I suddenly rushed in, catching them off guard. After I kicked one of them down, the remaining two reacted. One looked short but was very burly and strong, carrying a piece of steel pipe; the other held a dagger. They quickly exchanged glances and pounced on me from opposite sides!
The guy on the left with the steel pipe came crashing down on my head. I dodged to the side and grabbed his wrist. Surprisingly, he reacted incredibly quickly; I only managed to grab his arm, but he easily broke free. The other guy with the dagger lunged at my chest. I quickly stepped back and kicked him in the wrist, making him cry out in pain. The dagger fell to the ground. This guy was clearly an experienced fighter; instead of retreating, he advanced and started grappling with me. The room was too small, and I couldn't move freely. He closed in, and I dodged his punch, tripping him with a hook of my foot. But the guy with the steel pipe was already crashing down. This time I couldn't dodge, and my shoulder was hit, making me wince in pain.
The guy on the ground had already twisted my waist, trying to knock me down. I kneed him twice, and he hit my chin, yelling in pain but holding back. In the struggle, I was hit in the back by a steel pipe.
"Damn it!" I roared, seeing the other guy bring the steel pipe down again. This time, I didn't dodge. I bravely raised my arm to take the blow, and with my other hand, I punched him in the chest and ribs. The guy yelled and fell backward. Only then did I finally shake off the guy who was holding me on the ground, and kicked him in the chest. The man couldn't catch his breath and sat on the ground coughing. I went over and picked up the guy with the steel pipe.
This guy was clearly trained too. He took a punch to the chest but still had the strength to raise his arm to parry. When I grabbed his collar, he even tried to use grappling techniques to twist my wrist. I sneered, grabbed his fingers, and then pulled hard...
A scream immediately came from the room. I took the opportunity to dislocate his arm joint, and then kneed him in the stomach, finally causing him to fall to the ground.
I was also a little out of breath.
Both of these guys are veterans, very experienced in fighting. They fight relentlessly and physically, it's tough.
I'm fairly skilled, and when I encounter small-time thugs who bully the weak and fear the strong, I can take down one or two with my sharp skills and intimidate the others. But against seasoned veterans, that doesn't work.
After dealing with those two, he himself took a few hits.
It's clear that kung fu isn't a magic bullet. And that was only because I took care of one person the moment I walked in! If I were facing three people, I probably would have had to put in a lot more effort.
After all, one can't fight against many opponents, and if the opponent is not weak and is willing to fight desperately, I can't guarantee that I will escape unscathed.
I looked back at that scumbag; he was already trembling with fear. I went over and punched him in the face. Blood immediately streamed from his nose, and he screamed in agony, clutching his face and bending over.
Ning Yan's hands weren't bound by rope, but by duct tape. I took out my key, made a cut, and easily tore it open.
Well... these people are very professional!
Using duct tape instead of rope to tie someone up is a practice known only to experienced individuals. Transparent duct tape can be used to wrap the wrists, effectively immobilizing the person. Moreover, there's no need to worry about incidents, because if rope is used and the victim is caught, it can become evidence, while duct tape... is something most households have. Rope can also chafe the victim's wrist skin, which could later become evidence in a medical examination, a problem that duct tape avoids.
I untied Ning Yan and tore off a piece of tape from her mouth. Ning Yan was stunned. When I rushed in, she was struggling and screaming. While watching me fight, she desperately tried to shout something, but her mouth was gagged and she couldn't speak. Now, she seemed completely dumbfounded…
"Are you alright, Sister Ning?" I smiled.
"I'm fine... Chen Yang, how did you get here?" Ning Yan asked hurriedly. "How did you know I was here? How did you find me? Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
I smiled and said, "I'm fine. If it weren't for that clever girl at the company, you would have been in big trouble today!"
He glanced back at the guys on the ground, then walked over and helped the scumbag up. The guy was trembling with fear, cowering in a ball, and stammered, "You, you, you, you, don't come any closer!"
I laughed: "Don't worry, I won't hit you." After a pause, I deliberately sighed: "When I get angry, I can't control my strength, and I just get angry when I see scum like you... If I accidentally hurt you, I'll get into trouble, so don't worry, I won't touch you."
I smoked a cigarette and couldn't help but say a few more words to Ning Yan. This woman is just utterly inexplicable!
I couldn't help but berate her for being weak and easily bullied: "Are you crazy? You actually went with them obediently? And even brought them home to get the money? Why didn't you ask your colleague to call the police?"
Ning Yan lowered her head and suddenly whispered, "Chen Yang... have you already called the police?"
"No." I shook my head: "Calling the police? That's too easy on that bastard."
A while later, my phone rang. It was Awei. He had already arrived downstairs with his men. I told Awei to bring them up directly.
This kid actually managed to bring over a dozen heavily armed security guards in one go, in two vans. Awei looked a bit fatter than before, but the scar on his face was still as menacing as ever. Ning Yan, seeing so many people rushing in, was somewhat frightened and glanced at me with fear: "Chen Yang..."
"They're all my friends," I said calmly. "Sister Ning, I'll settle this for you today! So that this scumbag won't bother you again!"
Ning Yan seemed about to say something, but I had already turned to look at Awei: "Is the place ready?"
"The usual place." Awei grinned. "It's been a while since I've done anything with Brother Wu. Damn, I can have some fun today."
The dozen or so men were all my former underlings at Jinbihuihuang. Most of them had received my favor before. They greeted me one by one and respectfully called me Brother Wu. I ordered them to be loaded into the car.
"Sister Ning, do you have a divorce agreement at home? You've been going through this divorce for so long, you must have one at home."
"Um...yes." Ning Yan was a little uneasy and leaned closer to whisper, "Chen Yang...don't do anything out of line...it'll be hard to handle."
I laughed and patted her on the shoulder: "Don't worry, Sister Ning, I know what I'm doing." I sighed: "Actually, it's not your fault... Sigh, you're a woman here all alone, with no relatives or friends. You don't dare to speak up when you encounter this kind of person, so I can't blame you."
After going downstairs, Awei helped the scumbag and the other extortionists into the car, and then the group drove out of the community. Ning Yan got into my car.
"Awei, you guys go first. I'm taking my sister to the hospital. I'll come find you later..." I said to Awei before we parted, then whispered to Ning Yan when she wasn't looking, "Take good care of them, but don't go too far. I'll come find you later."
Part One: In the Martial World, Not in Control of One's Own Fate, Chapter Eighty-Five: Don't Worry, I Won't Hit You
After a check-up at the hospital, Ning Yan was fine, just a little swollen on her face, apparently from being slapped. I sighed beside her; that scumbag really had the guts to do that…
Lost in thought, the female doctor wearing a mask looked at me with disdain and seemed to whisper, "How can there be a man who beats his wife..." Then she pointed at me and shouted, "Hey! You! Go and prescribe the medicine! Her gums are bleeding! Are you even a man? You look decent enough, how can you lay a hand on a woman like that?"
Ning Yan's face flushed red, and she quickly said, "It's not him...it's me...it's my brother."
The female doctor's eyes softened a bit: "Oh, I see... Hmm, your little brother is quite nice." She changed to a kinder tone: "Go to the window on the left outside to pay the bill. Remember to get her some ice when you get home, but don't leave it on for too long. The swelling will go down by tomorrow."
I forced a wry smile and led Ning Yan out. Ning Yan, however, pulled me back and whispered, "Chen Yang, shouldn't you get checked out too? You seemed to have been injured earlier as well..."
I shook my head: "No need." I thought to myself, what's a little injury? I was just hit by two steel pipes, no blood and no broken skin.
But that bastard was pretty strong; the beating still hurts a little.
When I was getting my prescription filled, I asked the person at the window, "Excuse me, could you give me an extra bottle of safflower oil?"
"Go find a pharmacy outside to buy medicine! This is a hospital!" the person inside replied impatiently, throwing the medicine out the window and quickly taking the prescription from my hand. Before leaving, they rolled their eyes at me.
Damn it, this is the quality of hospitals in our country.
I pursed my lips and walked out of the hospital with Ning Yan: "You go home first. Go home and rest for a while, don't go to the company."
"No way!" Ning Yan immediately refused. "I'll go with you! Don't do anything stupid, Chen Yang! If you get into trouble because you're standing up for me, I'll feel terribly guilty!"
I laughed: "Don't worry, I won't."
Seeing that Ning Yan was still worried, I sighed and said seriously, "Ning Yan, we haven't known each other for very long, but you should know me a little bit. I just want to help you settle this matter! I won't say anything else, I just want to tell you. I wasn't a good person before, and I've done things like this before. I know my limits and won't get myself into trouble."
There was something I didn't say: If Fang Nan comes back, I probably won't stay at this company anymore. Before I leave, I'll do this as a favor to that poor woman, Ning Yan.
Ning Yan tried to refuse, but I drove her all the way home and forcibly pulled her out of the car. Then I told her, "Don't call the police, remember that."
No matter how much Ning Yan shouted, I drove away.
Actually, not far from Ning Yan's house in the west of the city, there's a small warehouse, not far from the Qintan River. There used to be an old food factory there, but it closed down, leaving behind several warehouses that were rented out. One of them was rented by a nightclub, specifically for storing miscellaneous items like drinks, food, etc.
This place is quite remote, and I've done some "things" here before.
I drove into the gate of the abandoned factory. There were hardly any people in the factory now, except for an unemployed man from the street who was guarding the gate. I just threw him two packs of cigarettes and he didn't care about anything else. He was very sensible.
One of my underlings was squatting by the door smoking. Seeing me drive up in the distance, he immediately stood up. I got out of the car and walked over to him: "How did it go?"
He grinned and said, "Brother Wei is having a blast inside."
I nodded and added, "Keep a close eye on them."
"Don't worry, Fifth Brother, nobody comes to this area."
I snorted, pulled out a whole pack of cigarettes, and threw it at him: "Be smart."
Pushing open the warehouse door, I was greeted by a damp, musty smell.
Nanjing is surrounded by mountains on three sides and borders the river on the other. The air is very humid in winter. In this kind of warehouse, there is no sunlight all year round. Some boxes in the corners are moldy, and there is a strange smell when you come in.
Ah Wei had taken off his coat, holding a bicycle chain folded into a fist in his hand. He had sweat on his forehead, his face was flushed, and the scars on his face were shining red. He was squatting on a box, smoking.
The guys who had been brought back were squatting side by side on the ground, their hands covering their heads, their backs against the wall. It must be noted that these guys looked miserable, their bodies and heads were soaked, and there were several basins next to them, probably indicating that they had been doused with water several times.
Looks like Awei's having a great time... I stroked my chin, shook my head, and smiled.
Ah Wei, that kid,'s been to jail. He has way more tricks up his sleeve when it comes to messing with people than I do...
For example, when we discipline people, punching and kicking are considered inferior methods.
In such cold weather, if you were doused with two buckets of cold water, getting wet from the inside out, you would know what it felt like in less than ten minutes!
When I came in, these guys were already shivering from the cold, two of them had purple lips and their teeth were chattering.
Awei grinned maliciously: "You guys are just unlucky. Who the hell is not to be messed with? You dare to mess with our Fifth Brother? You won't be leaving here alive today without getting a good beating."
Just then, he saw me walking over and quickly jumped off the box: "Fifth Brother, you're here? These guys have already been out in the wind! It's perfect that you're here. Let's see how my cooking skills are doing lately."
After saying that, he looked at the group of people for a few moments, then pointed to one of them and said, "That's him!"
With a wave of his hand, two of his underlings went over and dragged the guy out. No matter how much he struggled, they quickly stripped him naked, revealing his bare back.
Awei went over and glanced at him. The guy was still trembling. Then Awei kicked him, pointed at his skinny frame, and laughed, "Damn! You're not a drug addict, are you? How come you're so skinny?"
Then he winked and said, "Hold him down!"
A few henchmen came over. Some held his hands down, others grabbed his legs, and they quickly pinned the guy to the ground, his body pressed tightly against the floor.
Awei weighed the chain in his hand. He walked over, raised his hand, and lashed the man's back...
Snap!
The boy screamed in pain like a pig being slaughtered!
"What are you yelling about! Feeling pain already? You'll get even worse in a bit!" Awei laughed and scolded, then lashed out with the chain again...
Snap!
Two blood-red marks immediately appeared on the boy's back.
To be honest, Awei is actually quite perverted.
First, you pour water on the person so their body is numb from the cold, and their pain receptors are somewhat desensitized. At this point, applying water will significantly reduce the pain…
Don't think Awei is being kind! Hmph! He only hits you like this so you can endure the pain for a little longer! And after you've screamed and struggled a lot, and your body has warmed up, you've recovered from the freezing... the effects of the freezing wear off, and your body gradually regains its sensitivity...
At this point, the wounds that have already been treated will become increasingly painful! They may even hurt twice as much as usual!
To put it bluntly... only those who have been to prison would know so many dirty tricks for punishing people.
Awei whipped the kid with the chain a few times. The kid screamed in pain, but gradually stopped struggling. Awei then pointed to another person. Several henchmen went to pull him out, but this guy, who seemed to be their leader, immediately shouted, "Wait, wait!"
He probably realized I was the leader of our group, and he shouted at me, "Hey buddy, it's a misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding! We're all just trying to make a living, you don't have to be so ruthless, do you? Leave a way out for people, okay?" He was clearly flustered, though he tried to appear calm on the surface. But the panic in his eyes was impossible for me to hide.
I smiled, my face very amiable. I walked over to him and squatted down: "Oh? Leave me a way out? Okay, let's see how sincere you are."
I gave him a wink, and a few of my underlings dragged him up and led him to a small cubicle made of partitions on the side.
I moved a chair over, and one of my underlings immediately wiped it clean for me. I sat down casually. The guy seemed relieved and was about to sit down too when I frowned: "Did I tell you to sit down?"
His buttocks were almost touching the chair when he heard this, and he immediately tensed up, saying with a bitter face, "Brother, it's really a misunderstanding. We're just doing a job for someone, we're all just trying to make a living."
"I know, I understand." I nodded, then patted my pockets, only to remember that I had given my cigarettes to the lookout outside. A quick-thinking young man next to me immediately handed me a cigarette and lit it. I smiled, glanced at the poor fellow, and said, "Light one for this friend too. He's been freezing all day, you must be tired."
"It's alright, it's alright!" He quickly bent down to take the cigarette. Although he was soaked in sweat, he tried to straighten his body and suppress his trembling.