Chapter 1

*Clatter!*

Wang Bing opened the courtyard door and glanced outside.

He saw Zhang Jun and his burly wife standing at the entrance. Upon seeing the door open, they started to walk in without a word.

*Thud!*

Wang Bing reached out and held the door, leaning against the frame to block their path. He asked expressionlessly, "What's up? Something you need?"

Ever since Zhang Jun had backed out of the self-defense force last time, Wang Bing had held him in contempt.

But he would never express it openly, since their families lived close by. Offending them would make things awkward.

Even so, Wang Bing wasn't keen on interacting with them, especially since it was the seventh day after his father's death. His mood was already foul, and his tone was unintentionally harsh.

Seeing that Wang Bing had no intention of inviting them in, the couple's expressions turned sour, but they didn't lash out. Instead, they forced a smile. "Little Bing, your father's funeral was arranged in a hurry, and we couldn't help. We feel terrible… So we came to offer incense and burn paper money for him!"

Wang Bing sized them up, his tone stiff. "No need. We already took down the altar… It's the seventh day. It's enough that his son burns incense."

Wang Bing didn't believe that Zhang Jun and his wife were genuinely so kind as to come all the way just to offer incense to his dead father. After all, the couple had cheated his father many times when he bought things at Zhang Jun's convenience store…

"Now that we're here, let us go in…" Zhang Jun hunched over, trying to squeeze past, but his wife slapped him, stopping him in his tracks. He stared blankly at her.

"Big Brother Wang Bing, since it's inconvenient for you today, we won't go in," Zhang Jun's wife said with a grin. "Actually, we came for another reason."

"Heh…" Wang Bing smirked, as if he had expected as much. Then he asked, "What is it? Spit it out!"

"Well, you guys were forming a self-defense force the other day to fight those bastards who were stealing food, right? I was wondering, did that fight happen? And what was the result?" Zhang Jun's wife asked, rubbing her hands together, her lips peeled back in a grin.

"So that's what this is about." Wang Bing glanced at Zhang Jun with a hint of disdain, then pretended to be confused. "That's strange. I remember that Big Brother Zhang Jun was also in the self-defense force. Didn't you act with us that day? You should know the result!"

Zhang Jun's face flushed crimson. Even with his thick skin, he couldn't handle Wang Bing's undisguised sarcasm. He stood there awkwardly, at a loss for words.

"Well… I was all ready that morning, but my stomach acted up. I was sick all day, couldn't even get out of bed…" Zhang Jun was indeed a fighter among the shameless. Soon, his face returned to normal, and he came up with a prepared excuse to cover his cowardice.

"Oh, is that so?" Wang Bing acted enlightened and laughed. "I thought you were one of those who risked their lives with us that day!"

“…Ashamed! Ashamed!” Zhang Jun's face was black and red with embarrassment.

*Slap!*

Zhang Jun's wife secretly slapped his arm. He immediately came to his senses, looked at Wang Bing, and said, "Brother, just tell me the truth. What happened to those bandits?"

Wang Bing had no desire to continue mocking Zhang Jun. He was silent for a moment, then said, "Those bandits won't be back."

"They're dead?" Zhang Jun's eyes lit up.

"..." Wang Bing didn't answer directly. Instead, he said, "You don't need to know the details. Just know that they won't be bothering you anymore."

With that, Wang Bing moved to close the door.

But just then, Zhang Jun suddenly grabbed Wang Bing's wrist, his shoulder pressing against the door. He asked anxiously, "How can I not ask? I need to know if those people are dead or not so I can get my things back!"

Wang Bing was baffled. He paused for at least ten seconds before asking, "Your things? What things?"

"The food and money that were stolen from me!" Zhang Jun grinned broadly, revealing his teeth. "Brother Wang Bing, I know you must have completely wiped out those bandits. And you must have recovered what was stolen from us, right? You can't be so selfish as to keep it all for yourself. Take out our share and give it back to me!"

Wang Bing laughed in anger.

He knew that Zhang Jun and his wife were shameless, but he didn't expect them to be so brazen!

"You were too scared to fight, but now you want to divide the spoils of war? Damn it, I've never seen such a dog in my life!" Wang Bing suddenly roared, pointing at them. "Get lost! Get as far away from me as you can!"

Hearing this, the couple's faces changed completely. Since Wang Bing had started cursing, there was no need for them to pretend anymore. Might as well tear off the mask!

"Wang Bing, let me tell you! Our things were stolen by those bandits. If you took them back, there must be a share for us. It belongs to us! You want to take it all for yourself? No way!" Zhang Jun's wife was extremely fierce. Glaring with her beady eyes, she tried to kick the door. "Give me back my food!"

"Your things were stolen by bandits. Go ask the bandits for it. Why are you asking me?" Wang Bing sneered. "I didn't steal your things!"

"Nonsense! You killed those bandits. Who else should we ask?" Zhang Jun's face was also gloomy. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his rolling pin.

Wang Bing frowned. He didn't want to clash with people like Zhang Jun at home, especially with his wife and children inside!

"I'm telling you, we did kill the bandits, but I didn't recover anything! Believe it or not, I only have one thing to say: You're not getting anything! Whoever robbed you, go find them!" Wang Bing said coldly, pushing Zhang Jun away and trying to close the door.

Just then, Wang Bing's wife came out carrying their son. Coincidentally, the son was eating a piece of chocolate!

"Honey, keep your voices down. You're scaring the child…"

Wang Bing was taken aback, then turned to look at his wife. When he saw the chocolate in his son's hand, he felt his scalp tingle!

Because that chocolate was a special product from Zhang Jun's convenience store. It was cheap and had no packaging. To pass it off as high-end chocolate, Zhang Jun's wife had privately purchased a batch of colored paper and repackaged the loose chocolates. The packaging was unique; probably only their store in the entire Southern City did that!

This chocolate was one of the spoils Wang Bing had received!

"Look, that's our snack!" Seeing the wrapper, Zhang Jun's wife screamed and pulled out a knife from her pocket, waving it wildly. "You really did divide the spoils of war!"

"Give us back our things!" Seeing this, Zhang Jun got excited. He pushed Wang Bing aside, grabbed his rolling pin, and charged forward.

"What are you doing… Damn your ancestors!" Wang Bing was caught off guard and stumbled from Zhang Jun's shove. By the time he regained his balance, he saw Zhang Jun and his wife charging in like red-eyed robbers.

Wang Bing's wife was stunned.

"Don't block my way!" Seeing her standing in front of her, Zhang Jun's wife swung the knife forward wildly.

Wang Bing's wife couldn't dodge in time and was cut on the forehead. A finger-long wound appeared, and blood gushed out instantly!

"Ah!" A scream pierced the sky.

"Mommy! Mommy, what's wrong… Tengteng is scared!" The son looked at his blood-covered mother and burst into tears.

Wang Bing watched the scene, feeling a pressure in his chest that threatened to explode.

He grabbed a meter-long fire axe from the side and swung it at Zhang Jun's wife's back!

"You maggots! Cowardly bullies! I'll kill you!"