The bar was in complete chaos.
Greedy Wolf, transformed into the most ruthless enforcer, took down every security guard who approached with ease. The patrons, now screaming, scrambled to escape, their previous arrogance vanished, leaving them as frightened as startled rabbits.
In less than a minute, a dozen guards lay sprawled around Wu Zhiming, all incapacitated by Greedy Wolf, who stood outside the booth clutching a heavy fire extinguisher. One foot rested on a square sofa, his expression murderous.
Moments earlier, he had used that very extinguisher to incapacitate the guards. If not for the extinguisher, those guards wouldn't have survived, as Greedy Wolf's true combat skills were lethal. For him, wielding a weapon was a way to avoid unintentional fatalities rather than to enhance his fighting power.
Inside the booth, only Ah Yong remained, the rest having fled.
Wu Zhiming casually picked up a bottle of Armand de Brignac champagne, poured himself a glass, took a sip, and said, "Stop playing dead. I know you're still conscious."
Ah Yong, who had been lying with his eyes closed, flinched slightly and then opened his eyes. He looked at Wu Zhiming with terror. The second son of the Wu family, whom he had always considered a waste, now seemed like a demon incarnate.
Ah Yong, a formidable thug in his own right, capable of handling six or seven men in a fight, had been utterly outmatched by Wu Zhiming's swift and powerful strikes. Wu Zhiming's seemingly simple attacks were executed with incredible speed and force, far beyond what Ah Yong could counter.
"You... what do you mean, Wu Zhiming? This is my boss San Dao's territory. You..." Ah Yong tried to threaten him but shut up immediately as Wu Zhiming's gaze cut him off. No matter how formidable Yang San Dao seemed, Ah Yong knew he was alone now and had to assess the situation wisely.
"Greedy Wolf, have a seat. No need to keep standing," Wu Zhiming said, ignoring Ah Yong.
Greedy Wolf nodded, pulled over a stool, and sat down.
"Mr. Wu, what exactly do you want?" Ah Yong asked, his voice shaking.
"Waiting for someone," Wu Zhiming replied, munching on a piece of honeydew melon. "They should be here soon."
Right on cue, there was a commotion at the bar's entrance. A group of men, armed with knives and clubs, stormed in, led by a bald man.
"Who's the bastard causing trouble in our turf?!" the bald man, Tietou, yelled as he brandished a machete.
No one answered him directly. Tietou scanned the bar and spotted the group in the corner booth. He barked orders to his men, who swiftly surrounded Wu Zhiming and Greedy Wolf.
Greedy Wolf stood up and tossed the fire extinguisher aside.
"Is Yang San Dao not planning to show up?" Wu Zhiming asked calmly.
"And who the hell are you to summon our boss?" Tietou retorted. "Name yourself. I, Tietou, don't chop down nameless nobodies."
"Tietou, he's Wu Zhiming!" Ah Yong shouted.
"That Wu Zhiming? The waste?" Tietou's eyes lit up with a sinister grin. "Look who we have here, saving me the trouble of hunting him down. There's a bounty on your leg, and you just walked right into my lap!"
"Who put a price on my leg?" Wu Zhiming inquired.
"After I take it off, I'll tell you," Tietou sneered and shouted to his men, "Brothers, take his leg off for me!"
His goons, eager for a fight, stepped forward.
Greedy Wolf watched them with cold eyes. His pupils underwent a strange transformation once more, and simultaneously, his fingernails started to grow longer and sharper. But in the dimly lit bar, these details went unnoticed.
Just as the brawl was about to erupt...
Bang! Bang!
### Chapter 43: Brawling in the Bar
The bar was in chaos, and the tension was palpable as the police arrived.
The closed bar door was forcefully pushed open, and a group of police officers surged inside, quickly making their way to Wu Zhiming's booth.
"What's going on here? Carrying knives and sticks, you think this is a movie set?" The leader of the police, a burly officer with a grim expression, barked at the crowd.
"Captain Zhou, this is an internal matter of our bar. Stay out of it!" Tie Tou (Iron Head) glared at the officer, trying to assert some control.
Captain Zhou, as the officer was called, let out a cold laugh. "Internal matter? Is this bar somehow exempt from the laws of the land? What are you all doing, wielding weapons like this?"
"Captain Zhou, our boss, Brother Sanda, is acquainted with your chief. Could you cut us some slack for his sake?" Tie Tou forced a smile, hoping to de-escalate.
"Our chief knowing some punk like Yang Sanda? Give me a break. Why should I give a damn about him? Now, drop your weapons and squat with your hands behind your heads!" Captain Zhou commanded sternly.
"Captain Zhou, we…"
"You have three seconds! If you don't comply, you'll all be charged with obstructing justice!" Zhou's voice rose in authority.
With clenched teeth, Tie Tou spat out, "Alright, Captain Zhou, we'll remember this."
Grudgingly, Tie Tou dropped his knife, and the others followed suit, tossing their weapons aside.
"You there, are you a victim?" Zhou asked, turning to A Yong.
A Yong, wiping the corner of his mouth, replied, "No."
"Then how did you get that blood on your face?" Zhou pressed.
"I tripped and fell," A Yong answered, his voice barely hiding the fear.
Zhou's brows knitted in suspicion as he shifted his gaze to Wu Zhiming. "And who are you?"
"I'm just here for a drink," Wu Zhiming replied, lifting his glass in a show of innocent pleasure.
"Drinking? Get out of here," Zhou ordered, pointing towards the exit.
"Captain Zhou, why do we have to squat here while he gets to leave?" Tie Tou protested angrily.
"Is he holding a controlled weapon?" Zhou retorted.
Tie Tou was left speechless by the question.
"Thank you, Captain Zhou. You're really an outstanding officer!" Wu Zhiming said with a smile. He stood up, gave a knowing look to Tan Lang (Greedy Wolf), and started towards the door.
Tan Lang, reverting to his usual stoic demeanor, followed Wu Zhiming out of the bar without a word.
"Cuff them all and take them back to the station. It's late, and these guys just don't let us rest!" Zhou commanded his team.
The surrounding police officers moved in, handcuffing Tie Tou and his gang, and began escorting them out.
Outside, Wu Zhiming got back into his car.
"Captain Zhou, the one who came in just now, is Zhou Jianye, the new head of the First Criminal Investigation Team. He's responsible for handling major cases," Dong Jian briefed Wu Zhiming after conducting a quick check on the officer.
"Hmm." Wu Zhiming nodded thoughtfully, a smile playing on his lips. "He's not on good terms with Yang Sanda, is he?"
"Not at all. He's known for being tough on crime and despises the underworld. Rumor has it that he's got his sights set on taking down Yang Sanda. That's why Yang has been using proxies to attack you and kidnap the young mistress; he's trying to stay under Zhou's radar," Dong Jian explained.
"It's a pity. If he hadn't shown up, Yang Sanda would've come himself," Wu Zhiming mused, a hint of frustration in his voice.
"Boss, should I just grab Yang Sanda and take care of him?" Tan Lang suggested.
"Remember, we're in Long Guo, in a city. The days of resolving things through violence are over. There are countless eyes on us, and everywhere you look, there are cameras. Do you understand?" Wu Zhiming advised sternly.
"Understood." Tan Lang nodded, absorbing the caution.
"Let's go." Wu Zhiming directed.
"Yes, sir!" Dong Jian replied, starting the car and driving away from the scene.
Tie Tou and his men were all taken to the police station. Due to their possession of controlled weapons, they were temporarily detained.
Since A Yong had not been carrying any weapons, he was not detained. Moreover, because he did not testify against Wu Zhiming, Wu Zhiming also faced no repercussions.
Shortly after, A Yong left the bar and headed to a high-end villa area in Haixia City.
Inside a villa in the district, A Yong sat on a couch with his head wrapped in bandages. Opposite him sat Yang Sanda, a figure who commanded both fear and respect in Haixia's underworld.
"Boss, that Zhou Jianye is really something else!" A Yong spat out angrily. "He's just too arrogant!"
"Zhou Jianye… hmpf!" Yang Sanda snorted, his face darkening. "That guy is like a rabid dog, biting whoever he sees. Don't worry, we'll deal with him soon enough!"
"If we don't get rid of him, our business in Haixia City will be tough to manage," A Yong muttered, clearly frustrated.
"Let's not focus on him for now. I heard Wu Zhiming came looking for you? Is this injury on your head his doing?" Yang Sanda shifted the conversation to the more immediate issue.
"Yes!" A Yong nodded, recounting the events. "That Wu Zhiming is a trained fighter! We underestimated him!"
"A trained fighter? How strong?" Yang Sanda asked, leaning forward with interest.
"Probably around the third rank," A Yong assessed.
"Third rank? So about as strong as you?" Yang Sanda was taken aback.
"Yeah, roughly on par with me. If he were much stronger, I'd probably be dead by now. I had a few drinks, so my reactions were slower. He hit me hard, but he used a bottle to amplify his strength. I estimate his own strength is around the third rank," A Yong explained.
"A third-rank fighter is formidable among ordinary people," Yang Sanda mused, rubbing his chin.
"However, the guy he brought with him is even more dangerous! I'd say he's at least fourth rank. Our dozen or so guys couldn't stand up to him," A Yong added.
"A third-rank and a fourth-rank fighter—such a pair can definitely dominate in an urban setting. No wonder the previous two attempts to deal with them failed! But if they think they're invincible because of this, they're sorely mistaken... A Yong, tomorrow is the day Wu Zhiming officially takes over as head of the family. You'll come with me to... offer our congratulations," Yang Sanda smirked, his eyes gleaming with malice.
"Sure!" A Yong agreed eagerly, sensing that Yang Sanda planned to take matters into his own hands.
If Yang Sanda got involved, it didn't matter if their opponents were third rank or fourth rank—they'd all be as good as dead.