Chapter 239

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The man, seeing that neither coaxing nor pressuring had any effect, said: “Since Master Zhao insists on having this prescription, please wait a moment. I will go fetch it for you.”

The fat man laughed and said: “Seeing that you’re so tactful, I won’t make things difficult for you. Hurry up and bring the prescription, and I’ll spare your life.”

Seeing this, the man turned around and walked to his bundle. He hesitated for a long time before picking it up and walking back. As he approached, he reached into the bundle and said: “Master Zhao, take it carefully.”

Fatty Zhao smiled and extended his hand.

Who would have thought that the man would suddenly flick his wrist, pulling out a sharp dagger from the bundle and thrusting it straight at Zhao’s chest? Fatty  Zhao had been indulging in his dreams of grandeur and never expected such imminent danger before his eyes. In an instant, his heart filled with terror, his face turned ashen, and he had no idea how to dodge. He simply covered his face with his sleeve and screamed: “Fugui, save me!”

And who was this Fugui? He was the leader of the servants. At this moment, he was busy commanding the lackeys to amuse themselves by making a monkey perform somersaults. It wasn’t that he was neglecting his duty—he had simply seen the peddler pleading weakly and assumed he was like all the other pitiful victims they had encountered before, lacking any ability to resist. Seeing no challenge in it, he had left his master to seek some entertainment. Now, hearing the fat man’s cry for help, he looked up, only to see that the peddler had already charged right up to him, dagger gleaming as blood splattered in an instant. Seeing this, Fugui’s heart nearly shattered, and he cursed his luck—how had things gone so wrong in just this brief moment of inattention? If the fatty lost his life, or even a single hair was harmed, he himself would suffer a fate worse than death! Watching the fat man standing there, unmoving, Fugui inwardly complained: “Young Master, at least try to dodge!”

When faced with a critical moment, who wouldn’t have an instinctive reaction? If someone sees a life-threatening dagger, they might scream and dodge far away, or at the very least, jump to the side. But this fat fool—he only acted like he was “covering his ears while stealing a bell”, shutting his eyes as if what he couldn’t see wouldn’t bother him. He was just like that ancient creature called an ostrich, burying its head in the sand while leaving its rear end sticking high up in the air!

The man saw that the fat man neither dodged nor evaded, feeling both shock and delight. Shocked because he had originally prepared for two possible outcomes—one purpose of drawing the dagger was to scare the fat man into retreating so he could find a way to escape. No one wanted to stain their hands with blood and become a fugitive. Yet this fatty didn’t even try to dodge, as if he were pushing himself onto the road to doom. Now that the dagger was out, regardless of whether it struck or not, the authorities would never let him go. But he was also delighted—this fat man had gone too far in his bullying. He had been forced into this situation, and now, with the detestable fatty right in front of him, all it would take was a simple thrust of the hand to vent his humiliation.

And so, faced with the fat man’s unexpected reaction, his dagger wavered for a brief moment.

Yet in that instant of hesitation, the opportunity slipped away. The fat man suddenly moved backward as if yanked by an invisible rope. By the time the man snapped back to his senses and rushed forward to pursue, a figure in dark robes had already appeared before his eyes, blocking his way.

For someone like the fat man, who bullied men and harassed women, he naturally couldn’t rely solely on a mere lackey like Fugui. Having bodyguards was essential, and this dark-robed man was precisely one of them.

The sudden appearance of the dagger had caught the dark-robed man off guard as well. He had immediately rushed forward, but by then, the dagger was already at its target, and it was uncertain whether he could stop it in time. Fortunately, the man had hesitated slightly, giving him just enough time to reach behind the fat man and yank him away from danger by his collar.

Seeing the dark-robed man step in front of him, he knew there was no peaceful resolution to this matter anymore. Without a word, he thrust his dagger forward. The dark-robed man, wary of the attack, dodged while swiftly drawing the sword at his waist, engaging the man in battle.

As the saying goes, the shorter the weapon, the greater the risk. Against a sword, a dagger was already at a disadvantage, let alone against someone clearly more skilled. The dark-robed man’s combat experience was evident, and his martial arts were clearly superior. Despite several attacks, the man failed to pose any real threat, while the dark-robed man’s sword left shallow wounds on his body. It wasn’t that the dark-robed man lacked the ability to seize an opportunity—his job was merely to protect the fat man. When the fat man bullied others, he merely watched with indifference. Now, the medicine peddler, a wandering man of the Jianghu, had also become involved. The dark-robed man had no wish to kill someone on the same path.

By now, the fat man had recovered from his fright and began shouting orders again. “Master Sun, stab him! Kill him with one thrust! I’ll take full responsibility! That bastard just tried to take my life—we’re acting in self-defense here! Hurry, kill him!”

In the Jianghu, taking lives was commonplace, but this was Lu Town, a place under the watchful eyes of the authorities. Killing someone in broad daylight would undoubtedly bring a great deal of trouble. The dark-robed man hesitated.

The fat man continued: “Master Sun, I know your duty is just to protect me. Don’t worry—if you take care of this for me, I’ll speak to my father. Just that prescription alone is worth a thousand taels of silver. And I’ll make sure my father puts in a good word for you with Hall Master Zhao—I guarantee you’ll have a bright future in the Evil Tiger Gang!”

The two conditions made the dark-robed man’s heart itch with temptation. Wealth was enticing, but future prospects were even more important. The Evil Tiger Gang had long since split into two factions due to the gang leader’s prolonged absence. Without a strong backer, he had been suffering within the gang. If this was an opportunity to gain Hall Master Zhao’s favor, it was truly an excellent chance.

Having made up his mind, the dark-robed man looked at the stranger before him and gritted his teeth. “Brother, don’t blame me for being ruthless. You provoked someone you shouldn’t have. Leave your head behind as a gift to me.”

As he spoke, his swordplay tightened. With a precise thrust, he knocked the dagger aside. Then, with a swift kick to the groin, he sent the man flying. In the next instant, he leaped forward, sword aimed straight at the man’s heart.

Seeing that he had no way to dodge, the man shut his eyes, bracing himself for the piercing pain.

Just then, a loud shout echoed across the square. “Fugui, save me!”

The dark-robed man was startled, and his sword halted mid-strike. He immediately turned to look behind him.

Where the fat man had originally stood, a lean young man with a covered face now stood instead. A servant lay beneath his foot, while the onlookers kept their distance, watching in fearful awe. In the young man’s hand was none other than the fat man himself.

Fatty Zhao had been grabbed by the back of his neck, lifted off the ground like a chicken. His legs kicked wildly in the air, while both hands covered his eyes as he screamed: “Fugui, save me!”

The sight was almost comical—a seemingly frail young man effortlessly hoisting a much larger fatty. Many in the crowd covered their mouths, struggling to stifle their laughter. However, the dark-robed man felt only shock and fear. He dared not move. If the young man exerted even a little force, the fat man’s life would be snuffed out in an instant.

The fat man continued to struggle and wail. The young man frowned, hoisting him higher with one hand. With the other, he delivered four crisp slaps—smack smack smack smack! The blows left the fat man’s face swollen in an instant. He let out a miserable scream, spitting out several teeth. His cries came to an abrupt stop, leaving him dazed—whether from the pain or sheer shock, no one could tell.

The dark-robed man frowned and said: “Brother, I am Sun Yiding of the Evil Tiger Gang, this young master’s bodyguard. If you have any grievances, please state them clearly. As long as it’s within my power, I will take responsibility.”

The masked young man said nothing. Instead, he simply pointed toward the man behind Sun Yiding. Sun Yiding understood immediately and felt a wave of relief. Since this young man was merely standing up for injustice, things would be much easier to resolve. As long as the fat man’s life wasn’t in danger, he was willing to agree to any terms. Thinking this, he stepped aside from the injured man’s side. The young man nodded slightly at this before doing something completely baffling.

He reached into the fat man’s robes and rummaged around, taking everything inside—coins, trinkets, and whatever else—before stuffing them into his own pockets. Then, glancing at the approaching Sun Yiding with a smirk, he hoisted the fat man up again. Turning toward another direction, he pointed with his finger. Sun Yiding was utterly confused. However, what the young man did next made everything clear.

With a swift kick to the fat man’s thigh, he sent him flying like a ball toward the direction he had pointed. The fat man let out a miserable shriek before suddenly falling silent. Sun Yiding did not dare hesitate. He immediately dashed forward at full speed. Fortunately, the young man had kicked the fat man in a way that sent him high and floating rather than with brute force. Since the target destination wasn’t too far, Sun Yiding managed to reach the spot just in time to catch him.

After ensuring that the fat man was still breathing, Sun Yiding finally sighed in relief. But when he turned back, gritting his teeth in anger and glaring at the young man, his rage vanished like boiling water over the snow the moment he took in the scene before him.

The young man had not fled. Nor had he made any aggressive moves. Instead, he stood calmly, waiting for him to turn around. When Sun Yiding did, the young man flashed a cryptic smile, and then darted into the midst of the servants like a ghost. With a swift grab, he snatched the little monkey away. Then, in a blur, he leaped like a great bird to the bundle on the ground, picking it up as well. Finally, at an unhurried pace, he walked over to the injured man and tossed both the monkey and the bundle back to him, saying nothing—just gesturing for him to take them.

The man, still dazed, instinctively slung the bundle onto his back and took hold of the monkey, just as he was about to kneel and express his gratitude.

The young man performed yet another astonishing move. With a sudden burst of speed, he lunged forward, seizing the injured man’s arm. Then, with a single push of his foot, he soared into the air. His body briefly hovered at its peak before shifting direction, streaking toward the large tree at the edge of the square. Landing lightly on a branch, he immediately sprang again, launching himself toward the rooftops beside the tree. In just a few more graceful leaps across the buildings, he disappeared without a trace.

Throughout the entire process, the injured man remained in his grasp, as weightless and obedient as an infant.

This seamless, composed, and openly executed escape left everyone in the square utterly dumbfounded. For a long moment, not a single person could utter a word.

Meanwhile, at a distant corner, Zhang Xiaohu wore a faint smile as he quietly led away two chestnut-colored horses.