The middle-aged man being beaten was Wu Guide.
It was unclear if his flesh and blood were forged from iron. Several clubs had been broken while beating him, yet he hadn't uttered a single sound.
"Alright, everyone stop!"
Just then, a flat-haired man in an embroidered suit from the periphery shouted.
The thugs immediately obeyed and ceased their actions. The flat-haired man parted the crowd and swaggered up to Wu Guide.
He stepped on Wu Guide's face and spat, "Damn you, Wu Guide, you're quite tough, aren't you!"
The flat-haired man was named Tang Xiaolong. He was once a notorious street punk in the surrounding villages.
Later, he met a powerful benefactor in the city, which led to his rise. He opened a loan company and kept a group of ferocious thugs under his command.
Wu Guide was in this state because he owed Tang Xiaolong usurious interest and couldn't repay it.
Wu Guide seemed as stubborn as an ox, enduring the beatings, scolding, and humiliation from Tang Xiaolong and his men without a word.
When asked to repay the money, he only had two words: "No money!"
"Wu Guide, I'll give you three more days. If you still don't pay, I'll kill you!"
Tang Xiaolong was extremely arrogant, issuing a death threat to Wu Guide in broad daylight.
Wu Guide looked at him with a vacant expression, his mouth repeating the same two words: "No money!"
It was evident he was determined to default on this debt.
Death threats had no effect on him. From his dull eyes, it was clear he was a man who no longer wished to live.
Wu Guide's "dead pig not afraid of boiling water" attitude drove Tang Xiaolong to frustration.
His usual methods were completely ineffective against Wu Guide.
Just then, he suddenly remembered discussing this matter with his old drinking buddies yesterday. Those friends had mentioned Wu Guide's weakness.
Tang Xiaolong decided to try it.
"Wu Guide, I know you're not afraid of death, but what about your precious daughter? If you don't pay, I'll kidnap your daughter to settle the debt!"
"I heard she's a vegetative patient? I've been with all sorts of women, but never a vegetative one. It'll be a good start for me, hahaha..."
Tang Xiaolong sneered. Before he could finish laughing, Wu Guide, who was lying on the ground, suddenly leaped up and punched Tang Xiaolong in the corner of his eye!
Tang Xiaolong's vision instantly turned red. His eye socket split open, and blood gushed down.
Wu Guide seemed to have transformed. His previously vacant eyes were now filled with ferocity and killing intent.
"Damn you, Tang Xiaolong, if you dare lay a hand on my daughter, I'll kill your entire family!"
The palpable killing intent emanating from Wu Guide momentarily stunned Tang Xiaolong.
But it only lasted for a moment. Tang Xiaolong quickly recovered, gritted his teeth, and shouted, "Damn it, beat him to death!"
The thugs, as if waking from a dream, swarmed forward, kicking Wu Guide to the ground and resuming their assault.
"Damn it, don't beat him to death. If he dies, who will I get the money from..."
Tang Xiaolong was exasperated, like a mad dog.
At that moment, an angry voice suddenly came from a distance.
"You pack of mongrels, stop!"
Immediately after, a woman in heavy makeup came running frantically towards them, her high heels flying off.
This woman was none other than Sister Feng.
Even from afar, she recognized the man being beaten by the group was her husband.
Sister Feng fearlessly charged into the crowd, pushing the thugs aside and shielding Wu Guide with her body.
"Damn it, you think you can get away with it just because she's a woman? Beat them both! Damn it!"
Tang Xiaolong cursed.
His eye socket was busted, and he was filled with rage, looking for an outlet.
This woman's arrival was perfectly timed for him to vent his anger.
However, at that moment, a dark figure burst into the crowd like a tiger descending from the mountain. With just a few punches and kicks, he had all of Tang Xiaolong's men subdued on the ground.
Such a minor matter naturally didn't require Chen Xiao's personal intervention.
The one who rushed over was Qi Tianhu!
"Damn you, who are you? I warn you not to interfere. Do you know who I am?"
Seeing that Qi Tianhu was a stranger, Tang Xiaolong assumed he was just a meddling passerby.
Qi Tianhu chuckled. He couldn't believe that within Jiang City's territory, someone dared to speak to him like this.
"And do you know who I am?"
"Who are you?"
"I am Qi Tianhu."
After a brief exchange, Tang Xiaolong was completely stunned.
"Hu, Master Hu... Are you really Master Hu..."
Tang Xiaolong finally recognized the middle-aged man before him. He had felt a slight sense of familiarity earlier.
But he had only seen Qi Tianhu from a distance once, so he hadn't considered that possibility.
How could the dignified underground emperor of Longcheng appear in such a remote and impoverished place as Loukou Town!
Tang Xiaolong felt he must have ignored the almanac when he left home today. His bad luck had followed him all the way here, as if even drinking cold water would get stuck in his throat.
Yin San also felt the same. However, unlike Tang Xiaolong, he had divined his own bad luck for the day, but still couldn't avoid it.
"Master Hu, spare my life. This humble one was blind and offended Master Hu. This humble one deserves death..."
Tang Xiaolong knelt before Qi Tianhu, slapping his own cheeks.
"What's going on here?"
Qi Tianhu asked calmly.
"Master Hu, this fellow owes us money..."
Tang Xiaolong explained the entire sequence of events.
Qi Tianhu nodded after listening: "His debt is on me. If you want the money, come find me."
Tang Xiaolong's heart sank. He quickly said, "Master Hu, how would I dare ask you for money? Forget it, I don't want this money anymore."
"If you don't want it, then get lost!"
Brother Chen's matters were urgent, and Qi Tianhu didn't want to waste time on such insignificant individuals.
He would deal with them later after sending them away.
"Thank you, Master Hu, thank you, Master Hu!"
Tang Xiaolong was surprised that Qi Tianhu let him off so easily. He kowtowed to Qi Tianhu three more times.
Then he stood up and waved to his subordinates, "Retreat..."
*Bang—*
Before Tang Xiaolong could even finish the word "retreat," his body suddenly exploded into a mist of blood with a *bang*.
Following that, a series of *bang bang bang* sounds echoed, and all of Tang Xiaolong's men turned into blood mist.
The air was filled with the stench of blood.
Chen Xiao walked over slowly. As he passed Qi Tianhu, he said softly, "Old Qi, you're becoming more and more soft-hearted."