Although Yu Zibai knew that the world had become dangerous and that this kind of situation was bound to happen sooner or later, when it finally did, his heart instinctively tightened. However, Qin Huai remained remarkably calm, even rummaging through his bag as he coldly said, "In this heat, don't waste your breath. Let's get it over with. If you win, take everything." As for what would happen if they lost, well, they'd have to find out for themselves.
After saying that, Qin Huai pulled out a pair of gloves from his bag. These were fingerless gloves, with iron plates embedded in the knuckles and joints. Seeing the way Qin Huai put on the gloves made the leader of the group feel a bit nervous and back away. After all, having gear like this made a big difference in initial combat power. But then he remembered that while they might not have equipment, they did have weapons. Anything from steel rods to bricks on the ground could be used as a weapon, and they had the advantage of numbers. With that thought, his fear subsided, though he still tried to say something conciliatory: "Let's all make money peacefully..."
Before the man could finish his sentence, Qin Huai suddenly rushed forward and landed a punch squarely on his face. If Qin Huai hadn't held back some of his strength, the professional-grade gloves could have dislocated the man's jaw.
Jiang Ping instinctively tried to fight back, but with his limited skills, he barely managed to throw a punch before Qin Huai grabbed his arm and delivered a fierce kick that sent him flying.
Jiang Ping landed on the ground, half-kneeling as he coughed and gagged. Qin Huai wasn't the type to stop when he had the upper hand. Since they dared to target him and his companion, he was determined to crush their resolve. He took a few steps toward Jiang Ping, who instinctively tried to retreat, but Qin Huai gave him no chance. Grabbing Jiang Ping by the collar, Qin Huai landed another punch to his face.
Jiang Ping's head snapped to the side, and he started spitting out blood mixed with a few broken teeth.
The others hadn't expected Qin Huai to start fighting so suddenly. They were just a ragtag group of thugs who had banded together to claim some territory. Most people, seeing their numbers, chose to avoid trouble, which only inflated their egos, making them feel invincible. As long as they didn't cross paths with the military, they believed there was no one in the neighborhood they couldn't intimidate.
But Qin Huai's sudden and brutal attack shattered that illusion of unity. This group had no loyalty to their "leader." Seeing Jiang Ping get beaten, those standing near him instinctively backed away, afraid that Qin Huai's fists would target them next. Some even considered using the chaos to steal some items from the cart, but Yu Zibai was standing guard and immediately fought back when they approached. Though his blows were much lighter than Qin Huai's—only driving them back—Qin Huai had already drawn blood with his punches.
However, Yu Zibai was quickly overwhelmed as more people started closing in on him. Even when he stopped holding back, it was impossible for him to defend against so many alone, and some of the thugs managed to reach their cart.
Qin Huai, who was still pummeling Jiang Ping, seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. He suddenly grabbed the dazed Jiang Ping and, with one hand, picked up a wooden plank from the ground, swinging it fiercely at a man who had just reached their cart. The man didn't have time to dodge and took the full force of the blow, his arm instantly hanging limply in a twisted position as he collapsed to the ground, screaming in pain.
In an instant, Qin Huai changed direction and swung the plank at another man approaching from the side. The plank, unable to withstand two heavy blows, shattered into pieces. The man who took the blow to the head immediately started bleeding and, after touching his head with his hand, either from the sight of his own blood or out of sheer terror, collapsed on the spot.
Qin Huai then threw Jiang Ping to the ground and began delivering blow after blow to the other thugs, their cries of pain echoing through the air. Realizing that these two were serious and not to be messed with, those who had tried to take advantage of the situation quickly retreated, no longer daring to approach. The crowd surrounding Yu Zibai also backed away after witnessing what had happened.
They were just ordinary folks who had become overly confident due to the smooth sailing they'd experienced recently. Some of them had never even been in a fight before; they were merely tagging along with the crowd. But this time, they kicked the hornet's nest. Seeing broken arms, bloodied heads, and people lying on the ground possibly dead, they finally realized the gravity of the situation and began to feel fear.
As for Jiang Ping, who was lying on the ground, he had always been a low-level thug. At best, he was just a lackey running errands, always stirring up trouble in chaotic situations. But now that the social order had collapsed, he thought his time had come. After starting to gather a following under his cousin's wing, he forgot his own limits. Even though he was dazed and confused from Qin Huai's beating, he still couldn't resist talking tough: "My cousin won't let you get away with this!"
Qin Huai laughed softly at this: "Oh really? Well, before your cousin deals with me, you should first worry about whether I'll let you go."
With that, he grabbed Jiang Ping by the hair and slammed his head hard into the ground.
No one expected Qin Huai to be so ruthless. Smashing someone's head like that could actually kill them. Even Yu Zibai, who was standing nearby, was shocked. He hadn't anticipated that someone who usually seemed so calm and rational could turn into a completely different person when he started fighting.
Qin Huai yanked the bloodied Jiang Ping up by his hair again, looking at his deathly pale face, and lightly raised an eyebrow: "Robbing people on the road? Your cousin won't let me go?"
Before the words even finished leaving his mouth, he slammed Jiang Ping's head into the ground again.
Jiang Ping was truly terrified now. The stench of urine wafted from between his legs as he shook uncontrollably like a leaf in the wind, his vision swimming from the pain. He felt as if he might be beaten to death at any moment. He tried to beg for mercy, but his tongue was so twisted that he couldn't get a single word out.
Worried that things might go too far, Yu Zibai stepped forward and said, "That's enough. Any more and he'll die." He didn't shout Qin Huai's name, fearing that someone might overhear and seek revenge later.
Qin Huai let go of Jiang Ping's hair, but instead of releasing him, he grabbed his throat and pressed a hand against his forehead. His mouth curved into a smile, but his eyes were cold as ice: "Next time you mess with me, I'll put a hole right here." As he spoke, he lightly tapped Jiang Ping's face. "You'd better believe me. If you do, at least you'll live a little longer."
After delivering this threat, Qin Huai finally released the man, who had turned into a quivering mess on the ground. When Qin Huai's gaze swept over the others, they instinctively backed away wherever his eyes landed. Only then did he look back at Yu Zibai and say, "Let's go home." As he spoke, he began removing his bloodstained gloves, thinking that he'd have to clean them later and wondering if Nan Nan might be too scared to let him go out alone again.
No one dared to stop them as they left. Once they were gone, the remaining people looked at each other helplessly and had no choice but to drag Jiang Ping to find his cousin, Gou Xintong. They also helped up the man with the broken arm and the one with the head injury. Their wounds were so severe that it was uncertain if they would survive.
On the way back, Qin Huai glanced at Yu Zibai "Do you think I went too far?"
Yu Zibai didn't bother with false politeness and nodded slightly: "A bit surprising. I thought you were a calm person."
Qin Huai chuckled at this: "Precisely because I'm calm, I hit hard. Things aren't the same as they used to be. Do you believe that from now on, that guy will avoid me whenever he sees me? The pain I gave him will be a lifelong reminder. Yu Zibai, when you hold back against people like that, they won't thank you. Instead, your restraint will only bring more trouble to those around you. For example, today, I could've focused solely on the leader. And last time, when you held back with the Zhang family, hoping to avoid conflict—did things turn out the way you wanted? No, they didn't. I'm not saying this to make you a ruthless person, but to make you understand that in certain situations, your actions will have consequences for those around you."
Seeing Yu Zibai's tight-lipped silence, Qin Huai added, "If you and Jian Chu encounter something like this again, who do you think will have to bear the brunt of it if you don't step up?"
The two of them walked home in silence. Qin Huai washed the blood from his gloves, while Yu Zibai reflected on what had happened. Since they weren't planning to go out again, they didn't need to be cautious on their way upstairs. Before they could even open the metal door, it was pulled open from the inside. Upon seeing their cart loaded with supplies, Mu Nan excitedly exclaimed, "Wow, you guys brought back so much today!"
From inside the house, Jian Chu quickly added, "Come in, we'll sort through the stuff later. You guys should come cool off first."
Mu Nan dragged an electric fan over. They had just returned from outside and climbed the stairs twice, so they must have been sweltering. Just using the air conditioner wasn't enough to cool them down, so he turned on the fan, but worried that they might catch a cold, he also hurried to find some towels. he handed one to Jian Chu and kept another to wipe Qin Huai's sweat. "It's so hot, right? Want some water? I chilled some in the fridge."
Qin Huai shook his head: "I'll have some after I sit for a while."
Yu Zibai said, "We made two trips today, so we're tired. We'll head back now. Let's leave the stuff here and sort it out tomorrow."
Mu Nan initially wanted to offer to help sort the items with Jian Chu since the two of them were still full of energy. But seeing the strange look on Yu Zibai's face, he decided to stay quiet and instead turned to Qin Huai, silently asking if something had happened.
Qin Huai tossed the towel onto Mu Nan's head: "I'm going to take a shower."
Jian Chu and Yu Zibai then crossed over from the balcony to their side of the house. Mu Nan stood in the living room, looking around in confusion, feeling that something was off.
After taking a shower, Yu Zibai saw Jian Chu looking at him cautiously. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" Ever since Yu Zibai returned, he had seemed off, as if he was brooding over something deeper than just exhaustion.
Yu Zibai looked at Jian Chu and asked, "Last time, when we fought with the Zhang family, were you angry when I pulled you back?"
Jian Chu didn't expect him to bring up something that had happened so long ago. Slightly taken aback, he quickly brushed it off: "I was a bit mad, but only for a moment. I knew you were right, thinking about the neighborhood and all, trying not to make enemies. You know me; I'm quick to anger and sometimes lose control when I'm fired up..."
Yu Zibai: "I'm sorry."
Jian Chu was cut off by Yu Zibai's apology before he could finish his sentence, leaving him surprised and stunned. Ever since they had known each other, Yu Zibai had never said those three words to him, and there had never been a need to. It was always Jian Chu who walked the line of lawlessness, and it was Yu Zibai who pulled him back to the right path, teaching him how to conduct himself, helping him with his studies and life, correcting his dangerous thoughts, and pointing out his behavioral mistakes. So when Yu Zibai apologized, Jian Chu was caught off guard.
Yu Zibai sighed: "It's my fault. When we met, you weren't even eighteen yet, just starting your freshman year, and coming from such a background. Gradually, I unconsciously took it upon myself to guide you, even though we are equals, we began from an unequal relationship, which made me overlook many things and take a lot for granted."
Jian Chu, still a bit confused and surprised, asked, "What's going on? Why are you suddenly saying this?"
Yu Zibai said, "Today, we encountered a group of people blocking the road, all of them were homeless after the earthquake. I thought it would be enough to protect our belongings and teach them a small lesson, but Qin Huai gave me a lesson instead. Daodao, do you find my character annoying, always thinking that it's better to take a step back and make big issues smaller?"
Jian Chu felt a bit uncomfortable with the serious conversation: "Not really. We've known each other for so many years, I understand your personality. It's just that sometimes it can be a bit frustrating, always trying to manage me. But at other times, I think it's nice to have someone looking out for me. It's just that now, the situation is different. Stepping back might lead to others taking advantage."
Yu Zibai asked, "If I never realize my own flaws, what would you do?"
Jian Chu sighed: "What else can I do? If you're going to be the good guy, then I'll be the bad guy." After all, he wasn't exactly someone with a strong moral compass, and had no qualms about playing dirty. For someone like Yu Zibai, who grew up with strict rules, breaking those rules isn't easy. It was fine before, being kind-hearted and self-protective, but now things have changed. The chaotic order can't be controlled by those old rules anymore. But people's personalities don't change overnight, so it has to happen gradually. Society will eventually teach Yu Zibai how to adapt.
Yu Zibai suddenly pulled Jian Chu into a hug, thinking that his luckiest moment in life was finding Jian Chu.
Meanwhile, Jian Chu's face flushed red as he was pulled into Yu Zibai's embrace.
Unaware of the sudden progress in their relationship, Mu Nan was in the kitchen, holding an electric rice cooker. Earlier, when Qin Huai and the others came back, he had placed the rice cooker in the kitchen. Then, when Jian Chu came over, they started cleaning up together, so he didn't have time to deal with it. Now that everyone was gone, he continued with his sushi-making endeavor.
When Qin Huai came out after his shower, Mu Nan noticed him holding a washed pair of gloves and immediately asked, "Why did you wash the gloves? Did you get into a fight?" If there hadn't been a fight, the gloves wouldn't have gotten dirty just sitting in the bag. These weren't work gloves, so it wasn't like he wore them for construction.
Qin Huai replied, "We were robbed on the way back, but don't worry, I didn't get hurt. I beat them pretty badly."
Mu Nan quickly put down the rice he was handling and wanted to check Qin Huai's body, but his hands were sticky, so he said, "Turn around so I can see."
Qin Huai, only wearing shorts, turned around in front of Mu Nan to show that he wasn't hurt. Those thugs didn't even lay a finger on him, so there was no way they could have hurt him.
After confirming that Qin Huai wasn't injured, Mu Nan breathed a sigh of relief: "Were there many of them? Were they from our area?"
Qin Huai said, "Probably. It seems a small group has formed around here recently, but they're just a bunch of loosely gathered people, none of them can really fight."
Mu Nan's first thought was of the group leader who later gathered some forces in the trading group. In the previous life, many people in their area followed that group leader because of their numbers. Some people, afraid of being retaliated against, chose to avoid them. Mu Nan had been robbed in the past, but he was alone and couldn't fight, so he had to swallow his pride and walk away, fearing he'd lose his belongings and get beaten. Although the group leader wasn't directly involved, Mu Nan had no good feelings towards him.
Mu Nan said, "We should avoid them in the future. Even if they're loosely organized, a lot of people can still be a problem. If they all rush at you, no matter how good you are at fighting, it won't help."
Qin Huai sat next to Mu Nan and said, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Mu Nan cut a piece of freshly rolled sushi and fed it to Qin Huai: "Try it. I added grilled meat and apple slices. How does it taste?"
Qin Huai took a bite, and the combination of spicy grilled meat and crunchy apple was surprisingly good, so he nodded: "Not bad, it's actually not some weird experiment."
Mu Nan chuckled, "There's pineapple rice and mango rice, so why not apple rice, right? This way, you get rice, meat, and fruit all in one. It's convenient."
After finishing the rice in the cooker, Mu Nan put everything away. The sushi was for later when it might be inconvenient to cook, not for now. Knowing that Qin Huai had run around all day, moved things, and gotten into a fight, Mu Nan figured he must be exhausted, so he brought out a pot of chicken soup, sweet and sour ribs, grilled meat, and two light side dishes. He filled a large bowl with the rice he had set aside and handed it to Qin Huai: "Eat up, and I'll give you a massage to relax after you're done."
Seeing Mu Nan's eager look, Qin Huai pinched his cheek: "Do you know what you look like right now?"
Mu Nan turned to him: "Like what?"
Qin Huai smiled and said, "Like a diligent little wife."
Mu Nan swatted his hand away: "I'm not happy now, and you can't make me feel better."
Qin Huai laughed, "Alright, alright, you're my little wife, okay?"
Mu Nan, holding the bowl, turned his back to Qin Huai and said that if he said he couldn't make him feel better, then he really couldn't.
As dawn approached, the group finally dragged Jiang Ping and a few other severely injured people back to their tent. Jiang Ping's cousin, Gou Xintong, lived on the eighth floor, just below Qin Huai's apartment. Before the world descended into chaos, he worked in sales and had created a trading group. Initially, the group's purpose was to maximize resources, but as Gou Xintong began to realize the benefits of the authority that came with being the group leader, he found himself enjoying the newfound power. After the earthquake, he discovered that organizing and leading people could earn their trust and obedience, a kind of authority he had never experienced before. This authority gave him a sense of superiority, a thrill of being above others.
Gou Xintong wasn't ignorant of the things his cousin, Jiang Ping, was involved in. However, since Jiang Ping's actions targeted outsiders and benefited their own people, increasing their loyalty to Gou Xintong, he turned a blind eye to them. What he didn't expect was for his foolish cousin to pick a fight with someone obviously not to be trifled with.
Looking at the bloody and barely conscious Jiang Ping, Gou Xintong suppressed the disgust and irritation in his eyes, replacing it with a concerned expression. "How did he end up like this?"
One of the men quickly recounted the earlier events, nervously explaining everything. They feared Gou Xintong might blame them for not stepping in to help Jiang Ping, who was now severely beaten, while they themselves remained unscathed because they were too scared to get involved. The person who attacked Jiang Ping was so ruthless, clearly fighting without concern for consequences, that none of them dared to step in.
To their surprise, Gou Xintong didn't seem interested in blaming them. Instead, he simply instructed them to take Jiang Ping to the medical team and brought some water and food. Medical supplies were scarce, and it wasn't certain that the medics would be willing to treat someone injured in a territorial dispute unless some form of payment could be offered.
Someone in the group, noticing that Gou Xintong only asked for the description of the two attackers and then did nothing more, couldn't help but ask, "Should we get the soldiers involved in this?"
Gou Xintong gave the person a look and replied, "And then what? Tell them you tried to rob someone else's supplies and got beaten because you were outmatched?"
The person immediately fell silent, thinking that while getting beaten up was one thing, this was different—they nearly killed his cousin. After a disaster like this, how many people were still lucky enough to be with their family? He couldn't believe Gou Xintong would swallow his pride over this. Still, it wasn't his place to push the matter, even though he felt frustrated and couldn't help but try to nudge Gou Xintong into action.
Gou Xintong was indeed struggling to swallow this indignity, but he wasn't stupid. It was clear that this wasn't just a beating; it was a show of force, a warning to him. Gou Xintong knew his own limitations—if he had been truly capable, he wouldn't still be struggling in sales at his age. As for the people who relied on him now, they were even less reliable. If the other side was willing to go this far, there was no way he could count on his people to stand up to them. So for now, he had no choice but to endure this humiliation, at least until he could build up enough strength to retaliate.