo for resolving the problem with the blonde-haired man. He offered them a special discount of 30% for their bill. It was a good thing, too. Wang Yongjia had just enough in his pocket to avoid absolute embarrassment.

As they walked out of the restaurant, Wang Yongjia let out a long sigh of relief, and smiling, he said, "The owner of this restaurant is so polite. If we have a dinner gathering the next time, we can come here again and give him some business. Oh yes, tonight is my treat, but the next time we are here, it's your turn to treat."

He had already decided that they would have to come here for the next dinner gathering. Then, he planned to order a whole roast lamb and make Xiao Luo and gang foot the bill.

"Leader Wang, you don't have to worry. As long as our bonuses are paid, we will gladly invite all our colleagues from the anti-drug task force to a big meal," Wang Lihu swore proudly, beating his chest.

"Great, I'm happy to hear your words Wang Lihu. Let's go now. I will take you to the main drug pushing areas in Guangming District, so you know your way around."

Wang Yongjia was back in high spirits, and he thought cheekily, "Haha, just you wait, kiddo. I will definitely eat till you are broke the next time!"

As they walked along a quiet street, they saw a small group of people up ahead. As they got closer, they were shocked when they saw these men were all wearing black masks and wielding long knives in their hands. They advanced steadily towards Xiao Luo's party, and their intentions were clear. This was an ambush!

"They are already here?!" Liu Tieguo cried, looking towards Xiao Luo.

"These are the elite fighters of the Dragon Gang?" Ye Qiuhui asked, unsure if this was the elite fighters they were told to watch out for.

"Didn't they say that there were a hundred of them? Why are there only ten?"

Wang Lihu said, "Did they only send a mere ten? Are they here to meet their deaths?"

"The Dragon Gang is truly audacious. It seems like I have to work hard today and show them my true skills."

As a superior officer, Wang Yongjia could not just sit back, and so stepped forward to take on the assailants. On his left, he noticed a pole by the wayside, typically used to correct the growth of a tree. He picked it up, felt for its balance in his hands, and turned to face the ten men. He roared fiercely, "Hey! You really think you can 'walk sideways like crabs' [1] in the streets of Jiangcheng? All the lands here belong to the red soil of China, before stirring up the wind and the waves, ask if the pole in my hand if it will allow it!"

He flexed the pole firmly on the ground, then flicked it in front of him several times, making its tip quiver with his inner force. Indeed, it sent a powerful assertion of his intent.

Responding immediately to Wang Yongjia's challenge, the ten assassins in black rushed in to attack. They came swiftly, like phantoms in the dark. Their feet shuffled in quick, silent steps, hardly touching the ground, advancing in a broad front, all ten in line.

Suddenly, the ten of them became a hundred!

Behind each man, nine more appeared, now forming 10 columns of fighters. The hundred black-clad men moved in unison, at the same pace, and created the illusion that just ten men were advancing in a line.

"What the f*ck is this? Are they the Thousand-hand Buddha?" Wang Lihu asked in shock, his face looking grim.

As the men clad in black closed in, the fighters from behind quickly moved forward, filling the front ranks creating a thick wall of men, all armed with long knives.

"Hah, what is going on?"

Suddenly losing his mettle, Wang Yongjia could feel the fear run down his spine. His reputation as a superior officer suddenly did not seem all that important. He immediately retreated back to his line, next to Wang Lihu, and stared anxiously at the host of armed men in front of them. He said firmly, "No, we can't do this, we have to call the bureau for immediate support!"

COMMENT

There's no need for that!"

Gu Qianxue said sharply. She moved to the front of the group and drew out a light sword from her sleeve. She twirled the light sword deftly in her hand like a slithering white snake, and a bright, sharp sound rang from its keen, well-honed blade... Shing... Shing... Shing.

Chapter 224

With the long, narrow-bladed jiàn sword in her hand, Gu Qianxue launched a vigorous and penetrating attack. She soared elegantly towards Long Sankui's crack fighters, her lightning-fast sword whirling and thrusting furiously downward in graceful and intricate patterns, as she neatly countered their long slashing knives.

Shing~

Four black-clad fighters of the Dragon Gang fell on her first pass, howling in pain with deep wounds to their shoulders.

Then, quickly sliding her front foot forward a full step, she extended her arm in a flash and wristily slapped the flat of her sword on the neck of a sturdy looking fighter, with a sickening thud. The man was staggered by the enormous power of the blow, it hit like a heavy hammer that appeared out of nowhere. He moved back several steps before his knees went soft, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Is she this powerful?!"

Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu were both astounded. Both being highly-rated martial artists of the third degree, they could immediately recognize Gu Qianxue's excellent technique and temperament. They felt a pang of shame for belittling her, recalling how they had mocked and ridiculed Gu Qianxue earlier.

Wang Yongjia's jaw dropped, he was at a loss for words. This was a thing he'd only expect to see in wuxia TV shows.

"Don't just look. Go help her quickly!"

Xiao Luo roared and rallied his men forward, leading the charge at the enemy.

Wang Lihu, Ye Qiu, and Liu Tieguo reacted without hesitation. They dashed into the host of black-clads like angry wolves with no regard for their own safety.

Despite his position as the captain of the anti-drug task force, Wang Yongjia's fighting spirit faltered when facing a hundred of Long Sankui's elite men. But seeing Wang Lihu and his companions joining the fray, he put his fear aside, held his pole aloft, and bellowed loudly, rushing forward. To his credit, he had the presence of mind to quietly call the station for immediate backup beforehand. Before he took another step, more than half a dozen fighters, their menacing eyes staring from behind masks, surrounded him in quick time before he could move.

" Huh?"

Wang Yongjia broke out in a cold sweat. He felt the pressure of being encircled. He raised his booming voice and shouted, "What are you going to do? I am a police officer. You..."

Before he could utter another word, the black-clads were already onto him, hacking away with their long knives.

Wang Yongjia suddenly found his mettle and immediately twirled the pole in both hands, striking back using both ends of his weapon. His technique was exceptional and kept his foes at bay for a while. It was a sturdy pole, and he had been well trained in its use.

Close by, a horde of black-clads were now besieging Xiao Luo and the other officers in large numbers, appearing like a dark sandstorm sweeping across open land.

It was a cold night, and their movements were restrained, giving the advantage to the side with more fighters.

The black-clads were highly-trained and organized in their attack. They advanced in tight formation, the front ranks engaging fiercely to tie down their opponents. Without warning, men would leap from behind to strike down with flashing blades at their quarry. In this way, they advanced like tidal waves, sweeping all before them.

Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu began to realize that these elite fighters were nothing like the common hoodlums of the Dragon Gang. They were extraordinarily well-trained and more skillful than the average streetfighter. As a group, the black-clads were thoroughly drilled and coordinated their maneuvers flawlessly. It was like comparing a heap of loose pebbles, to a bundle of cane tied together.

Despite dispatching a good number of Long Sankui's top fighters, Wang Lihu, Ye Qiu, and Liu Tieguo had also suffered many injuries over that short period. They hardened their resolve and blocked out the pain, facing their opponents fiercely, and roaring ever louder.

Over where Xiao Luo and Gu Qianxue were engaging the black-clads, the situation was starkly different.

Xiao Luo was using the King of Mercenaries Constitution and his mastery of Yi Jinjing. He had quickly snatched a knife from one of the armed men and bore into the attackers, hacking at them as if he was chopping up vegetables. Those that could not get out of his way either lost a limb or were decapitated.

Gu Qianxue was a highly trained exponent of the Tianshan Sword Style and immediately established herself in an impregnable position. Nevertheless, her kind and gentle nature prevented her from taking anyone's lives. Every assassin who was pierced by her double-edged jiàn sword had a deep wound on their left shoulder and fell to the ground, incapacitated and in great pain.

Wang Yongjia's situation was dire. The pole in his hand had been cut in half parrying an attacker's knife strike. As the fight raged on, the pole became shorter and shorter until it became nothing more than a stump. With nothing more to defend himself with, he quickly succumbed to a knife wound and screamed out in agony.

.

"Wang Lihu, you stay with Captain Wang. Don't spread out!" Xiao Luo yelled. Once isolated, they risked being overwhelmed by numbers.

"Yes."

Following Xiao Luo's orders, Wang Lihu charged to Wang Yongjia's rescue like a bull on a rampage.

Ye Qiu displayed the hawk's claw boxing style to perfection, carving a way out of the encirclement with his sharp fingers.

Roaring and shouting, Liu Tieguo held a long knife with both of his hands and striking violently left and right, barged toward Wang Yongjia's position.

The six police officers were now facing the black-clads on three fronts. Wang Yongjia, Wang Lihu, Ye Qiu, and Liu Tieguo held one front, while Xiao Luo and Gu Qianxue each held their own. The tactical advantage enjoyed by the elite fighters had diminished.

The sharp sound of a whistle pierced the air, and to Xiao Luo's surprise, the black-clads, some 60 to 70 still standing, retreated immediately. However, about 20 of them, closest to Xiao Luo's party, split themselves up into two groups. They raised their left arms in the direction of the party and drew back the bowstring of the steel crossbows attached to their forearms.

Whoosh~

Twenty small bolts flew out from their crossbows, streaking speedily through the air.

"Watch out. Those are crossbows hidden in the sleeves!"

Wang Lihu's face changed. He never expected the enemy to have concealed weapons. Such weapons had been used since ancient times.

It was a cowardly sneak attack. Xiao Luo and Gu Qianxue easily parried the bolts that came their way.

The others were not that skilled with weapons and were hit in their thighs or shoulders. Fortunately, none were struck in vital areas, but still, the injuries took a toll on their fighting capacities. They would not be able to defend themselves in another wave of attack.

"Despicable and shameless!" 𝓵𝓲𝙗𝓻𝓮𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Wang Yongjia cursed loudly. He then looked around anxiously, muttering to himself, "Why is the backup from the station not here yet?"

The 20 black-clads were loading another bolt into the flight grooves of their weapons and preparing to release another salvo of the deadly darts.

Xiao Luo had to act fast to save his colleagues, and he quickly ran to a sedan parked nearby. Focusing on his inner force, he channeled the energy into his arms and hands. Power surged through to his ten fingers, crushing the car's metal shell and gripping it firmly like a pair of large pliers. With a fierce roar, he lifted the car, took a few steps forward, and threw the one-tonne vehicle toward the crossbowmen.

BOOM!

The car soared in a dramatic arch and crashed to the ground like a meteorite.

The 20 elite killers from the Dragon Gang were just about to let fly their bolts. Even with their masks on, the look of terror and astonishment could be seen in their eyes.

ARRGH~

The car smashed down directly on the hapless men, and eight perished instantaneously. The ground tremored and the explosive force of the impact threw rocks and part of the vehicle in all directions. The sedan was now nothing more than a pile of junk.

"Wahhh..."

They gasped at the incredible feat they had just witnessed. Wang Yongjia, in particular, was in absolute shock and awe. He always saw Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu as the powerful and brawny ones, and Xiao Luo, as a natural leader, skilled in the fighting arts. How that perception has changed... throwing a car as a projectile. Xiao Luo... was a monster!

Chapter 225

"Our boss is so fierce and gallant!"

Despite his severe injuries, Wang Lihu voiced his admiration as he watched Xiao Luo in action. He had been shot with three bolts, sustaining injuries to his abdomen, shoulder, and arm. Blood poured from his grave wounds, along with the many other cuts and bruises he suffered on his body, and his face was turned pale from the loss of blood.

Ye Qiu and Liu Tieguo's condition was not fairing any better either. The last thing they would have expected was that the Dragon Gang's crack troops would use concealed weapons like the crossbows hidden in their sleeves. Considering how skillful the black-clad men were, Ye Qiu and Liu Tieguo were lucky to survive the volley of darts.

Wang Yongjia was the only one among them who had not been hit by the bolts. The others had protected their superior instinctively.

"Gu Qianxue, look after them for me!"

Xiao Luo shouted out to Gu Qianxue. He then dashed toward the group of crossbowmen at an incredible speed, overcome with rage.

SLASH!

The remaining 12 archers only saw a glint of the slashing knife flash in front of their eyes for the briefest moment, then felt a warm, viscous liquid around their throats. As they instinctively held their throats and looked down to their hands, eyes widened in disbelief.

All they saw were blood-soaked hands!

They dropped the knives and spontaneously held their hands to their necks, as blood continued to ooze from the fatal wounds. They collapsed listlessly to the ground, struggling at first, then convulsing uncontrollably in the last few moments before death.

Xiao Luo stood watching them die, the knife in his hand was stained with blood. A cold, murderous aura emanated from the lone fighter, bristling with menace as he turned toward the rest of the Dragon Gang fighters.

The remaining troop of elite fighters trembled with fear. The man had just killed 12 of their compatriots in a blink of an eye. This man was a powerful beast!

" Hiyah!"

Xiao Luo burst into a harsh and piercing screech. He dashed at the black-clads and started wielding his blade in skillfully executed strokes, lunging and twisting his body in seamless motion like a dance. Wherever his knife flashed, limbs were severed, leaving men howling on the ground. It was a rampant massacre, ruthless and cruel, almost seeming like a hungry wolf ravaging a flock of sheep.

SLASH!

Xiao Luo's knife plunged through the chest of one man. As he pushed it in, he twisted the knife clockwise before brutally dragging it downwards to slash open the dying man's torso, spilling out his internal organs all over the floor. The gory scene sent a cold shiver down the spines of the other men around him.

Kill! Kill! Kill!

Possessed with a bloodlust, Xiao Luo had now become ruthless as he turned to face the other men. His face was twisted in rage and fury, giving him the appearance of a mythical beast bathed in blood.

The crack fighters of the Dragon Gang were now shaking in his wake. The masks they wore could not hide the fear in their eyes, and they froze where they stood as their bodies refused to respond to their instinct to flee.

"Xiao!"

A loud and furious shout thundered from afar, reverberating across the empty street. A man, dressed in black was dashing in, he wore a different face mask and his blazing eyes locked on Xiao Luo.

This man was Han Mian, and he looked as terrifying as his namesake [1].

Two axes were already flying fast and furiously at Xiao Luo even as he was closing the distance in a quick time. Before he reached Xiao Luo, he had sent another four through the air. The axes spun viciously and homed in on Xiao Luo with savage force.

Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.

Six deadly hatchets flew swiftly in from six different angles, giving Xiao Luo no space to maneuver safely.

Xiao Luo remained calm and wielding his long knife skillfully as he blocked three axes and dodged the other three. Sparks flew in all directions as his blade parried the three axes.

Even as Xiao Luo was dealing with the axes, Han Mian had already launched himself toward Xiao Luo as the momentum brought him forward quickly. Coming in high and brandishing another two axes in both hands, he chopped down from above. The gleaming axes were certain to strike Xiao Luo on the head.

Xiao Luo spotted the move and quickly bent his knees, bringing his long knife horizontally above his head to block the twin blows.

CLANG!

The grating sound of metals clashing echoed in the air as sparks flew like beads of lights in the dark.

His arms shaking, Han Mian staggered back, moaning in pain. Fresh blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He had been injured by Xiao Luo's inner force after only a single clash of arms.

But, Long Sankui had given him an explicit order. He would either kill or be killed, and backing off was not an option, even when he knew that Xiao Luo had superior skills.

"Kill!"

Han Mian roared, clenching his teeth. He was enraged and looked like a ferocious beast on a rampage.

He charged at Xiao Luo wielding both axes with a flawless technique, hacking swiftly at Xiao Luo with brutal force. He did not let up as the sharp blades flew at him repeatedly like a fierce storm. Han Mian harbored an irreconcilable hatred for Xiao Luo and wouldn't stop until he had chopped Xiao Luo into little pieces.

"Protector! We're coming to help you!"

The black-clads of the Dragon Gang had by now regained their composure, inspired by Han Mian's fighting spirit, and they rallied to his call. Brandishing their long knives, they launched another round of violent attack, advancing en masse, and targeting at the vital areas of Xiao Luo's body.

"Come on then, all of you. I will offer you one word: Death!" 𝙡𝙞𝙗𝒓𝙚𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Xiao Luo's fighting mettle heightened, and a menacing force within him threatened to burst out like a tidal wave.

He had channeled all of his inner force into focus, merging that force with his body as his long knife swept across the air—an invisible blade of lethal wind formed. Even when it did not make contact with the enemy, the lethal "wind blade" would wound half a meter away.

The wind blade was now effectively a sword, and neither Han Mian nor the other fighters from the Dragon Gang could come close to him. The space around Xiao Luo, a radius of some three meters, had become like a forbidden area. Anyone who stepped into this zone would die.

Astounded, Gu Qianxue's furrowed her brows. She had witnessed a side of Xiao Luo made her shiver. He was not the man she knew who had always given her a sense of security. This bloodthirsty and murderous man seemed like a stranger to her. Staring at the carnage, she only muttered to herself, "Turns out, my sister was right."

Xiao Luo's ruthlessness also shook wang Yongjia, Wang Lihu, Ye Qiu, and Liu Tieguo. It frightened them as they watched wide-eyed in disbelief.

"We could have just stood by and watch if we knew the boss could handle this all by himself!" Wang Lihu forced a laugh.

"The boss's capability is truly unfathomable." Ye Qiu's eyes filled with admiration.

Liu Tieguo exhaled, not sure if he was awed or frightened, and he sighed, "No wonder the local bullies and thugs in Guangming District have given him the nickname of Demonic Cop. No one would believe he's not a devil judging by how cruelly he kills."

Wang Yongjia, on the other hand, had only one thing on his mind; he hoped the backup team from the district station would arrive quickly to stop this massacre. Despite the Dragon Gang members deserving to die, he still needed to prevent such bloody and heartless act as soon as possible. He did not want this to be a nightmare that could haunt them all for life.

"Does Xiao Luo bear some grudges against the Dragon Gang?" Wang Yongjia suddenly asked.

Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu made a gesture indicating they didn't know anything. Liu Tieguo also said nothing while smiling.

POW!

Han Mian was unable to resist Xiao Luo any longer and was lifted off the ground by a powerful kick that sent his sailing through the air. Blood sprayed out from his mouth, and his axes slipped out of his hands even as he fell hard on the ground. The backup team from the district station had finally arrived. Dozens of police cars, siren wailing, surrounded the place.

As the police officers alighted the police vehicles, they saw the scene and were left speechless. How was this the Dragon Gang attacking the police? It looked more like a massacre of the Dragon Gang.

Chapter 226

The Dragon Gang had flagrantly sent their people to attack police officers. It did not sit well with the executives in both the district station and even the central police station. The enraged chief of the central police station issued an explicit order: Crackdown!

Although the Dragon Gang was influential in Jiangcheng, with their members scattered in every corner of the area, they were unaware when the police started to pay considerable attention to their kingpins. Feng Zhiqiang was arrested in Liren County, which was quickly followed by the arrest of Han Mian soon after. These breakthroughs greatly assisted in the rounding up of many more core members of the gang. The city police had started upscaling their operations to curb the underworld activities, resulting in the arrest of even more key members.

In no time at all, many of Long Sankui's three thousand disciples were finding themselves locked up in the central police station's cells.

The crackdown had a tangible effect on the underworld, and even common street thugs and goons were keeping low, were much less brazen in their street criminal activities. It had been unnerving for these criminals to see the visible presence and determination of the police in their frequent raids. Still, they were more afraid of that renowned brutal and ruthless police officer – the Demonic Cop.

It was the long arm of the law in action. When a government put all its resources to work against crime, any person involved in criminal and illegal activities would have nowhere to hide.

[Inside a villa in the Guangming District]

Long Sankui was playing with his four-year-old son. To have a young son at his advanced age was a blessing, and he loved the boy dearly. With a fatherly, kind smile on his face, his heart would simply melt whenever his son ran into his arms, calling out "daddy."

Hei Lang and a group of core members of the Dragon Gang rushed into his villa in great haste.

"Master Long, something happened. Our..."

Hei Lang was about to report the situation when he took notice of Long Sankui's warning glare. He stopped himself from uttering another word and bowed slightly in acknowledgment. It was an unwritten rule that they should never talk about the gang business in front of Master Long's families regardless of how serious the matter was.

"Minghui, take the child away!"

Long Sankui called to an elderly au pair standing close by.

The woman nodded respectfully and picked up the child. She spoke to the boy with a gentle smile, "Doudou, say goodbye to your dad and uncles."

"Goodbye, daddy. Goodbye, uncles!"

The boy waved his tiny hand, greeting the visitors with his sweet little voice.

For some reason, the boy's bright and cheerful smile brought back memories of their childhood days, and the gang members returned the smile. They reminisced the simplicity of that time, a time without trouble and fighting.

The smile on Long Sankui's face vanished as soon as his son left the room, and the familiar look of the crafty old fox reappeared again.

He leaned on the dragon-headed cane and took the two large "Baoding" balls handed to him by his servant, then sat down in an old vintage wooden armchair that two gang members hurriedly carried over. With a grim face, he stared hard at his followers assembled in front of him. He had news of Han Mian's recent capture and knew the entire police force in Jiangcheng had mobilized and was cracking down on his businesses and core people. The underworld empire he built with his own very hands was now crumbling and falling apart bit by bit.

Nothing could allay his wrath, and he was dying to tear Xiao Luo into pieces with his bare hands. This man was the sole reason for all their troubles.

"F*ck, did you find out the background of that young motherf*cker?" 𝙡𝙞𝓫𝙧𝒆𝙖𝓭.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Long Sankui was finding it difficult to remain composed, but as the head of the organization, he had to project the confidence of a man in control. The Dragon Gang would not stand a chance if even he lost his composure at a time like this.

"Yes, I've got it."

Hei Lang stepped forward and took out a piece of paper from his briefcase, and read it out aloud, "Xiao Luo hails from a remote, small town called 'Gushan' in the Xi Province. His parents are alive and healthy. He has a sister who is a nurse in the People's Hospital..."

"Send someone to kill his parents." Long Sankui gave the order casually.

Hei Lang nodded and asked, "What about his sister?"

"Do you need to ask? Of course, you will go and catch her for me. I want to see how this young motherf*cker is going to fight with me." Long Sankui said viciously.

"Yes."

Hei Lang answered with a slight bow of his head.

...

...

Wang Lihu, Ye Qiu, and Liu Tieguofound themselves warded in the hospital. Wang Lihu had suffered the most severe injuries. The three bolts had lodged deep into his body and caused severe tissue and muscle damage. After receiving treatment, Liu Tieguo only needed to rest and recover, as the injuries he sustained were primarily to his tendons and bones.

The hospital had set up a viewing area for visitors in the hallway.

It was night, as Xiao Luo stood watching the doctors and nurses running around downstairs.

Gu Qianxue was next to him. She wasn't in her police uniform but instead was dressed in an immaculate white dress, accentuating her natural beauty. She gazed at Xiao Luo with her bright, sparkling eyes, no emotions showed on her pretty face, as she searched for some answers.

"A young girl came to Jiangcheng with high hopes and dreams. She had set her mind on being an exemplary nurse, an 'angel in white' to save people's lives. She was an innocent soul, beautiful and kind. But this world, unfortunately, is filled with filth and abomination. Nasty people found ways to entrap her mind and body with all sorts of despicable means. She kept fighting and resisting, and finally tried to end her life by jumping off from the tenth floor."

As he told his story, Xiao Luo's voice was soft and gentle. Every word was filled with intense emotion as he recalled memories of Sun Yu.

Gu Qianxue just listened, she could see his pain and did not say a word.

"I stepped into her life... no, she entered my world. When I saw her falling off the building, just like a swallow with a broken wing, I told myself that I would send the filth of Jiangcheng to hell. I will stop at nothing, not even becoming a devil myself."

Xiao Luo had said more than he intended, turning his head toward Gu Qianxue, he said with a bitter smile, "Your sister warned you to stay away from me. She is right, you know. A kind-hearted and simple girl like you shouldn't have anything to do with people like me."

"I am my own person," said Gu Qianxue.

"But you have to listen to her, don't you?" Xiao Luo said, smiling cheekily.

Gu Qianxue first shook her head, then nodded, and she explained, "Well, I do have to listen to her on many matters. But I can decide for myself when it comes to some things."

"For example?"

"Being a friend to you." Gu Qianxue said seriously.

Xiao Luo laughed and asked, "Are you sure you can call the shots on this?"

"I am sure!" Gu Qianxue's rosy lips opened in a look of defiance.

Xiao Luo stretched his hand and gently tapped on her forehead and said, "I'm beginning to like you more and more. I mean, as a friend."

"Why did you tap my forehead?" Gu Qianxue asked with confusion.

"It represents my approval of you."

Of course, Xiao Luo couldn't tell her that it was what he usually did when he was kidding around with little kids.

Gu Qianxue thought for a moment, then, in turn, tapped Xiao Luo's forehead gently with her hand as well.

Xiao Luo was a little taken aback, but then shook his head and laughed, "You're very different from your sister. I think I should apologize to her for your sake."

"Why?"

"Your sister will know."

Xiao Luo gave her a warm smile, then from the corner of his eye, he saw Gu Qianlin's black SUV turning into the hospital through the main entrance. He said to Gu Qianxue, "Alright, you should get back. I need to check on those three guys. See you tomorrow!"

He turned around and left right after speaking. He had no intention of meeting Gu Qianlin at all.

"Good devil."

Gu Qianxue said to herself. Other people viewed Xiao Luo as a bloodthirsty and brutal devil. But that was not how she saw it; he was a good-hearted person who had turned into this devil out of love and a sense of duty.

Had Xiao Luo known her judgment of him, he would only tell her, "You're wrong!"

Chapter 227

"101,000 Points available for use!"

After checking in with Wang Lihu and the others, Xiao Luo returned home. Laying in bed, he accessed the system mall for the first time in a while. Much to his surprise, the accumulated points balance had exceeded a hundred thousand again. It was particularly gratifying for Xiao Luo since he could now choose to spend a hundred thousand Points for a speedy recovery if he sustained any serious injuries.

Using the Help function, he now understood the difference between life extension ability and healing ability. If he suffered a fatal injury, such as a stab wound through heart, slash on the throat, terminal stage cancer, and such, it would take a "life extension ability" to recover. On the other hand, common injuries that could be cured by modern medical means and equipment only needed "healing ability."

A life extension ability needed half a million points when redeemed for the first time, and thereafter the points required for the following times would increase exponentially. The more times the host chose to use the life-extension ability, the more points it would cost. Healing ability only needed a hundred thousand points. No matter how many times the host redeemed it, the price would remain at a hundred thousand points.

After returning to work the next day, Xiao Luo made two requests of Hou Zhijie, chief of the district station.

First, he requested more officers to protect Wang Lihu and the others who were recuperating in the hospital. Also, he wanted the local police of Gushan county of Xi Province to provide a 24/7 protection detail for his parents and grandparents who lived there.

Hou Zhijie clearly knew how audacious the Dragon Gang could be and how likely they were to be targeting Xiao Luo's friends and family. As the chief, he felt it was his sworn duty to protect Xiao Luo's friends and families, and he would not shirk from those responsibilities.

"Rest assured. I've already assigned a team of armed special police to ensure the safety of Wang Lihu and the others. I will make contact in a minute with the police station in Gushan to ask them to send police officers to protect your family 24 hours every day."

"Thank you!"

Xiao Luo genuinely appreciated Hou Zhijie's support.

He needed to eliminate all such concerns and have a clear mind before dealing with Long Sankui. His parents lived far away in his hometown in Xi Province, and he felt that Long Sankui would probably not send too many people there to harm his families. With the 24/7 protection from the county police station, Xiao Luo's family should be safe. He was more worried about any attempts here in Jiangcheng.

Xiao Luo bumped into Gu Qianxue after walking out of the chief's office.

Wearing the police uniform, she looked smart and attractive with her delicate features, rosy cheeks, and flawless skin. Xiao Luo could also smell her sweet fragrance when he walked closer.

"Don't you usually have things to do?" Xiao Luo asked her.

Gu Qianxue shook her head and answered, "No." After a moment of silence, she added, "They asked me to study and get familiar with case files first."

"Then, can you please do me a favor?" Xiao Luo asked.

"Sure, tell me," Gu Qianxue nodded.

Xiao Luo smiled and said, "Protect my sister and brother-in-law."

He had not intended to get her involved in the beginning. But, after he witnessed Gu Qianxue's exceptional display of Tianshan Sword Style several nights ago, he changed his mind. He honestly felt that even he would find himself in a trying situation if Gu Qianxue used the Tianshan Sword Style against him.

Long Sankui was a dangerous man and was not to be underestimated. He would not rest until he had killed Xiao Luo and his friends. Just having Feng Wuhen and his four compatriots in the protection detail would not suffice. It was necessary to ask Gu Qianxue to join them.

...

...

The crackdown continued in earnest and now swept across the city. The Narcotics Squad of the district station was right in the thick of the action. Wang Yongjia, in particular, had an ax to grind with the hated Dragon Gang. He returned to work despite suffering some injuries and had now received accurate information from his informant. Khun Sa, the drug lord from the Golden Triangle, planned to steal into Jiangcheng. He would rendevous at the wharf tonight.

"Khun Sa's real name is Jin Yuanbao. He was from Yun province and traveled to the Golden Triangle in 1990 to pan for gold..."

In the large conference room, Wang Yongjia briefed the Narcotics Squad team members about their target before the operation. He said, "He is the main source of drug trafficking in Jiangcheng. We had carried out several operations in an attempt to capture him. But, this man is born fox with a wily nature and has escaped every time. This time, I want him arrested for good. As long as we have him, the narcotic network in Jiangcheng will certainly collapse. Besides, if we have Khun Sa as our witness, not a single b*stard in the Dragon Gang who runs the drug business will be able to escape!"

"Captain Wang, I have a question."

Xiao Luo raised his hand, said, "We have carried out the crackdown in Jiangcheng on a grand and spectacular scale. As a drug kingpin, why would Khun Sa choose to come to Jiangcheng during this special time? Doesn't he know it's particularly dangerous now?"

Other team members nodded, echoing Xiao Luo. It was indeed suspicious that Khun Sa somehow chose this particular time to come to Jiangcheng. It did not seem logical and rational.

Wang Yongjia nodded in agreement, said, "That is a good question. But as I just said, Khun Sa is a wily and slippery guy. There is an old saying, 'It's dark under the light.' Maybe Khun Sa thinks that the police would be too busy with dealing with the gangs with all of our forces. The most dangerous place is the safest place, and the most dangerous time is the safest time for him."

"I understand now!" Xiao Luo was enlightened.

Wang Yongjia changed his slide, put on a grim expression, and continued, "The chances are that it's this Hei Lang who will be connecting with Khun Sa. Hei Lang is only his street name. His real name is Qian Fei. The entire drug network of Jiangcheng points at him. We would have made an arrest a long time ago had we gotten irrefutable and conclusive evidence. But they're digging their own graves this time. We will only have victory in this operation!"

"Yes, sir!"

All the members of the Narcotics Squad stood up together and answered in chorus.

To destroy the narcotic network was an objective Xiao Luo had long planned, and this was his best opportunity to make it happen. He would spare no pains to do so.

...

... 𝙡𝙞𝒃𝓻𝒆𝓪𝒅.𝓬𝒐𝒎

It was dark, two hours after midnight, and the wharf of Jiangcheng was in dead silence.

At an abandoned dock that was about to be reconstructed, there were many rusty shipping containers stacked along the pier. A container crane was on the side, discolored and corroded harshly. The thick steel chain was hanging like a rope and swinging slightly in the cool coastal breeze.

The Narcotics Squad was stealthily hiding behind a shipping container and observing Hei Lang and his henchmen sitting on the empty ground on the dock and were waiting to make contact with Khun Sa.

"It's been so long. Why is Khun Sa not here yet?" A member of the Narcotics Squad whispered.

"What's the rush? You have to be patient to hook up a big fish." Wang Yongjia lectured him.

The guy complained, "But watching them eating barbecue and drinking beer makes me feel quite miserable!"

They had been hiding here since nightfall without eating and enviously watching Hei Lang and his men enjoying the barbecue. Irked, they only wished Khun Sa would arrive soon so that they could dash forward to arrest them all. And then wolf down what remained of the delicious barbecue.

"Suck it up. We're in the middle of the operation."

Wang Yongjia rebuked him, and thought to himself, "I'm also f*cking starving, smelling the grilled meat. Who am I supposed to complain to?"

At the moment, they heard chewing sounds on their side.

They turned their heads and saw Xiao Luo was holding a scrumptious leg of chicken and gobbling on it with relish as he leaned against the shipping container.

Chapter 228

Xiao Luo had bought the chicken leg from the supermarket, anticipating that they would have a long stakeout, so he came prepared. Of course, the chicken leg wasn't the only thing that he brought along with him.

The members of the Narcotics Squad drooled as they watch Xiao Luo gobbling up the chicken leg, and now he had even taken out a lamb roll from his pocket. They stared longingly at it, only wishing that they could sink their teeth into that delicious lamb roll.

Xiao Luo wasn't on familiar terms with the members of his team; therefore, he didn't feel obligated to share the food with them. Besides, he was still hungry even after eating all of the chicken.

As if that wasn't tempting enough, after finishing the lamb roll, he took out a bag of fries from his other pocket. And he even had a sachet of ketchup with him. He laid the wrapper of the lamb roll on the ground, squeezed the ketchup on it, and then dipped the fries in the ketchup, continuing to gorge himself.

"What the f*ck!"

"This is too much. He had gone too far!"

No one said a word, but their eyes told everything. None of the people from the Narcotics Squad could remain calm anymore. They were so hungry that they felt like they could eat up a whole elephant. To make matters worse, the guy next to them was having a picnic right in front of them as if nothing was wrong. He was truly testing their resolve!

"Xiao Luo, we're in the middle of the operation!"

Wang Yongjia spoke sternly and reminded Xiao Luo, even as he eyed the fries in Xiao Luo's hands.

"Captain Wang, I'm not trying to make an irresponsible and unwarranted comment here. But this operation is probably going to fail." Xiao Luo said.

Wang Yongjia and his other team members looked at him. Some people were confused, some curious, while others felt annoyed.

Xiao Luo put down the fries and peered at Hei Lang and his men on the dock, and he said, "Look at them. They're having fun there. They have drunk dozens of beer, played drinking games, and even sang a few songs. Do they look like they're here to make contact?"

Wang Yongjia's brows knitted. It was indeed, abnormal. Drinking would affect their performance in the event of a situation. Besides, it would give a bad impression to Khun Sa, and that would be bad for their business.

"You mean, my informant got fake news?"

Xiao Luo shook his head, said, "No, it's a real tip. But they're only here to make initial contact. Otherwise, Hei Lang would not have to come and wait out here in the middle of the night."

Xiao Luo's comments baffled some members of the Narcotics Squad. They heard him first said that those men were not here to make contact, then he said they were here to make contact.

"Make your point clear," Wang Yongjia responded, not understanding him either.

Xiao Luo laughed lightly and continued to explain, "They're not here to make contact yet. They will only make contact after we go out there to question them, find nothing and leave. Hei Lang knows that we're watching them closely in the dark. How would he let Khun Sa show his face without first making sure he has dealt with any police threat?"

The squad members began to see the point now that he had elaborated on his thoughts.

"D*mn, how crafty could these people be? However, could these scum of the society really be so thorough and thoughtful with their plans?"

One of the squad members interjected, "Xiao Luo, these are only your words. How do you know that Hei Lang knows we're here?"

He had a valid point. How would Hei Lang know they were watching them? Was it possible that the informant had lost his cover?

Everyone looked at Xiao Luo and waited for his response.

Xiao Luo raised his eyebrows and said, "My intuition."

The team member who had refuted Xiao Luo's earlier words laughed scornfully and said, "We're the police. How can we act on intuition? We will only alert the enemy if we expose ourselves by acting rashly and recklessly. Khun Sa is like an octopus that smells danger and submerges to the bottom of the sea, disappearing completely."

Wang Yongjia nodded, then waved his hand and said, "Alright. Quiet down. Let's wait for them to make contact."

Xiao Luo smiled, shaking his head and said nothing. He went back to devouring the fries without bother.

One hour went by.

Two hours went by.

Three hours went by.

It was already 5 a.m. The sky had turned a greyish white over the horizon in the east. The sun was about to rise.

The Narcotics Squad had been on the stakeout for a whole night. They were sleepy, exhausted, starving, and miserable in every way. Hei Lang and his men, on the other hand, had a campfire going. Hei Lang had laid down next to the warm fire and slept from 2 a.m. till now.

"These b*stards. Are they playing us?"

It was the same team member who mocked Xiao Luo's opinion hours ago. His name was Cheng Chusheng, and he was a senior member of the Narcotics Squad.

His words instantly drew everyone's attention to the earlier discussion. They thought: "It looks like Xiao Luo was right, and Cheng Chusheng was wrong."

Wang Yongjia asked Xiao Luo, "Is it too late to go out now?"

Xiao Luo shook his head, answered, "No. But once we go out, it will prove to them that they have a mole in their midst. If we move in, we won't be able to ensure his safety. Hei Lang has probably already locked on to our informant. After all, it doesn't take too long for them to kill someone."

"Xiao Luo, how are you so sure that is their plan?" Cheng Chusheng asked.

Xiao Luo answered honestly, "It's easy. I put myself in Hei Lang's shoes and consider everything that might happen from his perspective."

"Did you study criminal psychology?"

"Only a little bit."

Xiao Luo couldn't tell Cheng Chusheng that he had just spent 100 points and purchased the basic knowledge of criminal psychology right before the operation. It was not particularly impressive but was enough to help him think from the suspects' angle.

"I don't care anymore. Let's rush out and bring back our informant to ensure his safety. Then we will wheel around and head back."

Wang Yongjia had had enough. After staking out for a whole night, even an officer with a mild temperament would become grumpy.

Following his order, the two dozen members of the Narcotics Squad dashed out. They were frustrated and furious with how this operation had turned out and was now eager to beat up those goons who had been enjoying beer and barbecue through the night.

"Freeze! Put your hands on your heads and squat down!"

"Quickly!"

They barked at the people on the dock, keeping their weapons trained on them.

Hei Lang woke up and heeding the order, crouched down with hands on his head. But there wasn't a shred of fear etched on his face. He glanced at Xiao Luo, then glared at Wang Yongjia and asked impassively, "Officer Wang, what do you want?"

"How dare you ask me questions?" 𝑙𝒾𝒷𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Wang Yongjia threw him an angry look, and said, "Hei Lang, what are you doing here all night?"

Hei Lang pointed at the campfire and answered, "Officer Wang, isn't it obvious? We're having a barbecue and enjoy the sea breeze at the same time."

"Enjoy the sea breeze for a whole night?" Wang Yongjia asked in a cold voice.

Hei Lang smiled derisively and retorted, "Is it illegal to enjoy the sea breeze for a whole night?"

"Of course not."

Wang Yongjia said, feeling a little foolish with his answer. He then started walking toward his informant, a short man.

Just when he was trying to find an excuse to take his informant away, Xiao Luo pranced forward and kicked the short man out of the way. He then placed his foot on Hei Lang's shoulder and bent forward to tie his shoe. It was a show of arrogance that was very disrespectful, and deeply insulting Hei Lang.

"Xiao, move your dirty foot!"

One of Hei Lang's subordinates was enraged. He stood up and pointed at Xiao Luo as he shouted.

Chapter 229

It was total pandemonium. Members of the drug enforcement task force trained their guns on Hei Lang's henchmen and kept shouting forcefully, "Squat down, squat down! Hands over your heads, do you hear us? Squat down!" The henchmen had retaliated when Xiao Luo stepped on their leader, the Dragon Gang Protector, Hei Lang. Members of the task force were initially stunned when Xiao Luo first kicked their informant down, then planted his foot on Hei Lang's shoulder. But quickly recovered to take control of the situation.

Tensions rose, the burly men would never allow anyone to humiliate their leader, Hei Lang. They were provoked and bristling with rage. With clenched fists, they gave Xiao Luo a murderous stare and clearly wished to kill him.

"You lot, squat down."

Hei Lang calmly gave his men the order.

"Yes, elder brother."

The gang of burly men squatted down reluctantly upon hearing Hei Lang's order. As they got down, they kept glaring hard at Xiao Luo, seething with anger and hatred. Placing his foot on Lei Hang's shoulder was akin to forcing Hei Lang to crawl between his leg; it was synonymous with total submission and a great sign of disrespect. 𝒍𝓲𝓫𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅.𝙘𝙤𝒎

This did not bother Xiao Luo in the slightest, and he continued to leave his right foot on Hei Lang's shoulder, making a show of slowly fastening his shoelace.

The Dragon Gang protector had never been treated with such disdain, and Xiao Luo's actions infuriated him beyond measure. His muscles twitched, and his whole body tensed up as the rage grew within him. Like a cornered wolf, he glared at Xiao Luo with daggers in his eyes. He was a dangerous man, and at this point, he looked to have made up his mind to strike out at his tormentor.

"To be honest, I enjoy seeing you this furious, and yet unable to do anything about it. So always remember, I am the police, and you all are outlaws. When the time comes, outlaws are bound to be hunted and taken down by the police, am I clear?"

Xiao Luo smiled mockingly. After he had tied his shoelace, he kept his foot on Hei Lang's shoulder and posed like a triumphant contender, placing a hand on his right knee.

Hei Lang contained his rage and stayed silent, but he glared coldly at Xiao Luo, and the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.

"We received news that you all are here to meet the drug smugglers from the Golden Triangle. Of course, the information we received could be fake, but could it really be a coincidence since you all are here?" Xiao Luo laughed derisively at the implication he just made.

"F*cking bullsh*t, it just so happens that we like to barbecue and enjoy the sea breeze here. So what, are you cops going to arrest us for that?" One of the burly men who had attempted to strike at Xiao Luo earlier, roared from his squatting position, snarling with angry eyes.

"Thank you. You had been chosen!" Xiao Luo thought to himself, seeing the opportunity to work his scheme.

Xiao Luo curled his lips upwards and promptly removed his foot off Hei Lang. He immediately said to Wang Yongjia, "Captain Wang, please handcuff him and take him back to the police station!"

Wang Yongjia was not sure what was happening, but he had come to trust Xiao Luo's instincts and played along. He coughed dryly and said, "Cheng Chusheng, you two go over there and cuff him."

Cheng Chusheng and another member of the team complied with the order, taking out their handcuffs, they walked towards the burly man. They did, however, question themselves why they were doing it at all.

"What's happening? What right do you have to handcuff me?" The burly man shouted loudly, becoming aggressive.

"Behave yourself, or you'll see what happens!" Cheng Chusheng threatened.

The burly man knew that it would be futile to resist the arrest, so he unwillingly allowed himself to be handcuffed. The task force members had actual guns and bullets, and he wasn't going to push his luck.

Xiao Luo walked up and looked down at him, then laughingly said, "Littering and polluting the seawater, is there any problem if we arrest you for this?"

What?

Littering, polluting the seawater?

All the task force members were surprised when Xiao Luo mentioned those charges, but no one said a thing.

"I'm not convinced!" The burly man shouted.

Xiao Luo raised an eyebrow. "Not convinced? Come back to the police station with me, I will make sure that you are!"

"You son of a Xiao b*tch, I will kill you!"

The burly man was furious, he leaped up and charged, ramming his head hard into Xiao Luo's mid-section.

Xiao Luo staggered back for a few steps, but he showed no visible reaction on his face. Instead, he looked at the burly man with a twinkle in his eyes, and said, "Now there's one more reason, assaulting the police!"

Hei Lang had been quietly observing the altercation, and his gaze turned cold as he stared hard at the burly man.

"Bring him away!"

Wang Yongjia was now up to speed with Xiao Luo's plans, and he quickly ordered Cheng Chusheng to bring the burly man away.

Before they left, Xiao Luo turned to Hei Lang and had this to say, "Hei Lang, you better not cause trouble, I will always be watching you,"

...

After they left the jetty with the burly man, Cheng Chusheng, very much in the dark about the plan, asked, "Captain Wang, what's going on, why didn't we take our informant out? If he stays back, he will be in great danger."

"He will be very safe and can continue his job as an undercover."

It was not Wang Yongjia who answered Cheng Chusheng, but Xiao Luo.

"What Xiao Luo said is correct!"

Wang Yongjia then spoke up in agreement.

The task force members had their own doubts. Their presence at the jetty had only served to alert Hei Lang to the fact that he had an informant in his midst. How would it be safe to leave their informant there?

Cheng Chusheng did not have the same confidence that his captain had in Xiao Luo. As he glanced at Xiao Luo with a look of contempt, he expressed his reservations to Wang Yongjia, "Xiao Luo is an inexperienced officer, and he is just shooting from the hip. Captain Wang, why are you playing to his tune? if anything happens to our informant, we won't be able to bear this responsibility."

"Cheng Chusheng, can't you think with that dumb head of your?"

Wang Yongjia was getting very annoyed with Cheng Chusheng now. He more he thought about it, the more he was convinced about why his team had failed in most of their missions – they were just dumb. It would be a miracle if they could ever succeed in anything.

Wang Yongjia gestured to the burly man detained in the back of the van and chided them all, "We took this fella with us based on a ridiculous charge. Who do you think Hei Lang would suspect the informant is now?"

His words struck everyone, and they recalled what had happened earlier.

The burly man appeared to be the most agitated of his gang. Granted, he was showing his loyalty towards Hei Lang, but it would still create some doubt in Hei Lang's mind as his reaction seemed somewhat over the top. Hei Lang would surmise that his aggression was only a ploy to get himself arrested and thereby get out of a dangerous situation, making him the prime suspect of being an informant.

With Hei Lang's distrustful nature, he would already have made up his mind that the burly man would have to be neutralized, whether or not he was an informant.

Had they taken their own informant back with them on the other hand, it would have been as good as telling Hei Lang who the snitch was.

And why was it critical to have an inside-man planted in Hei Lang's camp? They'd need someone to give them the details of Khun Sa's next drop. After the visit to the jetty, Khun Sa would certainly not turn up now. Besides, it was already daybreak. The only other alternative would be to put the place under surveillance day and night. And even then, what if the drop-off point was changed?

Wang Yongjia patted Xiao Luo's arm and said appreciatively, "We almost got it all wrong, Xiao Luo. So, many thanks to you this time."

"No problem!" Xiao Luo replied with a smile.

Cheng Chusheng felt foolish and actually blushed. The others looked at Xiao Luo, with newfound respect.

...

They received a message from their informant two days later and was given the place and time of the meeting between Hei Lang and Khun Sa.

Elsewhere, Long Sankui had dispatched his men to go after Xiao Ruyi and Tang Ren. Gu Qianxue and Feng Wuhen were on hand to thwart the attack, but it left the couple terrified.

Troubling news also came from Xi Province. The county police station of Gushan had apprehended five gangsters who had tried to harm Xiao Luo's parents.

"They are just fighting desperately like a cornered wild beast."

Xiao Luo could sense the desperation of Long Sankui as he sat in his chair, sipping tea. Long Sankui had always been the puppet master behind the scenes and had used others to do his dirty work. Now that his Four Protectors had been eliminated, the old fox would have to dirty his own hands. It would only be a matter of time before he slipped up. The moment he obtained evidence of Long Sankui's crimes, Xiao Luo would confront him directly. There would be every reason for him to do so.

He had already set the wheels in motion. If all went well the following night, Long Sankui would lose his fourth protector.

Step by step, he would see to the destruction of the Dragon Gang...

Chapter 230

It was a dark, windy night, the cold draft bit into their faces, and the numbness made them realize that the ice-cold temperature had quietly arrived with nightfall...

An airplane droned as it flew by from above their heads, its beacon lights blinking, bearing away slowly and soon disappearing into the night sky.

At the abandoned jetty, Hei Lang stood staring out at sea. He was in a black windbreaker, looking pensive, expressionless. With their torches, his henchmen were signaling with lights seaward into the darkness. It wasn't long before a fishing vessel appeared, breaking through the choppy sea. As it got closer, the noise of its diesel engine sounded like a cacophony of clanking metal parts. But here, at the edge of the sea, that sound would be drowned out by the winds and waves, and wouldn't travel far.

"Who would have thought Zhuangniu to be the police snitch! Lord Protector, it was wise that you had taken extra precautions the last time and asked Mr. Khun Sa not to show up. Otherwise, we'd all have been arrested by the cops," a young man said, clearly impressed with his leader's foresight. He had hair dyed green and wore eyeliner to accentuate his eyes.

Behind them, a man of short stature, stood ill at ease, looking a little fidgety. He was, after all, the informant.

Hei Lang said nothing, but simply took out a cigarette and put one end in his mouth. The servile green-haired man hurriedly took out a lighter and lit it, with his other hand shielding the flame.

He slowly exhaled the smoke and said, "This time, all the products we're receiving are grade-A. We must make sure that nothing goes wrong." Hei Lang chose not to respond to the topic of the informant.

"Rest assured, Lord Protector, our men are keeping their eyes on all the routes leading to and from the jetty, and many other spots. We've got them all covered, and we will know immediately if anything goes wrong. The moment we get the word, we will have enough time to dispose of the stash and wipe all traces by the time the cops arrive," The green-haired man said confidently.

Hei Lang did not say a word and remained impassive, but his eyes looked grim and cold, like a fierce predator hunting its prey.

"That d*ckhead with the surname Xiao is really too much, I would like nothing else than to strip his bones of his flesh while he is still alive..."

Hei Lang stopped him with a wave of the hand and said, "Those words can wait until this operation is over."

That the Dragon Gang was in such an untenable position was all due to one man. He would like nothing better than to kill Xiao Luo himself, and it would be a slow, painful death as he would slice Xiao Luo's flesh off piece by piece. But now was not the time. With the police of Jiangcheng cracking down on them, they needed the goods from Khun Sa to get through this challenging period. Too many of their businesses had been crippled, and their cashflow severely disrupted.

The fishing boat cut its engine, maneuvered slowly towards the jetty, and secured the vessel to a post with its docking line. Seven or eight men disembarked with sacks on their shoulders. They looked like rough and ready folk and had an imposing air about them.

"Mr. Hei Lang, we are delivering the products you ordered!"

The man spoke to Hei Lang in mandarin, but he was not very fluent. He had messy hair, dark skin, and scary, bulging eyes that looked like that of a dead fish.

Hei Lang looked at the fishing boat and asked, "Mr. Khun Sa isn't here?"

"Our boss fears that the situation here is still unstable, and it will be too risky to meet at this time. Our boss would also like to know whether there is any progress with what he has asked the Dragon Gang to investigate," the man with the fish-eyes said.

"Yes, we found out that the Red Scorpion Mercenaries ran into trouble during the kidnapping of Chu Yunxiong's daughter at the Wild Boar Ridge. According to a cop, when they arrived, someone had already killed 17 members of the Red Scorpions. We are told that it was the work of an S-grade bodyguard Chu Yunxiong had arranged to protect his daughter." Hei Lang promptly reported on the incident.

"A lone bodyguard?"

The man couldn't believe his ears. A single bodyguard could kill the mercenaries personally trained by their boss? And, not to mention 17 of them all at once?

Hei Lang nodded, "Yes, he was indeed alone."

He waved his hand, and the green-haired man handed the sheet of paper to Khun Sa's man.

The man glanced at an image of a man in the information sheet. "This man?"

Tne picture showed the face of a neat, good looking man and did not look at all menacing. He found it hard to believe that such a man could turn out to be an S-grade bodyguard.

"It is him."

Hei Lang assured the man, "This man's name is Xiao Luo. He has a very close relationship with Chu Yunxiong. As for the Red Scorpions leader, we know that he survived the fight at Wild Boar Ridge and escaped by jumping off a cliff. But still, he was killed by him in the end."

Of course, Lei Hang did not have conclusive proof that Xiao Luo was the one who wiped out the Red Scorpion Mercenaries, but there was sufficient circumstantial evidence to make that case. But, it did not matter to him, as Xiao Luo was a significant threat to the Dragon Gang. Instigating the Blackwater Company and Khun Sa to target Xiao Luo would be in the interest of the Dragon Gang.

The man was shocked when he heard that, then gritting his teeth and said, "As they say, don't judge a book by its cover." He carefully folded the sheet, then made a slight bow to Hei Lang with both hands clasped in front of his chest. "I will report everything to my boss. I believe my boss will be very grateful for the efforts you all have dedicated to the task."

"Mr. Khun Sa is a great friend of the Dragon Gang. This is the least we can do to help a friend," Hei Lang returned the gesture and said.

The green-haired man dragged a hefty chest over. He opened it to show its contents, and it was filled with stacks of red-colored bills.

One of the man's subordinates went through the contents and then nodded to confirm the money was all there. On the other end, Hei Lang had his men check the quality of the product in the sacks, and after a short while, they signaled him with a thumbs up.

"Alright, Mr. Hei Lang, I'll see you around!"

The man with fish-eyes clasped his hands together in front of him and gave Hei Lang a slight bow. It was a gesture of courtesy in their part of the world, as had been done since ancient times. There was no reason for him to stay any longer now that the deal had been concluded, and he made haste.

"Don't move, you are under arrest!"

A thunderous voice suddenly reverberated through the night air and alarmed the men at the jetty.

The voice issued from a stack of containers nearby, and as everyone stared at the direction, a black figure somersaulted down, landing lightly on the ground before them.

Xiao Luo wore a loose, black hooded sweater, and in the dim light, it resembled a smock worn during medieval times in Europe. He had elegant features, good looks, fair in complexion, deep-set eyes, and perfectly-shaped lips. But yet, as he stood there, a threatening and dark aura emanated from him.

Immediately he raised his arms and pointed the two guns he held at the group of surprised men. One was aimed directly at Hei Lang.

It was none other than Xiao Luo!

"So, I've caught you all red-handed, what impeccable timing!" Xiao Luo couldn't help a wisecrack as his lips curled into a cold, confident smile. But his gaze remained intense, he knew what he had to do tonight.

Khun Sa's man narrowed his eyes and snarled, "You are a cop of this nation?"

"Yes."

The man asked again, "It's just you?"

"Yes."

Xiao Luo answered matter-of-factly. He was, of course, the drug enforcement team's vanguard and had already neutralized all the sentries posted by Hei Lang. Wang Yongjia and the rest of the task force were now making their way to the jetty.

"Hahaha... you as dumb as a pig. Are you here to seek your death?"

The man laughed loudly and pulled out his gun to shoot Xiao Luo.

But Xiao Luo was a step faster. A piercing report issued form the barrel of his gun, and the bullet penetrated the man's palm, causing him to drop his piece.

"Don't move, if you do, I guarantee the next bullet will hit your head!"

Xiao Luo chuckled, seeing the man's shocked expression. Of course, had he known that the man had information on him, he would definitely have killed him with a headshot outright.

"He is Xiao Luo!" Hei Lang screamed at the man.

The man startled and looked at Xiao Luo intensely. This person in front of him was indeed the same man in the information sheet handed to him. He was now facing someone who had single-handedly annihilated a host of well-trained, Red Scorpions Mercenaries. His expression changed, and he knew he would be going up against a very dangerous adversary.

Chapter 231

"Kill him!"

The man with fish-eyes hit the ground and rolled rapidly, getting under a dirt-covered crane to take cover, and kept shouting loudly for his men to take action.

Seven of his men aimed the submachine guns they had been carrying on their backs and began to fire away at Xiao Luo. Simultaneously, Hei Lang's henchmen reacted just as quickly. They drew out the pistols from their waist holsters and instantly began shooting at Xiao Luo.

RAT-TA-TAT...

RAT-TA-TAT...

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The air erupted with the sound of gunfire. Hundreds of rounds were expended from the submachine guns and pistols, streaking across space between the gunmen and Xiao Luo.

His intimidation tactic had failed!

It wasn't unexpected. These were hardcore criminals who would undoubtedly receive the death penalty for the smuggling of several hundred kilograms of drugs if caught. They had nothing to lose and everything to gain. These desperadoes would not be so easily intimidated by only a man with two handguns.

BAM! BAM!

With his first two shots, he had taken out two of Hei Lang's subordinates. Xiao Luo then leaped to his side and hid behind an old derelict fishing boat, taking cover from the heavy gunfire coming from all directions.

"You b*stard son of a Xiao-b*tch, I will kill you!"

Mad with rage, the green-haired man kept shooting continually at the derelict boat, holding a gun in each hand as he advanced slowly towards Xiao Luo's potion. The others fanned out and followed his lead, sustaining their fire on the old boat. Xiao Luo had to keep his head down and was unable to even put his head out for a second to assess the condition.

The boat was a wreck in a terrible state of decay, its hull was corroded, and there were gaping holes and exposed beams throughout its metal shell.

"I want him dead. Kill him!"

The man with fish-eyes shouted hysterically. He was hurting from the wound on his palm and wished nothing more than to see Xiao Luo's body riddled with bullets. He wanted to turn him into a bloody mass of flesh perforated with bullet holes!

Without the slightest warning, a deafening sound, like a clap of thunder, boomed, and tremendous shock waves blasted from the direction of the derelict vessel. It seemed like the old boat was hit by a speeding train. It was lifted in the air and thrown towards the group of armed smugglers. It was surreal, and for those facing the incoming boat, time stood still for a second or so – a derelict vessel weighing several tons, seeming like it was floating in the air, then in a flash crashing into them at breakneck speed. The green-haired man's jaw dropped, and he could only manage to shout, "Get out!"

Five did not heed the warning in time, and they died where they stood. Fear lingering in their eyes for only the briefest moment before their lights extinguished the moment the boat smashed into them. They were thrown back and lay dead, looking like heaps of broken bones and flesh on the blood-soaked ground.

Gone was the impassive, cold countenance that usually described Hei Lang's expression. He now stared at Xiao Luo's incredible display of force and power with his eyes and mouth wide open. He had just seen an old boat, weighing several tons, scythe through his men. This level of strength was not was something that could be attained through any form of physical training. The only logical explanation he could find was that Xiao Luo was a true master of the martial arts, and had cultivated his inner power to an impossibly high degree.

"Is this fella a monster?"

The man with dead-fish eyes stared in both horror and awe. He couldn't believe that he had just seen a human propel a massive boat from a static position. Even pushing it on its side would have been unimaginable.

BAM! BAM! BAM! 𝑙𝒾𝘣𝘳𝑒𝒶𝒹.𝑐𝘰𝓂

From where the derelict boat had come to rest, Xiao Luo emerged like a swift shadow, wraith-like, and rapidly discharged three shots at his adversaries. In the dim light, his black smock visually evoked similarities to the Grim Reaper, here to collect his debt in lives.

The three shots were accurate to their mark and immediately dropped three of the drug smugglers holding submachine guns, hitting them in the chests. As the bullets thudded into their chests, blood splattered in every direction, and the men grunted as they collapsed to the ground.

"Damn it!"

The remaining four men from the Golden Triangle saw that Xiao Luo taking aim at them, and quickly ducked, firing rapidly at Xiao Luo in return.

RAT-TA-TAT...

RAT-TA-TAT...

Bullets from their submachineguns sprayed viciously in Xiao Luo's direction, tearing into everything around him.

BAM! BAM!

Xiao Luo hit the ground rolling to his side and assumed a prone shooting position, fired another two shots, and killed two more of them. As bullets hit the ground around him, he dashed, nimbly jinking left and right, towards the two remaining men.

The men wielding the submachine guns were a more significant threat and would be needed to be dispatched first. He had to take out their superior firepower, which had effectively tied him down and forced him to stay behind cover.

The two men were panicking, they were unable to train their guns on the fast-approaching target, racing towards them in a deceiving zig-zap pattern. They felt a coldness run down their spines, their bodies involuntarily shook.

"Oh, no!"

Both men froze at once, their pupils dilated, cold sweat cascading down their bodies. Before they knew it, the black, cold steel of a gun muzzle appeared right in each of their faces.

"Die!" Xiao Luo said coldly and pulled the trigger without any hesitation.

BAM! BAM!

The bullets penetrated their craniums, and both bodies hit the ground in a slump.

In all, Xiao Luo had killed the seven men armed with submachine guns in the blink of an eye. Every shot he fired found its mark. These were seasoned fighters, each of them cruel and dangerous criminals who had been through countless such situations. Combatants who had long gotten used to gunfights and putting their lives were on the line. Armed with submachine guns, how was it possible that they were taken out so quickly? The man with fish-eyes swallowed hard. He was beginning to truly understand the meaning of fear...

He only knew that this man was no mere mortal. He possessed skills and power that was beyond that of any human. They were no match for him.

"Motherf*cker!"

The green-haired man cursed loudly and aimed his gun at Xiao Luo. A volley of gunfire followed as everyone in the group all fired at once.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Xiao Luo moved with lightning speed. With bullets ricochetted the ground behind him, he bounded across the field like a hunted wolf. Suddenly, turning around, he pounced towards the men and shot them dead from a short distance. The hunted had become the hunter.

Hei Lang slowly clenched his fist, he felt his inner power surge within. He had kept count and knew Xiao Luo was running low on ammo. It was time for him to strike, he strode forward and... the cold muzzle of a gun was pressed against his temple.

"Don't move!"

The short man cast aside his cover and stopped Hei Lang in his track.

"You betray me?" Hei Lang looked towards him, coldly from the corner of his eyes.

"I did not betray you, I am an undercover cop," the short man said.

Hei Lang immediately realized why Xiao Luo had put on a show that day. Zhuangniu was intentionally made out to appear like the informant, while the actual snitch was this insignificant toady before him.

He sneered mockingly, "What a great act, a great act indeed!"

Hei Lang showed no signs of apprehension even with the gun pressed against his head, and the short man suddenly felt nervous. "Hei Lang, you might be skilled in the martial arts, but this bullet doesn't recognize your skill. I hope you won't do anything dumb!"

"Why not give it a try?" Hei Lang laughed coldly.

Hei Lang had by now channeled his internal energy to his right palm, and in a flash, he smacked his open palm into the short man's abdomen while pulling his head away, all in one quick motion.

POW!

The short man reeled, as the force rapidly surged inwards through his body, and he felt his intestines churn from the shock waves. He spat out a mouthful of blood as he sailed in the air and landed hard on the ground.

BAM!

He managed to squeeze the trigger, but the shot missed its mark, and the bullet graced Hei Lang's face. He sustained a superficial flesh wound but was affected otherwise.

WOOWOO-WOO WOOP WOOP WOO-WOO

The sound of police siren pierced the air, as the red and blue flashing lights appeared from afar.

Hei Lang stopped walking towards the short man and then turned and looked at Xiao Luo, who was engaging his subordinates. He made an immediate decision and leaped into the sea, and soon disappeared from sight.

The smugglers panicked when they heard the sirens and saw that the police were upon them. Five or six police cars had screeched into the jetty ground, with task force units jumping out fully armed and ready. They force, led by their captain Wang Yongjia, quickly got the men surrounded. Their fighting spirits completely deserted them, and they threw down their weapons and surrendered with hands above their head.

Only the green-haired man still held on to his weapon. He had run out of ammunition and just stood there glaring at Xiao Luo, seething with menace.

"Put the gun down and squat down, hands above your head!" Wang Yongjia shouted loudly, pointing his pistol at the man.

Xiao Luo smiled at the green-haired man. "Do you hear him, put your gun down."

The green-haired man dropped his gun, but was still clenching his fists tightly, and snarling like a feral dog."If you think you are so capable, fight me alone!" He roared at Xiao Luo.

Chapter 232

As if possessed, the green-haired man screamed at the top of his voice, gritting his teeth as he dashed toward Xiao Luo. He pummeled his clenched fist into Xiao Luo's unguarded chest with all the force he could muster. But Xiao Luo did not even budge, remaining as stable as a mountain. The punch and no effect on him whatsoever on him!

"Fight you alone?"

Xiao Luo looked at him and snickered. "Do you think you can?"

BOOM~

Releasing a quick breath, Xiao Luo let out a burst of inner power. The energy exploded out from his core, and the air currents around him instantly thrust outwards, slamming into the green-haired man. He flew backward for a good two to three meters and crashed heavily to the ground. It did not stop him, he was ever loyal to the Dragon Gang, and he bore a deep hatred for Xiao Luo. He picked himself up and rushed at Xiao Luo again, yelling hysterically. He knew that his punches would be of no use, as he ran in, he slipped out a short knife from his sleeve.

It was a short and very sharp knife resembling a surgical scalpel, glinting as it caught the light. A quick thrust followed a deceiving feint, as the green-haired stabbed the blade into Xiao Luo's chest!

The move did not deceive Xiao Luo's eyes in the slightest. Shaking his head, he instantly extended his right hand and grabbed the hand holding the knife, gripping it at the wrist like a steel vice. He applied force on his five fingers and snapped the wrist back. The green-haired man howled in excruciating pain, dropping the short knife to the ground.

"Well, you've had your chance to fight me alone. When they execute you with a bullet to the head, just close your eyes," Xiao Luo said coldly.

As he said that, he delivered a thumping frontal stomping-kick to the green-haired man, right in the chest.

POW!

The green-haired man was thrown back violently by the force of the kick, slamming into a derelict fishing boat like a cannonball. He spat out blood and then immediately slumped into a heap as he lost all control of his body.

Wang Yongjia snapped out of his stupor and quickly reacted by ordering two officers to apprehend the green-haired man.

When the officers reached him, they found the green-haired man had lost all consciousness. They gulped, then turned to stare at Xiao Luo, terrified. What kind of a monster was he that he could knock someone out with a single kick?

Cheng Chusheng, the senior member of the squad, was having mixed emotions. All sorts of emotions, except happy ones. He had doubted Xiao Luo's capabilities from the very beginning, even when Xiao Luo volunteered to be the vanguard, he was the first to object. To top it off, Xiao Luo had just taken on more than ten armed men all by himself. Now it had all come back to haunt him, it felt like getting slapped him on the face.

"Xiao Luo is a freak!"

Cheng Chusheng cursed silently to himself, but he could do nothing about it, other than to admit that he was wrong.

"Hei Lang has escaped?"

Xiao Luo looked around and asked.

Wang Yongjia nodded. "It seems that the wolf's sense of smell is exceptional. The moment he saw us arrive, he jumped into the sea without hesitation. It will be difficult for us to find him in the dark. Once we get back to the police station, we will immediately issue a warrant of arrest and get him listed on the Red Notice. I don't believe he will get far."

Xiao Luo was slightly disappointed, but it was overall still a good outcome. He wasn't complaining, as there were bound to be a few that would escape. He had, after all, taken on too many of them all by himself.

Looking around, he suddenly realized that the man with fish-eyes was missing. "There is another who has escaped."

Out at sea shrouded in darkness, he could make out the faint outline of a fishing vessel, and it was likely that man's boat. He had escaped immediately after he realized that the situation was not going in his favor.

Xiao Luo didn't plan to chase after him. He was only interested in cracking down on the Dragon Gang.

Of course, had Xiao Luo known that the man with fish-eyes had detailed information on him and that it would pass on the Khun Sa, he would have acted differently. Khun Sa was one of the higher-ups of the Blackwater Company, and they had the means and resources to do real harm.

"So, there's one more that escaped."

Wang Yongjia was not in the best of mood. He had planned and prepared well for the arrest of Khun Sa, but the big fish didn't even take the bait. Instead, only some insignificant people had come here in his stead. On top of that, Hei Lang had escaped, and that added to his frustration. "Cheng Chusheng, inform the Coast Guard at once to intercept that goddamn drug smuggler, we must arrest him!"

"Yes, sir."

Cheng Chusheng responded.

SWOOSH~

Suddenly, an overpowering sense of fear took hold of everyone on the abandoned dock. An incoming projectile! It was a rocket-propelled grenade, and it launched from the very fishing vessel they had spotted earlier. And it was streaking in at horrific speed, as the blast of propellant from its tail made a terrifying noise as it tore through the air. 𝒍𝒊𝙗𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅.𝓬𝒐𝓶

"Get down, hurry, get down!"

Wang Yongjia shouted hoarsely. A rocket-propelled grenade could shoot down a low flying aircraft out of the sky, and it could readily destroy a reinforced bunker. Its effective kill range was a radius of fifty meters. It was a lethal weapon.

They all heard Wang Yongjia's warning, and everyone automatically took cover. As Wang Yongjia got down on the ground, he caught a glimpse of Xiao Luo. He had his black QSZ-92 pistol in his hand, and he flung it hard at the direction of the incoming projectile. It rapidly spun as it flew at a shockingly fast speed across the dawning sky. It was traveling in a straight trajectory toward the rocket-propelled grenade that was roaring in toward them. Would it intercept the incoming ordinance?

It did. The two collided.

KABOOM!

The rocket-propelled grenade blew up with a deafening roar. A wave of heated air spread instantly in all directions, as the explosion expanded in destructive shock waves across its blast radius. The effects were visible to the naked eye, as a fiery ball of flame lit up the dim skies and violently disturbed the water's surface on the calm sea.

Against the glare from the ball of flame in the sky, an enigmatic figure stood alone. Xiao Luo.

Everyone looked on in absolute shock; the police, Hei Lang's henchmen, and the smugglers were simply stunned to silence. They had all watched war movies with preposterous scenes of its heroes performing impossible feats. Now, to see with their own eyes someone intercepting a rocket-propelled grenade by throwing a pistol at it, was utterly beyond belief.

The speed of a rocket-propelled grenade reaches 300 meters per second. It would have been next to impossible to track its trajectory with the naked eye, let alone intercept it.

"He's a monster!"

On the fishing boat, the man with the fish-eyes stared open-mouthed, in absolute shock. He fired the rocket-propelled grenade confident that it would kill Xiao Luo and those around him, but instead, he had intercepted it with nothing more than a pistol. Was this man even human?

He put down the smoking launcher and pushed the lever to increase the fishing vessel's speed, intending to get away as fast as he could. He could not believe that there were still people like Xiao Luo in this world. He made up his mind never to ever set foot in this country again.

On the dock, Xiao Luo turned and walked toward Wang Yongjia, extending a hand to help him up.

"Captain Wang, are you alright?"

"I... I'm fine..."

Wang Yongjia was still in a state of shock. He grappled with the way he was feeling at the moment. He couldn't help thinking that Xiao Luo was not from this world!

...

In the girls' dorm in Huaye, after her endless and persistent efforts, Bai Ling finally got past the firewall of Mie and obtained the IP address — "Destroy."

"Why, you're surprisingly in Jiangcheng. Mie, I have finally caught you!"

Bai Ling's pretty face lit up with a smile of triumph, a smile that carried the sweet satisfaction of finally having things her way.

Next to her, An Huanhuan, who had been lying on her bed playing games on her tablet, sent a message to the headquarters of NSA: "Bai Ling had located Mie's IP! "

Chapter 233

The four Lord Protectors of the Dragon Gang were either dead, caught, or on the run; at the same time, many of their three thousand followers had been detained. Xiao Luo was pleased with the results of their efforts so far. But Long Sankui, on the other hand, was furious. He was like a hunted beast making a final stand before its impending death. He would not be going down without a fight.

Xiao Luo went to the hospital to visit Wang Lihu and his compatriots.

"Boss Xiao, I will be discharged soon, and will be able to fight alongside you once again then." Although Wang Lihu was in his patient's gown, he had his sleeves rolled up, showing off his massive biceps.

"You dumb tiger, there's only Long Sankui left now, our leader and I will suffice, you're still recovering from those wounds and can stay in the hospital. That's your fate." Ye Qiu quipped jokingly.

Wang Lihu was having none of it and fired back, "You stupid eagle, shut up!"

As he said so, he threw his pillow at Ye Qiu but ended up exacerbating his wounds. It drew a painful grunt, and his expression changed.

"Hey, hey, hey! I say, can't you two learn from me and read some magazines and newspapers? We must have a better understanding of the current affairs and keep up with the times, brothers." Liu Tieguo, who was lying on his bed, reprimanding them with his usual candor.

Ye Qiu couldn't help retorting with a wisecrack, and said sniggering, "Brother Guo, we are living in an era of information explosion. Magazines and newspapers are things of the past. If you want to keep up with current affairs, you just need a smartphone."

As Xiao Luo addressed Liu Tieguo as Brother Guo, Ye Qiu naturally followed suit.

"F*ck, even the data network here is 2G, you can forget about the wifi. I can't even open a damn webpage, how can I catch up with the f*cking current affairs with my phone." Liu Tieguo put down the magazine in his hand angrily. He had long been annoyed about the fact that there wasn't any internet access. It was still bearable if no one had brought it up, but now he couldn't stop himself from feeling vexed.

Wang Lihu soothed him, "Chill, Brother Guo. Even without the internet, we can still look at the pretty young nurses."

As he said so, the nurse in the ward who was drinking water from a cup out of thirst cast him a disgusted look.

Wang Lihu continued to say, "Didn't you all watch "Drawing Swords" where Old Li [1] managed to find himself a wife when he was in the hospital? Although I don't have the heroic charm of Old Li, I am reasonably handsome, and it is not a challenge to make a pretty lady fall for me at first sight." He turned and looked at the nurse, then winked flirtatiously at her. "Am I right, pretty lady?"

WEKKK!

Upon hearing it, the nurse found it so ridiculous that she spat her tea all over the floor. She quickly made her way out of the ward and even rolled her eyes at Wang Lihu before leaving. Her message was crystal clear.

Ye Qiu and Liu Tieguo couldn't keep themselves from laughing.

Wang Lihu did not seem to get the message, as he was by nature what some would term as thick-skinned. He said in a meaningful tone, "See, that pretty lady was drooling when she laid her eyes on me. With my looks and physique, it's not easy for a girl to hold her emotions in." He furrowed his brows and sighed, "Hiyah... how pitiful!"

"Hahaha..."

"I've seen shameless people, but none as shameless as you are!"

Ye Qiu and Liu Tieguo now couldn't help laughing their heads off, and Liu Tieguo was even slamming his hand on the bed, tearing up from too much laughter.

Xiao Luo also couldn't suppress a chuckle either, surprised that Wang Lihu had suddenly become such a jester. "It seems that you three are enjoying yourselves in the hospital."

Amid their light moment, his phone vibrated, and he received an incoming call.

He looked at his phone but didn't recognize the incoming number. But he accepted the call anyway, and then a rough and haughty voice boomed out.

"You little son of a b*tch, I have underestimated you. I didn't expect you to be so capable. Now I want to get you, and I'll cut you up alive, piece by piece!"

Long Sankui!

He immediately knew the identity of the man.

He looked at his friends, then without saying a word, he walked out of the ward, still on his phone.

He laughed, and spoke mockingly, "Mr. Long, it's been a while. Judging from how powerful your voice is, it seems that you are as healthy as before."

"Healthy your *ss, you little b*stard, don't play with words. Come over to my place tonight at twelve, so I can f*cking kill you!" Long Sankui was seething from the wrath he had long harbored.

Xiao Luo smiled slightly and continued egging him on, "Do you think I will go, knowing that you are trying to kill me?"

If he had wanted Long Sankui dead, he would have gone directly to Long's house a long time ago, and there would have been no need to join the police force. He aimed to destroy the entire Dragon Gang and to remove this malignant tumor from society altogether. And he would do it through lawful means to avoid becoming a fugitive running from the law.

"Hahaha!... I am confident that you will come."

Without waiting for Xiao Luo to answer, Long Sankui hung up.

"This old man must be mad."

Xiao Luo couldn't help feeling that Long Sankui was getting slightly unhinged, given that he couldn't even talk properly.

He turned to step back into the ward. 𝙡𝓲𝙗𝒓𝙚𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝒐𝙢

BOOM!

The entire hospital building shook violently as the sound of a tremendous explosion tore through the air. Looking out the window, he could see billowing smoke and flames coming from another floor.

Shrill voices and panicked screams echoed in the chaos as a terrified mass of people scrambled about in all directions.

Incendiary explosives!

Fire! Xiao Luo strained his eyes, as he made out the level where the explosion occurred, he quickly realized that it was where his sister, Xiao Ruyi, was stationed.

He immediately rushed to find her. When he got to the level, he found the place consumed by fire, chocking with thick, pungent smoke rising to the ceiling. The explosion had killed many of the nurses and patients, and charred corpses littered the floor. There were still many severely wounded people crawling to safety, screaming out for help.

Xiao Luo ignored them all and began searching the rooms one after another.

"Ruyi! Ruyi!"

He felt a rising panic. He feared nothing more than the death of his loved ones.

The blast site was a complete disaster zone, and it was smoke-filled with countless hotspots of angry flames. Xiao Luo stopped his breathing temporarily using his Yi Jingjing technique, but soon his sweating body was covered in a layer of soot, and his skin turned red from the licking flames.

Many of the severely wounded succumbed to the harsh environment. Even Xiao Luo, who was protected by Yi Jinjing, felt that his body was shutting down after searching for only about five minutes. His body felt like being grilled in an oven on maximum heat. He resisted the urge to escape the fiery hell, and he kept telling himself he couldn't possibly do so without first finding Ruyi.

"Ding! Warning, the system has detected a hostile and life-threatening environment. The host must leave at once. Repeat, please leave at once!"

In his mind, the System notification tone sent out the urgent warning.

However, Xiao Luo paid no heed to it and continued his search for Xiao Ruyi, going room to room. He did not look at the dying victims he passed along the way. He had to save Xiao Ruyi.

He glanced at the singed flesh on his arm through his eyes, now red, swollen and stinging from the smoke and heat. His steps were slow and heavy, but he kept pushing himself forward.

He had made up his mind and didn't care if he was cooked alive!

He ignored the pain and swore to find his sister, Xiao Ruyi.

At this moment, a figure, mouth, and nose covered with a wet towel, rushed towards him and grabbed him.

"Ruyi is not here, come out with me, hurry!"

She was Gu Qianxue. She possessed a high level of inner power, but in such a hazardous environment, even one minute was pushing her limit.

She immediately grabbed Xiao Luo and pulled him out to safety.

Chapter 234

Xiao Luo made it out of the flames covered entirely in a layer of soot. His clothes were singed and still smoking, and he looked as if he had just come out from an earthen stove in a rural village.

Gu Qianxue didn't look any better, her fair skin and pretty face were almost black, smeared with dirty smudges of ash and soot. Her clothes fared no better and were badly singed and burnt in places. Her eyes were tearing from the thick smoke, her eyes all red and smarting.

"Brother!" 𝑙𝘪𝑏𝓇ℯ𝑎𝒹.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Xiao Ruyi had just arrived at the scene and ran to Xiao Luo, calling out to him. She was deeply shocked by the condition he was in, covered in ash and soot. She gasped when she saw the severe burns on the back of his hands.

"Ruyi..."

Xiao Luo finally managed a smile as he felt an incredible relief from seeing his sister alive.

Xiao Ruyi cried, and tears were streaming down from her cheek, "Why are you so silly? There's a big fire in there! Why'd you rush in like that?"

Of course, she had known that Xiao Luo had rushed in to look for her. But it only took a moment for anyone to be roasted alive in there. She didn't know how else to react, and she was so overwhelmed that he made it out.

"Ruyi, I'm glad you are safe and sound."

Xiao Luo reached out and gently wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes with his thumb., But he quickly realized that his thumb had left black soot marks on her face, and he stopped immediately and smiled at her instead.

"Idiot, you're a big idiot!"

Xiao Ruyi cried out aloud and hugged Xiao Luo tightly. Of late, she had her brother had become somewhat distant, and Xiao Luo had become a different man. But after seeing what he had gone through today, she knew that he would always be there for her. He was indeed her dear brother.

Xiao Luo hugged her tight, patting her back to comfort her, and finding comfort for himself after the recent trauma of thinking he had lost her forever.

Feng Wuhen and Wang Lihu lead their compatriots running toward Xiao Luo. They were terrified when they saw him running off to the burning floor, and were now relieved to see him alive. Xiao Luo was glad to see them all and smiled at them.

The ambulances and fire trucks had just arrived with their sirens wailing. Three of the fire trucks doused the level where the explosion occurred with their hoses, and the fire was soon under control.

...

...

It was a humid afternoon, and the sky was overcast with dark clouds. The temperature was rising, and it made everyone feel unusually uneasy.

"sixty-nine dead and eleven grievously injured."

1Gu Qianxue reported the on the morning explosion to Xiao Luo in the ward. She didn't seem distressed with the incident, but if she was, she hid it well.

The burns Xiao Luo suffered were severe and required him to be wholly wrapped in white bandages to prevent infection. He looked like a mummy once again. Had Zhang Dashan been there to see it, he would undoubtedly have commented that a quack had done it, and what an awful job it was.

His eyes had sustained even worse damage due to the smoke and heat of the fires, and they were swollen and tearing uncontrollably. He had gauze patches placed over his eyes under the bandages. Gu Qianxue had removed them for a while and was now applying chewed Tianshan Snow Lotus on his eyes with care.

Xiao Luo sat on his bed and remained silent. While she was treating his eye, Gu Qianxue couldn't help lashing out at him, "You're one big idiot!"

"Aww, don't use my sister's words on me," Xiao Luo joked.

"well, I wasn't. I was just stating a fact."

Gu Qianxue pouted, "If I hadn't pulled you out, you'd surely be burned alive in there."

Xiao Luo smiled, "Alright, I owe you a lifetime, thanks!"

At that moment, all wanted was just to find Xiao Ruyi. If he had stayed there just a little longer, then his fate would have inevitably been sealed, and he'd have been another smoldering corpse. So, the truth was Gu Qianxue did save his life.

His phone on the bedside table vibrated as someone called in.

Gu Qianxue glanced and said, "It's an unknown number."

"Pick the call for me and pass over the phone." Xiao Luo smiled.

Gu Qianxue did so as was told.

"You little *sshole, have you received my gift? Was your sister blown up? Hahaha!" Long Sankui's cruel voice came through the phone.

"Are you testing my limits?" Xiao Luo's voice was cold, with no trace of emotion.

"So what if I'm testing your limits? Are you dissatisfied? Come and f*cking kill me, how about that?"

Long Sankui roared, "I'm telling you that if you dare not come tonight, I'll keep planting the bombs. Next time, maybe it'll be your friends, your parents or your useless colleagues. You could save them this time, but can you save them every single time? I won't f*ck with you, I'll just keep f*cking your friends and families up, I'll blow them up and give you a taste of losing what is dear to you."

"You wanna die?" Xiao Luo said coldly, as rage began to take hold of him.

"Hahaha! Are you finally getting mad? You little pr*ck, I'm waiting for you, and I'll chop your head and kick it around like a soccer ball!" Long Sankui hung up with the lingering sound of his evil laughter.

Even beneath all those bandages, Gu Qianxue could still feel Xiao Luo's rage emanating from within.

Crack~

The phone was crushed in Xiao Luo's hand, shattering its internal parts and screen. They fell in little pieces to the floor.

Gu Qianxue was stunned, and for the first time, she feared for him. Immediately she asked in an urgent tone, "Xiao Luo, what's going on with you?"

"It's nothing." Xiao Luo forced out a smile.

...

...

BOOOM!

A crack of thunder rumbled as a flash of lightning lit the sky up; a colossal storm formed over Jiangcheng bringing heavy rains and strong gusts of winds.

Gale force winds were driving the rain through the streets, forming a turbulent haze, and blew the trees on both sides with such force that they looked like toppling over. Weaker limbs and branches were torn off and were carried away with the wind.

A distance away from the hospital, a vehicle parked under a tree. In the fierce storm, a thick branch had fallen on it and damaged the front of the car. Its alarm triggered and blared incessantly, breaking the monotony of the trashing rain and thunderclaps.

It was a rare storm, a tempest that only hits Jiangcheng every once in a long while.

Xiao Luo was sitting on the sofa in the ward with his legs were crossed. His right hand was on the armrest, which he was tapping on rhythmically, while his left elbow was resting on the left armrest with his hand on his chin.

He was in his hospital gown, and his eyes were still covered up. But a strange warm glow was surging within his body, revealing his silhouette under the garment when it passed.

In the dim light of the ward, the whole scene seemed nothing short of eerie.

"Why are you forcing me?"

Xiao Luo had spent a hundred thousand points to activate the healing ability. Waves of warm light now ran through his body, steadily healing the burns and damage done to his body and eyes. As his body healed, his face took on an expression of rage and murderous intent.

He would not have chosen this path, but Long Sankui had painted him into this desperate corner.

He was well aware that Long Sankui had nothing to lose, and he would put all the resources he had to get back at Xiao Luo. What game did he have in mind this time?

For the sake of his family and friends, he would play Long Sankui's game. He had chosen this path, and he intended to finish it.

...

...

A flash of lightning awakened Liu Tieguo. He glanced at Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu, and they were dead asleep. He decided to get up and check on Xiao Luo. He peeked through the little window and found no one in the dim-lit room.

"Boss, I hope you're not up to something silly again!"

Liu Tieguo mumbled to himself and quickly took out his phone, dialing a number urgently.

Fan Changlong, the chief of headquarter, turned his head when he heard his phone ring.

Chapter 235

"Gu Qianlin, Ye Wensong... 'K' has just sent word. 'Mr. X' had begun his mission. You guys gather the police brigade, the security squad, and the special force team immediately. Send them to Long Sankui's mansion right now." Fan Changlong issued the orders to his captains after receiving Liu Tieguo's call.

The entire headquarters came alive all of a sudden.

At the People's Hospital, Liu Tieguo stood alone in the corridor and stared blankly at the raging storm. A peal of rolling thunder accompanied the intermittent flashes of lightning. As he stood gazing out of the window, he lit up a cigarette, dragged a deep puff then let it out slowly from his lungs.

As he pondered on Xiao Luo's mission, he murmured, "The king of hell beats his death drum, he's here in the mortal world to claim some lives!"

...

...

The gale was howling like the anguished screams a thousand of evil spirits.

Long Sankui sat grimly on the Taishi armchair that was placed right at the front gate of his mansion. His ever-present dragon-headed cane was not with him this time. It was a weapon to be used in a fight, not to help him walk. He had no use of that now as he had replaced it with an impressive looking guandao[1].

His weapon was two-meters in length and adorned with intricate motifs of a phoenix. Its forged blade was half a meter long and etched with a life-like dragon with claws out, and inlaid in gold. It was both a finely crafted weapon and a terrifying one.

Two rows of Dragon elite guards stood, fierce and unwavering in the rain. They kept their eyes on the guandao, and its well-honed blade reflected a unique radiance even under the stormy night skies. They subscribed to Lord Guan Yunchang's principles and values, and this weapon represented the strong sense of justice and loyalty of the famed warrior and bound them all. Lord Long had his glaive forged in the likeness of Lord Guan's legendary guandao.

The Green Dragon Crescent-moon Blade! [2]

The "Green Dragon" weighed an imposing hundred and twenty catties, and none of the elite guards could handle that weapon. Only their chief, Lord Long, was able to wield it as his weapon. During the era where Dragon Gang was rising to power, he had used it to chop off countless heads, and it had continuously been washed in blood ever since. This ritual made the weapon possess a fierce and deadly spirit, and it was feared by all who faced it. 𝓁𝑖𝒷𝑟𝘦𝒶𝑑.𝒸𝘰𝘮

The Green Dragon was not just Lord Long's weapon, but a symbol of their Gang codes and beliefs. Once drawn, all their followers would rally to it during a battle with fanatical zeal, and none of their foes could resist them!

Long Sankui had stopped playing with the walnuts in his right hand, and he started to crush them one by one to get the kernel within. He tossed them into his mouth, like how one would eat peanuts. Soon the floor was littered with walnut shells.

Beside him stood the most wanted criminal in the entire country, Hei Lang.

He was dressed entirely in black. He wore a fierce expression on his face that resembled a snarling wolf. His cold, glowering eyes were devoid of any compassion.

"F*ck, why hasn't that little *sshole show-up? Is he not afraid of me f*cking the people around him up?"

Long Sankui banged the guandao to the ground in anger and smashed the blue marble floor creating a cavity in the marble tile. Countless cracks started to extend out from the hollow like a web.

"From my understanding of him, he'd come."

Long Sankui snapped, "Huh! If he doesn't show up, it'll be his biggest regret in life! And if he does show up, you men better slash the hell out of him, if he doesn't get chopped to pieces, I'll never be able to relieve my hatred!"

He regretted letting Xiao Luo go. Had he known that Xiao Luo would have destroyed so much of his underground businesses, he would not have given in to Chu Yunxiong's mediation. He would have sent all three thousand of his disciples to chop Xiao Luo into meat sauce. But it was too late now. Although the police had still not obtained any proof of his complicity in Dragon Gang activities, his hatred towards Xiao Luo was still unabated. To watch Dragon Gang and everything he had built collapsed in such a way was unbearable. As its chief, he vowed to drag Xiao Luo along to hell if he were to perish trying.

Hei Lang nodded and bowed slightly. He, too, believed that regardless of Xiao Luo prowess, if he turned up here tonight, death would be his only fate. With Hei Lang and some two hundreds of Dragon Gang elite guards, Lord Long would be invincible. His inner force was immense, and he had mastered the "Domineering Sword" technique, the way of wielding the guandao. The guandao could slice a car in half with a single blow, what more a mere human.

Right then, Hei Lang noticed that a silhouette was standing before the gate of the mansion. He stared hard at it for a moment, and said calmly, "He's here."

"Huh...The little pr*ck turned up, and he's alone? He's surely a f*cking arrogant son of a b*tch!"

Long Sankui said with a wicked smile forming on his lips as he eyed the lone figure at the gate with a murderous stare.

The Dragon Gang elite guards turned to meet the threat standing at the mansion gate. Their faces were grim, and their fighting spirit stirred. Every one of them was fanatically loyal to the Dragon Gang, and they took no prisoners. There they stood, two hundred killing gods intent on slaughtering Xiao Luo.

Xiao Luo wore a military-style olive green coat with a black undershirt, and he stood there drenched in the rain. In his right hand, he held a giant broadsword. The sword had nine iron-rings on the back of its blade. It was Guo Jianghu's Nonuple Cycloblade, forged from refined steel capable of cutting a piece of rebar in two.

His soaked white canvas shoe made a squishy noise as he stepped through the water-logged ground.

He stopped some thirty or forty meters from Long Sankui. He stared at Long Sankui coldly with his keen wolf-like eyes.

"You little pr*ck. You surely are f*cking brave. Since you came as I ordered, I now want you to shove some shit up your throat. Will you do it? Hahaha!" Long Sankui's face now contorted with a raging fury. He resembled a ghoul from hell that was about to taste flesh and blood.

Clink. Clink. Clink.

Xiao Luo raised his Nonuple Cycloblade and pointed it at Long Sankui; its nine iron-rings rattled against the forged blade in a high-pitched ring. Xiao Luo roared, "Die!"

Xiao Luo swung the blade down, and without even hitting the ground, it left a deep gouge that quickly filled up with surface water from the water-logged field.

Air blade?

The elite guards took a step back, shaken momentarily. Only those who had mastered the way of the sword could form the air blade by transferring their inner power through to the swinging sword.

"F*ck you men, charge, chop the shit out of him!"

Long Sankui stood up in a fury, the veins on his temple were throbbing, and he threw the porcelain cup in his hand to the floor, shattering it.

"Kill!"

The two hundred guards roared and charged forward, resembling an army of fierce and angry wolves with a single-minded purpose – to kill their prey, Xiao Luo.

The guards in the front row had their long swords drawn and swiftly attacked in coordinated moves with skill and precision. They attacked relentlessly, and their slashing swords covered every inch of the space around Xiao Luo.

Clink. Clink. Clink.

The Nonuple Cycloblade was ringing in Xiao Luo's deft hand as he wielded it with consummate skill and speed, parrying every blow from the guards. The clashing sound of blades filled the air, and sparks flew where the edges met. After a brief clash, the forward-most elite guards facing Xiao Luo felt the overpowering force of his blade, and their sword hands weakened. They broke their formation and were on the retreat.

Sensing the change in momentum, Xiao Luo continued to push them back before lowering his stance and executing a low horizontal slash at waist height with his air blade. He killed eight of the forward-most elite guards instantly, slicing them in two. Spewing blood, and splattering their entrails on the ground.

Long Sankui, Hei Lang, and the Dragon Gang elite guards were shocked. Xiao Luo had struck fear in their hearts. With one fell stroke, he had silenced the enemy before him.

Chapter 236

The Dragon Gang elite guards quickly regained their composure. They were personally trained by Long Sankui, and they would not back down. Immediately, another line of fighters dashed in to confront Xiao Luo, yelling and thrashing with their long swords.

Xiao Luo remained still, he had an icy smile on his face, and his fierce eyes tracked every fighter closing in on him. In a split second, he had sidestepped the leading man and slashing across, slicing open his torso, his internal organs poured out, dropping to the ground. The smell f blood reeked in the air. The elite guards did not let up and continued the assault.

SLASH~

In a flash, he smote the next man, cleanly taking his head off. The headless body stumbled for a few steps, as blood gushed out like a fountain from his open neck. Then the body slumped into a pool of blood, with his head laying not far away.

Before anyone else could react, Xiao Luo was already on one knee, delivering a bludgeoning stroke with his nine-ringed sword. He cut the fighter in half at the waist. And the man fell before he could even let out a scream. His upper body toppled first, and as both parts dropped to the ground. The contorted face on the top half still had a look of shock for a brief second before the light left his eyes.

"All of you die!"

Xiao Luo roared with ferocity. He dashed up against the line of fighters at a rapid speed, immediately slashing at his next victim.

But this man reacted much quicker and parried his stroke firmly. Sparks flew as his sword deflected off his opponent's blade metal, producing a piercing ring. But Xiao Luo had applied his inner power to the strike, and the elite guard was thrown back as if he were hit by a running train. The force had killed him instantly, and his body flew back, crashing against three other fighters before he finally came to a rest. All three of them were knocked down and laid still on the ground in a heap.

Cruel and merciless! It was a slaughter!

Both Long Sankui and Hei Lang were taken back, their face took on a grim expression. These elite guards were no novices and had been personally trained by them. Every one of the elite guards was certainly more skilled than even the highly-rated special forces squad members. Pitted against the average street fighter, one guard could easily take down five of such opponents without a problem. To see Xiao Luo quickly dispatch their elite guards with such overwhelming force was difficult to accept.

"Damn it, this rotting pr*ck is a freak!" Long Sankui cursed.

Hei Lang didn't speak. He drew his long dagger from behind his waist and stepped into the fight. He searched for an opening as he carefully advanced, with a burning desire to plunge his nasty dirk deep into his mark.

Torn and shredded corpses littered the yard of the villa; it was like a war zone. No amount of rain from the downpour could wash the blood off the soaked ground.

The black-clad elite guards in the attack were quickly slaughtered by Xiao Luo, and now there were only five to six remaining.

Killing the Dragon Gang fighters was the only thing in Xiao Luo's mind. After almost losing his sister to Long Sankui's evil schemes, he was determined to smash the Dragon Gang once and for all.

When he found an opening, Hei Lang rushed up at a rapid pace to Xiao Luo like a black phantom. It was an opportune moment as Xiao Luo was just at the point of dispatching another elite guard.

Whoosh~

The long dagger came in quick and nasty.

By the time, Xiao Luo gathered himself, he could almost feel the cold steel closing in dangerously to plunge into his neck. He Instinctively pulled his head away and sidestepped to his right. He avoided a fatal wound in the nick of time, but it left a gash on his neck.

Moving a few steps back, the two adversaries stood about two to three meters apart and stared right at each other.

"I've cut you!"

The cold, heartless protector, Hei Lang, broke into a wicked smile and licked the blood off his blade. He stood staring at Xiao Luo in triumph, looking like a demented evil spirit.

"I can assure you there will be no next time."

Xiao Luo smiled darkly. Then, taking the initiative, he advanced toward Hei Lang.

Clink, clink, clink.

The nine-ringed cycloblade flailed into Hei Lang's long dagger repeatedly, and the metallic ring of clashing blades echoes across the yard. After several strikes from Xiao Luo, Hei Lang's defence began to crumble as he lost his coordination. He had lost his fighting mettle. His pupils dilated as he watched the flashing nine-ringed Nonuple Cycloblade take off his left arm cleanly.

"Arrgh!"

A frightful howl erupted for the mouth of Hei Lang, as his left arm just fell to the ground right where he stood. Blood spurted copiously like water from a broken pipe, as Hei Lang held on the stump on his left upper arm to stop the heavy bleeding. He was in excruciating pain.

Without holding back, Xiao Luo immediately smashed his fist into Hei Lang's chest and sent him sailing through the air. Hei Lang fell hard, blood trailed from his nose and ears, and his chest had caved in from the mighty blow.

"Grrr~."

Xiao Luo growled and strode forward like a demon. He swung his nine-ringed sword and cut down several elite guards who tried to block his way. They all fell quickly in a succession of dying screams. His intention was clear, and he now pointed his sword at Hei Lang.

Hei Lang looked up, and his eyes widened. This was the end for him, he could only see the nine-ringed blade held above Xiao Luo's head that was about to be brought down. His mind was stricken by fear, and time stood still as he awaited his fate.

"Stop!"

A sharp roar echoed through the air.

Xiao Luo was stunned as he caught a familiar silhouette from the corner of his eye.

He jerked his head toward it: white sneakers, white sweater with delicate features and fair skin.

"Bai Ling?"

Xiao Luo couldn't believe his eyes. What was Bai Ling, all the way from Huaye, doing here?! Xiao Luo stayed his hand, and the nine-ringed sword remained motionless right above Hei Lang's head.

The shout did not come from Bai Ling. It was a burly man all dressed in black, and he was holding on firmly to Bai Ling. She had been kidnapped! She had her hands tied behind her back, and her mouth was stuffed with a white cloth. After breaking through Mie's firewall and obtaining the specific IP address, she checked with its service provider and traced Xiao Luo's residence to Gong Village.

She was immediately confronted when she got to his residence. A group of rough, mean-looking men was already there. They were all dressed in black. They approached her and questioned her if she knew Xiao Luo. She felt intimidated and could only nod that she did. She was then taken by the men and was brought here. She had been kept locked up in a room, it was only now that she had been let out. The last person she expected to see here was Xiao Luo.

Was that really Xiao Luo?

Bai Ling was beyond confounded, and panic took hold when she looked at Xiao Luo with a blood-stained sword in his hand. Looking at his brutal demeanor now, she wondered if this was the same easy-going, cheerful boy from campus she had known before. But she knew one thing for sure, Mie and Xiao Luo were one and the same.

Oh my god, h-how could this be possible!

Bai Ling felt like this was all a bad dream, it was simply too unbelievable. Dead people were lying all over the yard. The one person that these people had been seeking the entire time was Mie, and Xiao Luo was now in conflict with these people. How did that make any sense? What kind of life Xiao Luo was leading? She recalled that Xiao Luo had once told her that the two of them were from different worlds, she now understood what he meant.

"You little b*stard, do you know this pretty girl?"

Long Sankui asked with a smile as he crushed a walnut. He tossed its kernel in his mouth and chewed it with relish. 𝑙𝑖𝘣𝓇𝑒𝒶𝘥.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"I don't know her!"

Of course, Xiao Luo would not be that stupid to admit that he knew Bai Ling. He postured to swing the nine-ringed sword in his hands down to the head of Hei Lang.

But just at that moment, Bai Ling screamed out in pain. Xiao Luo looked up, alarmed. The man holding Bai Ling had just stabbed her arm with a dagger, and Bai Ling's white sleeve was soaked in blood.

Bai Ling's face was twisted in pain, and beads of sweat began to form on her forehead.

"Ahh, I thought you didn't know her? Then why the f*ck did you stop? Do you think I'm a fool?" Long Sankui said, continuing to eat his walnut casually.

Xiao Luo remained silent and just returned a cold stare. He could feel deep anger and frustration rising. His mind was racing, he had to do something.

"Go on, continue to slash, do what you want to, who cares? You crazy fool!"

Long Sankui stared at him angrily. He smashed the coffee table next to him with his palm, and his eyes were red with rage.

Chapter 237

Xiao Luo was in a dilemma—kill Hei Lang or allow Bai Ling to be killed? This was the ultimatum from Long Sankui.

Could he put Bai Ling's life at risk?

Xiao Luo couldn't do it. Although the two of them had only known one another for a short time, to watch Bai Ling die because of him was something he could not bear.

Xiou Luo's expression changed, and the wrath in his eyes was no more. When Hei Lang noticed this, his fighting spirit instantly returned, and he became fearless once more. A madness took him, and he broke into a burst of deranged laughter. Suddenly he did not even feel the pain of losing his arm.

"Every man has a weakness. I now see that she is yours."

Hei Lang said in a vicious tone, as he slowly picked himself up. He plodded toward Xiao Luo, staring at him with his dark, cold eyes. Then without any warning, he stabbed swiftly at Xiao Luo with the dagger in his hand.

Xiao Luo instantly slapped the knife-hand aside and grabbed Hei Lang's wrist, locking it with his fingers like a steel vice. The dagger was still in Hei Lang's hand, but he could do nothing with it.

"Arrgh~."

Just at that moment, he heard another painful cry from Bai Ling. The man that was holding on to her had stabbed the back of her shoulders this time. The intense pain made the girl turn pale, and tears ran down her cheeks as she sobbed uncontrollably.

Xiao Luo pointed his nine-ringed sword directly at Long Sankui. A bright glint reflected off the sword. The blade was well forged and honed to a keen edge. Even blood simply slid off its polished surface. Holding the sword aloft, Xiao Luo roared angrily, "Long Sankui, if you are a man, then you will release that girl and get your best men to come for me instead."

Long Sankui laughed coldly and said: "Hahaha! I am going to kill you. If you don't want the girl to die, then you better stand still there and not resist!"

Xiao Luo's heart was seething with anger. He could only stare back coldly at Long Sankui.

Xiao Luo let go of Hei Lang. Hei Lang's face was contorted with raging fury, and he stabbed fiercely at Xiao Luo again. 𝓵𝓲𝓫𝙧𝓮𝙖𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝙢

Xiao Luo instinctively dodged the dagger but did not strike back.

"Ahhhh!"

He heard Bai Ling's muffled scream again, more desperately this time. The mean-looking man stabbed Bai Ling once again in her right shoulder. He knew exactly what he was doing and took care not to allow the knife to penetrate too deeply. His job was to use Bai Ling as leverage to get Xiao Luo to bow to their demands. She would be useless to them if she was dead.

Although it was a superficial wound, Bai Ling was still in very much pain, and almost lost her consciousness. She was soaked in blood, and her clothes were stained a bright red.

"You little rotten pr*ck, you must be f*cking deaf. I'm telling you to stand still, but you are still moving around. Do I need to repeat myself again?" Long Sankui sneered wickedly.

All Xiao Luo wanted to do was to cut that man up into seven or eight pieces, but seeing Bai Ling in such a state, he finally gave in to Long Sankui's demands.

"Okay, as you wish, then!"

He lowered the nine-ringed sword, pointing it to the ground. But, his intention was not to surrender; he was merely waiting for an opportunity to make his move.

Hei Lang grinned with malice and stabbed hard into Xiao Luo's left shoulder. There was a squelchy sound as the blade plunged into his flesh, and blood began to ooze from the wound. Xiao Luo's eyebrows knitted in pain.

"Didn't you say that I could not hurt you anymore? Then what is this now, huh?"

Hei Lang was laughing in a sinister way, half in arrogance and the other in a dull pain from his left arm. "Relax, I won't kill you. Your life will be taken by the Dragon Lord. I will merely torture you slowly!"

Both his eyes widened excitedly with bloodlust. His mind had descended into a dark madness.

Xiao Luo's mouth curled up into a half-smile, and he gazed right at Hei Lang, showing no emotion whatsoever.

The look enraged Hei Lang even more. His face suddenly turned even darker. He tried to pull the dagger out from Xiao Luo's shoulder to continue stabbing him a few more times, but the blade would not budge! No matter how hard he pulled, he was unable to extract it.

"What are you doing?" Hei Lang growled loudly.

"Fool, it has grown into my flesh."

Xiao Luo had used his mighty internal power to hold the dagger in. Hei Lang, having lost an arm, had bled out a lot, but he would not have been able to pull it out even under normal circumstances.

Xiao Luo's mockery was not lost on Hei Lang. Yet, try as he might, he could not dislodge the blade despite countless attempts. In anger and frustration, he kicked Xiao Luo's abdomen repeatedly.

Xiao Luo's shifted internal power toward his abdomen, and when Hei Lang's right foot slammed into it, it was repelled with great force, like an exploding grenade. Hei Lang howled in pain as his right foot was thrown back violently. The bone on his right leg was broken in several places, and he lay shaking on the floor, screaming in pain.

"Damn it you little b*stard, do you really want her to die?" Long Sankui roared, as he pointed at Bai Ling.

"F*ck your mother, did I f*cking move?"

No matter how calm Xiao Luo's temperament was, he couldn't help but swear when he became furious. But whenever he cursed, he always had on an impassive expression, and seldom gave others the impression that he was cursing.

Long Sankui was taken aback for a moment, then laughed, "Alright, alright, alright. I have wronged you!"

Long Sankui glanced at one of his elite guards. The man then strode towards Xiao Luo, brimming with animosity and his intentions crystal clear.

"Hiiyah!"

The man, clad in black, yelled aggressively and rushed in. With the long knife in his hand, he slashed across Xiao Luo's back.

SLASH!

A gaping wound opened up on Xiao Luo's back. Blood spilled, and a sudden pain shot up to his brain. Xiao Luo's body trembled, and as he tried to hold his composure, a painful grunt escaped from his throat.

"Hmm, hmmph... hmmph"

Bai Ling was desperately trying to say something to Xiao Luo, but her gag prevented any words. She had just wanted to find Mie and did not expect to be the cause of Xiao Luo's predicament. How did things progress to this instead?

"Die!"

Another slash and another wound gouged into Xiao Luo's body. Blood flowed from the injuries, and Xiao Luo's clothes were soaked red.

"Yaaaa~."

Another elite guard now took his turn. He stabbed Xiao Luo in the back, careful not to kill him. Just as Hei Lang had said, Xiao Luo's life should be taken by Long Sankui, so the blow avoided all the vital spots.

"Arrgh~."

Xiao Luo groaned. His face had become pale, and he coughed painfully. Xiao Luo was bleeding badly and losing blood, staggering, he kneeled on the ground.

"NO!"

Bai Ling's muffled cry was in vain, and no one would help Xiao Luo. Her heart was bleeding out for him as she shed tears uncontrollably.

"Why was it like this?"

"Xiao Luo, hurry up and fight back!"

So many thoughts were running through Bai Ling's mind. The trauma to both body and spirit was too much to bear; she finally succumbed, falling to the floor unconscious.

Believing the threat was over, the man left Bai Ling lying on the floor and did not pay her any more attention. She would not be needed any longer as leverage against Xiao Luo. He wouldn't be able to resist after what he had just been through.

Long Sankui could not hide his joy. He gave no attention to Bai Ling, and looking at Xiao Luo, he sneered, "Little rotten pr*ck, look at you now. Just like a dead dog, killing you would be easier than killing an ant. Why do you still bother putting up a fight?"

"Sorry, I have to let you down!"

Xiao Luo raised his head, and a devilish grin flashed across his face.

His internal energy exploded, and the dagger sticking out of his left shoulder was released. Grabbing it quickly, he threw it at the man standing next to Bai Ling.

Whoosh~

The dagger flew at an incredible pace in a straight trajectory and thumped into his head. The knife lodged in his forehead, and the man slumped to the ground. He did not even make a sound.

Chapter 238

Xiao Luo smiled viciously. His body sun round and a mighty luster shone from the tip of his nine-ringed knife. He slashed at the rainy scene and air around him. The dozen or so black dressed man who were originally surrounding him began to scream and fell to the ground. Their bodies were almost cut into two, and bright red bloodied water flooded the surface of the ground.

"Hahaha..."

The gruesome and cruel laughter exploded from the tip of his tongue. Xiao Luo was like a supernatural being as he rushed forth with his nine-ringed knife. The remaining thirty or forty men in black were like a group of lambs waiting to be slaughtered. All they could see was the knife flashing in front of them before their chests or necks were cut open. Fresh blood surged through the air and the pungent smell of blood rushed to their nose.

In an instance, all the people dressed in black were no longer standing.

In the yard of the villa, there were corpses everywhere. The water on the ground had already turned blood red and with the raindrops hitting the ground, the surface began to form blood bubbles. It was like a pool of boiling blood.

Xiao Luo was covered in blood. He stood motionless in the field with his nine-ringed knife. His eyes were crimson red, like fresh blood, like the eyes of a devil. It was spooky and chilled you right down to your bones. This was the effect of the Yijin Jing technique at its maximum. It instantly improved your power and made you invincible for a short period of time.

Long Sankui watched till he began to tremble slightly. He didn't expect that Xiao Luo who was seriously injured would still have such strong fighting power. He was like a wild beast, and his entire aura was filled with vicious murderous intent that people dreaded.

At that moment, Xiao Luo rushed forward through the pool of blood towards Hei Lang. He raised his knife and with a "pew~" sound, he cut off half of Hei Lang's head. The blood was red, the brain plasma was white. It all splattered on the floor. He kicked Hei Lang's body a few meters away and pointed his blood-stained nine-ringed knife directly at Long Sankui.

His voice was hoarse but it was filled with an overwhelmingly murderous intent.

"Damn it, come at me."

At that point, Long Sankui didn't care about Bai Ling who had fainted. His pride as the head of the Dragon Gang made him answer the call to fight. His body exploded with his internal force and the falling rainwater was pushed away from him. The old-fashioned Shanghai Tang suit shattered inches by inches and finally turned into small countless pieces that fell. [TN: like he flexing so it ripped apart] Finally it revealed a black sleeves top and exposed his arms. A dragon tattoo on both arms could be seen.

With a loud exploding roar, Xiao Luo who had a murderous aura burst into shape. He took ten rapid steps forward and stomped onto the floor, leaping wildly into the air.

Like a humming eagle, like the descent of the god of Killing!

The nine-ringed knife accompanied with the thunderous thunder fell down like God's punishment. The murderous air swept through the sky and it was like the world was eclipsed. 𝘭𝑖𝑏𝘳ℯ𝑎𝑑.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"Little rotten boy!"

Long Sankui's face was cracking and the roar rolled out from his throat. He raised his knife to parry.

"Clang~"

The metals made a resonating sound. The fearsome force resonated around them.

The surface where Long Sankui was standing suddenly collapsed. The gravel split and a terrible power was transmitted onto the ground. The accumulated water now split and flowed around the surroundings.

With such a hard force hitting, Xiao Luo didn't rebound. The second stab, the third stab, continued to follow one after the other.

"Clang clang clang~"

The slashing was ferocious. It was so quick it looked like countless sword shadows. The nine-ringed knife and the Qing Long Yanyue Sword [TN: this is Green Dragon Crescent Moon Blade? I can't find it in glossary] battled it out fiercely. Sparks were flying and a heavy murderous aura filled the air.

In the short amount of time, the two of them had made hundreds of move and put in their best. Lord Sankui's strength was rather tyrannical and he stiffly restrained against Xiao Luo's violent attacks, slashing at the sky.

"Peng~"

The ground was cut into a huge pit. There were countless stones rolling and flying around. The force from the knife broke through the heavy rain with momentum. The accumulated water formed a curved arc on the ground. He rushed fiercely towards Xiao Luo.

Xiao Luo returned with a crosscut. The crescent-like sword swept parallel to the ground and collided with the vertical curved arc.

"Peng~"

The two forces shuddered. The raindrops in the sky instantly dispersed into a mist. The invisible impact fell heavily onto Long Sankui and Xiao Luo and both of them took two to three steps back.

"Pipa~"

The lightning continued streaking in the sky. God was like a slut that had not been moistened for a long time, had suddenly got a man and was venting hard [TN: this is literally what it says lmao sorry].

2The rainwater fell without stopping. The wind was howling. The entire Jiangcheng was drenched.

Xiao Luo and Long Sankui stood five to six meters apart. They were like a fat and thin two-headed beast who were starting at each other with bloodthirsty eyes. In the fierce fight just now, Long Sankui had taken a knife to his chest. The shocking [TN: to look at] wound was constantly spilling blood.

"Little rotten boy, I want your life!"

Long Sankui's anger had been kindled. His anger burst from his head. He rushed towards Xiao Luo like a wild bison. His hand wielded the Qing Long Yanyue Sword and it swept with frightening power, cutting at Xiao Luo.

Xiao Luo's face was unexpectedly fierce as he burnt with the same anger. He violently swung his nine-ringed knife and accurately intercepted.

"Clang~"

The two weapons collided fiercely with their owner's power. The violent sound was like a piercing large bell. The unmatched power swept through the environment like a storm.

Qing Long Yanyue flew out heavily and hit the ground heavily. The water splashed up several meters high and was flicked away like a wave.

The nine-ringed knife also left Xiao Luo's hands and spun, flying far away. The tip of the knife finally lodged itself straight into the ground.

After losing their weapons, the two of them fought with their bare hands. Their fists and feet constantly hit each other in a short span of time. Long Sankui was badly battered with a bloodied nose and swollen face. The skin of his face had become lacerated by a punch from Xiao Luo and blood was flowing, while Xiao Luo suffered damages to his body.

Xiao Luo twisted violently forward. His body twirled and both his hands fluttered. With a loud maddening roar, he entangled with Long Sankui like a hurricane and forced him to retreat backwards.

Although Long Sankui was retreating, he did not reveal signs of defeat for the time being. Of course he was shocked that Xiao Luo was not seriously injured and his strength had not been diminished. He would definitely lose, this was a monster that couldn't be surmised with common sense.

Like the hissing sounds of a beast, Long Sankui's retreating body suddenly stopped. His eyes flashed a glance and two big fan-like hands flicked like electricity. He slammed into it and contained Xiao Luo's attack but his entire body exerted force and burst out. It was like the shadows of a claw attacking.

Xiao Luo grabbed the ankle of a corpse from the ground as though it were a bat and moved the corpse to strike Long Sankui fiercely.

"Chi chi chi~"

In a series of infiltrating sounds tearing up flesh and blood, Long Sankui's ten fingers resembled the claws of an eagle and tore the corpse into pieces.

Xiao Luo clenched his right fist and struck through the rain. He hit in to Long Sankui's chest.

"Pew~"

Chapter 239

CRACK!

Xiao Luo's tremendous blow immediately cracked several ribs as it slammed into Long Sankui's flank. The force of the punch sent his body sailing through the air over a distance of seven to eight meters, crashing into his Taishi chair like a cannonball. Blood flowed out of his mouth and nose. The phone that he left on the antique blackwood chair was knocked to the floor.

Long Sankui laid slumped in an awkward position. The impact from Xiao Luo had damaged most of his internal organs. He was coughing up blood, and his face had turned sheet white.

Defeated! Long Sankui had actually been defeated!

But Long Sankui would not accept defeat. He did not single-handedly build an empire just for someone like Xiao Luo to destroy at his whims and fancy. He raised his head with great difficulty and looked out at the yard of his villa. He watched as Xiao Luo picked up his blood-stained, nine-ringed sword and strode across the water-logged ground. In his hand, the nine-ringed sword was thirsting for more blood.

Suddenly, the phone that had fallen on the floor rang. The avatar on the caller ID was a cute little boy, a bright and cheerful boy, wearing a birthday hat with a bit of cream on the tip of his nose.

Long Sankui's grim and vicious expression suddenly changed drastically to show a loving and cheerful countenance. It was as if he was another person. There was no longer any murderous and evil glint in his eyes. His hands trembled now, and he wasn't sure if it was the pain or because he was stirred emotionally. With shaking hands, he eventually managed to swipe it right and connect the call.

"Hello hubby, we have arrived in America. In fact, we just got off the plane. Doudou is really sleepy now, but he insisted that he would only sleep after talking to you," a woman's voice could be heard over the phone.

Long Sankui smiled and said: "Then put my son on the line."

"Doudou, come talk to daddy," the lady handed the phone over to the little boy.

"Daddy!" came the voice of a child.

Long Sankui's smile widened, "Hey, why is my Doudou not sleeping yet? You are not a good boy if you sleep late."

"Daddy, the sun here is very high up. Doudou can't fall asleep."

"Haha, is that so? It's night time here where daddy is, and it's also raining heavily. Cough, cough..."

"Daddy, why are you coughing? Did you catch a cold?"

"Oh no. Don't worry, Doudou, your daddy's Superman. No matter how cold I am, I won't ever freeze, okay?"

"Oh yes, my daddy is Superman!"

"Doudou, you must always be a good boy over there. You must listen to your mother. And you must sleep on time. Next time when you go to school, study hard, so when you are older, you can take care of mummy and daddy, okay?"

"Okay."

As he spoke, Long Sankui's eyes became wet with tears. His tears trickled down the corner of his eyes, and he seemed to have aged a decade.

Xiao Luo stood right in front of him now, holding the nine-ringed sword, as blood-stained rainwater dripped from the edges of his clothing. He was in no hurry.

FLASH!

A bolt of lightning flashed illuminating the night sky, briefly revealing the entire Jiangcheng from its cover of darkness.

In the flash of lightning, Xiao Luo looked like the grim reaper who had come to earth to fulfill his task. The blade of the nine-ringed sword glinted with a cold light.

"Bye, daddy, Doudou will be a good boy and listen to daddy."

"Hubby, don't stay up too late all the time. Remember to rest, okay. Don't you worry, I will take good care of Doudou, concentrate on your business."

"I will, Ming-Hui, I will."

Long Sankui made a long sigh and hung up the phone.

As soon as he hung up the phone, his eyes changed again, and they burned with hatred.

After he coughed up five or six more mouthfuls of blood, his body felt better. He glared fiercely at Xiao Luo, and cursed, "Little rotten Pr*ck, I feel really unwilling to die in your hands. Just what the f*ck are you, HUH?"

He roared the last word out loudly, releasing his deep anguish all at once.

Xiao Luo looked at him with dispassionate eyes. The ominous blade of the nine-ringed sword fell with a decisive stroke.

Whoosh~... plop, plop, plop.

Long Sanku was decapitated with a clean stroke, his head fell and rolled a short distance across the floor. The headless body remained in position, leaning against the overturned Taishi chair, as blood sprayed from its cleaved neck.

WOO-WOO WOOP WOOP WOO-WOO

The wail of police sirens filled the air, and the villa was surrounded by bright red and blue lights. As often is the case, police officers hurried on to the scene after everything was already over.

Xiao Luo's eyes stared blankly at the scene outside. His ears did not hear the sirens, held only heard the sound of the falling rain.

He threw the nine-ringed knife on the ground and walked up to the unconscious Bai Ling. He untied her, removed the gag in her mouth, and picked her up, then slowly walked out of the villa.

His impetuous heart had suddenly calmed, he was unable to explain the feeling, but it felt like everything had suddenly quietened, and a heavy burden was lifted.

The rain had drenched Xiao Luo's black hair and washed away the bloodstains on his body, but he was still bleeding from his severe wounds.

"Ding, Warning. The host body is in trauma, insufficient points to start the healing ability, please get the host to self-heal immediately."

In his mind, the system notification had prompted a critical warning. Its digitized voice was ever monotonous and without emotion.

Xiao Luo didn't hear it and continued out of the door carrying Bai Ling, his face without expression. 𝓵𝒊𝓫𝙧𝙚𝒂𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝒎

A row of police cars was lined up, their lights flashing intermittently outside the entrance of the mansion. Fifty to sixty police officers were spread out in front of him, training their guns at him, and the special forces officers in black uniforms quickly surrounded him.

Gu Qianlin, who led the team, held a megaphone in her hand and prepared to give orders. Then Xiao Luo spoke.

He looked directly at Gu Qianlin with defiance, and said: "Officer Gu, can you call an ambulance before arresting me?"

As soon as he spoke, he fell to the ground with Bai Ling in his arms and lost consciousness.

The blood flowed from both their body and slowly darkened the soaked ground around them.

"Quick, get them to the hospital!" Gu Qianlin ordered urgently.

An officer of the same rank, Ye Wensong, led another team into the villa. When they saw the scene in the yard, everyone was stunned, rooted where they stood and in absolute shock.

They held their breaths; before them, they could only see the Asura field [1] strewn with the remains of corpses, in heaps of flesh and blood. They were in disbelief and only hoped that what they saw was an illusion. They did not dare to imagine what had happened here.

Broken arms and legs, scattered entrails, headless bodies, and severed heads...

The heavy rains could not wash away the blood from the ground or the reek of blood from the air.

" Hwekk!"

Several experienced police officers immediately vomited when they walked into the villa.

Gu Qianlin, who came in later, looked at the scene with equal shock. She shook her head and only said: "That... devil!"

To turn a villa into an Asura field, if he was not the devil, then what was he. This was a horrific scene, she swore that she would make Xiao Luo pay during the trial.

Chapter 240

The massacre by Xiao Luo at Long Sankui's villa shocked all the police officers who were at the scene. These were experienced police officers who had handled many cases and had seen their fair share of bloody crime scenes. But none of those could match the blood and gore of the slaughter they had just witnessed here. It was like hell on earth.

Chong Shange and Chu Yunxiong sat together, looking at the storm raging outside and pondered on the fate of one man. Their faces revealed complex emotions that could hardly be expressed in words. They had already found out that Xiao Luo had killed Long Sankui and over 200 of his men in just in a single night, and that he had also been caught by the police. No matter how they looked at it, they couldn't ignore the crime.

"Ahh, Little Luo, why didn't you control yourself?"

Chu Yunxiong sighed and mumbled to himself. In fact, in recent times, he had been paying close attention to Xiao Luo's actions. He had known about Xiao Luo breaking up the vice rings, the fights, and the anti-narcotics campaigns. He had monitored Xiao Luo's every step, and sometimes he even found himself applauding the intrepid hero.

The Dragon Gang was already slowly heading towards destruction, so why, at this very last moment, did Xiao Luo have to go directly to the villa to wipe them out? Sooner or later, evidence of Long Sankui's crimes was bound to surface. And then given enough time with his identity as a police officer, Xiao Luo could arrest Long Sankui. Wouldn't that have been perfect?

Chu Yunxiong's heart was filled with a sense of regret, and how the whole affair had turned out was something he found difficult to reconcile with. Although he had a strong influence on authorities in Jiangcheng, he was just a businessman at the end of the day. The law was an imposing mountain in front of Xiao Luo, which he failed to negotiate. And once he had committed murder, even if he were the emperor, he would still be subjected to the same trials as his fellow citizens.

However, he was still committed to putting in as much effort as he could. He promptly took out his mobile phone and dialed Ge Zhongtian's lawyer, requesting that he started preparing immediately and do his absolute best to defend Xiao Luo in court.

...

At the police headquarters, several unexpected guests dropped into Fan Changlong's office.

A middle-aged man had visited, accompanied by two tall and well-limbed men.

All three men were well-dressed, looking smart and dapper in their sleek suits. They carried themselves well, with a confident and dignified air. The middle-aged man's hair was all white, but it did not seem to have affected his rigor and spirit. He stood upright, holding his walking stick directly in front of him and looked directly at the chief with a slight smile.

"Old Captain?!"

When he saw the middle-aged man, Fan Changlong was pleasantly surprised and immediately put down whatever he was doing. He hurriedly stood up to welcome him.

The middle-aged man smiled slightly: "Changlong, I haven't seen you for a long time. I hope my sudden visit here won't be interrupting your work?"

"No, what are you saying? From the bottom of my heart, I can't express how glad I am that Old Captain has come to visit me. Please, take a seat."

Fan Changlong's face was brimming with joy. He cordially invited the middle-aged man to take a seat on the sofa in the office, then turned to pour tea. But, at the same time, he was a little puzzled. The old captain now headed the state secret service, NSA, in Xiahai City. Why was he here, and what's more, why was he here in the middle of the night? Was it related to Xiao Luo?

"Changlong, I came here to bail out a particular person," the middle-aged man said, straight to the point. He gave a respectful smile.

Upon hearing this, Fan Changlong almost stumbled and spilled the cup of tea he had just poured for the captain.

He came over with the cup of tea and asked with a smile: "Captain, who do you want to bail out?"

"Xiao Luo!"

The middle-aged man said the name clearly.

Fan Changlong was taken aback, and a host of questions immediately ran through his mind. So the old captain had really come for Xiao Luo. And since when did Xiao Luo have a relationship with the NSA? Why was he so important that even the old captain had come all the way here in person to bail him out.

"Old Captain, this..."

"I know this will put you in a challenging position, but I have to bail out Xiao Luo no matter what he did or what crimes he has committed. He must remain safe. As for why he should be bailed out, this is an NSA secret and confidential matter," the middle-aged man said calmly. He still had a smile on his face.

Fan Changlong was dumbfounded. This was the first time he saw his old captain being this insistent and persevering.

"Old Captain, I know that the NSA is higher up the order than the police force, but Xiao Luo is a criminal who killed more than two hundred people in one night. At the crime scene, it looked like a river entirely of flowing blood..."

The middle-aged man waved and interrupted, "But what he killed were the social tumors, am I right?"

"Yes, but..."

"When I left that year, I also instructed you to bring Long Sankui to justice and eradicate the forces of the Dragon Gang. I did mention that, right?" the middle-aged man interrupted mercilessly again.

Fan Changlong bowed his head, feeling the pressure. He could only reply with a single word: "Yes."

"Then, after so many years that have passed, why hasn't Long Sankui been apprehended yet? What's more, he was allowed to establish an underworld empire. Are you to avoid taking responsibility for this?" The smile of the middle-aged man had long since disappeared, and his face now carried a stern expression. It was looking like the elders reprimanding the juniors for committing mistakes.

Fan Changlong's forehead began to sweat. He realized that the old leader was threatening him. The NSA had the power to sanction corrupt officials, both internally and externally. If they decided to investigate whether he was in cahoots with the underworld gangs and if he was involved in their dealings, then his career would end right then and there.

The middle-aged man leaned back, and further elaborated on his point, "What you didn't manage to do, Xiao Luo has done for you. Although the methods were a little brutal, everything he did has accomplished more good than harm."

His methods were only a "little" brutal?

Was this really only a little brutal?

Fan Changlong wanted to refute his argument, but this man was his former captain, so he had to choose his words carefully.

"Old Captain, it is a fact that Xiao Luo has committed murder. Furthermore, he is probably the 'Mr. X' we have always been looking for."

The middle-aged man looked directly into Fan Changlong's eyes, and said with a tinge of disappointment, "Probably? When did you stop being particular about evidence?"

Fan Changlong stood his ground and sternly said, "As long as he in custody and interrogated, we will surely get the truth out of him."

The middle-aged man smiled mockingly and responded, "Now that I have left, I have no authority to give you orders anymore. That's true, there's no reason for you to listen to me now."

Fan Changlong's mind was shaken, and he stood up straight, "Old Captain, I can't bear what you just said to me. In my heart, I have always regarded you with respect and admiration. I also see you as my mentor. However, this problem with Xiao Luo is not a simple matter. It's more than two hundred lives. No matter what, he cannot escape the law."

"Then I'll have to ask you, what is the purpose of having a law system?"

"To maintain social relations and public order, to support the country's stability and sustain long-term development," Fan Changlong answered.

The middle-aged man nodded, "Since you know that the fundamental purpose of the law is to support the stability of the country and its sustainable long-term development, then I'll tell you now that the existence of Xiao Luo is to enable to the country to remain stable and sustainable for our long-term development. If you put him in jail or let the court sentence him to death, I can tell you that our country will soon become turbulent, and a devastating catastrophe will soon befall us!"

"What?!"

Fan Changlong broke out in a cold sweat. He thought to himself, "What is it about Xiao Luo that makes him this important to the country?"

Knock, knock, knock.

Just at that moment, someone was at the door.

The team leaders Gu Qianlin and Ye Wensong walked in.

"Dad?!"

Seeing the middle-aged man, Gu Qianlin's eyes widened in disbelief.

Chapter 241

The middle-aged man was the highest-ranking NSA commander in NSA—Gu Zhanguo. He was also Gu Qianlin's father.

Fan Changlong quietly let out a sigh of relief. He was in no position to argue with this senior leader. Now that Gu Qianlin was back, Gu Qianlin was able to speak to Gu Zhanguo and the leader of the Interpol Brigade. It was much safer.

"Qianlin!"

Gu Zhanguo immediately put down the cup of tea and got up from the sofa.

Gu Qianlin walked over and asked, "Dad, what are you doing here?"

"There are some things that I might need Changlong's help with."

Gu Zhanguo smiled and said, "Take a look at yourself. You're always so busy with work that you've exhausted yourself so much and lost so much weight. Your mom and I aren't in Jiangcheng, so you've got to learn to take better care of yourself. I'm going to be very upset if you exhaust yourself so much that you fall sick."

"It's really not as serious as you're making it out to be," Gu Qianlin replied.

Gu Zhanguo let out a hardy laugh and said, "There's no need for a girl to work this hard. It's about time you start thinking about your future. Oh right, are you seeing anybody right now? Your mom and I can't wait to have a grandson, so you better put in a little more effort."

Gu Qianlin's face turned red with embarrassment. She hastily replied, "Father, we can talk about this sort of stuff when I'm back..."

It did not feel good or seem appropriate to have her father question her about her personal life in front of her leader.

Ye Wensong, who had a crush on her and was constantly chasing after Gu Qianlin, couldn't help but straighten his body and look straight ahead in an attempt to make himself look tougher. He was hoping that Gu Zhanguo would suddenly pay attention to him.

In the end, Gu Zhanguo didn't even look his way. He changed the subject and said, "Alright, I know you can't rush things like this. It's all dependent on fate. What about that girl Qianxue? She hasn't caused you any trouble lately has she?"

"No, she's pretty alright. Dad, let's talk about family matters like this later. I have some work-related matters that I have to report to Leader Fan."

Gu Qianlin immediately stopped him and walked forward. She reported to Fan Changlong, "Leader Fan, Xiao Luo is severely injured. They are taking him to the hospital now to save him. We've done a thorough check on the identity of the girl who was with him. She's a student currently enrolled at Huaye University. Her name is Bai Ling. According to our preliminary assumptions, she is most probably someone Long Sankui captured in order to threaten Xiao Luo.

On top of that, according to the investigations that we have conducted recently, Xiao Luo used to conceal his identity. He attended Huaye while pretending to be a student in order to protect Chu Yunxiong's daughter, Chu Yue. The target of the Red Scorpion Mercenary Corps was Chu Yue, so we can basically confirm that the secret guy who murdered the 17 members of the Red Scorpion Mercenary Corps at Wild Boar Ridge that day was Xiao Luo."

Fan Changlong glanced at Gu Zhanguo and noticed a change in his facial expression. He nodded his head and said, "What about the guy who helped the police deal with Black Gun and Hei Qiang at the pier on Sept. 12? He made use of us to wipe out Guo Jianghu and his gang. Can we confirm his identity as well?"

"According to the statement provided to us by one of Guo Jianghu's men, because he injured his leg, he couldn't take part in the operation on the night of Sept. 12. However, what he knew was the reason why Guo Jianghu went there. He wanted to take care of the five people who were disrespectful toward the Dragon Gang. Through an investigation of the city's foreign population, we managed to quickly identify those five people. They are Feng Wuhen, Feng Wubao, Feng Sangui, Feng Banjin, and Feng Butong. They were originally from the Feng Village, which is one of the villages in the Guang Province. They weren't familiar with the place and didn't know anyone when they came to Jiangcheng, so they accidentally came into conflict with the Dragon Gang." 𝒍𝒊𝒃𝓻𝒆𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝙤𝒎

Since this was one of the cases that he was in charge of, Ye Wensong continued on with the report. "Right now these five people are on 24-hour duty and are constantly protecting Xiao Luo's younger sister, Xiao Ruyi. Their loyalty toward Xiao Luo is very obvious. On the night of Sept. 12, Guo Jianghu brought a bunch of people to find trouble with them and forced them into an abandoned warehouse.

That was a situation in which they were sure to die, but they somehow managed to escape death. It was all because a mysterious man appeared that the situation was able to be turned around. Looking at all the available evidence, it is without a doubt that the mysterious man was Xiao Luo. Otherwise, it is impossible to explain this level of loyalty they have toward Xiao Luo."

"So, what's the point of what you're trying to say?" Fan Changlong asked, coughing a little.

"Xiao Luo is the Mr. X that we've been looking for all this while!"

Gu Qianlin and Ye Wensong responded in unison. They had been busy lately with all sorts of things and were focused on finding evidence of Xiao Luo being Mr. X. It was fortunate that their hard work was slowly paying off. They could confirm that Xiao Luo was indeed Mr. X. All they had to do now was wait for Xiao Luo to regain consciousness so that they could question him.

Fan Changlong bit the bullet and said to Gu Zhanguo, "Old Captain, you heard it all. Xiao Luo is an extremely dangerous terrorist. If we continue to let him roam freely, we don't know when he might cause serious injury to many people. This is a beast that could harm anyone at any given moment."

After hearing that, Gu Qianlin immediately understood the reason her father had come. She turned around, looked at Gu Zhanguo, and asked, "Dad, did you come here because of Xiao Luo?"

She couldn't believe that Xiao Luo had caught her father's attention. On top of that, it even made her father personally attend to the matter.

Gu Zhanguo didn't deny it. Instead, he admitted to it without hiding anything. "That's right. I want to protect him!"

"You want to protect him? You want to protect a cold-blooded murderer?" Gu Qianlin was shocked.

"It's not that I want to protect him, but this country owes it to him," Gu Zhanguo seriously said. "Without him, not long from now, our country is going to face a serious crisis. He is quietly and secretly protecting this country. He is protecting its 13 billion citizens. No matter what he's done, he can be forgiven."

Fan Changlong was puzzled by what he heard, but Gu Zhanguo was not the type to say frightening things like that for no reason. Xiao Luo must have made a major contribution for the country. Otherwise, it was impossible for NSA's No. 1 superior to personally mention that he wanted to protect him.

"Old Captain, just what did Xiao Luo do?"

"I've told you before that it is a secret," Gu Zhanguo firmly said.

Despite her emotions being slightly unstable, Gu Qianlin said, "Dad, work is work, and whatever happened in the past happened in the past. Right now, we can't just combine these things together and talk about it. We have to look at them separately. Xiao Luo turned a blind eye and completely ignored the existence of the law. He killed people according to his own will. Just tonight he killed 213 people. There were corpses all over the crime scene. The amount of blood could easily form a river. If we don't bring someone like him to justice, then we are not worthy of donning the police uniform we are wearing right now."

"The law doesn't concern itself with human emotion. I'm sure all of you know why Xiao Luo killed so many people. He wouldn't kill the innocent, and he is not a dangerous terrorist. Otherwise, he wouldn't have let a company that was about to go bankrupt grow so quickly in such a short period of time to beat his opponent and become one of Jiangcheng's most thriving companies."

Gu Zhanguo seriously responded, "Besides, speaking of the Red Scorpion Mercenary Corps, since he was Chu Yue's bodyguard, what was wrong with protecting Chu Yue's safety? He had no choice but to kill them when facing those Mercenary Corps with fully loaded guns. Surely he couldn't possibly have reasoned with them. How could he have convinced them with words alone? Also, the 'Nine One Two' incident you guys are talking about...

Don't you know what those Dragon Gang lackeys are capable of? After saving someone from them, they were bound to take revenge on Xiao Luo's loved ones. In order to protect his loved ones from getting injured, Xiao Luo had no choice but to kill them all. The cruelty toward his opponents was just to protect the people beside him. If you ask me, I think Xiao Luo is an affectionate and loyal person."

Since he had come all the way from the head office to protect someone, Gu Zhangmo made sure he had done all his homework. Even if it was his daughter, he wouldn't give in if there was a difference in principles.

Chapter 242

"No matter how much you say it, the fact that Xiao Luo killed people will never change. What is the point of having laws if a murderous villain can run wild and go unpunished without having to be tried in court? Why are we as police officers even still needed?"

"The country comes first, and then its people. The law follows that. If the state does not exist, even the basic lives of people cannot be protected. If that happens, for what purpose does the law exist?"

"That's absurd, Dad. I think you are getting more and more muddle-headed!"

"I'm not becoming muddle-headed. I'm seeing things much deeper and more thoroughly. There are many things police officers cannot handle. This world is a lot more complex than you can imagine. The reason that peace and prosperity can be enjoyed is because so many people have had to make sacrifices to silently protect this country without any medals or honor. Even their names are a blank. However, their contribution is enormous and cannot be erased."

"Are you going to tell me that Xiao Luo is such a person?"

"That's right. He is exactly such a person. To all of you he may be a criminal who violated the law, but for the country and the entire Chinese race, he deserves the worthiest of praises."

Just talking about Xiao Luo made Gu Zhanguo and Gu Qianlin get into a heated argument. By now, their faces and ears had both turned red. Neither of them was willing to back down and come to a compromise regarding this subject.

In an attempt to mediate the argument, Fan Changlong coughed and gently said, "Old Captain and Team Leader Gu, please calm down. Don't destroy the feelings between father and daughter because of an outsider!"

"Fan Changlong, stop pushing the problem around!"

Gu Zhanguo was riled up and had become hot-tempered. "As the highest-ranking official in the NSA, I will use my position to bail out Xiao Luo. Whoever dares to touch him will be treated and handled as treasonous."

Sigh...

Fan Changlong took a deep, cold breath. This old captain was becoming more serious. The NSA was under the central government's jurisdiction. Even members of the provincial departments and party committees had no authority to interfere with the NSA's actions, not to mention Fan Changlong as the director of the municipal bureau.

"Do we, the NSA, need to discuss when we take action?" Gu Zhanguo shouted, getting his point across with a bright and authoritative voice.

The two NSA members in suits responded unanimously, "There is no need!"

Gu Zhanguo stubbornly glanced at Fan Changlong and Gu Qianlin. He let out a light harrumph before leaving with his hands behind his back. Through his dominating attitude, he had brought the point that Xiao Luo belonged to the NSA and whoever dared to touch him would suffer across to Fan Changlong, as well as Gu Qianlin.

"The old captain is so hot-tempered. I didn't say I was going to decline. Sigh..."

Fan Changlong spoke with a bitter smile. He had not been planning to give up until all hope was lost and the old captain was forced to make use of his position as commander of the NSA. It was hard to say whether this incident had offended the old captain. In the end, he had to let Xiao Luo go.

"My dad is muddle-headed! Xiao Luo has to be prosecuted under the law!"

Gu Qianlin was not planning to give in so willingly. Going back to the scene of the underground parking lot, she had seen Xiao Luo brutally kill He Ruanliang with her own eyes that. The scene often appeared in her dreams and had become a thorn in her heart. If Xiao Luo wasn't brought to justice, she would never be able to get over that incident. Furthermore, punishing crime with justice was the right thing to do, so what was wrong?

"We are unable to interfere any further," Fan Changlong said after a long sigh.

Gu Qianlin anxiously asked, "Why can't we?"

"The old captain's next step will be to make Xiao Luo a member of the NSA," Fan Changlong said. "As the old leader just said, there is no reason for the NSA to discuss their actions with us. Similarly, NSA members are not what we police officers can manage."

"How can my dad do this?" Gu Qianlin asked while gritting her teeth. "This is as good as covering for criminals. I must appeal, even if it means bringing the incident up to Hua Jing. I must stop him from making a mistake."

"Calm down. No department has the authority to interfere with the NSA's actions."

Fan Changlong patted Gu Qianlin's shoulders and hoped she would calm down. "The old leader is very dominating and determined to bail out and protect Xiao Luo. Presumably, Xiao Luo must have another unknown identity that is related to national security. In the eyes of the old captain, national security is more important than the sky, so we must make concessions." 𝘭𝒾𝒷𝓇𝘦𝑎𝑑.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Gu Qianlin was shocked to her core. She started to feel that the world was becoming unfamiliar. Ever since she became a police officer, she had been fighting crime. Her principles were that any violation of the law must be pursued. The truth she had believed in was collapsing, and she was not willing to accept that.

"I'm not giving in. By what means can Xiao Luo, who committed murder without any impunity, get off scot-free? What is the justice that I have been insisting on all this time? If national security is greater than the sky, does that mean that in the face of national security even murder can be pardoned? In the end, am I feeling prejudiced or have the values of this world been distorted?"

She was shouting so loudly at Fan Changlong that her eyes were red. Meeting with her father was supposed to be a happy occasion, but her father had instantly destroyed the perspective that she had built growing up. If a murderer could be pardoned, what else was there that could not be pardoned?

"Qianlin, don't be like this," Ye Wenson said. "We are still representatives of justice. It's just that the NSA belongs to the department of national security and we do not have jurisdiction over them."

Fan Changlong helplessly sighed. His heart was not able to calm down for two days after letting go of a brutal, murderous guy.

...

Xiao Luo didn't know how long he had been in a coma. When he woke up, he found himself in a hospital bed. The sunlight shone through the window, which was particularly dazzling.

After his eyes cleared, he saw a middle-aged man with white hair sitting on the stool next to him. He was holding a fruit knife and peeling apples.

"You're awake," Gu Zhanguo said with a smile.

"You are?"

Xiao Luo was sure that he did not know or recognize this middle-aged man.

"Gu Zhanguo, the highest commander of the National Security Administration, NSA."

Gu Zhanguo introduced himself in a dignified and poised manner. He smiled and asked, "What about you? Do I call you Mie, or your name, Xiao Luo?"

When he heard him casually mention the name Mie, Xiao Luo's eyes slightly widened. He connected it back to the time when he contacted Bai Ling. He somehow figured out what was going on. Bai Ling had cracked his IP address and had always been secretly watched by the NSA people, which was how they were able to locate him.

Things were really quite simple, but he could not believe that Bailing was actually Bai Ling.

Bailing... Bai Ling... He should have made the association earlier.

"Director Gu, do you need something from me?" Xiao Luo asked.

"Yes!"

Gu Zhanguo handed the peeled apple to Xiao Luo and smiled before saying, "I came to Jiangcheng to bail you out!"

"Bail me out?" Xiao Luo asked with surprise.

"That's right, I'm here to bail you out," Gu Zhang said, affirming what he had already said.

"I killed people," Xiao Luo reminded him with a playful look. "I killed a lot of people,"

"I know, but you are Mie!"

Gu Zhanguo's tone became ominous as he said, "The country needs Bailing, and the country needs you too. With the protection of you and Bailing, only then can the people of China enjoy peace and prosperity."

Chapter 243

Xiao Luo was flattered. Even he didn't know when he had become such an important figure.

"You don't need to be too surprised," Gu Zhanguo seriously said. "I didn't say anything too surprising. It was you and Bai Ling who blocked the aggression of the foreign hostile forces. It was a long-planned war. Once we lose the fight, our country's network will be encroached upon and chaos will reign. That will be followed with social riots, horrific terrors, and a loss of control with no order at all, eventually shaking the very foundation of this country."

Xiao Luo glanced at the apple that he had been handed. He took it and said, "Isn't what you're saying too serious?" 𝘭𝑖𝑏𝘳ℯ𝑎𝑑.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"Serious?"

Gu Zhanguo shook his head. "When everyone's bank account has been emptied, traffic lights are randomly changed, and all the satellites in space get disconnected, the whole country will fall into chaos and panic. It will involve too many things at once. No one country could withstand such chaos, especially our motherland, which is undergoing a rapid development."

Xiao Luo did not speak. Instead, he took a bite of the apple and slowly chewed.

As far as he was concerned, all he had done was block a hacker-initiated war. He never thought of defending the motherland because the implication of the word "defend" was too heavy and brought with it too much responsibility. In his heart, those bloody sacrifices and brave revolutionary martyrs were the only ones deserving of that word. What was he? He was just an ordinary person who accidentally got ahold of a high-tech system.

"Actually, we have been noticing you for a while now."

After speaking, Gu Zhanguo clapping twice. The door of the ward was pushed open. A man and a woman walked in.

Xiao Luo was taken aback when he saw the two people. They were none other than An Huanhuan and Song Jianan from Huaye. They were wearing their NSA professional suits, which game them an aura of capability and unspeakable coldness.

"Hero Luo, long time no see."

An Huanhuan greeted Xiao Luo with a smile. Compared with her previous school uniform, she looked even more beautiful wearing the suit. She was like a rose blooming steadily in the night.

Song Jianan did not speak. He merely looked at Xiao Luo with a friendly smile on his face.

Gu Zhanguo said, "These are my soldiers from the NSA. The purpose of their disguise in Huaye was to observe whether Bailing was actually Bai Ling from Huaye. During that period, they were disguised in the form of lovers until you appeared." He momentarily caught his breath before continuing, "The strength you demonstrated attracted their attention. In order to test your true strength, Song Jianan gathered all the members of Huaye's mixed martial arts club against you. At that time you did not use all of your strength."

Xiao Luo smiled but did not speak. He continued to chew on the apple. He had not expected that he was under a state agency's observation. The identities of An Huanhuan and Song Jianan, in particular, were unexpected. No one would have suspected the truth.

Gu Zhanguo looked at him. He smiled and said, "After you left school, you took over a company that was close to bankruptcy. Within two months, it was brought back to life. You were then deeply rooted in Jiangcheng's fight with the Dragon Gang like a tumor and finally put an end to the reign of the secret society. Your capability made me very sure. That was when I knew you were Mie. I am so excited that I can't describe it with proper words. Do you know that you are a genius? You are a genius without an equal!"

A genius without an equal?

He wasn't sure why but whenever Xiao Luo heard these four words, he couldn't help but want to laugh. He quickly ate the remainder of the apple and threw the core into the trash can next to him. With a playful and perky tone, he said, "You speak so highly of me, building my ego up like this, so I'm guessing you want me to join the NSA, right?"

"Of course. I need a talent like you in the NSA."

Gu Zhanguo spoke with a wide smile. He didn't even try to deny his intentions. He looked at Xiao Luo with a relaxed expression. It was like he had settled on getting Xiao Luo.

"I don't want to be bound by all these rules and regulations," Xiao Luo calmly said. "What I want is freedom, not shackles."

Gu Zhanguo shook his head and sincerely said, "There is no such thing as absolute freedom in this world. When a person is born, one must abide by the laws of this world. Otherwise, all that's waiting for a person is destruction."

That statement resonated with Xiao Luo and made him think.

What is freedom? Is it freedom to live in the present, continue working, and live repetitively day by day?

"You killed people, which is an indisputable fact," Gu Zhanguo said, throwing out a heavy topic. "When you go to court, the presiding judge will sentence you to death for intentional homicide. You still have family members and friends. Do you want them to bear the fact that you will leave forever?"

Visions immediately entered Xiao Luo's mind. He saw his father, mother, grandfather, and grandmother. It was almost New Year, and they were all waiting for him to come back.

"As long as you become a member of my NSA team, that will not happen to you," Gu Zhanguo said. "You will still be a law-abiding citizen and the owner of Luo's Workshop. There will not be any stain on your personal records. Everything you did in Jiangcheng will be considered as nothing but you performing your tasks."

From those words, Xiao Luo was able to deduce the position of the NSA. If even him, a criminal who killed and was captured by police officers on the spot could be saved, then their authority was sure to override the police system.

"Do you still need to consider it?" Gu Zhanguo asked.

Xiao Luo snorted lightly and asked, "Do I even have a choice?"

Gu Zhanguo laughed loudly and said, "It's an honor to serve the country. You should not feel like you've done any wrong."

He laughed, which made Xiao Luo do the same.

"By the way, I just want to ask, what is your relationship with Gu Qianlin? The two of you have similar vibes, and your surnames are Gu..."

"I am her father."

Gu Zhanguo raised an eyebrow and jokingly asked, "Do you have a crush on her? Should I be a matchmaker and introduce the two of you?"

"If it's her, forget it, but I could consider your younger daughter," Xiao Luo said, chuckling lightly.

"Oh? Really? I guess I'll have to call her and see what she thinks about it."

Gu Zhanguo immediately took out his mobile phone and dialed Gu Qianxue's phone. Xiao Luo looked on in disbelief as he asked, "Darling Qianxue, Xiao Luo asked me if you would like to be his girlfriend."

What?! #￥%...

Xiao Luo opened his eyes widely and cursed non-stop. He didn't expect the old man to ask that on the spot, especially in such a straightforward manner. He had just been kidding.

This was the first time An Huanhuan and Song Jianan saw Xiao Luo lose his cool. Neither of them could help but start laughing.

The content of the call between Gu Zhanguo and Gu Qianxue was also very interesting.

"Xiao Luo and I are already friends."

"No, no, no. I am asking if you would like to be his partner."

"I don't understand."

"Let me rephrase and ask again. If he touched you, would you be angry?"

Gu Zhanguo knew that his younger daughter was like a little girl who was not well adjusted to the world, so he made the question straightforward and easier to understand.

Xiao Luo's expression turned into one of fright. He was beginning to wonder if this old man was really the highest in command in the NSA or if he was just an old gangster.

"I wouldn't!"

Gu Qianxue immediately replied. She was thinking of Xiao Luo patting her forehead, which she would not be angry about.

"OK, I got it."

Gu Zhanguo hung up the phone and looked at Xiao Luo with an unexplainable strange expression.

Chapter 244

Since Xiao Luo accepted his offer, Gu Zhanguo left completely satisfied.

Xiao Luo didn't have any other choice. In the meantime, he was amazed by his fate. Who would have thought that the one time Xiao Luo accidentally offered a helping hand it would attract the NSA's attention and make their highest commander act as his shield? It felt like a surreal mix of fact and fiction. He couldn't help but sigh with wonder at how life was like a drama.

"Hero Luo, we'll be coworkers from now on."

An Huanhuan sat down next to Xiao Luo's hospital bed joyfully and picked up the pear on the nightstand to eat without feeling even a little bit of awkwardness.

Song Jianan still didn't speak. He didn't know what to say. As a Level C soldier, he had been defeated by Xiao Luo with ease. He felt like he was always a tiny bit inferior to Xiao Luo.

"Should I thank you?"

Xiao Luo looked at her dispassionately. He had mixed feelings. On one hand, he was not delighted for being under people's secret surveillance. On the other hand, he might have been finished this time if not for An Huanhuan. He had to pay the price for his killings.

"You're welcome, Hero Luo. By the way, you don't need to feel pressured. It's quite easy to work for the NSA, especially for a special soldier like you. You can still live like an ordinary person. Even if we have operations for you, we will notify you in advance so you can have enough time to be prepared."

An Huanhuan grinned playfully and moved closer to Xiao Luo's ear. She whispered, "Also, I was not joking when we were at Huaye University. You really are my type!"

"But you're not my type." Xiao Luo smiled.

He wouldn't have felt so repulsed if An Huanhuan was just a student. Nonetheless, An Huanhuan's real identity was a member of the NSA, which meant that many seemingly coincidental incidents that happened at Huaye University were actually designed and planned by her. It made him feel icky.

"That's alright. It's enough that you're my type. He-he..."

An Huanhuan laughed in a simple-minded manner and kept the atmosphere from turning awkward.

"Can you leave for now?" Xiao Luo asked. "I want to have some peace and quiet."

"Ok. Have a good rest."

An Huanhuan clearly felt Xiao Luo's hostility. She decided not to stay in the ward and walked out with Song Jianan.

Xiao Luo closed his eyes and slowly digested the fact that he had become a member of the NSA while circulating his inner force. He had to gracefully accept it since he had no other choice. Perhaps it wasn't going to be something so terrible.

...

Five days later, Xiao Luo had mostly recovered. The power of the King of Mercenaries Constitution was adequately embodied.

Gu Qianxue took Xiao Ruyi to visit him. Naturally, how he had carried the knife and went to Long Sankui's villa to wipe out the enemy was not exposed. Gu Zhanguo had already mobilized his connections and covered it up. No one, except for the police officers who were on call that night, knew about the matter.

Xiao Luo took off the hospital gown and put on his own clothes. He walked into the next ward. Bai Ling didn't have a healing ability as good as his. She was still weak and pale, even though she had already woken up.

Xiao Luo learned from Gu Zhanguo that Bai Ling wouldn't be recruited by the NSA anytime soon. After all, she was still a college student. She would make her choice after she graduated.

Bai Ling's eyes turned red the moment she saw Xiao Luo. She hurried to apologize to him. "Xiao Luo, I'm sorry..."

Xiao Luo would not have been so severely injured if not for her. She had put him in this situation.

Xiao Luo sat down on her bed and shook his head. He said with a smile, "You don't need to feel sorry for anything. On the contrary, I need to thank you. Thank you for cracking my IP address. Otherwise, I would have been put into prison by now."

He knew that Gu Zhanguo only protected him because he was Mie.

"Are you really Mie?"

Bai Ling still felt it was all unreal and dreamlike.

Xiao Luo nodded and said, "You probably wouldn't believe me even if I said no." He looked at her in admiration. "You're pretty good. I never thought you would be able to break through my firewall."

"Any firewall can be breached as long as you carefully identify the pattern of the construction of the codes. You may be Mie, but the most basic elements for building a firewall are still one and zero." Bai Ling was quite pleased with her answer.

"That means you're a real genius when it comes to computers." Xiao Luo genuinely praised her.

After sitting in her ward and chatting about some insignificant topics, Xiao Luo got up and said goodbye.

Out of the blue, Bai Ling shouted at Xiao Luo's back. "Xiao Luo, do you really not want to come back to Huaye University for a visit?"

Xiao Luo stopped in front of the door.

"Zhu Xiaofei, Ding Kai, and all the other people are concerned about you and hope to see you again, especially Young Mistress Chu," Bai Ling said. "I can tell that she fell in love with you. Even though she never admitted it, she has been talking about you nonstop since you left."

Xiao Luo turned around and shook his head as he said, "I already told you, we live in two different worlds and only shortly shared some overlaps by coincidence. People from different worlds staying together will only hurt one or maybe even both sides. You're a perfect example, aren't you?"

Bai Ling's heart trembled. She recalled the nightmare that happened in Long Sankui's villa. It was such an awful and terrifying experience that she would probably never be able to forget it her whole life.

Xiao Luo didn't speak anymore. He opened the door and walked out.

...

The NSA had a bureau in Jiangcheng. After Xiao Luo's body was fully recovered, Gu Zhanguo took him to the bureau's evaluation and assessment department to put in his information.

Gu Zhanguo introduced the basic structure of the NSA to Xiao Luo. "NSA soldiers are divided into S, A, B, C, and D five levels. S level is the highest, and D is the lowest. The people you're seeing now are all Level D soldiers." 𝑙𝒾𝒷𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Xiao Luo swept his eyes around the room and saw the staff wearing black uniforms.

"The two people standing behind me are Level B soldiers," Gu Zhanguo said while folding his hands behind his back. "The higher the level, the fewer soldiers we have. The entire NSA only has two Level S soldiers."

"Do they have terrifying power?" Xiao Luo asked.

Gu Zhanguo replied, "Exceptionally terrifying. I will introduce you to them if the chance presents itself."

While talking, they walked to a delicate machine. It looked very much like an MRI machine only much bigger. There were about half a dozen smaller computers mounted on top of it. The whole set was spotless like some alien technology in a sci-fi movie.

"This is the equipment for determining level. We will soon know which soldier level you belong to after you lay on it."

"It's not dangerous, is it?" Xiao Luo asked with some concern.

"Don't worry," Gu Zhanguo said with a smile. "It's very safe. Every new member who joins the NSA needs to be evaluated. This is what I need to fill in your file."

Xiao Luo climbed on it and laid down. He was still suspicious. Some people from the NSA strapped him on the bed before pushing the buttons on the machine and switching it on. Xiao Luo was slowly pushed into a hollow cylinder. He laid flat inside. The blindingly bright lights around him made it impossible to open his eyes.

Chapter 245

The web of green lights slowly scanned Xiao Luo from head to toe. A virtual image of the structure of Xiao Luo's body soon appeared on the monitor connected to the device.

Gu Zhanguo stared intensely at the screen. He valued Xiao Luo so much not only because the latter was Destroy, but also because of Xiao Luo's capabilities. Long Sankui's capabilities were a grade B. Someone who was able to kill Long Sankui definitely had capabilities higher than grade B. In fact, he might even be a grade S warrior, which had a one in 100,000 chance of showing up.

If Xiao Luo was a grade S warrior, he could become the sharpest knife in the country.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The device used to determine which grade a warrior belonged to suddenly made a piercing, beeping alarm. Garbled text appeared on the monitor of the computer, which had initially been normal.

"What's going on?"

Gu Zhanguo hurriedly asked the NSA engineer in charge of the grading device.

The engineer immediately started tapping on the keyboard with both of his hands and said rather puzzledly, "It's weird, the device cannot determine his grade as a warrior!"

"What do you mean?" Gu Zhanguo shouted.

The engineer was confused as well and said with a frown, "As long as the party tested is a living thing, this device of ours can determine its grade as a warrior. For some reason, the device cannot determine that of this man..."

Gu Zhanguo interrupted him. "Undeterminable? Are you telling me that the man lying over there is not human or cannot even be considered a living thing?"

The engineer was very panicked. After such an anomalous incident happened in front of the supreme commander of the NSA, he would probably lose his job. "Maybe... Maybe an error has occurred in the device..."

"Fool, what good are you if you can't even maintain a device properly?"

Gu Zhanguo was enraged. He couldn't wait to find out which grade of a warrior Xiao Luo was. In the end, he was told that the device had encountered an error. It immediately triggered his bad temper.

All the staff members were so scared that they trembled. The engineer lowered his head. He was so nervous that cold sweat was cascading down his body.

The beeping alarm of the device sounded more and more hurried. It was as if a bomb was ticking down and going to explode at any time.

Gu Zhanguo was shocked and roared loudly, "Get him out of it, hurry!"

If an accident happened to Xiao Luo there, he would directly go mad.

The engineer immediately entered the command for the device to open up the cabin, but a red light had already lit up on the device. The alarm was deafening. Cold sweat cascaded down the engineer's body as he discovered that the device gave no reaction after he entered the command.

The two grade B warriors behind Gu Zhanguo rushed over like a rapid gust of wind and pulled Xiao Luo out of the cylindrical device manually. As they brought Xiao Luo out of the sealed glass room where the device was located, the device exploded with a boom like a bomb.

"Xiao Luo, are you alright?" Gu Zhanguo asked with concern.

Xiao Luo pushed away the two grade B warriors supporting him by the arm. He turned back and looked at the exploded device and said with a somewhat blaming tone, "Chief Gu, didn't you say that it was very safe?"

Gu Zhanguo was embarrassed and dryly laughed twice. With a dark expression, he roared at the engineer responsible for the device, "Come, you answer this question!"

The engineer was so scared that he trembled and directly sat on the floor.

Xiao Luo gave a wave of his hand. "Never mind. It is normal for devices to malfunction. I have worked in a factory before, so I know that all too well." 𝒍𝒊𝒃𝒓𝙚𝙖𝙙.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Actually, he was more or less feeling guilty. The device for determining the grade of a warrior seemed to be able to detect the presence of the system. While he was inside, he felt very uncomfortable. It was as if his soul had been sucked out of his body.

"It seems that we can only go to the headquarters to carry out the test," Gu Zhanguo said to Xiao Luo with a smile. "Rest assured, the device there definitely won't have such a problem."

"I am already traumatized."

Xiao Luo immediately rejected him and said, pausing between each word, "I will get mad at whoever brings up this grading device from now on!"

Gu Zhanguo could only lightly laugh. At the same time, he glared at the engineer.

...

Xiao Luo was recorded into the files of NSA and formally became a member of the bureau. A ring was added to his finger.

The ring seemed ordinary like it was just something off-the-rack that one could buy for 0 by the roadside. After being processed by the NSA's technical department, it became a tiny tracker created just for Xiao Luo. It was a privilege given to Xiao Luo by Gu Zhanguo. Trackers were normally directly implanted into some part of the body for other NSA members.

Next, Gu Zhanguo would pair him up with a liaison office, which would be the bridge of communication between him and the NSA.

Xiao Luo didn't mind it. He realized that joining the NSA was still quite good. At least, it didn't require him to clock in and out every day like other jobs. It was more like freelancing or a side job more or less. His main duty was to heavily damage foreign enemy forces when they were trying to open up the gates to the internet of the country and stop them from entering the country.

After leaving the branch of the NSA, Xiao Luo took a cab to the Guangming District police station.

The enforcement operation that night had been conducted by the headquarters without informing the district station, but word had gotten out. The cops at the district station felt fear and respect toward Xiao Luo. Of course, he didn't mind it. The Dragon Gang had been destroyed, so it was time for him to take off his police uniform.

The chief, Hou Zhijie, didn't say anything.

Wang Yongjia wanted to say something but held his tongue. After Xiao Luo submitted a letter of resignation, Wang Yongjia told him to take care.

"Head!"

Wang Lihu and Ye Qiu, who had already been discharged, approached him. They didn't say much. All their feelings were contained within that shout.

Xiao Luo patted them on the shoulders and said, "Keep it up. All the best to you."

As he spoke, he walked out of the district police station.

At the door, he ran into Liu Tieguo.

Liu Tieguo was wearing a well-ironed police uniform and a police cap. He had a righteous aura about him. Gu Qianlin and Ye Wensong were with him.

Xiao Luo walked over and said to Liu Tieguo with a smile, "Brother Guo, it seems that my guess was right. You really are more than 22 years old."

"I'm 34."

Liu Tieguo smiled back. He was Old K. As a member of the special forces, this was the task that had put him in the most conflict.

He originally thought that Xiao Luo was an incredibly evil man. After being in contact with him, he got to actually know Xiao Luo for who he was. Xiao Luo targeted the Dragon Gang because of a girl who had been harmed by the gang. He was a decisive and resolute man. To his enemies, Xiao Luo was vicious. To his friends and family, Xiao Luo was always enthusiastic.

If Liu Tieguo had to comment on Xiao Luo, he would have said that Xiao Luo was a paradox of good and evil.

"Actually, Liu Tieguo is not my real name. My real name is..."

"Brother Guo, as a member of the special forces, it isn't a wise thing to reveal your real name."

Xiao Luo lifted a hand and interrupted him. He didn't want to know Liu Tieguo's real name. He would always know the man as Liu Tieguo.

Liu Tieguo didn't continue and nodded in agreement. "You are right."

Xiao Luo fixed his gaze on Gu Qianlin. "Officer Gu, surely you aren't still thinking of arresting me?"

Gu Qianlin gritted her teeth. "If you break the law again, I will definitely arrest you."

"Alright, then keep waiting."

Xiao Luo asked, "Oh yeah, where's that girl? I'm leaving, so aren't you going to let me see her one last time?"

"I warn you, you better stay away from my younger sister!" Gu Qianlin shouted. "Being close to you will only affect her ability to distinguish good from evil!"

Xiao Luo smiled. He didn't want to say anything more.

Chapter 246

It wasn't long before Zhang Dashan arrived in a cab. Xiao Luo bid farewell to Liu Tieguo, Wang Lihu, and Ye Qiu, and then hopped into the cab.

"Hey, Old Xiao, let's go and buy a car now. Damn, we already have more than one billion dollars' worth of assets, yet we don't even have a car. If word gets out, the other bosses in Jiangcheng will be laughing at us."

Zhang Dashan didn't wait to start bleating about the vehicle issue, which had long been on his mind. He was aware that Xiao Luo had been focused on destroying the Dragon Gang all this while, and that was the reason why he had not been pushing Xiao Luo to buy a luxury car. But, considering that his white Corolla was now a pile of scrap, thanks to Xiao Luo, it made every sense for him to invest in another car. In his mind, perhaps something worth several million dollars at least.

As Xiao Luo listened on, he couldn't help noticing that Zhang Dashan's skin had gotten much fairer, and his fashion sense had taken a turn for the better. The only thing that had remained the same was his familiar big, fat face. Xiao Luo chuckled to himself. With that prominent face, he could immediately spot Zhang Dashan even among a crowd of 10 million people.

"Okay, then let's go to the car dealer."

"Hehe, hehe... Old Xiao, you are a decisive, clear-minded man!"

Zhang Dashan couldn't stifle an excited giggle as he patted Xiao Luo's shoulder, then immediately said to the cab driver, "Sir, can you take us to the car dealer. And yeah, it must be a dealer that trades in luxury cars."

"Alright, no problem!"

The cab driver acknowledged him promptly. But, in heart, he spat and thought, "You two damn posers! If you all really had more than a billion dollars, why would you need to take a cab, huh?"

Outwardly, he remained a model of professional behavior; he was responsive to his passengers and kept his eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

"Oh yeah, so how is the company doing? No major issues, I hope?" Xiao Luo asked about Luo's Workshop.

Zhang Dashan, confident as always, casually chimed, "Old Xiao, with me overseeing it, what issues could there be? Besides, in addition to me, there's also Li Zimeng, Luo Qi, Lin Chongdong... they all are competent too. Aiyah, don't worry, the operation of the company is just fine." Then his tone hardened, and he added, "It's just that Xu Guansong. That c*nt is just irritating!"

"Why, what's wrong with him?" Xiao Luo raised an eyebrow.

"What else?! He's still unconvinced about my appointment and feels that he is the most qualified to be in charge while you are away. Now, he has created cliques and factions in the company, and he's bent on isolating me. Goddamn, that mother*cker!" Just speaking of Xu Guansong made Zhang Dashan vent his pent-up anger.

"Does he not know that I was the one who appointed you?"

"How is that possible that he doesn't? The entire company knows that I am the person that you have appointed for the company to take charge of."

The more he talked about it, the more worked up Zhang Dashan got. He seethed as he recounted a recent incident, "During the last company meeting, we had key decisions to make, and my opinion differed from Xu Guansong's, so I argued with him. Do you know what he said to me in the end, he said that I am part of your boys' club and only got the job because of you. He even said that I would be nothing without you. He really p*issed me off so much that I wanted to hit him. Anyway, so what if I have you as my brother, I am proud of having such brothers. Who the f*ck does he think he is, and what right does he have to criticize me?"

Xiao Luo was not an overly protective person by nature, but he felt agitated when he heard that Zhang Dashan had been bullied. He knew very well that if Xu Guansong hadn't crossed the line, Zhang Dashan would never have complained to him, otherwise.

Furthermore, he was the owner of Luo's Workshop, and it was his prerogative to entrust it to the person he trusted the most while he was away. The fact that the business was still thriving during this period was sufficient to prove Zhang Dashan's capabilities. While there was some truth to the claim that Zhang Dashan was part of his clique, this was mainly because of Zhang Dashan's abilities, which could clearly be seen.

"I'll go back to the company and have a word with him!"

"Brother, I was just waiting for you to say so. As a temporary employee, I have no right to reprimand him at all, but not for you, as the rightful boss of the company. That Xu Guansong definitely won't dare to stir too much trouble in your presence." Zhang Dashan laughed mischievously.

Xiao Luo sighed as he turned to look out of the window.

It was one month to the new year, and the festive mood was getting into full swing. All along the road, red-colored decorations of all designs and sizes had been put out. At the train station, many outstation workers were waiting in a long queue. Evidently, they were all queuing to buy train tickets to go home.

"Old Xiao, why didn't you ask about Sister Huang?" Zhang Dashan suddenly said.

Huang Ruoran?!

Xiao Luo turned and asked back, "Why would I ask about her?" Then he asked again, "Didn't you properly send her on her way the last time?"

"F*ck, are you doubting my abilities? Of course, I sent her on her way. But Sister Huang is gorgeous, definitely my cup of tea, and more importantly, she's still in university. If I can... with her... Hehehe... Wahhh, see, my d*ck is stirring with deep passion just thinking of her!"

A longing, but somewhat perverse, look formed in Zhang Dashan's dreamy eyes. "Thanks to you, brother, I've already gotten her contact number. Rest assured, she won't get anywhere near you. Whenever she comes over to find you, it will be a chance for her and me to get to know each other. I believe that as long as I am patient and determined, this delicate flower will one day belong to me."

"Then you should work hard and make it work. You can date Huang Ruoran for two years and wait until she graduates then marry her."

Xiao Luo had no objections. Although he was still single, he didn't wish the same for Zhang Dashan. Of course, Xiao Luo wasn't really interested in students, preferring someone more mature. And among the adults, other than Sun Yu, only Gu Qianxue had caused a stir in his heart. But he found her a little too innocent, and besides, she was also the daughter of Gu Zhanguo and the younger sister of Gu Qianlin. These complications prevented him from pursuing a serious relationship with her, and it would be best to keep a distance.

"Wait, your *ss. Two years is too long, I can't wait. If I manage to be in a relationship with Sister Huang, I'll try to get her pregnant quickly. After all, since when did the law prohibit university students from getting married? As long as they are above the legal age, it's okay. "Zhang Dashan said.

"..." Xiao Luo was left speechless. 𝓁𝑖𝒷𝑟𝘦𝒶𝑑.𝒸𝘰𝘮

After about half an hour, they arrived at the largest car dealership of Jiangcheng.

"F*ck, there really is no limit to your boasting, is there. What one billion dollars' worth of assets, why settle for a university student? If you're so capable, you can get any beauty you want, even go to heaven and become a god. What nonsense!"

Eavesdropping on the conversation Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan were having along the way, the cab driver had gotten riled up. He despised such braggarts, always thinking they were so much better than he. When he had dropped them off at the destination, he spat viciously at them after they walked away, before driving away in a dour mood.

...

Zhang Dashan had long been eyeing a particular car model, the Range Rover SV Autobiography, Long Wheelbase variant. It was sold for almost 1.8 million dollars, including tax and some other fees, bringing up the total cost to some two million dollars.

"Gentlemen, are you two looking to buy a car?"

A salesperson walked over.

Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan looked at her and instantly recognized her. What a coincidence.

The lady was none other than Fang Shulan, the daughter of Fang Changlei, the former boss of Taste Buds.

Fang Shulan wore a business suit that accentuated her slender, well-limbed figure. After Taste Buds had been declared bankrupt and Fang Changlei sent to jail, she had become less arrogant and looked plainer.

When she set eyes on Xiao Luo, she was momentarily stunned, then her shock turned to anger. She had a deep hatred for him because of what her father, Fang Changlei, had gone through. Her father had also told her that Xiao Luo, the boss of Luo's Workshop, was the cause of his demise. All she knew was that her father went bankrupt and got imprisoned because of this man.

"Xiao Luo, you are a cruel man. I am the one who offended you, so target me if you must, why did you target my father?" Fang Shulan demanded. Losing control of her emotions, she revealed her true colors.

Chapter 247

"Your father is in jail because he deserves it, it has nothing to do with me."

Xiao Luo answered her calmly. Fang Changlei's imprisonment had nothing to do with him. And insisting that it did, would be like saying that Fang Changlei failed in his attempt to frame Xiao Luo. The present demise of Fang Changlei and taste buds was his own undoing. It was he who perpetuated unfair competition and committed commercial espionage. He even spent money to bribe reporters and doctors to damage the reputation of Luo's Workshop. All of Fang Changlei's crimes could be likened to the "silkworm producing silk, and at the end bound by the cocoon it had spun."

"Pretty lady, don't simply accuse people, surely you can't fault us for defending ourselves when your father was the one trying to harm us. There's no such rule in the world, so you really can't blame us for what happened to your father." Zhang Dashan spoke up and nodded, in total agreement with himself.

"Shut up, you are birds of a feather, of course, you would take his side."

Fang Shulan shouted angrily, her glowering stare still fixed on Xiao Luo. She said to him viciously, "Xiao Luo, one day, I will take down your Luo's Workshop and take back everything that belonged to my father!"

"Alright, I'll be waiting."

Xiao Luo smiled slightly, he had no wish to argue with the woman, as an argument between them was, at the end of the day, entirely pointless.

A senior salesperson walked over hurried, looking sternly to Fang Shulan, and in a voice of reprimand, she said, "Shulan, how many times have I reminded you to serve your customers with a smile? How can you not remember my words? Please be more attentive and enthusiastic in your attitude toward customers, make them feel the sincerity of our service. If I ever see you speaking to your customers this way again, you don't have to come to work anymore."

She was obviously Fang Shulan's superior, and Fang Shulan quickly lowered her head and apologized with a slight bow. "I'm sorry, manager, I will definitely give it my best in the future"

"Alright, I will take care of these customers, you may take your leave now and pull yourself together. If you continue to serve customers this way, how will our outlet get any business done?"

The sales manager did not hear what Fang Shulan had said earlier, but she had been working in sales for almost a decade. She only needed to take one look at a salesperson's body language to know if they were providing service genuinely or not, and she was very dissatisfied with Fang Shulan's performance.

Fang Shulan had a reputation for being rude to her customers. Similar incidents had happened several times before. Once Fang Shulan had even argued with a customer and brazenly told him to go elsewhere to buy a cheap, locally-manufactured car if he couldn't afford it, and not loiter at an exclusive Land Rover sales outlet. Was this something a salesperson was supposed to say?

Fang Shulan left, thoroughly embarrassed.

"Gentlemen, I'm so sorry, she is new here, I hope that her poor attitude hasn't offended you in any way." With a warm smile, the sales manager said to Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan.

"No, not at all. We are good," Zhang Dashan said, chuckling.

The sales manager smiled sweetly and pitched her sale, "Are there any particular models you would like to look at? We have the complete range of vehicles, and various models for both the Land Rover and Range Rover are available. If you buy a vehicle from our outlet today, you can even enjoy a 2% discount."

...

Zhang Dashan opted for a Long Wheelbase variant of the Range Rover SV Autobiography. When he informed the manager that he'd make the full payment immediately, the entire outlet of the exclusive Land Rover franchise buzzed in low murmurs. There were several of the younger salesladies that looked visibly stunned, with the word 'tycoon' clearly registered in their wide-open eyes. The vehicle cost a whopping two million dollars, so how rich would one have to be to pay in cash?

The sales manager didn't expect to have such prodigal big spenders to walk into her outlet today. It was an unexpected and welcome surprise.

"Old Xiao, aren't you going to buy one too?" Zhang Dashan asked Xiao Luo.

"For now, no."

Xiao Luo shook his head. He probably would not be in Jiangcheng next year, so it would have to wait until he completed his upcoming plans.

Zhang Dashan made an attempt to coax him, and said, "Damn, it is easier to get girls if you have such a vehicle. Believe it or not, when I drive this SUV out, pretty girls will definitely turn back to look at me more frequently than before."

"Yes, yes, sir, why not you pick one for yourself too. If you purchase two cars in one go, you can enjoy even more promotions." The eyes of the sales manager gleamed with hope and anticipation. The two men in front of her were like the gods of prosperity. If she could sell one more car, she would have a perfect new year celebration to look forward to.

Xiao Luo still didn't consider it. He definitely needed to buy a car, but not at this time.

Meanwhile, Fang Shulan was standing glumly in a corner, not knowing what to feel. Her father's company had gone bankrupt, and family friends and relatives that had so often visited them in the good days suddenly stayed away. Even her lover, Fu Jiawei, had dumped her. Strapped for cash, there was nothing she could do but to quit her studies and start working. Her brother had to also find work in a carwash. Everything had changed, and all of a sudden, she had been thrown from heaven into hell.

She still recalled what Xiao Luo told her at Fu Jiawei's villa that day. He said that every dog would have its day, and maybe, she would be the one having to look up to others when they met the next time.

She didn't give it any thought back then, convinced that Xiao Luo was ridiculous to say such words, and totally unaware of his social station. But now she realized what a terrifying man he was. It didn't take a couple of decades, but just several months, for her to have to look up to him.

Life... how ironic!

As for now, without financial help from Chu Yue, she probably couldn't even survive.

...

The next day happened to be the first of the month, and Luo's Workshop held their monthly meeting as usual.

All the managers of their stores in Jiangcheng and the senior management members attended the meeting. Besides reviewing the performance of the past month, they also had to discuss the details and goals of the plan for the upcoming month.

As the acting president of Luo's Workshop, the first thing Zhang Dashan said when he called the meeting to order was this: "Xu Guansong, you are fired!"

The people in the conference room were utterly stunned, and there was dead silence for a brief moment. The vice president had been fired, what was going on?

Then the room was suddenly abuzz with murmurs, and everyone started exchanged shocked looks, not knowing what had happened.

Recovering from the shock, Xu Guansong stood up and shouted at Zhang Dashan daringly. "Zhang Dashan, what's wrong with you?"

He raised his voice and even drowned out Zhang Dashan's, with no regard for his superior position.

At the same time, several trusted subordinates that Xu Guansong had nurtured also stood up and joined the fray in support of their mentor.

"President Zhang, surely you can't just fire Vice President Xu without giving us an explanation? Vice President Xu is one of the most senior employees of the company, do you really think you can fire him just like that?" 𝑙𝒾𝒷𝘳𝑒𝑎𝘥.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Do you really think that you are the one in charge of Luo's Workshop and that you can fire whoever you like?"

"In terms of capabilities, Vice President Xu is way above you. Don't you assume unwarranted authority by flaunting your connections and forget who you truly are."

Like Xu Guansong, they had no respect for Zhang Dashan. As far as they were concerned, in the absence of Xiao Luo, Xu Guansong should be leading, with absolute control over all affairs of the company.

Li Zimeng, Luo Qi, and Lin Chongdong were unsure of exactly what was happening and were unable to speak up.

"President Xiao has put me in charge of the entire company, so I represent him. Disrespecting me is equivalent to disrespecting President Xiao. The way I see it, none of you all seem to want to work here anymore," Zhang Dashan said sharply. With Xiao Luo behind him now, he wanted to turn the tables on Xu Guansong and his clique.

Xu Guansong responded arrogantly, "Zhang Dashan, don't use President Xiao to subdue me. My contributions to the company are evident to everyone sitting here. Even if President Xiao were here, he would think twice before firing me, what more a person of your standing."

Back when Xiao Luo had been here, he was never this arrogant, but now he considered himself to have the prime mover of the company, and indispensable. Xu Guansong had no regard for any one of them, especially Zhang Dashan. He believed him to be useless and had only been given the job because of his relationship with Xiao Luo.

Chapter 248

"Think twice? Old Xiao, did you hear that? Vice President Xu here doesn't have any d*mn regard for you." Zhang Dashan called out to his president and couldn't suppress a conceited smile.

As he spoke, the door to the conference room was pushed open, and Xiao Luo walked in his business suit. His smooth, fair, and clean-shaven face had a coldness to it. His features were comely, his angular jaw, poise, and confidence gave off vibes that made others take him seriously.

President Xiao?!

Everyone instinctively stood up upon seeing Xiao Luo, who meant something to each and every one of them. He was a legend and had saved Luo's Workshop, teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and closure, from the jaws of their competitor, Taste Buds.

"It really is the big boss!"

Luo Qi was both shocked and elated. After not seeing Xiao Luo for such a long time, she did indeed miss him quite a bit.

The delight was written all over Li Zimeng's face as well. Xiao Luo was the kind of boss whom subordinates could quickly take a liking to.

"Seems that there is trouble here."

Lin Chongdong was more circumspect, as he discovered that every time Xiao Luo appeared with that expression, someone was bound to pay, and who that unlucky person was this time around, was quite evident.

"President Xiao, when did you... you come back?"

Xu Guansong's expression was troubled, not knowing whether to sit or stand, and he appeared a little tentative.

"I was worried that if I did not return, Vice President Xu, you were going to overstep me."

Xiao Luo glanced at him from the corner of his eyes, then gave a wave of his hand and said, "Sit down, everyone, let's talk."

Everyone sat down immediately, and unlike earlier, they all sat up straight, looking alert and focused. Several people who were dozing off before Xiao Luo stepped in suddenly had no more trouble keeping their eyes open.

Respectfully, Zhang Dashan gave up his seat in the middle and sat on the right of the long table.

"I've been busy over some private affairs recently, and I specifically appointed President Zhang to manage the company for me. When I left, you all also agreed to give your full cooperation to President Zhang. But some people here think that they have done our company great service and are indispensable. They even don't give a d*mn about President Zhang, defying him publicly. Xu Guansong, you've really impressed me."

Xiao Luo was standing and leaning on the table, with both hands on the table supporting his weight. His words sent a chill down the spines of Xu Guansong and his allies.

"President Xiao, Mr. Zhang is not capable of running this business, how can you leave the company in his hands? The company would go out of business sooner or later if this continues." Xu Guansong explained himself.

"He isn't really capable of running this business?"

Xiao Luo laughed coldly. "So tell me. How has the business been lately? Have there been any significant incidents? It seems customers' orders are increasing, and he managed the operations well, yet you are telling me that he isn't competent? Surely you aren't going to claim that he wasn't the one in charge during this period, and the company did well because of you, Xu Guansong?"

"I'm not saying that," said Xu Guansong.

"You didn't, and you dare not, because you did nothing during this period other than to create trouble for President Zhang and embarrassing him," Xiao Luo growled.

"President Xiao, I know Zhang Dashan is your classmate in university and your best friend, but you can't fire me just because I didn't obey his orders. At the very least, I watched Luo's Workshop grow. I was already working here when Fang Changmiao was the boss, and I don't think there's anyone else in the company that has worked for more years than I have.

"If you fire me just for your friend's sake, let me ask you, who in this company would be able to feel secure about their jobs from now on? And if they accidentally offended your friend, you would not hesitate to punish them. Aren't you worried that the company would no longer have any spirit of unity and fall apart by doing so?"

Xu Guansong responded in a way that portrayed that he had the interest of the employees at heart. At this juncture, he couldn't turn back, and his best hope was to plow ahead without fear of Xiao Luo as he had nothing to lose. He needed to be perceived that he had the conviction and courage to argue with Xiao Luo. Doing it in front of all the key employees of the company would strengthen his standing. So what if Xiao Luo was back. He honestly did not believe that Xiao Luo would really dare to fire him.

As he had hoped, on hearing his words, a looks of doubt formed in everyone's eyes. Firing Xu Guansong for only being rude to Zhang Dashan was unreasonable and a disappointing decision. The fear had been seeded in their minds, and it played to Xu Guansong's advantage.

"Are you threatening me?" Xiao Luo glanced at him calmly.

"I dare not, you are the boss of Luo's Workshop, and we are all your subordinates. You can fire whoever you want, I am just reminding you not to disappoint us all. No matter how high a building is, as long as its foundation is unstable, it will collapse," Xu Guansong said so in an impartial manner, playing to the sentiment of the crowd.

His words sounded earnest, from the bottom of his heart, and it touched the souls of the listeners. Even Luo Qi and Li Zimeng felt that Xiao Luo was unreasonable, what more the others.

"Sir, Vice President Xu is loyal to the company and has been hard at work all along. If you fire him just because he had been rude to President Zhang a few times, I would be the first to object."

"Yeah, President Xiao, please do not disappoint us as we are all loyal to the company."

"It's normal to have differing views during company meetings. Vice President Xu only voiced out his opinion, he wasn't deliberately being rude to President Zhang. If this isn't even allowed, who would dare to speak up in meetings the next time?"

"A good decision requires everyone to work as a team and participate in the discussion actively. If there wasn't even freedom for us to voice our thoughts, there would be no need for a meeting at all, and President Zhang might as well just make all the decisions himself."

Xu Guansong's trusted subordinates began to speak up in support of him. They firmly believe that Xiao Luo would relent.

But Xiao Luo just smiled and stared coldly at Xu Guansong, and said, "Xu Guansong, do you really not know why I am firing you?"

Xu Guansong was slightly stunned, and he suddenly sensed something amiss. He coughed a couple of times dryly and forced himself to calm down. It was all or nothing, he spoke with the conviction of one with nothing to hide, "President Xiao, don't mince your words, just say it out loud. A straight foot has no fear of a crooked shoe. I, Xu Guansong, swear on my dignity and have never done anything detrimental to the company!"

"Do you?"

Xiao Luo laughed in derision, then called out fiercely, "Department Head Guo!"

The door to the conference room was pushed open. A lady in office attire walked in, her face pale and uneasy.

Guo Fu, the head of the finance department?! 𝑙𝘪𝒷𝘳𝑒𝘢𝑑.𝒸𝑜𝑚

Only then did everyone realize that Guo Fu wasn't in the conference room when the meeting commenced.

Xu Guansong had also just realized it. His expression changed drastically, and he cast Guo Fu with a meaningful stare as if warning her of something.

"The first thing I did after coming back was to visit the finance department and check the accounts for the period I was gone, and I realized that Department Head Guo had manipulated the financial reports," Xiao Luo said very calmly.

While Xiao Luo was talking, Zhang Dashan turned on the projector in the conference room, promptly clicking on two files and projecting the reports in question on the screen.

Two financial reports were displayed, one interim and the other external. It showed that the contents of the two were identical, except for the final sums of transaction.

"The company pays taxes according to this financial report. Under the item of the total transaction, the external report has an amount of five million dollars less than that of the interim report. However, the tax expense reported to the company by the finance department is about 200,000 dollars more than the actual amount of taxes we are required to pay. This 200,000 dollars didn't enter the government's coffers, nor did it enter the pockets of everyone seated here."

Xiao Luo turned his gaze to Guo Fu and smiled mockingly. "Department Head Guo, tell us, whose pockets did it enter? As long as you tell the truth, I will not pursue your case, given that no significant damage has been done yet."

Chapter 249

The entire conference room fell into a sudden lull, awaiting what the Department Head Guo had to say. These were unit managers holding critical roles in the company and familiar with financial matters. They immediately recognized that someone had siphoned money out of the company. The amount in question was about 200,000 from tax provisions, channeled elsewhere after adjustments were made to the final report's net income. The day the government's tax department found out, and they always do, the company would face severe penalties and even jail terms for its top executives. Tax evasion and fraud were punishable by law.

Guo Fu glanced at Xiao Luo timidly, she really didn't know why she told Xiao Luo everything. She simply felt that a voice in her head was guiding her, making her expose every detail on the accounting fraud. Little did she know that she had been hypnotized by Xiao Luo.

"Department Head Guo, aren't you going to say anything?" Xiao Luo said coldly.

Guo Fu trembled as she spurted out her reveal, "It... it's Vice President Xu, out of the 200,000 plus dollars taken from the tax provision, 150,000 dollars went to Vice President Xu, I only took..."

"How dare you! Shut your mouth!"

Xu Guansong screamed, his eyes turned red with rage, and a vein protruded visibly on his forehead. He glared at Guo Fu and continued ranting, "You are making unfounded accusations! This is defamation, I will sue you for defaming me!" With generous amounts of saliva spraying liberally around him, those seated close to him inconspicuously took cover...

"Xu Guansong, be honest and ask yourself, is she really defaming you?" Xiao Luo said calmly.

Xiao Luo had all along only wanted to use this case as a severe warning to Xu Guansong. But seeing how things had panned out, he was left with no other choice than to put an end to Xu Guansong's career. While Xiao Luo was away, this man had committed a blatant act of malfeasance with the head of the finance department and embezzled money from the company. No boss should have to tolerate such a breach of trust.

Xu Guansong put forth his argument without any hesitation, "This is outright defamation. With no evidence, she could simply claim anyone as the culprit."

Fixing his gaze on Xiao Luo, he said, "I know, all these so-called evidence have all been arranged by you, right? You want to fire me. But if you fire me solely because I have offended your brother, this would only create doubt in our employees' minds and affect the unity of our company. So, you've come up with the perfect excuse, accusing me of committing fraud. This gives you have a good reason to fire me. Xiao Luo, you are really good at these underhanded corporate tricks!'

He even raised an arm in a rally to action, declaring loudly to all the key employees present, "Comrades, please don't be deceived, I am innocent. Xiao Luo is using conspiracy and trickery to force me to leave. I have already worked in this company for nearly 15 years, and I have dedicated the best years of my life here. But in the end, is this the outcome I deserve? Comrades, in your hearts, don't you all feel worried? With such a boss, can you all still perform at your jobs with peace of mind?"

"What Vice President Xu has said is right, this has all the makings of a conspiracy. President Xiao's goal is obvious. He just wants to fire Vice President Xu."

"It is disappointing to see him use such dishonorable tactics against Vice President Xu, one of our longest-serving employees who has been around for ages. He simply isn't treating us like humans, despite us toiling and sacrificing so much for the company."

"I suggest that we all stand together and oppose this overbearing and unreasonable move by President Xiao. As long as we are united, we have safety in numbers, and he can't fire us all. If he does, the company won't be able to continue operating!"

Xu Guansong's followers were vocal, and their attitudes were rebellious and arrogant. They had all been promoted by Xu Guansong and were very loyal to him. Among them were even relatives of Xu Guansong himself, who made up the cliques that gave Xu Guansong their unwavering support in the organization.

BOOM!

Those seated at the table nearly jumped out of their seats in fright. Zhang Dashan was furious and shot up from his chair, slamming both his palms on the table hard. "Big customers will bully shopkeepers, and bad servants would bully their masters. I once thought that these were nothing more than plot in television dramas, so I least expected that I would have the chance to witness it in real life."

"Ahh, a stick is soon found to beat the dog with..."

Xu Guansong said in deep emotion, then dramatically looked to the heavens, resigned to his fate. It appeared as if a righteous person had been wronged... his performance was flawless.

Many of those who heard Xu Guansong's impassioned plea earlier, and the voices of support that came after, were swayed. The seeds of doubt had truly been sowed. Those in the room could not cast aside their anxieties and worries for their own wellbeing. That their president, Xiao Luo, could stoop to such an unethical level of deception just to get his own way, raised questions on their own future in the company.

Li Zimeng, Luo Qi, and Lin Chongdong exchanged glances and chose to remain neutral. Although they were convinced that Xiao Luo wasn't that kind of a person, they found it hard to believe that Xu Guansong would embezzle funds from the company. After all, he had already reached the level of vice president, and besides a high annual salary, he would also receive significant bonuses at the end of each year. Surely he had no need to plunder from the organization.

"Are you done?"

Xiao Luo glanced indifferently at Xu Guansong.

Xu Guansong posed with the demeanor of a man with nothing to hide and held his head high. A guilty man would not act in this way.

Xiao Luo didn't bother with him, and instead turned to look at Guo Fu, and questioned her, "Department Head Guo, I too want to look at the evidence. Since you said that Xu Guansong has taken the money, you must provide proof to convince everyone. Otherwise, they would think that you are only defaming him."

Guo Fu bit her lips and hesitated for a while, then she raised the hand holding on to her handphone. "There are bank transaction records on my phone. According to Vice President Xu's instructions, I transferred the 150,000 dollars into an account in the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. The account holder is a woman named Wang Xueli."

Wang Xueli?!

Who was the woman? How was she related to Xu Guansong?

Everyone exchanged quick glances, and this time, they were puzzled. Was there another twist to the plot?

Xu Guansong's face reddened, but he recovered quickly and confidently said in a clear voice, "I don't know any Wang Xueli or Zhang Xueli," cleverly throwing in a variation of the name for good measure.

"Shirley, that's her English name, don't you always address her that way?" Guo Fu said, and a tinge of jealousy could be detected in her voice.

"I don't know what you're saying. If President Xiao had instructed you to bite me, then you really aren't doing a good job as a b*tch tasked to do the biting!" Xu Guansong snorted.

Bi*tch? 𝙡𝓲𝙗𝒓𝙚𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝒐𝙢

Hearing the use of that derogatory term, Guo Fu gave him a pained smile as she replied coldly, "Xu Guansong, so I'm a b*tch in your eyes?"

Tears streamed down her face, and she was incredibly hurt.

Everyone was shocked. Just what was going on?

It was at that moment that Guo Fu made up her mind. She opened the private storage in her phone and would expose Xu Guansong for what he was. When the contents were presented to everyone, it caused a stir because the folder was full of the photos of Guo Fu and Xu Guansong together, in bed. In every picture, Xu Guansong was asleep in the nude, looking tired, and Guo Fu had her smiling face in the selfie shots.

Xu Guansong was slack-jawed with shock, and his expression was somewhat moronic like a boy caught with his hands in the cookie jar. He had never expected Guo Fu to have taken photos of them after having sex in motel rooms.

"As what you all have seen, I have been maintaining an immoral relationship with Xu Guansong, or to put it another way, I am... the other woman."

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Guo Fu had loved Xu Guansong, but he had heartlessly mistreated her, and now she only felt betrayal and hatred. The deeper the love, the deeper the hatred. She sobbed, and said with as much dignity as she could gather, "I took all these photos secretly after he fell asleep. He would never allow me to take pictures of him. I never planned to use them for any purpose other than as mementos of our happy times together. Maybe you all think that I am shameless, or dumb, but which woman wouldn't after falling in love with a man? Although I knew that this affair would not have a good ending, I was still willing to go with him without hesitation."

Chapter 250

The effect of Guo Fu's confession in the conference room hit like a runaway freight train and just blew everyone's mind. They just sat in dead silence, in confusion, trying to process what had just been revealed. Who would have thought that Guo Fu, the head of the Finance Department, was in a sexual relationship with Xu Guansong? And by the looks of it, they had maintained this relationship for quite a while.

"This is shocking!"

Luo Qi exclaimed, unable to contain her shock.

Zhang Dashan grinned and giving the man a thumbs-up, he chirped, "Xu Guansong, you have a wife and children, yet you are still able to have an affair and keep a mistress. Wah, how 'man' of you!"

Everyone knew that he was sarcastic. The company's key employees who had initially backed Xu Guansong now had only contempt for the vice president. If Xu Guansong was willing to have a secret affair in his workplace, and without his wife knowing, how much could the man be trusted?

Xu Guansong ignored Zhang Dashan's quip, and instead, he pointed at Guo Fu and flew into a rage. He roared, "You wh*re, how much money did you get from Xiao Luo! You are willing to defame me even by ruining your own reputation as a woman? Do you think that I wouldn't dare to send someone after you?"

He was in deep anguish and humiliation and was almost losing his mind. He couldn't stay calm any longer.

Guo Fu couldn't believe the man was still at his devious game, and she retorted icily, "Defame you? Xu Guansong, are you saying that all these photos are fake?"

"Of course they are fake, that man isn't me at all, you must have photoshop'd them." Xu Guansong screamed hysterically, refusing to admit what he had done.

"Photoshop? Fine, our colleagues from the IT department are here, let them look at the photos and see if they have been photoshop'd or not."

Guo Fu tossed her phone to the senior-most computer engineer from IT to check the veracity of the images and whether they had been tampered with using any software. Xu Guansong had reacted rashly as he was in too deep and had nothing to lose. But the woman who had had her heart broken would have none of that.

"I can say with 100% confidence that these photos have not been tampered with."

"Yep, if an image had been photoshop'd, no matter how well it was doctored, it would leave tell-tale signs, such as chromatic aberration."

"The photos had only been altered by the enhancement effects built into the phone, but the people and the background in it are all real, and there is definitely no forgery here."

The IT engineers refuted Xu Guansong's claim that the images had been doctored after closely examining them. They were all employees with Advanced Computing Certificates, and they had the experience and knowledge to determine if the pictures were genuine. Everyone now turned to look at Xu Guansong, some stared stone-faced while others gave fleeting glances of revulsion.

"Xu Guansong, what else do you have to say?"

Xiao Luo looked at him with a mocking smile forming at the corner of his lips.

Keeping a mistress was immoral and unacceptable in their society. Now that his actions had been brought to light, his reputation and the image he had cultivated over the years was gone in an instant. Xu Guansong's expression now turned ugly, he gritted his teeth and glared furiously at Guo Fu. Then his composure returned, he suddenly laughed coldly, and said, "So what if I have an affair with this woman, it was consensual, what does it prove? It just proves that she's a wh*re willing to be f*cked, that's all. What does the matter of embezzlement we are discussing today have to do with me? Nothing!"

Guo Fu's tears streamed down her face, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. This was the man who had always referred to her as his sweetheart and promised to love her forever. Or rather, that she had foolishly been willing to believe it. 𝓁𝑖𝘣𝑟𝘦𝘢𝒹.𝑐ℴ𝘮

"Department Head Guo, can you tell us about this Wang Xueli," Xiao Luo steered the topic back on the right track.

A worried expression formed on Xu Guansong's face, but it soon passed as he didn't think that Guo Fu knew much about Wang Xueli other than her bank details. Even if she did know something, he would challenge them as mere speculation.

"Wang Xueli is his paramour!"

As Guo Fu said so, the entire conference room was abuzz with chatter again. What was going on? Xu Guansong was keeping not only one, but two mistresses? Indeed, this was going overboard!

"Wh*re, what bullsh*t are you saying here. If you dare to sprout more nonsense, I will send someone after you." Xu Guansong was reeling from the revelation, and he glared angrily at her.

"Xu Guansong, shut up for now, can you?" Xiao Luo said tersely, giving him a stare.

"This wh*re is sprouting bullsh*t, she is defaming me, how can I..."

"I told you to shut up!"

Xiao Luo shouted firmly, and this time he emanated a powerful aura, causing everyone in the conference room to sit up.

Xu Guansong felt a shiver run down his spine, and even his soul briefly left him. He broke out in cold sweat, slumped back into his chair, and looked wide-eyed at Xiao Luo in fear.

Having killed so many times, Xiao Luo had long since developed an ominous and intimidating aura. An ordinary person like Xu Guansong could never resist such a force.

"Department Head Guo, please continue," Xiao Luo motioned for Guo Fu to continue speaking.

Guo Fu nodded and swallowed a mouthful of saliva, as she recovered from the shock. She went on to explain, "Xu Guansong doesn't understand how a woman feels. I loved him very much, and I would thoroughly investigate any woman around him. Yes, that Wang Xueli is the paramour of Xu Guansong. To keep her happy, he even bought her a sea-view house at South Lake Bay."

"The purchase of the sea-view house was the exact reason why a small shortfall appeared in Xu Guansong's cash flow. To fill the gap, he convinced me to alter the financial report."

That accounted for it!

Now that the truth had finally been brought to light, everyone openly gave Xu Guansong a look of revulsion and disgust. As if keeping mistresses wasn't enough, he even had the audacity to talk Guo Fu into commit fraud so that he could siphon out money and use it to please his second mistress. This man did not have a soul!

"Then do you have any evidence that Wang Xueli is Xu Guansong's paramour?" Xiao Luo asked Guo Fu.

"Yes."

Guo Fu nodded and pointed at Xu Guansong's handphone, which he had placed on the table. "Wang Xueli's Wechat username is her English name 'Shirley,' and they have been sending many suggestive messages. Even though he deletes the chat history regularly, I believe that our colleagues from the IT department can definitely recover them. Furthermore, Wang Xueli's contact is also saved in his phone contacts, so all we need to do is to call her to find out the truth."

Xiao Luo looked at Xu Guansong and said in a cold, threatening tone, "Xu Guansong, do you still want to continue with the act?"

Xu Guansong's face had turned white as a sheet, and he was trembling. In a state of great distress, he slid from his chair and then knelt on the floor. He covered his face with his hands in humiliation and hung his head low. Sobbing, he admitted to his wrongdoings, struggling with the right words to say, "President Xiao, I-I... am guilty..."

It was a sorry sight, seeing a grown man cry like a child.

Xiao Luo smiled with contempt, then turned his gaze towards Xu Guansong's trusted followers.

They appeared like mice hiding in the dark and suddenly exposed to bright sunlight. They looked self-conscious, panicky, and lost, none daring to look Xiao Luo in the eye.

...

It didn't take long before the police arrived, and they took Xu Guansong away.

As for Guo Fu, Xiao Luo didn't pursue her case as promised, but Luo's Workshop could not retain her as an employee.

All of Xu Guansong's trusted followers were fired that very day. The key employees of Luo's Workshop had once again witnessed just how decisive Xiao Luo could be. As they got back to the meeting agenda, they presented the plans for the next ten years, which conclusively determined the nationwide rollout of their outlets.

The first phase of their expansion plan was Xiahai!

Xiahai was a city located at the border between the southern and northern regions of the country. Its central location made it easy to reach and was favorable to economic growth. The city was prosperous, with excellent infrastructure, and was conducive for business. To develop branches of Luo's Workshop nationwide, it made good commercial sense to build their hub in Xiahai. Interestingly, Xiahai was where the NSA was headquartered, and the city where Xiao Luo's alma mater, Xisheng Aeronautical University, was located. Xiao Luo had lived there for four years and was very familiar with the area.

Chapter 251

"Big Boss, where have you been lately?"

After all the other key employees of the company had left the conference room, Luo Qi quickly got to work. Although she was the head of the creative design department, she dressed like a young girl. When she winked with her beautiful eyes, she looked as lively as a 17- or 18-year-old girl.

"President Xiao went to bathe himself in urine!" Zhang Dashan joked.

Bathe... Bathe in urine?

Luo Qi, Li Zimeng, and Lin Chongdong were all stunned. They knew what a bath was, but bathing in urine? What did that even mean? Thinking of what they seen meant, they were disgusted.

Xiao Luo gave Zhang Dashan a menacing glare. She thought, What the heck is this fella trying to do?

Zhang Dashan awkwardly stuttered a few nonsense words before finally saying, "Not bathing in urine but hitting on a girl [1]. I twisted my tongue just now and mispronounced it."

Ah, hitting on a girl!

Luo Qi and the others were relieved. It was a good thing that Xiao Luo was hitting on a girl. Had he really gone bathing in urine? How pungent would that smell be?

Luo Qi pouted and seemed sad as she said, "Big Boss, why are you hitting on girls? What if I let you hit on me?"

Eh, what is going on? 𝑙𝘪𝒷𝓇𝑒𝑎𝑑.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Lin Chongdong inhaled deeply. The illicit affair between Xu Guansong and Guo Fu had just been exposed. Were President Xiao and Luo Qi also having an illicit affair that was about to be exposed?

"President Xiao, as the boss of the company, everything you do represents the image of the company. I feel that you have taken things too far." Li Zimeng was obviously jealous. After speaking a few words, she turned to leave the conference room.

"Big Boss, you make us so sad, hmmph!"

Luo Qi also left like a little girl in a fit of pique.

Damn, what is happening now?

Lin Chongdong was stunned. Why had the two pretty ladies in the company gotten upset after learning that President Xiao had been hitting on a girl? Could it be a love triangle with Luo Qi and Li Zimeng falling for President Xiao at the same time?

Damn, surely not, right? This is such hot gossip!

He suddenly realized that Xiao Luo was looking at him.

He couldn't help but shiver and awkwardly laugh. "President Xiao, I... I don't know anything..."

Xiao Luo quickly defended himself. "Lin Chongdong, it is not as you think. Nothing is going on between me and them."

Lin Chongdong hurriedly agreed. "Yes, yes, yes. There is definitely nothing between you and them. Rest assured, President Xiao, I will take it to my grave and never spread any word about it. I still have work to do, so please allow me to take my leave."

After speaking, he respectfully left.

Xiao Luo's mood turned gloomy. He wasn't sure what had just happened. What did that he mean by bringing it to his grave and never spreading any word about it? There really was nothing between him, Luo Qi, and Li Zimeng.

"Goddamnit, what is this? How did such a big misunderstanding even come about?"

Zhang Dashan felt that the situation was unfair. He said with a hint of pity, "Old Xiao, I feel that what you have done will soon be known throughout the company."

Xiao Luo looked at him menacingly and thought, Wasn't it exactly because you were spouting nonsense?

"F*ck, why are you looking at me like that? I was just talking nonsense to liven up the atmosphere. What the heck do I have to do with you being misunderstood by Lin Chongdong as having a relationship with the two pretty ladies of the company?" Zhang Dashan defended himself, feeling very wronged.

Looking at his expression, which made him seem as innocent as could be, Xiao Luo wanted to send him flying into a wall with a kick.

...

That night, Xiao Luo bought a table full of liquor and food. He invited Feng Wuhen and the others to have steamboat in his rented apartment.

The air on the top floor was very fresh. A slight breeze blew, but they didn't feel cold since they were eating steamboat and drinking liquor.

Tang Ren and Xiao Ruyi still had to work, so they didn't come. Xiao Luo had asked them to come to his company more than once. Although Tang Ren looked rather dumb, he more or less had his own proudness as a man and insisted on working in the hospital. He liked his job as a doctor.

Xiao Ruyi followed her husband. She was also determined to continue working as a nurse at Tang Ren's side.

Xiao Luo sat on the bench and drank a cup of beer. He lifted his head to look at the night sky. The past few months had seemed very surreal. It was as if he was in a dream. Five months ago, he was just an engineer toiling laboriously in the Huahai Corporation. Now, he was the boss of Luo's Workshop.

Even though Luo's Workshop was nothing when viewed in the context of the entire nation, in the small city of Jiangcheng, it was already among the top 20 companies.

Feng Wuhen suddenly stood up. He held his glass of liquor with both hands and extended them toward Xiao Luo. "Brother Xiao, if not for you, we five would have long since been hacked to death by the members of the Dragon Gang. We wouldn't have been able to find a living in Jiangcheng anyway, so we would have probably starved to death by now. Brother Xiao, you are our benefactor. I, Feng Wuhen, will never forget about the help you have given us!"

The other four also stood up, holding their glasses in both hands. Their expressions were serious, and their gazes respectful.

Finally, the five of them said in unison, "Brother Xiao, we drink to you!"

Xiao Luo stood up and patted Feng Wuhen on the shoulder. "I don't like melodramatic people, so don't act that way with me from now on."

As he spoke, he tilted his head backward and finished his drink in one gulp.

"Yes, Brother Xiao."

Feng Wuhen and the others moved in unison, emptying their glasses in one gulp.

"What the heck! Eat your steamboat. There's no need for overly affectionate words. If you all really want to thank Old Xiao, you all can take on the task of cleaning up after we finish the steamboat."

Zhang Dashan ate a slice of beef and asked, "Oh yeah, why didn't you all manage to buy the beef pizzle I wanted? Didn't I tell you all that you must absolutely buy that?"

"Brother Zhang, we visited a few wet markets but didn't see anyone selling that," Feng Wuhen said with a frown.

"Duh, the supply for such a nutritious thing as beef pizzle far exceeds the demand," Zhang Dashan said. "I will gladly admit defeat if you can buy it without placing an advanced order with the butcher selling beef."

Feng Wuhen didn't say anything. Either way, he hadn't bought it. He continued eating as if nothing had happened. He was totally unconcerned about it.

Little Five rather sheepishly said to Zhang Dashan, "Brother Zhang, it is not called beef pizzle but bull penis."

"Bull penis your head. I just feel like calling it beef pizzle or bull balls. Can you do anything about it?" Zhang Dashan raised his voice.

Everyone was speechless.

Having filled his stomach and drunk enough, Zhang Dashan began scrolling on the friends' circle on his phone and reading entertainment news. After having spent some time in Jiangcheng, Feng Wuhen and the others had also become addicted to their phones. After clearing the table, they happily took out their phones to just like Zhang Dashan.

Zhang Dashan suddenly banged the table and yelled in immense disappointment, "Damn, Su Li, the national goddess, has come to Jiangcheng to host a concert. How did I not know about this!"

"Stop being so jumpy. Are you looking for a beating?"

Xiao Luo gave him an angry look. Zhang Dashan's banging the table had almost caused the teacup he placed at the edge of it to tip over. If it had tipped over, the tea inside would have spilled onto his trousers.

"Beating your ass, come. Just read this piece of news. Goddess Su came to Jiangcheng for a concert in front of 50,000 people on the 30th last month." Zhang Dashan held the phone up for Xiao Luo to see.

Xiao Luo sarcastically asked, "Are you giving up on Huang Ruoran?"

"Of course, I want Sister Huang, but I also want my idol," Zhang Dashan said. "Goddess Su is a real goddess, a celestial being that can only be worshipped from afar with no blasphemy allowed. I've watched all her movies and shows. All the characters she has played are very memorable. Even my mom is one of her super fans. She told me how to pick a significant order according to what Goddess Su is like. Last time, she even asked me to become a crowd actor in the movie Goddess Su was filming simply because she wanted an autograph from Goddess Su."

Chapter 252

Xiao Luo couldn't help but chuckle. He had not expected Zhang Dashan's mother to be a fan of celebrities as well. After all, she was more than 50 years old. Being the fan of an idol was something trendy and young. It rarely happened with people in her age group, right?

Feng Wuhen teasingly said, "Brother Zhang, it seems that your mom is very trendy, hahaha..."

Zhang Dashan clapped his thigh with his hand. "Yeah, ever since I taught her to use a smartphone, she has become addicted to it. She uses it to watch shows, listen to music, make new friends, and so on. She knows all of its functions. Do you all know what my mom's username is?"

"What is it, Brother Zhang? Do tell us!" Little Five was extremely curious about it.

"It's 'Highly Talented Eighteen-Year-Old Girl'!" Zhang Dashan showed them his mother's WeChat profile on his phone.

Poof!

Xiao Luo couldn't hold it and spat out the water in his mouth.

Feng Wuhen and the others laughed out loud. It was too amusing for a 50-something woman to pick the username Highly Talented Eighteen-Year-Old Girl.

"Laugh all you like. I couldn't stop laughing when I first saw it either. It's alright for my mom to have such a username, but she also deliberately found the photo of a pretty young girl online to use as her profile picture. It attracted countless jerks looking for sex. My dad even fought with her over it. He gave me a hard scolding, telling me that I have corrupted my mom."

Zhang Dashan sighed and said, "F*ck, what can I say. My initial intention was to be able to video call my mom. Who knew that my mom was still a girl at heart. Other than becoming a fan of celebrities, it seems like she also wants to seek the thrill of an extramarital affair."

"Dashan, I finally know why you are so lewd," Xiao Luo suddenly said.

"Lewd your ass," Zhang Dashan said with agitation. "As a man, so what if I am a little lewd? F*ck!"

"Oh no!"

Little Five suddenly exclaimed loudly.

"What's there to shout about? Did your dick get chopped off?" Zhang Dashan shouted at Little Five in exasperation.

Little Five flipped his phone over. His expression was rather anxious. "Brother Xiao, Brother Zhang, Luo's Workshop is in the headlines!"

What?

Zhang Dashan quickly calmed down and snatched Little Five's phone. He started viewing the article. The more he read, the more serious his expression became. He passed the phone to Xiao Luo. "Motherf*cker! That Xu Guansong posted a long article claiming his innocence. For some reason Jia Zhengyi reposted it to his Weibo, causing a huge commotion online."

Xiao Luo took the phone and roughly scanned through it. Indeed, Xu Guansong had posted a long article claiming that Luo's Workshop was immoral. They had fired a senior employee like him as they pleased and forcibly framed him for siphoning the tax expenses of the company just to find a good reason to do so. They had even spent money to get a female department head to falsely claim to be involved in an illicit affair with him, thus defaming him and ruining his reputation. In the end, they even went to the lengths of using personal relationships to get the cops to detain him.

Every word was well-crafted and contained deep feelings. It seemed sincere and earnest. One could see that Xu Guansong had a way with words, causing people to pity him after reading it and believe that he had indeed been wronged and maliciously suppressed.

Looking at how many times the Weibo post had been shared and commented upon, Xiao Luo couldn't help but frown. It had been shared 7 million times and had 90,000-plus comments. Moreover, the comments were one-sided. All of them said that Xu Guansong was innocent and complained about Luo's Workshop.

"Who is this Jia Zhengyi?"

Xiao Luo was instantly curious. Given that so many people followed him on Weibo, this person had some background. Yet, Xiao Luo had never heard of him.

"F*ck, don't you know him? He is the host of Old Jia's Talk Show. It's extremely popular. He has gained many fans. Look at the number of followers on his Weibo. It has reached a terrifying number of 10 million. While still not a superstar perhaps, he can definitely be considered an A-list celebrity."

Zhang Dashan was extremely anxious. The reputation of the company was very important. If that reputation took a downfall, it would directly affect the sales of their cakes. "F*ck, that Xu Guansong is a vicious and ungrateful person. We weren't going to really pursue his case due to his contributions to the company in the past. We only asked him to return the 00,000 he siphoned, and it would be done after detaining him for like 10 days or so. Now, look at what he has done. He directly posted a long article blaming us and got a nationally influential host to support him. What the f*ck is he trying to do?"

Xiao Luo's expression darkened. Luo's Workshop was going to start opening branches all over the country at the start of the next year. Now that such an incident had occurred, Luo's Workshop was instantly pushed to the cusp of public opinion. Not only was it going to significantly affect Luo's Workshop's progress regarding its advancement to the entire nation, but the drop in reputation might also cause the sales in the Jiangcheng headquarters to hit rock-bottom. The company would have to return to the state it was back when it was almost bankrupted by Taste Buds suppressing it.

Zhang Dashan's phone kept on ringing. After receiving a call, he said to Xiao Luo, "Li Zimeng and Luo Qi have all seen the post. They are as anxious as a cat on hot bricks. They are asking us what the company should do."

"Ask Zhang Yong, the head of the legal affairs department, to sue Xu Guansong. In front of absolute evidence, this long post of his will just slap him in the face in the end."

Xiao Luo looked very calm, but there were fires of rage deep within his eyes. Xu Guansong's ignorant provocation had made him determined to make that many pay a heavy price.

"OK, we'll do that. Even if we can't get that son of a b*tch to be reduced to poverty and ruined by the fines imposed and compensation demanded, we must at least let him get seven or eight years of jail. F*ck, what a jerk."

Zhang Dashan was very angry. Xu Guansong could not have been more clear about the truth, yet he still dared to twist the truth online and defame his ex-boss. He was indeed a bastard.

...

In Chongshan House, Chu Yunxiong's expression didn't look too good either. Looking at the public opinion online, he sighed. "Xiao Luo is in trouble again!"

"What trouble has he gotten himself into now?"

Ge Zhongtian, sitting opposite him, pushed his glasses back. He had a puzzled expression.

"Take out your own phone and look at the news."

Chu Yunxiong didn't want to say much. He poured himself a hot cup of tea and began sipping it slowly.

Ge Zhongtian unlocked his phone and scrolled through the news. His expression quickly changed as he said, "Xiao Luo is accused of nepotism by the original vice president of the company and of casting senior key employees aside. That Jia Zhengyi even reposted it, pushing Luo's Workshop instantly to the cusp of public opinion. What is this even? Is Jia Zhengyi too free and proactively seeking trouble?" 𝘭𝑖𝘣𝑟𝘦𝒶𝘥.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Don't forget that Jia Zhengyi has become popular for being bold and critical. He relied upon gossiping about celebrities in the beginning. Recently, there hasn't been much going on with celebrities, so it is reasonable for him to repost a long article full of emotions like this. In many people's eyes, he is being approachable. It is a tactic commonly used by celebrities to get famous."

Chu Yunxiong immediately exposed the secret within the situation.

Ge Zhongtian was surprised and couldn't help but laugh. "He is based in Xiahai, so he doesn't know how capable Xiao Luo is. If he knew what kind of person Xiao Luo was, he probably would never have had the courage to seek trouble with Xiao Luo. He wouldn't have done it even if he had 100 times more courage."

"Some people need to learn a lesson before they understand what kind of person they shouldn't seek trouble with."

Chu Yunxiong raised an eyebrow, shook his head, and slightly smiled. "I am very curious to see how Xiao Luo handles this publicity crisis."

Chapter 253

In a residential area in Jiangcheng, Gu Qianxue, who was wearing snow-white pajamas, was sitting on the sofa watching television with her legs curled up. She paid Gu Qianlin, who was beside her, no heed. She was clearly upset.

"Qianxue, can you stop behaving like a child?" Gu Qianlin earnestly asked. "I told you that Xiao Luo was a devil. If you become friends with him, you will lose your ability to determine right from wrong. You must stop all forms of contact with him and never see him again."

Gu Qianxue's lively eyes looked toward her. There was a trace of blame in them. "I am already an adult. I can decide for myself regarding a lot of things. I know Xiao Luo well, and he is not the devil you say he is. There is justice in his heart. It's just that the way he shows it can be rather extreme."

"Rather extreme?" 𝑙𝒾𝒷𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Gu Qianlin slightly harrumphed and shook her head, saying, "He dares to fire at us cops from behind, yet he used us cops to kill more than 90 people, even though those 90 something people were all vicious criminals."

Gu Qianxue said nothing but looked at her without moving.

As if she was naming Xiao Luo's crimes one by one, Gu Qianlin said, "He directly used a knife to slit the throat of hospital director in front of me. His methods are extremely cruel. I still dream about that bloody scene almost every day. He is a cold-blooded creature. One should fear him from the bottom of one's heart.

"Plus, in the stormy night on the 25th, he massacred the people in Long Sankui's villa alone. That night, more than 200 bodies were laying in the garden of the villa. Blood flowed like a river, and Long Sankui got his head chopped off. No matter what reason he had, it cannot change the fact that he is a murderous devil. Other people want to get as far away as possible from this monster, whose hands are covered in blood, so why do you still want to go near him?"

Gu Qianxue was no match for Gu Qianlin verbally. Since she couldn't say anything, she turned back and angrily watched television.

"Qianxue, I am your sister. I will always act in your favor, and I will never harm you!"

Being the eldest sister, Gu Qianlin was like a mother. When their parents were not with them, Gu Qianlin was strongly protective of Gu Qianxue like a mother. In her eyes, no matter how old Gu Qianxue was, she was just a kid that needed the correct guidance.

Gu Qianxue covered her eyes in protest.

Gu Qianlin shook her head in resignation and didn't continue. She knew Gu Qianxue couldn't take in whatever she was to say. She could only let time do the job.

Out of habit, she took out her phone and opened the news hub. When she saw that the headlines were about Luo's Workshop, she couldn't resist. She held the phone in front of Gu Qianxue's eyes and said, "Luo's Workshop is Xiao Luo's company. The person who posted a long essay denouncing Luo's Workshop angrily is the original vice president of the company. This vice president had worked for the company for more than 10 years. Even if he didn't make any worthwhile contributions, he at least put in a lot of effort, yet he has been fired just like that.

"Xiao Luo even used lowly tactics to defame him for having an illicit affair with a female colleague in the company and for siphoning money from the company's tax expenses. He used those excuses to justify his firing. Even the A-list host, Mr. Jia Zhengyi, has reposted it and caused a stir online. Everyone is denouncing Luo's Workshop. We can clearly see from this that Xiao Luo's character is totally not like what you think it is."

Gu Qianxue stared at the news in shock for a while. She shook her head and said in disbelief, "Xiao Luo is not such a person. the vice president must be twisting the truth."

"Why do you always take Xiao Luo's side? In your eyes, is he really that good?"

Gu Qianlin was incredibly frustrated. What the heck did Xiao Luo do to win over her sister, causing her sister to support him so loyally?

Gu Qianxue thought for a moment and nodded. "He really is a very good person!"

She remembered the scene in which Xiao Luo treated her to steamboat. The two of them even fought playfully with their chopsticks in the steamboat restaurant. Thinking back, it felt so fun and worthy of reminiscing about.

"Time will tell everything. The boos now targeting him will soon disappear." Gu Qianxue had incredible trust in Xiao Luo.

"Alright, let time tell everything. If the vice president has wronged Xiao Luo, I will not stop you from finding him anymore." Gu Qianlin took back her phone and made a bet with Gu Qianxue.

...

Luo's Workshop was at the center of public attention. It was a lie to say that Xiao Luo was in a good mood. Furthermore, he found that the host of the talk show seemed to have become addicted to posting on social media. After reposting Xu Guansong's long essay, perhaps it was because he had experienced the netizens taking over the comments section, he posted a few statuses consecutively to angrily denounce Luo's Workshop. One of them was enraging.

[We have verified that the previous boss of Luo's Workshop is named Fang Changmiao. He only sold Luo's Workshop to the descendant of a rich family, or what we commonly refer to as someone born with a silver spoon in their mouth, because he was having problems with cash flow.]

[We can all imagine how a person of the second-generation of a rich family behaves, always relying on their parents and treating life like a game. Vice President Xu must have gotten fired just because he offended the boss. This company is too black-hearted, and their products can't be too good. I propose that everyone boycott Luo's Workshop and let this black-hearted company go bankrupt. The faster the better.]

The comments section of the status was soon taken over by the netizens.

[What Teacher Jia has said is right. What a trash company, Luo's Workshop is just trash!]

[From that long essay, I saw the helplessness of a wronged vice president. The boss of Luo's Workshop really is too black-hearted.]

[This is simply authoritarianism and dictatorship! Such a terrible company should just go bankrupt!]

The comments were one-sided, as usual. All of them took Xu Guansong's side because Jia Zhengyi was great at creating hatred and had linked the concept of Luo's Workshop's boss to that of a second-generation descendant of a rich family. Netizens were generally from normal families, so they had an ingrained dislike toward such people. Furthermore, with Xu Guansong's emotionally heavy long essay denouncing Luo's Workshop, no one thought that Xu Guansong was misrepresenting the truth.

"Motherf*cking piece of sh*t! This bastard Jia Zhengyi is obviously throwing shade at our company to maintain his fame and popularity." Zhang Dashan was so angry that he kicked the bench. His mind was filled with indescribable rage.

Feng Wuhen was similarly furious. "Brother Zhang, where is Jia Zhengyi? I will go and kill him!"

"Kill your ass," Zhang Dashan said. "He is in Xiahai. That's more than 1,500 miles from here. It's very far away."

"Well, we'll take a plane, find him, and beat the sh*t out of him," Little Five indignantly said.

"Yes!"

The other three stood up and agreed in unison.

"Yes, your ass. Do you all even know where that bastard stays in Xiahai?" Zhang Dashan loudly replied.

Hearing his words, Feng Wuhen and the others immediately changed turned gloomy. They were like deflated balls.

"Learn from Old Xiao and be chill."

Zhang Dashan comforted them, seemingly having forgotten that he was the first one to freak out.

Chapter 254

No matter how calm Xiao Luo was, he was infuriated to some point. He sneered as he signed into his previous Weibo account with the ID name "San Qian Luo Shui." He replied to his wall post, [Jia Zhengyi, have you come to Jiangcheng to investigate the matter yourself? What do you even know about Mr. Xu? Are you certain that Luo's Workshop's current boss is a nouveau riche? If you haven't got anything investigated, as a public figure, you shouldn't be misleading people!]

If Jia Zhengyi wasn't far away in Xiahai, with his temper, he would not be arguing with him online. Toward this talk show host, who split dirty water at Luo's Workshop to maintain his popularity, he would've gone straight to his doorsteps to teach him a lesson.

However, within five minutes after he posted his comment, he promptly received thousands of replies from the netizens.

[Oh? Where did this lapdog come from? Has Luo's Workshop paid you to talk in their defense?]

[His ID was registered three years ago, and he hasn't been posting nor commenting all the while. He was obviously hired by Luo's Workshop to have come out at this point.]

[Uncivilized swine. Are you even worthy of calling Mr. Jia by his full name? Has your mom not taught you to be courteous to your elders?]

All of them were criticizing replies. Their profile pictures were nothing but the mainstream. Even their names were made up of a bunch of weird symbols. Xiao Luo faintly smiled. He had long heard that the internet was full of keyboard warriors. Now, he finally got a taste of it. They blindly followed the trend without getting to the bottom of things, and they amused themselves by insulting the others. This was truly pathetic.

To be frank, this had instantly calmed him down. He even wanted to laugh. He didn't know what was wrong with this society. Have their nine years of compulsory education all gone to waste?

[Ding! Congratulations! You've earned 23,000 points!]

The system prompt sounded in his mind.

Xiao Luo was slightly startled. Initially, he only had a few thousand points left. Now, he was suddenly given 23,000 points. He quickly realized what was going on. He must have earned those points because he commented on Jia Zhengyi's post and was attacked by the netizens.

Is this even a thing?

This was entirely out of his expectations. He carefully recalled what the system said about earning points. For any host-induced surprise, incitement, shock, anger, or other human emotional reactions, the system automatically absorbed and classified them and, according to their intensity, converted them into corresponding integral values.

His phone suddenly buzzed from a message prompt. Someone replied to him again.

When he tapped on the notification, he couldn't help but be surprised. The person who replied to him was the talk show host, Jia Zhengyi.

[As the netizens have asked, who are you? And, why have you stood up in defense of Luo's Workshop? Didn't you see that lengthy post made my Mr. Xu of Luo's Workshop? He stated very clearly that to have a valid excuse to dismiss him, Luo's Workshop's boss, a nouveau riche, slandered him about having an affair with a female colleague and embezzling the company's taxes. He is the company's veteran, a person who dedicated more than 10 years of his life to the company. If it wasn't that he had given up in despair, why would he post a thousand-word article to criticize his old company?]

Xiao Luo instantly replied, [I'm still asking the same question. Have you personally been to Jiangcheng to investigate the topic?]

With a bulged attitude, Jia Zhengyi replied, [Of course, my team has investigated and confirmed the authenticity of the lengthy article posted by Mr. Xu.]

[Since you have investigated, you should know the name of Luo's Workshop's current boss, right? What is his name? From what background does he actually come from to deserve to be called a 'nouveau riche' by you?] Xiao Luo chillingly replied.

However, Jia Zhengyi instantly shifted the conversation topic. [You must be Luo's Workshop's nouveau riche, am I right? Otherwise, why would you be supporting that garbage company?]

[Garbage company? Do you actually feel that your talk show is really classy? In my knowledge, what your show likes the most is to gossip about the scandals of some celebrities. Your show even roasts about things such as a celebrity's attire. Don't you think that your show is extremely boring and a complete jerkoff?] Xiao Luo replied.

Jia Zhengyi used the most contemptible and disdainful reply on the internet. [Huh huh...]

"What the freak? Why the heck are you arguing with that bastard?"

When Zhang Dashan discovered what Xiao Luo was doing, he was startled. He had just told Feng Wuhen and the rest of them to learn to be calm like Xiao Luo. No one expected that Xiao Luo would be the least calm person and had logged into his Weibo account to openly confront Jia Zhengyi. Amidst the swarm of hate comments, that comment was like a clear stream echoing within the comments section.

Xiao Luo smirked and said nothing.

"What the heck bro? How can you still laugh? What's going on here?"

Zhang Dashan was confused. This didn't match Xiao Luo's usual style at all.

Feng Wuhen and the others looked at each other. They were puzzled by Xiao Luo's actions.

"I realized that it is quite interesting to debate with Jia Zhengyi."

Xiao Luo raised his head, grabbed his tea from the table, and took a sip. Most certainly, he wasn't implying that arguing with Jia Zhengyi was interesting. He was referring to his system points, which were surging at unbelievable speeds. It was still at over 20,000 points earlier on. Now, it had soared to 40,000. How could this not make him feel happy?

Another few thousand comments cropped up underneath the argument he was having with Jia Zhengyi.

[San Qian Luo Shui? What a dumb ass name.]

[Mr. Jia's talk show is the most interesting program I've ever seen. Apologize to Mr. Jia at once.]

[This must be Luo's Workshop's boss's account. He's defending Luo's Workshop while everybody else is scolding them. What a lapdog.]

[Don't insult dogs. He's just a pile of dog poop, barking around to gain favor from his master.]

[This guy has no personal values at all!]

[My heart is at ease seeing so many people thrashing at you.]

Jia Zhengyi's fans were constantly bombarding Xiao Luo. Some even went to follow Xiao Luo's Weibo and left some comments. [Do you know why I followed you? It makes it easier for me to flame you!]

[When everyone is against you, you should reflect on yourself San Qian Luo Shui!]

Jia Zhengyi specifically mentioned Xiao Luo, leaving a reply as if he was a saint.

"F*ck, I really wanna f*ckin choke that bastard right now!"

Zhang Dashan gritted his teeth in anger. He had watched that talk show before, and he considered himself half a fan of Jia Zhengyi. However, Jia Zhengyi had sided with Xu Guansong without doing any investigation, slandered Luo's Workshop just to maintain his popularity, and even incited verbal warfare on the internet. He was a stark-naked despicable, shameless, and selfish man,

"It is not worth to be triggered by this. When Xu Guansong's final sentence is published online, all the gossips and rumors will vanish."

"Bro, you sure are acting calm, but you wouldn't be arguing with him if you were truly calm."

"I have my reasons to argue with him. You people shouldn't be worried about this issue. Luo's Workshop's reputation will not be affected. On the contrary, after this incident has passed, I bet only a few across the entire nation will be unfamiliar with Luo's Workshop." 𝙡𝒊𝒃𝓻𝒆𝒂𝓭.𝙘𝓸𝓶

Xiao Luo smiled gently. This really wasn't a bad thing. From the looks of it, Jia Zhengyi seemed to be defaming Luo's Workshop. When Xu Guansong's sentence was published, everything would move downwind on the side of Luo's Workshop. So to speak, this was actually a wave of free advertisement.

Chapter 255

On Weibo, the hatred toward Xiao Luo continued.

Jia Zhengyi had quite a number of fans. Via the reports of other media about the verbal warfare, many others learned about it and became involved. Some people were just following the trend blindly as they flamed Xiao Luo. Others criticized him as they felt sympathy for Xu Guansong. After reading his lengthy post, they believed he had been shunned and oppressed by Luo's Workshop. Most certainly, there were some that remained on neutral grounds and were just there to watch the show.

[Why are you not talking anymore? Are you out of words, perhaps?]

[Garbage. Arguing with Mr. Jia? Are you seeking death?]

[If Mr. Jia's fans all spit on you, even our saliva can drown you to death.]

Insults flew across the board. Even if some of them sided with Xiao Luo and expressed their views that people shouldn't be judging Luo's Workshop's boss as being evil and malicious just because of a lengthy post made by Xu Guansong, and how people should be looking at the issue with a calm heart, they ended up being flamed just like Xiao Luo.

[F*ck off bootlicker!]

[I think Luo's Workshop must've spent a lot of money to hire so many people.]

[Get lost from Weibo, you idiots.]

The outrage was intense, and the insults were harsh. Amidst the voices of condemnation, those who called out for people to look at the issue rationally and not blindly follow the trend were powerless and quickly annihilated by the billowing flames of reproach.

Jia Zhengyi was very satisfied with the outcome. He didn't need to verify if the contents of Xu Guansong's post were real. He only wanted to make himself the topic of discussion. In that way, his popularity was maintained, and his talk show gained a larger audience. He imagined himself being a powerful influencer.

[These are the people's voice. No matter whether you are Luo's Workshop's boss himself or someone they specially hired, I would suggest you leave Weibo. We don't welcome you here San Qian Luo Shui.] Jia Zhengyi made an earnest post.

Immediately after, many netizens echoed his words as they asked Xiao Luo to get out of Weibo.

Although his points in the system were growing rapidly, Xiao Luo was still infuriated and had to reply. [Jia Zhengyi, you have all things but righteousness. Time will prove everything. By the time the post is proven to be a fraud and a deliberate action to tarnish the Luo's Workshop's reputation, I hope you can hold out against my anger. As a public figure, you have incited the public to condemn a company without any investigation. I bet the compensation you have to pay for defaming Luo's Workshop's reputation will more or less make you feel a little heartache.]

The voices calling for people to look at the problem rationally re-emerged. Xiao Luo was evidently their leader since they supported him beneath his comment.

[Retard, are you finally admitting that you're Luo's Workshop's nouveau riche?] A netizen by the alias of "Legend of the Cloud" rebuked.

Even saints have anger, not to mention Xiao Luo. Besides, this ID of "Legend of the Cloud" had appeared a plethora of times and was focused on reprimanding him.

Xiao Luo faintly replied, [Life flourishes with your existence. With you beside me, nothing shall be feared. You are the sole reason I'm in glee. Without thee, where would the fine swills be?]

After this reply was posted, the comments section immediately exploded.

[What the heck? There are no bad words, but it does the job perfectly. Now that's some serious damage!]

[San Qian Luo Shui is such a cultured man. Gotta be his fan!]

[Hahaha... Flaming someone without using a single bad word. I'm impressed.]

There were still many people who viewed this issue rationally. They all appeared in support of Xiao Luo.

Jia Zhengyi picked up the cudgels for his fans. [Arrogant just because you're better in literacy? Who do you think you are? A poet? Do you know that you're just a nouveau riche who can only cling on daddy and mommy forever?!]

[I support Mr. Jia!]

[Garbage nouveau riche, garbage Luo's Workshop.]

[Hurry up and shut down your business, trash company.]

Jia Zhengyi's fans backed him up.

Xiao Luo peacefully replied to Jia Zhengyi, [Jia Zhengyi, can you act more like a human when I'm still treating you like one? Oh, I forgot, you are an incompletely evolved living body, a genetically mutated alien!]

Jia Zhengyi's face turned red in anger. His fans were, likewise, barking around exasperatedly.

[San Qian Luo Shui, I f*ck your mom!]

[Trash nouveau riche, who are you to insult Mr. Jia?]

[Believe it or not, I can really kill you IRL.]

Xiao Luo smiled indifferently. He didn't stop replying to those insulting comments one after one. Most certainly, replying to those hate comments was not to vent his anger but to earn himself points in the system.

[A high-school student at the kindergarten level. A frog head with Down Syndrome.]

[When you like to be a dog but don't have enough IQ, you just have to thicken your face!]

[I've never seen someone so disgusting before. Do you have hemorrhoids in your mouth?]

The netizens following the verbal skirmish were startled. They never expected the combat power of "San Qian Luo Shui," who appeared out of nowhere, to be so powerful. The usual keyboard warrior ganged up on someone, while he, on the other hand, went against hundreds of thousands of keyboard warriors singlehandedly. It was simply astonishing.

[Let just ignore this f*cktard. It will only drag our IQs down!] "Legend of the Cloud" was again active.

Xiao Luo replied, [Nothing good can come out from your b*tch mouth. Look at your face, you look even scarier than Sister Feng. Just go to hell alright. The sooner the better. Aside from defecating, what else do you pursue in life?]

With this one reply, "Legend of the Cloud" quietly went offline.

Subsequently, many netizens who were flaming Xiao Luo also vanished under the barrage of Xiao Luo's savage replies. He really pulled off a one against a hundred. Oh, no, it was one against a million.

[What the freak. What is this combat power? San Qian Luo Shui is too powerful, isn't he?]

[The flamers went offline one by one. He's literally a god.]

[We kept on saying that San Qian Luo Shui is Luo's Workshop's nouveau riche. From the looks of it, even if he's a nouveau riche, he's a 2-Gen rich with a stomach full of literal competency.]

Voices that support Xiao Luo sprung up like mushrooms after the rain. The number of Xiao Luo's followers on this account exceeded the 20,000 mark.

At the same time, Xiao Luo was feeling thrilled. He was also feeling an uncontrollable excitement as his accumulative points in the system already breached the 500,000 mark. All of them were gained that night.

Not bad, not bad at all!

He was very satisfied as his accumulated points had reached its highest in history.

"Damn, you can even speak a dead man to life!" 𝘭𝑖𝘣𝓇ℯ𝘢𝒹.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Zhang Dashan gave Xiao Luo a big thumbs up as he watched the entire process of him trash-talking on Weibo.

"I followed you, Brother Xiao. I'm your diehard fan from this moment onward," Feng Wuhen said with a laugh.

"We followed you too."

Xiao Wu also piped up. Never once had they expected that the Brother Xiao in their eyes was not only compelling in fighting, but his power level in verbal combat was also off the charts. He was way too impressive.

Jia Zhengyi got so pissed that he irrationally replied, "You scumbag, don't comment on my Weibo post. You're dirtying my territory."

Xiao Luo smiled as he typed, [I wish to look at you as I speak, but why have you buried your face inside your asshole? Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't know that is your face. In that case, where's your asshole?]

Jia Zhengyi was about to vomit blood. He was used to being revered by people and was never once humiliated like he had been that day. He wanted to hurl all kinds of curses at him, but he had to take care of his image as a public figure. At last, he held his breath and replied, [I don't wish to talk to uncivilized people...]

Chapter 256

Jia Zhengyi's weak response to Xiao Luo's post was telling. It clearly showed who had won and who had lost their joust on social media.

Chu Yunxiong couldn't help laughing, "Xiao Luo... he really surprises me!"

He had never expected that Xiao Luo would throw down the gauntlet. Jia Zhengyi was a celebrity in his own right, and taking him on one-on-one was no mean feat. And on top of that, to toy with the rest of his followers with such witty remarks was utterly brutal, and really a treat to all who followed them on Weibo.

Ge Zhongtian was equally impressed, and laughing along, he said, "Yes, he has a way with words. Even I would admit defeat."

"Able to trample over a talk show host, now that's what I call power."

Chu Yunxiong was amused. This young man, Xiao Luo, had never failed to surprise him. Even now, he had already caught wind that Xiao Luo had been roped in by the NSA's top commander. In the days to come, he would be destined to achieve extraordinary feats.

...

... 𝑙𝘪𝑏𝓇ℯ𝑎𝒹.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Jia Zhengyi and San Qian Luo Shui's "verbal war" had been trending on Weibo, and Gu Qianxue had been following the episode closely. When she learned that "San Qian Luo Shui" was actually Xiao Luo's Weibo handle, she couldn't help laughing out in sheer excitement. She was adorable when she laughed, she just seemed so much livelier. Gu Qianxue didn't expect that Xiao Luo would have such a different side to him.

Gu Qianlin, on the other hand, never liked Xiao Luo, and only sneered, "What a vulgar person!"

"Xiao Luo is only responding to those who have insulted him. This isn't being vulgar," Gu Qianxue responded, defending Xiao Luo.

"The entire thing is filled with expletives. If this isn't vulgar, what is?"

"They hurled insults at Xiao Luo first."

Gu Qianlin pursed her lips, "Qianxue, I'm not gonna argue with you. I'm just gonna wait for Luo's Workshop's VP's trial in three days. Don't forget about our bet."

Gu Qianxue thought about it seriously, then nodded, "I have not forgotten."

...

...

A netizen with the Weibo ID "L00king for a Sunny Day" posted: "Today, I've witnessed a true past master in action. San Qian Luo Shui, please accept my grovel. The respect I have towards you is unceasing like a raging river."

Comment posted by "Popular Apple": "San Qian Luo Shui is way too domineering. During ancient times, we have the phrase 'triumph against a group of learned men in a verbal battle,' and now, we have 'one against ten thousand.' He's absolutely my idol!"

Comment posted by "Cry Baby": "La la la, la la la, I'm San Qian Luo Shui's die-hard fan. He takes trash-talking to the next level. He is invincible, even fought against a million people. He viciously twisted down the dog-head of justice[1]!"

Even after the "verbal war" on Weibo ended, many people still enjoyed leaving comments for Xiao Luo.

Xiao Luo's account," San Qian Luo Shui," now had more than one hundred thousand followers. His points in the system have also reached a staggering six hundred thousand.

"What in the f*ck, you actually beat them. The people that have been criticizing Luo's Workshop previously are all gone! Old Xiao, that's a really nice one, you b*stard! Haha, haha..."

Zhang Dashan cracked up and then passed his phone for Xiao Luo to look, "Even our university chat group has fired up. Everyone is talking about you now."

"No way, they know it was me?" Xiao Luo was a little embarrassed. He didn't enjoy being in the limelight and shied away from publicity.

"Of course, they don't. You sneakily registered this Weibo account, even I just got to know about it."

Zhang Dashan took back his phone and tapped on Xiao Luo's profile. When he looked at it, his eyes widened in surprise, and he said, "What the f*ck is going on here? You gained more than a hundred thousand followers just because of this? Even I, an internet celebrity, only have 500 thousand! I had enough of this!"

"..."

Xiao Luo was speechless, he wasn't after the followers, but only needed points. Fortunately, he had not posted any videos or pictures of himself on his Weibo account. Had he uploaded photos of himself in the past, he may not have been so adventurous going up against Jia Zhengyi.

When Luo Qi and Li Zimeng learned from Zhang Dashan, who "San Qian Luo Shui" really was, they were both shocked.

"Well, that's it for Boss's cool and collected image, but I really like him this way too. The way he jumped on Jia Zhengyi was legit awesome. I bet that talk show host can't even tell left from right now. Boss, I love you to the max, hehe..." Luo Qi expressed her admiration for Xiao Luo with candor.

Just when Xiao Luo thought that things were going to settle down, Zhang Dashan suddenly jumped up and shouted in his phone like he had seen a ghost, "Holy, holy, holy pepperonis!"

The fact that he had not used an expletive and had mentioned 'holy' three times in a row meant this was something out of the ordinary.

"Brother Zhang, what's wrong?" Feng Wuhen asked, his curiosity piqued by Zhang Dashan's strange reaction.

Xiao Luo glanced at him, "Are you having a seizure?"

Zhang Dashan didn't hear any of it and just hurried over to Xiao Luo with his phone, and a silly smile on his face. With an irrepressible excitement, he blurted out loudly, "Old Xiao, Goddess Su Li is following your Weibo! And she even liked your reply right under that b*stard Jia Zhengyi's comment. Haha!"

What?!"

"Goddess Su Li is following Brother Xiao? And even liked his comment?"

When Feng Wuhen and the rest heard him, they quickly went for their phones and tapped into Xiao Luo's profile. A few months ago, they were still noobs, but they had quickly adapted to the use of mobile applications and social media. They naturally knew what a big celebrity Su Li was, earning a fee of 50 million to star in a movie! Being followed by a superstar like her on Weibo was simply unheard of, especially for the average person.

Xiao Luo was staring at his Weibo page and spotted her avatar, a cartoon rabbit. He tapped on it and accessed Su Li's profile. He was expecting it, but he was still shocked by the number of followers Su Li had.

70 million followers!

All of her posts were shared at least three million times, and they each generated over 200 thousand comments. Even a simple "Good night" had a record number of shares and likes.

Su Li following and liking his account had the same effect like a stone being thrown into a calm lake, setting off waves in all directions.

Many other celebrities came on and followed "San Qian Luo Shui," even liking all his comments countering Jia Zhengyi. An actress who was once offended by Jia Zhengyi's poisonous tongue also posted a direct message to rebuke Jia Zhengyi: "What someone only knows is to be arrogant. Getting all inflated just because he has a talk show. Inciting arguments on the internet, and flaming others without even getting to the bottom of things, I just want to tell that person – enough is enough."

Another female celebrity by the surname of Lee also spoke out: "Those who humiliate others will only be humiliated themselves. I think someone has to reflect on himself."

Several male celebrities took the opportunity to reprimand Jia Zhengyi. One of them posted a few extremely satirical cartoons where the protagonist was named "Jia Zhengyi" or "fake justice," a pun in an apparent reference to Jia Zhengyi.

Jia Zhengyi had suddenly become the target of countless attacks. With Su Li and the other celebrities participating in it, almost half of the people in the country got into the act. Very quickly, the number of followers on Xiao Luo's account had reached an incredible four million. What made it even more unbelievable was that his account wasn't a verified one, and it certainly was not a celebrity's account.

Zhang Dashan was dizzy from seeing the number of flowers increasing rapidly, and he whined, "What the f*ck. Even I only, an internet celebrity, only have 500 thousand followers. And it is the result of my hard work over a long time. What the f*ck, you already got yourself four million followers in less than four hours. This is too f*ckin' crazy." He only wished that Xiao Luo's account was his own.

Chapter 257

As a talk show host, Jia Zhengyi had a large following of fans, but it was nothing compared to Su Li's legion of fanatical followers. She wasn't known as the nation's Goddess for nothing, and Jia Zhengyi's fan base stood no chance at all in a head-to-head. Once, a person going by the handle "Legend of the Cloud" had posted a negative comment about Su Li, and his account was immediately swarmed by tens of thousands of her fans. In the end, Weibo had to even suspend his account.

Similarly, in the ongoing assault, flash crowds of netizens were drowning out Jia Zhengyi's own followers and pushing them to the brink, with no room left to maneuver, and their counteraction was in total collapse.

A rumor started going around that 'Legend of the Cloud' was, in fact, Jia Zhengyi's alternate account, and it was explicitly used to stir up issues and boost his popularity. Each of its comments was always made immediately following Jia Zhengyi's posts. Several netizens proficient in IT had claimed that the account shared the same login IP address with Jia Zhengyi's verified account.

When the rumor went viral, the entire community of Weibo users was up in arms. An overwhelming surge of comments criticizing Jia Zhengyi flooded his page. In the beginning, Jia Zhengyi countered the allegations in his typical fashion. But as it went on, he finally got agitated and lost his composure under the weight of the endless insults he kept receiving. While he met the challenge like Xiao Luo did in the beginning, his mettle and articulation were far inferior. In the end, his responses became more irrational and spiteful.

"You guys are a bunch of garbage and trash. Keyboard warriors who only know how to hurl out insults on the internet. You should all go and eat shit and scram back to your mother's placenta!"

In an outrage, Jia Zhengyi posted this without the slightest consideration of its consequences.

The image Jia Zhengyi had established over the years crumbled in an instant. Even many of his own fans who closely followed his shows left in protest.

"Mr. Jia, you disappoint me too much. As a public figure, do you think it's okay to insult others like this?"

"Very disappointed. Never thought that the TV host I've fancied for so long is of such low quality. What a loser."

"Sorry, I can't accept Mr. Jia in his current form!" 𝓵𝒊𝒃𝙧𝓮𝙖𝓭.𝙘𝒐𝙢

The entire home screen was filled with comments expressing disappointment towards Jia Zhengyi. Jia Zhengyi's follower count on Weibo was declining rapidly. In mere hours, he lost more than two million followers.

An army of netizens stormed into the Xiahai TV station's Weibo page, the TV station that produced Jia Zhengyi's TV show, and inundated the comments section with expressions of anger and disappointment.

"Is this Xiahai TV station's TV host? Firing insults at everyone, saying 'trash,' and 'garbage' whenever he opens his mouth, Xiahai TV has really low requirements for their own TV hosts."

"It is really sad for your TV station to have a TV host like Jia Zhengyi."

"I strongly advise you to sack Jia Zhengyi!"

"I'm not going to watch your TV programs anymore. I bet you people in the TV station are as bad if you can tolerate someone like Jia Zhengyi among your ranks. Bird of a feather flock together."

"Boycott Jia Zhengyi! Boycott Xiahai TV station!"

The celebrities that had castigated Jia Zhengyi earlier once again joined the fray...

"Before you judge others badly and make unreasonable comments about their affairs, please ask yourself first, is it really right for you to comment on someone else? It seems that someone has revealed the ugly side of himself very quickly!"

"You should just stay at home with that poor character of yours. Even the TV station behind you is caught in your mess. I think it's really time for you to reflect on yourself."

"San Qian Luo Shui's responses were fantastic and admirable, but someone like you can only vomit out a mouthful of shite, it makes people feel sick!"

The chairman of Xiahai TV Station was sleeping soundly in the comfort of his lavish home when he was urgently awakened and informed of the fiasco. Upon being notified about the incident, he became concerned with the negative public opinion their TV host was attracting. It was mounting steadily and was having an adverse effect on the station. Faced with immense pressure, he quickly phoned Jia Zhengyi and furiously ordered him to instantly delete all the comments, or he'd be blacklisted.

Jia Zhengyi felt betrayed as the station represented his last safe haven. He felt so anguished that he was close to vomiting blood. His purpose of hyping up Xu Guansong's lengthy article was to remain visible to his fans, and of course, to maintain his presence and popularity. But who'd have known that 'San Qian Luo Shui' would stir up such a social media storm? He had to delete all his posts from his insults to netizens and even Xu Guansong's lengthy article, under the explicit instructions of his senior management.

Add to his woes, he had to appease the public and calm the situation by publicly apologizing to the netizens. It worked to a certain extent, and the hate messages slowly abated.

Unfortunately, screenshots of his inappropriate posts had been saved and were later circulated. Netizens who were oblivious to the goings-on were attracted by the trending chatter in social media and caught on after going through the screenshots. The second wave of attacks again inundated Jia Zhengyi's Weibo page and left many offensive comments about his personality. Most of the posts alluded to him being of low caliber and unqualified to be a TV host. It was so severe that Jia Zhengyi was forced to disable the comments section.

"Hahaha... this feels f*cking great! That fool Jia Zhengyi won't dare to squeak anymore now! Lao Xiao, whoever dares to offend you, will meet their karma quickly."

Zhang Dashan could finally vent out the long-held anger in his heart. Seeing Jia Zhengyi first deleting his status, then posting a lengthy apology, and eventually disabling his comments section, was truly gratifying. Even more satisfying than bashing him up until even his mum could not recognize him!

"That'll teach him not to mess with Brother Xiao. He bit off more than he can chew there," Feng Wuhen said in agreement, then added, "Oh yeah, Brother Xiao, since you're going to Xiahai City next year, you should find an opportunity to let him eat some sh*t."

"Yeah, that is a great suggestion. Let that bastard know why roses are red," Zhang Dashan echoed, eager to blow the matter up even further.

Xiao Luo raised his eyebrows, "There's no need to wait until next year. When the results of Xu Guansong's trail is disclosed, immediately instruct Zhang Yong to send a legal letter to Xiahai TV station to sue them of damaging our company's reputation. Demand them for compensation and a public apology."

This wasn't a knee-jerk reaction or something that Xiao Luo just happened to think of. It was a plan he had decided on the moment he took on Jia Zhengyi on social media. Since Jia Zhengyi dared to provoke him, he naturally would have to face the music.

But still, Xiao Luo had to thank Jia Zhengyi for his folly. His points in the system had now exceeded two million. He would no longer need to worry about having insufficient points whenever he required an ability in the days to come.

Nonetheless, he knew that it was mainly because of the female celebrity, Su Li, who had given him a follow and like, that it all ended well.

He found himself developing an interest in this celebrity. In fact, he knew quite a lot about Su Li. She was a popular and talented performer, and singing and acting were her forte. A campus drama propelled her to stardom as the character she had portrayed struck people's hearts. She was able to make her audience happy when she smiled and sad when she cried. When the campus drama was released, it dominated all the internet platforms and TV stations and shot to the number one spot that season.

In the drama, she would always be remembered for her long black, silky hair, and a graceful, slender body wrapped in a white corset skirt. Sitting by the balcony with a book in her hands, with her delicate, alluring face glistening as the sun rose. She was gorgeous, and that scene captured the imagination of a nation.

Su Li!

Looking at a picture on Weibo, Xiao Luo quietly read her name in his heart.

He wasn't sure if Su Li had given him a follow and like because of a grudge with Jia Zhengyi, or because she really appreciated his words. It was difficult to tell, as the entertainment industry was chaotic, and popularity was its primary currency. Many had tried to make a name for themselves but were buried under the exhaustive demands of the industry, and never made it to the top. It was ironic that those who were in there wished to get out, while those who were not broke their backs wanting to get in.

Suddenly remembering the matter, Zhang Dashan said, "Old Xiao, just so you know, Lao Guo is calling for a gathering of all our classmates from back in Guang province in four days."

Lao Guo? Guo Qinghe?

Xiao Luo was a little surprised. Guo Qinghe was their class monitor in university. Now that he had taken the initiative to call for a gathering, Xiao Luo felt obliged to attend. Guo Qinghe had gone out of his way to help him during his time in university. He would never forget the time Guo Qinghe helped him in his appeal to procure financial subsidies for low-income families.

"Where would it be held?"

"It's not set yet, but probably in Jiangcheng since most of our classmates moved out to neighboring cities. Jiangcheng is in the center, and it will be the most convenient place for the gathering to be held. Lao Guo is in Xiahai. I think he'll be fine to make the journey to Jiangcheng," Zhang Dashan replied.

Chapter 258

As the class reunion approached, a sense of apprehension grew on Xiao Luo, and the truth was he wasn't really looking forward to it. From his perspective, those who genuinely wished to gather and reconnect with each other were few, and the majority were just keen to let others know about their accomplishments. For some others, it was just a convenient way to explore the likelihood of networking and looking for new opportunities that could be exploited later on. That, in his mind, was what a reunion represented.

A survey was once conducted online regarding reunions. The data showed that people taking the initiative to propose and organize reunions were usually those who had attained a measure of success among their peers or in their community.

Xiao Luo decided not to give it further thought. Since he had nothing else to do, he would attend the reunion anyway.

There was incessant chatter in university chatgroup, with messages sounding in the phone every few minutes. Many were looking forward to the reunion. With their former class monitor, Guo Qinghe, as the group administrator, a discussion thread was posted to lock in a time and place, and the number of people that could attend.

Of the 34 students that were in his class, half were now working in Guang Province itself. After reaching out to everyone, Guo Qinghe finally confirmed that ten from the alma mater would be attending. They would meet up at eight in the evening in four days at Jiangcheng City's Maple Leaf Hotel. Xiao Luo then confirmed his attendance and Zhang Dashan's, making it a total of 12 people.

Xiao Luo turned around to let Zhang Dashan know about the plan. He had just walked in and hadn't checked his phone. Zhang Dashan gave him a quick glance and asked with slight concern, "Zhang Mengqi will also be attending, you alright with that?"

"Why would I be not alright?"

Xiao Luo threw the question back to him. Zhao Mengqi meant something to him, but that way back in the past. Now, he only had one form of relationship with her, and that they were former university mates.

"Good, I'm just worried that you'll feel awkward during the reunion," Zhang Dashan patted his shoulders and chuckled.

"You think too much."

Xiao Luo shook his head and smiled in mock scorn.

...

...

There were no twists or suspense in the run-up to the trial of Xu Guansong. Given the indisputable evidence presented, Xu Guansong was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. He was, at the same time, ordered to issue a public apology to Luo's Workshop. When Zhang Dashan went to visit him in prison, Xu Guansong was in tears and appeared terribly dispirited, he looked like he had aged another ten years.

"The evils we bring upon ourselves are the hardest to bear. Before I came, I thought I'd feel gratified and happy to see you in this state. Now, I only feel pity for you," Zhang Dashan sympathized with the man, and felt compelled to say those words. He continued, "Believe it or not, Lao Xiao, and I never wanted to report for this. After all, you're a senior in the company and have contributed a lot to its growth. Even if you had made one big mistake, we would never have driven you to the edge. You know, as humans, we often make mistakes, but it'll be okay as long as we can correct them. But if you do it again and again, even the Heavens could not save you."

Zhang Dashan spoke through the tempered glass window separating the two, looking on with compassion at Xu Guansong, who was weeping uncontrollably and overcome with deep emotions.

Xu Guansong lowered his head despondently, he regretted ever posting the lengthy article. He said in remorse, "I'm sorry to Mr. Xiao, I'm sorry to the company, I really didn't expect that it'll incite such a big public outcry..."

"There's no use crying over spilled milk."

Zhang Dashan sighed, "Alright, I should be going. Stay in there and elevate yourself, strive to get released as soon as possible. One more thing, don't worry about your wife and kids. The company will send them some money every month during your time in jail. They will be able to carry on their normal lives."

Tears burst out from his tired eyes. Despite what he had done to the company, these people were still willing to support his wife and children. He couldn't help wondering what meritorious deeds he had done in his past life, to have met such honorable folk.

Thud! Xu Guansong dropped to his knees, knocking his head on the floor, performing a kowtow in deep deference to Zhang Dashan. He cried as he said, "Thank you, Mr. Zhang, thank you!"

He was choking in tears, and his voice trembled.

"Don't thank me, you shite. These are Old Xiao's orders. You should be thanking him instead!" Zhang Dashan, not one to accept merit for the deed of others, turned around and promptly left.

Xu Guansong, who was still kneeling on the ground, kowtowed repeatedly and kept saying in tears, over again, "Thank you, Mr. Xiao, thank you, Mr. Zhang."

...

...

As for Jia Zhengyi, he sent someone to Jiangcheng City by flight that very night. His representative arrived at the Luo's Workshop headquarters with an amicable smile on his face. He appeared very humble, almost like somebody's grandson begging to see the boss of Luo's Workshop.

Xiao Luo had no plans to meet the man. The entire operations at Luo's Workshop had been handed over to Zhang Dashan, who did receive the visitor. Zhang Dashan immediately made his intentions clear, and he would not settle the matter privately. He planned to take Jia Zhengyi to court and would seek compensation for defamation and demand a public apology.

Many of Jiangcheng's netizens had taken part in that "verbal warfare" that revolved around Xu Guansong's long article that Jia Zhengyi had posted. With the verdict in their favor, Luo's Workshop's management was instantly absolved of any wrongdoing. The fact that Jia Zhengyi had distorted the truth to defend a criminal, under the pretense of justice, set off a considerable firestorm on social media again. Despite having disabled his comments section on his Weibo page, Jia Zhengyi's number of followers was still declining alarmingly. Very soon, he was left with only about five million followers.

The Xiahai TV station had also taken the TV program, "Old Jia's Talk Show," off the air, and without his platform, this proved a fatal blow for Jia Zhengyi.

On the fourth afternoon, Jia Zhengyi held a press conference. Like Xu Guansong, he looked like he had aged for more than ten years over this short period. His face was now drawn and sullen, a distinct departure from the sharp-tongued and plucky personality in the talk show that everybody had come to admire. The change was not unlike making a comparison between the sky and the ground, they seemed to be two entirely different persons.

In the press conference, Jia Zhengyi was contrite, repeatedly apologizing to Luo's Workshop and the massive following of "San Qian Luo Shui" fans. He declared remorsefully that he had disappointed everyone and would accept any form of punishment. He expressed his repentance with red eyes and an emotional, choked voice.

"F*ck, he looks so pitiful, I can't bear to sue him."

Behind that brutish and hard-nosed persona, Zhang Dashan was, in reality, rather soft-hearted. But when he needed to, he could be absolutely brutal.

Xiao Luo was sitting on the sofa, drinking his hot black-wolfberry tea while watching the TV. After hearing Zhang Dashan's words, he turned his head and chuckled, "He should still pay the compensation!"

Zhang Dashan grabbed a bottle of beer and took a mouthful, "That is for certain. Who told him to provoke Luo's Workshop when it did not concern him? If he doesn't pay the price for that, he'll really think that Luo's Workshop is easy meat."

Xiao Luo cocked his eyebrow and remained silent.

Of late, he seemed to be following more of Su Li's performances. He realized that, as long as she was starring in any movies or songs, they would all suit his taste.

Zhang Dashan noticed it too and couldn't help from giving him some friendly advice, "Brother, it's not that I'm mean but, although you're a company's boss, you are still far from being a tycoon. For a woman like Goddess Su Li, just keep her in your mind. Don't ever think more than that, it's not realistic."

"And what is it that you have in your mind again?" Xiao Luo rolled his eyes at him.

"F*ck, we're all men. Would I not know what you are thinking up there? I never seen you pay any attention to goddess Su Li before. Now, you like the songs she sings, the movies she plays, do you dare say that you don't have this fantasy about being with her, even a tiny bit?"

"No, not at all," Xiao Luo said, shaking his head.

"Like I'll ever believe that. As your good brother, I got to be candid and make it clear to you. Goddess Su Li herself is loaded as hell, she's rich and famous. Unless you get yourself higher up, say in the ranks of Chu Yunxiong or Jack Ma, don't expect her ever to lay eyes on you, okay." Zhang Dashan put his point across succinctly.

Xiao Luo didn't bother to respond. He didn't understand why listening to Su Li's songs or watching her movies was even a big deal. Did Zhang Dashan think that he had improper thoughts of Su Li in his mind?

What kind of bullshit logic was that!

Chapter 259

Time flew by, and before they knew it, D-day had arrived. It was time for the reunion.

As Zhang Dashan was very conscious about his image, he planned to wear a formal suit and even groomed his hair with styling pomade. He then sprayed some cologne on his underarms, and struck a pose for Xiao Luo, excitedly asking, "Old Xiao, look at me, what do you think?"

His brows quivered as he spoke.

"I only have one word for you."

"Handsome, right? As I've said, I can be pretty handsome if I take the trouble to dress up." Zhang Dashan was in good humor, admiring himself.

Xiao Luo only shook his head.

"Then, it's cool?"

"Neither, you look like a pimp!" Xiao Luo answered tongue-in-cheek.

Zhang Dashan frowned and looked a little hurt with that comment, he yelled back, "What absolute nonsense, don't let me make you sh*t your pants okay!"

Xiao Luo shrugged indifferently, then made to the door to put on his shoes. Compared to Zhang Dashan, his dressing was casual, and he had on a pair of dark slacks and a plain shirt. As Jiangcheng's weather was slightly chilly, he had only put on an undershirt for some insulation and pulled over a black sweater to complete an understated but smart look.

...

...

Zhang Dashan had a different personality altogether, and unlike Xiao Luo, he was a little showy. He looked forward to driving up in his brand new Range Rover so that his former classmates would know he owned one. He could already imagine how they would be admiring him, and that pleased him to no end. Walking towards the SUV, he was already in a dopamine-induced state and was humming tunes while grooving to the beat.

Xiao Luo had gotten used to this behavior, Zhang Dashan would not be his true self if he did not show off every chance he got.

"It definitely feels good to drive a car like this, such sensation and acceleration, it's orgasmic!"

As Zhang Dashan was driving, his hands caressed the steering wheel like stroking a woman's soft skin. He was totally in his own world when he suddenly said, "Old Xiao, since I'm taking care of the headquarter, I'll definitely have to purchase a house here next year. With our net worth, we could have moved out of Gong Village a long time ago. It's so rural!"

"Don't get too arrogant, and don't forget what your primary mission is." Xiao Luo cautioned him with a serious look on his face.

"What the heck are you saying. It's totally reasonable that I, as the CEO of the company, need to purchase a house. You can't be too stingy, just handing out donkey's ration, if you want the business to go far, right?"

Xiao Luo smiled and quipped, "Comparing yourself to a donkey, hmm, a very nice metaphor."

"What the heck, can you be more serious? Cos' I'm serious about what I've just said," Zhang Dashan retorted in his usual bluster.

"You can make the call without my approval." Xiao Luo replied. He was always generous to his brothers.

Zhang Dashan picked his nose as he replied nonchalantly, "You regard yourself too highly, I'm not seeking your approval, just reporting it to you."

Xiao Luo rolled his eyes and didn't bother to reply.

All of a sudden, a van appeared speedily from an alley and turned dangerously into the main road, right in front of them.

"F*ck"

Zhang Dashan was shocked and immediately hit the brakes hard and swerved past the van to avoid hitting it.

Coming from just behind Zhang Dashan, the van then sped past the Range Rover with barely 10cm between both vehicles, almost crashing.

Zhang Dashan wound down his car window and screamed toward the van, "F*ck you, can you drive? Don't you even know that you need to slow down at a junction?"

This was his brand new Range Rover, and it was as beautiful and expensive as a new wife to him. If it had been scratched or knocked, his heart would have bled with sorrow.

The people in that van had evidently heard Zhang Dashan, so the driver slammed on the brakes and pulled over. Four burly men alighted from the vehicle, and they had rebars in their hands.

They walked up aggressively with ferocious looks on their faces. One of them, a square-faced man, laughed nastily and roared at Zhang Dashan, "You think you're awesome because of your Range Rover? Try swearing one more time, and I'll smash your car!"

Zhang Dashan was equally enraged, and he stared back angrily at the man. He thought to himself, "You've almost scratched my car, yet you're still being arrogant and looking for trouble? This is f*cking interesting."

"Stay in the car. I'll deal with them."

Xiao Luo did not wish to see Zhang Dashan's car getting smashed up, so he hopped out of the vehicle immediately.

He went to the roadside and taunted the guy with the crazy laugh, gesturing with his index finger, he called out, "You. Come over."

It riled them up, but suddenly the four burst into a peal of loud laughter instead. The man with a square face said, "Hahaha, that's weird, did we run into two airheads?"

They all stepped toward Xiao Luo even as the square-faced man spoke.

"Were you threatening to smash my friend's car up?"

Xiao Luo looked at the squared-face man calmly, as if he no threat at all. The fact was, the moment the men had alighted the van and threatened Zhang Dashan with their rebars, he had already made up his mind that he would deal with them.

The four of them suddenly looked at each other awkwardly, wondering if they might have run into a trap. How could this man remain so calm when he saw that every one of them was armed with a bar?"

"F*ck you, don't you dare to be mysterious with us. Brothers, bash these b*stards to death, then smash their Range Rover!" The squared-face man bellowed.

Three of the men rushed at Xiao Luo intending to teach him a good lesson. They looked like the bold type who would always settle issues with violence. This time, however, they were destined to fail.

One of them was already swinging his rebar into Xiao Luo's flank when it was suddenly snatched away forcefully. Before he knew it, the rebar was already in Xiao Luo's hand.

Xiao Luo's face was cold and expressionless, and with a flick of his wrist, he slammed the rebar directly into the man's head.

POW!

He was momentarily blinded by a flashing light in his brain as pain exploded from the blow to his head. Blood gushed from the wound and streamed down his forehead.

His friends quickly gathered around to check on him, and their expressions changed suddenly.

The man held his hands to his head, his eyes were wide open in shock, he never saw the blow coming. Then as he looked down at his hands, he realized that he was bleeding profusely.

"Arrgh~"

The man screamed like a pig before slaughter and quickly backed off, staggering until he fell and sat by the roadside, staring at Xiao Luo in fear.

The other two men who had also rushed at Xiao Luo were stunned and stopped in their tracks.

"You're shocked just by this? Didn't you want to hit me with your rebars? Come, let's continue!" Xiao Luo smirked.

He abhorred hoodlums who thrived on bullying the weak. These men were clearly at fault, yet behaved with such haughtiness. Had he not controlled his rage, he would have easily killed the man with that blow. 𝓁𝑖𝘣𝘳ℯ𝘢𝘥.𝒸ℴ𝑚

"You die!"

The squared-face man rushed up, swinging the rebar in his hand ferociously, aiming to bludgeon Xiao Luo's head.

Xiao Luo evaded him easily and shifted outside the swinging arch in a flash as he grabbed the man's forearm in a smooth motion and pulled his arm over his shoulder and jerked downward.

"AIYAH!"

He screamed in pain as his elbow joint snapped against Xiao Luo's shoulder, the rebar in his hand falling with a metallic thud on the road.

"Let's make your head blossom too!"

Xiao Luo smirked, and with the rebar in his hand, he smacked the squared-face man on his head.

TOK!

Blood streamed down his face as he screamed dreadfully in terrible pain, holding on to his throbbing head.

The two remaining men looked at each other, then at Xiao Luo in abject fear, they would be foolish to think that they could take this man on.

When Xiao Luo glared hard at them, they succumbed to their instincts and quickly turned around to flee.

"They actually abandoned their friends just like that, surely they have no sense of loyalty."

Xiao Luo frowned with a shake of his head, then he dropped the rebar. In a quick dash, he caught up with the two men, grabbed them by their collars, and smashed their heads together forcefully.

BANG!

Their heads collided like two bumper cars, throwing both off their feet. They hit the ground hard, bleeding profusely, and after a few moans, both fell unconscious.

Chapter 260

The squared-face man was shaking, staring at Xiao Luo in absolute terror. The last thing they would have expected was to run into such a beast. It was for good reason that the old adage had been spoken to many a man: "Do not bully the weak and fear the strong." If one behaved haughtily and constantly preyed on the weak, inevitably one day, he would run into someone more able than himself. Fate has a funny way of biting one in the behind when least expected.

Zhang Dashan had now gotten out of the vehicle and was heading over to Xiao Luo.

As he walked, he picked up a bar lying on the ground then roared at the squared-face man, "F*ck, you wanted to smash my car? Let me smash yours first!"

He strode to the van, then swung the bar back and brought it down heavily onto the windscreen.

SHATTER!

As the bar smashed into the tempered windscreen, it visibly cracked the surface, producing a webbed pattern around where the bar struck. Another hit punched a hole in the windshield, shattering it into little mosaics of glass that littered the front seats before the screen fell apart.

Zhang Dashan was so enraged that he repeatedly thrashed the van, breaking windows and causing dents all over the vehicle. Thumps and screeches resounded from the thrashing and sounded like painful screams of an abuse victim.

"You *sshole stop it, if you dare to hit one more time, I'll kill your whole family!"

The square-faced man yelled loudly at Zhang Dashan. His blood-shot eyes bulged with rage, and he looked a grim sight with blood running down his face. Some say that a car is equivalent to a man's mien and even his "other wife," so seeing Zhang Dashan smashing his van up, the squared-face man reacted angrily despite being in such dire circumstances.

As the words left his mouth, Xiao Luo walked up and stomped hard on his left hand with his right foot.

Crack~ crack~ crack~

The grisly sound of cracking bones could be heard as all five fingers in his left hand were mangled under Xiao Luo's right foot. Splintered bones protruded from the broken skin, and the hand trembled as blood oozed out, contrasting starkly with the exposed bones.

The squared-face man howled, his face twisted in agony. He was now lying on the ground writhing from the excruciating pain.

He raised his head and stared at Xiao Luo from where he lay, and his eyes were filled with dread. The rest of the men could not stop trembling and tried their best not to attract his attention. They had always thought themselves as fearsome characters, but in the presence of this man, their courage left them, and they felt like helpless little girls.

Xiao Luo did not have to say a word, he just smiled at the squared-face man and shook his head, suggesting that he had better stay put, or be greeted with more pain.

The squared-face man, of course, hardly dared to breathe, nodding to acknowledge that he understood. In his eyes, Xiao Luo was a demon in human form.

"Old Xiao, we have a situation, come over here!"

Zhang Dashan had stopped bashing the van and called out to Xiao Luo.

As the squared-face man and his gang watched, their faces changed all of a sudden. They looked pale and panicky as if they had been exposed for doing something illegal.

Xiao Luo frowned and walked over.

Zhang Dashan was pointing at the backseat of the van, and when he glanced over, he saw that there was a sack lying on the floor of the vehicle. The sack was moving about, and evidently, something alive was within it. Then, they heard a faint crying sound.

"What do you think is inside?" Zhang Dashan looked very serious.

"We'll know it once we've opened it."

Xiao Luo slid the door of the van open and was about to untie the sack.

Zhang Dashan hurriedly stopped him and said with caution in mind, "Old Xiao, don't be so brash, what if there's a bunch of venomous snakes inside? If you open it, wouldn't you be at risk?"

"You think it could be snakes?"

Xiao Luo rolled his eyes at him as it was obvious from the shape of the sack, whatever was inside would surely not be like snakes.

"Even if it's not snakes, what if it's a beast? These four guys surely don't look like decent people, and it's possible that they could be exotic-animal traffickers. Anyway, it's better to be safe than sorry. Let's be careful in every task we do." Zhang Dashan was still concerned as it was his nature to fear the unknown.

"Stay away if you're scared."

Xiao Luo could not understand Zhang Dashan's fear. It was just opening up a sack, was it even necessary to be that careful?

He reached out his hands to undo the retaining knot that tied up the sack. Both their jaws dropped as they stared wide-eyed at its contents.

These were neither venomous snake nor ferocious beasts but a beautiful and cute little "loli." [1]

She looked about three to four years old, with a pair of beautiful, clear eyes so bright that stars seemed to reside within. Her hair was black and soft, just like a waterfall that flowed down to her shoulders. She had a soft fringe in wispy bangs, a tiny delicate nose, fair skin,, and long eyelashes. She looked like an adorable little fairy that had descended to the mortal world by chance.

However, the hands of this little angel were tied up, and her mouth was gagged with a piece of white cloth. She looked helpless and stared at Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan, frightened. She had calmed down nevertheless after she had a good look at Xiao Luo's face.

"These motherf*cking bastards actually kidnapped a little girl!" Zhang Dashan was very pissed.

Even though Xiao Luo had never considered himself to be a decent person, memories of that little girl who was forced by Dragon Gang to beg for a living made his blood boil with rage. This adorable girl was undoubtedly kidnapped and had they not chanced upon her, she would ultimately be living a wasted life in a bottomless abyss.

He remained silent as he untied the rope that had restrained her and took out the piece of white cloth from her mouth.

"Daddy!"

Xiao Luo was taken aback.

Zhang Dashan said in a kind voice, "Little girl, you've mistaken him for someone else, okay. This is not your daddy."

He knew better than anyone that Xiao Luo, his own brother, cannot possibly have a daughter. He did not even have a girlfriend to begin with, let alone a wife.

The loli looked up timidly and remained silent, then she hugged Xiao Luo tightly as if he would vanish into thin air the moment she let him go.

Xiao Luo knew that she had suffered from a traumatic experience, which caused her to behave strangely.

He carried her out from the van as she clung onto him tightly like an octopus. She chirped, "Daddy, Bei Bei has finally found you. Mommy did not lie to me, daddy's really in this city."

Xiao Luo smiled at her, then turned to Zhang Dashan, and said, "Call the police, let the police handle the case!"

Zhang Dashan immediately nodded in agreement. Even though they had saved a kidnapped child, they couldn't possibly be taking care of her for the rest of her life. In addition to that, they had a reunion to go to, and that didn't give them much time to clean up the mess.

After the interrogation, the squared-face man and his gang provided all the details. They were not kidnapping but trafficking. The four of them earned a living through child trafficking. This loli, whose name was Bei Bei, looked as divine as a little fairy, so she would naturally be worth a lot of money. They had been tracking her for a while, and when they had the opportunity, they snatched her from her parents and sped off in their van. 𝑙𝒾𝘣𝘳𝑒𝒶𝒹.𝑐𝘰𝓂

"We're wrong, and we apologize. Big brothers... please let us go..."

The squared-face man was now broken, all traces of his earlier arrogance gone, as he begged Xiao Luo for mercy. If the police were to come, he and his men would be jailed for a long time. They had committed this crime multiple times; if they were to be prosecuted, they would probably be spending the rest of their lives in jail.

"Let you guys go? Don't dream about it, scumbags like you guys deserve a death penalty, f*ck!" Zhang Dashan screamed at them. He hated human traffickers terribly, he was greatly influenced by the movie, "Lost and Love."

Chapter 261

Not long after, the police arrived. The square-jawed man and four others were handcuffed. Their expressions were desperate. Had they known earlier that Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan were not people they could mess with, they would have held their tempers in. However, there were no what-ifs in the world. Everything was too late. Karma had caught up with them.

"We don't have time to give a statement, and we have told you everything necessary." Zhang Dashan declined the police's invitation. He pointed at the young girl beside Xiao Luo and said, "Oh yeah, this little girl is the one they kidnapped. Please help her find her family."

"Alright!"

There was basically no cop in Jiangcheng that didn't know who Xiao Luo was. His name was like a religion, instilling wariness, fear, and respect in them. How could they dare force Xiao Luo and his companion to give their statements at the police station?

A policewoman walked up to Xiao Luo. After nodding at Xiao Luo as an acknowledgment, she bent down and waved at the girl. She gave the girl a friendly smile and said, "Little girl, I'll take you to your parents, alright?"

The little girl wrapped her arms around Xiao Luo's thighs and shook her head forcefully. She hid behind Xiao Luo and warily looked at the policewoman.

Xiao Luo smiled resignedly and looked down to persuade her. "They are the police, and the police are the good guys. They will help you find your parents. You can go ahead and follow her."

"You are Beibei's father."

The young girl lifted her head as she seriously spoke. Her big, shining, onyx-like eyes blinked.

Hmm?

The look in the eyes of the policewoman and the other cops immediately became contemplative. Xiao Luo the devil cop has a daughter? How could they not know?

Xiao Luo quickly explained, "I am not your father."

"You are Beibei's father."

The little girl spoke in a very sure tone. Her childish voice was very pleasant to the ears.

"Little girl, you have recognized him wrong. Maybe he just looks like your father, but he definitely isn't your father. He doesn't even have a wife yet." Zhang Dashan spoke up and agreed with Xiao Luo. What is happening? He's even getting pestered by a little girl?

The little girl looked at him sheepishly but didn't reply to him. Her tiny hands were still holding on tightly to Xiao Luo's thighs. She pressed her porcelain-doll-like face closely to Xiao Luo's thigh. Her face looked flat as the muscles were being compressed. She pouted and looked very cute.

If it wasn't for the fact that the man before her was Xiao Luo the devil cop, even the policewoman would have failed to suppress her liking of the girl and go forward to pat the girl on the head. She was too cute. She made one feel an impulse to hug her and show her some love.

Xiao Luo didn't argue with the little girl any further, but he said to the policewoman, "Take her."

Regardless of whether the cops were able to coax her away or take her forcefully, they had to take the little girl with them. It had nothing to do with him.

At Xiao Luo's behest, the policewoman walked up and tried to coax or trick the girl. "Little girl, do you want to have some cotton candy? How about I bring you to buy some fluffy and sweet cotton candy?"

The little girl was slightly tempted, but she thought of Xiao Luo, so she shook her head.

The policewoman took out her phone. "Then, do you want to watch clips of Logger Vick, Briar, and Bramble? I have some here."

As she spoke, she directly clicked on the video clips of Boonie Bears and played it for the little girl.

The little girl was tempted. Most kids were unable to resist cartoons. She walked out from behind Xiao Luo and took the phone from the policewoman. She stood where she was looking down and started watching the show with pleasure.

"Is it nice?" The policewoman tried to get the girl to trust her more.

The little girl nodded. Not shifting her eyes off the phone, she replied, "It's nice!"

"How about you come with me? I still have a lot of nice cartoons at my place." The policewoman smiled.

Unexpectedly, the little girl immediately exited the state of being completely focused on the cartoon. After warily glancing at the policewoman, she once again hugged Xiao Luo's thighs tightly. "Beibei doesn't want to leave Dad!"

Eh?!

The policewoman was momentarily shocked. Obviously, her tactics of coaxing and tricking had failed.

There was no other way but to take her by force. She grabbed the little girl's hand. "Little girl, he isn't your father. I will help you find your actual parents."

The little girl began wailing. "I won't go! My dad is here! He is my dad, boohoo..."

The policewoman, who was afraid of hurting her, didn't dare tug at her forcefully now that she was crying, so she let go of her hand.

The little girl immediately hugged Xiao Luo's thighs firmly and tightly, hiding behind him.

"Damn, what's going on? Old Xiao, be honest to me, surely this girl can't really be the daughter of you and some woman?"

It was the first time Zhang Dashan had encountered something like this throughout his life. Saving a little girl by chance and having the little girl claim Old Xiao as her dad was surely only something that happened in novels, right?

Xiao Luo rolled his eyes at him and reprimanded, "Don't say anything if you don't have anything to say."

The little girl was at least three years old. He would have just graduated from university when she was born. He was in a relationship with Zhao Mengqi, so why would he have sex with other women and have a daughter?

When he saw the little girl crying, Xiao Luo didn't know why, but he felt indescribably sorry for her. Even though it wasn't a very strong feeling, it was clear as day.

He squatted down and extended a hand to wipe away the tears on her face. He patted her on the head. "Don't cry, you will look like a tabby cat if you keep on crying."

"Beibei has finally found Dad! Beibei doesn't want to leave you!" The little girl's eyes were red. Drops of tears were pooled on her eyelashes. She looked so pitiful that even God would have been moved.

Xiao Luo drily laughed. "You are Beibei?"

"Yup."

The little girl nodded quickly like a chick pecking at rice.

"Why are you calling me Dad?"

Xiao Luo was very curious about it. "Is it that I look like your dad?"

The little girl shook her head. "You are Beibei's dad."

Xiao Luo was speechless. He realized that he couldn't communicate with the girl. How could he be her dad? There was no chance of it being true at all.

The policewoman sheepishly suggested, "Xiao... Xiao Luo, since she relies on you so much, let her follow you for now. I will bring her family over to find you when they report her missing. Is that alright?" 𝙡𝒊𝒃𝓻𝒆𝒂𝓭.𝙘𝓸𝓶

She was actually thinking that the girl would be a huge trouble if she kept on wailing loudly and making noise after they took her away.

"It is your duty as cops to help her find her family," Xiao Luo calmly said. "What does it have to do with me?"

"About that..."

The policewoman laughed awkwardly but did not say anything more. She feared Xiao Luo, this devil cop, from the bottom of her heart.

Suddenly, the little girl, whose tears had stopped, began crying again. Tears streamed from her eyes. As she pouted she wailed, "Dad, Beibei has finally found you, why don't you want Beibei? Boohoo..."

Seeing her cry, Xiao Luo couldn't describe what he felt. He even subconsciously frowned.

Chapter 262

With soft, silky hair draped around her shoulders, large eyes like the moon, a small nose with a high bridge, slightly flushed cheeks, and tender skin as white as snow and frost, the little girl was like a small fairy or a doll carved out of jade. She looked incredibly innocent and beautiful.

Xiao Luo hadn't said anything yet.

Zhang Dashan was the first to give in. He said, "Never mind, let's take her with us. It's too heart-wrenching to see such a cute little girl cry. After all, it won't be for long. Her family will come and fetch her tomorrow."

Xiao Luo was uncertain. He didn't want to be put in charge of this little troublemaker, but he felt that his inner peace was disturbed when he saw her cry. It felt as if there was an electric drill forcefully drilling away in his heart, making its way inside. It made him very upset.

Could it be that he had a thing for little girls?

He was unable but to make such a guess. Who would believe that the devil cop would feel upset over a little girl crying?

"Dad, Dad..."

The little girl was wildly crying. Her teary eyes were red as she kept on shouting.

Xiao Luo sighed. He held the little girl's small, pale hands and comforted her softly. "Don't cry. You can stay with me until your family finds you."

"OK, Beibei will be a very good girl!" The little girl nodded obediently and finally stopped her tears.

Xiao Luo smiled slightly and lifted his head. He asked the policewoman, "Do you have any tissue on you?"

"Yes."

The policewoman quickly took out a packet of tissues from her pocket and handed it to Xiao Luo.

Xiao Luo opened it and took out one sheet. He gently wiped away the tears on the little girl's face. "What's your full name?"

"Beibei," the little girl answered.

Xiao Luo smiled in resignation. Beibei was definitely a nickname. He asked for her full name, which would include her surname and name, but it was obvious that the little girl couldn't comprehend the concept. He dismissed his intention to continue asking.

"Dad, what's your name?"

The little girl opened her big, charming eyes wide, as she innocently and curiously asked the question.

Given that she didn't even know Xiao Luo's name, the police officers present realized that the little girl wasn't Xiao Luo's daughter. But why was she so reliant on Xiao Luo? Was it simply because Xiao Luo had saved her?

Everyone was puzzled and confused.

"Your Dad's name is Xiao Luo. As for me, you can just call me 'Brother Dashan.'" Zhang Dashan walked over and chuckled.

"Can you not be so shameless?"

Xiao Luo turned around and admonished him. Zhang Dashan was almost 30 years old, yet he still asked a 3- or 4-year-old girl to address him as "Brother." He was incredibly thick-skinned.

Zhang Dashan immediately defended himself. "F*ck, what's wrong with getting her to address me as 'brother?' Any single guy should always be addressed as 'brother,' you know?"

Xiao Luo rolled his eyes at him. "Nonsense."

"Nonsense your ass!"

Zhang Dashan jumped around furiously like an angry bull flaring hot air from its nostrils.

Seeing the two fight verbally, the other police officers chuckled. It seemed that Xiao Luo, who was known as the devil cop, was not so cold after all!

...

After about 10 minutes, Xiao Luo, Zhang Dashan, and the little girl, Beibei, arrived at the location of the class gathering—Maple Leaf Hotel.

It was a famous hotel in Jiangcheng. It combined dining, leisure, entertainment, and housing in one location, and it had many branches in Jiangcheng. Each of them was in a strategic location within the surrounding urban areas. One easily identified the main consumer group there from the various mid-to-high-level cars in the parking lot.

Xiao Luo also knew that Maple Leaf Hotel was owned by Chongshan Court, which meant that the boss behind it was Chu Yunxiong.

"It seems that we are late, so we will have to drink a few glasses of liquor as punishment." Zhang Dashan looked at the time and signaled with his head.

"You still need to drive," Xiao Luo reminded him. "It'll do to just drink a few glasses of a beverage. Don't get pulled over for drunk driving later when we go home."

Zhang Dashan waved his hand. "What's there to be afraid of? You are here, right? Which cop in Jiangcheng doesn't know you now? One word from you is enough to make them pee their pants. They wouldn't dare pull us over even if they had a hundred times their courage."

"If you get caught for drunk driving, you will have to settle it yourself. I won't help you. " Xiao Luo made it clear that there was no relationship between those two events.

"F*ck, are you still my brother?" Zhang Dashan cursed.

The little girl suddenly tugged at the corner of Xiao Luo's shirt and softly said, "Dad, I want to pee."

"You go up first. I'll take her to the bathroom."

After speaking to Zhang Dashan, Xiao Luo guided the little girl to the bathroom.

"We're in room 508! Don't go to the wrong one!" Zhang Dashan shouted.

Xiao Luo waved without turning back, signaling that he knew.

When they reached the bathroom, Xiao Luo was at a loss. The men's toilet was on the left, and the ladies' on the right. Which one was he supposed to take the little girl to?

He looked down at the little girl and sighed. He thought, You are really giving me a difficult problem.

The little girl lifted her head. Her big, sparkling eyes innocently looked at him. She didn't have the slightest idea of what he was thinking.

Xiao Luo thought for a moment. He made up his mind to bring the little girl to the men's bathroom. If he went into the ladies' bathroom, he would likely be viewed as a pervert.

The little girl was unwilling.

"Dad, Mom said that I must go to the place with the dress sign when I need to pee." 𝓵𝓲𝓫𝒓𝓮𝙖𝓭.𝒄𝙤𝓶

The little girl pointed at the ladies' sign outside the toilet and dragged Xiao Luo toward that bathroom. "It's this way."

Xiao Luo didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. He forcibly said, "Little girl, you enter from that door when you are going to pee with your mom, but you enter from this door when you are with me."

"Is that so?"

The little girl tilted her head and looked like she was thinking hard. Her brows were furrowed.

"Xiao Luo!"

An attractive woman suddenly shouted his name. Her wavy golden hair glimmered brightly as the light shone upon it. She wore a light-yellow super mini skirt, which showed her slim thighs, and she was wearing nude-colored stockings, which displayed her perfect body shape.

"Tang Wantian."

Xiao Luo immediately said the woman's name out loud. She was the first to voice her support when Guo Qinghe suggested that they meet up. Back at the university, she was very active and the Communist Youth League branch secretary in their class. She was in charge of the Communist Youth League branch matters and showed an extremely strong ability of communication back then.

"It's been three years, Xiao Luo, and you've gotten more handsome."

Tang Wantian approached them with a bright smile. "Oh yeah, what are you working... Eh, who is this little girl? Is she your daughter?"

"Hello, Sister, my name is Beibei, I am my Dad's daughter."

The little girl boldly introduced herself still holding on tightly to Xiao Luo's hand.

Being addressed as "Sister" made Tang Wantian extremely happy. Her smile got even brighter. She reached out and touched the little girl's face. "How cute. Not bad, Xiao Luo, you've had a kid without anyone knowing. Mengqi was the one to name her Beibei, right?"

She thought that the little girl was the daughter of Xiao Luo and Zhao Mengqi.

Xiao Luo smiled resignedly and didn't know what to say. It seemed that things were getting more and more complicated.

The little girl lifted her head and said with puppy eyes, "Dad, I'm close to peeing myself."

Xiao Luo was worried about her peeing herself, so he said to Tang Wantian, "This little girl is not who you think she is. It's rather complicated. Can you do me a favor and take her into the ladies' bathroom?"

Seeing the troubled expression on Xiao Luo's face, Tang Wantian immediately understood. She smiled slightly and said, "Sure. That's a piece of cake." She extended a hand to the little girl. "Little girl, your name is Beibei, right? Come, I'll take you to the bathroom."

The little girl looked at Xiao Luo. She extended a pale hand to Tang Wantian only after Xiao Luo signaled for her to do so with his gaze.

Chapter 263

Before long, the little girl came out of the bathroom and ran directly to Xiao Luo. She tightly held his hand as she stood by his side.

After washing her hands, Tang Wantian came over and said with some envy, "Xiao Luo, your daughter is so close to you. It seems that you must be a loving father."

Xiao Luo still didn't know what to say, so he shrugged and smiled.

"Let's go. We should go up first. Everyone must be waiting." Tang Wantian changed the topic.

Xiao Luo nodded.

Taking the lift, they soon reached the fifth level. The server led them to room 508.

As they pushed open the door, the first things in sight were a large round table and a crystal chandelier hanging high from the ceiling. The floor was covered in red carpet. The décor was rather vintage. The place was magnificent, pursuing perfection in every decoration. It made one felt as if one had come to a palace.

Around the round table were their classmates.

"Damn, Old Xiao, how did you run into our pretty lady Tang? With this little girl alongside, you two look like a couple here for a banquet." Zhang Dashan had drunk some liquor, so he couldn't help but start spouting nonsense.

"Xiao Luo, Wantian, you two are so late. You must drink three glasses of liquor as a punishment."

At the head of the table, a comely and cultured looking young man stood up and smiled. He was Guo Qinghe, the class head. With a pair of glasses and a suit, one thought of the phrase "successful person" just by taking one look at him.

"Three glasses are not enough. It must be at least five glasses, ha-ha..."

"Yeah, five glasses. It can't be any less."

"Xiao Luo and Wantian never got drunk at class gatherings back when we were in university. It shows that they have a high capacity for liquor. If you ask me, five glasses are not enough. They should directly drink from the bottle and finish it."

The other people cheered them on. The atmosphere in the room immediately warmed up.

"You bunch of jerks are still behaving so badly after three years. Alright, let me eat something first. I'll play Finger Spoof with all of you later and see whether you all can still be so smug." Tang Wantian rolled up her sleeves like a tomboy.

This scared the bunch of people cheering. Playing drinking games with Tang Wantian was like seeking one's death.

They changed their target to Xiao Luo.

"Xiao Luo, what's going on with you, huh? Why did you bring such a cute little girl over?"

"Yeah, she looks so cute. I really want to hug her and show her some love."

"I'm still single. I booked this little girl in advance. She will be my future wife, so don't you all try to compete with me."

Several men and women left their seats and walked over to the little girl. Some squeezed her cheeks, and some touched her nose. They all liked her very much.

The little girl hugged Xiao Luo's thighs and sheepishly hid behind him.

Zhao Mengqi was all dressed up and wearing a long tunic dress and light makeup. After going through much heartache and the torture of sickness, she no longer looked as bright and beautiful as before, but she was still a rather good-looking lady.

She sat in her seat, not moving. Ever since Xiao Luo entered, her gaze was always on him. It was indescribably bitter, regretful, and embarrassed. This outstanding young man once belonged to her, but now they were like strangers. Thinking of that, her heart ached. It was as if someone was stabbing it with a knife. She wished for nothing more than to turn back and return to the past. Without realizing it, her eyes became slightly red.

"Ah Shui, if you want to marry this little girl, you must now address Xiao Luo as Father-in-law," Tang Wantian joked.

Address Xiao Luo as Father-in-law?

Everyone in the room was momentarily shocked.

The man she called Ah Shui was Hu Shuiping. He was rather short and looked fairly plain, but he was a quick thinker. He pointed at the little girl hiding behind Xiao Luo, who was only showing half of her face, and asked Tang Wantian in surprise, "Are you saying that she is Xiao Luo's daughter?"

Tang Wantian looked at Zhao Mengqi and spread her hands, saying in puzzlement, "Yeah, isn't Mengqi here? Didn't she tell you all?"

Everyone exchanged silent looks. Their expressions were awkward.

Hu Shuiping dryly laughed twice and said in a soft voice by her ear, "Old Zhang told us just now that Mengqi and Xiao Luo parted ways a long time ago. Mengqi had also confirmed it."

"What? Xiao Luo and Mengqi parted..."

Tang Wantian was visibly surprised. Xiao Luo and Zhao Mengqi were a couple they were all optimistic about. They had promised to marry each other and spend their whole lives together during the graduation dinner, so why would they part ways? She realized that she had spoken inappropriately and hurriedly stopped herself. She looked at Xiao Luo with a questioning gazed.

Xiao Luo smiled and calmly said, "Fate is difficult to understand. There are a lot of things that cannot be changed by sheer willpower."

He casually brushed it aside with a sentence and didn't explain the reason behind their separation. It was better to show more respect for one's ex-lover.

Zhao Mengqi felt ashamed and grateful. She knew that Xiao Luo was trying to avoid embarrassing her. He was such a good man, so why did she get blinded and abandon him back then? 𝙡𝙞𝙗𝒓𝙚𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"You are right. Come, sit down. Waiter, you may serve the food now."

Guo Qinghe smoothed things over. He didn't want to make the atmosphere of the gathering more awkward.

Zhang Dashan spoke up in agreement. "Right, right, right. It's our class gathering today, so let's not talk about unhappy things. Let's talk more about happy memories." He looked at Hu Shuiping. "Ah Shui, you are more humorous, come, tell us a joke so everyone can have a laugh."

"That is far from the truth. When it comes to telling jokes, you are the grandmaster in class. Who could possibly compete with you, Old Zhang?" Hu Shuiping gave a wave of his hand and admitted defeat willingly.

"Yeah, Old Zhang, you start first. We love your jokes the most."

"I still remember the 'hehehe' joke you told. It really is a classic. I can remember it perfectly even now."

"Yeah, chase after me. If you manage to catch me, I will make you go hehehe, hahaha..."

Recalling their times back in the university, everyone was cheerful. Laughter constantly rang out.

Guo Qinghe was also very happy. With a serious expression, he said, "Dashan, everyone is praising you, just tell us one first!"

"Tell you all a joke?"

Zhang Dashan had been eager for the chance for a long time. He had barely suppressed his urge to tell a joke.

"Tell us!"

Everyone, be it men or women, clapped and cheered enthusiastically.

"OK, I will tell a joke."

Zhang Dashan coughed twice and stood up. He cleared his throat and began speaking. "It's about a married couple. The wife loves watching television dramas. One day, she says to the husband, 'Love, for so many years, you have been accompanying me and watching dramas with me. I know that it must have taken a lot of patience, and I shouldn't be so selfish. I won't watch my drama today, so you can do anything you want. Give me a chance to make you happy.'

Upon hearing so, the husband said, 'So, you know that I have been bored watching dramas with you every day for so many years, and you have finally succumbed to your conscience today. I see that you have been watching a lot of period dramas with words like 'your humble servant,"Your Majesty,' and all of those pedantic dialogues, right? I don't want you to do anything for me. I'll just give you a test.'

'Love, what do you want to test me about?'

The husband said, 'Just say a sentence to me. It must make me very happy but also make me very angry.'"

"Guess what the wife said?"

"Old Zhang, stop with the suspense," Hu Shuiping said. "If we could guess the punchline of your jokes, how would you still be the grandmaster of jokes in our class?"

"Yeah, tell us," a young woman eagerly said. "What on earth did she say to make her husband both happy and angry?"

Zhang Dashan took a sip of tea. In a moderate speed, he said, "The wife said, 'Love, your cock is the largest among your friends.'"

Chapter 264

Your cock is the largest among your friends!

Poof~

Many of the people drinking tea spat their tea out upon hearing Zhang Dashan's last sentence. Tea was spat out everywhere. It was as if a bomb had been ignited in the room. The men were laughing loudly, clapping their thighs in excitement, whereas the women shyly blushed.

"Damn, you are indeed the grandmaster. Old Zhang, you are the only person I admit defeat to in this regard."

"The husband would indeed be both happy and angry. He had been cheated on so many times."

"Old Zhang, was it your girlfriend who said that to you? Hahaha..."

Everyone joked around.

"Damn, I'm still single. If I am to be involved in cheating, I would be the one cheating on the wife."

Zhang Dashan patted himself on the chest. He looked at Hu Shuiping. "Oh yeah, Ah Shui, do you have a girlfriend that loves watching drama? Do introduce me to her if you do." 𝓁𝘪𝒷𝘳ℯ𝘢𝑑.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Hu Shuiping rolled his eyes at Zhang Dashan and reprimanded him, "Get out!"

"Hahaha..."

Everyone laughed wildly again.

Xiao Luo quietly sat in his seat, shelling sunflower seeds for the little girl to eat.

"Dad, Brother Dashan said a whole lot of things just now. Why did all the uncles and aunties laugh?" The little girl widened her big, sparkling eyes. Her face was full of innocent puzzlement.

"You will know will you grow up." Xiao Luo gave a casual excuse.

"Oh."

The little girl nodded, not entirely understanding what he meant. She pouted and said, "Dad, I am thirsty."

Xiao Luo poured her a cup of tea. He was worried that she might lose her grip and shatter the teacup, so he asked the waiter to bring him a straw. He held up the teacup. The little girl used to straw to drink the tea in the cup. She was very thirsty and gulped down the tea in big mouthfuls.

"This girl is really too cute."

"Xiao Luo, it seems like she has inherited your excellent genes."

"Yeah, look at her eyes. They are bright and sparkling. She already looks pretty at such a young age. After she grows up, she will be a stunning beauty."

Everyone's attention was attracted by how cute the little girl looked while drinking water. All their gazes were on Xiao Luo and the little girl.

Seeing that Xiao Luo was mistaken as the father, Zhang Dashan was terribly amused. He added fuel to fire. "Right, right, right. This little girl can definitely conquer loads of men when she grows up. Guys, look at her brows, eyes, nose, and mouth. They are all exactly the same as Old Xiao's. It is as if they have been carved out of the same mold. She is most definitely his daughter."

He said so deliberately for fun, hoping that the rest would mistake her for Xiao Luo's daughter.

As expected, Hu Shuiping immediately clapped a hand on the table and leaped up. "What do you mean by most definitely? She is of course his daughter. Daughters all look like their fathers. Look at how closely they resemble each other."

"Ah Shui, you are so right, hahaha..."

Zhang Dashan couldn't stop laughing, even though he knew the truth. She was just a little girl they happened to rescue. It was impossible for her to be related to Xiao Luo. However, misled by him, everyone agreed with conviction. As a bystander, he was incredibly amused.

Xiao Luo was speechless. He glared at Zhang Dashan. He coughed dryly and said, "Actually, this little girl is not..."

He had to clear his name and stop the misunderstanding from getting out of hand.

Before he could finish his sentence, a woman beside Zhao Mengqi stood up and glared at Xiao Luo, shouting loudly, "Xiao Luo, don't you feel guilty in front of Mengqi?"

After she spoke, the entire room became silent.

The woman continued to demand answers. "We just graduated three years ago, and you were in a relationship with Mengqi back then. Now, you have a daughter. Your daughter is at least 3 years old, which means that you cheated on Mengqi three years ago. Xiao Luo, are you a man? Can you bear the responsibilities of a man?"

It was Qin Guiyue admonishing him. She had been Zhao Mengqi's roommate back in university. They were very close back then. She was one of the people most optimistic about the couple. Ever since she saw Xiao Luo bring his daughter to the gathering, she was filled with pent-up anger for the way Xiao Luo must have treated Zhao Mengqi. Now, she had erupted in fury, unable to hold it in any longer.

"Qin Guiyue, do you know why Old Xiao and Zhao Mengqi broke up? If you don't, stop spouting nonsense." Zhang Dashan was the first to stand up for Xiao Luo. The atmosphere had been great before, but she had to voice her dissent. What a wet blanket!

Qin Guiyue shouted, "Isn't it obvious? He even brought his daughter. The story is basically telling itself. Mengqi must have realized that Xiao Luo had been lying to her all along and toying with her feelings! That's why she chose to break up with him!"

"What the heck do you even know? This little girl isn't Old Xiao's daughter at all1" Zhang Dashan shouted, somewhat losing control of his emotions.

The moment he said so, everyone's gaze fell on him. They thought, Didn't you just say with your own mouth that the girl looked exactly like Xiao Luo? Why were you saying that she isn't Xiao Luo's daughter now?

Qin Guiyue was momentarily shocked. She laughed coldly and said, "Zhang Dashan, we all know that you are close with Xiao Luo, to the extent that you all could wear each other's clothes. To forcibly clear Xiao Luo's name of being a dickhead, now you can even tell such blatant lies!"

"I'm not lying. The little girl really isn't Xiao Luo's daughter. She was lost and we ran into her on the way here."

Zhang Dashan had to swallow a bitter pill in silence. He constantly led them on and deepened the misunderstanding for fun. The result was that Qin Guiyue used it to build her case. F*ck! He felt more upset than if he had gotten f*cked by a dog.

"Ran into her?"

Qin Guiyue was smiling even more mockingly. "A girl you just ran into would be so reliant on Xiao Luo? Zhang Dashan, do you think we are fools?"

"Motherf*cking hell, believe whatever you want!"

Zhang Dashan was incredibly angry. How was it that he just couldn't explain it to her? The little girl was indeed someone they had just run into on the way. As for why she was so reliant on Old Xiao, one had to ask the gods.

Qin Guiyue glared at Xiao Luo and shouted, "Xiao Luo, be honest in front of all of us. Did Mengqi break up with you because you are a shameless dickhead?"

"Guiyue."

Zhao Mengqi tugged at her, motioning for her to stop speaking.

"Mengqi, what are you afraid of?" Qin Guiyue confidently asked. "Everyone is here at the moment. This is the chance to show everyone what kind of man he actually is so that other girls from our class won't get fooled by his looks and lose out next time!"

"It's not as you think," Zhao Mengqi weakly said. "Don't get involved in this."

She did not want everyone to know the real reason. Otherwise, she would be too ashamed to stay there.

"Mengqi, you are too nice," Qin Guiyue righteously said. "You shouldn't give in to dickheads like Xiao Luo. If I were you, I would make him pay a high price."

"Have you said enough, Guiyue? Everyone came here happily to attend a gathering. Let Xiao Luo and Mengqi resolve their own matters in private and stop meddling blindly here, alright?" Tang Wantian reprimanded her with a frown.

Chapter 265

As the Communist Youth League branch secretary back at the university, Tang Wantian still more or less commanded some authority. Qin Guiyue might not have shown Xiao Luo due respect, but she definitely wouldn't do the same to Tang Wantian. She pouted and sat down.

Meanwhile, Xiao Luo paid no attention to Qin Guiyue and simply continued shelling seeds for the little girl. The way he saw it, there was no need to explain anything. After all, he wouldn't have any interaction with Qin Guiyue after this gathering.

Guo Qinghe smiled and said, "Wantian is right. Everyone came here happily for the gathering, so let's not talk about unpleasant things. Guiyue, I heard that your boyfriend is a department manager of the Haid Group Co. Limited?"

He changed the topic so that the atmosphere wouldn't descend into awkwardness.

Speaking of her boyfriend, Qin Guiyue showed a joyful smile. "Yeah, he is the manager of the publicity department. He earns a yearly salary of $300,000."

When she said that, her expression was proud. It was as if she was earning $300,000 a year and not her boyfriend.

A yearly salary of $300,000?!

Everyone was shocked. Since these people had just graduated three years ago, $300,000 was a big sum of money that they could only dream of.

"Guiyue, you have found yourself a rich man," Hu Shuiping jokingly said.

After he spoke, many of the women expressed their envy, saying that Qin Guiyue was fortunate to meet such an excellent man.

Qin Guiyue enjoyed it very much. She said with a smile, "Nah, he's just meh, nothing much. Moreover, the prices of houses along the coast are sky-high. With his salary, we need to work hard for two years before we can afford a house."

"It's just two years. For people like us, we might not even be able to afford it after working hard for 10 years." A female classmate was both envious and jealous.

Qin Guiyue was incredibly happy. She loved the feeling of being the center of attention.

They ate the food served and drank liquor. Perhaps it was because of the alcohol, or because what Qin Guiyue had said provoked them, they all began talking about their own lives. Some were happy, and some were not so much.

Some hated their bosses for being incredibly stingy, always asking them to work overtime yet paying them a pitifully low salary.

Another said that his fiancée was the daughter of an upper-level manager at a well-known company. He was about to open the door to the peak of his life by marrying the rich and pretty girl.

More of them were going through difficulties in their lives, using alcohol to numb themselves. They readily shared their stories with their ex-classmates. 𝘭𝒾𝑏𝓇𝘦𝒶𝘥.𝘤𝘰𝑚

Compared to them, Xiao Luo was rather quiet, silently helping the little girl eat.

Like him, the little girl loved meat. She shook her head vigorously when Xiao Luo gave her vegetables. As for the meat, be it beef, pork, mutton, or anything else, she never said no to it. Instead, she immediately opened her mouth and ate, quickly getting grease all over her mouth. She quietly sat behind Xiao Luo, unlike other children who made a lot of noise.

Zhang Dashan initially wanted to say that he was in upper-level management at Luo's Workshop, but he dismissed his intentions to do so after seeing how Qin Guiyue showed off. He agreed with what Xiao Luo had said earlier. One shouldn't make a class gathering the place to show off.

Of course, that didn't stop him from asking the other people about work.

"Old Guo, what are you doing in Xiahai?"

"Just toiling away. My life isn't as vibrant as you guys." Guo Qinghe lifted his cup and took a sip. He shook his head and humbly laughed.

Hu Shuiping immediately made fun of him. "Enough of that. You came here on a first-class flight. For ordinary people like us, we would have to consider it before even buying an economy-class ticket, let alone first-class."

"Let me tell you all, our class head is a lecturer, teaching classes about entrepreneurship specifically in Xiahai. He is the teacher for many entrepreneurs and receives at least $50,000 for a lesson." A lady who knew Guo Qinghe well told them the truth.

$50,000 for one lesson?

Hearing that, everyone gulped instinctively and was deeply shocked. Most of them had a fixed salary that hardly exceeded $10,000 per month, yet their classmate was earning $50,000 from a single lesson. How had money ever been so easy to earn?

Guo Qinghe pretended to be angry and gave the lady a look. She said with a smile, "I can only say that I'm lucky to have gotten into the right industry. If anyone here is having difficulties or feel that their job right now isn't a good fit, feel free to visit me in Xiahai. I will definitely help you all to the best of my abilities."

"That's great, Old Xiao is going to develop his business in the city of Xiahai next year, so you can help each other out," Zhang Dashan casually said.

"Help each other out my ass. He is just a dickhead. How can he even help our class head out, heh?"

Qin Guiyue angrily looked at Xiao Luo and softly mumbled to herself.

Zhang Dashan put down his chopsticks and angrily said, "Qin Guiyue, Old Xiao has a good temper, but you know me. If you continue to spout f*cking nonsense, don't blame me for breaking old friendships!"

He was a badly-behaved student back in university, giving the teachers headaches. It was common for him to get into fights. When he put on an angry expression, Qin Guiyue didn't dare say anything more.

Guo Qinghe comforted earnestly him, saying, "Alright, Dashan, don't be angry. We have been classmates for four years. It isn't easy to get everyone to meet up."

"I know it isn't easy to meet up, but some people just love to spout bullsh*t," Zhang Dashan said. "It's very annoying to the ears."

"Zhang Dashan, you..."

Qin Guiyue was extremely angry and glared at him.

"Alright, both of you need to take a few steps back," Guo Qinghe reprimanded them. "Guiyue, you are partially at fault too. It's a gathering, so it would be great if you could stop gossiping."

Qin Guiyue pouted and angrily turned her head.

"Eh, what's wrong? Come, come, everyone, cheers." Hu Shuiping raised his glass and invited everyone to a toast.

His suggestion immediately received everyone's support and response.

"That's right, come, cheers, drink away all the unpleasant stuff."

Everyone rose and clinked their glasses of liquor, tilted their heads back, and downed it in one shot.

"Xiao Luo, are you really coming to develop your business in Xiahai city next year?" Guo Qinghe asked.

Xiao Luo nodded. "Yes."

"Which industry are you planning to join?" Guo Qinghe enthusiastically asked.

"The baking industry," Xiao Luo honestly answered.

Guo Qinghe seriously said, "Alright, come and find me. I am quite well-connected in Xiahai, and I think I can help you."

Xiao Luo smiled and said, "Thanks."

Guo Qinghe waved and righteously said, "There's no need to be so formal about it. We are all from the same class. It's only right for us to help each other."

"Class Head, I also want your help!" Hu Shuiping pretended to look pitiful.

"Class Head, me too."

"I'm so broke I'll have to eat grass soon! Class Head, is your company still taking in people?"

"I also want to fly first-class!"

Everyone cheered each other on. Of course, they were the only ones who knew whether they were actually telling the truth or lying.

Guo Qinghe waved and confidently said, "Alright, as long as you all come over to Xiahai, I promise that you can all become winners in life."

"See, this is how a successful person would speak. Class Head, I'll drink to you." Hu Shuiping sucked up to him.

"Class Head, we'll drink to you too."

The rest of the people also hurriedly drank to Guo Qinghe.

Chapter 266

Guo Qinghe received a minimum fee of fifty thousand for each lecture he delivered. Even if he were to give only one lecture a month, his annual income would amount to at least six hundred thousand. Guo Qinghe's income was certainly envied by many, but the fact was that he had long been admired for his talents and capabilities. He held the position of class chairperson since his undergraduate days, and he was also actively involved in WeChat business and stock investments. In his fourth year at college, he managed to buy himself a foreign car, which he paid for with his own money.

So, it was quite natural for everyone to look up to Guo Qinghe, and in their hearts, nobody felt peeved about what he had deservingly achieved. In fact, most people would expect Guo Qinghe to do better than them in life, and if he wasn't, that would indeed be very unusual.

"Beauty Tang, how come you don't look excited? You haven't said a word at all since we've sat down, is there something that's bothering you?" Zhang Dashan directed his attention to Tang Wantian, and that quickly changed the topic of conversation.

"That's right, Wantian, you're the party secretary of our class and the right-hand person," someone said. And another followed up with a question, "What are you working now as?"

Tang Wantian sighed, "Well, I'm an author and a journalist, but my main work is in writing news articles. It's a shitty life, and I need to submit one news article before the weekly deadline."

"News articles? You're not referring to the pop-up news from mobile web browsers and chatting apps, right?" A girl asked.

Tang Wantian took a sip of her fruit juice and nodded, "Yup, it's that kind of news."

"Starting with only two pictures and edit the way through to a full story, so you're the editor that everyone's talking about, eh?" Hu Shuiping was quite surprised.

Tang Wantian rolled her eyes but charmingly, "Shui, are you asking for a slap on your wrist? What do you mean by starting with two pictures and then editing them all the way to a full story? I'm not that low in taste, everything I've written is based on facts and evidence, and there's certainly no fabrication."

"Then what have you been writing on recently?" Zhang Dashan asked jokingly.

Tang Wangtian thought for a moment and answered honestly, "It's a piece about San Qian Luo Shui, the boss of Luo's Workshop."

When he heard that, Zhang Dashan almost spat the beer in his mouth out. Could this really be another coincidence?

He threw a quick, meaningful glance at Xiao Luo.

An expression of surprise did register on Xiao Luo's face a little as well, but it was hardly obvious as he was kept busy feeding the loli while having a bite himself.

Zhao Mengqi knew, but she was well aware that Xiao Luo disliked being the center of attention, so she decided to stay mum on the subject.

"Talking about that San Qian Luo Shui, it is still a hot topic even now."

"I agree, the way he talked was fascinating, how he faced up to Jia Zhengyi, and he even managed to beat millions of Jia Zhengyi's fan to silence just by his witty remarks."

"Even more impressive was the press conference that Jia Zhengyi was forced to make. He had to publicly apologize to Luo's Workshop and even seek forgiveness from the masses. He was allegedly made to pay a compensation of thirty million. It was so satisfying to follow it, the whole plot had even more suspense than a soap opera."

When the topic of conversation shifted to San Qian Luo Shui, everyone had gotten excited and wouldn't let up discussing the "verbal war" that had taken place only recently. It actually fired up the atmosphere of the entire room immediately.

"Wantian, do you have a picture of San Qian Luo Shui? He's really my idol, and I've been following him on Weibo. If you write a piece of news about him, I'll marry you right now!" Hu Shuiping said nonsensically.

Everyone immediately jeered at him.

Someone chirped, "Don't continue to bullshit, Shui. The difference in height between you and Wantian may not work in your favor. When you stand next to Wantian, you really do resemble 'Tu Xingsun' [1] in the classic novel, 'Fengshen Bang' [2]." And that got everyone in the room laughing.

Tang Wantian immediately patted Hu Shuiping on the head as if she was comforting a child and smiled, "There, there, be a good boy, and sister would buy you some candies later."

"Big sister, I'd also like some candies."

The little loli, Bei Bei, could not resist it and shouted out to Tang Wanlian when she heard the word 'candies'.

Everyone burst into peals of joyful laughter as they looked at her cute and demure expression.

But poor Hu Shuiping wore a long face. Not only was he the butt of the joke, but to be spurned by a pat on his head dealt a blow to his ego. He was terribly upset, but he could not express it.

...

...

After they were done with eating and drinking, they all headed for the Karaoke room in the box.

The karaoke equipment was installed with an auto-scoring system, and it would show the scores every time a patron finished singing a number. The passing mark was 60, while really good crooners could sometimes get the full score of a hundred.

Qin Guiyue started the session with 'Yi Sheng You Ni' by Shui Mu Nian Hua. As the song echoed around the room, Zhao Mengqi lost her composure and broke into tears. This song had reminded her of everything about her past relationships with Xiao Luo. Each piece of memory flashed back so vividly, and it touched her very soul.

As the song ended, everyone tried to comfort Zhao Mengqi, who was beside herself in sorrow. Qin Guiyue glared at Xiao Luo with daggers in her eyes, convinced that it was Xiao Luo who had hurt her.

Guo Qinghe sensed that the situation was becoming awkward, so he quickly suggested a singing competition to liven up the situation. He promptly said, "I'm proposing a singing competition where everyone gives it a shot with their best songs. We'll determine the winner by the system's highest-scoring contestant, what do you guys think?"

"That is a great idea, but there have to be some incentives for the winner. It'd be boring if we didn't have a prize to compete for." Zhang Dashan said.

Guo Qinghe thought for a moment and responded as he adjusted his glasses, "How about this, each of us contributes two hundred to the prize pool, so that makes it two thousand four hundred bucks. The winner gets one thousand two hundred, the first runner-up gets eight hundred, and the second runner-up gets four hundred. How about that?"

"Chairperson, you can just be honest with me, if all you want is two hundred bucks, then you really don't have to go by this singing competition trick." Saying that Hu Shuiping slapped the two hundred bucks on the table, pouting and acting as if he was offended.

He was a barrel of laughs, and they all knew that Hu Shuiping was tone-deaf. His singing was so terrible that it would be more entertaining to listen to a monk reciting the scriptures. Some people could earn a living by singing, but in Hu Shuiping's case, listeners could get so agitated it would likely cost him his life.

"Shui, don't so upset about it. Who knows this scoring system may not recognize you are tone-deaf, then you would definitely be the champion." Zhang Dashan gave a pat on his shoulder and said sarcastically.

"F*ck, you're always screwing me up like this, is it so difficult to stop hurling insults at me? F*ck off!" Hu Shuiping shot back.

The prize money has been collected, and the bundle of notes was placed visibly on the table to stir up their competitive spirit. The singing competition was about to begin.

Everyone encouraged Hu Shuiping to sing first, and they anticipated more laughs.

Hu Shuiping seemed to be quite happy to entertain everyone, so he confidently chose to sing "Si Le Dou Yao Ai." So horrible was his rendition of the popular song, that it made everyone cover their ears up.

Xiao Luo had his hands over the little loli's ears, but he ended up suffering, as Hu Shuiping murdered every aspect of the song. It was difficult to put the finger on any particular flaw, but besides being off-key, he also got every line of the lyrics wrong. Still, he was so engrossed that he was singing it out loud with his eyes closed.

He sang his lungs out and even bowed at the end of the song. But when the final score flashed on the screen, everyone burst out laughing hysterically.

"What the f*ck, the execution was fierce as hell, but the result was like f*cks. 11 points, hahaha..." Zhang Dashan laughed uncontrollably, with his hands on his belly.

Hu Shuiping was pouting again and actually looked genuinely dejected. He had expected a much better score than that. 𝒍𝓲𝒃𝙧𝒆𝒂𝒅.𝓬𝙤𝒎

The entire room was in stitches, and even the karaoke staff couldn't help themselves.

Qin Guiyue was up next, and she was known for her awesome singing voice. She chose an English song, 'it's Amazing'. She was indeed skillful and enunciated every word well, and she had a beautiful voice that made everyone fall in love with her singing. When she ended her song, the system flashed the score: 98 points!

"What the heck! No point to compete anymore, the champion's Guiyue, without a doubt."

"Didn't you expect that, have you forgotten that Guiyue was the main vocalist in the band when she was in college?"

"How'd I forget that. I just thought that the results might be different this time, since the score is produced by a machine, instead of a human."

Everyone was surprised as a tally of 98 points was an extraordinary score to them.

"My throat isn't in the best condition today, on any other day, I would've hit a full score with this song." Qin Guiyue said, not satisfied with what she got. As conceited as she seemed, she wasn't simply blowing hot air. She indeed was a true songbird who frequently patronized clubs, and she was particularly confident with this song.

Everyone applauded with a look of amazement on their faces. Hu Shuiping even declared aloud, "Chairperson, give the first prize to Guiyue at once, I can't handle any more of this psychological trauma."

"Hahaha..."

And everyone once again tore up with laughter as they saw the look on Hu Shuiping's expressive face.

Chapter 267

No one in the room disputed Qin Guiyue's position as the frontrunner after she tallied up 98 points, and she thoroughly deserved to be the winner. However, there were still first and second-runner up positions to compete for, so everyone continued to sing with great enthusiasm.

Some sang love songs, some inspirational songs, and some even performed duets.

Zhang Dashan was a down-to-earth guy, so he chose "Give Me A Hug, Brother." He had a rough voice, and that quality was very suitable for this song.

"Give me a hug, brother, tell me your mind,

Tell me all about your sad past and changes of vicissitude all these years.

Give me a hug, brother. If you want to cry, cry it all out,

Cry it all out for all the deep-buried hardships you've had all these years."

When he belted out the song, all the men listening recalled their younger days when they were both frivolous and fearless in pursuing relationships. It reminded them of the quote from the movie, A Chinese Odyssey: "the longer one lives, the more dog-like he becomes." There was some wisdom in that, as time was a great leveler, and social norms would gradually smoothen the rough edges.

Xiao Luo was of a different mind altogether, and shaking his head, he murmured to himself, "I'm so sick of hearing this song from you!"

Zhang Dashan habitually selected this song to sing at the karaoke, and sometimes he would even sing it twice. Xiao Luo was sick of hearing it. To hear it again, it was merely noise to him, regardless of how well Zhang Dashan delivered the song. However, when compared to Hu Shuiping, his voice was heavenly.

The little loli, Bei Bei, sat obediently beside Xiao Luo, with her two tiny hands on his thigh. Her big eyes were staring at the screen, and she seemed to be very interested in the music videos' content.

"Girl, can you sing?" Xiao Luo asked her jokingly.

The loli nodded and replied eagerly, "Bei Bei knows how to sing the nursery rhyme mommy taught."

Xiao Luo patted her head affectionately and nodded silently.

Zhang Dashan finished his song with a flourish, and the system gave a score of 96 points!

What the heck!

It surprised everyone and nearly caused a riot. When did Zhang Dashan ever display any musical talents even from his college years? They couldn't believe that he had gotten such an outrageous high score. They could accept Qin Guiyue receiving 98 points, being the main vocalist of the band during her college years, but Zhang Dashan?

"I'm very much humbled, hahaha..."

Zhang Dashan received the applause with utmost modestly but laughed out loud as he stepped back to his seat.

"F*ck, this system has a definite problem. Even you could get 96 points, while I only score 11! And I even hit the high notes!" Hu Shuiping was all riled up. He always believed that he was on par with Zhang Dashan, in terms of singing ability, so he felt very dissatisfied when Zhang Dashan's score flashed on the screen.

Zhang Dashan patted his shoulder and rubbed it in, saying, "That's because I've sung it well, you don't know shit."

Hu Shuiping rolled his eyes, and turning to Guo Qinghe, he said with firm resolve, "Chairperson, I demand a re-match!"

"Re-what? No, once is more than enough, I'd rather commit suicide than listen to you sing again!"

"My earwax almost flew out just now. Shui, please don't sing again."

"We'll drag you out and kill you by humiliation if you dare to sing again!"

Everyone was firmly against it, and the thought of it made them want to throw up. Earlier, they had encouraged Hu Shuiping, but only for laughs, and even then, they struggled to sit through his horrible singing. Once was enough!

Guo Qinghe tried to not laugh and simply advised him with all sincerity, "Shui, everyone's only got one chance. Since the score's out, then you should accept it wholeheartedly, don't feel embarrassed, people won't laugh at you."

However, those words only made the others burst into more laughter.

Hu Shuiping put up his signature sympathetic face: frowned eyebrows, pouting lips, and droopy eyes. And this brought about even more laughter, and everyone was rocking in their seats, unable to contain themselves.

Tang Wantian had been texting her colleagues about the investigation of San Qian Luo Shui, but she didn't cocoon herself from the crowd. She chose a song by Feng Huang Chuan Qi. Her score turned out pretty high at 92 points, which also gained everyone's praise.

Guo Qinghe then chose an inspirational song.

"Nothing could stop, your longing for freedom,

unlimited and unrestricted life, your heart has no worries..."

His voice was both gentle and magnetic, and he lifted everyone's spirit with his fine rendition.

Even though he only received a score of 86, he had won everyone's admiration nonetheless.

"The score doesn't matter. Chairperson, you nailed the song."

"That's right, it's very obvious that he had been through a lot, or else he can't bring out that sense of emotion."

"Come, let us cheer for the chairperson!"

The cheers and applause went on non-stop.

Xiao Luo frowned. Now, as working adults climbing their way up the social ladder, everyone had changed so much since their university days. This was nothing more than a simple singing contest among friends, and yet they were already trying to flatter and bootlick their way around. The once simple and genuine friendship they had as classmates no longer existed.

After Guo Qinghe's number, everyone looked at each other, checking if they had had their turn at the mic. It looked like they all had.

"Old Xiao hasn't," Zhang Dashan pointed out.

The crowd only realized that Xiao Luo had not sung after Zhang Dashan mentioned it.

"Xiao Luo, you don't have a presence, it's been like this since college times. How could you remain the same after three years."

"That's right, one must learn to change to adapt. If you're too low-key, people won't be able to discover your talents, and that's not good."

"I didn't intend to lecture on you. I know, according to custom, it's important to form a family first before you strive for a career. It has its virtues, but it has become redundant in our current society. Starting a family when young is a burden that would restrict you and weigh you down you. You're the only one that has a child among us, right? It's even more stressful with kids, and it'd make doing business harder."

Most of them were giving Xiao Luo a lecture.

"You guys have gone too far, we're talking about singing here." Zhang Dashan was feeling annoyed and rolled his eyes.

"Exactly, we're talking about singing. Xiao Luo is unfamiliar with socializing and has always remained too introverted. This doesn't work if he wants to keep with today's social values, especially when he lacks a presence. If you had not mentioned him, I'd have forgotten he ever came for this gathering." A girl chimed.

Qin Guiyue rested her hands on her waist and said in a cold, sarcastic tone, "If I were him, I'd not have the courage to show up for this gathering too, let alone try to make my presence felt. Especially not after cheating on Mengqi and toying with her feelings, huh!"

When everyone heard it, they did accept that as truth, though they did not go for Xiao Luo like how Qin Guiyue did. Perhaps that explained why Xiao Luo had remained quiet throughout the gathering, he was clearly trying to stay low-key.

"Cough...You guys have gone way too far again!"

Guo Qinghe interjected with a cough and quickly changed the topic, "Xiao Luo, have you thought of what song to sing?"

Xiao Luo smiled, "Chairperson, I am forfeiting."

"You're forfeiting?" Guo Qinghe frowned.

"Yeah, I'm not good with singing, and I won't want to be hurting your ears." Xiao Luo nodded.

Chapter 268

There was a polite smile on Xiao Luo's face. He was there mostly because Zhang Dashan had tried so hard to convince him to attend, and besides, he had some time to spare. Had he known how little his former classmates valued the simple and genuine friendships they used to have in the past, he may not have come here. All he now saw were people willing to bootlick and ingratiate themselves to the more successful, or brag about their jobs and spouses. Not forgetting those who thought too highly of themselves and freely gave out unsolicited advice without even understanding the truth.

To be honest, he had stayed out of respect for their past friendships. He could not just leave the place, as that would be disrespectful to everyone there.

"Xiao Luo, what're you talking about? You must sing, this is a competition, let's be serious about it!" Hu Shuiping was the most agitated of all. He had a vested interest, of course.

He was the butt of everyone's joke as he was the only one who sang and got below the par of 60 points – had only gotten a tally of 11 points! It was so humiliating to him that he felt even his grandmother would not have approved of it. As he rarely witnessed Xiao Luo's singing during college days, he hoped that Xiao Luo would be tone-deaf too. That way, his 11 points would not stand out as prominently. It would be fine even if Xiao Luo's score was slightly higher than his, as then, he wouldn't be the only one with such a low score.

"That's right Xiao Luo, speaking of which, we haven't heard you singing before, now's the chance, you better don't chicken out." Tang Wantian put down her phone and glancing over at Xiao Luo.

"Quick, sing a song. Show some spirit and presence!"

"When it's your turn, you should put up a good show, Xiao Luo. You should change your character, don't be so shy."

"We're all classmates, even if you don't sing it well, we'll just take it, nobody is here to mock you. Look at Shui, we didn't judge him even after he sang so terribly."

Everyone was trying their best to persuade him.

Hu Shuiping frowned at the girl who said that he had sung terribly and put on his sympathetic look again. But this time, everyone only ignored him this time.

"If he doesn't want to sing, then forget about it. Why should we impose on him, huh!"

Qin Guiyue, in an ironic tone, chirped, "It'd be such a shame if his singing is on the same level as Shui since he's a good-looking kid."

Zhao Mengqi pulled Qin Guiyue's arm and said softly, "Guiyue, can you stop targeting him?"

She was already feeling very guilty, as the main reason she was at this gathering was to see Xiao Luo again and look at the man that had once belonged to her. She didn't even know why she did it, as she had no illusions that there would be any chance of getting back together. And now, she was curious about the little girl named Bei Bei. She was quite convinced that she was not Xiao Luo's daughter, there must be some misunderstanding.

"I'm not targeting him, I'm just being brutally honest. He's a handsome guy, but if his singing is terrible like a ghost howling, it'd naturally affect his image. And that's by no means belittling." Qin Guiyue crossed her arms in front of her chest and argued.

"I want to f*ck you, may I?"

Zhang Dashan replied with a double entendre, intentionally using an expletive.

"What're you talking about, Zhang Dashan?" Qin Guiyue's expression changed immediately.

"I said, I want to f*ck you, it's not belittling you but an appraisal for you. I'm praising you for your beauty, if not why'd I want to f*ck you." Zhang Dashan said tauntingly.

"You..."

Qin Guiyue was so enraged that her face turned red, and she started to hyperventilate.

Xiao Luo stood up at this time and put his hand on Zhang Dashan's shoulder, then said with a serious tone, "Dashan, don't insult our female classmate; if you're really that desperate, just spend a bit of money at the club and bring a pretty one back to have fun with."

What?!

Everyone was shocked as they initially thought Xiao Luo stood up to reproach Zhang Dashan, but no one expected him to viciously suggest that Qin Guiyue was a prostitute. He even he badmouthed her without uttering a single expletive.

Before Qin Guiyue could erupt, Xiao Luo told the male classmate who was sitting before the karaoke machine, "Pick the song 'Ugly Hag' for me, thank you!"

Ugly Hag?

Well, it was another hidden dig targeted at Qin Guiyue!

Everyone could not believe what they had just witnessed, was this person really Xiao Luo? Was this still that Xiao Luo, the silent, low-key, and average kid in college? 𝑙𝑖𝘣𝓇𝑒𝒶𝘥.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Only Zhao Mengqi knew that Xiao Luo was just being himself. He could endure insults for the sake of past friendships once or twice, but beyond that, he would not hold back. The others had all forgotten their old friendships, so why should he care?

Flustered, Qin Guiyue clenched her jaw and glowered angrily at Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan.

"...If you're fake enough, you can even beat the demon...

If you've plotted it well, who's gonna be nobler..."

The moment Xiao Luo got through the first verse of the lyrics, the crowd was immediately taken with his clear and melodious voice. He expressed the lyrics with a perfect articulation of its subtle inflections, which drew the listener in, as if in a conversation. And as he hummed the tune in the chorus, the crowd joined in and hummed along. They were beside themselves with admiration.

Here was a voice that could converse with their souls.

Tang Wantian stopped her texting and immediately looked at Xiao Luo as she listened to his captivating voice.

"Did someone turn on the original mode?"

A man raised this question softly, but he shut up as soon as he saw that the system screen on vocal mode.

This was a very popular song, and anyone would immediately recognize whether it was the original track. It was a testament to Xiao Luo's talent that anyone even thought that this was the original.

"F*ck my life!"

Well aware that he would be last in place, Hu Shuiping sat gloomily watching Xiao Luo's performance. It was bad enough to be in the last place, but to be relegated to that spot with a score of only 11 points was both embarrassing and hurtful.

"Daddy, Bei Bei wants to sing too!"

The little loli wanted to join the fun and immediately jumped off the sofa and ran excitedly over to Xiao Luo, begging him by hugging onto his thigh.

Seeing her so excited, Xiao Luo smiled and decided to let her have a go. He knelt down and passed the mic to her.

"Can the ugly hag keep the lights off, the love I wanted only exist in a pitch-dark stage.

In these times of ambiguity, my existence is not much of a surprise."

It was by sheer coincidence that this was also the highlight of the song, and even though she was only three or four years old, she could sing really well. Her innocent voice had produced a rather special effect on this song, she was like a nightingale that sang with a very pleasing voice. This made everyone laud her excellent singing with encouraging applause.

Xiao Luo was a little surprised, as he did not expect that she could sing so well, and she made no mistake in enunciating the lyrics. She had mentioned to him earlier that she only sang nursery rhymes, but this song was nothing like that.

He patted the little loli on her head to express his admiration and encouragement.

The duet by "father and daughter" had elevated this song to a new height, and the listeners were enraptured with their fabulous performance.

Everyone remained mesmerized for the song's duration, enthralled by their beautiful voices and the exceptional rendition of the song. The fusion of both the voices of father and child had produced harmonics with dramatic ups and downs, which captured everyone's soul.

"Congratulations, your score is: 100 points!"

The high-pitched female announcer from the karaoke sound system echoed in the room, and the giant screen showed: 100. The entire screen erupted with bursts of fireworks, and the disco ball in the room started to flashing at a vigorous tempo. At the same time, the whole room was filled with strobes of different colors, accompanied by thunderous applause and cheers from the sound system.

Chapter 269

What? 100 points?!

How was that even possible!

Everyone in the room was astounded. This was an amazing score, and it was virtually impossible to obtain that with a karaoke system. One would imagine that even its inventor couldn't rig the system to get himself such a score. Perhaps for a singer with the skill of Qin Guiyue, a maximum score may have been possible, but only for a song or two that she was particularly good with. Her earlier score 98 points was already a superb tally, so for Xiao Luo to get a perfect 100 points was simply incredible.

Xiao Luo's rendition of the "old hag" was unbelievable and dazzled each and everyone in the room.

"Xiao Luo, it's such a huge shame you didn't compete in The Voice of China with your talent in singing."

"That's right, you're usually so low-key, and nobody would have expected you to have so much talent in singing."

"Your daughter is a fantastic singer too, and she is so cute!"

Everyone was magnanimous with their compliments despite the song being sung as a dig at Qin Guiyue for her sarcasm. In fact, they all seemed to have totally forgotten about it altogether. 𝒍𝙞𝙗𝒓𝒆𝙖𝓭.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Xiao Luo, I'm acquainted with an agent from a record company in Xiahai, and I could introduce you to him. With your evident talent, maybe you could achieve something great in this field." Guo Qinghe said with genuine appreciation.

"Chairperson, thank you, but I'm not very interested in a singing career. But thanks all the same." Xiao Luo turned him down politely.

Guo Qinghe sighed, "Xiao Luo, you're really good at singing, why don't you think about it first before giving me an answer?"

Xiao Luo shook his head and smiled, "I really appreciate your kindness, but I've got my own business to take care of. And I don't wish to become a public figure, so becoming a singer is really not suitable for me."

"If that is so, then it's a little unfortunate." Guo Qinghe replied, somewhat disappointed.

"Xiao Luo, since the chairperson had connections to a record company, you should take full advantage of it. Look at your mediocre life now, why don't you try to push yourself harder for once? If you become popular, many of us will support you." A man tried to persuade him.

A girl chimed, "Xiao Luo, I'm not trying to be nosy, but you've always acted this way since our college days. You don't know how to take advantage of the network and the resources around you. And now you're still acting this way even after we've graduated. How do you expect to be successful? A great opportunity like this is doesn't come every day."

Xiao Luo still had a polite smile on his face, but he was terribly disappointed with this gathering. It had only been three years, and yet he could already see the drastic change in his former classmates. Gone was the sincerity in their friendship, replaced now with hypocrisy and ulterior motives behind their every word and action. He was truly disappointed as he did not think they would become such people, but perhaps it was he that had come with such high expectations, to begin with.

"I'm sorry, I have some urgent business to attend to, so I'll need to leave first."

He made a random excuse, grabbed Bei Bei's hand, and walked out of the room. He could not bear to stay for another moment.

"Old Xiao, wait for me."

When he saw that Xiao Luo was leaving, Zhang Dashan immediately stood up, not intending to hang around. He smiled and told everyone, "I have something on too. You guys have fun, okay."

He then picked up his jacket and followed after Xiao Luo.

Everyone was surprised, but it didn't take them too long before they started discussing the sudden departure of the two.

"What's wrong with these two, how could they leave just like that?"

"What else could it be. Xiao Luo's pissed off and Zhang Dashan being very close to him, of course, would do the same."

"Wasn't it just a bit of sarcasm from Guiyue? Aiyah, if he's pissed off by a little thing like that, then it's not very manly of him."

Hu Shuiping was a little peeved at all the talk and put his own thoughts across, saying, not too loudly, "Are you all serious? You guys have been so condescending to Xiao Luo, giving him lectures without even knowing how he was actually doing in real life. And every single one of you was acting so high and mighty, how could anyone tolerate it?"

No one caught what Hu Shuiping said except Guo Qinghe, sitting beside him, who heard it clearly.

Guo Qinghe shook his head and let out a long patronizing sigh, "Shui, you can't say just that, everyone was thinking in Xiao Luo's interest. Since we're all classmates, nobody would want him to do badly in life. If anyone faces any difficulty in life, we are all here to take care of each other."

"But none of us know anything about Xiao Luo's life, do we? He has always been a low-key guy, so what if he's doing way better than us? Wouldn't it be a big, fat joke on us for trying to lecture him?" Hu Shuiping said matter-of-factly.

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence after hearing that.

Qin Guiyue spoke with a sneer, "With his arrogant attitude, how well could he do in life? Don't forget he toyed around with Mengqi, and for that, he's no more than a jerk. He's the equivalent of a rat on the street, so I'm glad he's left!"

A girl who was close to Qin Guiyue pitched in angrily, "That's totally right! And that no-good Zhang Dashan is shamefully uneducated and full of obscenities. I'm ashamed to have anything to do with such a classmate!" She did not dare to say it in Zhang Dashan's face, but since he had already left, she was going on about it.

A man agreed, "Right, right, he's damn uncouth. If we're ever holding any more gatherings in the future, let's leave the two of them out. It'd just spoil our mood."

Zhao Mengqi felt a deep sense of disappointment with some of her classmates for belittling Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan. Some of their comments were uncalled for, especially when they knew nothing about them. They had such high opinions of themselves, quickly jumping to their own conclusions, simply to rationalize their contempt of the two. But the reality was that they were blindly ignorant, only judging Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan by what they remembered from college. Weren't they aware of the Chinese adage: "after a scholar's absence of three days, one will see a man changed for the better?"

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about them. Let's continue." Guo Qinghe waved his hand in an attempt to shift away from the unsavory topic.

A gentle knock came from the door, as it was pushed open, several waiters came in with platters of fruit and snacks, along with various drinks and two bottles of wine. The spread was decent and was expected in a place like this, but the bottles had given everyone a big shock.

"Romanée-Conti!"

A man familiar with wines named the two bottles of Burgundy on the table immediately, "the retail price is around eighty thousand per bottle!"

Huh!

Everyone gasped in disbelief, and they couldn't believe a bottle of red wine could cost eighty thousand! And now they've actually seen it with their own eyes.

Hu Shuiping stood up immediately, a little concerned and asked, "Pretty lady, we did not order anything, did you bring this here by mistake?"

The senior wait staff, an attractive lady, smiled and said, "Sir, there's no mistake, these are with the compliments of our boss, Mr. Chu. And oh, by the way, all of your expenses tonight will be on the house. Everything will be covered by the Maple Leaf Hotel."

What?!

What was going on?

Everyone was in a stupor. Why the sudden mention of a Boss Chu, who is he?

Guo Qinghe asked curiously, "May I ask if the Boss Chu you're talking about is Mr. Chu Yunxiong?"

"Yes, the Maple Leaf Hotel is part of Chongshan House's property group." The charming waitress smiled politely. Having been through extensive training in service excellence, her smile was genuine and warm.

Guo Qinghe was lost for words, and asked, "But none of us has any relationship with Mr. Chu Yunxiong, so why would he gift us such expensive red wines?"

"Oh, allow me to explain. As you are classmates of Mr. Xiao, Boss Chu has instructed us not to bill for any of tonight's expenses." The beautiful waitress answered honestly.

Mr. Xiao?

Xiao Luo?

Hearing the surname Xiao, everyone was suddenly shocked. As none of them had the surname Xiao, the lady must then be referring to Xiao Luo.

A prominent business leader in this city had actually paid their bills, and even presented them two rare bottles of vintage red wines, all because of Xiao Luo? What was going on?

Chapter 270

Everyone looked absolutely astonished. Exactly how did Xiao Luo come to know Chu Yunxiong? And what kind of relationship did he have with such a distinguished figure, a man who was at the very top of the business hierarchy? And for Chu Yunxiong to make such a grand gesture on account of Xiao Luo came as a complete shock!

The very people who had earlier lectured Xiao Luo on his perceived shortcomings, suddenly felt rather awkward as they realized that they might have made themselves look a tad silly.

Guo Qinghe's expression was hard to decipher, but he almost looked dejected. He found it jarring that someone else in the group had done better than him. Due to his long history of success and as the accepted leader of their alma mater, he took this as a slight to his dignity.

He asked, very eagerly, "Ermm, may I ask if you know anything about the relationship between our classmate and Boss Chu?"

As he asked this question, everyone had their ears peeled, and all attention was focused on the charming waitress, eagerly awaiting her response.

The senior waitress smiled apologetically and replied, shaking her head, "I'm sorry, sir, I'm not too sure about this." However, being trained to always provide the highest level of service to her customers, she helpfully gave them a suggestion and said, "Mr. Xiao is having a conversation with Boss Chu downstairs. Would you like to see him? Perhaps you could ask him directly."

When they heard that, they exchanged quick glances, and stepped out to the corridor overlooking the hotel lobby, trying their best not to appear to be storming out of the room.

Just outside the main entrance of the lobby, they saw a Range Rover parked next to a Rolls Royce on the spacious ground in front of the hotel. Besides the cars, two persons stood together, having a conversation. One was a comely young man, dressed casually, and the other a dignified looking man with silver hair in a formal suit. They were chatting enthusiastically.

The two men were none other than Xiao Luo and Chu Xunxiong.

As for Zhang Dashan, he was close by, playing with the little girl, Bei Bei. Behind Chu Yunxiong, stood two men in black suits, grim-looking, and alert. They were obviously the bodyguards.

"Xiao Luo is actually chatting so casually with such a distinctive figure like Chu Yunxiong, my...my eyes aren't lying to me, right?"

"Chu Yunxiong's Rolls Royce is custom-made and costs thirty-million. That Range Rover is the SV Autobiography model, the retail price is about one million and seven hundred thousand, with all the processing fee, it should cost about two million."

"Oh my, are Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan doing that well in Jiangcheng? Are they actually rich enough to afford such a luxurious car?!"

That's the strange thing about the common man and how they measured success. Most people could accept success in a person that they deem to be better than themselves, and even if he were a stranger, they'd assume that he was capable and deserved it. And, perhaps they would also feel the same way for someone older than themselves, having been through many trials and tribulations in their long years. But they could never accept looking up to someone whom they deemed lesser than themselves. And Xiao Luo was such a man, a mediocre all his life, quiet and unassuming, and not even able to make it into the class executive committee during his time in university.

As it turned out, those who had lectured Xiao Luo earlier could only gaze in silence, with a look of embarrassment on their faces. They now felt nothing but shame.

After recovering from the shock, Guo Qinghe was very agitated and was left speechless. He clenched his jaw involuntarily as he questioned how Xiao Luo could have found such success. How could Xiao Luo be doing better than he was? How could he be better?

"Ha! What did I tell you guys? Just because Xiao Luo has always been low-key and humble, doesn't mean that he is not doing well in life." Hu Shuiping's words stung, and it resonated quite well with the wise sayings of old.

Qin Guiyue was filled with envy and felt exasperated that Xiao Luo could be at a higher station in life than the rest of them. She hated him and could never accept what she had just seen. She snapped, "So what? Does it mean that he's successful just because he's chatting with Chu Yunxiong? And being able to drive a Range Rover means that he's rich? It's absolute nonsense!"

"Why not?" Hu Shuiping asked.

"Of course not."

Qin Guiyue answered boldly, "Who knows what they're talking about? Maybe he's just reporting about work to his boss. And what's so precious about a two million Range Rover anyway? My boyfriend can also afford one anytime, the installment payments are nothing to him. For all you know, this car might not even belong to Xiao Luo. Who's to say that he had purposely borrowed this car just to show off in front of us."

Everyone agreed with what she said: they just could not accept the fact that Xiao Luo could afford a luxury car after working in Jiangcheng for only three years. Nor could they believe that he was so successful that he could be on such good terms with Chu Yunxiong.

"If that Range Rover really does belong to him, then very likely he has become a sugar baby to a rich woman and is living off her wealth." Another man said, adding fuel to the discussion.

"Yeah, that makes a lot of sense, and this could explain the presence of that little girl, Bei Bei." 𝑙𝒾𝘣𝘳𝑒𝒶𝒹.𝑐𝘰𝓂

Everyone latched on that thought and was more than willing to accept that conjecture.

"For him to abandon Mengqi for a rich woman and her money, Guiyue was absolutely right... Xiao Luo's nothing but a jerk."

"Don't be fooled by his well-to-do appearance. A handsome jerk like that usually tries to live off a rich b*tch. All I can say is that a woman like this can torment him whenever she pleases, and he's actually living a terribly unhappy life."

"That's right, let's see how long his fortune can last."

At this point, Xiao Luo had become "public enemy No. 1" to his former classmates. For no other reason than that he appeared to have achieved something in life. Most of them refused to believe that Xiao Luo was doing well and was a successful man. They didn't think that he deserved to do better than them and must have taken an undignified route to get to where he was now. It was human nature, simply the way of the common man.

"Well, you guys might be disappointed."

Tang Wantian, who had remained silent all along, said sarcastically, then she read off a phone number and asked, "Are any of you familiar with this phone number?"

Hu Shuiping thought for a brief moment then quickly said, "Isn't this Xiao Luo's phone number during university days?"

Everyone was confused and unsure of why had Tang Wantian had mentioned that phone number.

"Mengqi, you of all persons should remember Xiao Luo's phone number during that time, so is this number correct?" Tang Wantian looked at Zhao Mengqi.

Zhao Mengqi nodded and answered promptly, "Yes, it did belong to him."

"Wantian, what's going on?" Guo Qinghe frowned, unsure where this was all going.

Tang Wantian smiled. What she was about to reveal had been a mystery to everyone on social media for quite some time, and it would certainly come as a shock to those present here tonight. She coolly said, "This phone number was used to register for the Weibo ID, 'San Qian Luo Shui.' One of my colleagues bribed an executive from Sina Corporation and got access to it."

When they heard that, everyone just stared blankly at Tang Wantian, wide-eyed and with gaping mouths.

The phone number used to register the Weibo handle 'San Qian Luo Shui' belonged to Xiao Luo. So what did that imply?

It implied that Xiao Luo and "San Qian Luo Shui" are one and the same. This very man started a heated "verbal war" on the internet with the popular talk show host, Jia Zhengyi, a Tier-A TV personality. Xiao Luo convincingly cut down his opponent in the exchange, and he also silenced a million of Jia Zhengyi's fans with the witty ripostes that made him a hero to all netizens. In the end, Jia Zhengyi was forced to hold a press conference and apologize publicly to Luo's Workshop. Xiao Luo was also the man behind Luo's Workshop that was now a very successful business operating in Jiangcheng!

Chapter 271

"Xiao Luo is the boss of Luo's Workshop?!"

Everyone gasped, it was unbelievable, and they were all in awe of what Xiao Luo had achieved. They, on the other hand, were merely employees and working for somebody else. Going through the daily grind of checking in and out from work every day and living a mundane and monotonous life. Occasionally, they would be overwhelmed by their work, which made them feel like giving up. They desired to change their lives, but they were helpless to do so. Sometimes they felt like a small fish in a drying pond, fighting for what little opportunities that came along and with no hope of a decent future in their sight.

Only they knew what plights they faced in their own lives. No one else could guess the suffering and depression they each had to go through.

No one could imagine how they felt at this very moment. Seeing a former classmate who never stood out in class, who was considered a mediocre, suddenly becoming the head of a successful company. So sudden was his rise that even luminaries like Chu Yunxiong, a titan in the business world, would befriend him. How was it possible to accept such a thing? 𝓵𝙞𝓫𝒓𝙚𝓪𝓭.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Without saying another word, Tang Wangtian quickly headed downstairs. She wasn't concerned about Xiao Luo's good fortune, she was only going after her story about Luo's Workshop's boss, 'San Qian Luo Shui,' and now, that person was right there. What made it even more interesting was that he was her old classmate. She wanted to get herself right in front of Xiao Luo that very instant. What providence!

Qin Guiyue blushed. She had earlier boasted that her boyfriend's annual salary was 300 thousand dollars, but when compared with Xiao Luo's, it was really insignificant, like an average man in the presence of a giant, and she, nothing more than a frog at the bottom of a well. She had thought so highly of herself, comparing her lot with her colleagues, but now she had been made to look arrogant and conceited.

She couldn't accept it and refused to let up on her condemnation of Xiao Luo. She cried spitefully, "So what if he succeeded?! That only shows that he got lucky, but he can never change the fact that he's a scumbag. He played with Mengqi's feelings and cheated on her with another girl. He is a jerk through and through!"

She had been persistent from the very beginning and was bent on finding anything bad that she could lay on Xiao Luo, even exaggerating them to suit her purpose.

But this time around, the crowd wasn't swayed by her words anymore. No matter what she said, the truth was that Xiao Luo was now successful, and his achievements were higher than any of them. They were not worthy to judge such a person.

"Enough!"

Zhao Mengqi couldn't take it any longer. She yelled at Qin Guiyue to stop, and her eyes were red, welling up in tears. She said, "Please, stop it! Xiao Luo didn't play with my feelings. We broke up because I couldn't resist the temptation of money. I fell for a rich guy, and I was the one that abandoned him. He isn't a scumbag, not in the least." She choked when she said that, the memories were too much to bear. She then continued saying, "Even when I got hospitalized and underwent surgery, Xiao Luo overlooked the fact that I dumped him, and he paid for my hefty medical expenses. It is all my fault that things have ended up this way, okay?!"

She screamed the last part of what she said, the hurt was unbearable. She was lost in endless pain and regret.

Zhao Mengqi wept in deep anguish. She had kept this dark secret, too ashamed to let anyone else know. And she had endured in silence all this while, but Qian Guiyue's constant ranting about Xiao Luo had been eating at her, pushing her to speak out the truth, and finally forcing her to reveal her ugly side to everyone. She couldn't bear to see Xiao Luo being judged so maliciously any longer.

That's the truth behind their breakup?!

The crowd was dumbfounded, and they had horrified looks on their faces. No one expected such a sudden turnaround.

Qin Guiyue was shocked, she just stood there staring at her friend in a stupor. Then she quickly collected herself, and with a reassuring smile, she asked in a somewhat protective manner, "Mengqi, you... you are lying to me, right? You are speaking up Xiao Luo because of your old feelings for him, right?"

If what Zhao Mengqi had just said was true, what had she done to her friend tonight?

She always claimed she and Zhao Mengqi were sisters, but on this very night, she had done nothing but tear down the veil of her sister's modesty. Every word that she had said to criticize Xiao Luo had returned like flying daggers, stabbing deep into her sister's heart. Why else would Zhao Mengqi have blurted out the truth, and shed such bitter tears, even willing to destroy her own image in front of everyone?

Zhang Mengqi glared at Qin Guiyue, her teary eyes filled with hurt and anger, "You want to know the truth? Although you used such harsh language to describe Xiao Luo, he doesn't even pay any attention to all of you. No, it's not because he's arrogant, it's because you are nothing in his eyes."

She kept shaking her head and said tearfully, "But I understand him. The reason he left was that he was disappointed with us all. Maybe he had high expectations before he came. He was looking forward to seeing us and rekindle the sincere friendship we once had as classmates. But what he saw was this – only people talking about others and looking down at others with judgmental eyes."

Her words penetrated deep into everyone's heart.

Every one of them had mixed feelings. And when they thought about it, they realized that it was true, the three years since they graduated had changed them all. They were all in a rat race trying to get ahead in society. They had at first been looking forward to seeing their former classmates and reestablishing the old friendships they once had between them. They were so fed up with the daily grind of work, of pressure from their managers, and of office politics with all the devious plotting going on among their colleagues. They thought that a classmate's reunion may have been a nice getaway from all the stresses of daily life. It would almost be a temporary paradise they could run to, just to escape from their hell, but now the very paradise they sought had been contaminated by them themselves.

It should've been full of laughter and reminiscing the good times that they had in college, but in the end, it became a gathering to show off and brag about their careers, salaries, and rich partners.

So, were they truly happy at this gathering?

No, not at all. On the contrary, as former classmates, they all felt exhausted, because it had become an effort to really connect with each other, as they tried to put on airs and thought of how to seem better than what they actually were. None of those heart-to-heart talks they used to have in the past happened, but instead, it was all about exploitation, wealth, and power.

Guo Qinghe responded to Zhang Mengqi, speaking out in defense of his classmates, "Society is like a large dyeing tank. It has been three years now, and you'd expect people to change, to adapt to new conditions, and evolve to fit into the environment they live in. If Xiao Luo thinks that everybody should remain as simple and innocent as they were in college, then he's a fool. If we don't change ourselves, how can we survive and keep a foothold in this society? So, we are not wrong. I think he has a problem." Xiao Luo's success had made Guo Qinghe completely stand on the opposing side of Xiao Luo.

The crowd fell into dead silence...

[At the ground floor of the Maple Leaf Hotel]

Xiao Luo and Chu Yunxiong were still chattering away in an animated conversation. They had been at it from the moment they met earlier, and they seemed to be discussing many matters close to their hearts.

Xiao Luo was well aware that he wouldn't have achieved success so quickly without the support of Chu Yunxiong, and it was something that he would always be grateful for. Chu Yunxiong, on the other hand, had expressed his eternal gratitude to Xiao Luo for saving his daughter's life. She was the most precious thing in his life, and he cared for her dearly. And Chu Yunxiong's gratitude was not something that could be measured in terms of money.

At one point, Chu Yunxiong even succinctly played the matchmaker for his daughter. As a father, he was very aware of what was going on in Chu Yue's mind. Besides, he also had great admiration for Xiao Luo, and if Xiao Luo were to become his son-in-law, he felt his life would be complete.

Xiao Luo respectfully turned him down with the excuse that Chu Yue was still young, and it was too early for her to commit to love. He thought that her feelings for him were more of infatuation, and he believed she should be given time to explore her emotions and find true happiness. But although Chu Yue was devastatingly beautiful, she was definitely not his cup of tea.

Most certainly, the two ended their conversation in good spirits as they laughed with their heads thrown back. It was a telling tribute to their friendship despite their disparity in age.

Just when Xiao Luo was about to leave, Tang Wantian ran over.

"San Qian Luo Shui, I had such a hard time finding you!"

Tang Wantian was out of breath from all the running. She was gasping as sweat rolled down her forehead.

Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan glanced at each other, and they both saw the looks of surprise in each other's eyes.

"Miss. Tang, are you high on something?" Zhang Dashan said, deliberately testing her.

"Don't act dumb with me, Zhang Dashan. I already know through Sina Corp that the account 'San Qian Luo Shui' was registered with the number Xiao Luo had in university. So that means that San Qian Luo Shui is actually Xiao Luo," Tang Wantian said, looking really pleased with herself.

When things came to light, it was impossible to conceal regardless of how much they wished to.

Xiao Luo could only force a smile, "Wantian, for the sake of our friendship, can you keep it secret for me? Please?"

"Oh yeah. Don't expose Lao Xiao on the internet, alright, or else he'll be in big, big trouble. And he hates being a public figure as you know," said Zhang Dashan.

Tang Wantian rolled her eyes at them, "Do I look like someone who'd betray my old classmates for the sake of personal benefits?"

"Nope, haha... maybe not!" Zhang Dashan said, laughing.

"What do you mean by 'maybe not?' It should be 'absolutely not,' alright! Otherwise, I wouldn't be here to find you both either."

Tang Wantian defended herself, then giggled, "Wow, you guys are having such a great life now. If one day, I happened to seek you both when I'm down and out, don't buckle up your belts and disown me, alright?"

Xiao Luo looked a little embarrassed with her comment. He thought, "What does she mean by 'buckle up our belts' and disown her? What does that even mean?"

"Holy f*ck. Can you be more conservative, like how pretty ladies should be? You think you're a tomboy, is it?" Zhang Dashan responded with his usual candor.

"Yeah, I'm a tomboy at heart. Not convinced? You want to have a fight with me?" Tang Wantian lifted her nose at Zhang Dashan and snorted with her fist raised.

Chapter 272

Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan chatted briefly with Tang Wantian before bidding her farewell, and then they left for home. Of all the people who attended this class reunion, only Tang Wantian and Hu Shuipin made him remember the genuine friendship they used to share back in their university days. As for the others, Xiao Luo could only scoff at the thought. If he were ever to bump into any one of them in the future, he certainly wouldn't go beyond a courteous greeting. 𝙡𝒊𝓫𝓻𝓮𝙖𝙙.𝓬𝒐𝙢

It was almost 10 p.m. when they arrived back at Gong Village. The little girl, Bei Bei, who had fallen asleep on Xiao Luo's thighs during the ride, woke up as she was being carried up the stairs.

"Daddy, where are we?"

The little girl rubbed her sleepy eyes and asked.

Zhang Dashan chuckled and said, "This is where your daddy lives."

"It's so dark in here."

The little girl felt a bit uneasy as she held tightly to Xiao Luo's back.

Zhang Dashan puckered his lips and tried to change the subject to cheer her up. "Girl, was the food tonight tasty?" he asked.

"Yep," she replied and smiled at him adorably.

Zhang Dashan smiled back and said, "Hehe... you are just like my good old brother here, you don't eat veggies, and like to eat meat only."

"Mommy said that I'm still growing up, so I need to eat more meat."

"Then, did mummy tell you not to call just anyone your daddy?" Zhang Dashan said that on purpose, just to tease her.

His words stumped her, and she didn't know how to respond to the question.

Zhang Dashan pointed at Xiao Luo, then looked at Bei Bei and said, "I must be honest with you, little girl. He's not your father."

"You're bluffing! He is Bei Bei's father!" she cried. The little girl was adamant and pulled a face.

"Why are you so sure that he's your father?"

"Because he looks the same as my daddy, the one that I saw in my dream," she said. Her innocent words were compelling, and she said it with a solemn expression.

Upon hearing that, Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan were both stunned. Daddy in her dreams? What was going on here? Could it be that this little girl didn't have a father, and her understanding of her daddy was all based on an illusionary dream?

What astounded Xiao Luo even more, was that the father that Bei Bei had dreamed of looked exactly like him. Wasn't that highly unusual?

"Old Xiao, I think I can now believe in this thing we call fate."

Zhang Dashan sighed, then patted Xiao Luo on the shoulder and said, "If it isn't fate between you and this kid, then I don't know how to explain any of this anymore."

Xiao Luo agreed. This unique situation, where a little girl he had never met before, insisted that he looked exactly like the father in her dream, was tough to fathom.

...

...

Back at their apartment, Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan had to face a serious issue: how to bathe the little girl.

Both of them were novices at this, with absolutely no experience taking care of a child. They were tripping over each other in the bathroom, especially when they were cleaning her head. Bei Bei had already promised to open her eyes only when she was told. But while they were washing her hair, she couldn't resist opening her eyes, and in the end, shampoo got into them, and the burning sensation in her eyes made her cry out loudly.

Xiao Luo quickly rinsed her eyes with clean water and coaxed her, gently calming the little girl down.

"I don't want Dashan to bathe me!"

The little girl didn't blame Xiao Luo but instead had placed all the blame squarely on Zhang Dashan.

Seeing her stare at him with her big accusing eyes, Zhang Dashan felt hurt inside.

They finally finished bathing the little girl. Without any clothes that could fit her, Xiao Luo gave her one of his shirts as her pajamas. The white shirt with its rolled-up sleeves made Bei Bei look like a little ragamuffin, though she didn't look half as bad, all scrubbed up and clean.

"Hey, hurry up and dry her hair. The weather is cold now. You'll be in a ton of trouble if she catches a cold!" Zhang Dashan said.

Xiao Luo had his hands at his waist and stared at him, looking overwhelmed. "So, you're just gonna sit there with your legs crossed, sipping on your drink and acting as a commander with your eyes glued to the TV?"

He meant to say that Zhang Dashan should help out instead of leaving everything for him to do by himself.

"Tsk, that little girl doesn't like me. I'm not going to stick my nose into this childcare business," Zhang Dashan replied, then turned his eyes back to the TV.

Xiao Luo shot back, and he said, "Are you seriously having a tantrum with a little girl?"

As he was bantering with Zhang Dashan, he had already taken out the hairdryer from the drawer. He now sat on the stool, with Bei Bei standing between his thighs, and was carefully blowing her hair dry.

"Daddy, is Dashan angry?" the little girl asked, lifting her head with her lips pursed.

Xiao Luo smiled at her and said, "No, he isn't, he's just feeling a little wronged. Just leave him alone."

"Oh."

Bei Bei nodded her head obediently. She placed both her hands, as white as snow, on Xiao Luo's thigh and lowered her head, quietly allowing Xiao Luo to dry her hair. She looked to be thoroughly enjoying the interaction with her "daddy."

"What the... Why should I be feeling wronged? What does Old Xiao think? I'm into lolicon too?"

Zhang Dashan couldn't help frowning and muttered to himself as he looked at Xiao Luo drying the little girl's hair.

...

...

Before going to bed, Bei Bei begged for Xiao Luo to tell her a story.

Without a choice, Xiao Luo told her about a story he had once been told in elementary school: "The Thirsty Crow."

She enjoyed the story and cooed, "Daddy, the crow is so clever." Bei Bei's eyes were filled with delight.

Xiao Luo ruffled her hair and smiled. "Yep, so when you run into something difficult in the future, you should try to figure out a good way to solve the problem, just like this crow," he said.

"Okay, Bei Bei understands," the little girl said, nodding her head obediently.

"All right, it's time to sleep."

Xiao Luo switched off the lights and slept beside the little girl.

Bei Bei turned sideways and hugged his arms as she said, "Goodnight, daddy."

"Good night!"

Xiao Luo turned his head. The bright moonbeam shone through the window, and he could see Bei Bei's eyes were closed, and she had fallen asleep. Illuminated by the moonlight and sleeping peacefully under a blanket, she looked just like a little fairy.

When he recalled the encounter with this little girl earlier in the day, he couldn't imagine it had come to this; it was more like a dream!

Who'd believe that a little girl he had never met before, would suddenly insist that he was her daddy right after meeting him? She was now even depending on him to take care of her needs as she would with her birth parents.

As he reflected on the events that had taken place, Xiao Luo couldn't help smiling. Whether by fate or otherwise, he was now a father for a night. But, he didn't have any complaints as he was beginning to like the experience. It seemed as though this little girl, Bei Bei, was born with some mysterious powers that made people like and want to take care of her.

...

...

"Daddy, I wanna pee!"

The next morning, when the first light was just breaking in the eastern skies, Xiao Luo was awakened by the little girl.

When he opened his eyes, he saw her cute little face staring at him. Bei Bei was pushing at him, trying to wake him up.

Xiao Luo shook off his sleep, got up, and brought her to the toilet.

When he got out of the toilet, he saw Zhang Dashan lying sideways on the sofa, snoring with his prominent posterior sticking up in the air. There were also many crumpled pieces of paper towels on the floor, and they seemed to be stained with dried thick fluid.

Xiao Luo furrowed his eyebrows and angrily kicked Zhang Dashan's buttocks.

"Ouch!"

Zhang Dashan jumped off the sofa, shrieking like a pig being slaughtered.

Realizing that it was Xiao Luo, he yelled at him, "What the f*ck, why did you kick me? You're not jealous of my big booty, are you?"

Xiao Luo was fuming, and pointing at the paper towels littering the floor, he asked him sternly, "Explain to me what's going on with these?"

"Explain your *ass, explain! I caught a cold yesterday, and I had to wipe off my snot constantly. What, you thought I jacked off? How could you!" Zhang Dashan shouted back.

"Oh, err..."

Xiao Luo rued his haste in judging what he saw and felt a little embarrassed. He thought that Zhang Dashan had pleasured himself right in his living room and did not even take the trouble of properly disposing of his indiscretions, just tossing the paper towels all over the floor.

Xiao Luo's expression wasn't easy to read, and Zhang Dashan had no way of knowing if he still harbored such a sick thought. He immediately lashed out at him again and said, "You better get those dirty thoughts out of your head. Otherwise, you'll never have the end of it, okay! F*ck, hurry up, and go buy me breakfast to appease my wounded soul!"

He felt much better after letting off some steam, then he laid down again and went back to sleep.

All credit to Zhang Dashan, for in a single stroke, he had turned calamity into a fortune. Not only was he vindicated, but he also found a way for Xiao Luo to get him breakfast.

Chapter 273

Xiao Luo had earlier accused Zhang Dashan of a lewd act, only to find out that he was wrong. To make up for irking Zhang Dashan, Xiao Luo was now on his way to get him breakfast. It was the least he could do.

He headed for the usual place where he always had his morning meals, and the shop served typical Chinese breakfast offerings of wontons, steamed buns, fritters, soy milk, and such.

When he returned to his rented apartment, three visitors were waiting for him. One was the female policewoman that he had met the previous evening, another, a woman in her thirties, and one other that made Xiao Luo's heart skip a beat.

It was none other than the nation's goddess – Su Li!

Su Li was wearing a white pleated dress, sitting delicately perched on the sofa, and looked exceptionally beautiful. Her silky black hair was pulled back into a sleek classic chignon, accentuating her high forehead and fair complexion, and giving her a chic, yet dignified appearance.

"Daddy!"

The cute little girl sitting beside Su Li jumped off the sofa. She ran, spreading her arms out and threw herself into Xiao Luo. She hugged on to him tightly and gave him a big happy smile.

As Zhang Dashan took the pack of breakfast off Xiao Luo's hands, he was so thrilled that he couldn't speak coherently, but somehow he managed to blurt, "Holy sh*t, jackpot! Bei Bei's mom is Su Li!"

"Huh?"

Despite making the connection the moment he saw Su Li, Xiao Luo was still a little startled. Who would have guessed that the nation's goddess, Su Li, had a daughter who was three years old?

Surprised by how the little girl had addressed Xiao Luo and by her show of affection, Su Li hurriedly walked over toward them. It was rather embarrassing that her child would call a total stranger her "daddy."

Xiao Luo caught a whiff of her fragrance as she lowered her head to the little girl, she feigned a stern face and said, "Su Xiaobei, how can you simply call anyone your daddy?"

Su Xiaobei raised her head, looking quite adamant and replied, "He is Beibei's father."

"No, he isn't," Su Li said, feeling a little awkward now.

"Yes, he is."

"I said he isn't!"

Su Li was exasperated and spoke sternly to Bei Bei. She was still bent forward slightly, eyeing the little girl, and she appeared a little tense. Her chest heaved as she struggled to remain calm.

Su Xiaobei was hurt and kept quiet, biting her lips. Tears formed in her eyes, but she kept herself from crying out. She had never been scolded this harshly before, especially not by her mother.

Xiao Luo felt a little sorry for her and rubbed her head to console her. He said, "Be a good girl Bei Bei, don't cry, okay. You must be hungry now? Here, we've got a bun for you."

He reached out and grabbed a steaming xiaolongbao from Zhang Dashan, and brought it toward Bei Bei's mouth.

"Excuse me! You shouldn't give that kind of food to Bei Bei."

The woman that looked in her thirties spoke in an unkindly tone as she hurried over.

She wasn't what you would call a beauty, but she was fairly attractive with an appealing, oval-shaped face. Her glossy black hair was swept back into a tight bun at the back of her head, and she was dressed in black business attire.

Xiao Luo immediately recognized her from her photos online. She was Su Li's manager.

She immediately pulled Su Xiaobei behind her back and spoke harshly to Xiao Luo. "Do these buns even meet the quality standard for health? The environment here is quite unhygienic, and I saw piles of garbage strewn all over," she said, unnecessarily condescending in her tone, "How could you even feed that to Bei Bei? What if she ends up with food poisoning, are you going to be responsible for it?"

"We eat the buns here every day, and we've never gotten even a stomach ache," Zhang Dashan said.

"Maybe for you both. But don't you know that kids have lower immunity?" she said, intent on making her point.

Zhang Dashan just waved his hand and did not bother to reply to her. She came across as the kind of person who thought she had all the answers, and he wasn't going to waste his time arguing.

Xiao Luo didn't say a word. He just stuffed the xiaolongbao into his mouth and ate it.

Seeing that the situation was not going well, the female policewoman quickly intervened and introduced the little girl's rescuers. "Err, Miss Su, this gentleman here is Xiao Luo. It was him and his friend over there who saved your daughter from the traffickers last night," she said.

Su Li merely glanced at Xiao Luo, gave him a quick once-over, and said, "Thank you."

She bowed slightly, she had an air about her, almost aloof one could say. But she was graceful in expressing her appreciation.

To Zhang Dashan, any expression of gratitude from the nation's goddess was literally a dream. He smiled bashfully, scratching the back of his head and said, "You're welcome, you're welcome, we were only trying to do the right thing, weren't we, Old Xiao?"

He put his arms around Xiao Luo, patting his shoulders. 𝓁𝑖𝘣𝑟𝘦𝘢𝒹.𝑐ℴ𝘮

Xiao Luo glanced at him, then turned to Su Li and smile, he said, "Your daughter is really adorable. We had a great time looking after her."

Su Li didn't seem too keen on responding to what Xiao Luo said, and replied, "Well, we have to go. I'm going to take her away now."

"Sure, please go ahead!" Xiao Luo said, as he politely forced a smile.

"Since you saved her, allow me to give you a reward as a gesture of my gratitude."

"Oh, no. Your daughter and I get along very well, so that won't be necessary."

Xiao Luo courteously rejected her offer. He had never wanted anything in return and had grown very fond of that cute little girl. Despite knowing each other for only a day, they really bonded.

"Are you sure?"

Su Li glanced around the shabby rented apartment, and what she saw convinced her that the people who lived here were really in need of money. The last thing she expected was that they would reject her offer of a reward.

"Miss Su Li, getting to see you in person is already a great blessing. We don't need any money as a reward. But if you really want to thank us, I'd appreciate it if you could sign me a few autographs, hehe," Zhang Dashan said, unable to contain his excitement.

The manager frowned and unconsciously clicked her tongue, a look of disdain written all over her face.

"That's all, just a simple autograph?" Su Li said, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

Zhang Dashan said jokingly, "This isn't simple at all, Miss Su Li. If I were to sell your autograph, I could definitely make myself a lot of money, haha."

"Huh, greedy. The poor are all the same!"

The manager mocked Zhang Dashan, "And I thought you guys didn't want anything in return."

"Miss, can't you tell that I'm just joking? If I have Goddess Su Li's autograph, I will keep it close to me forever. My mum is also a big fan, and I will bring it back to her as a Lunar New Year gift," Zhang Dashan said, feeling slightly peeved with her arrogant attitude.

"Really? Hah!"

The manager sneered, she had already made up her mind on the kind of people they were and did not believe a word he said.

"Hah, your mom!"

The words almost burst out from Zhang Dashan's lips, but in the presence of the nation's goddess Su Li, he held his tongue.

"Miss Chai, please, they are Xiaobei's benefactors!" Su Li chided her manager.

The manager stiffened visibly and refrained from making any more remarks.

Su Li looked proud and tall, a lifted chin gave her an air of slight arrogance. She gazed kindly at Zhang Dashan and said, "Do you have a pen?"

Zhang Dashan was startled for a moment. Then, he nodded excitedly, "Yes, yes, of course!"

He hurriedly ran back into the house, and when he returned, he had a black marker in his hands, along with a bundle of other things: new shoes, new clothes, new pants, and even a new basketball.

"Goddess Su Li, please autograph all these items. I'll be very grateful," Zhang Dashan with a silly smile on his face.

Standing face-to-face with the country's biggest star and an international celebrity, it was hard for him to remain calm.

Su Li didn't say a word. She took the marker and began signing on each of the items.

The policewoman looked on excitedly. She couldn't contain her own desire to get an autograph from someone that she absolutely adored, and that the whole country worshipped. "Miss Su, could you please give me your autograph too?" she asked. Without waiting for an answer, she immediately took out a notepad from her uniform.

She had purchased the notepad in a hurry after learning that the little girl rescued by Xiao Luo was Su Li's child. This was an opportune moment to get an autograph from Su Li, and she couldn't wait to brag to her friends after she got off from work. Many of them were also big fans of the celebrity.

Chapter 274

Su Li patiently signed on all the items placed before her, as Zhang Dashan and the policewoman stood eagerly waiting for their items to be marked. Su Li's strokes were artistic and elegant, and her signature's aesthetic beauty could be considered an art in itself.

"Thank you, Goddess Su Li!"

Zhang Dashan was overcome with joy. His eyes glazed dreamily as he stood admiring the items with Su Li had autographed. It was if he was staring at a heap of priceless treasure.

The policewoman was elated when she was handed back her signed notebook, carefully placing it back in her pocket.

When she finished the task, Su Li looked up with her bewitching eyes and gave them both a polite smile. She did not say a word but only took Su Xiaobei by the hand and made ready to leave.

Although Bei Bei was only three years old, she was undoubtedly much more mature than an average girl of her age. But when she realized that she was about to leave for good, the little child within emerged. She gazed at Xiao Luo, and suddenly burst into tears. She stretched her arms out toward Xiao Luo, and she was unwilling to leave.

"Daddy, daddy...!"

She cried miserably as tears rolled down her cheeks. She had to catch her breath in between sobs, and her eyes were all red and puffed up.

Su Li stopped at the door, turned around, and glanced at Xiao Luo, a look of surprise showed on her face. Su Xiaobei was an adopted child, and she was very sure who the biological father was. This person standing in front of her was definitely not him! What surprised her, even more, was that Su Xiaobei did not easily attach to anyone, especially a stranger. What made this man so different? She knitted her brows at the thought, feeling a sense of frustration.

"Su Xiaobei, I just told you, he isn't your father," Su Li said. She appeared a little agitated.

"No! I know he's Bei Bei's daddy, he's my daddy in my dream. Mommy, you said that daddy lives here, you said so. Bei Bei has found him, why do you say that he's not my daddy?"

Su Li felt the blood rush to her head, and her thoughts were cluttered. Su Xiaobei absolutely refused to budge, and Su Li, for the first time, was at a loss of what to do. She had coaxed the little girl into coming to Jiangcheng by convincing her that her father was here. It was bad enough she had to lie to get the child to come along for the trip, but it all turned into a nightmare when she was abducted while out for a walk with Su Li's assistant. She was miraculously returned after a day, but now Su Xiaobei was insisting that a complete stranger was her father. Who could even believe that things could turn out the way it did?

Xiao Luo walked up to Bei Bei and gave her a big, warm smile. He playfully rubbed Su Xiaobei's nose with his finger and said, "Bei Bei, you have to go home with mommy now. But I'll go to see you when I have time, okay?"

"Really?"

Su Xiaobei stopped crying immediately. She was pouting as she looked at him with teary eyes.

"Yeah, really. I won't lie to you," Xiao Luo said, looking at her with reassuringly.

"Pinky promise?"

Su Xiaobei raised her little hand to Xiao Luo with her pinky sticking out, still sniffling.

A pinky promise?

Xiao Luo smiled, shaking his head and gently hooked his own pinky with her tiny finger.

"Our promise will last until the end of the world. Whoever that breaks this promise will reborn as a puppy!"

Su Xiaobei spoke softly with a solemn expression, taking the oath very seriously. In the eyes of an adult, it was no more than a childish act. But not for Bei Bei, as far as she was concerned the moment they hooked their fingers, this promised would be fulfilled.

And after they both hooked their pinkies, she wiped her tears away and smiled. She said, "Daddy, you must bring me to the fun park next time, okay."

"Why don't you ask your mother to bring you?" Xiao Luo asked. He spoke gently, still holding on to her pinky.

Su Xiaobei lowered voice and replied, "Mom's always busy. Only Aunt Luo takes me out."

Xiao Luo didn't know how to react to what she said and could only offer a weak smile, feeling a bit awkward.

Su Li felt very hurt on the inside. Su Xiaobei wasn't her biological daughter, but regardless, she had always treated her like her own. At times when she was busy at work, It was true that it was that she didn't get the chance to spend quality time with Su Xiaobei. Even when they first arrived in Jiangcheng, Su Xiaobei pleaded for Su Li to accompany her out. But instead, Su Li asked her assistant, Luo Pingxiang, to take her, which ended in her being abducted.

...

...

As they were leaving, Su Li glanced at Xiao Luo again, he was different from the others. He hardly reacted to seeing her when he returned to his residence earlier. For the duration she had been there, he had remained as calm throughout, and she could tell that he wasn't putting on an act. He seemed to have a good temperament and was not easily rattled, he was at one with himself.

How could he remain so calm? 𝙡𝓲𝙗𝒓𝙚𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝒐𝙢

Su Li couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Miss Chai, the manager, remained behind. She had another issue to resolve with Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan. Her job was now to ensure that both the men kept silent about this incident involving Bei Bei and Su Li. The world of entertainment is a fickle business, and the slightest scandal could cause a celebrity's reputation to plunge drastically. If word got out that Su Li had a daughter, the entire nation could react unfavorably, and Su Li could stand to lose a considerable chunk of her fan base in the course of a single night. It wasn't an exaggeration, but lessons learned from a painful history. As her manager, it was Chai Zhiying's role to mitigate any such risks to Su Li.

Tap!

The manager unceremoniously placed a bank card on the table.

Chai Zhiying looked down her nose at Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan, she said, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Chai Zhiying, and I am Su Li's manager. I'll make it quick and simple. As a reward for saving Beibei, we express our deepest gratitude." She paused then said, "There are eight million dollars in this card. The password is six "one"s. Each of you will get four million dollars. It is enough for you to live a great life in any city you wish."

"I think we've already said that we don't need your money, right?"

Zhang Dashan said it mockingly. He did not have a good impression of her and disliked her overbearing attitude, acting as if she were above others.

Xiao Luo took a sip of his tea and asked, "Is this at Miss Su's insistence?"

"No, this is on my insistence."

"Please be clear, this money is not to thank you for rescuing Bei Bei. I believe you should know what I mean," she said, as she stood looking down at them with her arms folded together.

"Nope, not clear at all. Get to the point, stop beating around the bush," Zhang Dashan said.

Chai Zhiying reacted curtly to Zhang Dashan's blunt reply and snorted, "I want you both to zip your lips, and from hereon, you are not to mention anything about Su Li having a daughter."

Zhang Dashan smiled derisively and looked her in the eye, he said, "We have no intention of telling anybody anything, so you don't have to worry. You're the one who seems to be talking about it right now."

Xiao Luo cocked an eyebrow. He remained silent and just continued to sip on his hot tea.

"Whatever. Just keep this money, remember, not a single word, or face the consequences. I guarantee you that!" Chai Zhiying retorted.

Intimidation and enticement were two elements that Chai Zhiying regularly employed to deal with any potential threats and risks to Su Li. It had proved effective so far in keeping Su Li free from any scandals that could ruin her reputation.

"We got it. You may leave now."

Xiao Luo was abrupt and made it clear that she had overstayed her welcome. Like Zhang Dashan, he disliked arrogant people.

"Okay then, we'll keep the money, haha. Relax, we won't say anything," Zhang Dashan said, as he picked up the card with a wry smile.

When money is offered, there is no reason to turn it down. In this respect, Zhang Dashan and Xiao Luo shared the same philosophy.

Chai Zhiying felt uneasy. They had already accepted the money and had readily agreed to keep silent on the matter, yet she still felt something amiss. The way they reacted to her didn't give her the confidence that they would fulfill their end of the bargain. In fact, it seemed like they were teasing her.

She was consumed with these thoughts as she stood glaring darkly at the two. "Are you guys making fun of me?" she said.

Chapter 275

Xiao Luo continued eating his breakfast, ignoring the presence of Chai Zhiying, who stood there staring at them both in exasperation.

Zhang Dashan raised his head, smiling as he glanced at her and said, "How would we dare to fool you? Didn't you just say that the consequences would be too dire for us to bear? We are timid people, and we have accepted your money, so we will definitely keep our mouths shut, okay. We are having our breakfast now, so if there's nothing else, you may leave. I'm sure Goddess Su Li and the rest of them are waiting for you downstairs."

He grabbed a xiaolongbao and ate it heartily, his cheeks swelled up, looking like an egg had been stuffed into his mouth.

Chai Zhiying gritted her teeth, not taking kindly to how Zhang Dashan had spoken, and how Xiao Luo was totally ignoring her. She had a bad feeling about how this was turning out.

"I don't believe in you."

"Since you don't believe us, take your money back." 𝙡𝓲𝙗𝒓𝙚𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝒐𝙢

Without hesitation, Zhang Dashan took the card from his pocket and flicked it back at her. It sailed the short distance like a frisbee and startled Chai Zhiying, who appeared to be trying to avoid being hit and catching it at the same time. It fell on the floor next to her.

Chai Zhiying was incredulous and could not believe that they had just throw away 8 million dollars without blinking an eye. Were these two men even sane?

She quickly regained her composure, picked the card up, and placed it back on the table. She put on a cold, intimidating look and said, "The money is yours! But I wish to warn you again, if information about Bei Bei leaks out, I'll come for you!"

She quickly turned around and left, not giving them a chance to reject her offer this time. At she stepped out, she took out her phone and made an urgent call. She instructed the person at the other end of the line to find out all the information on a man going by the name of Xiao Luo, who lived in Gong Village. She couldn't wait to get her hands on the official report from her source. But little did she know that Xiao Luo would have a cover as a member of the NSA. He retained his regular identity as an employee at Luo's Workshop, but she would find out little else about him.

"F*ckin' hell. What a highly-strung woman. She must've been lacking nourishment from men," Zhang Dashan said.

Xiao Luo couldn't help smiling and quipped, "Why not you go nourish her then?"

"Wekk! Nourish her your head! She looks like a butch, my willy won't even respond even if she stands nude in front of me," Zhang Dashan said, and made a face like he was puking.

Xiao Luo just shrugged his shoulders as he fixed his eyes on the ravioli and fritters he had especially bought for Bei Bei earlier. A pang of deep emotions weighed down on him, and he felt a sudden and inexplicable emptiness within his heart. Xiao Luo had only known Bei Bei for a day, and yet it felt like a lifetime. Now, he had to try adjusting to life without a little girl tottering around the house and yelling his name in his ear to wake him up. He missed her dearly.

"Aiyah, that Miss Su Li too. Why couldn't she let little Bei Bei have something to eat before leaving."

Zhang Dashan didn't seem to have an appetite, and that would be a first. He couldn't get used to the sudden quiet as well. Without the little girl, their apartment felt like an empty shell, something was missing, and it felt very strange. She only stayed for one night, yet it left an indelible impression in his heart.

Su Xiaobei's every word, every smile, and even her bawling when she accused him of getting shampoo in her eyes stayed deeply etched in their minds.

"There's nothing to worry about, Miss Su will take good care of her."

Xiao Luo unconsciously said that perhaps to comfort Zhang Dashan, but probably to also calm himself. He pulled himself together, it was time to move on. He promptly changed the topic and said to Zhang Dashan, "You should quickly settle the affairs at the company within these few days. It's time to go home. The New Year will be in about 20 days."

"Alright, I'll do that."

Zhang Dashan nodded. "By the way, will you be attending the company's annual party?" he inquired.

Xiao Luo shook his head. "Nope. You're now in charge of everything at headquarters, so you must establish your position and be seen as the head. For me to appear too many times wouldn't benefit you in any way," he said, "and for the annual meeting, you should give out bonuses to outstanding employees, this will encourage more enthusiasm." He added, "Li Zimeng, Luo Qi, Lin Chongdong – these three should be given special awards. But of course, this is just a suggestion. The final decision is entirely yours."

The three persons mentioned had always been supportive of his plans from the moment he took over Luo's Workshop. He never failed to remember those who had supported him, and it was his practice to reward any employees who deserved it.

Zhang Dashan looked at Xiao Luo with a questioning look on his face. "What the hell? The boss of Luo's Workshop will always be you, and I'm only the second boss... Err, hang on, I'm not even the second boss, I'm just the assistant to the boss, so I'll award whoever you want to award," he said.

"...?" Xiao Luo didn't argue with him.

...

...

With Zhang Dashan handling the company's affairs, Xiao Luo finally found himself with some time to spare.

He decided to go over to the People's Hospital in Guangming District to visit his sister. Although the new year was just around the corner, the work in hospitals never ceased. People still get sick and run into accidents regardless of the time of the year.

Xiao Luo and Xiao Ruyi were chatting at the hospital's rooftop terrace. She was in her white uniform and stood against the breeze.

"Brother, when are you going back home?" Xiao Ruyi asked.

Xiao Luo nodded and said, "Probably in a few days. I'll be going back with Dashan. What about you? When will you and Tang Ren go home?"

"After New Year, perhaps. We nurses have to take our breaks in shifts. Hospitals can't be left without nurses for even a day. Tang Ren has to work until after New Year too."

For no apparent reason, Xiao Luo suddenly broached a subject that he had had long kept to himself, and he felt now would be a good time to say it. "To be honest, I wasn't supportive of you marrying Tang Ren. Even though our families are from the same province, it's still a great distance between our villages, and it would've been inconvenient for you to come home. If you were to marry someone in our village or the nearby, you could come home more frequently. But anyhow, Tang Ren is a good man. He's nice to you, and that's all I ask for," he said.

Xiao Ruyi pouted, playfully giving him an angry stare then smiled.

"Stop giving me that whimsical smile. You should seriously think of having a child with Tang Ren so that I can become an uncle," Xiao Luo said, making a serious face and speaking in a tone like an elder.

Xiao Ruyi only blushed and said, "Xiao Luo, you can't rush something like that. It'll come when it is time and will never when it is not. You have to go with the flow."

"Well, continue trying. It has been almost a year since you got married, and there's still nothing in here," Xiao Luo said, tapping her belly. "Don't you know that you can recover your figure better after giving birth the younger you are?" he said in jest.

"Haha, don't worry about these things, alright? You are the one that should hurry up and find me a sister-in-law. Oh, the nation's goddess, Su Li, is a great candidate. She held a concert recently in Jiangcheng. Some of my colleagues were there, and they took lots of photos of her. She doesn't look different from her photos on the internet. She's a real beauty!"

"You think too highly of me," Xiao Luo said.

Xiao Ruyi wouldn't let up, she said so in jest, but she undoubtedly had a high opinion of her brother and said, "My brother is an outstanding man, what's wrong if he makes the nation's goddess his wife?" Then, she chuckled, "Xiao Luo, if you can really bring her home as your wife, it will definitely bring glory to our ancestors. Why, even green mist [1] will rise out of our great grandfather's grave."

Xiao Luo was stumped for a moment, then smiling, he said, "Nonsense, utter nonsense!"

Xiao Ruyi stuck her tongue out and made a face.

"Alright, alright, I won't bug you any further about the baby. Come home with Tang Ren when you can, it'll be good to pay a visit to your grandparents," Xiao Luo said, then let out a long sigh.

Xiao Ruyi nodded, "Okay, I'll certainly go back as soon as I can and fulfill my filial duty."

"So, yep, that's it. Just say hi to Tang Ren for me. And, oh, I didn't give you anything when you and Tang Ren got married, so here's my belated gift," Xiao Luo said, then showed her a card, "There's four million in it, the password is six 'one's. Spend it wisely as I won't be in Jiangcheng next year. Have a good life with Tang Ren, and if you face any difficulties, tell me. I'm your brother, and I'll never judge you."

Xiao Luo placed the bank card into Xiao Ruyi's hands.

Xiao Ruyi was moved, and her eyes turned red instantly, she said, "Xiao Luo, you are the best brother in this world!"

She hugged him tightly. As she thought about her brother no longer being in this city next year, she was suddenly overcome by a deep sadness, and tears flowed from her eyes.

Chapter 276

Xiao Luo had already packed his bags in anticipation of his journey back home with Zhang Dashan and was about to leave his rented apartment at the Gong Village. They had planned to head back to their respective villages after the annual meeting at Luo's Workshop.

They both hailed from the West District, in the same city, but from different counties. The counties were more than a hundred kilometers apart. The two had visited each other's home quite frequently back during university, and their family members were quite acquainted with the other.

"How much f*cking longer will this d*mn traffic jam last?"

Their car was caught in the highway crawl, and Zhang Dashan was getting very annoyed. "And they call this a highway, huh! Even walking would be faster," he complained.

Xiao Luo was much calmer as he reclined his seat, leaned back comfortably, and said, "It's the peak of the Spring Festival travel season, everyone's returning home, isn't it expected?"

"Old Xiao, I was just pushing my luck, but had I known that there'd be so many cars on the highway like this constipated shit, I would definitely have taken the plane. Anyway, I wanted to drive this car back to show off, let my neighbors know that I'm doing well, and feed my ego a bit, hehe. But now I really regret it," Zhang Dashan replied. It was typical of him, and being an impatient man by nature, he couldn't tolerate such a long, endless wait in traffic.

Xiao Luo didn't bother with a response, so he closed his eyes to get some rest.

After waiting for four to five hours, the cars finally started moving again.

Zhang Dashan cursed all the way, and when he got to the next toll station, he opted to get off the highway to take the country roads.

And it proved to be a wise decision. The next stretch of highway was choked entirely for more than ten kilometers. As Zhang Dashan drove along at a leisurely pace, he couldn't help casting a sympathetic glance at the poor souls stuck on the elevated bridge.

"Old Xiao, look at those fellas, they are stuck like poor dumbasses, hahaha..."

Zhang Dashan seemed sympathetic at first, but eventually, he couldn't help gloating. As he continued laughing, it helped keep him in a cheerful mood.

But when he turned to look at Xiao Luo, he realized that his friend was fast asleep. It aggravated him so much that he brought his hand down hard on Xiao Luo's thigh. "F*ck, sleep your head! It's your turn to drive now. I've already driven for more than six hours, it's a long way past the threshold for driving fatigue," he cried.

Only Zhang Dashan would ever treat Xiao Luo this way.

Xiao Luo opened his eyes and stretched lazily, then asked Zhang Dashan to pull over to the side so that they could switch seats.

Xiao Luo intended to arrive sooner than later to their destination and hit the gas, making the Range Rover surge forward with a roar and maintained that speed. The country roads were in no way comparable to the highway, and many sections of the roads were full of potholes. On several occasions, he drove over large potholes without even braking, causing Zhang Dashan some frantic moments. In the end, he could take no more and asked Xiao Luo to stop. It was too heart wrenching for him to watch his vehicle subjected to such a grueling test. Although it was sturdily built, it wasn't supposed to be driven this way.

"F*ck, stop now, stop now! You really don't care about the car just because it's not yours! Believe it or not, I will beat you up cruelly," Zhang Dashan hollered, unable to contain his exasperation.

Xiao Luo just shrugged, he didn't disagree.

Zhang Dashan refused to let Xiao Luo drive for the rest of the journey. The next afternoon, feeling just like they had gone through a journey depicted in the classic tale, Journey to the West [1], they finally arrived back at Zhoukou City of the West District.

Xiao Luo did not want to trouble Zang Dashan any further and decided to find another a ride back to his home village.

They duly parted ways and promised to meet up after the new year celebration.

...

Xiao Luo dismissed the idea of taking a bus back as the station was already crowded, and the ride on the bus was not something anyone looked forward to. Xiao Luo then opened the application in his phone to check if he could hitch a shared ride back to his county. He was in luck, there was indeed one, so he quickly booked it.

After about twenty minutes, a white Chevrolet stopped in front of him. He looked at the license plate and confirmed that it was the ride he had booked via his phone.

As the window rolled down, both the driver and Xiao Luo were pleasantly surprised.

"Winter melon!"

"Xiao Luo!" 𝓁𝒾𝘣𝑟𝑒𝘢𝘥.𝘤𝘰𝑚

They both shouted out each other's names at the same time. The driver was a young man about the same age as Xiao Luo. He wore a checkered shirt and kept short, neat hair. He had thick brows, a rather long face, and a rather unique characteristic — a short neck; he truly appeared like he did not have one. Because of this, everyone gave him the nickname "Winter Melon."

The young man's name was Xiao Qiudong, and they were both from Luo Village. Growing up together, they could be considered childhood friends.

They were both very close, from the time they attended primary school all the way to lower secondary school. They were accepted into different upper secondary schools but still kept in close touch. But after Xiao Luo attended university, they contacted each other less frequently. Xiao Qiudong had entered the workforce by then, and every time they reached each other, he would end the call after a brief conversation saying that he was busy at work or was pressed for time.

After Xiao Luo graduated from university and joined the workforce, they effectively lost contact with each other. He tried to call Xiao Qiudong several times before that, but the latter had changed his phone number and didn't provide Xiao Luo with the new one. Then the previous year, when Xiao Luo had returned to celebrate the new year, they met again at a gathering. For no apparent reason, he made fun of Xiao Luo in the presence of everyone, and Xiao Luo could still remember those words vividly.

"So you've gone to university, what's the big deal? At the end of the day, you still have to work for others once you graduate, and maybe receive a fixed salary of four to five thousand dollars per month. That can't even afford you a house or a car. It's better to join the workforce earlier on, job experience is more important than any degree."

Xiao Qiudong had already bought himself a car back then, and having just graduated, Xiao Luo couldn't compare to him. He seemed fixated on questioning the real value of an education in terms of material gains, but it was apparent that he was indirectly belittling Xiao Luo to raise his own esteem.

Xiao Luo had always thought that Xiao Qiudong was someone he could form a deep connection with, but after the incident last year, he realized that their friendship would never be the same again.

For a brief moment, Xiao Qiudong was startled when he saw Xiao Luo again, but he promptly hid it with a warm smile. "So, you are the one hitching the ride! Well, it's such a coincidence. Have you just returned from some other city?" he said.

"Yeah."

Xiao Luo said, forcing a smile and responding with a nod. The relationship between them had cooled, but he still wanted to keep it friendly enough.

He glanced at the passenger's seat, which was occupied by a woman. She was rather comely, and in her arms, she held a child three to four months old.

Xiao Qiudong made the introductions in a forthright manner. "This is my wife, Li Honglian. Darling, this is my childhood friend, Xiao Luo. We grew up together, and we are very close," he said.

"Hello!"

Li Honglian greeted Xiao Luo politely.

"Hello."

Xiao Luo nodded and glanced at her quizzically because Li Honglian's accent was unique, and she sounded somewhat coquettish.

Seeing his expression, Xiao Qiudong laughed and said, "My wife is from Taiwan, such is their accent, you'll get used to it after a while, Haha."

"Oh, I see."

"Don't just stand there, get in," Xiao Qiudong said, "eh, you brought a lot of stuff for your family, how filial. Okay, just put them all in the trunk." He bent forward, reaching for the latch to unlock the trunk.

Xiao Luo opened the trunk and starting stowing the gifts one by one.

"Can it fit?" Xiao Qiudong asked.

"It should be alright, I just need to rearrangement some of the items here."

Xiao Luo rearranged the items that had already been in the trunk, placing them to one side, and finally managed to fit everything in.

Then he pulled open the door to the backseat and got in the car.

Other than checking if Xiao Luo was done stowing his things, Xiao Qiudong remained in his car the whole time, whistling and playing with his child.

Chapter 277

The moment he saw the Chevrolet Cruze, Xiao Luo instantly knew it sold for a price tag of about 130,000. He was able to call up any relevant information on any make of cars because he had spent 100 points to redeem the car information package. He could obtain any information that he required about the price, specifications, dynamic performance, and the security technology of any car sold on the market.

The condition of Xiao Qiudong's car was excellent, with the heavy scent of car fresheners permeating the cabin air. He also detected a whiff of milk in the car and then realized that the baby was still being fed on breast-milk.

As they drove through the city, Xiao Qiudong began to make conversation to while away the hours. "Xiao Luo, are you still working as a product engineer for Huahai Corporation in Jiangcheng?" he asked.

Xiao Luo shook his head and replied, "I'm no longer working there, I've resigned."

"Then, I assume you have been job-hopping?"

Xiao Qiudong was smiling as he looked at Xiao Luo through the rearview mirror, and continued asking, "I hear that you can get double the salary if you move on to other companies after working for two to three years with Huahai Corporation. So, I guess your monthly salary is probably more than 10,000 dollars now?"

Xiao Luo didn't feel it was necessary to respond to the question, so he just smiled and changed the subject. Glancing at the child in his wife's arms, he asked, "Is the child your a boy or a girl?"

Xiao Qiudong had a big smile on his face and was beaming with pride. "The one with a willy, of course, hahaha. His name is Xiao Zile, and he was born and registered in Taiwan. When he's older, he will go to school there and be with his grandparents," he said.

"Congrats, your wife has given you a boy! Have you hosted the feast yet, I mean, it's the custom for a boy, right?" Xiao Luo asked.

"Yes, we'll host it as soon as we get back. Since you happen to be around, make sure you don't forget to give my son a red packet," Xiao Qiudong replied. It was a common thing to say as red represented luck and prosperity, and would certainly help with the cost of hosting the feast.

"Rest assured, for such an auspicious occasion, I'll definitely give Zile a red packet!"

"Hahaha, then the sum must also be auspicious. Otherwise, I'm not going to let you off, that easily," Xiao Qiudong said, seemingly in jest but in a tone that said he meant it.

Xiao Luo cocked his brow and chose to remain silent.

"Oh, right."

Xiao Qiudong fiddled around, then suddenly took out his iPhone from his pocket. He handed it to Xiao Luo and said, "I can't use my phone while driving, so can you save your number into my contacts? Look at you, why didn't you tell me when you changed your contact number, don't you see me as a brother anymore."

Xiao Luo was a bit surprised because, as far as he could remember, Xiao Qiudong changed his contact number without telling. So it felt a little sneaky for him to have put it that way.

But he didn't bring it up, and instead, he just unlocked Xiao Qiudong's iPhone and added his name and number to its contacts. He then used the iPhone to call himself and saved Xiao Qiudong's contact number on his own phone.

"Done."

He handed the device back to Xiao Qiudong.

Xiao Qiudong took back his phone and said, "Xiao Luo, what brand is your phone?"

"It's not really a big brand, just locally manufactured," Xiao Luo said.

"The locally manufactured phones are all trash, they start lagging after you use them for some time, and the batteries have a short lifespan. From what I know, after using it for about half a year, you have to recharge it at least twice a day."

Xiao Qiudong was very brand conscious and had a prejudice against locally manufactured products in general. "Try to switch to an iPhone when you have the money, the user interface is superb, and so is the processing speed. Although it's slightly pricey, it's worth the investment," he advised.

Xiao Luo laughed and said, "Never mind, I'll just support our local goods."

Xiao Qiudong was good with words and continued to convince Xiao Luo. "It's good to be patriotic, but you should still go for high-quality products when it comes to personal items like a handphone. After all, it is also a status symbol and will give you a better image. Locally manufactured phones represent plebs, and now that your monthly salary exceeds ten thousand, you really should carry a more decent phone," he said.

Xiao Luo only smiled in response, saying nothing.

...

It took them about two hours by car to get from Zhoukou City to the district town. And it would take a little longer to get from the district town to Luo Village, as it was a smaller road and was rather tricky to negotiate. In fact, before arriving into Luo Village, the way would be nothing more than an unpaved dirt trail. Fortunately for them, it was drizzling, so the car didn't stir up too much dust as it drove by. 𝒍𝓲𝙗𝒓𝒆𝓪𝒅.𝙘𝒐𝓶

Xiao Qiudong's wife, Li Honglian, didn't say anything throughout the journey. To be exact, she didn't say anything to Xiao Luo, though she was happily chatting with Xiao Qiudong the whole way.

Sitting at the back of the car, Xiao Luo noticed her disparaging gaze earlier, especially when he responded to Xiao Qiudong's questions. When asked if he owned a car or a house, or if he even had a girlfriend, he candidly declared he didn't, to any of them.

But, it didn't matter to Xiao Luo. Li Honglian was nothing more than a stranger to him, and it seemed that Xiao Qiudong was also fast becoming one. He recalled the happy times when they were young and played together often, but now he just couldn't reconnect with those feelings again. The fault may have been his own, or it may very well have been Xiao Qiudong's, but regardless, the truth was that their relationship had grown distant. They were now merely giving the appearance that they shared a close relationship.

At around 9pm at night, they finally arrived at their hometown — Luo Village.

Xiao Qiudong's son suddenly started crying and wouldn't stop. Li Honglian tried to pacify him without much success, and both parents appeared to be getting stressed up.

"Xiao Luo, are you going back home directly or to your dad's farm first?" Xiao Qiudong asked.

Xiao Luo thought for a moment and said, "To my dad's farm first, please."

His parents had worked in another city, and after they returned from their previous jobs seven years ago, they contracted a piece of abandoned land and set up a farm. They were in the business of breeding livestock and poultry, with crops planted as supplementary sources of income. His parents had been managing the farm for seven years, and it was located in a rural area, some 10 minutes by motorcycle from the nearest homestead.

"Xiao Luo, the farm is out of the way, though."

A troubled expression showed on Xiao Qiudong's face. "You see, my son is crying so hard, he must be feeling sick, so I need to rush back and get someone to look at him. It's alright if you wanted to go back to your grandparents' home, but you want to go to the farm first instead," he said, then added, "furthermore, the condition of the road to your dad's farm is awful, and my car is not an SUV, the chassis can't handle the bumpy road, and the body will be badly scratched."

"It's okay then. I'll get off here and call my dad to pick me up," Xiao Luo said. He was already aware of what Xiao Qiudong meant, so he cut to the chase.

Xiao Qiudong explained and was quick to apologize. "Xiao Luo, it's not that I don't want to drive you over, it's just that my son..."

"Don't worry, I totally understand. I hope your son will be alright."

Xiao Luo offered some words of comfort, then opened the car door and alighted the car. It was still drizzling.

"Okay then, thanks. Oh, and don't forget your stuff in the trunk," Xiao Qiudong said, as he reached for the lever to open the trunk again.

Xiao Luo didn't reply. He walked to the back of the car and retrieved his things from the trunk, and he then left a packet behind.

He closed the trunk and walked up to the driver's seat and knocked on the window. The car window opened slightly, and Xiao Luo said, "Winter Melon, I left you a packet, consider it a token of appreciation for sending me back."

Xiao Qiudong had rolled his window down by a tiny crack, worried that the drizzling rain might ruin his car's interior. A surprised look flashed across his face, then he smiled and said, "Thanks brother, I'll see you around."

He then quickly rolled up the window and drove off, the red tail lights gradually disappearing from Xiao Luo's sight.

After the car had left, the entire area was nothing but darkness. But Xiao Luo could adapt to low light conditions well, his senses enhanced by Yi Jinjing and the Constitution of the King of mercenaries. As his eyes got accustomed to the dark, he could see the landscape around him. He saw as clearly as one would when wearing sunglasses during the day.

It continued to drizzle, and the ground had turned muddy. A thick fog was forming and rolled across the valley.

It was great to be back home. The familiar sight of hills, the country smell, and most importantly, the sprawling farmland...

Xiao Luo breathed in the fresh air deeply.

He was in the middle of nowhere, and the place was dark and wet. His thoughts suddenly wandered back to Xiao Qiudong. He didn't fault the man for dropping him off there, as he was under no obligation to help. Xiao Qiudong had driven him back all the way from the city to Luo Village without even charging him a thing. Besides, in Xiao Luo's eyes, while Xiao Qiudong had once been a friend back in their schooling days, they were basically strangers now, so what more could he ask of a stranger?

Chapter 278

Located in a mountainous area, the temperature in Luo Village shifted drastically between the day and night. This was especially so when it drizzled, where the temperature would drop significantly, making anyone exposed to the elements shiver from the biting cold.

With his inner power to protect his body, Xiao Luo wasn't affected by the cold. Waiting alone in the dark, he called his father and told him the location to pick him up. After speaking to his father, Zhang Dashan happened to call him, he had just gotten home too.

Xiao Luo was glad to hear from him, and the first thing he said was: "So, were your parents proud of you when they saw you drive a Range Rover back home?"

"F*ck, let's not talk about that. The roads in the village are simply awful, I washed my car thoroughly before driving home, but when I reached home, it was covered in mud. Ahh, I feel so sorry for my car," Zhang Dashan complained.

Xiao Luo couldn't help laughing and continued to make fun of him. "Then wash it all you like some other day, after all, water doesn't cost anything at home, you can use as much as you want," he said.

"Of course, what do you think I'd do? Oh, right, have you reached home?"

"Sort of."

"It's either a yes or a no, what do you even mean by sort of?" Zhang Dashan quipped.

Xiao Luo gave a laugh and replied, "I mean that I haven't reached my home yet, but I've reached the outskirts of the village, and now I'm standing by the roadside."

"D*mn, what the hell? It's raining heavily over here, so I guess it's probably raining at your place as well? I'm sure you didn't bring an umbrella, are you standing in the rain?"

"I see that you're quite perceptive."

"Perceptive your *ss, can you stop trying to be such a hero, what are you doing out there in the rain?" Zhang Dashan reprimanded him and said, "are you trying to be like one of those dumb teenagers, seeking to be a non-conformist? Please, you are too f*cking old for that."

Xiao Luo was feeling a little exasperated and said, "Do you think I want to? The driver left me here, so all I can now is to wait for my dad to fetch me in his trishaw."

Zhang Dashan couldn't believe what he just heard, and said, "D*mn, which dumb*ss driver just left you there like that? With your temper, I'd expected you to throw a fit and give him a good beating!"

"Never mind, I was in a good mood!"

Xiao Luo heard the distinctive rumble of an old two-stroke engine approaching, and as it turned the corner, an intense beam of light shone in his direction.

"Oh, I think my dad is here. I'll hang up first, talk to you next time."

"Alright, remember to help me say hi to Uncle Xiao, okay."

Having said so, he hung up.

An old motored trishaw meandered through the dirt trail and stopped in front of Xiao Luo. A sheet of steel had been welded on posts and served as its roof. It provided some protection to its occupants from the elements, so it could be driven regardless of the weather. The beam of the motored trishaw threw some light on the driver; he was a man that looked around fifty years old. Xiao Luo could see that there were wrinkles on the man's face, and his ruffled hair was all white. He donned a black leather jacket that seemed to have been with him for a very long time, and the skin on his hands looked incredibly coarse from doing hard manual work.

"Dad!"

Xiao Luo greeted the man with a shout. He felt sorry seeing his father looking so aged.

Xiao Zhiyuan looked at him and said, "Didn't you tell me that you met that fellow, Winter Melon, when you arrived in the city? You took a ride in his car, right? Why, did he just leave you here in the rain?"

"He had something urgent, so he left first," Xiao Luo explained.

"Urgent? What nonsense, no matter how urgent it is, couldn't he at least drop you off at the farm? It's not that far from here."

Xiao Zhiyuan was very aggrieved, seeing his son having to wait all alone in the rain. "I think that that little fellow has become arrogant, and he's looking down on you despite you two having grown up together as close friends."

As he spoke, he was loading Xiao Luo's belongings into the trishaw.

Xiao Luo hurried over to help.

They soon loaded up the things Xiao Luo had bought into the small storage space of the trishaw.

Then, Xiao Luo hopped on and squeezed into the single-seat with his father, and they turned around, heading toward the farm.

The road to the farm was indeed in bad condition, and there were big potholes everywhere. It would definitely take a toll on a small car with a low chassis, but an SUV could still negotiate the trail without much effort. Somehow the motored trishaw was managing, but with its worn-out shock absorbers, it was a jarring and bumpy ride all the way.

"Dad, why didn't you spend the one million dollars I transferred to you last time?" asked Xiao Luo.

Xiao Zhiyuan was maneuvering the motored trishaw with some effort and said, "That's your money, son, I've put it in fixed deposit for you."

"But I transferred it to you so that you can pay off the debt and do some upgrading for the farm. For starters, you can have this road totally paved with cement, it'll be more convenient for vehicles to enter and exit the farm."

Xiao Luo had not expected his father not to even touch one cent of the money and continue leading such a frugal life. There was really no need for that, as he had already mentioned to his parents a long time ago that he was now the boss of a company. He was doing well enough and was not short of money.

"The farm is a career that I want to develop for the second half of my life. The cost of construction, investment, and production are my responsibilities, how can I burden you with my responsibilities?" Xiao Zhiyuan said.

"Dad, the money is for you and mum, as a token of my appreciation. I don't want you both to have such a difficult life," Xiao Luo said, as he tried to keep his emotions in check. "I still remember you telling me about your ideal retirement life, it was to take leisurely walks in the park and play chess with other people. I can help you realize all your dreams now."

Xiao Zhiyuan looked at him with a smile and said, "These can wait for a few more years. Your mum and I are not that old yet, we'd be laughed at for retiring so early." He paused for a moment and continued, "I just want to put in these efforts for the sake of my dignity, I must prove this to the people that had criticized me for choosing this new career."

Xiao Luo knew what his father meant. He remembered when his father first got back to the village, he had mentioned that he intended to start the farm. His family and friends, and even fellow villagers were pessimistic about such a venture and felt that this industry had no future. They started talking behind his back, and his father was subjected to much ridicule. So Xiao Luo could appreciate his insistence on developing the farm and making it a success for them all to see; it was his way of getting his own back.

"Your mom used to be weak and always in poor health, feeling dizzy and tired every now and then. Since she started working on the farm, her health has improved visibly. Not only has her appetite improved, but her long-term spinal problem has also stopped bothering her," Xiao Zhiyuan raved, a smile forming on his face. "It's like what the old people say, humans are born to work. If one just lazes around the whole day without doing anything, one gets sick easily, and wouldn't be able to lead a long life."

Xiao Zhiyuan looked contented, and he was never one to shy away from a challenge; he was an optimist.

Xiao Luo shook his head and sighed. "Dad, you always have your reasons."

He had wanted to persuade his father to give up on the farm and retire peacefully, but he was well aware of his father's character, and it would not be an easy task to persuade the old man.

The farm was located between two mountains that stood close together, but the valley in between was relatively flat and wide. The edge of the farm gradually got higher in altitude as it got closer to the foot of the mountains.

The plot of land was previously abandoned and had been overgrown with weeds and shrubs everywhere. To set up the farm and operate it properly, his parents had invested all their savings into it. They even borrowed money from his two aunts and mortgaged the farm for a 200,000 dollar loan from the bank.

His father had a lot of entrepreneurial experience and understood the challenges of running the business.

Tucked in the farm, a single two-story building was built at the foot of the mountain. As the motored trishaw made its way into the farm, dogs began barking, but as soon as they recognized the sound of his father's vehicle, they immediately stopped. The dogs ran up, with their ears flattened and tails wagging as they greeted their master. 𝓁𝘪𝒷𝘳ℯ𝘢𝑑.𝒸𝘰𝑚

They had three dogs at the farm, and although they hadn't seen Xiao Luo for a whole year, they certainly remembered him as they came up to him and whined excitedly.

"Son, you're back!"

A plainly-dressed woman came running out, rubbing her hands together.

"Mum!"

Xiao Luo jumped off the trishaw and walked over toward her.

Chapter 279

Having not seen Xiao Luo for almost a year, Hua Heying couldn't stop gazing lovingly at her son from head to toe. As usual, she was always concerned about his well-being, and she said, "Son, you've become thinner. You haven't eaten yet, have you? Hurry, come in and have some warm food, I've saved it for you."

Xiao Luo smiled as he looked at his mother. Compared to only a year ago, she had gotten a lot older, with more freckles on her face. This was the very woman who had raised him, and he still remembered his impression of her as a child, he always thought she was as pretty as a flower. Even now, he still felt that his mother was the most beautiful woman in the world.

"Why are your clothes wet?"

Hua Heying touched Xiao Luo's clothes, then shot Xiao Zhiyuan a glare, expecting an answer.

Xiao Zhiyuan was still very annoyed about it and said, "It's all because of Xiao Qiudong, that little jerk just left our son alone by the road and went off. There's no shelter at the junction to our farm, so Little Luo had to wait for me standing there in the rain."

What?

Upon hearing what her husband had just said, Hua Heying was furious. "That's too much! What's wrong with that short Winter Melon, leaving my son there in the rain. I will definitely scold him when I see him the next time."

"Mom, just drop the matter. His son wasn't well and was crying a lot. Anyway, the road to our farm is in poor condition. If he really had driven me here and got his car damaged in the process, I'd feel bad about it." Xiao Luo didn't want his family to be troubled over such a little matter; there was no need for it.

"You are too kind, still defending that short Winter Melon even now. Never mind, let's not talk about him, go take a hot shower and change into dry clothes before eating," she said. Hua Heying was always worried about Xiao Luo's health, so she had already prepared a clean towel, filled a bucket with hot water for Xiao Luo to shower.

"Alright."

Xiao Luo felt a warmth in his heart, being with the family was always best.

The village got its supply from the mountains, which provided natural spring water, and it was potable too. By connecting the pipes to the stream, the households had access to continuous running water.

When he got out of the shower, Hua Heying already had a scrumptious meal prepared, and the dishes were laid out on the dining table in the living room.

The table was spread with a variety of red meat, chicken, duck, fish, and vegetable dishes, prepared especially for Xiao Luo.

Xiao Luo gulped down three bowls of rice in no time. For him, his mother cooking was the best, and he really enjoyed her delicious dishes from his heart.

Xiao Zhiyuan, who was sitting beside him, looking stern as always, lighted a cigarette, and said, "Don't just eat the meat, eat more vegetables, it's good for your health."

"Husband, let our son eat whatever he likes, why do you nag so much."

Hua Heying chided Xiao Zhiyuan, then smiled happily at Xiao Luo and said, "Son, don't mind your dad, eat more meat, all of these are from our own livestock. The quality of the meat is much better than what you can get outside."

Xiao Luo nodded and continued eating the dishes and rice in big gulps.

Xiao Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow and wisely decided to change the topic to avoid another broadside from Hua Heying. "Little Luo, you said that you are the boss of a company in Jiangcheng now?" he asked.

"Yup, the company specializes in product development, production, and sales of bakery products like bread, cake, mooncake, and Chinese desserts." Xiao Luo looked up at his father and answered.

"My son is doing great. See, Zhiyuan, I told you that our son would definitely be successful in life." Hearing what Xiao Luo said about his company, Hua Heqing couldn't stop smiling.

Although Xiao Zhiyuan was happy and very proud of Xiao Luo, it wasn't his nature to show it. He still kept a stern face and spoke to Xiao Luo earnestly. He said, "Don't be too overconfident, it is easy to start a company, but difficult to maintain it. You have probably received help from a benefactor to become the boss of a company so fast, so don't ever forget about your benefactor."

"Mmm."

Xiao Luo smiled and nodded, then lowered his head again and continued to eat.

"Oh yes, how's Ruyi doing over there?" Xiao Zhiyuan suddenly asked.

Hua Heying sat up. She had had a strained relationship with her daughter for many years. Back then, Xiao Ruyi was rebellious and would always argue loudly with her mother. Now that Ruyi was married, their relationship had mended and was getting much better with time. After all, she was her own daughter, and regardless of what had gone wrong, Hua Heying would never stop caring for her.

"Her relationship with Tang Ren is quite good, she is working hard in the hospital. She has grown a lot more mature and sensible. These days she doesn't act as rashly and willfully as she did last time," Xiao Luo said.

Xiao Zhiyuan signed with relief and was comforted. "Good to know!"

Hua Heying smiled, looking very contented and said, "As long as she is leading a good life, as parents, we can rest in peace."

"Mom, you don't have to worry anymore, everyone needs to grow up and change, and Ruyi has now grown up. I met her before coming home, she bought clothes and shoes for you, dad, grandpa and grandma, and asked me to bring them back," Xiao Luo said, pointing at the pile in the living room.

Hua Heying was so touched that she shed tears, then she walked over and took a cursory look at the gifts. "There's so much stuff, it probably cost her a lot. I must remind that girl not to spend so much money again. She's already married and should start saving up, how could she spend so much."

As she said that, she took her phone out and called Xiao Ruyi, then mother and daughter began to chat.

...

After a satisfying meal, Xiao Zhiyuan sent Xiao Luo home with his motored trishaw.

Although Luo Village was located in a rural mountainous area, surprisingly, every family here had a new house. For the last twenty or so years, the people of Luo Village had gone to the south to find work and earn money. Over the years, they'd saved up the money they earned and raised new houses. Any family that had yet to build one would be derided by others, and couldn't hold their heads up with pride.

Xiao Luo was amazed by what his parents had achieved. Ten years ago, with just a monthly income of several thousand dollars a month, they had managed to build a four-story house for the family. The first floor was plain and unadorned, but the second floor was well furnished, and his aged grandparents lived in that house.

It was almost 11 pm by the time he arrived, and Luo Village was dead silent except for the occasional bark from afar. Unlike the hustle and bustle of the city, the nights here were quiet and would take some getting used to.

His grandparents usually went to bed at around 9 pm. But as they knew he would be coming home today, they watched television on the first floor while waiting for him to get back.

Hearing the sound of the trishaw, his grandparents immediately turned on the lights in the living room and opened the door.

"Grandpa, grandma!" 𝓁𝑖𝒷𝑟𝘦𝒶𝑑.𝒸𝘰𝘮

"Little Luo, you are back!"

It was his grandmother who spoke. Her hair was naturally curly, and her kindly eyes had a smile in them. She held Xiao Luo's hand tightly with her rough hands. "It's raining outside, come in, quick."

The first thing Xiao Luo noticed when he saw them was that they had grown older. Time had left its indelible mark on their wrinkled faces, and their hair had turned completely white.

His grandmother poured two cups of hot tea for Xiao Luo and Xiao Zhiyuan. She missed Xiao Luo dearly and had so many questions for him. She wanted to know how he was keeping, why he was now thinner, and whether he was having proper meals in the city. She also asked about his work and how he was coping.

Grandfather was taciturn by nature, it was just part of his personality, not being good with words. Xiao Zhiyuan had probably inherited the trait from him, and likewise, Xiao Luo, in turn, inherited it from Xiao Zhiyuan.

Chapter 280

After staying to chat for a short while, Xiao Zhiyuan bade everyone a good night and left for the farm.

They had a lot of local specialties back home, and Xiao Luo's grandparents had prepared a selection of his favorites and placed them in Xiao Luo's room. There were chips, peanuts, and fried rolls.

After he finished tidying up the room, Xiao Luo made himself a cup of hot tea and stood by the window.

It was pitch dark outside, still drizzling, and everything seemed remarkably tranquil. Xiao Luo felt the stark difference here as if this was another life, compared to the city. Standing by the window, everything he had experienced in Jiangcheng was like a dream: protecting Chu Yue, becoming the boss of Luo's Workshop, annihilating the Dragon Gang. 𝓵𝓲𝓫𝙧𝓮𝙖𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝙢

Everything just seemed surreal at that very moment, like he was living two different lives.

One was a world full of killings, commercial maneuvers, and the treacherous underworld–like an exciting and dramatic TV series. And the other brought him right back to ordinary life in the village!

Ding. Ding. Ding.

A handphone ringtone brought him back to the present.

Xiao Luo picked up the black handphone on the table. The caller ID showed a string of asterisks, and he immediately knew that it was a call from Gu Zhanguo of NSA. His handphone was also NSA-issued and specially customized with an "8848" code. All their phone calls were channeled through a dedicated encrypted line, ensuring confidentiality, and preventing phone tapping and tracking.

His NSA phone could only be unlocked with face recognition and fingerprint detection protocols, without which neither of the special functions or even basic functions could be accessed. The phone would be useless to anyone except Xiao Luo.

Gu Zhanguo's authoritative voice spoke over the line. "Mie, your contact has set off and will meet you the day after tomorrow. Codename: Night Sparrow."

Xiao Luo nodded. "Roger that."

"There's one more thing that you need to know. Our spy in the Blackwater Company has sent a message. Khun Sa has access to your basic information and knows about your part in the Red Scorpion Mercenaries' massacre. He is enraged and has dispatched a team of his Cobra Mercenaries to infiltrate into the country. Their task is to neutralize you at all costs," Gu Zhanguo said.

Cobra Mercenaries?!

Xiao Luo narrowed his eyes, and a fierce expression washed over him. "Let them come, I will be waiting. Whatever number he sends will all be killed."

His cavalier attitude concerned Gu Zhanguo, and he said, "As far as we know, there are eight men in the Cobra Mercenaries strike team. All of them are rated grade B operators in the NSA grading system, and they are highly experienced in military tactics. Do not take them lightly, they are far superior to the Red Scorpion Mercenaries. You must not underestimate them."

"Yes."

Xiao Luo took note of the warning, then made a request to Gu Zhanguo. "Can you arrange for some men to protect my parents."

He would be staying with his grandparents in Luo Village, so he needn't have to worry too much about their safety. But his parents were living on the farm, and that was a concern. He needed to arrange for a protection detail to ensure their safety round the clock.

"I've already dispatched 20 grade C fighters. They're being rushed to your location together with Night Sparrow. As for how they are to be deployed, the decision is yours," Gu Zhanguo said.

Xiao Luo was grateful for Gu Zhanguo's sincerity in making the arrangements to mobilize his NSA resources.

"Do you have any other questions?" Gu Zhanguo asked.

"Yes."

Xiao Luo answered without hesitation; he wanted to get to the bottom of this. "Why would Khun Sa have my information?"

"Other than being one of the leaders of Blackwater Company, Khun Sa is also a major drug dealer in the Golden Triangle. He had close ties with the Dragon Gang of Jiangcheng. After the Red Scorpion Mercenaries got into trouble, he asked the Dragon Gang to help him investigate," Gu Zhanguo said, "and you happened to be in their sights during that period, creating many problems for their gang operations. So the Dragon Gang identified you to Khun Sa as the one who destroyed his Red Scorpion Mercenaries."

Xiao Luo was stunned, and he couldn't imagine how he could've gotten himself entangled in an international network of crime.

...

The next morning, Xiao Luo got up early and started cleaning the house.

His grandparents had lived in the house since it was built and maintained it, but as they were getting on with age, they couldn't clean the house as thoroughly as they wished.

He started by first wiping the glass windows, the tables, the cabinets, and mopping the floor.

For the whole morning, Xiao Luo was kept busy, carefully wiping every nook and cranny that was usually overlooked during cleaning.

When he went out to refill the bucket of water, a middle-aged lady living just next door looked surprised when she saw him and said, "Hello, aren't you Little Luo? You are back for the new year?"

Xiao Luo smiled and greeted the lady. "Hi, Aunt Taoxiu, yes. The company is closed for the holiday season, so I've come back for the new year."

All the men in Luo Village shared the surname Xiao, as they were descended from a common ancestor. Their middle names were determined by their generation in the family tree, and funnily enough, many of his peers were of the same generation as his own father, so he had to address them as 'uncle' according to custom. This was something that Xiao Luo had been eating at Xiao Luo for quite a while now.

Xiao Luo had no idea what the middle-aged lady's maiden surname was, but he remembered her well because she often visited them ever since he was a young lad. His grandma addressed her as Taoxiu, so he just called her Aunt Taoxiu. At the same time, Xiao Luo used to be close friends with her son, Xiao Ping, when they were young. Xiao Ping was two years older than him.

Aunt Taoxiu had a rather loud voice, so when the neighbors heard that Xiao Luo had returned, they all came out to greet him. Very soon, there was a small crowd outside his home.

Xiao Luo was raised to be courteous, and he was a patient man by nature, so he greeted all the seniors that had come to greet him.

"Little Luo, you have gotten a lot more handsome in the one year since I last saw you. I heard last year that you had a girlfriend, why didn't you bring her back to meet your family?" a dark-skinned woman said.

A thin middle-aged man smiled and agreed. "She is right, it's about time you start a family. Back when I was your age, my son was already seven or eight years old."

Xiao Luo smiled warmly at him and replied, "Such matters all depend on fate. When the time is right, everything will sort itself out."

"Fate is a vague concept that cannot be explained easily, it still depends on you to make an effort to seek the right women out. Our country carried out a census recently, and there are 30 million more men than women. In other words, there will be 30 million men without a wife. Little Luo, you must try harder. Even if you are in no hurry, think of your parents and your grandparents, who will all be worried." The thin middle-aged man shared his opinion, which got the crowd nodding their heads.

The dark-skinned woman who was now munching on sunflower seeds concurred and said, "That's right, look at Xiao Qiudong, he is the same age as you, and he has a son now. He's hosting a feast at home tomorrow, and his wife is from Taiwan. The whole Luo Village knows about it. If you don't put in more effort, he will outshine you."

Xiao Luo merely forced a smile and nodded his head, as he knew they meant well. But he didn't intend to stand there and continue getting bombarded with more questions and suggestions, so he informed them all that he still had to clean the house and hurried back inside.

"You people shouldn't pressure him like this, I'm sure that deep down inside, Little Luo must be anxious as well. You all should know that he is the only one of his age that hasn't gotten married in our village." Aunt Taoxiu felt for Xiao Luo and came to his defense.

"We didn't scold him or anything, but this Little Luo has set too high expectations for himself. It's not good for him, and he may find himself in an unfavorable situation outside," the thin middle-aged said, standing with his arms folded, confident in his assessment of Xiao Luo.

The dark-skinned woman sighed heavily, weighing in on what the thin middle-aged man had said. "Huh, Xiao Qiudong didn't even go to university, now he is getting project contracts at the city of Zhoukou. He is earning so much over the past two years, and he even bought himself a house in the city of Zhoukou. Now look at Little Luo, he has been to a second-tier university, but in the end, he is just working for other people. Despite having studied so much, he can't compare to Xiao Qiudong's little finger."

Chapter 281

Although Xiao Luo went on cleaning on the second floor, the content of their conversation still went into his ears with not even a single letter being dropped. Regarding this, he only laughed it off. It couldn't set off even the slightest ripple in his heart. This was the way the older generation in the countryside thought. What's more, they were his uncles and aunties. He wouldn't bother to argue with them. As long as they were happy, he'd let them talk. However, his life belonged to him. It was up to him to decide how should he live it.

His grandmother felt sorry for him. When she saw the people wagging their tongues outside, she ran out and asked them to go away as far as they could and stop spouting gibberish at her door.

"If you're too bored, go and clear your fields. Stop talking nonsense at other people's doors. Aren't you afraid that the Heavens will punish you to become mutes for the rest of your life?"

"Dengfeng, we aren't talking badly about Xiao Luo," the dark-skinned woman said with a face full of displeasure. "We are just concerned about his most important affair in life. Is it really nice for you to curse us like that?"

"My grandson is a fine-looking man," his grandmother said. "He is also very capable in his career. You don't need to worry about his business!"

She was done with it. Her neighbors were constantly asking about whether her grandson, Xiao Luo, had a target of when he would get married and subsequently had some sarcastic remarks. This wasn't just concerning behavior. It was straight out mockery. These people were ridiculing Xiao Luo right in front of him. She was unable to tolerate any of it.

"Ye-ye-yeah, fine-looking he his, finer than everyone else," the dark-skinned woman with a temper coldly said. "But it turns out that he can't even find a wife."

Everybody aside from Aunt Taoxiu revealed a smile of varying degrees on their faces. They yearned to watch a drama unfold. They were simply too bored. It just so happened that something like that could relieve them from their boredom and become a topic of discussion during their leisure time. 𝓁𝒾𝘣𝑟𝑒𝘢𝘥.𝘤𝘰𝑚

Xiao Luo's grandmother got so angry that her face turned red. She pointed at the dark-skinned woman and angrily said, "An Yuan, you can't even discipline your own son. He drinks, gambles, goes whoring, and was even locked up in the police station a few times. What right do you have to talk about my grandson?"

When An Yuan, who had dark skin, heard that, she immediately fumed up. Her face became ashen. She looked even darker.

She stared at her in rage. "What a fine son you have as well. He smashed all his belongings into the ravines hoping for gold to grow out from that pile of mud. He has been busy as a dog all year round, but I didn't see him earning any significant amount of money. Meanwhile, your grandson, well, he's already not little, but not to mention a wife, he doesn't even have a target. No matter how useless my son is, he got himself a fine wife and bore a fine son. So, what has your family achieved? If word spreads, everyone will laugh at your family for being incapable of marrying a granddaughter-in-law into your doors."

Incapable of marrying a granddaughter-in-law into our doors?

Xiao Luo's grandmother felt as wronged as she could have ever felt when such a label was being slammed upon her family.

"You vicious woman, you... You..."

His grandmother was so upset that her chest was thumping up and down. She was unable to breathe smoothly.

When Xiao Luo's grandfather saw this, he hurried forward and patted her back to straighten out her breathing. Although he didn't usually like to speak, now that his beloved wife was pissed off to such an extent, he couldn't just stand by. He shouted at An Yuan, "Leave! Don't stand at our door! You are not welcome here!"

"Lianfa, be reasonable," An Yuan dignifiedly said. "We didn't say anything bad. We were only expressing our concern for Xiao Luo, and Dengfeng came out cursing at us. Tell me, what kind of logic is this?"

"Yeah, Uncle Lianfa, Aunt Dengfeng went overboard this time," a scrawny middle-aged man echoed.

"Xiao Luo is our grandchild. There's no need for you to concern yourselves about him. If you simply gossip about him again, do not blame me for disowning you!" Although his grandfather was old, he still had a tough character.

An Yuan put her hands on her waist and sneered, "Lianfa, that isn't a nice thing to say. After all, we Xiaos are one big family. If you put things so harshly, aren't you afraid that nobody will give you a hand if something were to happen to your family in the future?"

Xiao Luo's grandparents were no match to their sharp-mouthed opponent. They were both instantly defeated.

Aunt Taoxiu stepped forward and said, "Alright, all of you should speak a few words less. All of these are trivial matters. Don't let them ruin the harmony between us."

"Hmph, if that were to happen, they are the ones who started it!" An Yuan turned her head away and yawned.

"Are you guys done? You may leave if you are. Our temple is small, and it can't hold so many deities."

Xiao Luo walked out of the house, drying his hands with a clean towel while Xiao Luo conveying his sentence. He had not wanted to get involved in these contemptible matters in the countryside. Given that so many people were bullying his grandparents, he couldn't tolerate it.

An Yuan glared at him and asked, "Xiao Luo, what do you mean? Are you playing with words to scold your aunt?"

Xiao Luo faintly said, "No, of course. As the younger generation, how would I dare to foul-mouth an elder? It's just that, don't ever bully my grandpa and grandma. To whoever that bullies them, I don't care whether you're my uncle or aunty or whatnot, just get lost as far as you can!"

Doesn't he have a temper? Of course, he did.

Does he have a good temper? Most certainly, but with the prerequisite that his bottom line was left intact. At home, his family was his bottom line.

The neighbors were all stunned. No one expected Xiao Luo to have such a forceful side.

In an enigmatic tone, An Yuan said, "Ai-yow, you grown up with some temper there. You are a good-for-nothing little bastard who can't even find a wife. Who do you think you are showing that face of yours?"

Her words were very unpleasant and harsh. Everyone present knitted their eyebrows.

"An Yuan, that was too harsh. It's almost the New Year. You shouldn't be ridiculing someone like that." Aunt Taoxiu always had a good relationship with Xiao Luo's family. At this moment, she expressed her severe disdain toward An Yuan.

"Xiao Luo has been out there working hard for a whole year. It isn't easy for him. The Luo Village is a big family, and we bump into each other regularly. You really shouldn't be talking about Xiao Luo like that."

"Every one of us watched Xiao Luo grow up. We all saw the incident that took place. Although Dingfeng had a huff, we are the younger generation compared to her. You ought to humor her. How could you pick a fight with her?"

"Yeah, An Yuan, I think you should apologize to Xiao Luo and Dengfeng."

A few who had a better relationship with Xiao Luo's family stood up to speak for Xiao Luo. Of course, some people remained neutral with "none of my business" hung up high above their heads.

"Apologize to them? No way!"

An Yuan was infuriated. She fiercely spat on the ground. "It is true that that little bastard has just come back, but does that mean he can give no respect to his elders and talk back to them as he likes?"

There was a scrawny middle-aged man by the name of Xiao Chaolai. He was brothers by blood with An Yuan's husband, Xiao Chaofa. When it came to him, the proverb "help reason not to help dear" became "help dear not to help reason." He stood up and reprimanded the crowd, "A little brat who is still wet behind his ears is being disrespectful toward his elders. Are you guys clear about who should be apologizing to who? If you haven't figured it out, please try to smooth things over. In my point of view, we should have Xiao Luo apologize to my sister-in-law!"

"Xiao Chaolai, are you sure your brain is alright?" Xiao Luo's grandfather shouted.

Xiao Chaolai flared up and roared, "Why are you yelling at me? Do you want to see who's louder?" He calmed himself down chillingly said, "It has been almost seven years since your son went to work on some rotten farm, but he hasn't achieved anything yet. As for your grandson, he's almost becoming an old fart, but he hasn't gotten himself a wife. Putting it in nicer terms, your grandson is picky. To put it in an unpleasant way, all of your family's money was smashed into that pile of mud, and you have no money left for him to get a wife."

Chapter 282

Xiao Chaolai's words were like a sharp dagger stabbing deep into Xiao Luo's grandparent's hearts.

Xiao Zhiyuan had returned home to set up a farm, so a lot of money was invested in it. Over the past few years, life had been very hard for the family. It was not only hard on Xiao Zhiyuan. Xiao Luo's grandparent's also had been enduring skepticism from the people around them. In the Luo's village, Xiao Chaolai was one of the most prominent figures who spurned Xiao Zhiyuan by Xiao Luo's grandparent's ears from time to time.

"Xiao Chaolai, you... You..."

Xiao Luo's grandmother was extremely mad. She grabbed a broom to shun off the crowd. "Scram! Every one of you, get lost! Don't be at my gates!"

An Yuan looked slightly panicked. She took a few steps back, fearing that she'd be hit by the broom.

Xiao Chaolai immediately glared at her with dilated pupils and hideously shouted, "Try touching me, you old fart! I'll dig a hole and bury you alive!"

As soon as his words fell, an enormous hand approached him without prior warning and grabbed the collar of his shirt. A powerful force burst forth from its five fingers. Xiao Chaolai felt his feet detach from the ground. His collar was gripped so tightly that it strangled his neck. An intense feeling of suffocation promptly surged to his brain.

Xiao Chaolai looked at Xiao Luo with his eyes widened. He couldn't believe that Xiao Luo was so powerful that he could lift him off the ground with one hand.

Everyone else was completely startled. Xiao Luo being so strong was genuinely unexpected.

With a cold expression, Xiao Luo solemnly said, "Uncle Chaolai, I think I'll still address you as 'Uncle' for the time being. I already said that whoever bullies my grandpa and grandma should scram as far as they can. Have you let my words flit by like a breeze?"

Faced with Xiao Luo's glare, Xiao Chaolai subconsciously quivered in fear. This was a kind of perilous aura given off by an angry beast. When he was young, he had gone hunting in the mountains. These were the very eyes of a relentless wolf. There was no way he could have mistaken that.

Xiao Luo squinted his eyes. He had a contemptuous smile at the corner of his lips. "I don't care what you say about me, whether at my back or right in my face. I will only ever laugh it off. But my family members, especially my grandpa and grandma, aren't people that any of you can humiliate. Consider this a little punishment. If there's a next time, I'll cripple one of your legs!"

The voice was gentle but filled with a chilly aura.

Upon finishing his sentence, he flung out his arms. Xiao Chaolai was thrown away with absolutely no room for resisting. He heavily fell in the paddy field right in front of the grain-sunning grounds. Following a loud splash, he was like a chicken in soup. What's more, it was a soup full of mud.

"Gulp."

Everyone uncontrollably swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Aside from being terrorized by Xiao Luo's strength, they were even more startled by the hostility he had displayed. They only now realized that they didn't understand this kid, who had grown up under their watch, at all. 𝓵𝙞𝒃𝓻𝓮𝙖𝓭.𝙘𝓸𝓶

When An Yuan realized that Xiao Luo had his eyes fixed on her, her body shivered. She panickily asked, "Little bastard, w-w-what are you planning to do?"

Xiao Luo didn't say a word. He silently advanced toward her step by step with a countenance as cold as snow and eyes that emitted streams of chills.

He had killed a lot of people. With him infuriated, his foul semblance erupted from his body. An Yuan was only a regular woman in a rural village, so how could she possibly hold herself against such a powerful tension? Her legs immediately turned wobbly. She fell bottom down to the ground.

Xiao Luo stood in front of her and stared at her condescendingly. "Can you leave our grain-sunning grounds?"

It may have seemed like a request, but his tone rendered his words undefiable.

An Yuan had burst into a cold sweat. She rolled and crawled away from the grain-sunning grounds of Xiao Luo's house.

Xiao Luo looked at her playfully and said, "According to your seniority, I should be calling you 'Aunt.' In fact, that's the way I addressed you. I've always respected you, but what about you? Little bastard here, and little bastard there... Do I owe you something? Or, is that we are well-deserving of you making us a target of mockery and criticism for things like my dad setting up a farm or me not finding a wife?"

"I..."

An Yuan was rendered speechless. She was unable to find the words to refute him.

"A woman opening her throat to rambunctiously spout obnoxious words is the behavior of a shrew," Xiao Luo said with a smile. "It will only devastate your image in a person's perspective. Tell me, what exactly are you after? I'll give you a piece of advice. Try practicing the silent chant. It will be good for you!"

Subsequently, he turned to face the crowd and unhurriedly said, "To all my uncles and aunties, we all call ourselves Xiaos, and peace is what we should value. May there be less sarcasm and more sincerity. I, Xiao Luo, still respect every one of you. You are still welcome at my house!"

Those who were there to watch the drama unfold with a neutral stance couldn't help but feel their faces turn hot. Xiao Luo was indirectly criticizing them for not being kind to his family.

Xiao Luo said nothing more. He turned his head around and smiled gently. "Grandma, I'm hungry."

His grandmother promptly put down her broom and revealed a kind smile, "Alright, I'll go to cook at once. I'm going to make you your favorite veggie taros."

Xiao Luo nodded and replied, "Alright."

"You've grown up, Xiao Luo!"

Xiao Luo's grandfather patted his shoulders with praise as he followed his wife into the house to assist her in cooking lunch.

Xiao Luo had no desire to linger outside any longer. He turned around and walked into the house.

"Xiao Luo, this isn't over. If you don't apologize and compensate me a couple of hundred bucks for throwing me to the ground, I'm telling you, Chaofa and the rest will be coming back for the New Year soon. You will be bawling when the time comes." Xiao Chaolai had already climbed out from the paddy field. He was drenched and covered in dirt. Unable to contain his anger, he rambled some harsh words at Xiao Luo.

Upon hearing him, Xiao Luo halted his steps. He turned around and sarcastically asked, "If I remember correctly, you have four other brothers, right?" He pointed at Xiao Chaolai and An Yuan. "You have more in numbers. May I assume that is why you are emboldened when talking about the others and fearless of everything?"

"Hmph!"

Xiao Chaolai snorted and arrogantly lifted his nose, silently admitting to the statement.

That was indeed the truth. With five brothers and their respective sons, they had a big bunch of people. No family in the Luo Village had more men than them.

Although they had never beaten up someone from the same village, they had a history of doing so at another village. The reason was that one of their son's wife insisted on a divorce, so the five brothers went to wreak havoc at the girl's house. They had beaten up her family. It was even said that they hoisted up the girl and beat her.

It was precisely because of these glorious deeds that they had built prestige within the village. Only a few people in the village dared to disobey them.

For instance, there was a boulder used to pray for protection from the gods, which was transported back from the river with the entire village's effort. After using it, the five brothers shifted it in front of their own house, making it their private property. People in the village only dared to complain in private. No one dared to stand up and call out that it was unreasonable.

It was public property, and everyone had made their contributions. How could it be privatized?

The five brothers were just bold enough to do so. Xiao Chaolai even spouted some arrogant words when he was drunk, saying that the boulder belonged to their family and they'd beat up whoever disagreed.

"Uncle Chaolai, I have to remind you, we are now in a society ruled by law," Xiao Luo said with a playful smile. "You can't be king because you have bigger fists or larger numbers. Everything goes by the word 'reason.'"

If he hadn't been from the same family, Xiao Luo wouldn't have wasted his saliva. If he was a gangster, he would have whacked him until he submitted.

Chapter 283

"Are you scared?"

Xiao Chaolai coldly asked. His slightly squinted eyes showed nothing but full of arrogance.

"Scared?"

Xiao Luo smirked and softly said, "Excuse me for being completely fearless. I just don't want to make our relationship too awkward. We're all from the same family and share the same bloodline. However, if you insist on making a scene, I'm totally down. I just hope that you can take on my anger when it falls on you!"

Xiao Chaolai felt unreasonably insecure as he listened to Xiao Luo's firm and calm response. The sense of calmness and leisure on Xiao Luo's face seemed innate, which made him feel minor and insignificant. However, as he thought that he was backed by four of his brothers, he realized that he had no reason to hold fear toward Xiao Luo. He arrogantly laughed and yelled, "Fine, you do have some balls!"

He turned around and walked toward his home. As he walked, he loudly shouted, "All of you better listen up, whoever tries to help Xiao Luo's household in the future will mean that he or she will become the foe of Xiao Chaolai and his four brothers. Don't you dare think about living a peaceful life in Luo Village!"

An Yuan scoffed at Xiao Luo before she turned around and left.

The people who were closer to Xiao Luo's household were wryly smiling.

Aunt Taoxiu worrisomely approached Xiao Luo and sighed. "Xiao Luo, why would you even provoke Xiao Chaolai? All five of them are nothing but complete jerks. You know better than anyone that they are not reasonable."

"Aunt Taoxiu, he was already stirring sh*t at my front door and even said that he wanted to bury my granny alive. If it was Brother Ping, he also would have gotten all worked up like me." Xiao Luo smiled.

Aunt Taoxiu deeply frowned and replied, "That's right, but how could you act so recklessly toward him? It's like you're hitting a stone with an egg. It's never wrong to endure for the sake of yourself."

"There ought to be a limit of how much I can endure, right?" Xiao Luo shook his head.

Aunt Taoxiu sighed and said, "Child, I wish I could've convinced, but just remember one thing from me. If the five of them really come for you in the future, just call the police. Once the police have arrived, they won't be daring enough to do anything to you."

Xiao Luo nodded and replied, "Hmm, OK!"

When he was a toddler, Aunt Taoxiu used to hug him a lot. His most vivid memory of her was at her place having dinner with her son, Xiao Ping, on the same bench. Their mouths were stuffed full of greens. It was a mess to look at. Speaking of which, although Xiao Luo was two years younger than Xiao Ping, they had never grown distant during his annual return to the hometown.

"By the way, when is Brother Ping coming back?"

"He should be back by the Preliminary Eve. Ping usually comes back during that time. He will be back late."

Aunt Taoxiu smiled. "Are you brats keeping in touch during normal days?"

Xiao Luo honestly answered, "Sometimes we chat online."

"You guys have been such good buddies since you were young. Don't grow distant, even if you have grown up. You guys should keep in touch often. Even brothers who are related by blood grow distant if they don't keep in touch at all." Aunt Taoxiu sighed.

Xiao Luo could not have agreed more and nodded. "That's right. It should be that way."

The thought of Xiao Qiudong instantly entered his mind.

It was nighttime. Xiao Luo called Zhang Dashan. He was complaining about his family constantly forcing him to go on blind dates. He had gone for two blind dates the day he returned, once in the morning and another in the afternoon. Neither of the women were his cup of tea, so he rejected them. Those two women, however, were very satisfied with him upon seeing him with a Range Rover. One of them even actively asked him out.

"Isn't that pretty good? It means you're popular," Xiao Luo joked.

"For f*ck sake, she's just eyeing my Range Rover," Zhang Dashan said. "I'd never date a gold digger like her. Actually, I still think that Sister Huang is perfect. She's pretty and demure. After I'm done with the New Year celebration, I'll return to Jiangcheng and date her."

Xiao Luo grabbed a piece of spring roll. "Well, I wish you the best of luck."

He hung up and did not talk the rest of the night.

In the afternoon of the second day, he went to Xiao Qiudong's banquet per invite.

Every household in the village sent a representative to attend the banquet. They were expected to present a red packet for the sake of tradition. The other banquet attendees were Xiao Qiudong's relatives and friends. Those who came to the banquet were basically elderly and children as it was still some time away from the New Year celebration. Most of the youths who had ventured out for jobs were still working outside the village.

Xiao Luo's red packet contained 666. Three sixes represented that everything would take place smoothly according to their will.

Xiao Luo walked up to Qiudong, who was chatting with his guests, and passed him the red packet. "Donggua, congratulations on having a child!"

"Xiao Luo, my bro, you've finally arrived."

Xiao Qiudong smiled as he received the red packet. He put it in the inner pocket of his suit. He gave Xiao Luo's shoulder a brotherly pat and said, "We've underestimated the number of guests today, and we couldn't accommodate everyone. Bro, do me a favor by moving the dining tables over here from my uncle's house next door. Thanks a lot."

"Hmm, OK!"

Xiao Luo nodded and immediately agreed.

Under Xiao Qiudong's rally, a bunch of kids, who were about 7 or 8 years old, showed up. He gave every one of them a huge stash of candies and asked them to help Xiao Luo with moving the benches.

So, Xiao Luo was like the big child amongst them. He led the kids next door to move the dining tables from the neighbor's house. With Yijin Jing and the Constitution of King of Mercenaries, Xiao Luo would not have even broken a drop of sweat from moving just a dining table. However, just after he had positioned the table and was preparing to get seated, Xiao Qiudong appeared out of nowhere and patted him from behind."

"Oh, my bro, we're severely understaffed for banquet servants. Why don't you lend me a hand and get going to the kitchen and serve some dishes? Thanks a lot!"

Before Xiao Luo could react, Xiao Qiudong left to enthusiastically tend to other guests immediately after he said those words.

Xiao Luo was a little pissed off and thought, Was I invited to attend the banquet or serve at the banquet?

He wryly smiled and decided to accept it. He put on an apron and went to the kitchen to help with serving the dishes. The rest of the guests were all seated and ready to dig in.

"Luo, you're back and helping Qiudong serve dishes. You guys are so close."

"Yep, Luo and Qiu were classmates since elementary school, and they lived pretty near each other. Of course, they would be close."

"Most of the dishes have been served. Luo, come get seated and dig in."

Since they were all from the same village, they all recognized Xiao Luo. Some uncles and aunts greeted Xiao Luo with great enthusiasm.

Xiao Luo smiled and humbly replied, "Uncles and aunts, you guys should dig in first. I'm fine. Dongguo gave me some food beforehand."

"So, that's it. You guys are so close." An aunt smiled.

An Yuan was seated near the dining table. She noticed that Xiao Luo was serving dishes and drinks. She immediately screamed, "Xiao Luo, we're out of tea here! Bring a fresh pot here now!"

Xiao Luo took a deep breath and adjusted his state of mind. He turned around to get some hot tea and delivered it to An Yuan's table.

When he was leaving, he could hear An Yuan's sarcastic comment. "Indeed a good-for-nothing brat who can't even eat at a banquet and needs to serve instead."

Xiao Luo was not someone who was easily angered, but he was genuinely feeling humiliated and enraged.

The inner force in his body started to run uncontrollably. It had affected the air in the entire atmosphere. With him as the center, a hurricane was about to be formed. The dust on the ground was all blown into the air.

"What's wrong, Bro?"

Xiao Qiudong was tending to other guests, but he came over in a hurry to check on Xiao Luo after seeing that his face was weird.

Xiao Luo forced out a smile as he thought about their close relationships when they were younger. He quelled the fire within him and answered, "It's nothing." 𝓁𝘪𝒷𝘳ℯ𝘢𝑑.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"If there's nothing, then keep helping me with serving the dishes. Look at those tables. They're all lacking a plate of fish balls. Go check up on the kitchen and see what's wrong. You must not mess up the number of dishes!"

Xiao Qiudong was not being courteous to Xiao Luo at all. He had stuffed so much food in his mouth that there was grease all over his mouth, and he could not stop burping. However, he still took Xiao Luo's assistance for granted and was bossing him around.

Chapter 284

Xiao Luo had a major issue with his behavior and asked, "Donggua, did you invite me over to dine at the banquet or serve the banquet?"

Xiao Qiudong was stunned and replied with great disappointment, "Xiao Luo, we're childhood friends and even shared the same underwear. Nobody could match up to us in terms of closeness, right? But your words have hurt me deeply. Are you actually blaming me for making you the servant?"

"Aren't you making me your servant?"

Xiao Luo gave an ironic smile. He surely knew that he was doing all the jobs of a servant. He was ordered to serve the dishes and tea. He passed around bowls and poured drinks to the point of having to act immediately upon the command of the banquet guests.

He was not so selfish that he would not help out with such a small issue, but they both knew the status of their friendship. They were not as close as brothers like how others had described. If he was helping Zhang Dashan, he would have nothing negative to say or hold any grudges even he was tasked with thoroughly cleaning the house from the inside out. However, Zhang Dashan never would have treated him that way. He treated him a whole lot better than everyone else.

"Xiao Luo, I shall not comment on things any further," Xiao Qiudong sternly said. "I'll ask you once. Are you my brother?"

Xiao Luo felt suffocated. He wanted to blurt out expletives like Zhang Dashan always did. This felt worse than someone slapping him in the face.

Xiao Luo kept quiet. Xiao Qiudong was secretly happy about it, which showed in his eyes for a fleeting moment.

He patted Xiao Luo's shoulder. With a gentler tone, he said with all his heart, "I did not want to seek help from others since they are all outsiders. I'm afraid of owing favors to them. Xiao Luo, I would never be discourteous to you since you are my brother. Of course, you don't have to be discourteous toward me. If you ever encounter any difficulties, tell me and I'll help you with everything I have!"

Brother?

Xiao Luo only wanted to laugh. Real brothers never needed to mention that word. If he was an immature boy who had yet experienced the rough sides of life, he would have been convinced by Xiao Qiudong's words. But he was not an innocent boy. He had entered society to work and seen people from all walks of life. Xiao Qiudong was nobody. He was one of those people who always paid lip service about being brothers and never treated anyone truthfully as a brother. In other words, he was just a fair-weather friend who excelled at putting up a good show and saying all the good words.

He shook his head helplessly and said, "Donggua, you are treating me like I am an idiot!"

When it came to who was making who feeling disappointed, even the earth and the sky served as witnesses.

Xiao Qiudong reacted with a face full of surprise. His browns turned into a from as he harshly replied, "An idiot? Xiao Luo, how could you take me this way? I..."

"Qiudong, where is your son? Show him to everyone else."

"That's right Qiudong, let us have a look at the baby with a Taiwanese mother and decide if he's more handsome."

"They say the farther the parents' birthplaces are, the smarter their offspring is. Your wife's from Taiwan, and that's far enough. Your son will definitely grow up to be a genius."

A bunch of drunk men came over and started talking to Xiao Qiudong.

Xiao Qiudong immediately ditched Xiao Luo and turned over to tend to them with a bright and smiling face.

"Uncle Dizhang, give me a moment, and I'll bring him out right away."

He turned around and said to Xiao Luo with a stern face, "Xiao Luo, I'll leave those tables without fish balls to you!"

He immediately left and did not give Xiao Luo a chance to reject his order.

However, Xiao Luo was not going to buy that. He took off the apron and mirthlessly smiled, "Xiao Qiudong, I'm sorry. I have something urgent and won't be able to help you. Get someone else to serve the remaining dishes."

Xiao Qiudong stopped and looked at him with a complicated look. He had not expected that Xiao Luo would defy his order. He always thought that he could be bossy toward Xiao Luo whenever he wanted.

"Xiao Luo, you have been serving dishes and tea for a while," a man middle-aged man said. "You haven't eaten anything, right? Get some food before you leave."

Xiao Luo smiled and replied, "It's alright Uncle Dizhang. I have an urgent case and need to leave right away."

It was completely fine to not eat at this banquet. Xiao Luo had been interacting with Xiao Qiudong with all his heart. He had hoped to rekindle the friendship they had as kids. However, Qiudong's actions were like leaving him alone on the road during a rainy night. He had invited him to a banquet in celebration of the birth of his son, which turned out to be a joke. Instead, he was treated like a servant who needed to do all the chores. He was not even granted a sip of tea, let alone any food.

He suddenly realized he had done it wrong. He was wrong about treating Xiao Qiudong with honesty, which was returned with nothing from Xiao Qiudong. He even used the perfunctory way of dealing with things to handle him.

"Xiao Luo, you... Ugh..."

Xiao Qiudong wanted to say something but kept quiet. He let out a long sigh and said, "Alright, it's my fault. I shouldn't have asked you to help. I'm so selfish and didn't consider your feelings. I can understand that you're holding grudges. Could you please have some food before you go?"

Have some food before you go?

Xiao Luo smiled bitterly as he glanced at the banquet on the enormous field that was used to sundry the grains. Every table was a mess, and the dining was about to end. Many people were picking their teeth with toothpicks. What would it mean if sat down and dug in? Was he just a pig that cleaned up the junk or a stray dog that fed on leftovers?

Xiao Dizhang was the secretary of the Luo Village. He was a smart man with a quick mind. He had quickly understood the entire matter upon hearing Xiao Luo's words. Xiao Luo was probably unhappy with Xiao Qiudong's bossy attitude toward him, as well as him ordering him to serve food and tea. He wanted to leave with the excuse of having something else to take care of.

He seriously tried to persuade Xiao Luo by saying, "Xiao Luo, you're so close to Qiudong, so don't fall into bad blood with such a small issue."

"Uncle Dizhang, I'm not falling into bad blood with him. We're very close." For once, Xiao Luo pretended their relationship was more than it was.

"If you're still close to him, have some food before you leave," Xiao Dizhang said.

Xiao Qiudong excelled at seizing the opportunity. He had brought over two glasses of Chinese white wine. He spoke to Xiao Luo with a smiling face. "Brother, I'm at fault today since I didn't consider your feelings. Come, let's have a toast and forget every unhappiness tonight!"

In Xiao Luo's eyes, regardless of how he viewed it, that smile was fake. By showing how he was being very reasonable and generous in front of the seniors, it smoothed the contrast of him being unbearable. Xiao Qiudong had already mastered the ability to trick people into corners. He could make one feel extremely enraged, yet one could not burst out due to the circumstances he had created. He was more than double-faced. His words were very different from his actions, which was also different from what he did de facto.

Xiao Luo decided to play along with this forced script and acted as an antagonist.

He smirked and replied, "Fine. We shall do as you say but not this way."

He grabbed a tube of horseradish and wasabi pastes from the table beside as he spoke. These were all new things that Xiao Qiudong had brought back with him. He squeezed out half a tube into Xiao Qiudong's glass and stirred it with a chopstick.

With a beaming smile, he said, "We shall drink it this way, Donggua. You aren't against it, right?"

Xiao Qiudong's face changed a little. His eyes were wide open. He replied, "Xiao Luo, do you actually think that this is meant for human consumption?"

"This is definitely meant for consumption. It is very helpful making one feel refreshed. Donggua, we're brothers, so I wouldn't harm you. Besides, horseradish and wasabi are great things. Is that what you told everyone before the banquet started? Didn't you say mixing them with soy sauce could greatly enhance a person's appetite?" Xiao Luo wore a bitter smile the entire time he spoke.

Chapter 285

Xiao Luo swiftly chugged his glass of liquor and showed Xiao Qiudong his empty glass. He jokingly said, "Donggua, it's your turn. Bottoms up and we will still be brothers!"

His words were hyper-aggressive. Upon hearing them, Xiao Qiudong realized that unlike the others, Xiao Luo was uncontrollable and would not succumb to his usual tricks. This made him feel very defeated. He usually had things his way solely from his persuasion skills, regardless if he was facing the bosses or grassroots workers. He almost always capitalized on his subject's weakness. The cases of outright defiance were very rare.

Xiao Luo's weakness, for example, was the sentimental feeling he had for their childhood friendship. As long as he used that as the basis of his requests, it was difficult for Xiao Luo to reject them. Of course, that was his understanding of the situation, at least before all of this had happened.

Xiao Dizhang smiled and hurriedly asked, "Xiao Luo, what're you doing? You're good brothers with Qiudong!"

"It's because we're good brothers that he should drink this glass of liquor!"

Xiao Luo was now truly enraged since his sincerity was returned with dishonesty. There was no point in being sentimental about the past friendship they had.

"Xiao Luo, are you being serious?" Xiao Qiudong willfully stared at Xiao Luo.

"I shall not comment on other stuff but one thing. Are you my brother?"

Xiao Luo decided to give Xiao Qiudong a taste of his own medicine. "If you're my brother, then finish this glass. I don't have any other intentions. Since we're at a banquet, let's just do it for fun!"

He had a soft smile on his face.

Xiao Qiudong almost lost control of his composure. "Have you heard of moral kidnapping?"

Moral kidnapping?

Xiao Luo mirthlessly smiled. He was impressed by Xiao Qiudong's wittiness. He had even brought up moral kidnapping.

His smile suddenly faded as he and shouted, "I am telling you to drink it right now!"

His last two words sounded like thunder. Xiao Qiudong's pupils instantly contracted. In his mind, Xiao Luo's words struck him like a voice of divine punishment. It felt as if all the other background noise had suddenly disappeared, and that he had been sent into a light trance. Those words made him subconsciously chug down the drink in his hand.

Xiao Luo lightly patted his shoulder and smiled with satisfaction. "That's my brother."

After that, Xiao Qiudong finally regained his composure. He did not know that he was temporarily hypnotized by Xiao Luo. All he could taste in his oral cavity was a ball of burning flame that encompassed spiciness and the bitterness of the liquor. It was churning and dancing in his mouth like a poison dragon. It brought tears to his eyes. He was unable to stop dry-coughing. His face had also turned a shade of red that resembled a pig liver.

Brothers?

Xiao Luo let out of light yet disrespectful sigh before leaving with both of his hands behind his back.

Was Xiao Qiudong even worthy to be considered that word?

At this moment, a white luxury car emerged from the dirt road that cut through Luo Village. One could tell from the brightness of the color and the overall appearance of the car that it was quite pricy.

Xiao Qiudong had a few sips of water. After he was feeling better, he blurted out, "An Alfa luxury car worth nearly 00,000!" 𝓵𝒊𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝒅.𝓬𝓸𝙢

Gasp...

After hearing about the price of the car, everyone at the banquet uncontrollably gasped. They were completely shocked. Luo Village was a very rural and poor location. There were barely any cars passing by all year-round. Only Xiao Luo owned a car in the entire village. A car was a rather distant luxury item to everyone else, let alone a car that cost 00,000. That truly impacted their mental capacity. They never fathomed the existence of a car that had that high of a value. It was almost equivalent to an astronomical figure.

"Qiudong, does that car really cost around 00,000?"

Although Xiao Dizhang was the village secretary, he was not too well-informed. It was considered a feat that he owned a tractor that cost around ,000 or so. He never expected to see such an expensive car in the village with his own eyes.

Xiao Qiudong nodded and replied, "Yeah, it's a super famous brand. The 00,000 is just the price of the car alone. With all the processing fees, it would have easily gone up to million."

"A million?"

Xiao Dizhang was so surprised that he had lost some composure. The rest of the attendees had the same reaction. A million was a sum of money they could never accumulate, even if they were given two lives.

"Who is driving that car? He's surely not coming to our village, is he? Secretary Dizhang, go take a look. He's probably just lost." An Yuan was curious, but she did not want to be the outlier to approach first. Instead, she hurried Xiao Dizhang to take action.

"I know what I need to do, so keep your nosy mouth shut!"

Xiao Dizhang scolded her because he was sick of and disgusted by An Yuan. She always stirred up sh*t in the village, and she was backed by her many brothers and husband. This unhappiness had been accumulating for a long time in his heart.

An Yuan intended to clap back with some ugly words, but she was quick enough to consider that Xiao Dizhang was the village secretary. She had many things at his mercy, so she forcefully swallowed back her words.

"Look, the car door opened, and someone is getting out!"

"It's a very pretty girl."

"Eh, that girl seems to know Xiao Luo! She's chatting with him!"

Everyone at the banquet glanced over at the dirt road...

She was a pretty girl. She looked like she had come right out of the television as the female lead actor. Her long black hair was untied, and her skin was fair as snow. She had clear and bright eyes. Her brows were thin and curvy like willow leaves. Her lips were thin and plump like two rose petals.

She was so beautiful and resembled a holy fairy.

Such a girl had come to Luo Village. It was beyond their imagination.

Everyone had their eyes fixated on her. They were completely stunned by the presence of such a beautiful girl in a poor and rural area like Luo Village. In their knowledge, a girl of such quality would never come to such a place.

"What is she talking about with Xiao Luo?" a woman asked curiously.

An Yuan replied, "What could they be talking about? Of course, she's asking for direction. Do you think that little useless jerk could know such a beautiful girl?

Many people frowned upon hearing her words. They all felt that she was too vicious. Besides, her harsh words were uncalled for since they were all from the same family.

Xiao Dizhang stared at An Yuan. He approached Xiao Luo with a smiling face. Xiao Qiudong and the others curiously followed behind him.

"Xiao Luo, who's this girl?" Xiao Dizhang asked with a smile.

The girl smiled sweetly, grabbed Xiao Luo by his arm, and introduced herself. "Hello Uncle, my name is Ji Siying. I am Xiao Luo's girlfriend!"

Xiao Luo's girlfriend?

Upon hearing that, everyone was stunned and stared at Xiao Luo in shock. Nobody thought that a girl who was beautiful as a fairy would be Xiao Luo's girlfriend. It was simply too surprising.

An Yuan's face turned red. She had just commented that Xiao Luo was a useless jerk and the girl probably just lost. She been immediately proven incorrect and was very ashamed of that.

Xiao Qiudong's face started to become quite weird. He did not hide his surprised expression at all. At the same time, a flash of envy and jealousy shined. Although it quickly faded from his eyes, he thought this girl, Ji Siying, was really beautiful. She was much more beautiful than his wife. Her features and figure were top-notch. The fact that such a girl was with Xiao Luo made his heart feel imbalanced.

Chapter 286

The Luo Village community was relatively small, so it only took several hours for word to get around that Xiao Luo has a girlfriend, and a pretty one too. Not only was she beautiful, but she was also rich and drove around in a luxury car worth several million dollars.

"Didn't I tell you? Xiao Luo's so handsome and hardworking, how could he not find a girl for himself?"

"That girl looks just like a celebrity on TV! She's so gorgeous that even ten of my daughters-in-law combined could not match up to her alone."

"That's right, Xiao Luo is just a low-key guy, and he's humble, so he's not the type to go around boasting about such a great girlfriend even if they're dating officially."

In no time at all, Xiao Luo had become the topic of everyone's discussion in Luo Village. And they were all happy for Xiao Luo and proud of him too. To them, there was no one else in Luo Village capable enough to date a beautiful and rich girlfriend. So far, Xiao Luo had been the only one able to achieve that.

Of course, not everyone felt the same way, and some people even felt extremely envious and bitter when they heard the news. 𝑙𝘪𝑏𝓇𝑒𝑎𝒹.𝘤𝑜𝘮

And these people included An Yuan and Xiao Chaolai, and Xiao Qiudong.

Xiao Qiudong had always been the most outstanding of the younger community members in Luo Village. He was the person that everyone looked up to and praised, and not only did he do very well in businesses, he was also a winner when it came to affairs of the heart, as he found himself a Taiwanese wife. As far as everyone in the village was concerned, he was a winner in all aspects of his life. Whenever people spoke about him, nods of approval would follow, and on the other hand, heads would only shake when the name of Xiao Luo was mentioned.

Xiao Qiudong could not help noticing how effused everyone seemed as they kept giving praise to Xiao Luo, and that certainly took the shine of his own stellar reputation, making him truly unhappy. And to make matters worse, his wife, Li Honglian, had gained a fair amount of weight after her childbirth, making her extremely obese. He could not even recognize her anymore, and he felt repulsed by the sight of her grotesque form, which added to his woes.

Back in his home, Xiao Luo sat on the wooden sofa with his left hand under his chin, while the fingers on his right hand were tapping rhythmically on the armrest, judging the person before him, Ji Siying.

Ji Singyi was dressed in a high neck sweater and a pair of black jogger pants, accentuating her slender and graceful figure. She just stood there and stared back at Xiao Luo, looking a little out of place like a person who had yet to experience much in life.

" So, you're Night Sparrow?" Xiao Luo coughed lightly and broke the silence in the room.

"Yes, Mr. Xiao Luo. I'm your liaison for the NSA. I'm in charge of conveying NSA's orders and facilitate communication between you and the NSA. It's my honor to be able to work with you, sir. As your liaison officer, I hope we'll get along in this mission and others to come!"

Ji Siying was in awe of Xiao Luo, and her voice was gentle and confident, which was delightful to the ears. She bowed low after she had finished speaking.

Xiao Luo found this woman interesting, and what she had said did not irk him in the least. "Why did you lie about being my girlfriend?"

"As Mr. Xiao Luo's liaison, I'd need to stay connected to you 24/7, so I used the cover of being your girlfriend as it would allow me to perform my duties and work with you closely. It would prevent unnecessary gossip about us."

Xiao Luo could not help breaking into a smile as he said, "You've been pretty thoughtful, but this cover you came up with has made my life very difficult."

It was true that the whole village now believed that he had found himself a girlfriend from elsewhere who was beautiful and rich. So curious were the villagers that even the threshold of his front door was almost worn down from the frequent visits by villagers who wanted to catch a glimpse of Xiao Luo's new girlfriend. Fortunately for him, his grandparents were keeping them corralled on the ground floor, or they would undoubtedly have invaded the second floor and turned it into a wet market.

When Ji Siying heard Xiao Luo say that, it seemed like a knife had plunged into her heart, and she trembled inside. Bowing again, she said, "I'm sorry Mr. Xiao Luo, I did not know that'd make your life difficult, I... let me explain to them."

She turned about to make her way downstairs after she spoke.

"Come back, you don't need to do that."

Xiao Luo was lost for words. The situation was already complicated as it was, and there was no point for her to explain and make matters worse.

"Roger!"

Ji Siying stopped immediately, and now she just stood there noticeably wringing her hands, looking just like a child who had done wrong.

"You can be at ease. Relaxed, just be yourself."

Xiao Luo poured a cup of tea for himself and another for her. He then passed it to her and said, "Please have some tea."

Ji Siying was shocked by the gesture, and she immediately marched toward him to accept the cup of tea with both hands. "Mr. Xiao Luo, thank you!" she said.

Xiao Luo tilted his head slightly, confused by her constant use of "Mr. Xiao Luo," questioning himself if she was his liaison or his subordinate. She was unbearably polite, and it was getting to him.

"Gu Zhanguo said you came along with twenty Level C soldiers?"

"That's right."

"Where are they now?"

"They have been deployed around Mr. Xiao Luo's parents' farm and have covertly prepared defenses around its perimeter to protect them. In the event of an attack, they will escort Mr. Xiao Luo's parents away the moment any signs of the Cobra Mercenaries are detected," Ji Siying said.

Xiao Luo nodded and was pleased to hear it, and his mind was now freed from the worry of his family's security. Twenty Level C soldiers might not be able to defeat the Cobra Mercenaries, but they were sufficient to guarantee his parents' safety.

He looked directly at Ji Siying again and asked, "What is your level?"

"Mr. Xiao Luo, I am a Level C soldier," Ji Siying replied, bowing slightly with respect.

"Level C soldier?"

Still seated on the wooden sofa, Xiao Luo's eyes squinted as he continued to eyeball her. Without any warning, he darted at Ji Siying, striking with his right hand, now formed into a claw with fingers as sharp as blades. His claw-fingers slashed through the air swiftly and locked on Ji Siying's exposed neck.

Ji Siying's reflexes were sharp, evading the strike by a whisker, then shifting back to assume a counter-attacking stance.

However, Xiao Luo shadowed her movements closely, not allowing her any space to maneuver. His claw-hand followed through as he shifted his stance, making her evasive effort futile. She dropped the teacup in a hurry and used her left hand to parry Xiao Luo's strike, as her right hand simultaneously drew a dagger from her waist. Swiftly moving to her right, she thrust the blade into Xiao Luo's exposed chest.

Her mind remained calm throughout, and her reactions were intuitive and swift, the result of her excellent training and conditioning.

But before her dagger had reached its intended target, Xiao Luo struck first with a push-kick into her belly, which immediately broke her attack. She was forced back several steps before she regained control of herself.

It was all over before she knew it. Had this been an actual fight with an enemy, the exchange would have resulted in death.

"Mr. Xiao Luo, you...?!"

Ji Siying held her abdomen in pain and stared at Xiao Luo with a questioning look.

"Just testing your skills level."

Xiao Luo handed Ji Siying the teacup, which she had dropped to draw out her knife, and not a single drop of tea was spilled. Ji Siying was stunned to silence and could not believe that Xiao Luo could catch her teacup so steadily in that brief moment they exchanged strikes.

"Your skills level as a Level C soldier is excellent, please spend more effort to ensure my grandparents' safety. I might live here, but I can't be sure I'll always be there to keep them safe."

Ji Siying took the cup from Xiao Luo and nodded. "Roger!"

The truth was that Ji Siying had not been totally honest with Xiao Luo, and providing protection to his family was only part of it. According to the NSA's own investigations, Xiao Luo had led an average and ordinary life since his youth until about half a year ago. NSA was convinced that there was a secret to how he obtained his strength. And this was the other part of her special mission, to find out Xiao Luo's secret. Ji Siying was embedded to dig it out from Xiao Luo slowly but surely.

Chapter 287

Before arriving at Luo Village, Ji Siying had studied Xiao Luo's data profile thoroughly. She was well aware of everything Xiao Luo had done at Jiangcheng, especially the massacre at Long Sankui's mansion on that fateful, stormy night. The report sent a chill down her spine and made her believe that he was a demon in human guise. She had wondered why and even asked her superior about the reason that NSA was recruiting such a person, but she received nothing more than the word 'secret' in response.

Although Xiao Luo appeared like an ordinary person, Ji Siying knew that everything she saw was nothing but a facade. The real Xiao Luo had both of his hands drenched in blood.

"Mr. Xiao Luo, may I ask you a question?"

Xiao Luo was reading the current affairs and news on his phone while sipping on the tea. Smiling, he lifted his head and said, "Sure."

"Why did you want to destroy Dragon Gang?"

She was a curious person by nature and the kind of girl who would relentlessly seek answers, and if she could not find the answer, it would always remain on her mind.

"That's because the people that ought to have carried out their duties didn't. When I happened to appear then, I stepped up and dealt with the matter," Xiao Luo said, smiling smugly.

"Oh."

Ji Siying nodded as if she understood.

"Xiao Luo, it's dinner time!"

Xiao Luo's granny called for them from the first floor.

Xiao Luo put down his phone and teacup, got up, and turned toward the door. "Let's go down for dinner."

"Roger."

Ji Siying immediately got up as she answered.

Xiao Luo was already half-way down the stairs, and before she left the room, Ji Siying took out a notebook and jotted down swiftly: Mr. Xiao Luo regularly drinks Tieguanyin tea and reads about current affairs and news.

Both of his grandparents were fond of Ji Siying. Since her arrival, they have been smiling non-stop, and his grandmother was especially enthusiastic whenever she was around. She always showed great concern for Ji Siying, and they spoke a lot. She had already asked about her family and how many siblings she had.

Ji Siying was well-prepared for such questions, so she answered them happily.

Aunt Taoxiu from next door came to visit with a large plate of fried purple sweet potato. This was an opportunity for her to take a closer look at Xiao Luo's girlfriend.

"Hello, aunt!" Ji Siying greeted her politely.

"Good, good, Siying's very polite, and she's so beautiful. Hah, Xiao Luo, you're so fortunate." Aunt Taoxiu felt genuinely happy for Xiao Luo.

How was Xiao Luo to reply? Ji Siying was nothing more than a fake girlfriend. 𝓵𝒊𝓫𝙧𝙚𝒂𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝒎

It was near the end of the year, and traditionally it was time for farm-reared pigs, fishes, and ducks to be sold. Pigs and fishes were collected by the buyers themselves, so it didn't demand much effort from the farmers. But the ducks were a different proposition altogether, and they needed to be transported to the town market to be sold.

The south of Luo Village was known to have higher rainfall during the winter season.

It was the market day, and Xiao Luo chose not idle at home like a loafer, but instead, he went to the market to help his parents out. Pilferage was inevitable during busy times when the business was brisk, and it would definitely help to have an extra pair of eyes and hands to ease the burden.

The skies were overcast, and it was drizzling, but the market was still bustling with a myriad of people. Not even the cold and rain could not snuff out the enthusiasm of the village folk looking for good deals.

"Son, I've heard that you're dating a wealthy girlfriend, and she has even come to our house?" Hua Heying asked.

Xiao Luo explained, "Mom, she's not my girlfriend, she's just a friend."

"Don't you play the fool here, she's taken the initiative to come to our house, you better be responsible towards her." Xiao Zhiyuan, stern as always, cut in out of the blue.

"Dad, it's not what you're thinking, I'm not going to marry her, surely."

"What are you talking about, you're not planning to be another 'Chen Shimei,' [1] are you?"

Xiao Zhiyuan was provoked, and he stared at Xiao Luo with wide eyes as a warning to him. "Boy, if you dare to cheat on her with another woman, I will not go easy on you!"

Xiao Luo felt a little troubled, but he didn't know how he could explain the situation without breaking her cover.

"Boss, how much does this duck cost?" A customer asked.

"Sixteen bucks per catty."

Xiao Zhiyuan grabbed a duck from the wire cage with a smile, and enthusiastically showed it to the customer. He said, "Take a look, it's gorgeous, nice and plump. And I guarantee that it has molted fully, so the feather plucking process will be straightforward and simple. Get yourself one."

"No, no, it's too expensive." The customer frowned upon hearing the price and shook his head repeatedly.

"What have you been feeding this duck with, paddy or provender? Another customer approached.

"Uncle, if anyone ever tells you that his duck has never been fed with provender, he must be lying. The amount of paddy required for a duck to reach maturity actually costs twice that of the duck's cost. And duck dealers have to earn a living, if we aren't making any money, then we're working for nothing literally." Xiao Zhiyuan was an honest and straightforward man, and he would never lie to customers.

That customer shook his head and said, "I want to buy a duck that's been fed with paddy only, I don't want any that's been fed with provender."

"Boss, why is the feather on the head of this duck white, I'm buying one to offer as sacrifice during the new year for a fortuitous year ahead. But it's a bad omen to sacrifice a white-headed duck."

"Your ducks are all too fat, I don't want such a huge one."

"They're all male ducks, I wanted to buy a female duck."

Many customers were picky, and some even complained, but Xiao Zhiyuan and Hua Heying continued to respond to them with enthusiastic smiles.

Xiao Luo was observing from the side. This man and woman were the two people that had raised him. They were not educated but had borne the burden of raising the family through sheer hard work. Their clothes were drenched in the rain, but they were still standing there without even being conscious of it.

It would be an understatement to say that he didn't feel sorry for them. Xiao Luo could immediately provide for them and offer them a better life now, but his father rejected the idea outright. Everyone had their dream, and his father, Xiao Zhiyuan, was no different, and he wanted to realize his dream through his own effort.

"Dad, let me handle the farm after the new year," Xiao Luo said.

When he heard that, Xiao Zhiyuan turned and stared at him with a bewildered look. He said, "Husbandry and crop planting aren't your forte, don't take on more than you can handle."

"I'm serious, I do not wish that you and mom are living such a tough life. You know it, I can afford a better life for you both, and you won't have to worry about anything else," Xiao Luo said.

Xiao Zhiyuan was a proud man, and his dignity would not allow him to accept such an offer. "You have your own business, and so does your father, don't mix them up," he said.

"The son will ultimately inherit his father's business sooner or later, and it's the same in my case. Isn't it better to leave it to me early?"

He had a point, and Xiao Zhiyuan was quite convinced. But as he thought about it, selling ducks was such a demanding job, and the owner needed to be prepared to continue selling through any condition, even on such a rainy day for the sake of the business. He decided that he did not want Xiao Luo to get into such a challenging trade, and he said, "You continue to be a boss and stay away from this, you have soft and fair skin, you can't possibly last long in this business."

"Dad, you've only sold four ducks since we've arrived at the market. Leave this to me, and I promise you that I can sell all fifty ducks in half an hour," Xiao Luo said.

Xiao Zhiyuan was slightly offended, as it was quite a feat to be able to sell four ducks in an hour, and he felt quite proud of it. However, Xiao Luo had actually said that he could sell fifty in half an hour, which sounded like a silly dare to him.

Even though those words came from his son, Xiao Zhiyuan still felt that his pride was being challenged. "Are you sure you can?"

"Why don't we try, and if I can achieve it, then we'll run the farm using my operating model. Of course, you're still the owner," Xiao Luo said.

Xiao Zhiyuan was annoyed and didn't take kindly to what he considered an affront. He bellowed, "Do you mean that my operating model is wrong?"

"Not necessarily wrong, but there're some problems," Xiao Luo replied.

The farm had been running for seven years but still remained at the primary phase of business, yet both of his parents were always constantly busy since the farm began. It indicated to Xiao Luo that the operating model of the farm definitely had a problem. He wanted to help his father, but his father absolutely refused any financial help. Therefore, the most effective way to do it was not to give him money but to change the farm's operating model.

Chapter 288

The marketplace in the town had a corner for buying and selling livestock. It was more of an alley that ran for approximately 200 meters. Both sides of the aisle were cluttered with cages containing chickens and ducks, as well as little puppies, rabbits, and even pigeons. They were all stacked against the walls of and from where buyers would pick and choose from. The chickens and ducks defecated, and their droppings were everywhere on the ground. This caused the entire alley to permeate with a horrible, pungent smell.

Standing on the top of a building, Ji Siying was holding an umbrella while looking at Xiao Luo beneath. She couldn't help but knit her lovely brows from the awful stench that got to her. If it wasn't for Xiao Luo being down there, she would have left at once.

Xiao Zhiyuan was deeply affected by Xiao Luo's words. Others may criticize and mock at the things he believed in, he was able to simply laugh them all off. But when his own son actually said the same thing to him, it did him twice the hurt.

"Dad, it has been seven years. Both of you have persisted for that long, but your hard work has not paid off. Whenever I see you guys being busy and getting worn out at the farm, my heart really hurts. You've to wake up early regardless of the weather, mom needing to feed the pigs and clean up their feces every day."

He knew that he would hurt his own father with those words, but Xiao Luo had to say it now. His parents were busy all year round, especially during the holidays where they'd be up to their ears in farm work, be it rain or shine. He didn't wish for his parents to always be so exhausted. Having a dream wasn't wrong, but if one was heading down the wrong direction, they would only stray further and further from their goals.

"Dad, you can refuse my help, but you cannot refuse my wish to provide you both with a better life as your son!" Xiao Luo said.

Every word came from the bottom of his heart. How could he feel at ease when his parents lived their lives no better than the farm animals they raised? Every year when he returned home, he could see the signs of their struggles etched on their faces. He was in no position to help before, but now that he could, all of these had to change.

Hua Heying's eyes turned red when she heard him speak. She wiped off the tears at the corner of her eyes. Seven years of toil, but when did she ever complain? For Xiao Zhiyuan's dream, she bore hardship without complaint and worked from dusk till dawn.

When Hua Heying had trouble carrying the shoulder-pole, she'd move the load slowly, and even when she didn't know how to farrow a birthing sow, she'd learn right on the spot. The same went for harvesting seaweeds, plowing the field, fertilizing the ground, growing vegetables, it was an endless journey of hardship.

She did the kind of work that a woman in a rural farm would do—dirty, tiring, and even bitter. Such chores constantly stiffened her shoulders, but they made her stronger. But they also made her skin rough and blemished, and she looked older than other women her age.

Was she tired?

Most certainly. But a loyal wife would follow her husband no matter what his lot was. Her husband's dream would be her own. Not only was she willing to live a life of toil, but she would also have no regrets even if she were to lose ten years of her life for the sake of his dream. But now hearing her son bring up the subject so bluntly, gave her an unspeakable sense of bitterness and pain, and tears flowed uncontrollably from her reddened eyes.

When Xiao Zhiyuan saw his wife tearing up, his eyebrows drooped, as sympathy replaced his anger. In fact, he had long realized that he had been selfish, unwilling to be belittled, and bent on proving himself. Now, he couldn't deny how cruel and unjust his decision was for his own wife.

It had been seven years, and his farm business was still in its development stage, generating a net profit of only 50 to 60 thousand dollars per year.

Perhaps his son was right. The way he operated his business might indeed be wrong!

"Fine, if you can sell these 50 ducks within half an hour, I'll follow everything you say," Xiao Zhiyuan said.

Hua Heying nudged Xiao Zhiyuan and stared at him, she said, "Even at the best of days, you only managed to sell 50 ducks in an entire day. Asking our son to sell 50 ducks within half an hour? Are you purposely making things difficult for him?" 𝓁𝘪𝘣𝘳ℯ𝒶𝘥.𝘤𝑜𝓂

Xiao Zhiyuan claimed innocence, pointing to Xiao Luo and said, "I didn't come up with the idea, he did."

"He doesn't know the market here, so his assumptions can't be taken literally. I'd say selling one duck within half an hour, will do. That will be enough for our son to prove his abilities," Hua Heying said, intent on giving her son every chance of winning the wager.

"Huh? That is too easy, isn't it?" Xiao Zhiyuan said, looking incredulous.

"Is it? He doesn't know as many people like you over here, being able to sell one within half an hour is already much better than you, is it not?"

Xiao Zhiyuan felt offended after being belittled by his own wife.

"Hmph, I will not argue with a woman."

Xiao Luo shook his head, smiling and said, "Dad, mum, stop arguing. We'll stick with what I said just now, 50 ducks in half an hour."

He wanted to get his father to finally reflect on his stubborn refusal to accept his help.

Xiao Zhiyuan looked at him with an appreciative nod.

On the other hand, Hua Heying looked worried and said, "Son, don't over-rate yourself!"

"Mum, I'm not. Trust me, alright."

With his usual stern-looking face, Xiao Zhiyuan looked impassively at Xiao Luo, and said, "Having confidence is a good thing, but blind confidence isn't. That's how the market here is. The ducks from our farm are matured ducks with a relatively lengthier growth cycle. They are only available when their feathers fully regrow after molting, so naturally, our prices are higher. Many people agree that our ducks are good but are scared away by its price. It's not like they can't afford it, but people here tend to be thrifty. They rather spend less to buy ducks that are still in the maturing stage than to spend more on matured ducks with better meat texture. Selling 50 ducks within half an hour is absolutely impossible."

"Let me try, dad. Help me mark down the time."

Xiao Luo smiled as he stepped over one of the cages and stood on the aisle.

The middle-aged woman who said that it was bad luck to buy a white-headed duck had turned back at that very moment. However, she still couldn't seem to decide. Perhaps she still needed more time to consider.

Xiao Luo extended his hands and halted her, "Miss, are you going to buy ducks for the New Year?"

The middle-aged woman was startled briefly, then she said, "Yes, I want to buy ducks. But you have too many white-headed ducks, so I'm not considering buying from you."

"Miss, white-headed ducks aren't inauspicious. On the contrary, it symbolizes purity and prosperity. Black ducks are the ones that are not good."

"White represents funerals, which is related to death. Why has it suddenly become 'prosperity?' Step aside, I don't want to listen to your gibberish," the middle-aged woman said, admonishing Xiao Luo.

"Although white represents funerals, what is the purpose of funerals? Isn't it to allow those who have passed on to protect their offspring still in the world of the living so that they can live a better life?"

The middle-aged woman was infuriated and said, "You are literally inverting black and white. What makes you qualified to say that?"

"I'm a fortune teller, and I can tell fortune by reading one's facial features as well, so of course I'm qualified to say so. If you don't believe in me, I can show you what I'm capable of. Let me predict what you were in your past life, how about that?" Xiao Luo kept a confident smile on his face all the time.

"You want to read my past life?"

Contempt was written all over her face, and it was evident that she didn't trust him one bit.

"Alright, let me try. You may be a... government servant?"

Xiao Luo observed the woman, and when he saw her hold back a snicker, he changed his prediction immediately and said, "But more superior to government servants. Such an occupation... ah, you were a teacher. You were a teacher in your past life, am I correct?"

Chapter 289

The middle-aged woman suddenly straightened up in shock, she stared at Xiao Luo and said, "H-how, did you know that?"

"I've already told you. I'm a fortune teller, and I can read facial features," Xiao Luo said, knowing he now had her within his grasp.

In fact, it was straightforward to tell what the middle-aged woman had worked as in the past because her right palm was rougher, and it could only be caused by repetitive use. She either worked at a desk job or had wiped blackboards for long periods. In addition to that, the middle-aged woman dressed neatly in a prudish sort of way. Naturally, she could only be a teacher.

"You must realize that as a teacher, you have developed your self-confidence over your long years of service. But central to your creed of teaching is your habitual practice of 'I say, you listen; I do, you learn,' and this habit makes it difficult for you to accept other's advice. So, when I said that white-headed ducks symbolize good fortune, you immediately disagreed with me. But ma'am, as I've mentioned, I'm a fortune-teller. I suggest you buy white-headed ducks, it will be good luck for your family, and that's all I have to say. The decision is yours." 𝙡𝒊𝒃𝓻𝒆𝒂𝓭.𝙘𝓸𝓶

After he spoke, Xiao Luo turned around and left without saying another word. This only added to his aura of mysticism.

Something that triggered in the subconscious of the middle-aged woman made her feel like she had encountered a living deity, and that he was giving her divine directions. Her mind made up, she immediately went after him with an enthusiastic smile. "Young man, I'll listen to you and buy white-headed ducks, could you tell me what else I have to do?" she asked.

Although she was formerly a teacher, an ideology of old cultural beliefs was still deeply rooted within her; otherwise, she would not have rejected the white-headed ducks. She just happened to be having issues at home with her son, who had suddenly become very disobedient and was continually causing her much trouble. She felt that this was a bad omen for the coming year. It came to pass that when Xiao Luo guessed her profession correctly, she was convinced that Xiao Luo was a minor god put in her path to provide her with the guidance she needed.

"It is best if you buy two. Good things come in pairs, just so you know." Xiao Luo lifted his chin as he spoke and placed his hands behind his back, giving himself a sage-like demeanor.

"Okay, okay, I'll go buy them right now. Thanks for your advice, young man."

The middle-aged woman was thoroughly convinced and thankful to the gods for their divine arrangements. She immediately made her way to Xiao Zhiyuan and said, "Give me two of your fattest white-headed ducks!"

"Wah!"

Xiao Zhiyuan and Hua Heying gasped. They were absolutely awed that he had managed to sell two ducks within a minute, and that was simply unbelievable.

The middle-aged woman was now certain that Xiao Luo was a living deity. After buying the two ducks, she began yelling loudly, asking everybody to get their ducks from this place. A middle-aged man who had accompanied her to the market hastily came over. She excitedly recounted her experience to him, but upon hearing her account, an expression of disbelief washed over his face.

"How is that possible? That just a wild guess, nothing more." The middle-aged man spoke as he pointed at Xiao Luo.

Xiao Luo approached him with a smile, "Do you doubt me, sir?"

"I'm not doubting. I totally do not believe it at all. You're just trying to hoodwink the people into buying your ducks."

The middle-aged man felt that the woman had been cheated. She actually bought two white-headed ducks, which, according to their custom, was highly inauspicious. Unhappy with that, he protested and created a scene: "Come and have a look here, my fellow townsfolk. There's a con artist over here, and he's using trickery to fool us into buying his ducks."

The shout drew many people from the alley, and soon there was a crowd clamoring around Xiao Luo's stall.

Xiao Luo smiled calmly and said, "Sir, you earn quite a lot of money, don't you?

"That's for certain!" The middle-aged man replied haughtily, lifting his chin up proudly.

"You don't need to go to work at your unit, am I right?"

"Yes, correct."

"Your daughter is married, am I right?"

"Yes..."

Xiao Luo kept the smile on his face and was observing him all the while, remaining silent.

The man's expression immediately changed, and he thought to himself: "How did he know all that?"

From the crowd, someone randomly asked a question, "Friend, how do you know that?"

"This young man is a fortune teller, and he can read facial features as well. Of course, he can tell everything." The middle-aged woman was now a believer. She had become Xiao Luo's loyal follower and had no more doubts about his ability to foretell the future.

Xiao Luo looked at the man who raised the question. He was in his thirties and had a friendly expression on his face. He was smiling and seemed keen to connect with Xiao Luo, like a long lost brother. Gazing at his face, Xiao Luo immediately guessed his profession.

"I can tell that you're in sales, and I know what products you're selling."

Xiao Luo scrutinized the man's face like he was consulting some mystical forces and said, "It seems like you're selling something... useful, but people don't recognize its use. Hmm, do you sell insurance?"

"Huh?!"

That man was stupefied. He hadn't realized that Xiao Luo was actually asking and not stating his profession, but he immediately nodded animatedly and cried out, "Yes, my brother, you're truly amazing. I do indeed sell insurance!"

The entire alley buzzed with excited murmurs of amazement. Getting one or two guesses right could still be considered as pure luck, but getting three correct, surely there had to be something special about this man's ability.

After Xiao Luo correctly guessed the profession of two other men, everyone was convinced that Xiao Luo was capable of telling fortunes and reading faces. Dabbling in supernatural and spiritual matters were beliefs innate to the rural folk. At this moment, everyone was looking at Xiao Luo with newfound respect, especially the middle-aged woman. To her, she was in the presence of a living deity.

He was simply amazing!

He could actually divine everyone's profession just by reading their faces.

Of course, no one knew that Xiao Luo was using psychology and the micro-expression observation skills that he purchased from the system. The answers laid within their eyes as the eye was the window to the soul. Through this window, those with knowledge could pierce into anyone's soul.

When Xiao Luo was guessing their professions, he did not immediately arrive at the answer. He tested their responses gradually with subtle questions, and once he got the correct one, the corresponding changes in their micro-expressions would show on their faces.

"My fellow townsfolk, come and buy our ducks. They grow so big and plump because they are auspicious ducks that I have blessed myself. Yes, they are top quality ducks and sold at a higher price. Get yourself these auspicious ducks for the New Year, and your following year is bound to prosper. The flesh of auspicious ducks is delicious, eat them, and your health will improve, your wishes will come true, and everyone in your family will be safe!"

"Well said!"

"We trust you, young man."

"Give me two, no, four!"

The buyers were almost in a trance, following every word uttered by Xiao Luo. The fully mature ducks fed with provender had now become "auspicious ducks," fulfilling the auspicious symbolism of the New Year, just by the word of an "all-knowing living deity." How could the sale of these ducks be called a scam when they gave the buyers a sense of belief and peace of mind that their own families would enjoy an abundant year ahead?

Everyone was trying to buy Xiao Zhiyuan's ducks for themselves, and all fifty ducks were sold out in a blink of an eye. Many buyers who didn't get the chance to buy an auspicious duck were reluctant to leave. But once they were assured that more would be available the next day, they went with their hearts at ease.

Xiao Zhiyuan and Hua Heying were startled with the sellout. Xiao Luo was given half an hour, but he sold all 50 ducks within 15 minutes. If they didn't feel the thick wads of money in their pockets, they would never have believed that this was real. Today's brisk sale was the best that they ever had.

"Son, you are so amazing!"

Hua Heying was so thrilled that she couldn't contain herself, and ran towards Xiao Luo to hug him tightly.

Then, turning her head and looking pridefully at Xiao Zhiyuan, she said, "Zhiyuan, do you recognize that your son is better and more capable than you are now?"

"I have to, even if I don't wish to. But..." Xiao Zhiyuan said, laughing at her remark, then sighed with a contented smile on his face, and said, "he's my son. It is the laws of heaven for a son to be better than their father."

Wisely quoting an old adage, he eluded her remark with his dignity intact.

Chapter 290

"Mr. Xiao Luo is good at selling ducks!"

Ji Siying made another entry in her diary. Since she arrived at Xiao Luo's village, her diary was now filled with entries, jotting down every minute details of Xiao Luo's daily activities. She overlooked nothing and even noted down mundane activities such as what Xiao Luo liked to eat, or what kind of TV programs he preferred.

After noting everything she observed, she made a habit of summarizing them afterward when time allowed. Her purpose was to understand Xiao Luo's daily habits and see if she could discover any leads or clues to unravel the secrets of his unique powers.

It would certainly have been awkward if Xiao Luo had found out that she was taking detailed records of his daily activities.

...

...

The morning was a lively affair with the crackling din of firecrackers welcoming the New Year's Eve.

On this very morning, it was the tradition of the people from Luo Village to present their offerings at the main altar of the Seekong Shrine. Sacrificial offerings of chicken, burning of incense, setting off firecrackers, and the blare of trumpeting suona[1] horns rendered the atmosphere ever so festive.

Seekong had been a notable elder of Luo Village, having served as the village's shaman during his time, and the Seekong Shrine was a memorial erected in his honor. And as far as village traditions went, it was equal, if not even more significant than the Xiao Clan ancestral temple.

According to local folklore, Seekong possessed mystical powers and was adept at preparing fulu talismans and divine water. It was also said that he was invulnerable to swords and spears, and would not succumb to fire or drowning. War had once broken out in the past, and after men of the Xiao clan consumed the divine water, their fighting mettle was unrivaled. Their bravery and skills in combat were enhanced while thrusting spears and slashing blades could not penetrate their bodies. The enemy became terrified and was driven into panic and disarray, fleeing in all directions. And in this way, they defended the land of Luo Village.

Seekong's ability to prepare Fulu and divine water was passed down over the generations, and his successor was an old man by the name of Xiao Quanren. He was now Luo Village's shaman, and it was still customary for him to be invited to every funeral and wedding in the village. To this day, even when villagers had fish bones stuck in their throat, they would request a fulu from Xiao Quanren and drink it down. Without exception, the fish bones would be dislodged upon swallowing the fulu and flushed harmlessly into the stomach.

This was not an isolated case, there had been multiple cases, and yet, none could be explained scientifically. The locals believed that the miracle was a manifestation of Seekong's spirit.

It was because of Seekong Shrine's long history in healing and solving the villagers' problems that it had secured its place in their hearts.

Then there was the divine water, prepared with mountain spring water mixed with the ashes of Fulu and chicken's blood before it was sealed for seven weeks. This sacred water was stored in a massive wooden barrel and was placed in the innermost part of the shrine. The barrel was secured with a lock, and its key was held by the old man, Xiao Quanren himself.

The divine water was as clear as the spring water it was derived from, and even gave off a refreshing fragrance. On the fifteenth day of every other month, the altar would be open to receive offerings. The shrine would be packed with people from the Village coming to consume the divine water, pray for immunity against sickness, and be blessed with longevity.

"What time will people be able to drink the divine water today?"

After learning about its unique qualities from Xiao Luo, Ji Siying was very curious and longing to try the divine water.

Xiao Luo put down his teacup and glanced at her teasingly. "You wish to drink the Divine Water as well?" he said.

"Yes, this is a long-practiced tradition here, so I would like to experience it."

Ji Siying responded, nodding her head, then added, "Don't you want to drink it too, Mr. Xiao?"

Xiao Luo smiled and said, "Nah, I've had too much of it growing up. It doesn't have any special taste; it tastes just like plain water. But if you wish to drink it, I can take you to the altar after dinner tonight to have a look. Who knows, you might just get the chance to taste it?"

Since he had nothing to do at home anyway, taking his liaison officer to familiarize herself with the customs of Luo Village seemed like a good idea.

"Alright."

It suddenly occurred to Ji Siying that Xiao Luo may have acquired his prowess and strength from consuming all that divine water when he was growing up. She now felt an urge to try drinking some of it herself.

At dinner, Xiao Luo's grandmother told him that Aunt Taoxiu's son, Xiao Ping, had returned to the village. Things had not gone very well for Xiao Ping as the clothing business that he and his wife had started had suffered losses, and they were left with nothing.

They lost their 100 thousand-dollar capital, but on top of that, they also borrowed from loan sharks to shore the business and now owed another 200 thousand dollars. Aunt Taoxiu's family was a low-income household, and their primary source of income depended entirely on Aunt Taoxiu and her husband, Xiao Youfu, mixing cement and stacking bricks to build houses for other villagers. Xiao Ping already had the burden of caring for his three children, and the failure of his business would undoubtedly make things worse for his family.

"Ping and his family went over to Xiao Qiudong's house earlier," Xiao Luo's grandmother said.

"For what reason?" asked Xiao Luo.

"To borrow money, I suppose."

His grandmother sighed as she lamented, "They could only come up with 80 thousand dollars even after taking out all their savings. If they don't pay off the 200 thousand dollars in the next few days, it will become 300 thousand or even 400 thousand dollars."

Ji Siying paused, still holding her chopsticks, and asked, "Isn't loan-sharking illegal?"

Xiao Luo answered, "Yes, it is illegal. But this is a remote mountainous area, so the authorities do not have much of a presence here. Loan-sharks flourish in a place like this."

"Oh."

Ji Siying nodded then continued with her dinner.

Xiao Luo's grandfather then spoke, "Xiao Luo, our family has close ties with your Aunt Taoxiu's family. Ping's great-great-grandfather and your great-great-grandfather are brothers by blood. Over the years, Aunt Taoxiu has also been rather caring towards your Grandma and me. If you can help, then do so, alright?"

"Mmm, I got it, Grandpa," Xiao Luo replied with a smile.

...

...

At precisely eight o'clock that night, the Seekong Shrine burst into life. The place was bustling with visitors amid a cacophony of gongs, drums, and cymbals being struck and the distinctive report of firecrackers being set off. A bonfire raged in front of the shrine's entrance, adding to the mystical ambiance of the event. Many youngsters who had returned out of town joined the festivities and sounded the ox horns and conch horns. In front of the altar, incense and candles were lit, and people were kneeling in worship.

Xiao Luo and Ji Siying's appearance immediately caught everyone's attention.

"Xiao Luo, your girlfriend is here with you too!"

"Hurry up, get your girlfriend, and pray to Seekong together. She is going to become Luo Village's future daughter-in-law."

"Yes, yes!"

The crowd said excitedly.

"Alright," Xiao Luo replied with a smile.

Under the flickering glow of the candle-lit altar, Ji Siying's cheeks took on a scarlet shade, giving her an alluring blush like someone flushed after having several drinks. She stared at the Seekong Altar with a deep curiosity. The building itself was ancient, with its two pillars showing signs of having outlived the vicissitude of times. The rhythmic beat of gongs and cymbals filled the air, and the old shaman, Xiao Quanren, was drawing fulu symbols in the air with a burning paper talisman in his hands while reciting Taoist chants.

This was an old traditional ceremony carried out countless times over the centuries, and what she saw made her feel like she had been transported back to ancient times!

Caught up in the moment, she was most certainly unaware that many of Luo Village's young men were ogling. Her beauty made them all somewhat envious of Xiao Luo, none more so than Xiao Qiudong. When he laid eyes on Ji Siying, he couldn't help thinking how she resembled those female lead actresses in the movies. On the other hand, his wife, Li Honglian, had unfortunately not taken care of her looks after childbirth, and all he saw now was a grotesque and obese woman whom he kept at home. Comparing her to Ji Siying left him feeling depressed.

"Luo!"

A young man with a round, smiling face came over and gently punched Xiao Luo's chest. He said, "Wow, Xiao Luo, you found yourself such a beautiful girlfriend."

It was Xiao Ping. He was only two years older than Xiao Luo. However, the stress from having three children showed on his wrinkled face, adding quite a few years to his countenance.

"Ping!"

Xiao Luo greeted him. Seeing that he wasn't looking gloomy, he assumed that Xiao Qiudong had lent him the money.

"Are you not going to introduce me to your girlfriend? You must know that all the single men in this village are envious of you," Xiao Ping said with a smirk.

"Haha, stop teasing me."

Xiao Luo forced a smile, in a sense wishing that it was true, but unfortunately, he and Ji Siying were merely colleagues.

He duly introduced Xiao Ping and Ji Siying.

"Miss Ji, welcome to Luo Village, and I hope you will enjoy your stay here. Let me take this opportunity to tell you that Xiao Luo is a good, honest, and dedicated man. He is without a doubt the most outstanding man in our village," Xiao Ping said.

"A-he-hem..."

Just when Xiao Ping had finished speaking, a faint cough drew their attention. Xiao Qiudong stepped over.

Chapter 291

Xiao Qiudong wasn't pleased with what he had just heard, and it showed on his face. Seeing his reaction, Xiao Ping smiled awkwardly and immediately tried to salvage the situation. "But of course, Dong Dong over here is also a very outstanding man. He's an engineer and married a lady from Taiwan. He's well known in all the nearby villages," he said.

"Who are you calling Dong Dong? What are you implying? Are you saying my neck is short? From now on, address me by my name: Xiao Qiudong. Call me Dong Dong again, and I'll not give you face!" Xiao Qiudong rebuked Xiao Ping soundly.

Xiao Ping was startled, but all he could do was offer a conciliatory smile, and repeatedly nod his head and bow to Xiao Qiudong. "Oh, okay, okay."

Xiao Qiudong's impertinence was not lost on Xiao Luo, who quickly deduced the situation. Xiao Ping was older in age and was always like an elder brother to Xiao Qiudong. So, it was unusual that he acted so humbly like he did today and had to even keep a respectful smile on his face after being humiliated by Xiao Qiudong. How could Xiao Luo not know what was going on between them?

"Miss Ji, is it? Hello, my name is Xiao Qiudong. I'm really close to Xiao Luo–back then, when he was little, he even wore my underpants when his hadn't dried. Speaking about that, I think we really grew up wearing the same pants, haha." Xiao Qiudong extended his hands to Ji Siying and changed his expression immediately. Just a moment ago, he was infuriated with Xiao Ping, but in the next instant, he was flashing a charming smile on his face.

"What a phony!"

Xiao Luo thought to himself with a sigh of disgust as he just stood there, speechlessly. He just could not understand how his childhood friend had become so pretentious and overbearing. From what he had seen, there wasn't even an ounce of sincerity in him.

As a courtesy, Ji Siying responded to the gesture and shook hands with Xiao Qiudong. She gave him a smile and said, "Nice to meet you!"

"Miss Ji, I would assume that you're from Jiangcheng? For you to own such a luxurious car like an Alphard, I am sure your family has a net worth of over ten million or even a hundred million dollars. So, I'm very curious, what is it that made you choose Xiao Luo? This brat doesn't belong in the same class as you," Xiao Qiudong teased, his tone was derisive and totally out of line.

Ji Siying's expression immediately changed as she dropped her smile. She instantly retracted her hand, and her eyes glowered with a look of hostility. How could she be oblivious to the intentions of this man who was deliberately whipping things up?

"Huh... please don't misunderstand me, Miss Ji. I'm just curious, that's all, haha. After all, you and Xiao Luo appear to be just like those happy-ever-after fairy tales, you know, where a princess lands up with a poor boy," Xiao Qiudong said, chuckling heartily.

Xiao Ping scowled and keeping the tone of his voice polite, he said, "Qiudong, that isn't a nice thing to say. It feels like you are casting a bone between Luo and Miss Ji."

"Casting a bone? Who is doing that! I've already said that I'm just curious. Do you have a problem with understanding simple language, or is your brain dead?!" Xiao Qiudong turned and chastised him loudly.

The sound of gongs from within the Seekong shrine muted Xiao Qiudong's nasty words. Otherwise, his loud voice would undoubtedly have caused everybody to look in their direction.

Xiao Ping was indignant but dared not to speak out. He clenched his fist in frustration, but he loosened up and calmed himself, not wanting to risk Xiao Qiudong going back on his words and not lending him the money. Earlier, Xiao Ping had to plead for his help and was close to getting on his knees before Xiao Qiudong finally agreed to lend him the money. At this point, he didn't dare to provoke and upset Xiao Qiudong.

"Qiudong, do you need to be so arrogant?!" Xiao Luo said, clearly annoyed with his insolence.

"Arrogant?"

Xiao Qiudong raised his eyebrows, feigning surprise, and laughed aloud like he had just heard an excellent joke. "Xiao Luo, my good brother, exactly what did you see that gave you the impression I'm arrogant? I've just exerting my voice a little, but that has absolutely nothing to do with being arrogant. Isn't that so, Ping?"

As Xiao Ping was in dire need of his help, he promptly nodded with a forced smile on his face and said, "Qiudong is right. He wasn't arrogant. Luo, I think you are mistaken."

"You heard him? Even your Brother Ping says you're wrong," Xiao Qiudong snorted, taking dubious pride in manipulating the situation.

Xiao Luo shook his head without smiling, feeling annoyed with Xiao Qiudong's overbearing and childishness behavior.

Confidently, Xiao Qiudong now switched his gaze back to Ji Siying, and with a snicker, he said, "Miss Ji, can you satisfy my curiosity? Which part of Xiao Luo attracted you?"

Ji Siying glanced at Xiao Luo, then turning back to Xiao Qiudong, she stared him in the eyes and said, "He is exceptional!"

"Oh?" Xiao Qiudong wasn't expecting such a response and pretended to be surprised.

Then Ji Siying added, "He's more excellent than you, he's better looking than you, and by the looks of it, he's a tier above you in everything!"

Although her relationship with Xiao Luo was merely a cover, she simply couldn't stand seeing hypocrites like Xiao Qiudong bullying others and making fun of Xiao Luo.

Her scathing response almost made Xiao Ping burst out laughing from sheer satisfaction.

The smile on Xiao Qiudong's face froze, and his lips unconsciously drooped downwards, giving him a rather vague expression. But with his pride at stake, he laughed out loud and said, "Hahaha... what an interesting person you are, Miss Ji. There's a phrase that goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It seems that it is true."

Behind his rambunctious laughter, his eyes were burning with rage, as Ji Siying's words had literally trampled on his dignity. It was immensely humiliating to Xiao Qiudong that Xiao Luo could be rated as "better than him in everything." Deep inside, he felt the urge to call out Xiao Luo as a gigolo and nothing more than the garbage that wasn't qualified to be compared with him. But he kept his composure and decided that he would maintain his pretense of cordiality with Xiao Luo for now.

Xiao Luo didn't say a word but merely glanced at Ji Siying with smiling eyes. He admired her feistiness and thought to himself, "Hmm, this liaison officer is not bad, not bad at all!"

The truth was he found Ji Siying interesting. She was certainly attractive and well-limbed and had a great personality. But more importantly, his grandparents really liked her. If by chance, something were to spark between them, he would likely consider it.

The gong and drums were now struck with more urgency, expressed in a rubato, taking on a quicker tempo then slowing down repeatedly. The chanting of old man Xiao Quanren was getting faster, and so was his hand movements, scribbling with the fulu. The ceremony was coming to a climax.

All of a sudden, old man Xiao Quanren opened his eyes. His piercing, old eyes were forbidding and deterred the people from looking into them.

The sound of the drums and gong halted the moment his eyes opened. Then his old gravelly voice echoed with a dynamism that belied his age. "Spirits of blood, shower thy divinity upon us! Give the Xiao clan thy blessing, grant us health and our bodies the ability to resist all illnesses!"

All the Xiaos present stood up immediately and positioned themselves in three rows before him, gazing with deferent eyes at the Seekong altar. Old man Xiao Quanren then held up a rooster, severed its head, and drained its blood. He held his index and middle finger together, dipped them in the blood, and drew a red mark between the eyebrows of every Xiao present. He brought forth a bowl of divine water, filled from the barrel located in the innermost section of the shrine.

"Mr. Xiao Luo, are we about to drink the divine water?" Ji Siying whispered.

Xiao Luo nodded, "From between our eyebrows, we will receive the blessing from the divine water."

"Do we need to finish it?"

"You may if you can finish it, but if you can't, take three small sips and splash the rest on the wall. Don't pour it on the ground," Xiao Luo explained. These were rituals that had been instilled in him since he was a child. The divine water should never be poured onto the ground; otherwise, one would be reproached by the crowd.

"Alright."

Ji Siying nodded her head eagerly.

"And who could this lady be?"

Old man Xiao Quanren stood in front of Ji Siying, a questioning look showing on his aged, wrinkled face.

"Wise One, she is Xiao Luo's girlfriend," Xiao Dizhang said.

"Who?"

Xiao Quanren was advanced in age and was hard of hearing.

Xiao Dizhang came up close to him and roared in his ears, "She is Xiao Luo's girlfriend. She especially came to pay homage to Seekong. She will be married into the Xiao family soon."

"Ah, Xiao Luo's girlfriend, you are. Very good. How capable of Xiao Luo to find himself such a beautiful girlfriend."

Old man Xiao Quanren looked at Ji Siying with a smile, extended his hands and tapped his finger between her eyebrows. The crimson blood splashed down between Ji Siying's eyebrows like vermillion, making her look almost like a deity. "Child, as I smear this blood on your forehead, Seekong shall bless you with life-long peace. Now, drink the divine water, and Seekong will grant you a blessing to deter all illnesses!" 𝑙𝑖𝘣𝓇𝑒𝒶𝘥.𝑐ℴ𝑚

...

Chapter 292

Although born and raised in Luo Village, Xiao Luo didn't particularly believe in Seekong's spirit, though he deeply respected Seekong for his great deeds to the village in the past. He was an icon of the community, and over the generations, the people of Luo Village had revered him and sought his spiritual protection. The cult of Seekong was sacred to the villagers of Luo.

Ji Siying drank a bowl of the divine water. It was refreshing and sweet, with a faint fragrance to it that gladdened the heart. After drinking it, she felt revitalized. She glanced at Xiao Luo, and when he wasn't paying attention, she quickly filled the remaining divine water in a small bottle she had brought along with her. She intended to take it back to the NSA for research and to analyze its contents, hoping to discover something about this water. 𝒍𝒊𝙗𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅.𝓬𝒐𝓶

After the memorial ceremony, several middle-aged women of Luo Village went into the kitchen by the side of the shrine to prepare servings of chicken congee for the congregation.

Old man Xiao Quanren remained at the altar, preparing to write auspicious couplets for the Seekong Altar. He was a notable calligraphist, and his skill was renowned in the entire village. With a brush in his hand, he produced characters that were magnificent and elegant in style.

"You youngsters should learn calligraphy for it is a precious treasure that had been passed down by our ancestors. It is a profound art form, and in capable hands, one can instill life into characters. If it is not continued, the art will be lost one day," Xiao Dizhang said, addressing the youngsters present at the shrine.

Some nodded in agreement, some scoffed at the suggestion like it was a joke, while others remained unresponsive as if it had nothing to do with them.

"Is the Wise One really good in calligraphy?" a boy around seven or eight asked curiously.

"Of course."

With a look of pride, Xiao Dizhang said to the lad, "The Wise One was a scholar back in the Qing Dynasty. He is well versed in the "four books and five classics" [1], can compose poems in seven steps, and is even more excellent in calligraphy. Even the other calligraphists in the county praised his beautiful work."

"Wow, the Wise One is awesome!"

The boy's eyes instantly shone with adoration and respect.

"Shh... be quiet. Master Xiao Quanren is about to begin writing." Someone called for the crowd to remain silent, gesturing with his index finger against his lips.

Two red-colored xuan paper sheets were spread out on the table. Xiao Quanren put on his pair of worn-out reading glasses, picked up the brush, and was just about to begin writing. The entire Seekong shrine fell into dead silence as everyone had their eyes fixed on him. For many of them, watching him work his brushstrokes was a pleasure unto itself. He wrote his characters elegantly, and the couplets he composed were superb and carried the allusion and grandeur of the old classics.

But something didn't seem right that night, as old man Xiao Quanren's hand suddenly halted in mid-air before he even began writing his first character. He stayed that way for an uncomfortably long time, and the brush was shaking uncontrollably in his hand.

"What's wrong with the Wise One?" the boy asked once again.

"Shh, don't speak. The Wise One is contemplating what to write and will only begin after he's done thinking," the boy's father whispered to him.

But after ten minutes, old man Xiao Quanren had yet to move his shaking brush. Finally, a drop of ink dripped from the brush's tip onto the red calligraphy paper, smearing it with a massive splotch.

This was an absolute taboo in calligraphy!

According to the tenets of calligraphy, a situation like that should never happen and was simply unacceptable.

Everyone in the crowd looked at each other. "What's wrong with the Wise One?"

"Parkinson disease. The wise one is suffering from a neurodegenerative disease that is very common among the elderly." Xiao Luo figured it out at a glance.

Despite the belief that divine water protected one from all illnesses, it was really the placebo-effect that worked wonders for the believers. No one could ever be immune to all diseases. Hearing Xiao Luo's words, Xiao Dizhang turned to him with a look of concern and asked, "Xiao Luo, are you sure that he is sick?"

"Come off it, Xiao Luo. The Wise One is as healthy as can be. Don't jinx the old man!" Xiao Qiudong chided him, coming across in a smugly self-righteous way.

Xiao Luo ignored his remark and responded to Xiao Dizhang's question. "Parkinson's symptoms include resting tremors, slowness in his actions, increased muscle tone, and resistance to limb movement caused by involuntary muscle contractions. The Wise One is unable to move while his hands are shaking, which characterizes Parkinson's disease."

"How are you so sure about that? You're not a doctor!" Xiao Qiudong shouted.

The others shared his doubts as they thought that only a doctor had the right to give that prognosis.

Then, Xiao Quanren put down the brush, smiled weakly, and said, "Xiao Luo's right. I went for a medical checkup at the county hospital some time ago. The doctor said that I contracted a disease whose name is tough to remember. It has come back to my mind now that Xiao Luo had mentioned it. Pump-kin-son, it is."

"It's Parkinson, Wise One," Xiao Luo corrected him with a smile.

Xiao Quanren smiled with squinted eyes and said, "Ah, yes, yes. Par-kin-son, it is. Sigh, that's what you get when you grow old. My memory worsens as the days go by."

After hearing Xiao Quanren's affirmation, the crowd looked upon Xiao Luo with deep regard.

Xiao Dizhang asked further, "Xiao Luo, since you know what illness this is, you should know how to treat it, right?"

Xiao Luo shook his head, "This is a complication due to old age, and as far as I know, there's no way of treating it. But, it won't affect his lifespan; it's just that when he is focused on doing something, some parts of his body will tremble uncontrollably, unable to stay still."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief, all was good as long as it wasn't life-threatening.

"Xiao Luo looks like your days in university were not in vain. You have knowledge in so many areas."

"Yeah, I haven't heard of this Parkinson's Disease before. You taught me something new today."

"Looks like we still need to get our child to further his studies. It will come in handy after all."

Xiao Qiudong was incensed, and his awful expression said it all. He never made it to university and had resorted to comparing his career to that of Xiao Luo, intending to prove his theory that studying was overrated. As it turned out, he had just been proven wrong, and that had made him hate Xiao Luo even more.

"That's for sure, Luo is the only person who had gone to university in our village. His qualification is the highest, so of course, he knows a lot more," Xiao Ping gushed, praising Xiao Luo unreservedly.

Xiao Qiudong couldn't contain himself anymore and directed his hostility toward Xiao Ping. "What nonsense are you talking about! Who said that if one attends university, that would mean one will know a lot? University students nowadays are nothing compared to those in the past. They aren't learning anything during their four years in university, they are busy dating, fooling around, and wasting their time. Anyway, university graduates are just a bunch of lazy people."

He directed those remarks at Xiao Ping, but his intention to criticize Xiao Luo was very obvious to the crowd.

"Dong Dong, that's too strong of an opinion, is it not?"

"Yeah, Xiao Luo can't be that kind of person. Otherwise, Miss Ji wouldn't have liked him."

"It is still better to study more and widen your field of knowledge."

Xiao Ping dared not respond to Xiao Qiudong, but the crowd, however, didn't take kindly to Xiao Qiudong's outburst at all. Besides, Luo Village was a small community, and everyone knew about Xiao Ping's predicament. They were well aware that Xiao Ping had borrowed money from Xiao Qiudong, and they didn't appreciate how rudely Xiao Qiudong acted toward Xiao Ping. To take advantage of someone else's ill-fortune was despicable.

Seeing how everybody reacted, Xiao Qiudong wisely kept quiet.

But there was a rather urgent problem that they had to deal with. Now that Xiao Quanren was unable to write the couplets for the Seekong Altar, who else could do it?

Xiao Dizhang threw the question to the crowd, but everyone only shook their heads. Most of the villagers were farmers. They could carry out any kind of farming work expeditiously, but handling a calligraphy brush was beyond them. Even the characters they wrote with pencils looked like scratch marks made by chicken claws.

Chapter 293

It was customary to adorn the Seekong altar with a new couplet written in calligraphy on the eve of every New Year. However, this year, the Wise One, Xiao Quanren, had taken ill and was unable to write the couplet. What were they supposed to do?

Xiao Dizhang knitted his eyebrows in a quandary as this was an important custom and would affect the good fortune of the village for the coming year.

"I heard that someone from Chen Village is good in calligraphy as well. Why not invite him over?" a villager suggested.

But someone else immediately refuted his proposal. "Preposterous! The Seekong altar belongs to the Xiao family. If we invite people from the Chens to write the couplet for us, wouldn't we be mocking ourselves? We can't do that, absolutely not!"

The statement was spot on, and it gained the support of everyone as the Seekong altar had a great significance to the Xiao clan. On many important occasions, people with other surnames were even not allowed to set foot in the Seekong shrine. Therefore an outsider writing the couplet for the altar was out of the question.

"Why not go to town and get someone to print a copy of a couplet using a computer?" someone else suggested.

Xiao Dizhang shook his head and said, "The couplet must be raised before 12 o'clock tonight. We won't have enough time for that. Besides, it's already so late, and the shops in town are all closed. Which shop would be willing to open and do that for us?"

"Hmm..."

The predicament put the crowd in a somber mood, and many wondered how they would be able to resolve such a significant problem, if at all. Recalling what Xiao Dizhang had said earlier, they realized the importance of continuing the practice of calligraphy. The Wise One would not be with them forever, and when the time came, they couldn't just alter the traditions at the Seekong altar according to their whims and fancies.

"Don't worry, everyone, since Xiao Luo has been to university, he should know how to do everything, and that surely includes calligraphy. Let's ask him to write a couplet in place of the Wise One. That'll solve the problem, won't it?" Xiao Qiudong said.

Xiao Qiudong was a vindictive sort, and his motive was simply to put Xiao Luo in a tight spot and embarrass himself in front of everyone. He was fixated with the idea of proving to everybody that attending university was nothing to shout about. It irked him that the crowd had so many good things to say about Xiao Luo and how knowledgeable he was. Now he saw the opportunity to prove them all wrong. 𝓵𝒊𝒃𝙧𝓮𝙖𝓭.𝙘𝒐𝙢

"Yes, how did we forget Xiao Luo?!"

The crowd came alive again, filled with a sense of hope. They turned to Xiao Luo with a look of anticipation in their eyes.

Xiao Dizhang looked at Xiao Luo doubtfully and asked, "Xiao Luo, can you do calligraphy?"

"Uncle Dizhang, are you intentionally mocking Xiao Luo? He is a glorified university graduate, the most educated person in our village. If he doesn't know calligraphy, who else does?"

Xiao Qiudong deliberately raised his voice above the crowd and patted Xiao Luo on the shoulder. "My brother, don't conceal your talents in such a moment like this. The clan needs you now," he said.

Xiao Ping gritted his teeth, knowing what Xiao Qiudong was up to. Since when were university graduates supposed to be all-rounders capable of doing everything? Didn't he call Xiao Luo out so that he would embarrass himself in front of his clansman?"

Xiao Ping tried to find a way out for Xiao Luo and said, "Xiao Luo, it's okay if you don't know calligraphy. Very few people know calligraphy these days, so this isn't something to be embarrassed about."

Xiao Qiudong glowered at him and shouted, "What do you mean by that, Xiao Ping? Do you think that I'm embarrassing Xiao Luo on purpose?"

"Are you not?" Xiao Ping nervously mumbled his reply, but Xiao Qiudong had heard what he said.

Enraged, Xiao Qiudong sneered at poor Xiao Ping, "What kind of attitude is that?! Do you still want the money?"

"I..."

His stinging statement was deeply humiliating, and Xiao Ping couldn't find the words to reply. He only raised his head and glared at Xiao Qiudong in anguish.

Old man Xiao Quanren coughed. "A-he-hem... Qiudong, don't talk like that in front of the Seekong altar. We are all like family, and Seekong will be very displeased if he watches this from above," he said.

Xiao Dizhang echoed him and added, "Yes indeed, please settle the personal affairs between you in private. Right now, we should be only be talking about the couplet." He turned his head to look at Xiao Luo and asked again, "Xiao Luo, can you do it?"

"I'll try."

Xiao Luo stepped forward with a wry smile on his face.

Xiao Qiudong wasn't done, and in a tone of contempt, he said, "Xiao Luo, don't force yourself if you can't do it, I only spoke randomly just now. Forget it if you can't do calligraphy, no one will mock at you okay. The Seekong altar is sacred to the clan, and the couplet has to be properly written. If it comes out twisted and crooked like it's been bitten by a dog, it will absolutely not go on the altar."

As soon as he said that, everyone stared at him in disgust. They saw in him a vile, loathsome insect, nothing more than an annoying housefly.

Xiao Luo totally ignored him as if he did not exist, then he picked up the brush, and begun dipping it in ink.

The brush felt strange and unfamiliar in Xiao Luo's hand as he assumed an awkward posture when dipping the brush in ink, and it amused Xiao Qiudong no end. Trained calligraphists such as Qiao Quanren, were particular about every aspect of the art. It was all about the elegance and grace with which one held the brush, that gave a distinguished bearing to the calligrapher. A mere glance at how Xiao Luo held it was enough to tell any onlooker that he was a novice.

Old man Xiao Quanren was observing him by the side and couldn't help grimacing as doubt formed in his thoughts. "I guess Xiao Luo is only forcing himself!"

Xiao Dizhang was also concerned and asked, "Xiao Luo, are you really up to this?"

"I'll try my best."

Xiao Luo closed his eyes as he contemplated what to write, and at the same time, he expended 500 points in exchange for calligraphy skills. Suddenly, the brush in his hand felt natural to him, like it became a part of his body, and many characters and phrases flashed in his mind.

He wasn't doing this to get back at Xiao Qiudong at all. On the contrary, he just wanted to ensure the Seekong altar's traditions could carry on, and in that way, contribute something back to the community.

Xiao Luo put brush to paper and wrote the first character: "Zu."

"Hmm, is that the 'semi-cursive script?' That isn't the typical 'semi-cursive script,' perhaps its 'standard script?' But it still looks different from the conventional 'standard script,'" Xiao Quanren muttered to himself, as his eyes lit up. These were evidently no ordinary characters.

Xiao Qiudong, who earlier had a smug look on his face, suddenly froze with an expression of disbelief. "This brat can actually write in calligraphy?"

Ji Siying appeared a little anxious, feeling the need to add another entry into her little diary again.

Xiao Luo was fully absorbed with the task as the brush in his hand slithered around like a serpent. His novice's demeanor was replaced by a dignified bearing of a calligraphy master. He wrote the entire couplet in clean and elegant strokes without the slightest pause.

The first line: "The virtue of our ancestors endures in the splendor of the sun and moon."

The second line: "The merits of our clan sparkle across the land and rivers."

He laid down his brush and admired his work, while the villagers around him were enchanted with what they saw. They didn't know what calligraphy truly meant, but they felt a profound sense of awe at its beauty and majesty.

Xiao Quanren glanced at Xiao Luo, and his old, wizen eyes were filled with admiration. He was overjoyed and said, "A very well written couplet—the sun, the moon, the land, and the rivers; how majestic it is. And the style of your writing, smooth as the flowing water, yet full of vigor and grace. To be so skillful in the arts at such a young age... not bad, not bad at all, hahaha."

Xiao Quanren was not only the village shaman but also an accomplished scholar, so naturally, his comments carried with it some authority.

"You're without a doubt, a university graduate, Xiao Luo! Impressive work!"

"Brilliant calligraphy!"

"Son, you need to be admitted to the same university as Uncle Xiao Luo when you grow up. Do you hear me?"

Everyone was full of praise for Xiao Luo. His excellent effort earned him praise from the Wise One, and such a commendation literally elevated him the status of a demi-god among the villagers.

Xiao Qiudong was looking a sorry sight, with his plan gone awry and the entire crowd turning against him. He didn't know what went wrong this year, he was outdone by Xiao Luo at every turn. How he missed the last several years when he was the one that outclassed Xiao Luo entirely.

"Wise One, can this couplet be attached to the altar?" Xiao Dizhang asked.

Xiao Quanren gazed at the couplet like someone admiring a precious relic, and the appreciative smile on his face said it all. "If this couplet does not meet our expectations, then the couplets that I had written in the past will be even less qualified."

...

Chapter 294

When the crowd heard Xiao Quanren's comments, they were startled. What did the Wise One mean? Was he saying that the couplet Xiao Luo had written was even better than his own? The Wise One had been a scholar since the time of the Qing Dynasty, and what's more, he had spent most of his life practicing calligraphy. Xiao Luo was just a shade over twenty, so how could his skills in calligraphy possibly be better?

"You flatter me, Wise One," Xiao Luo said with a smile.

"Neither haughty nor humble, neither conceited nor rash. Xiao Luo, a great future awaits you!" old man Xiao Quanren held Xiao Luo's hands tightly, giving him considerable praise.

"The Wise One is right. Xiao Luo is bound to attain great achievements in the future."

"It is said that sharpening a chopper will not hold up the work of cutting firewood. Xiao Luo's few years in university has given him an entirely different temperament."

"Yes, indeed. It is the reason why Miss Ji took a liking to Xiao Luo."

Everyone heaped lavish praises on Xiao Luo.

That didn't sit well with Xiao Qiudong, who stood seething silently in the crowd, gritting his teeth and shaking in anger. He felt his sense of superiority crumble and that he had lost his position as the most outstanding youth in Luo Village. All the glory and limelight had now shifted to Xiao Luo.

All the praises he heard gradually made him lose his mind, and in a spiteful voice, he uttered, "He just a gigolo who gained his status all because of some rich lady. Is he that worthy of your high praises?"

It was in a moment of sheer frustration that he said those words. But he said it precisely when the crowd went silent, and hence, it was audible to everyone gathered at the Seekong altar. The instant they heard that they turned and glared at him.

Old man Xiao Quanren's expression changed, and he was displeased. "Qiudong, what are you mumbling about?" he said.

Murmurs of discontent and criticism could be heard from the crowd.

With all eyes on him, Xiao Qiudong felt the heat and panicked for a moment. But, he quickly regained his composure, seeing that what had said was already spoken, the time for fear had passed. Instead, he puffed his chest, keeping his chin up confidently and said, "Wise One, I'm telling the truth. Xiao Luo is just a salaryman who only earns about 80 thousand dollars every year. With that income, even being able to save up 50 thousand dollars at the bank is already considered good. It has been four years since he graduated, is it not? Only capable of saving up 50 thousand dollars a year at this point in his life is nothing to flaunt and be proud of." Then gesturing to Ji Siying, he added, "The only thing he can show off now is his girlfriend, Miss Ji. But to Miss Ji, I have a piece of advice for you. Those fairy tales you read will never happen in reality. You might believe in love, but what about your family? Would they allow you to marry a poor brat like Xiao Luo, born from a mediocre family and who can't even afford a house and a car? The answer is definitely, 'No.' I am convinced that you both will break up sooner or later. Marriage can only happen between people of matching social status, but what you have is..."

"Enough!"

A booming voice thundered from within the crowd, causing Xiao Qiudong to halt abruptly.

Xiao Qiudong turned his head, and he saw it came from Xiao Ping. Xiao Qiudong was puzzled, doubtful, and angry all at once. He stared at Xiao Ping coldly and yelled, "Xiao Ping, what did you have for dinner, explosives?!"

"Xiao Qiudong, what are you saying? The three of us have been friends since we were young. We played in the mud, stole the Wise One's loquat, and even snuck out swimming in the river together. Luo is now living a great life, and I'm genuinely happy for him, but why are you not? What are you implying now? Can't you bear to see Luo doing better than you? Are you only happy when Luo is inferior to you in every single thing? Xiao Qiudong, do you have a mental problem or what?" Xiao Ping rebuked him loudly, unable to tolerate his antics any longer. Xiao Qiudong had crossed the line this time.

"I have a mental problem? Hu-huh..."

Xiao Qiudong scoffed, "Isn't what I said true? If he hadn't gotten his hands on a rich girl, he'd just be nothing more than a fart!"

"Xiao Qiudong, what has gotten into you? What is this insanity you're showing in front of the Seekong altar?" Xiao Dizhang shouted, clearly angry and disappointed in Xiao Qiudong.

"Uncle Dizhang, I'm not insane, I'm just presenting the facts. Why does everybody think that I'm insane? Okay, so Xiao Luo can write calligraphy, he's good looking and has caught the eye of a rich girl, but these aside, he's nothing! Graduating from a university means he can only be a salaryman. I didn't attend university, but I own a house, a car, have a wife, and everything Xiao Luo doesn't have! Compared to me, what does he have to be proud of, and what can he flaunt?"

Xiao Qiudong had thoroughly lost his mind, convinced that he wasn't crazy, but everyone else was. As far as he was concerned, Xiao Luo was just the garbage who had managed to seduce a rich girl, so was he worthy of all the praise? Why didn't anyone look into his success and excellence instead? In his mind, the people here were just a bunch of fools.

He pointed at Xiao Ping maniacally and sneered, "I'm not lending you the 120 grand anymore. Do whatever you want. Even if the loan sharks chop your hand off, it has nothing to do with me! Trash like you who failed in doing business deserves it. If I were you, I wouldn't even have the face to come back for the New Year!"

"You..."

Xiao Ping was humiliated, and his entire body trembled in rage.

"Xiao Qiudong, what a terrible friend you are."

"Everyone has their ups and downs. Xiao Ping is one of our own, but you refuse to help him when you can do so. Aren't you afraid of retribution from Seekong?"

"How arrogant. No matter how much money you make, no one in our family will be happy for you."

The crowd roundly denounced him.

Xiao Qiudong was adamant, and he responded, "Lending money depends on sentiment; since when is it a duty? As you are all so warm-hearted, I suggest you collect 120 thousand dollars among yourselves and lend it to Xiao Ping!"

His insensitive remark silenced everyone.

Xiao Dizhang sighed, shaking his head and said, "Qiudong, why have you become like this?" 𝓁𝑖𝘣𝘳ℯ𝘢𝘥.𝒸ℴ𝑚

"I didn't change one bit. I am still me."

Xiao Qiudong glared at Xiao Ping and scowled, "When you borrow money, you should have the appearance and attitude of someone who is borrowing money. You need my help, and yet you have the cheek to speak to me in that way. In that case, why should I help you? You are acting so high and mighty even when you have to borrow money from me. By the time when you pay me back, should I have to treat you like a prince or what?"

Xiao Ping was humiliated, and he accepted the shame, but on the inside, he was devastated. Even after returning to his village, he still had to endure being trampled upon by his childhood friend and clansman, and eat humble pie. What he was facing now felt even worse than what he had experienced out there.

"Ping, I'll lend you the money!"

Xiao Luo said, stepping forward. Hearing his faint words made Xiao Ping's eyes widen in surprise. "Give me your bank account number, and I'll transfer the money to you right now."

When his grandfather had asked him to help aunt Taoxiu's family, he already made plans, but the chance didn't present itself. Besides, Xiao Ping hadn't approached him but went to Xiao Qiudong for help instead. Since Xiao Qiudong was willing to lend him the money, he couldn't just tell Xiao Ping not to accept the help from Xiao Qiudong. But things were different now, and he was determined to give Xiao Ping a helping hand.

"Luo, you..."

Xiao Ping looked a Xiao Luo, then looked at Ji Siying.

Xiao Ping was conflicted as the last thing he wanted was to burden Xiao Luo. If Xiao Luo's career were like Xiao Qiudong's, he'd undoubtedly have borrowed the money from him, but that wasn't the case. Listening to what Xiao Qiudong had said, Xiao Luo could only have saved 50 thousand dollars per year, at the most. He couldn't bring himself to borrow 120 thousand dollars from Xiao Luo, and he had to be considerate of Ji Siying's feelings. If Xiao Luo was to borrow him Ji Siying's money, won't that make it more difficult for him to face the Ji family?"

...

Chapter 295

Xiao Luo could guess what was worrying Xiao Ping, and smiling calmly, he said, "Relax, this is my own money. Give me your account number."

Although Luo Village was in a remote area, it still had 3G signal coverage, and thus performing an online bank transfer was not an issue.

"This..."

Xiao Ping hesitated, then he took out the bank card in his pocket. As he had planned to borrow the money from Xiao Qiudong today, he had brought along his bank card. After all, 120 thousand was by no means a small amount, and he couldn't be receiving the money in the form of cash, so it had to be a bank transfer.

Xiao Luo smiled as he keyed in Xiao Ping's bank account number and name, and completed the fund transfer.

Xiao Ping had his transaction alert activated for his bank card, so when the 120 thousand dollars had been transferred into his account, he immediately received a message on his cell phone. On seeing the amount reflected in the text message, his eyes became a little teary, and he sniffled, "Luo, have you lent me the money that you need to marry Miss Ji? If that's the case, I..."

"You're overthinking, Ping. I still have more than enough for that!"

Xiao Luo cut in with a light smile, and he finally knew for sure why Xiao Ping chose not to come to him. Firstly, Xiao Ping must have thought that he wasn't earning as much money as Xiao Qiudong. And secondly, that he wasn't married yet, and a wedding would cost at least 150 thousand in the village. Xiao Ping obviously had considered these two matters before he chose not to borrow money from him.

"You sure you're not lying to me?"

Xiao Ping was a little hesitant as he was afraid that Xiao Luo was only lying to him to allay any feelings of guilt he had.

"He isn't lying!"

Ji Siying stepped next to Xiao Luo, and in a gentle voice, she said, "Take the money and pay off your debt, it's okay."

It was at this moment that Xiao Ping finally felt at ease. He nodded continuously and thanked them both profusely. "Luo, thank you, and to you too, Miss Ji. I'll write an IOU."

"No."

Xiao Luo stopped him with a simple word. He patted his shoulder and said, "That isn't necessary between us."

"Y-yeah, Xiao Ping, since Xiao Luo already said so, you don't have to do that. Besides, there are so many of us here as witnesses, why should Xiao Luo be afraid of you not paying back." Xiao Dizhang laughed heartily.

Everyone couldn't help but laugh when they heard that.

"Luo, my good old brother!"

Xiao Ping and Xiao Luo gave each other a brotherly embrace.

The crowd gathered before the Seekong altar was gladdened, and they shared in a warm, genial atmosphere. Everyone aside from Xiao Qiudong that is. Nobody showed any concern for him, nor did anybody even look at him. It was like he did not exist. His face turned red, and he felt less than human as if he did not belong there. As he stood there all by himself, watching everyone's joy and laughter seemed like mockery to him.

"Xiao Luo, why are you always against me?"

Humiliated, he flew into a rage, consumed with a deep hatred. Without warning, he picked up a wooded club leaning at the entrance door and smashed it directly on Xiao Luo's skull.

CRACK! The wooden club struck the top of Xiao Luo's head, instantly breaking apart. Xiao Qiudong struck the blow with all his might, venting all his anger.

Oh, no!

Those two words flashed in Ji Siying's mind, and her expression changed immediately. No one could've known better than her the kind of person Xiao Luo was. He was a wild beast, and that strike with the club would definitely bring out the worst in him.

The crowd at Seekong altar gasped, wide-eyed in horror as they watched the scene unfold. They couldn't believe that Xiao Qiudong would hit Xiao Luo with a club, and more so, right on his skull!

"What are you doing, Xiao Qiudong!"

Xiao Ping was the first to snap out of the shock as he quickly pushed Xiao Qiudong away and went to check on Xiao Luo. "Luo, are you alright?"

Xiao Dizhang and Xiao Quanren looked aghast, both very worried about Xiao Luo's condition. Xiao Dizhang pointed at Xiao Qiudong and shouted, "Hold him down, lest he goes mad again and harms somebody else."

On hearing that, four to five strong-looking men standing close by leaped on him and held him firmly against the wall. As they did so, Xiao Qiudong maniacally laughed like he had gone mad.

"This lunatic! Bring him to the police station!" Xiao Dizhang said, enraged.

"Hold up!"

Xiao Luo stopped them.

"Xiao Luo..." 𝑙𝒾𝘣𝘳𝑒𝒶𝒹.𝑐𝘰𝓂

As the crowd looked on, Xiao Luo stepped forward ominously and stood in front of Xiao Qiudong.

Is he about to reveal his fangs?

Ji Siying felt her heart stop for a moment. She could feel the rage emanating from Xiao Luo's body. Even with the heat coming from the flames of incense candles warming the altar area, her body shivered uncontrollably.

"Xiao Qiudong, please give me an explanation," Xiao Luo said, looking right at Xiao Qiudong.

It was beyond his expectations that Xiao Qiudong would get physical on him. He felt disappointed with himself for not being more alert and taking a hit on the skull, but with his inner power protecting his body, that strike was nothing more than an itch and caused him no pain.

"Explain?"

Xiao Qiudong sneered, his face contorted with a hideous expression. "I just felt like smacking a superficial piece of garbage like you hanging onto a rich girl for a good life. That's my explanation! Don't like it? F*ckin bite me then!"

He had entirely lost his ability to reason. He felt immensely humiliated, and he blamed it all on Xiao Luo.

"Xiao Qiudong, I think you've gone mad!" Xiao Ping walked over and berated him.

"Even if I've gone mad, you are the ones who have forced me into madness. Xiao Luo is just a useless fart, why are you guys treating him like he's some genius? Being able to lend you 120 thousand dollars just like that, if it isn't that rich girl's money, then whose money can it be? If a damned salaryman can have so much money, I'll chop off my head, and you can all kick it around like a ball!" Xiao Qiudong said.

Old man Xiao Quanren shook his head quietly and sighed. "A heart of jealously mustn't exist; to exist, a heart of jealously mustn't be!" he said.

"Jealousy? Wise One, I think you're old and confused as well. I, Xiao Qiudong, jealous of Xiao Luo? Pfft, what a joke!" Xiao Qiudong responded, laughing out loud.

Suddenly, Xiao Luo laughed along with him, and it was a terrifying, sneering laugh. Then he grabbed the half-broken wooden club from one of the men holding Xiao Qiudong down.

Xiao Qiudong quivered, and the smile on his face froze abruptly.

The crowd was shocked. "Is Xiao Luo going to hit him back?"

Xiao Dizhang, as Luo Village's secretary, couldn't just stand aside and watch the fight escalate. He quickly shouted, "Xiao Luo, get a hold of yourself!"

With Xiao Dizhang backing him up and aware of Xiao Luo's calm temperament, Xiao Qiudong continued goading Xiao Luo. "Stop your act. You won't dare to hit me, even if you have ten times the courage, you will still..."

His voice suddenly stopped–the wooden club in Xiao Luo's hand smashed right across his skull.

KAPOW!

The half-broken wooden club splintered into pieces and flew in all directions.

Xiao Qiudong felt his head spin, and a stream of warm blood flowed down copiously over his face.

When the men holding him saw him bleeding, they unconsciously let go of him and stepped back. Without their support, Xiao Qiudong dropped to his knees in front of Xiao Luo, his body upright, and his head lolling. He who was already shorter than Xiao Luo and kneeling on the floor now made him seem even more so.

He raised his head with a look of disbelief as he gazed at Xiao Luo in terror. "You... you..."

"I... I... I what?"

Xiao Luo glared at him, a cynical smile formed as he curled up the corner of his mouth and said, "Han Shang once asked Shi De: 'Some people in the world slander me, bully me, insult me, laugh at me, belittle me, look me down, hate me and deceive me. What should I do about it?' My answer to him will be 'whack him up'!"

As soon as his ended words, he hurled his foot through the air and kicked Xiao Qiudong right in the face.

The crowd could almost hear the howling wind and feel the billowing force of the kick.

"Arghh!"

The kick sent Xiao Qiudong flying out from the Seekong shrine, shrieking horribly in pain before landing heavily onto the hard ground outside.

...

Chapter 296

In a blinding flash, Xiao Qiudong felt a searing pain when Xiao Luo's kick smashed into his face, striking below his forehead. It immediately swelled up alarmingly, making his nose and mouth a mess of red as he bled profusely. A tooth visibly flew out of his bloodied mouth, and in the next instant, Xiao Qiudong was lying on the ground, moaning in agony. The pain was unbearable, and he didn't stop whimpering for a while.

Gasp!

Everyone gathered at the Seekong altar inhaled sharply, stunned at the ferocity of Xiao Luo's aggression. Several of the children who witnessed the gory scene fell into a silent shock.

Xiao Luo turned to glance at the crowd with a face as cold as ice, then trudged away to leave the Seekong altar. Nothing would have happened had he been able to keep his calm. But he was enraged by Xiao Qiudong's sneak attack, who ultimately had to pay the price in blood to quell Xiao Luo's anger.

Just as Xiao Luo was leaving, nine men approached the shrine, five were middle-aged men, and the other four were unfriendly-looking young men. They were stunned when they saw Xiao Qiudong lying on the floor in pain and moaning. Then, spotting Xiao Luo, all nine of them glared furiously at him.

"Xiao Luo, so now that you're all grown up, you have found the b*lls to beat your seniors? I heard from Chaolai that you roughed him up and even assaulted my wife! If you cannot explain yourself tonight, I will break one of your legs in front of the altar to teach you a lesson on behalf of Seekong!"

The middle-aged man who shouted at Xiao Luo sported a crew cut and had a pair of intimidating eyes that looked fearsome even when he was not angry.

This middle-aged man with a crew cut was known as Xiao Chaofa, the eldest of Xiao Chaolai's brothers. The four younger-looking men were their sons.

Hearing the commotion outside, everyone from the Seekong shrine came out to check what was going on.

"Uncle Chaofa, we swear to god that Xiao Luo did not beat up An Yuan!"

"We were all present that day, and Xiao Luo did not go after Chaolai, but only beat him after Chaolai said that he was going to bury Deng Feng alive."

"That's right. And we all can vouch that Xiao Luo did not touch your wife at all."

The people who were at the Seekong shrine that night were all speaking out for Xiao Luo.

"Chaolai, did Xiao Luo beat up my wife?" Xiao Chaofa turned around and asked Xiao Chaolai.

Xiao Chaolai patted his chest convincingly and replied, "I was there, and he did assault her! How could anyone of you not see that he gave a big tight slap to An Yuan's face!"

"Chaofa, you must stand up for me. I was only nagging at him over a small, irrelevant matter, and that jerk suddenly slapped me. My face swelled up immediately, and it has only just started going down." An Yuan had just made her way there from home. She had a dark mark on her skin and pretended to be traumatized. She was even tearing up to make her case more compelling.

When Xiao Chaofa heard it, he instantly flew into a blind rage, and pointing his finger at Xiao Luo he roared, "You little jerk! you must have gotten bored of living, how dare you to slap my wife!" He then glared at the crowd and threatened, "Nobody is allowed to interfere later on, or I'll beat to death anyone who tries to help him. Since he dared to slap my wife, I'll teach him how to respect the seniors!"

Everyone quaked in their shoes, intimidated by his imposing manner. He was the person who had once strung up the brother of his nephew's wife and brutally beat him up using a whip. It was an extreme act of cruelty as his nephew's brother-in-law was almost beaten to death. Xiao Chaolai was jailed for three years because of the incident and had since been blacklisted. As such, no one dared to get in his way for any reason.

Xiao Dizhang coughed dryly and stood up to try to resolve the situation. "Chaofa, we should settle things peacefully; we're all family, so let's not harm the harmony within the family," he pleaded.

Even though he was the secretary of the shrine, he spoke gently to Xiao Chaolai, who, on the other hand, acted like a barbarian.

"Settle things peacefully? Secretary, if your wife was slapped by someone, can you just talk things out peacefully with the offender?" Xiao Chaolai asked coldly.

Xiao Dizhang blinked nervously and replied, "Chaofa, everyone here is well aware of Xiao Luo's personality, so you can't be relying on An Yuan's and Chaolai's baseless accusations that Xiao Luo slapped An Yuan, right?" He tried his best to diffuse the situation and added, "I wasn't there on that day, but many people were present, and they all witnessed the entire incident. They all said that Xiao Luo clearly did not slap your wife, so why not just calm down."

"You're saying that my wife is purposely framing this little jerk?" Xiao Chaofa pointed at Xiao Luo.

"You should know best about An Yuan's personality and behaviors, it's not beyond her to make such an accusation against Xiao Luo," Xiao Dizhang said.

"Bullshit!"

An Yuan screamed and threw a fit. "What do I get for accusing him of assaulting me? It's the truth, that little jerk slapped me, and if Chaolai did not come to my rescue, he would have continued to beat me up."

"Xiao Luo, you son of a b*tch, do you think you're some big shot now? How dare you to beat my mom. You better make up your mind which hand you used to hit her as I'm going to f*cking chop it off right now!"

A youngster dressed in a punky attire and with studs in his ears was shouting at Xiao Luo angrily, waving a knife in his hand. He was Xiao Dihong, the son of Xiao Chaolai and An Yuan.

"That's right, that's right, chop him up! This jerk is very arrogant these days, and he's not even giving the five of you any consideration at all!"

Xiao Qiudong, painfully picking himself up from the ground, was adding fuel to the fire as he hoped to stoke the flames of anger that would eventually lead to Xiao Chaofa and his brothers getting rid of Xiao Luo.

"Clansmen swearing and assaulting each other; if Seekong could see this from heaven, he'd be totally disappointed!" Xiao Quanren bemoaned, shaking his head with a sigh.

"Old man, there's nothing you can do here, go home and get some early rest." Xiao Chaofa was still courteous towards Xiao Quanren.

Xiao Quanren retorted, "As the eldest of the village, do you think that I could rest in peace knowing that so many of you are ganging up on Xiao Luo?"

"Hey...you old geezer, we are just trying to be polite calling you old man okay. So, don't think you are actually a 'somebody' around here," Xiao Dihong hissed, showing no respect to an elder.

Thwack!

Xiao Chaofa slapped the boy and gave him a scathing rebuke. "Who said you can talk to the old man like this? If you ever dare to scold the old man again, I'll slap the hell out of you!"

Xiao Dihong feared his father, and he quickly retreated, holding his hand over his throbbing face.

An Yuan felt sorry for her son and nudging Xiao Chaofa, she said, "Why did you slap our son? Xiao Luo is the one that beat up your brother and wife; you should go whack him right now. How does it help to slap our son?" 𝙡𝓲𝙗𝒓𝙚𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝒐𝙢

What a shameless and evil woman!

A hatred towards An Yuan formed in everyone's heart, and they were convinced that she was the one responsible for Xiao Chaofa being imprisoned.

Xiao Chaofa turned to Xiao Luo and bellowed, "You little jerk, better come over right now, and kneel on the floor. I want you to bow to your aunt and uncle Chaolai three times, then slap yourself twice, and I will let this pass. If not, I'll break one of your legs!"

"Haha, haha..."

Xiao Luo shrugged and laughed mockingly, and his eyes were filled with disdain.

He kept his hands in his pockets and walked down the temple steps slowly. As he passed An Yuan, he asked her, "Did I truly slap you?"

As she looked into Xiao Luo's eyes, An Yuan suddenly felt intimidated. But realizing that her husband and his brothers were with her, she regained her confidence and cockily responded to Xiao Luo. Putting on a cynical face and biting on a pumpkin seed, she said, "Aiyoh...now you're giving in? Are you afraid of admitting now? Where's the arrogant attitude you had back then? I thought you were pretty capable and even stole yourself a rich lady's heart, weren't you so proud of that?"

Her voice was annoyingly shrill, and those who could make out what she was saying clenched their jaws and fists, cursing this vile woman in their hearts.

...

Chapter 297

An Yuan was looking down her nose as she munched on the pumpkin seeds, eyeing Xiao Luo arrogantly. Knowing that she had the advantage of numbers with nine of her family members alongside her, she was bent on teaching Xiao Luo a lesson. She intended to send a clear warning to every person in the Luo village that her family was not to be trifled with. Nobody was allowed to bully them.

"Uncle Chaofa, Luo is not that kind of person, there must be some kind of misunderstanding," Xiao Ping said, stepping forward to defend Xiao Luo.

Xiao Qiudong, his head bathed in blood, still found the cheek to direct a sneering remark at Xiao Ping. "Hey, Xiao Ping, did you become so loyal to him because of the money that he lent you? Do you know that you're acting like a dog!"

"Xiao Qiudong, are you f*cking asking for a beating?"

Xiao Ping was infuriated, and he glared at Xiao Qiudong.

Xiao Qiudong, satisfied that he had annoyed Xiao Ping, gave him a disdainful smile. 𝓁𝑖𝑏𝑟𝘦𝒶𝘥.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Xiao Ping, do I have to repeat myself? I know that you're close to Xiao Luo, but honestly, you better stay out of it. If not, I will beat you up as well!" Xiao Chaofa scowled, his face filled with nothing but anger, and he stared at Xiao Ping menacingly.

Clap, clap, clap.

Suddenly a surprising round of applause drew everyone's attention.

Xiao Luo was clapping away with a sarcastic smile on his face. "Not bad, not bad at all. Your words and gestures were very poignant, what a fantastic show!"

Xiao Chaofa and his brothers were slightly taken aback at the sight of Xiao Luo applauding and a little confused by his words.

"What the f*ck are you trying to do? Believe me; I will slash you right now!" Xiao Dihong pulled out his knife and taunted Xiao Luo.

Xiao Luo laughed with contempt and lowered his head, then without any warning, he darted toward Xiao Dihong in a flash, and in the next moment, he was next to him. Before Xiao Dihong could even react, Xiao Luo's right leg lashed at his torso. The tremendous power that he unleashed was like a loaded spring being suddenly released.

Oomph!

A spray of blood burst out of Xiao Dihong's mouth as the energy from the powerful kick ravaged through his entire body. He flew backward like an artillery shell spiraling out of control and landed heavily some six or seven meters away. His body doubled over into a 'C' shape, and after twitching uncontrollably for a moment, he fainted and lay slumped with blood all over his nose and mouth.

Gasp!

Everyone watching from the Seekong altar was utterly shocked, as none of them had expected that Xiao Luo was so highly skilled in fighting. His movements were indeed out of this world and unbelievable, and even Ji Siying was genuinely awed by Xiao Luo's explosive power.

An Yuan threw away her pumpkin seeds and dashed toward Xiao Dihong in deep anguish. She was crying out her son's name repeatedly, "Dihong, Dihong, Dihong..."

Whoosh~

Xiao Luo moved like a ghost, and he suddenly appeared right in her face, blocking the way.

"Y-you...What do you want? Move!"

As she looked into Xiao Luo's eyes, An Yuan felt a shiver run down her spine, and her arrogant look disappeared altogether.

"Didn't you say I slapped you?"

Xiao Luo's eyes were piercingly cold. Without another word, he raised his right hand and slapped An Yuan across her dark face with a hefty blow.

Thwack!

It sounded like a loud clap, and a tooth flew out of her bloodied mouth as An Yuan spun on the spot, before collapsing.

She let out a shrill, blood-curdling scream as her face burned with unbearable pain. She held her hand to the left side of her face, which was swelling up alarmingly. Blood was oozing out from her mouth as she looked at Xiao Luo and trembled in fear. In her eyes, she saw Xiao Luo as a demon in the guise of a man.

"Now, I can say that I have indeed slapped you!"

Xiao Luo stared coldly at her with a disdainful smirk.

"You son of a b*tch, I am taking your life!"

Xiao Chaofa howled in rage. He loved his wife very much, and he went into a frenzy as he witnessed An Yuan getting slapped to the ground by Xiao Luo. He let out a roar and lifted an angular granite rock used to lay the foundation. He then rushed towards Xiao Luo, mercilessly smashing the rock at Xiao Luo's head.

Xiao Luo reacted instinctively, and he turned around to counter with a punch.

Crash!

His fist met the incoming rock, and a loud resounding thud echoed in the air, The tremendous power of the impact pulverized the heavy mountain rock that weighed some tens of catty. It shattered into countless pieces, sending them flying in all directions. Still recovering from the shock, Xiao Chaofa was even more surprised and in no position to defend himself, when Xiao Luo suddenly struck a high kick directly into his face.

URGH!

Xiao Chaofa's head was thrown back, and he collapsed with a painful groan as blood gushed out from his mouth.

Everyone was slack-jawed and lost for words, only their "oohs" and" aahs" were audible as they witnessed a scene that ordinarily could only happen on the Wuxia television programs.

Xiao Ping was also completely stunned, looking on like a paralyzed chicken.

A tremendous sense of fear now overcame xiao Qiudong. He could not believe that this was the same "weak" Xiao Luo that he had known all his life.

Xiao Chaolai and his six other kinsmen were equally stunned as they saw Xiao Luo's outrageous skills. They suddenly lost their courage, and none dared to rush at Xiao Luo to take him on.

"What, are you scared?"

Xiao Luo turned around and sneered at them.

"Xiao Luo, y-you...you better not overdo it!" Xiao Chaolai shouted, anxious, and stricken with fear.

"I am overdoing it?"

Xiao Luo could not help laughing and said, "Everyone in the village witnessed the deeds of your brothers, and we are all very aware of who the culprits are that is overdoing it. Come, let's continue, didn't you all want to teach me a lesson? Didn't you all want me to kneel on the ground to apologize? You were so arrogant earlier, so why are you all shivering now?"

Xiao Chaolai and his kin were indeed shivering and experiencing shortness of breath. They couldn't believe that Xiao Luo had become so powerful, he was like a monster, and they feared him.

"If you're not coming for me, then I'm coming for you!"

Xiao Luo flashed a sinister grin, and his eyes glowered for a brief moment. He whooped and flew at them before they knew it, thrashing three men and sending them flying in the air. They howled in excruciating pain, feeling as if the force of the blows shifted their internal organs. And just like Xiao Chaofa, they all ended up flat on the ground, vomiting blood.

One of them reacted in time and swung his wooden cudgel at Xiao Luo.

But, Xiao Luo's fist smashed through it like a culm of young bamboo, and the punch continued to land heavily on his chest, causing him to collapse and spew blood.

Another two men tried to resist, but Xiao Luo used a knife-hand chop on their necks, and they slumped to the ground, passing out immediately.

Xiao Chaolai was the last man standing, and as Xiao Luo approached him ominously, there was no escape. He cringed from Xiao Luo's cold stare.

"It's your turn now!"

His words were cold as steel and heartless, a voice from the hell of Novoland [1].

Xiao Chaolai broke out in a cold sweat and instantly dropped to his knees, begging for mercy. He was so terrified that he wet his pants, and the air was rank with the pungent smell of urine.

"N-no, I-I'm wrong, Xiao Luo, I admit that I'm wrong...please," Xiao Chaolai pled for his life, he was pale as a ghost and overcome with dread.

"You now know you're wrong? What did you do wrong?"

Xiao Luo's expression was stern and wrathful, seeming like he'd go through the roof at any time, and Xiao Chaolai couldn't help feeling that he was facing a bloodthirsty demon.

"I-I shouldn't have instigated An Yuan to accuse you of slapping her, and I shouldn't have instigated my brothers to deal with you. My mouth is evil, and I deserve to be punished by you."

Xiao Chaolai kept slapping himself and was in such fear of Xiao Luo that he blurted, "A-and I shouldn't have slept with An Yuan, sob, sob. I even had an affair with my brother's wife!"

The fear he had towards Xiao Luo drove him to lose his composure entirely, and he inadvertently spilled every single dirty little secret he had.

Everyone heard and was in a complete state of shock as they looked over at An Yuan. Only then did they realize why the two of them were always together, even going up the mountain together to get firewood. Nobody would have suspected that they had an extramarital relationship!

Chapter 298

"Such a shameless woman, she's really a woman who has zero sense of shame!"

Xiao Quanren declared with grief and resentment, as such a scandal of younger brother committing adultery with his sister-in-law actually happened in the Xiao clan. If this had happened in ancient times, they would be dipped into the river in a pig cage for punishment, it was way too shameful.

Everyone looked at An Yuan with an enormous and deep sense of disgust, as not only this woman was vicious, she also committed adultery with his husband's brother, which was nearly unbearable.

Against everyone's eyes and Xiao Quanren's rebuke, An Yuan looked panicked. When she saw the same questioning expression coming from her husband's face, she became flustered, a complete state of panic. Then, she pointed at Xiao Chaolai and scolded loudly, "Chaolai, are you nuts, who had a relationship with you, you...you better stop spitting nonsense!"

Although her voice was loud, everyone could tell that she was feeling guilty and scared.

Xiao Chaolai calmed down and realized that he had spilled out the biggest taboo in his life, now the entire Luo Village would probably look down on him. He intended to explain but Xiao Luo's demonic voice came about at that moment.

"She said you're spiting nonsense, aren't you going to rebut that?" Every word he said was extremely chilly.

Xiao Chaolai shivered as he understood what Xiao Luo wanted him to do, to prove that everything was real and sensible. He was setting him and An Yuan up to be utterly discredited, which was really ruthless.

"Say it, I'll let you go if you say it." Xiao Luo smiled at him eerily suddenly.

Xiao Chaolai lifted his head and looked into his eyes, his pupils enlarged and his consciousness was gone for a moment. Xiao Luo had hypnotized him and made him spoke subconsciously, "She bought my pillowcase and had sewn the character 'Lai' at the front and 'Feng' at the back. 'Lai' represents me and 'Feng' represents her."

Chen Xifeng, this was An Yuan's real name!

Everyone frowned upon hearing that and that was way too shameless and disgusting. She was way past her fifties and yet still hooking up with another man, who was her very husband's younger brother, this had shamed the entire Luo Village altogether.

An Yuan looked pale like a pile of ash and her dark face was almost crying, she knew that she could never raise her head up high anymore in Luo Village since such scandal was exposed.

"Bitch!"

Xiao Chaofa was infuriated and bellowed with his coarse voice. He resembled an extremely angry ox, his eyes were fully bloodshot and finally under the rage, he vomited a huge gush of blood and collapsed.

"What an interesting story you've told us!"

Xiao Luo smiled mirthlessly as he wanted to break a leg of Xiao Chaolai, but he quickly realized that it was more painful for Xiao Chaolai to be exposed of his adultery act with his sister-in-law than breaking merely a leg.

Although everyone was shocked by Xiao Luo's ruthlessness, they all were cheering for him in their minds. Xiao Chaofa and his brothers finally got the taste of justice this time as not only they were taught a lesson mercilessly, their scandalous act was even made known publicly. Certainly, what comes around goes around, it was just not a criminal's time yet if he has not reaped what he sowed.

The blood on Xiao Qiudong's face has dried up and blood has stop flowing out from his gum. He stared blankly at Xiao Chaofa and his brothers on the ground, who were still moaning from Xiao Luo's beating. He felt nothing but chills coming down from the top of his head and that made his entire body felt cold.

Out of a sudden, a giant hand appeared in his vision and grabbed his collar abruptly.

He tried to focus but only met against Xiao Luo's slightly ferocious yet handsome face.

"Xiao Qiudong, I've tolerated you for a very long time, every time I'd remind myself that you and I are childhood friends, but you are always trying my limit every single time. Do you think that I deserved to be bullied by you? I'm sorry, this might give you a sense of accomplishment, but I am very unhappy, pretty unhappy!"

Xiao Luo grabbed Xiao Qiudong's collar and swung him up in the air mercilessly, then threw him towards the wall of Seekong Altar like a gunny sack.

"Bump...Crack..."

With a deep percussion and a bone-cracking sound, excruciating pain came through his legs to his brain and Xiao Qiudong screamed with his face painted full of fear. His screams were so piercing that resembled ghost cries and wolf howls, while his body was struggling violently.

It was hard to provoke Xiao Luo usually but if he was, there ought to be pain and blood to quell his anger. He really did not want to care about Xiao Qiudong, but ignoring him had led him to be looked down and thrashed upon, which was intolerable to him.

Everyone felt nothing but fear as they have finally witnessed both the angelic and demonic sides of Xiao Luo. He was such a perfect combination of angel and demon, but at this moment, the most ferocious and demonic side of him has manifested.

"Xiao Luo, you've done enough." 𝒍𝙞𝙗𝒓𝒆𝙖𝓭.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Although Xiao Qiudong was at complete fault, Xiao Dizhang as the secretary could not let Xiao Luo beat Xiao Qiudong to death in his presence.

"Uncle Dizhang, I know when to stop."

Xiao Luo smiled at him and continued approaching Xiao Qiudong.

"Oomph~"

A noisy motor sound could be heard approaching from afar, it was a trishaw that raced through the road towards here.

"It's Zhiyuan!"

"Zhiyuan's finally here, Xiao Luo would have beat Xiao Qiudong to death if he's still not reaching."

"Who informed Zhiyuan, it's such a brilliant choice."

Everyone sighed out of relief, so was Ji Siying. Nobody but Xiao Luo's parents could probably stop Xiao Luo.

The trishaw stopped at the public grain sunning area, Xiao Zhiyuan and Hua Heying came down from the trishaw. They ran towards Seekong Altar quickly and looked slightly confused upon seeing Xiao Chaofa and his brothers on the ground.

"Xiao Luo, Xiao Chaofa and his gang were going to mess with you, are you injured?" Xiao Zhiyuan asked caringly.

Hua Heying just checked on Xiao Luo's body thoroughly to see if he has sustained any injury, "Son, are you wounded? If those jerks had hurt you, your dad and I would seek justice to the end even if we would be jailed."

Xiao Luo shook his head and smiled, "Mom, dad, I'm fine!"

Everyone was speechless as Xiao Zhiyuan had a machete on his waist and a rifle in his hand, he did not come to stop the fight but end the war with more violence.

Xiao Dizhang had no choice but approached them and sighed, "Zhiyuan, I had asked you to come to stop the fight, why did you bring a rifle? What do you want to do?"

Xiao Zhiyuan then realized he had a rifle in his hand, then tried to hide in behind him and explained, "Secretary, there're many wild boars at night and this is for self-defense."

"For god's sake, Xiao Chaofa and his brothers think that they could bully my son just because they had more people, we brought this to hunt them like how we hunt wild boars." He Huaying answered firmly, Xiao Luo was her dearest darling and she would risk her life fighting against anyone who could have threatened his life.

Everyone there felt shocked and thought, "Well maybe Xiao Luo's ruthlessness was not nurtured but inherited from the two of you."

...

Chapter 299

"Uncle and aunt, rest assured, Luo isn't hurt at all. However, uncle Chaofa and gang were all beaten up by Luo." Xiao Ping approached them and explained the whole story to Xiao Zhiyuan and Hua Heying clearly.

Xiao Chaofa was actually beaten to the ground by Xiao Luo?

Xiao Zhiyuan and Hua Heying looked at each other and they were obviously not expecting the event to turn out like this.

"Xiao Luo must have been blessed by Seekong, after drinking the divine water, he had gained endless power and became a ferocious warrior. This was Seekong's divine wrath on Xiao Chaofa and his brothers, to punish them for their brutality in Luo Village over these years!" Xiao Quanren shouted loudly with full of emotion.

Xiao Chaofa and his brothers felt guilty and they looked at Seekong's statue subconsciously, his smiling face looked as if there was a deeper meaning behind.

Everyone also bowed at Seekong's statue sincerely as they believed that Seekong had just intervened this matter through Xiao Luo's hands to punish Xiao Chaofa and his four brothers.

It did not take too long for the ambulance to arrive, which eventually sent the gang of Xiao Chaofa to the county hospital.

It was in the hall on the second floor at home, Ji Siying felt very uneasy facing the stares from both Xiao Zhiyuan and Hua Heying. Although she had greeted them, saying "Nice to meet you, uncle and aunt", they still just looked at her with smiles only.

"You're Siying right, how could our Xiao Luo date you possibly, he's really fortunate."

Hua Heying was taking a stance of mother-in-law, "Our Xiao Luo's very honest and loyal towards his partner, but he has some machismo traits and likes to look good, these are inherited from his dad."

Xiao Zhiyuan was nodding with approving attitude initially but he was startled by that last line, he then widened his eyes and said rebelliously, "What do you mean by inherited from me, since when I display traits of machismo."

Hua Heying sneered, "I'm just telling the truth, why are you widening your eyes, do you think that you the only with big eyes here?"

"Right right right, he inherited those from me, it's all me!" Xiao Zhenyuan conceded defeat.

"Meticulous, serious and loyal are all traits given to my son from me, they have nothing to do with you, don't get too cocky over a little appraisal." Hua Heying continued to criticize.

Xiao Zhiyuan did not how to rebut and he showed a sad face and turned to Xiao Luo.

Xiao Luo shrugged and spread his hands, meaning he cannot help him too.

"Haha~"

Ji Siying could not help but burst out of laughter as she felt that Xiao Luo's parents were very interesting.

"Siying looks very pretty when she smiles." Hua Heying held her hands tightly.

"Aunt looks even better."

"I'm old and full of wrinkles now, my skin is no longer dewy."

"You're not old at all, aunt still looks very young." Ji Siying smiled.

"I'm one year to being fifty years old, isn't that old. You're such a sweet talker, by the way, do you use any skin care product? Your skin is so soft and nice."

Ji Siying stunned for a while as she did not know what He Huaying was trying to imply.

"Don't misunderstand aunt, Siying, I just wanted to check if you are a skincare expert. My complexion is terrible and I don't know what kind of products to purchase."

"Aunt, your skin type is oily, so you should not emphasize on the oiliness of your skincare products. I know of a brand called Qilao, its perfect for oily skin treatment."

"Qilao? There's such a brand?"

"Yep, I can order one for you online later. Besides using skincare products, you should take more rest and refrain from burning midnight oil as it is very harmful to women's skin."

"Yup, Siying's right, I haven't sleep before 11 p.m. all these years."

The two women quickly made acquaintance and started chatting enthusiastically, which left Xiao Zhiyuan and Xiao Luo idling aside.

The father and son decided to shift to the balcony and chatted under the dark sky.

"That girl's pretty decent, you should keep her." Xiao Zhiyuan said.

Xiao Luo felt awkward to answer him, so he planned to play dumb by keeping quiet.

"What's going on with you, how could you manage to beat up Xiao Chaofa and his brothers all on your own?" Xiao Zhiyuan asked curiously, he knew better than anyone about his own son, since when he became such a ferocious fighter?

Xiao Luo laughed fakely, "I had practiced free boxing over the year while I'm out of the village."

Of course he would not say that he had been fused with a system, his father would think that he had went nuts had he said that.

"What kind of free boxing is so powerful, you could shatter a boulder with just a punch?" Xiao Zhiyuan was still unconvinced.

"Everyone was exaggerating, I am not that almighty." Xiao Luo scratched the back of his head and smiled unnaturally.

Xiao Zhiyuan nodded and agreed, the people in the village must have overexaggerated the issue. So he did not continue this topic further, but changed to regarding the farm, "What's your plan for the farm after the new year?"

"I plan to build a small farmhouse that encompasses leisure, dining and accommodation altogether." Xiao Luo spoke about his plan seriously.

"A farmhouse?"

Xiao Zhiyuan shook his head, "Who would want to visit such a rural place like ours."

"There are people from big cities as the general trend of developments is leaning towards the rural area. As long as we advertise, we'll receive customers from every corner. Don't forget that there's an expressway toll station three kilometers away from the farm, the transportation would become convenient as long as we fix the dirt road into wide cemented road." Xiao Luo said.

Xiao Zhiyuan frowned, "If we're really running a farmhouse, your mom and I would not be able to take care of everything."

"Dad, listen to me, since we are moving towards a farmhouse, then we ought to reduce on what we are rearing now, such as pigs and ducks. These two kinds of livestock are tiring yet their profitability is uncertain. If the market rate is good, we could earn more; else we might even make losses. This is the main reason why our farm has been running for seven years but it's not successful."

Xiao Zhiyuan could not help but nod, even though he would not like to admit, he had to accept this truth. It was indeed like what Xiao Luo said, the market rate for ducks was good this year, it could be sold for seventeen bucks per catty. However, there was a major influx of foreign ducks last year, so the market rate took a huge plunge to ten bucks per catty or even nine bucks per catty, which had made their hard work went down to the drain completely."

"If it's for leisure purpose, we would need some attractive programs, I have thought of a few, the first one would be hiking."

Xiao Luo said slowly, "The farmhouse is located right at the foot of Mount Luo, which is known for its beautiful scenes. It's also full of primitive and lush forest, we could attract the hiking enthusiasts by fixing a hiking path on the mountain. Secondly, we could widen and deepen our existing pond and add some fishing podiums to its surrounding, it would become a very suitable place to fish. Thirdly, we could make fishing lobsters our selling point. The lobsters could reproduce easily and they require very little effort to keep, we just have to buy a few hundred of them and leave them in the water source of the farmhouse, we could get a ginormous amount of lobsters within half a year, the fourth program would be..."

Xiao Zhiyuan became more mesmerized as he listened, he realized that his son's vision was far more perfect than his expectation, he had covered the details and operations fully. He was also very ambitious as he planned to cover the entire city or even nationwide, as compared to his own plan that only covered the small town.

...

Chapter 300

Xiao Luo's vision was giant as he intended to run a recreational farmhouse, he wanted to restructure the farmland of a thousand acres entirely, besides setting up some recreational programs, he still needs to build a basketball court, badminton court, pool, hotel...it would be a complete makeover to the farm.

Of course, this farmhouse still required Xiao Zhiyuan, his father to manage, as Xiao Luo did not want to be tied down by such fixed assets. He would take charge of investment and envision, but Xiao Zhiyuan would lead the rebuilding, operating and advertising in the long run.

Xiao Zhiyuan took out a notebook humbly and recorded every Xiao Luo's vision, as it was far superior to his current model. The profit derivation was shifted to service-based, rather than the original livestock product-based.

"I have estimated roughly that the total investment sum is around eight million, if we run it well, we could earn back within three quarters. We would start to profit from the fourth quarter, which means that from the next year-end, the farmhouse would start to render profit."

Xiao Luo went an extra mile on this matter as it concerned his parents' lives, he cannot possibly be letting his parents stay that way and always be busy all year round. They did not even have time to rest at all. By turning the farm into a farmhouse, his parents would become the real bosses. His parents would be less toiling once the operations of the farmhouse settled down completely, and they could even travel the world.

"In terms of recruiting, there has to be one person-in-charge for every program. There are also hotel managers, chefs, support staff, security personnel and et. Cetera. Dad, the farm is your dream, you can take care of all of these and I won't interfere."

Xiao Zhiyuan nodded and became very determined suddenly, "Rest assured, there're many youngsters in Luo Village who aren't willing to venture out to work, when we have rebuilt the farmhouse, let's recruit all of them to work for us."

Xiao Luo frowned slightly, "Dad, we're starting a business, not a charity, even though we're all from the same big family, we cannot recruit every single of them without screening. We have to acquire people with the qualities of being practical, down to earth and hardworking."

Although these words were harsh, they were very reasonable words. Xiao Zhiyuan also woke up from his sweet dream and realized the cold hard truth, if his new employees were lazy and lacking the commitment to fight, smoking through every day at work would only be detrimental to the operation of the recreational farmhouse.

"Oh right, you've whooped the shortie's ass, his family's probably gonna mess with you shamelessly, just ignore them if you could, don't get down to the mud with them." After discussing about the farm, Xiao Zhiyuan changed the topic to what had gone down today.

"I'll try."

Xiao Luo took a deep breath, he would not want to stand opposite to Xiao Qiudong's parents if possible.

He was really close to Xiao Qiudong when he was young and he visited his house very frequently. Xiao Qiudong's parents were very decent to him and they would always leave him with pockets full of snacks when he leaves. However due to Xiao Qiudong now, the two families had officially gone bad blood and to be honest, he was not prepared to face the two seniors.

Xiao Zhiyuan did not speak too much as his son was a grown man, he needed to face the consequences of his actions. He would not want his son to live under his wings of protection forever. It was harmful to his son and it was not love at all. Hence, he had always only provided opinions to Xiao Luo when it came to decision-making, he would never decide everything for him. Everyone has his own path to take and to each his own dream, not even parents have the right to interfere.

Hua Heying and Ji Siying hit off really well, before they go back to the farm, she took out her heirloom jade bracelet from a secret corner in the house to give her as she was very fond of Ji Siying as her daughter-in-law.

This gave Ji Siying a big surprise and she tried to return it to her immediately.

Xiao Luo also agreed that it was too early to present the jade bracelet, but Hua Heying was very insistent on this matter. In addition, she was supported by the grandparents and her husband, this heirloom jade bracelet had finally landed on Ji Siying's hand.

"Mr. Xiao Luo, what to do..."

When there were only Xiao Luo and Ji Siying in the hall of second floor, Ji Siying was really anxious. She wanted to return this jade bracelet to the Xiao family, her role as Xiao Luo's fiancée was fake, it was not authentic. Even if she was authentic, she could not have received such a precious gift.

"Just wear it first."

Xiao Luo was conflicted, although this jade bracelet was not pricey, it carried a substantial meaning to the family since it was inherited from his great grandfather. They used to be a family of landlords, who had some jewelry and ornaments more or less. Although the family had declined and it only managed to keep that bracelet, so it was inherited generation after generation, which was equivalent to the heirloom of the family.

If he was to take it back, he would be in a difficult position if his parents question him later, since they were the ones who gave it away. If he let things be, Ji Siying was not his real girlfriend and this bracelet was meant for his real future wife since it was an heirloom.

"When we leave Luo Village after the New Year celebration, return the bracelet."

Xiao Luo added, "You shall take care of it for my family during this period."

"Roger."

Ji Siying nodded seriously.

"Luo, Luo..."

Xiao Ping's calling came about from downstairs.

Xiao Luo walked to the window, "Brother Ping, what's going on?"

"Come to my house, Luo, my parents have some words for you." Xiao Ping said.

Some words for me?

Xiao Luo was suspicious but he informed Ji Siying about it right after and left shortly after switching his shoes.

Xiao Luo only got to know that aunt Taoxiu and uncle Youfu intended to express their gratitude to him. They kowtowed to him and Xiao Luo could not stop them totally, they had let their emotion get better of them. Xiao Ping had experienced a business failure and he was in a huge debt of two hundred thousand, this was a gigantic impact on his family. In their eyes, Xiao Luo was sending charcoal on snow days and that had made him their benefactor.

Xiao Luo spent a great amount of time to comfort them, then escaped back to his home in a hurry as he really could not deal with the expression of gratitude

He opened his room door...

"Ah~" 𝓁𝑖𝘣𝘳ℯ𝘢𝘥.𝒸ℴ𝑚

A crisp and panic voice was heard and Xiao Luo was shocked immediately after raising his head.

Ji Siying had used his washroom to bath and she was just done with bathing. She was fully naked at the moment when Xiao Luo pushed the door and her black lush hair was flowing down from her head to her waist.

Even though Xiao Luo was far calmer than usual folks, he too felt a gush of warm wave rushing up to his brain and then throughout his entire body as the scene was really seductive and aesthetic.

He remained speechless and retreated immediately while closing the door. He also checked if he had entered the wrong room simultaneously, but that was indeed his room. Why was Ji Siying using his room to bath? There was a washroom in the room that he had prepared for her, what was going on?

...