Brother Ji had a smug look on his face, completely forgetting about Chen Hao at his side and even ignoring Xu Wenjun and the others opposite him. He nonchalantly lit a cigarette and casually tossed one to Chen Hao.
"That's right, not to brag, but if you're doing business on Shennan Street and you mention Brother Ji, there's no one who won't respect me. By the end of next month, Lord Long will promote me to hall master, heh heh!"
"Haha, then congratulations are truly in order!" Chen Hao laughed heartily and then leisurely pointed to the mess in front of Old Zhao's stall in the distance. "Brother Ji, since you're so impressive, now that the vendor stalls under your protection have been smashed, according to what you said, doesn't that mean that however much was destroyed, that much has to be compensated?"
"And the situation is quite clear, the protection money, all paid up, not a cent less. Now that Old Zhao's stall has been vandalized, as the protector here, shouldn't you make a statement? If word of this incident, where the vendors under your control were smashed while you were present, reaches Lord Long's ears, wouldn't that be a bit detrimental for you?"
"F*ck, you're asking for it!" A lackey following Brother Ji couldn't hold back any longer, raising his hand to slap Chen Hao.
But as quick as he was, Xu Wenjun was quicker. Despite his bulk, he was surprisingly strong. He grabbed the lackey's arm with one hand, and with a plate in the other, whacked him on the head.
Clang!
The plate dented with a huge indent, the blow landing solidly. The lackey immediately cried out in pain, clutching the sore spot.
"Haha, buddy, nicely done!" Huang Jian laughed loudly, a shiny object appearing in his hand. On closer inspection, he had actually twisted the plate into an iron rod, awkward in shape, but it turned the other lackeys pale with fear.
To twist a plate like that, how much strength would that require?
Chen Hao gave the group an approving look, Well done, guys!
Brother Ji was still a boss, after all, a bit clearer-headed than these lackeys. He knew they had taken a fall this time. Although they had the advantage in numbers, the others were tough characters. In a brief scuffle, their side was at an absolute disadvantage.
Not to mention the mysterious fellow by his side who hadn't made a move yet. If his men were this formidable, then the leader was not to be trifled with!
"Damn it, played by these damn drivers today!" Brother Ji thought furiously, although his anger was hard to quell, he was in no position to argue now. Being under the eaves, he had to bow his head. He finally realized these crappy drivers had deliberately set a trap for him!
He glared at Chen Hao with gritted teeth, "Kid, I'll remember you. Tell me, how much are you claiming?"
Seeing that Chen Hao didn't say a word, he quickly pulled a few red bills from his pocket and said with a livid face, "500, is that enough?"
"Heh, are you trying to dismiss a beggar?" Chen Hao said dismissively without even glancing at it.
"Forget it, I completely take the fall!" Brother Ji felt a tightness in his chest, his hands trembling as he glared at Chen Hao, "All for you, can I go now?"
As he spoke, he took out all the two thousand yuan that Chen Hao had just given him.
"Hold on a second..." To his surprise, Chen Hao didn't take the money at all. Instead, he walked over to the smashed stall, casually picked up a little stool, and shook it in front of Brother Ji, "Oh no, it's missing a leg, this is bad..."
Brother Ji looked bewildered; it was just a broken stool. What's so tragic about that? This kind of broken stool sells for ten yuan a pair in the second-hand market, and they're everywhere—you can get as many as you want!
Chen Hao stood up, then looked over the broken stool in his hand again, and said with some regret, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a pity. I remember this stool, it's an heirloom of Old Zhao's family with a history of over a thousand years. Qin Shi Huang himself once sat on it. The last time the state cultural relics bureau offered one million, Old Zhao was too reluctant to sell it. After all, this is a family treasure that should not be lost on his watch."
As soon as these words came out, the gang of punks exploded with a bang; this thing is worth a million? Are you out of your mind?
"What?" Brother Ji felt a surge of rage on the spot, his mouth gaping wide open. This broken stool, it's also an heirloom? Qin Shi Huang sat on it? If it really was sat on by Qin Shi Huang, I'd smash my head to death on it!
This damn driver is deliberately playing me!
He actually dares to extort me!
If word of this got out, saying Brother Ji got extorted by a few lousy drivers, how could I show my face here after that? I'd have no face to see anyone!
Fuck, you think I'm easy to mess with? You really think I'm just a sick cat?
Having made up his mind, Brother Ji felt that he absolutely had to blow off steam no matter what, or else he really might as well just smash his head to death here!
He quietly pulled out a sharp little knife from behind his back, and while Chen Hao was not paying attention, he suddenly stabbed forward, shouting, "Fuck your mother! Extorting me, you're courting death!"
Chen Hao saw every move clearly, and with a sneer in his heart, he sidestepped to dodge the attack. He then slapped Brother Ji's face. That wasn't all; Brother Ji's knife-wielding hand, for some reason, suddenly twisted on its own, plunging straight into his thigh!
Ah!!!
A pig-slaughtering scream filled the air as Brother Ji crouched on the ground in agony, veins popping out on his forehead, hands tightly clutching his leg. No matter how hard he tried to cover it, large patches of dark red blood gushed out like a fountain, quickly soaking a large area.
When the other thugs saw their boss injured, they reflexively wanted to help, but the sight of Chen Hao stopped them in their tracks, their eyes filled with extreme fear.
Even if they wanted to come over, it was impossible; Xu Wenjun and the others had already blocked their way. To these few thugs, they were nothing but piles of crap!
"You little prick! How dare you ambush me?" Chen Hao bent down to squat, patted Brother Ji's swollen face, then grabbed him like twisting a little chicken, dragging him to a spot against the wall. He pinned him there and slapped his face several more times.
Slap! Slap! Slap!
After a few crisp sounds, Brother Ji's face was swollen like Piggy's. Even if he were put in front of ****** right now, he probably wouldn't be recognized...
"Boss, boss, I was wrong, I was wrong!" Brother Ji begged for mercy, his face a mess of snot and tears. "Stop hitting me, I was blind to Mount Tai, and the flood has washed over the Dragon King Temple; just let me go, I won't ever come back here."