Zhang Tao's punch, fueled by a chest full of rage, smashed ruthlessly into Zhao Biao's face.
Bang!
Zhao Biao staggered backward several steps, his back slamming hard against the table behind him. The liquor bottles and dishes on the table crashed to the floor in a shattering cascade. He covered his face, glaring at Zhang Tao in disbelief as a nosebleed trickled through his fingers.
The room fell silent in an instant.
Everyone was stunned, including the group of thugs Zhao Biao had brought, Zhou Juan'er and her bridesmaids, as well as the relatives, friends, and villagers watching from the doorway.
In Qingniu Town, someone actually dared to lay a hand on Zhao Biao?
"Biao... Brother Biao, are you okay?" one of his lackeys finally reacted, rushing over in a panic to help him up.
Zhao Biao wiped his nose, looked at the blood on his hand, and his eyes instantly turned red. "You motherf..."
Before he could finish his sentence, hurried footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the door.
The two members of the Wanlong Society, who had gone to the restroom together, had returned. Hearing the commotion in the bridal chamber, they rushed right in.
When they saw Zhao Biao covering his nose with a face full of blood, and then looked at Zhang Tao, they seemed to instantly understand what had happened. Their eyes immediately turned cold.
"Brother Tao, are you alright?" As the two asked, their hands discreetly reached toward the small of their backs, where their telescopic batons were tucked away.
"I'm fine."
Zhang Tao shook out his hand and looked at Zhao Biao, his tone icy. "Brother Biao, today is my wedding day. I don't want to see blood. Take your men and get the hell out of here, right now!"
"You hit me and now you're telling me to get the hell out?"
Zhao Biao acted as if he had just heard the biggest joke in the world. He licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze turning incredibly ferocious. "Zhang Tao, do you have any idea what happens to people who touch me, Zhao Biao, in Qingniu Town?"
He waved his hand violently and roared, "Beat him! Beat him to death! I'll take responsibility if anything happens!"
The seven or eight thugs howled and charged forward.
But in the next second, they realized they were wrong.
Dead wrong!
Zhang Tao and his two companions moved almost simultaneously.
Zhang Tao delivered a side kick, landing squarely on the chest of the thug leading the charge. The man flew backward, knocking down two others behind him. The other two Wanlong Society members dodged the incoming punches from the thugs and seamlessly drew their batons, delivering a ruthless and resounding beating!
The scene instantly descended into utter chaos.
Perhaps because the space was too cramped for the thugs to maneuver properly, even though Zhang Tao's side only had three people, they completely overpowered the eight or nine thugs.
Zhang Tao seized an opening and closed in on Zhao Biao.
Relying on his superior numbers, Zhao Biao grabbed an empty liquor bottle and swung it at him. Zhang Tao didn't dodge or evade; he raised his left hand to block and drove his right fist straight into Zhao Biao's abdomen, putting all his strength into the punch.
"Ugh!" Zhao Biao doubled over from the blow, curling up like a cooked shrimp as the bottle slipped from his grasp.
Zhang Tao fluidly caught the bottle, grabbed Zhao Biao's hair with one hand to force him down, and raised the bottle with the other, bringing it crashing down hard onto his head.
Smash!!!
Zhao Biao's head split open instantly. Blood poured out even heavier, smearing all over his face and making him look even more pathetic and miserable.
Meanwhile, the other two core members of the Wanlong Society showcased the results of their daily martial arts training. These local street punks were no match for them at all; they were on the receiving end the entire time, beaten until they were crying out for their parents.
In less than two minutes, most of the thugs were lying on the floor groaning in pain. The remaining two, hiding in the very back, were too terrified to step forward, trembling at the doorway.
Zhao Biao was slumped on the floor, his face covered in blood, his consciousness fading.
Zhang Tao took a breath, straightened his slightly disheveled suit, walked over to Zhao Biao, and crouched down.
"Brother Biao, can we talk properly now?"
Zhao Biao opened his swollen eyes and glared fiercely at Zhang Tao, mumbling threats and curses, "You... you're dead. I'm telling you... you're dead!"
"Still acting tough, motherfucker!" one of the men in black walked over and stomped on Zhao Biao's hand.
"Ah!" Zhao Biao let out a miserable shriek.
"Ah Liang." Zhang Tao shook his head, signaling him to let go.
Zhang Tao looked at Zhao Biao and repeated, "I'll say it one more time. Today is my wedding. I don't want to cause trouble. Take your men and leave, alright?"
Supported by his lackeys, Zhao Biao stood up. He shot a venomous glare at Zhang Tao, then looked at the two men in black, and finally turned his gaze to the terrified villagers at the door and Zhou Juan'er's family.
"Good... good... very good!"
Zhao Biao grinned, his smile even more grotesque. The blood on his face made him look like an evil spirit. "Zhang Tao, you're certainly tough, but your father-in-law is still here in Qingniu Town!"
"Your wife's family is here too."
"And these little bridesmaid chicks, their homes are nearby too, right?"
Zhang Tao's eyes grew colder. "Are you threatening me?"
But Zhao Biao laughed, laughing brazenly despite his blood-soaked face. "You're a badass, you can fight. You can protect them for a moment, but can you protect them for a lifetime? Once you go back to Pearl City, let's see who protects them then!"
"I've been running things in Qingniu Town for over ten years, and I've never taken a loss like this. Let me tell you, this isn't over!"
He shoved away the lackey supporting him, staggered to the door, and looked back at Zhang Tao one last time, his eyes full of provocation and malice.
"Just you wait. By tomorrow at the latest, I'll have you on your knees begging me!" With that, he led his group of battered lackeys and stumbled away.
Watching the direction they left, Zhang Tao knew in his heart that there was no peaceful resolution to this matter anymore.
Originally, he had planned to call the police, but considering this was the enemy's turf, they would probably be bailed out the very same day they were arrested. When that happened, Zhao Biao would definitely retaliate even more ruthlessly.
That was why he had clung to a tiny sliver of hope that beating the man severely would scare him off, making him too afraid to ever provoke him, his father-in-law, or the Zhou family again.
But looking at it now, it seemed to have been completely useless.
That guy would definitely seek revenge, if not tonight, then tomorrow.
Zhou Juan'er rushed over, nervously grabbing Zhang Tao's hand. "A-Tao, what do we do? Zhao Biao definitely won't let my parents off the hook."
She wasn't afraid of Zhao Biao coming after her and Zhang Tao, because they would be settling down in Pearl City, which was the headquarters of the Wanlong Society.
Unless Zhao Biao had a death wish, the guy would absolutely never dare go to Pearl City for revenge.
But her parents and family were different; they were still here.
Zhang Tao's father-in-law and mother-in-law were also badly frightened.
"Little Tao, you... you were too impulsive. A man like Zhao Biao, our family can't afford to provoke him."
Some of the villagers and relatives at the door also gathered around to offer advice.
"Juan'er's husband, you need to take Juan'er and leave quickly. Leave right now and go back to Pearl City. Zhao Biao is an incredibly petty man; he will definitely retaliate."
"Yes, you two need to leave immediately. Zhao Biao has people in town and in the city, and he even has connections in the police department. You'll suffer a huge loss if you stay here."
"Hurry up and go! Don't delay here any longer!"
Zhou Juan'er cried, "But what about my parents?"
Her father-in-law gritted his teeth. "You guys go. As for us... the worst that can happen is we move away!"
Her mother-in-law grew anxious. "Move away? Move where? Our house and land are all here. If we move, what will we eat and drink? We're old; we can't handle being uprooted like this."
For their generation, leaving the hometown where they had spent their entire lives was easier said than done.
Zhang Tao looked at his parents-in-law and his wife, taking a deep breath.
"Dad, Mom, don't worry. I'll handle this. You don't have to move."
"How are you going to handle it?"
His father-in-law grew anxious. "Even if you're good in a fight, there are only three of you. Zhao Biao can call up dozens of men, and he actually dares to use a knife!"
Zhang Tao didn't say a word. He pulled out his phone and walked into the courtyard.
The other two men in black followed him out and asked, "Brother Tao, should we call the boys over? We can just take them out."
That was exactly what Zhang Tao had in mind. Otherwise, he could have easily taken his wife's family to live in Pearl City; it wasn't like he couldn't afford to support them.
However, running away wasn't a real solution. What if Zhao Biao took his revenge out on their other relatives?
He decisively dialed Ma Da's number.
The call connected quickly.
"Taozi, you actually have time to call me on your wedding night?" Ma Da's laughter rang out from the other end of the line, mixed with the clatter of mahjong tiles.
Zhang Tao didn't beat around the bush. "Brother Ma, I'm at Zhoujia Village. Something happened."
