After dealing with the middle-aged man who had owed him money earlier, Niu Ben walked over to the sofa, picked up a towel from the table, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He tossed the towel aside carelessly before turning his gaze to Crazy Dog Brother, who stood nearby with his head lowered, beads of cold sweat dripping down his face.
"What did the cops ask you?"
At these words, Crazy Dog Brother shuddered violently and dropped to his knees before Niu Ben. "B-boss, I didn’t say anything! I swear, I didn’t tell them a thing!"
Niu Ben narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze sweeping over Crazy Dog Brother’s face like a blade.
He had connections in Wushui County and knew the man was telling the truth.
"Keeping your mouth shut is always the right move when you’re out in the world. Crazy Dog, how long have you been with me?"
Crazy Dog Brother quickly lifted his head. "Boss, I’ve been following you for four years now! My loyalty to you is absolute!"
Niu Ben leaned back on the sofa, studying him. "Four years… time really flies. Have I treated you well in those four years?"
Crazy Dog Brother nodded eagerly. "You’ve been more than generous to me, boss. I’ve never forgotten it."
Niu Ben gave a slow nod, then his tone abruptly shifted. "Alright, here’s your chance. You’ve got one week to make sure that group disappears from this territory. And I want that loan paid back. No problems, right?"
The "group" he referred to was Liu Yutong and her people—unwelcome visitors from Bright Pearl City who had expanded too quickly for his liking. It was time to take them seriously.
So, he’d let Crazy Dog Brother redeem himself by handling them first.
If Crazy Dog Brother failed, Niu Ben would step in personally.
Hearing this, Crazy Dog Brother’s face turned deathly pale, his lips trembling. "T-this…"
Niu Ben’s expression instantly darkened. "What? Can’t do it?"
Crazy Dog Brother flinched and hastily waved his hands. "N-no! I can! I’ll get it done, boss!"
Internally, he was cursing his luck, even wishing he were still locked up in jail.
He hadn’t spilled anything to the cops, but he had talked to Liu Yutong’s group.
Back then, the situation had been impossible to resist.
That was why he’d been so terrified when he learned Niu Ben was bailing him out.
Right now, jail seemed like paradise.
Seeing Crazy Dog Brother agree, Niu Ben’s expression softened slightly.
He turned to the towering figure standing rigidly behind him—a giant of a man, at least two meters tall, with a shaved head and a vicious scar running across his scalp. Even with sunglasses on, his presence was overwhelming.
"Ji Yu, you’ll be keeping an eye on Crazy Dog for now."
But Ji Yu didn’t react. He remained motionless, like a statue.
Niu Ben frowned and raised his voice. "Ji Yu!"
Still no response.
Just as Niu Ben was about to call again, a loud snoring sound filled the room.
Zzz… Zzz… Zzz…
Niu Ben: "…"
Crazy Dog Brother: "…"
Crazy Dog Brother hurriedly got up and approached Ji Yu.
Even at nearly six feet tall, he had to crane his neck to look at the giant. He gingerly shook Ji Yu’s arm, as if afraid of waking a sleeping beast. "Brother Ji, Brother Ji… the boss is calling you."
After several shakes, Ji Yu finally stirred, yawning deeply. His voice was rough and gravelly. "Huh?"
Niu Ben felt his dignity crumbling. He sighed. "Ji Yu… never mind. Crazy Dog, get out first."
He knew Ji Yu wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed—stubborn and slow on the uptake—so he figured he’d explain things properly later.
But Ji Yu, still half-asleep and wires crossed in his brain, misheard.
In one swift motion, he grabbed Crazy Dog Brother by the collar and, ignoring the man’s horrified expression, hurled him out the door.
THUD.
Ji Yu dusted off his hands and turned back to Niu Ben. "Boss, threw him out!"
Niu Ben: "…"
Niu Ben wasn’t sure if assigning Ji Yu to monitor Crazy Dog Brother was a good idea.
But when it came to loyalty and unquestioning obedience, Ji Yu was unmatched.
Most importantly, the man was a powerhouse in a fight.
Niu Ben had done his homework on Liu Yutong’s group.
One of them, Yun Cheng, was particularly skilled in combat—perfect for Ji Yu to handle.
Ji Yu might be dense and single-minded, but his fighting prowess was undeniable. And his lips were sealed tight.
After some thought, Niu Ben decided to stick with the plan.
"If necessary, just…" He drew a finger across his throat, eyes flashing with ruthlessness.
The message was clear: eliminate Crazy Dog Brother if needed.
Ji Yu nodded, expression blank. "Got it, boss!"
By the time Ji Yu stepped out of the nightclub, Crazy Dog Brother was already waiting outside.
Seeing Ji Yu emerge, Crazy Dog Brother put on an ingratiating smile, but Ji Yu ignored him, his gaze fixated on the man’s neck as he replayed Niu Ben’s gesture in his mind.
What did the boss mean by that?
Was he telling me to fix Crazy Dog’s neck?
But his neck doesn’t look twisted…
Guess he’d have to wait until Crazy Dog’s neck did get twisted before carrying out the order.
Crazy Dog Brother had no idea why Ji Yu kept staring at his neck, but he didn’t dare ask.
He knew the guy was a blockhead who only followed orders and never answered questions.
He also understood why Niu Ben had assigned Ji Yu to him—Yun Cheng was a formidable opponent, and Ji Yu was the perfect counter.
But even with a powerhouse like Ji Yu at his side, Crazy Dog Brother wasn’t eager to pick a fight. Liu Yutong had dirt on him—the kind that could get him killed.
"Ah, whatever. I’ll figure it out as I go."
"Ji Yu, let’s move!"
Crazy Dog Brother waved a hand and flagged down a rickshaw, planning to kill some time at an internet café.
But the moment he pulled the door open, a massive hand yanked him back.
"???"
Crazy Dog Brother stared at Ji Yu in confusion. "What the hell? Why’d you pull me?"
"‘Figure it out as I go.’ Walk!"
Without another word, Ji Yu dragged him forward, pausing every few steps to scrutinize Crazy Dog Brother’s neck before continuing.
It was as if he were executing a mission with surgical precision, refusing to tolerate even the slightest deviation.
Crazy Dog Brother, hauled along by the scruff of his neck, struggled helplessly, tears welling in his eyes. "You goddamn blockhead! Let go of me!"
But no amount of shouting or thrashing made Ji Yu loosen his grip.
Aside from being stubborn, Ji Yu had a tendency to slip into a peculiar "zone"—once focused on a task, he tuned out all outside noise and distractions.
No matter how much Crazy Dog Brother shouted, Ji Yu acted as if he didn’t hear a thing.
By the time they arrived, Ji Yu saw Crazy Dog Brother lying there like a dead dog—eyes rolled back, foam dripping from his mouth.
With genuine confusion, he asked, "Huh, what’s wrong with you?"
Crazy Dog struggled to get up, about to say something, when he suddenly realized his neck was twisted, leaving him no choice but to glare at Ji Yu sideways.
Before he could utter a word, Ji Yu’s eyes lit up as he remembered his boss’s orders—to fix Crazy Dog’s neck.
Under Crazy Dog’s horrified gaze, Ji Yu clamped his large hands around his throat.
Soon after, a blood-curdling scream tore through the air: "AHHH!!!"
