After finishing his words, the fat man swung the root sculpture table and started to attack left and right. The two people didn’t react in time and were immediately knocked out by the fat man. The sound of the impact on their bodies was terrifying, and they both fell to the ground, instantly silent.

I recalled how the fat man had sent the sea monkeys flying in the underwater tomb. The sea monkeys had tough skin and thick flesh, so they couldn’t be killed, but humans are different. I suddenly worried that this might lead to a fatality and shouted at the fat man, “Be gentle!” However, the fat man didn’t hear me at all; he charged straight at the security guards. Those guards were tough and raised their batons to meet him. The fat man didn’t dodge at all and gritted his teeth, hitting them on the head six or seven times, knocking them all down one by one. Soon, all of them were on the ground, and the root sculpture table was cracked.

After the commotion, the scene suddenly quieted down. The fat man, panting heavily, looked at the Huo family members who had been surrounded earlier. Everyone took a few steps back, huddling against the wall. He glanced at the broken dishes on the ground, picked up half a bottle of the Maotai liquor they had just drunk, which was still intact except for the broken bottle. He took a sip and spat out the glass shards. Then he waved at me, “Let’s go!”

I picked up a stool, and the fat man threw the root sculpture table over his shoulder. I nodded to an old lady on the side, saying, “Grandma, I’m leaving. I’ll come to visit another day.” Saying this, I followed the fat man as we kicked aside those groaning on the ground and walked out of the private room down the stairs.

To be honest, I had never understood the thrill of fighting before, but knocking people down one after another while being watched with terror by the crowd was indeed exhilarating. I instantly understood why so many people liked to be villains.

When we got downstairs, we saw that the glass cabinet containing the jade seal had been smashed, and the items had been taken out. The fat man was carefully examining the jade seal, showing no intention of leaving. The guy in the pink shirt was getting up from the ground, coughing and holding his neck, looking like he had just been taken out in an instant.

However, as we walked past him, we saw him coughing and laughing, glancing at us with a seemingly happy expression. I went up on stage and called out to the fat man to hurry up with the items. Just as I turned around, I saw the pink shirt guy following me, saying, “Hey, buddy.”

The fat man and I looked at him, and the fat man lifted the table. The guy immediately waved his hands, “Wait, wait!” He pulled out a business card from his pocket and handed it to us, pointing at the jade seal, “I won’t stop you. Here’s my contact information. If you ever want to sell stolen goods, call me.”

Damn, I thought, he’s clearly not a decent person. The fat man actually went up to take the business card, and the pink shirt guy made a gesture as if to invite us. I was anxious and pushed them out the door.

Once we exited the restaurant, we found ourselves surrounded by people—staff and security guards, even the parking lot security had arrived. We pretended to smash the jade seal, and they all cleared a path for us, so we seized the opportunity to escape.

Physically exhausted from running several blocks, we were panting heavily, our legs felt weak, but we could still see people following us from a distance. These guys came from the underworld and were very cunning. The fat man said there were definitely more of them, and the group led by Liu Li Sun was also not to be underestimated. They hadn’t acted earlier, clearly waiting for an opportunity to strike back.

We took a break in front of a newsstand, and the fat guy suggested we split up. I said no, as I’m not familiar with Beijing, and the younger guy—well, it goes without saying. If we split up, I might have to go to the homeless shelter to look for him in a few days. Plus, the only reason they haven’t targeted us yet is that they have this guy in our hands. If we separate, the one without him will definitely be in trouble.

“What should we do then?” The fat guy frowned, now calmer but a bit skeptical. “You know, I have a big target on my back in Beijing. They know a bit about me. My shop is basically a lost cause. Looks like I’ll have to head south.”

“We need to find a place to rest and assess how serious the situation is,” I said. “We can look for a hotel.”

“Damn it, a hotel? That’s just waiting for someone to catch us. A rundown temple would be better. The ideal escape is to stay under a bridge; it doesn’t make a difference,” the fat guy replied.

I glanced at the quiet guy, wanting to know his thoughts, but then realized asking him would probably be pointless. He’s clever in a fight but practically helpless in everyday life.

Just as I hesitated, I suddenly heard a horn honking. Turning around, I saw a Hongqi car parked by the roadside. The window rolled down, and to my surprise, it was the little girl who had been next to Old Ho. She made a funny face at us and urged us to get in the car quickly.

The fat guy and I exchanged glances, and we immediately knew there was a chance. Taking a deep breath, I said, “Let’s get in and talk later.”

We climbed over the guardrail and got into the Hongqi car. As soon as the door closed, the car started moving. The little girl told the driver, “Go back to the Princess Mound compound.”

The fat guy, squeezed in next to the girl, said, “Hey, we’re in a pretty risky situation here. Can’t we go somewhere further away?”

The girl replied, “Don’t worry, they wouldn’t dare go into that place even if they had ten times the courage.” Then she turned to me and smiled, “Brother Wu Xie, let me introduce myself. I’m Huo Xiuxiu. Long time no see! You’re still the same old you.”

“You’ve seen me before?” I asked, puzzled.

“Of course! Oh, come on, can’t you remember who I am?”

I looked her over again, but I had no memory of her at all. I thought about the name Huo Xiuxiu; it was clear she was from the Old Huo family. But why did she have the surname Huo? Were all the men in the Old Huo family marrying into other families? Given her background, that seemed unlikely. I racked my brain but really couldn’t recall anything, so I just shook my head honestly.

“Ah, forget it,” the little girl pouted and suddenly stopped talking. “It’s just so sad.”

I glanced at the fat guy, feeling a bit confused. Just as he was about to say something to lighten the mood, there was a loud crash. The car jolted violently, almost coming to a sudden stop, and then the glass on the fat guy’s side shattered completely.

I hit my head against the window frame, nearly passing out. Before I could react, there was another crash from behind, and the car was lifted off the ground, bouncing a few times before settling back down, with the shattered rear window hitting my head.

“What the hell! How are they driving?” The fat guy had a small cut from his chin to the corner of his mouth, just breaking the skin but enough to hurt.

Rubbing my head, I looked back to see that the vehicle that had hit us was a van, while a Crown was colliding with us from the side. People in the car were starting to get out. The driver of the Crown was furious, shouting in Hebei dialect.

My head was buzzing, and I wanted to push open the car door and get out to see the extent of the damage, only to find that the door was locked. Then I saw someone getting out of the car, starting to pull a steel pipe from behind.

“Uh-oh, looks like they really love their car,” I said, dumbfounded.

“No, it’s the people from Liulisun. Damn, they’re quick,” the fat guy pointed behind me, and I saw Liulisun standing behind that group, watching. “Looks like the auction isn’t over yet; there are still people wanting to bid.” He then slammed his hand on the driver’s seat and shouted, “Can the car still drive?”

Before he finished speaking, the car started up. Clearly, the driver wasn’t an idiot; when the people behind saw this commotion, they immediately rushed over. One person jumped onto the crumpled trunk and grabbed me by the back of my neck, trying to drag me out, just like a thug in a movie.

But this unfortunate guy was pulled halfway into the back seat by the fat guy. The car crashed through a few people and broke free from the crowd, but he was beaten so badly that even his mother wouldn’t recognize him, and he was thrown out onto the street. Unfortunately, almost simultaneously, the car crashed into a roadside barrier, causing the hood to crumple up.

“Damn it, does this driver not have a license, or did he used to drive a tank?” the fat guy shouted angrily.

“The axle was bent in the crash,” the driver said, clearly frustrated. “I can’t control the steering.” He tried to maneuver the car away from the barrier, but it was useless.

The people behind charged forward. Seeing that it was hopeless, the fat guy cursed loudly and kicked open the doors on both sides, getting out. I followed him and Huo Xiuxiu also got out. The fat guy asked Huo Xiuxiu, “Are there any weapons in the car? Like sabers or something?”

“What do you think we are?”

The fat guy slapped his forehead, “Why would I get into your junk car?” Just then, the people rushing at us arrived, and there was no time to complain. The fat guy blocked a steel pipe with both hands, then headbutted the person in front of him, knocking them over. He grabbed the steel pipe, stepped on the person’s hand, and took it away. But then the crowd surged forward.

There were seven or eight people in the van and five in the Crown car, totaling more than ten people, while our fighting force was only three. The driver was still desperately trying to start the car, and Huo Xiuxiu was huddled behind us, calmly making a phone call, but it seemed she couldn’t help much.

I had participated in group fights in middle school, but back then, the fights were child’s play and mostly relied on intimidation. I could maintain my composure against the security guards just moments ago, but now, seeing the steel pipe whooshing through the air, my body stiffened, and I couldn’t help but take a step back.

I saw two people heading towards the fat guy, one of them swinging the steel pipe with all his might at the fat guy’s head. If that hit, it would definitely crack his skull. But almost in an instant, the fat guy caught the steel pipe without any give, and it came to a complete stop as if it had hit a rebar. That guy must have felt like he had slammed into a steel beam. Then, the fat guy pulled the pipe down, causing the attacker to stumble. At the same time, he flipped his elbow forward, and the guy’s head collided with the fat guy’s elbow, sending him tumbling away.

Another person’s steel pipe struck him on the waist from the side. Dummypot pulled out the steel pipe from the previous person and directly blocked it. Sparks flew as the pipes clashed, and that person was knocked back, the steel pipe falling to the ground. The scene was chaotic; under normal circumstances, no one would dare to step up after witnessing such a commotion. However, everything happened too quickly, and the people behind had no idea what was happening. Three more people charged forward. One of them rushed right in front of me, and without a word, swung the steel pipe at me. Almost reflexively, I dodged just in time; the steel pipe grazed my nose, but my foot accidentally kicked a bush in the isolation zone, and I tumbled into the thicket. I quickly got up and saw that the person had actually charged towards Huo Xiuxiu. My heart sank—if this girl got caught up in this mess, I wouldn’t be able to explain myself in front of Old Lady Huo. I shouted and rushed over. Just as I finished yelling, I was struck in the back with a pipe; I didn’t even know who had hit me. My chest jolted, and I nearly fainted from the pain.

I heard Huo Xiuxiu scream in shock, and I immediately covered my head, knowing the next blow would surely hit the back of my head. Damn it, these guys are desperate criminals. To my surprise, I heard a scream from behind me. I turned to see the Fatty swinging two iron pipes, his face already bruised, pounding away at the head of the guy who had just hit me, like a drummer. While he was hitting, he shouted to Dummypot, “Bro, catch the thief by capturing the ringleader first! I’ll hold him off, you go for the kill. Take the general’s head amidst the chaos!”

At least six people had surrounded Dummypot, but upon hearing Fatty’s words, they immediately turned their attention to Liu Lizun, who was watching from a distance. I thought I would see Dummypot carve a bloody path to stop Liu Lizun, but unexpectedly, he did something that left us all astonished.