On the street, Qin Ming sat alone, watching people come and go. After a while, he glanced to his side and sneered.
"What are you staring at? Get lost, or I'll stew you for dinner!"
Startled by the threat, the spotted dog nearby tucked its tail between its legs and scampered away but stayed close, watching him warily from a safe distance. This wasn't just any dog; it was Mary's dog, Antonio. And despite its unimpressive appearance, this little creature had 20 agility points and was considered a minor boss!
If Qin Ming wasn't worried that harming the dog would provoke Mary into a vengeful frenzy, he'd have already taken care of it for loot. Ever since Mary was dragged off by the police, the dog had latched onto him, following him wherever he went, impossible to shake off.
As much as he hated to admit it, Qin Ming never thought he'd one day be stalked by a dog he couldn't outrun. Killing it wasn't an option, but getting rid of it was proving equally impossible. His only hope was that he might spot an animal control team in South Town and have them deal with the nuisance.
However, as he was looking around, he didn't find the animal control team. Instead, he found a familiar, unwelcome figure—Detective Mary had been released and managed to track him down.
The spotted dog immediately perked up upon seeing her, running over with a wagging tail as she scooped him up and smiled brightly while scratching his head. Qin Ming rolled his eyes and sighed, turning to leave. He had no interest in dealing with her any longer.
But before he could go, Mary stepped in his path, arms crossed, her cropped green jacket over a red halter, looking as persistent as ever. Qin Ming's headache worsened instantly.
"What now?" he groaned.
In response, Mary dramatically shrugged off her green jacket, tossing it a few meters away. The dog promptly retrieved it, tugging it to a safe distance. Then, stretching in place, Mary began to hop on her toes, loosening up her body before crouching and adopting a grappler's stance.
"Last time was too sudden—I wasn't prepared. Let's go again! A fair fight! No guns, got it?"
Before she could finish her challenge, Qin Ming had already drawn his revolver, pointing it straight at her. Mary froze, quickly ducking behind a streetlight as she peeked around with a shriek.
"Hey! You can't use a gun! That's cheating!"
"Who cares about your silly fight rules? You've played too many fighting games!" Qin Ming snapped, keeping his aim steady even as she darted behind cover.
Then he redirected his gun, aiming at the dog that had been growling at him from behind Mary. Seeing this, she gasped, abandoning her cover to run over.
"Wait! Don't hurt my dog!"
As soon as she stepped into the open, Qin Ming shifted his aim back to her, making her flinch and dive behind cover once more.
"And don't point it at me either!"
"Then stop following me! If you don't leave me alone, let's see who ends up dead first!"
Not willing to deal with her any longer, Qin Ming turned on his heel and hailed a passing cab. Just as he settled inside, the door opposite him opened, and Mary clambered in, dog in tow.
"You again!" Qin Ming started, clenching his fists.
"Shhh. Calm down, people are watching." Mary held a finger to her lips, pointing to the cab driver as she quickly grabbed his hand before he could reach for his gun.
The driver turned around, smiling at the two with recognition in his eyes.
"Hey! Aren't you that broke guy from yesterday?"
Qin Ming scowled, pulling out a wad of bills from his jacket and throwing it in the driver's face.
"Mind your own business and drive."
With his sudden windfall, the driver's expression softened immediately, and he nodded with enthusiasm. "Sure thing! Still going to Shiranui Dojo?"
"Enough questions, just drive."
"Got it!"
As the car started, Mary cast a curious glance at Qin Ming.
"So, why're you so set on getting to Shiranui Dojo? Hiding out from the law, hoping to lie low in another country?"
Qin Ming's expression darkened as he turned to glare at her. Her relentless presence had him at his limit.
"Because there's a curvy beauty there who hardly wears a thing. I'm going to appreciate the view. Is that a satisfying answer?"
"So, you're robbing places just to fly to Japan and meet a geisha with a good figure?"
"…Get. Out."
"Excuse me?"
"I paid for this ride. Get out!"
"But I was heading to Japan too."
"Why are you going to Japan?"
"To see this busty beauty you keep talking about, of course."
"Oh, you're really pushing it!"
Mary snickered, unable to hold back her laughter, as Qin Ming lost his patience and reached for her.
The moment he lunged, her eyes flashed cold. She twisted her body, skillfully wrapping her legs and arms around his in a tight grappling hold. The cramped car was a perfect battleground for her; there was no room for large movements, leaving him no space to break free.
Locked in place, Qin Ming had no choice but to struggle. But the more he squirmed, the tighter Mary's grip became, fully enjoying her advantage against this living "training dummy."
Just as she thought she had him cornered again, Qin Ming pulled out his trump card—literally sinking his teeth into her leg once more.
Mary's loud scream filled the cab as her grip faltered from the pain. She clamped down even harder on his arm, trying to force him to let go. But the harder she twisted, the harder he bit, the two of them now tangled up in a chaotic mess in the backseat.
Watching this spectacle from his rearview mirror, the cab driver tapped on the glass partition, calling out in a concerned voice.
"Hey, you two! I don't mind if you're fighting, just don't break my car, alright? If you break anything, you'll have to—"
Before he could finish, Qin Ming fished out another wad of cash from his bag and slapped it onto the partition.
The driver glanced at the money, hesitated for a second, and then shrugged, casually putting the bills away. He even turned on some upbeat music, letting the bass thump as the car carried its bickering passengers toward their destination.