Chapter 204
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Chapter 204: The Hearts of People
Early in the morning, just as dawn began to break, Wu Da, as usual, removed the door panel of the pancake shop.
In fact, he had woken up at the hour of the tiger, preparing dough, kneading, proofing, rolling pancakes, heating the pot, and steaming…
By the time the first batch of pancakes was ready, the residents of Dongxing Fang were just coming out to work.
“Da Lang, give me two pancakes!”
“Three pancakes, two with pickled vegetables, one with oil cake.”
“I want five.”
As Wu Da acknowledged the orders, he skillfully wrapped the pancakes and collected money.
One batch of pancakes after another sold out, and as the sun rose, all the customers had passed by.
Wu Da quickly tidied up the counter, then pulled out a stool to sit at the shop’s entrance. He took the last two pancakes as his breakfast, slowly nibbling on them bite by bite.
This man, not yet thirty, already had graying hair and a dark, wrinkled face.
His eyes looked dull, making him seem as if he were in his forties or fifties.
This small pancake shop had been passed down from Wu Da’s ancestors and once supported a large family.
Now, only Wu Da and his son remained.
His parents had returned to their hometown years ago to visit relatives and had encountered Evil Spirits, resulting in the entire village vanishing.
His younger brother, Er Lang, was forcibly conscripted and sent to the northwest for border duty, with no news for three to four years.
It was highly likely that he had also perished.
His wife had passed away two years ago while still three months pregnant.
Wu Da longed to join them.
But he simply couldn’t bear to leave his two-year-old son and gritted his teeth to endure.
Year after year.
He didn’t know how much longer he could hold on.
People said that the Wu family’s pancakes were not as fragrant or as sweet as before.
Indeed, the pancakes used to be made by his wife’s hands; the taste was certainly different.
Life was so bitter now.
How could the pancakes be fragrant or sweet?
Finishing the pancake in his hand, Wu Da licked the crumbs from his fingers, took a few sips of water, and stood up to wake his sleepy son upstairs.
Just then, an elderly woman in a cloth skirt hurriedly ran over from the street corner.
She reached the front of the pancake shop and shouted loudly, “Da Lang, why are you still here selling pancakes? Something big has happened!”
Wu Da was a bit confused: “What happened?”
This woman was Aunt Li, a neighbor who had once been very close to his parents.
“The Celestial Guardians’ residences…”
Aunt Li rubbed her chest and exclaimed excitedly, “Those fellows from the Celestial Guardians’ residences have all been captured and are kneeling by the stone lions, waiting to be beheaded!”
What?!
A loud buzz echoed in Wu Da’s head, and his face instantly turned a deep shade of crimson. “Aunt Li, you’re not joking, are you?”
“How could this be a joke?”
Aunt Li shot him a glare. “You should go and see for yourself. That scoundrel, Manager Xi from the west gate, is kneeling there too!”
“Aunt Li, could you please watch the shop for me?”
Without a second thought, Wu Da bolted toward the street. “I’ll bring you a basket of pancakes when I return!”
Aunt Li stamped her foot. “Oh!”
She wanted to go and see the commotion herself; she had no time to mind Wu Da’s shop. But then again, a basket of pancakes sounded far more appealing.
Wu Da paid no heed to anything else and sprinted down the main street faster than he had ever run in his life. After running a hundred paces north, he soon saw the towering walls of the Celestial Guardians’ residences ahead.
And there, in front of the gate, stood two fierce and lifelike green stone lions.
To the left of the Celestial Guardians’ residences was Dongxing Fang, and to the right was Xiliu Fang, home to thousands of households.
For the past two years, the people of the Celestial Guardians’ residences had tyrannized and exploited the common people, causing immense suffering in the neighborhood.
Everyone harbored a deep hatred for them, whispering that only the stone lions at the entrance were innocent and pure. They prayed that heaven would strike down a bolt of lightning to annihilate those villains!
But the neighbors also knew this was merely a fantasy. The Immortal Masters were beings of great power, and even the officials of the county government had to kneel before them. As common people, they could never afford to provoke them.
Never in their wildest dreams did they expect that today, heaven would finally open its eyes, and the wicked would face their retribution!
When Wu Da reached the main gate of the Celestial Guardians’ residences, the area around the stone lions was already packed with people, three layers deep.
“Is it true they’ve been captured?”
“Hahaha, those scoundrels have finally met their day!”
“Retribution has come!”
“Huang Tian above, Huang Tian above!”
Wu Da, being rather short, couldn’t see what was happening inside. Burning with anxiety, he mustered all his strength and pushed his way through the dense crowd.
Finally, he managed to squeeze his way to the front.
There, Wu Da saw two to three dozen of the usually arrogant managers and miscellaneous workers from the Celestial Guardians’ residences, all kneeling in a row beside the stone lions.
Among them was one person he recognized all too well!
“Xi Men Jin!”
Wu Da’s eyes instantly turned red, and a surge of hot blood rushed to his head.
He disregarded the black-clad Imperial Guard stationed in front of the Celestial Guardians’ residences and, with fists clenched, let out a roar akin to a wild beast.
Then, heedless of everything, he charged forward with all his might, raising his swollen fists and bringing them crashing down on a young man kneeling on the ground!
Two years ago, Wu Da’s pregnant wife had gone to the market, only to be struck by the other party and taken away to the residence.
The next day, they returned her as a corpse.
Wu Da had nowhere to turn in his grief, and all his pent-up anger and sorrow erupted at this moment.
As he rushed to attack, a black-clad Imperial Guard attempted to stop him.
But another guard held him back.
Everyone simply watched as Wu Da delivered punch after punch, knocking Xi Men Jin to the ground, the chilling sounds of wailing filling the air.
He continued to strike until the cries gradually faded away.
Everyone in the neighborhood knew about the Wu family; no one stepped in to stop him; they all felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction!
Finally, when Wu Da had exhausted all his strength, he covered his bloodied hands over his face and wept silently.
A neighbor who was on good terms with him bravely stepped forward and helped the exhausted Wu Da to the side.
The black-clad Imperial Guards did not intervene.
Then one guard stepped onto the steps and loudly announced the decree of the new Celestial Guardian.
The crowd erupted with excitement!
They learned that the new master of the Celestial Guardians’ residences was bringing justice to the people.
Those evildoers who had tarnished the reputation of the Celestial Guardians’ residences would not only be executed in public but their properties would also be confiscated.
They would compensate the victims!
“Good!”
The crowd roared with enthusiasm.
Cheers rang out, accompanied by the sound of falling heads, reaching toward the sky.
Fresh blood splattered onto the green stone lions, washing away the dust that had settled on them.
In front of the Celestial Guardians’ residences, the crowd grew larger.
Wu Da had regained some strength but was pushed aside by the throng.
“Big Brother!”
At that moment, he suddenly heard a familiar call.
Wu Da turned around abruptly to see a robust man with tears in his eyes standing a few steps away.
The man had an empty left sleeve and was holding Wu Da’s young son in his right arm.
Beside him stood a beautiful woman.
“Er Lang!”
Wu Da’s vision blurred instantly, and he trembled with excitement, his lips quivering.
He heard the man say, “Jin Lian, quickly greet your Big Brother!”
