Xu Jinshan was frantic. He roared at his bodyguards, "What are you idiots standing around for? Save the young master!"
The bodyguards glanced at one another, but not a single one dared to step forward.
Are you kidding? Even the eldest son of the Guwu Xu Family had knelt down to beg for mercy; wouldn't stepping in now just be offering their own heads on a platter?
"Young man, that’s enough. Let Xu Wen go!"
At that moment, a grave voice echoed through the banquet hall. Everyone turned to see a middle-aged man walking in. He had a square face, a resolute expression, and an upright posture, exuding an aura of authority that demanded respect without needing to raise his voice.
"It’s Zhao Bin! He actually came?"
"Master Zhao is the Chief Instructor for the province's hundred-thousand-strong Martial Guard. He is an absolute top-tier expert!"
"With Zhao Bin here, Chu He won't be able to stir up any more trouble!"
"..."
"Brother Zhao, you're finally here!" Seeing his savior, Xu Jinshan hurried forward. "This kid surnamed Chu is insane. You have to save my son!"
"Don't worry, brother. Xu Wen will be just fine."
After saying this, Zhao Bin fixed a stern look on Chu He and spoke in a deep voice, "I don't care who you are. Let Xu Wen go immediately, or bear the consequences yourself!"
"Haha, Uncle Zhao is here! Chu He, if you know what's good for you, let go of my husband, or you're dead!" Shen Man, who had just been talking about marrying Chu He, immediately changed her tune upon seeing Zhao Bin. She ground her teeth and shrieked.
"Hmph!"
Chu He let out a cold snort. "The people I intend to kill cannot be saved, not even by the King of Heaven!"
"You arrogant brat!"
Enraged, Zhao Bin lunged forward, unleashing a Half-Step Collapsing Fist directly at Chu He. The move was a technique of the Xingyi Five Elements, famous for its ability to strike through the body with the force of a collapsing mountain.
Facing the ferocious assault, Chu He remained calm and flicked his finger.
*Whoosh!*
A burst of energy shot out, striking Zhao Bin squarely between the eyebrows.
"You... you are a... Grandmaster..."
*Thud!*
Zhao Bin, the Chief Instructor of the hundred-thousand-strong Martial Guard, collapsed backward with his eyes wide open, dead before he hit the ground.
The room fell into deathly silence. Chu He had killed the Chief Instructor?
Xu Jinshan was stunned. He had thought Zhao Bin’s reputation alone would be enough to intimidate Chu He, but instead, he had been countered and killed.
"Kid... you killed Zhao Bin. Do you have any idea what the consequences are?" Xu Jinshan was panicked, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"It seems you have no intention of revealing the mastermind. Then, die!"
With that, Chu He applied a bit of pressure, snapping Xu Wen’s throat.
*Crack!*
Before Xu Wen could even scream, his head lolled to the side; he was finished. Chu He flicked his hand, tossing the body aside like trash, sending the onlookers scrambling backward in terror.
"Son!"
Seeing this, Xu Jinshan was heartbroken. He collapsed onto Xu Wen’s body, wailing loudly. No one dared to approach to comfort him, fearing that if they drew Chu He’s attention, they would be caught in the crossfire.
"Shen Man, this is the last time I’ll ask: who is the mastermind, and why did you kill my whole family?" Chu He turned to stare coldly at her.
"It... it was the Xu Family! It has nothing to do with me!"
Seeing the murderous intent in Chu He’s eyes, Shen Man lost control of her bladder, wetting her pants in fear. She pointed the finger at the Xu Family without a moment's hesitation.
"Very well. You snake-hearted woman, you can die now!"
Chu He couldn't be bothered with further talk. With a single palm strike, he shattered her skull.
*Crack!*
Even in death, Shen Man couldn't understand why she still had to die after she had already blamed the Xu Family.
"Daughter!"
Seeing this, Shen Jun rushed forward like a madman, desperate to fight Chu He. "You bastard, I’ll kill you!"
"Get lost!"
Chu He kicked out. Shen Jun screamed as he was sent flying over ten meters, slamming heavily into a stone pillar in the hall. He fell to the ground with a broken spine, unable to ever stand again.
"You devil!"
Xu Jinshan raised his head from his son's corpse, glaring at Chu He with hatred. "That great person will never let you get away with this! Wait for your death!"
"Which 'great person' are you talking about?" Chu He looked at him coldly.
"I won't tell you even if I die! If you have the guts, kill me!" Xu Jinshan roared.
"If you want to die, I’ll grant your wish!"
Chu He punched him in the chest, shattering his heart and killing him instantly.
Everyone was stunned. Chu He had turned a wedding into a scene of slaughter; this boy was truly terrifying!
An Chuxia had witnessed everything. At this moment, she was beyond shocked. Was this really the same frail scholar from years ago?
"Those who participated in the murder of my parents, listen well: ten days from now, come to their graves to repent and take your own lives. Otherwise, I will cut down your entire lineage and wipe out your families!"
Chu He scanned the guests coldly, then took An Chuxia’s hand and left the hotel under the terrified gazes of everyone present.
At that moment, a middle-aged man in a suit jumped onto the stage. He held a microphone, scanned the crowd, and said sternly, "No one is allowed to speak of what happened today, or you will be an enemy of the Xu Family!"
This was the second son of the Xu Family, Xu Jinshan’s younger brother, Xu Yinshui. He was a man of deep schemes; witnessing the death of his brother and nephew, he had chosen to stand by and watch—something most could not have done.
The guests left, leaving only a dozen Xu family members behind to collect the bodies of Xu Jinshan and his son.
"Daughter, call the King of Jiangzhou. It is time for him to step in," Xu Yinshui said, gritting his teeth.
"Dad, what should we do?" Xu Ni asked, her face full of worry.
"Don't worry. It's questionable whether Chu He will survive the next 24 hours, let alone ten days from now!" Xu Yinshui sneered. That great person possessed power beyond imagining; he wasn't someone a boorish brute like Chu He could provoke. Besides, how could Chu He easily get away with killing someone from the military?
On the other side, just as Chu He left the hotel, a figure flashed over and quickly pulled him aside.
"Goldilocks?"
Chu He looked closely and saw it was Owen, the 'Wolf of Wall Street,' one of the 'Four Evils' who served the old man. Owen was currently dressed in a sharp suit with polished leather shoes, a far cry from the image of him wearing burlap shoes and a broken straw hat while fertilizing the vegetable patch back on the mountain.
Owen took out a black, diamond-encrusted bank card and a key from his pocket, handing them to Chu He with a grin.
"Young Master Chu, this is the Knight Group’s Black Dragon Card. It works at any bank and has no limit!"
The Knight Group! One of the world’s three great consortia, with wealth exceeding that of most mid-sized nations.
"And the key is?"
Chu He took the items and smiled faintly. Owen was actually very good at gardening; the cabbage he grew was sweet and crisp, and even the old man often praised him, saying he was a natural gardener.
"Villa Number One at Jade Garden!"
"I saved the best villa for you. Plus, there’s a surprise waiting inside!" Owen said with a lecherous grin.
"A surprise?"
"Hehe, you'll see when you move in!"
"Fine then."
Chu He didn't stand on ceremony. Owen finished his task, turned around, and hopped into a Maybach, driving off in a cloud of dust.
"Chu He, is he a friend of yours?" An Chuxia had witnessed the interaction from a distance and asked curiously when he returned.
"You mean Goldilocks? I suppose you could say that," Chu He nodded.
"Goldilocks?"
An Chuxia was stunned. She had majored in finance in college; wasn't that man Owen, the heir to the Knight Group who had disappeared five years ago?
"It’s been so many years since I’ve seen your parents. I’d like to go visit them," Chu He said to An Chuxia.
"This..." An Chuxia looked hesitant, but eventually, she nodded and hailed a taxi.
Soon, they were brought to the shantytown of Jiangzhou.
"Chuxia, did your family move here?"
Chu He was shocked. Five years ago, while the An family wasn't extremely wealthy, they had millions in assets, and An Chuxia’s father was a renowned doctor in Jiangzhou. How had they ended up in a shantytown?
An Chuxia didn't speak. She silently paid the driver, stepped out, and led Chu He into the slums.
It was midsummer, and the shantytown was filled with a stifling, foul stench. Dark brown sewage flowed through gutters, and in some places, human waste from someone's child littered the narrow road.
Chu He watched all this, his heart heavy with mixed emotions. If An Jie hadn't died, would the An family have fallen to such a state?
After walking for a while, Chu He noticed a crowd gathered ahead, seemingly watching a commotion.
"Oh no, it must be that gang again!" An Chuxia exclaimed.
"What gang..."
Before he could finish, An Chuxia was already rushing into the crowd. In the middle, a plain-looking, middle-aged couple lay on the ground, groaning in pain, their faces bruised and swollen. Seven or eight burly men in black stood around them, holding steel pipes. They had tattoos on their chests and arms, looking like thugs.
"Old man An, you dare to dodge our debt? You have a death wish!" The leader, a bald thug with a vicious expression, spat at the couple and snarled, "If you don't pay up today, I’ll break your other leg!"
"Brother Fly, we really have no money left. Please, give us a few more days?" the man on the ground pleaded fearfully.
"Cut the crap! No money today, and your whole family can get their coffins ready!"
Facing the blatant threats, the couple trembled. Nearby, neighbors whispered among themselves.
"Sigh, old An was such a good man. Who knew he’d end up borrowing from loan sharks?"
"Who told him to gamble? This is what happens to gamblers."
"Keep your voice down. Isn't the An family just suffering because of others?"
Many neighbors pitied An Wenjing’s situation, but no one dared to intervene. These thugs were dangerous people who lived by the blade.
"Mom, Dad!"
An Chuxia pushed through the crowd. Seeing her parents beaten like this, tears streamed down her face.
"In broad daylight, do you have no regard for the law? I’m calling the police!" An Chuxia stood in front of her parents, her small body shielding them as she glared at the thugs.
"Oh? Beauty, you’re back just in time!" Fly saw her beauty and his eyes lit up. He leered, "Your father borrowed our money and can't pay. Why don't you pay the interest with yourself?"
"Yeah! Sleep with Brother Fly, and we'll waive the interest for this period. What a deal!" The other thugs jeered like beasts encountering prey, drool nearly dripping from their mouths.
"No, please! My daughter is still young, please, I beg you, spare her!" Zhou Xiuying panicked, falling to her knees to plead with them.
"Screw you!" Fly kicked her in the head. "You old hag, keep whining and I’ll kill you!"
"You scum, do you want to die?"
A cold voice cut through the crowd.
"Which bastard is talking!"
Fly was furious. He spun around, only to see the crowd parting as Chu He walked in, his face dark.
"Kid, looking to play the hero? Where are you from?" A thug raised his steel pipe and pointed it at Chu He's nose, shouting.
"You're asking for it!"
Chu He moved in a flash, reaching the thug in the blink of an eye. He grabbed the thug’s wrist, the one holding the pipe, and snapped it!
*Crack!*
"Aaaaah!" The thug let out a pig-like shriek and collapsed, clutching his broken hand.
It all happened in a split second. Many hadn't even clearly seen Chu He’s face. An Chuxia’s parents were stunned.
"Asshole! You dare hurt my brother? Take him!" Fly roared.
"Die!"
The thugs yelled, raising their pipes and charging at Chu He.
Chu He snorted, flashing into the middle of the group. A series of shrill screams echoed through the street. In just a few seconds, all the thugs were lying on the ground, howling in agony.
Fly was dumbfounded. He had expected his men to easily deal with Chu He, not realize he was such a tough nut to crack.
"Wow! This young man is too fierce!"
"Old An is saved! Otherwise, with Fly’s backers, even the police wouldn't dare touch them!"
The onlookers breathed a sigh of relief. With Chu He here, Old An’s life was spared.
"You... don't mess around! I'm a man of Lord Hu. If you touch a single hair on my head, he won't let you get away with it!" Fly swallowed, threatening Chu He with a trembling voice.
"I don't care who your boss is!" Chu He’s eyes flared, his voice cold. "Bullying my brother’s family is off-limits. Get on your knees and apologize to Uncle An right now!"
Fly gritted his teeth, refusing to kneel. He was a man of the streets; he had to save face. Seeing this, Chu He couldn't be bothered with words. He kicked the bald man’s kneecaps!
*Crack!*
Two crisp sounds of bone breaking followed. Fly fell to his knees, right in front of An Wenjing and his wife.
At first, An Wenjing didn't recognize Chu He—he had been drowning his sorrows in tobacco and alcohol, and his mind wasn't as sharp—but Zhou Xiuying recognized him. "You... you are little Chu?"
"Auntie, long time no see. You still remember me!" Chu He smiled warmly, revealing his teeth. "Let me finish dealing with this trash, then I'll have a good chat with you!"
Trash? Hearing that Chu He intended to deal with him, Fly turned pale. "Brother, I was wrong! Please, let me go! I won't ever do it again!"
"You know you're wrong now?" Chu He looked down at him playfully. "How much does Uncle An owe you? Don't lie, or you’ll die a miserable death!"
"Fi... five million..." Fly watched Chu He carefully, terrified he would strike again.
"That much?" Chu He was surprised. He turned to the bruised An Wenjing. Borrowing that much? Had they been victims of a scam?
"No!" An Chuxia sobbed softly. "It's high-interest loans. My dad only borrowed one hundred thousand. We’ve already paid back a million in principal and interest, but they still won't let us go!"
"Is that true?" Chu He looked coldly at Fly.
Fly shivered and nodded repeatedly. "Yes, Miss An is right. But we’re loan sharks..."
"Shut up!" Chu He cut him off. "Debts must be paid, that’s natural law!"
"Huh?" Fly blinked his naive eyes, thinking that was his line.
"It’s only five million, right?" Chu He asked.
"Yes, yes, yes! Brother, you’re so righteous!" Fly was moved; such a 'good person' who speaks of righteousness was rare, especially one who seemed a bit brain-damaged.
However, Chu He’s next words made him wish he were dead.
"But you beat people, so you have to pay for medical expenses. I won't extort you—is fifty million too much?" Chu He said calmly.
"Fif—fifty million? Why don't you just go rob a bank!" Fly was furious. Chu He had just said he wouldn't extort anyone! This was even worse than a loan shark!
"If you don't want to pay, that's fine. Each of you can leave behind a leg, and we'll call it even. Oh, and give me Uncle An’s IOUs." Chu He smiled wickedly.
The onlookers couldn't help but laugh. Fly’s gang had been running wild in the shantytown; seeing them get a taste of their own medicine felt great.
"Brother, just kill me!" Fly was on the verge of a breakdown. He handed over the IOUs. "Can we just call the debt off?"
"Since you don't have the money, I’ll find your boss later to collect it!" Chu He waved his hand impatiently. "Get out! If I see you again, I’m breaking your dog legs!"
"Thank you, brother! We’re leaving now!" Fly scrambled to get his men to help him up, and the group fled the shantytown in a pathetic state.
"Nice one, buddy!"
"Those thugs only bully the weak. Great lesson!"
"Young man, you must be Chuxia’s boyfriend. You’re amazing!"
After the thugs left, the neighbors gave him thumbs-ups. Chu He’s actions had earned their genuine respect.
"Dad, let me help you inside." An Chuxia wiped her tears and helped An Wenjing toward their home.
Chu He followed them in, and was stunned by what he saw. The room held only a few pieces of old, decrepit furniture. There were holes in the roof, with basins on the floor to catch rainwater. The house, less than forty square meters, was divided into two bedrooms and a kitchen, and a musty smell hit them as they entered.
"Little Chu, the place is a bit simple. Please, don't mind it," Zhou Xiuying said, blushing with embarrassment.
"Auntie, how did you end up living here?" Chu He frowned.
"This..." Zhou Xiuying hesitated, but An Wenjing, lying on the bed, suddenly flew into a rage, roaring at Chu He, "Isn't all of this because of you!"
"Because of me?"