The November wind cut through the abandoned factory district like a knife, and at this hour, almost no one could be seen outdoors.
The van jolted along the winding path between derelict factory buildings, its tires crushing gravel with a series of sharp crackling sounds.
Yu Xin’s fingers unconsciously tightened around her phone, her grip syncing with the rhythm of her heartbeat.
"Turn right in a hundred meters," Yun Cheng suddenly spoke, his voice low, seeping like underground chill.
In the rearview mirror, the motorcycle still trailed them at a steady distance of twenty meters—close enough to be easily spotted, but the rider behind them didn’t seem to care about hiding. After all, this was the perfect place to strike.
Yu Xin shook her phone. "Should we notify Brother Ma and the others?"
"No need." Yun Cheng’s lips curled into a cold smirk. "Let’s play with them first. Just a bunch of petty thieves—no need to bring in more people."
"Xiao Hu, Xiao Bao, this is a real test for you. Don’t embarrass me."
"Yes, Master!" The five kids, including Xiao Hu, immediately perked up, their eyes gleaming with excitement.
Only now did they feel that this was the true test of their martial arts training.
If they performed well, they would truly become members of the Ten Thousand Dragons Society. If they failed and disappointed their master…
No! They absolutely wouldn’t let him down!
"About time." Yun Cheng slammed the brakes, jolting the van violently.
Almost simultaneously, the screech of tires echoed from ahead as an unmarked van skidded to a stop five meters away. Its doors slid open with a clatter, and over a dozen plainly dressed men filed out.
Here, the difference between pickpockets and gangsters was clear. Gangsters usually dressed flashily, but these thieves wore simple, unassuming clothes—almost like ordinary laborers—and carried no weapons.
"They don’t seem to be armed," Yu Xin said, puzzled.
If they were planning an ambush, why come empty-handed?
"Sister Xin, people in this line of work rarely use heavy weapons. Their specialty is small blades—hidden in their sleeves. So when the fight starts, you have to be extra careful," Xiao Hu explained.
Yu Xin nodded. "Then be careful. Oh, right—are those two thieves who scammed our supermarket among them?"
Xiao Hu and the others scanned the group and nodded. "They’re here."
Yu Xin’s expression hardened. "Good. They’ll pay back every cent they stole—with interest."
Just then, the dozen or so pickpockets fanned out in a semicircle, blocking the van.
Leading them was a wiry man, barely 1.7 meters tall, with shifty, rat-like eyes.
"Get out!"
Reading his lips, Yun Cheng stepped out first.
Yu Xin and the five kids followed, and soon, ten more plainclothes members of the Ten Thousand Dragons Society piled out, proving the van’s impressive passenger capacity.
Rat’s face visibly paled—he hadn’t expected the other side to be equally prepared.
"Brother, which gang are you with? Don’t you know the rules? Causing trouble in our territory without so much as a heads-up—that’s not right."
"Your territory? Sorry, but from now on, this place belongs to… uh, Yong—no, my boss. If you know what’s good for you, scram!" Yun Cheng deliberately fumbled his words.
Rat, with his sharp ears, caught the name "Yong" and his eyes flashed with fury.
"You’re Li Dayong’s men?"
"No, no, I don’t even know him," Yun Cheng denied.
But the more he protested, the more Rat and his men suspected he was lying—covering his ears to steal the bell, as the saying went.
Well, well, well.
Yun Cheng gave them no time to think. With a sudden roar, he shouted, "Move!"
"Move!"
At the command, the two groups collided.
Yun Cheng sidestepped a slashing blade, flicking out his telescopic baton in one smooth motion. It cracked down on the attacker’s wrist with a sickening snap.
The man howled, dropping his knife as his bones shattered.
Against professional thieves, there was no need for mercy—it wasn’t like they’d dare call the police.
Xiao Hu and his team charged in a wedge formation, their coordination seamless.
The burliest of them, Xiao Xiang, held the front, while Xiao Hu covered the flank. Xiao Bao and the others weaved through the crowd like eels, targeting legs and knees—leaving their opponents helpless.
Yun Cheng mostly observed, only stepping in when one of the kids was in danger, acting like a guardian angel.
In less than three minutes, the fight became a one-sided slaughter.
Thanks to the young mistress’s orders, every Ten Thousand Dragons member had been training at the newly opened martial arts gym. Though their main goal was shedding belly fat and sculpting abs, their physical conditioning far surpassed these thieves.
Add Yun Cheng’s near-mythical combat skills, and even with similar numbers, the outcome was never in doubt.
Five minutes later.
Rat and his crew lay moaning on the ground like broken branches after a storm.
"Who… who the hell are you people?" Rat clutched his stomach, sweat beading on his forehead, his voice trembling.
A seasoned underworld figure, he recognized these weren’t ordinary thieves—their ruthless efficiency marked them as professional enforcers, likely from a syndicate.
Pickpockets stood no chance against organized crime.
No matter the district, thieves never dared cross local gangs. One group relied on sleight of hand, the other on brute force—they were worlds apart.
Yu Xin stepped over the uneven ground, stopping before the defeated thieves.
"Which two of you stole from our supermarket earlier? I’d like to have a little chat."
Xiao Hu and the others quickly pointed out Scarface and Lao Xiu.
The two men tensed, sensing trouble.
"Y-you… don’t mess with us! I’m warning you—if you cross us, your supermarket will never know peace again!"
"And don’t think just ’cause you’ve got gang ties, you’re untouchable! Ever heard of Brother Dao? He’s our boss! Back in the day, he carved through East Lake to South Avenue with just a machete—three days and nights of nonstop slaughter! Rivers of blood, and he never even blinked! Absolute legend!"
"Wouldn’t his eyes get dry after not blinking for so long?" Xiao Hu asked curiously.
"???"
"That’s what you’re focusing on?!"
"Anyway, you’re done for! Brother Dao won’t let this slide—and neither will Ghost Lord!"
"Take these two inside," Yu Xin cut in, gesturing to the abandoned factory.
Several Ten Thousand Dragons members immediately hauled the two men away.
Scarface and Lao Xiu suddenly began thrashing wildly, pleading for mercy: "Spare us! We’ll pay back the money—we’ll pay it back! Triple! Even five times! Just spare us!"
They weren’t fools. Out of so many people, only the two of them had been dragged into the abandoned factory. What that implied was obvious. At the very least, their hands would be broken as punishment.
Perhaps their cries were too loud and grating. Yu Xin raised her hand and delivered two sharp slaps.
Smack! Smack!
The two men froze for a moment, their wails cutting off abruptly. They looked up at the girl before them, their eyes filled with terror.
"Shh—" Yu Xin pressed a finger to her lips, flashing them a sweet smile. "No need to scream yet. The night is still long."
Before long, the abandoned factory echoed with a series of blood-curdling shrieks.
