"You need to explain yourselves," Ethan Wraith stared at the menacing men before him, their faces contorted with murderous intent. He wished he could just shoot these scum.
The short man who had been bitten stood, pressing a handkerchief to his neck. "Yamamoto, I am furious! Your investment environment is atrocious! I'm reconsidering my investment!"
The fat man, Yamamoto, shrank as he turned, bowing obsequiously. "Mr. Ono, please understand, there are many ungrateful people in our country. Rest assured, I will handle this matter flawlessly. Moreover, on behalf of the government, I offer you further incentives as compensation for this incident. What do you think? Please, believe in our sincerity, Mr. Ono."
"Hmph! Deal with the matter at hand first! As you can see, I am injured. A mere apology is useless!" Mr. Ono fumed, seated on the sofa.
"Yes, yes. I will ensure your satisfaction." Yamamoto turned, fixing a vicious glare on Ethan and Officer. "Do you know who you have offended?"
"I don't care who you are. You are committing a crime. Come with me to the police station." Officer pulled out his handcuffs and tossed them at the men.
The group was taken aback before bursting into laughter. "Yamamoto, these locals are quite amusing!"
"Indeed, they have no idea who they're dealing with." Yamamoto, upon realizing he was a police officer, became even more arrogant, not a hint of fear in his demeanor. "Who is your superior? Give me his number."
"This doesn't concern my superior. The cases I encounter, I solve myself." Officer stated impassively.
"Hmph, what a trivial matter you call a 'case'! These gentlemen are esteemed guests we invited, poised to make significant contributions to WestMoon's development. Your interference offends them. Can you bear the consequences?"
"We welcome investment, but everyone, regardless of their status, must abide by our national laws. You have broken the law, and I must escort you to the police station." Officer spoke, suppressing his anger. He wished he wasn't a police officer, that he could act without consequence. He understood that two of the three men were Japanese. His own identity was sensitive; impulsive actions might spark an international incident.
"Hmph, do you know who I am? I am—"
"Bang!" Ethan, at some point, had positioned himself in front of the man, slamming his head forcefully against the ground. It didn't appear he used much force, yet the 400-pound man crashed to the ground, his face a bloody mess. He convulsed a few times before falling still.
Ethan, wiping his now greasy left hand with a tissue, sneered at the pile of blubber on the ground. "Don't bother saying it. You may not be ashamed, but we are."
Ethan turned, flashing a grin at Yan Ming. What you can't do, I will.
Officer's eyes lit up, discreetly giving Ethan a thumbs-up.
The two Japanese men finally sensed the danger. One pulled out his phone to make a call, while the other, pointing a trembling finger at Ethan, stammered, "I… I am a guest invited by your government! You cannot harm us!"
"We didn't harm you. You harmed someone else. Now, come with us to the police station."
Yan Ming spoke with a grin. Ethan's flawless takedown had significantly lifted his mood. Though unsure if the fat man was dead or alive, dealing with a living person was always easier than dealing with a dead one.
The man on the phone stood, holding up his device with a twisted smile. "You! Come here! Your
mayor wants to speak with you."
Officer, taking the phone with a smile, flung it against the wall without a glance. Crack! The expensive phone shattered into pieces.
"We have a saying in our country: 'Even when beating a dog, consider its owner.' But I disagree. I prefer to see the owner first, then beat the dog."
Officer winked at Ethan, who nodded, shutting the door to the private room, blocking the view of the gathering crowd outside. He stood guard at the entrance, a smile playing on his lips.
"I've tolerated you repeatedly, yet you continue to provoke me. Is this a characteristic of your Japanese people?"
Yan Ming grabbed a hand towel from a rack, wrapping it around his hand as he slowly approached the two Japanese men.
"What are you doing? We are legitimate businessmen!" The man with the neck wound cried out in fear.
"Truth lies in the hands of the victor. Tomorrow's newspapers will carry this headline: 'Rogue Japanese Businessmen Assault Young Woman, Chinese Man Acts Heroically.' Brother, what do you think of this title? I'm not good with language, help me refine it."
With that, officer quickened his pace towards the men. Pig-like squeals erupted from within the private room.
Officer instructed the attendant to call the bathhouse manager, ordering, "Call the police. Tell them someone assaulted a young woman in your establishment."
The manager stammered, "They… They seem to be Japanese. They arrived with Director…"
Officer slapped him across the face. "Damn your mother! No wonder a Japanese dog acts with such impunity, it's all thanks to you spineless fools! Go, call the police! Or I'll cripple you."
"You're a police officer! How dare you hit me?! I'm reporting you!" The manager shouted at officer.
Ethan felt a pang of pain in his heart. Why did they stand so tall before their own people but crumble like boneless creatures in front of foreigners?
Ethan looked at the girl who had been following him, asking with a smile, "What is your name?"
"Julie," the girl replied with a charming smile.
"A good name. That bite was excellent," Ethan nodded.
The girl curled her lips slightly. "Just a bit dirty from the blood."
Amidst a throng of people, a slim middle-aged man with glasses approached. He slapped the sauna manager across the face, barking orders at the people beside him, "Take him away and feed him to the dogs! This scum… call the police. Tell them a female employee of our company was assaulted."
The manager, his face bloodied, gritted his teeth and didn't utter a sound as he was dragged away.
The middle-aged man turned, patting Yan Ming's shoulder with a smile. "Well done, young man. You have guts. With people like you, our nation's backbone remains strong. Do you two gentlemen have some time? Would you honor me by joining me for a cup of tea?"
"Who are you?" Officer asked cautiously.
"Zark." Seeing the continued confusion in Officer's eyes, the middle-aged man explained with a smile, "My friends in the underworld have graciously given me the nickname 'Seventh Master'."
Seventh Master? The underground emperor of WestMoon City?