Ma Long was no fool; it was obvious these thugs were here to cause trouble at the Tian Yi Pavilion. But the pavilion had no quarrel with them, so why were they specifically targeting it?
The answer was clear: someone was pulling the strings behind them!
"Hmph, you think you're worthy of knowing who's behind me?"
The bald man remained defiant. In his eyes, although Ma Long was strong, he was no match for the forces behind him. Even though they had lost this time, the powerful figure behind them would not let it go. They would surely return to settle the score!
"Not going to talk?"
Ma Long, unaware of the bald man's thoughts, stepped on his ankle. With years of military experience, he knew a thing or two about interrogation.
"Ah~"
The bald man cried out in pain, feeling as though his ankle would dislocate if Ma Long applied any more pressure. Seeing this, the other thugs fell silent, too afraid to even breathe, trembling as they leaned against the trees.
"Still not talking?"
Just as Ma Long prepared to apply more force, the bald man, unable to bear the fear any longer, blurted out,
"I'll talk... I'll talk... Big brother, please take your foot off."
Ma Long inwardly sneered. Thugs were just thugs, after all; they lacked any real fortitude. He casually removed his foot.
The bald man quickly rubbed his ankle, still looking resentful and reluctant as he said,
"I'm telling you, it's best if you let us go, otherwise..."
"Slap!"
Before the bald man could finish, Ma Long delivered a resounding slap.
"Speak properly!"
Dazed by the slap, the bald man dared not utter another threat and obediently said,
"It was Brother Black Wolf... Brother Black Wolf sent us!"
"Black Wolf? What kind of nickname is that? After all these years, you thugs still use such tacky nicknames? Tell me, what kind of person is this Black Wolf?"
Upon hearing this, the bald man felt a surge of indignation. Black Wolf was not only his superior but also his idol, yet Ma Long dared to insult him.
"Let me tell you, Brother Black Wolf is a capable subordinate of Lord Hou. You can insult me, but I will not allow you to insult Brother Black Wolf!"
Seeing the bald man's righteous indignation, Ma Long found it even more amusing.
"Oh, you're quite devoted! Then tell me, who is this Lord Hou?"
The bald man, seeing Ma Long's dismissive attitude, was filled with extreme anger. If he hadn't lost his fighting ability, he would have jumped up to trade blows with Ma Long again.
"Brother Ma, I know who Lord Hou is."
Just then, Wang Fang walked up behind Ma Long. Upon hearing the bald man mention Lord Hou, her delicate body trembled.
"You know?"
Ma Long, still bewildered, looked at Wang Fang with surprise.
"Yes! Lord Hou's real name is Hou Cang. He's the overlord of the underground in Yiyang District, and the entire Yiyang District is his territory!"
When Tongtong was sick before, Wang Fang had resorted to high-interest loans to raise money for her medical expenses.
After much deliberation, she had indeed contacted a lender. It was then that she truly witnessed the darkness of Le City's underworld. If her mother hadn't strongly objected at the time, she might have indeed walked down that irreversible path.
Therefore, she had heard of Lord Hou's infamous reputation.
"Huh? In this day and age, there are still organized crime syndicates? Aren't they going to cause chaos?"
Ma Long, being a man of integrity, harbored a deep hatred for such societal parasites. After hearing Wang Fang's explanation, he was filled with disbelief.
Seeing his reaction, Wang Fang quickly tried to explain, but her eyes were filled with extreme sadness. "Brother Ma, you haven't experienced true despair, so you can't understand true darkness. Only ordinary people like us, who are powerless, realize how worthless life can be when we have nowhere to turn."
Ma Long was moved by her words. Just as he was about to offer comfort, the sound of sirens filled the air.
It turned out that the police department had not only received Wang Fang's call but also a series of reports from surrounding residents. The authorities took the matter very seriously and dispatched a squadron of nearly thirty officers at the fastest possible speed.
Upon seeing the police arrive, the onlookers stepped forward to accuse the bald man and his group of their heinous actions, while also vividly describing how Ma Long fought them off single-handedly.
Seeing the enthusiastic citizens, Ma Long was deeply touched and found the best way to comfort Wang Fang.
"Manager Wang, you see, the vast majority of society is righteous. We are not alone. Life is worth it!"
Wang Fang, witnessing this, was also moved to tears. She wasn't a negative person by nature, but seeing so many from the lower strata of society believe in life and light, just like her, she couldn't help but feel genuinely happy from the bottom of her heart.
Soon, the bald man and his associates were handcuffed and escorted into the police car. A police captain-like officer then approached Wang Fang and Ma Long, saluted them, and then took out his notepad to speak.
"Comrades, hello! We've basically learned the details from the public, but there are still a few questions that require your cooperation for investigation."
Ma Long immediately returned a standard military salute, which greatly surprised the officer.
"Are you a soldier?"
Ma Long nodded and said with a smile,
"Retired. But I did beat these people. It has nothing to do with the lady beside me. I will cooperate fully with any investigation."
Aside from the respect and protection he felt from Han Lang, Wang Fang hadn't felt this sense of being protected by anyone else in a long time. She was deeply moved and hurriedly said to the police officer,
"Officer, our shop has 360-degree surveillance cameras. If you come and watch, the truth will become clear."
Seeing Wang Fang's worried expression, the officer quickly reassured her.
"Madam, there's no need to be so nervous. The military and police are one family, and we have sufficient trust in our soldiers. However, having surveillance is excellent; it saves a lot of trouble with irrefutable evidence!"
With the powerful evidence of the surveillance footage, Ma Long was not only cleared of any suspicion of fighting but was also praised by the officer for assisting the government's efforts in cracking down on crime.
Before parting, the officer saluted Ma Long again to show his respect. Naturally, Ma Long returned the salute.
As the police and the crowd gradually dispersed, the Tian Yi Pavilion returned to its usual tranquility. At this point, Wang Fang said thoughtfully to Ma Long,
"Brother Ma, we can't tell the young doctor about today's events."
"Why?"
Ma Long was puzzled. The Tian Yi Pavilion belonged to Han Lang; how could they not inform him, the behind-the-scenes boss, when something like this happened?
"Oh, why are you so stubborn! The Han family is already facing such significant issues; he's overwhelmed. We shouldn't bother him with our small matters."
After hearing Wang Fang's explanation, Ma Long finally understood and replied with a sheepish grin,
"Yes, yes, you're more thoughtful. We can handle this little matter ourselves."
Seeing his simple, honest demeanor, Wang Fang rolled her eyes.
"Impudent! What do you want for lunch? My treat!"
"Oh, that's too kind. Pig's trotters rice, perhaps!"