"Where did this brat come from? It's none of your business!" Village chief Xu Kai was furious upon seeing the unfamiliar face of Ning Xingchen. In this village, he was the king, and no outsider had the right to interfere.
"Uncle Xu just passed away, and here you are causing trouble, trying to bully Dapeng and Yiwei. What you're doing is no better than what beasts would do!" Ning Xingchen's cold words and piercing gaze made the villagers step back, none daring to confront him.
"Damn it, you nosy brat. This is a matter between us and the Xu family. Get lost!" Xu Kai's expression was unpredictable. He couldn't figure out Ning Xingchen's background, but his attire suggested he wasn't poor.
"And what if I insist on getting involved?" Ning Xingchen sneered, showing no respect for Xu Kai.
"Then don't blame me for not holding back!" Xu Kai raised a farming tool threateningly.
"Brother Xingchen, don't..." The young girl behind Ning Xingchen tugged on his shirt, shaking her head in fear. She was terrified of a confrontation between Ning Xingchen and the village chief.
To the unworldly Xu Yiwei, Xu Kai was a tyrant, the village despot who ruled with an iron fist. Anyone who opposed him would be ostracized by the entire village, so she naturally feared him.
"Don't be afraid. As long as I'm here, no one can harm you." Ning Xingchen gently held Xu Yiwei's soft hand and spoke kindly.
Xu Yiwei looked up with her pretty eyes, seeing a glimmer of hope in Ning Xingchen's clear and pure gaze.
Seeing Xu Kai raise his tool, the other creditors also grabbed their farming tools, some even brandishing sharp sickles.
"Boy, this has nothing to do with you. Last warning: the Xu family is cursed, and anyone who gets involved will suffer. If you don't want to die, get lost!" Xu Kai threatened.
Xu Kai knew well that even if Xu Jinping died, he couldn't repay the 500,000 yuan debt. It would be better to take his sister as a daughter-in-law, which would solve everything.
Xu Kai, leading some villagers, moved toward Ning Xingchen, aiming for Xu Yiwei behind him.
"Don't you know that forced marriage is illegal?" Ning Xingchen shouted.
"Hahaha, in this village, I am the law!" Xu Kai laughed, as if hearing the biggest joke.
"Oh, if the law can't handle you, then I will. I'll take you down myself!" Ning Xingchen moved like lightning, punching Xu Kai hard in the nose.
A cracking sound echoed as blood sprayed from Xu Kai's nose. Losing balance, he stumbled back, hitting his head on the stone floor, his face contorting in pain.
"Damn, he hit the village chief! He's our enemy now!" a villager shouted.
"Let's get him!"
The courtyard erupted in chaos. Several strong men charged at Ning Xingchen.
...
Boom!
A gust of wind blew past, and before they reached Ning Xingchen, he kicked them in the chest. The pain was excruciating, almost suffocating.
Ning Xingchen didn't even use his full strength. Within moments, he had them all on the ground, writhing in pain.
Ning Xingchen showed mercy; otherwise, they would be corpses. Uncle Xu's funeral would have turned into a mass burial.
Xu Jinping, who had been ready to fight, was stunned. He never expected Ning Xingchen to be so skilled. Back in school, Ning Xingchen wasn't even a main fighter.
Xu Jinping didn't have a chance to fight; Ning Xingchen had already taken everyone down effortlessly.
Hiding behind Ning Xingchen, Xu Yiwei's face lit up with admiration as she looked at Ning Xingchen. Even his silhouette made her heart race.
"You... stay back!" The remaining villagers were terrified, retreating despite their weapons. This young man was too formidable, like a god.
The village, isolated and backward, still held superstitious beliefs. Some villagers began to think Ning Xingchen was a deity sent to save Xu Jinping's family.
"Old man, farming tools are for farming, not for pretending to be a thug. How much does Xu Jinping owe you?" Ning Xingchen asked calmly.
"Th-three thousand!" the old man replied, fearing Ning Xingchen would cripple him.
"Alright, let's round it up. I'll give you five thousand." Ning Xingchen pulled out his checkbook.
The old man, who had never seen such a thing, thought Ning Xingchen was writing an IOU.
"I want cash, real money," the old man protested, preferring tangible money.
"You'll have to wait. I need to go to the bank." Ning Xingchen chuckled.
Xu Jinping was stunned, understanding Ning Xingchen's intention.
"Xingchen, I can't let you pay my debt!" Xu Jinping's eyes welled up, touched by Ning Xingchen's kindness, feeling a debt he could never repay.
"Dapeng, I consider you a true brother. You took a brick for me back then, and I decided you were a friend worth keeping. If you start being polite over such a small amount, I'll get mad!" Ning Xingchen said earnestly.
"Heh, what a performance. Keep it up," mocked Xu Kai, clapping sarcastically as he got up. He didn't believe Ning Xingchen had the money.
Ning Xingchen ignored Xu Kai, finding him too disgusting to even look at.
"Lin Hao, let's go withdraw the money!" Ning Xingchen said, his actions proving everything.
Before leaving the courtyard, Ning Xingchen shot Xu Kai a deadly glare, "If anyone dares to touch Xu Jinping or Xu Yiwei before I return, I'll cleanse this village in blood and send you all to hell!"