Chapter 61: Rules?

"Old Gao, you’re really pushing it!" Young Master Xiao Hu spat viciously. "The Tiger Head Gang’s rules can’t be broken. Search his place!"

Hearing this, the thugs behind Young Master Xiao Hu charged into Old Gao’s home like a pack of ravenous wolves.

"You can’t search! You can’t!" The woman at his side wailed desperately. She tried to stop them but was held back tight.

CRASH!

The sounds of them ransacking the house could be heard from outside.

BANG!

A perfectly good earthenware jar was smashed violently on the ground, shattering into countless pieces.

Sleeping mats were overturned and scattered everywhere. One thug, still not satisfied, tore open the pillows and quilts with a loud RIIIIP, sending cotton flying through the air.

The crowd watched the tragic scene unfold, but no one dared to step forward and put a stop to it.

The thugs rummaged through the house but found nothing of value, which made them frustrated. Suddenly, one of them dragged a black wooden box out from under the bed. He tipped out a pile of junk, and at the very bottom, he found a bracelet.

"Young Master Xiao Hu, got something!"

The thug cried out in delight and walked over to Young Master Xiao Hu, presenting the bracelet as if it were a treasure.

Before the thug could even hand over the bracelet, the woman let out a heart-wrenching wail.

"Masters, Masters, my late mother left me that as part of my dowry! You can’t take it! Give it back to me, give it back...!"

"Noisy woman! Shut your mouth!" one of the thugs said, growing impatient. He slapped her across the face. One of her cheeks swelled up instantly.

"Wuuu..." The woman sobbed, still trying to say something, but a well-meaning neighbor quickly clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Mrs. Gao, it’s better if you say less."

"Not bad!" Young Master Xiao Hu took the bracelet, inspecting its quality with considerable satisfaction.

"Is there anything else?"

"Young Master Xiao Hu, just some broken silver, not even adding up to one tael," another thug replied.

"Even with this bracelet, it’s still not twenty taels! Search again! Take anything else of value!"

"Yes, sir!" the thugs replied in unison.

But after searching the house for a while longer, they still couldn’t find anything valuable. They only managed to carry out some tables, chairs, and stools.

For an ordinary family, these tables, chairs, and stools were some of their most valuable belongings.

"Old Gao, this still isn’t enough to cover the debt. So tell me, what should we do now?" Young Master Xiao Hu said, his gaze mocking as he looked at Old Gao, who was beaten so badly he couldn’t move.

"Your wife’s a bit on the older side, but she’ll still sell for a good price! Men, take her away!"

"Yes, Young Master Xiao Hu." One of the lackeys heard him and stepped forward to grab the woman.

"Young Master Xiao Hu, you can’t, you can’t..."

Old Gao had been beaten motionless, but upon hearing this, he found a sudden burst of strength from somewhere and began struggling violently, trying to get back up.

"I’ll pay the money, I promise! My wife is innocent! Let her go, let her go...!"

"Get lost!" Young Master Xiao Hu delivered a heavy kick, sending Old Gao crumpling to the ground like a heap of rags. As someone at the Qi Blood Second Realm Perfection, Young Master Xiao Hu didn’t hold back. How could Old Gao possibly withstand such a blow?

"Sigh..."

Watching the tragic scene before him, Chen Ping’an let out a heavy sigh.

Old Pan and Mrs. Pan were also in the crowd. When Old Pan caught an accidental glimpse of Chen Ping’an, a flicker of fear crossed his face, followed by resentment.

"Some constable from the Garrison Commandant’s Office he is. Watching the Tiger Head Gang destroy a family and he won’t even step in!"

"Exactly! Exactly! The way I see it, he’s just someone who bullies the weak and fears the strong! He only has the guts to pick on us common folk," Mrs. Pan chimed in, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Their voices were neither loud nor soft, and logically, Chen Ping’an shouldn’t have been able to hear them. But Chen Ping’an had now reached the Qi Blood Third Layer, and his senses of hearing and sight were far beyond those of an ordinary person.

Chen Ping’an turned his head slightly, his gaze landing on Old Pan. Their eyes met, and Old Pan felt as if he were being stared down by a savage tiger. A chill shot through him, starting from the soles of his feet.

’He heard me?’

’Impossible!’

’The crowd is noisy, and he’s so far away. He couldn’t possibly have heard!’

Old Pan tried to reassure himself. Beside him, Mrs. Pan was still making sarcastic comments about Chen Ping’an. Hearing her made Old Pan’s skin crawl, and he quickly tugged her sleeve.

"What is it?"

Mrs. Pan snapped.

"Stop! Stop it, don’t say another word!"

Old Pan repeatedly shot her meaningful glances.

Only then did Mrs. Pan notice Chen Ping’an’s gaze from a short distance away. But with so many neighbors around, she wasn’t the least bit scared.

"You coward! With so many people here, what are you afraid of?"

"You stupid woman, shut your mouth!" A cold sweat started to bead on Old Pan’s forehead.

Mrs. Pan was about to snap back, but then she saw Chen Ping’an walking toward them. She instantly clamped her mouth shut, a sudden wave of panic washing over her for no reason.

Just when the pair thought Chen Ping’an was coming for them, they watched as he walked past them, pushed through the crowd, and stepped out to the front.

"Young Master Xiao Hu, paying one’s debts is a matter of course. But to bring harm to the family... isn’t that taking things a little too far?"

"Oh?" A playful smirk appeared on Young Master Xiao Hu’s face when he saw Chen Ping’an. "Well, if it isn’t the Chen Family’s kid! What, you going to try and use the Daqian Law to threaten me again?"

"You must be joking, Young Master Xiao Hu. The Daqian Law is the Daqian Law. It’s there for everyone to obey. It’s not a matter of ’threatening’ anyone!" Chen Ping’an stared at Young Master Xiao Hu, his eyes devoid of any humor.

"Abducting a woman in public, according to the law, is punishable by one hundred strokes of the cane and ten years of imprisonment!"

"Chen Family’s kid, you said it yourself: paying debts is a matter of course. He owes me money and can’t pay up. Are you saying I’m not allowed to collect?"

"If you don’t find it too troublesome, Young Master Xiao Hu, you can file a report with the Garrison Commandant’s Office. Let the law resolve this matter! Not... like this."

"Are you lecturing me on how to do things?" Young Master Xiao Hu snorted in anger. His patience had reached its absolute limit.

’This Chen Family’s kid... he’s provoked my authority again and again. Does he really think I’m afraid of a measly temporary constable?’

’If it weren’t for that Qi Blood Pill, would this kid still be alive today?’

However, despite his fury, Young Master Xiao Hu didn’t lash out immediately.

’Right now, because of that whole mess with the Ten Thousand Demons Sect, the Garrison Commandant’s Office is being extremely strict. The Chen Family’s kid is insignificant, but I don’t want to become a public scapegoat while things are this tense.’

"That wasn’t my intention! It’s just that when you do things, Young Master Xiao Hu, you still need to follow the rules!"

"Rules? Here in Pear Blossom Lane, I *am* the rules!"

"You are mistaken, Young Master Xiao Hu." Chen Ping’an shook his head. "Whether it’s in Pear Blossom Lane or anywhere else, there is only one set of rules. And those rules are the Daqian Law! In the face of the Daqian Law, Young Master Xiao Hu, you are..."

A strange smile played on Chen Ping’an’s lips.

"...nothing at all!"

"How dare you humiliate my Tiger Head Gang!" Young Master Xiao Hu roared, pointing an accusatory finger at Chen Ping’an.

Before Young Master Xiao Hu’s voice had faded, a burly man shot out from behind him and charged toward Chen Ping’an.

"Kid, you’re looking to die!"

Young Master Xiao Hu neither scolded nor stopped him.

’I let it slide before. But this time, I can’t let it go.’

’With so many people watching today! If I don’t teach this kid a lesson, everyone will think the Tiger Head Gang is a pushover!’

’This brute is one of my thugs. He hasn’t even reached the Martial Arts Introduction level, but he’s an excellent fighter among the common rabble. An average man or two would be no match for him.’

’He’s more than enough to take care of this Chen Family’s kid!’

In an instant, Young Master Xiao Hu had already planned how he would wrap things up after he had vented his anger.

...