"Xiaozeng, you just saw it for yourself. That Chen Ping’an is nothing more than an ordinary guy who got lucky. His character, methods, spirit, courage—there’s nothing commendable about him at all. Why are you being so polite to him!"

After Chen Ping’an left, the group walked back toward the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office. Cheng Yuan turned to Zeng Jihe, his face full of disdain.

"That’s right, Xiaozeng. I think you should just join the two of us. The three of us can work together to isolate him!"

Zhao Hu chimed in to back him up. To be honest, when Zheng Shiyong had tried to win him over yesterday, he had been a little intimidated. He only reluctantly agreed out of respect for Constable Zheng. But after today’s encounter, all of his reservations had completely vanished.

It was just as Cheng Yuan said: he was nothing but an ordinary guy who got shit-lucky. He hadn’t even reached the Entry Level of the Martial Dao!

"Brother Cheng, Brother Zhao, that may be so, but he’s still an official constable registered with the Garrison Commandant’s Office! Offending him won’t do us any good."

Zeng Jihe’s position was still precarious; he didn’t want to stir up any trouble.

"Who says there are no benefits? Do you know who’s backing us!?" Cheng Yuan said.

"Constable Zheng?" Zeng Jihe said uncertainly.

"That’s right! It’s Constable Zheng! As long as we can isolate Chen Ping’an, Constable Zheng has made a promise. He’ll definitely find a way to arrange a cushy, lucrative post for us later. He won’t treat us poorly. Xiaozeng, if you join in, you’ll definitely get your share of the rewards," Cheng Yuan said persuasively.

"Xiaozeng, you know who’s backing Constable Zheng! You don’t have to worry about anything going wrong! With that personage higher up, we have nothing to fear even if we do stir up some real trouble. Besides, we’re just isolating Chen Ping’an. What kind of trouble could that possibly cause? Don’t worry!" Zhao Hu added.

"Ah, well..." Zeng Jihe was tempted, a hesitant look appearing on his face.

"Xiaozeng, what are you still hesitating for? Pull this off, and you’ll have firmly established yourself in our Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office. Plus, you’ll have a direct line to Constable Zheng. This is a golden opportunity others couldn’t get even if they begged for it! It’s right in front of you, and you’re not going to take it!"

Seeing the tempted look on Zeng Jihe’s face, Cheng Yuan decided to up the ante.

Zeng Jihe’s expression was conflicted; he was warring with himself.

Just as Cheng Yuan and Zhao Hu thought he was about to agree, Zeng Jihe gritted his teeth and said, "Brother Cheng, Brother Zhao, this is a big deal. Can you let me observe for a few more days?"

"So indecisive! You’re like a little girl!"

Cheng Yuan and Zhao Hu looked at him with profound disappointment, as if he were a hopeless case.

"Useless to even give you a chance!" 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Heh heh..." Zeng Jihe gave a dry laugh. He didn’t want to offend Cheng Yuan and Zhao Hu, but he didn’t want to offend Chen Ping’an either. He didn’t feel right about making a judgment after only one day. So, he decided to wait and see.

...

When Chen Ping’an got off his shift and returned home, Chen Erya had already prepared a delicious dinner. Before leaving that morning, Chen Ping’an had told Chen Erya to buy extra meat, and true to his word, the evening meal was quite sumptuous!

After taking off his service saber, Chen Ping’an sat down at the table full of meat and began to feast.

After dinner, Chen Ping’an first practiced with the Flying Locust Stone. The Flying Locust Stone technique consumed less stamina than the Public Door Thirteen Sabers. He practiced it four times in a row, accumulating 4 points of Cultivation Experience.

Just as Chen Ping’an picked up his saber, preparing to practice the Public Door Thirteen Sabers, a wretched scream echoed from the alley outside.

Chen Ping’an froze. He put down his saber. The voice screaming outside... it sounded somewhat familiar.

At that moment, Chen Erya also stood up, having clearly heard the scream from the alley as well. Chen Ping’an gestured for her to be quiet. Then, with a light leap, he grabbed the top of the courtyard wall with both hands and peeked over.

At the southeastern end of the alley, a crowd had gathered. From its center, intermittent screams and pleas for mercy could be heard.

After a moment’s thought, Chen Ping’an let go and dropped back into the courtyard.

"Nannan, wait for me at home. I’m going out to take a look."

"Mm," Chen Erya nodded.

Though she was curious, she knew better than to interfere.

Chen Ping’an left the courtyard and saw the large crowd from a distance.

’It’s Uncle Gao’s house, on the southeast corner!’

As he drew closer, fragments of conversation reached his ears.

"Just the other day, I was wondering how Mrs. Gao’s family had suddenly gotten so well-off! Turns out they took a high-interest loan!"

"Daring to default on a loan from the Tiger Head Gang! Old Gao sure has some nerve!"

"Alright, alright, that’s enough out of all of you."

"What a terrible shame."

"Sigh..."

"..."

By this time, Chen Ping’an had pushed his way into the crowd. He saw several thugs from the Tiger Head Gang surrounding a man, punching and kicking him. It was Uncle Gao.

A woman was wailing beside them, trying to rush forward but held back tightly by the neighbors. Hiding behind her was a young child, looking completely terrified.

The door to Uncle Gao’s house was wide open. From where Chen Ping’an stood, he could see tables and chairs overturned everywhere inside. The place was a total mess; it had clearly been ransacked.

’Uncle Gao... took out a high-interest loan?’

An image surfaced in Chen Ping’an’s mind: Uncle Gao excitedly rushing into a gambling den in Tiger Run Lane.

’Uncle Gao must have gotten hooked on gambling. He probably won a little at first, then got in over his head. In the end, he must have borrowed from the Tiger Head Gang to try and win it all back. When he couldn’t repay the debt, it led to this.’

Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but sigh at the thought.

’Still, no matter what, the Tiger Head Gang has no right to just beat people up.’

Just as Chen Ping’an was debating whether to intervene, the crowd suddenly parted as if fleeing from a ferocious beast, clearing a path.

Young Master Xiao Hu of the Tiger Head Gang, a man with the back of a tiger and waist of a bear, strode through the newly formed path, flanked by several more of his thugs.

"Stop! Belay that!"

At his words, the thugs immediately stopped.

"Thank you, Young Master Xiao Hu! Thank you!" Old Gao groveled as if his savior had arrived, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing frantically.

Young Master Xiao Hu sauntered over to Old Gao and said slowly, "Old Gao, don’t say that I, Young Master Xiao Hu, am an unreasonable man. Pay back the twenty taels of silver you owe me today, and we’ll call this matter settled."

"Twenty taels of silver!" Old Gao snapped his head up, his face bruised and swollen. "Young Master Xiao Hu, you must see the truth! I only took twelve taels of silver!"

"Oh? Trying to deny it?" Young Master Xiao Hu pulled a promissory note from his robes. "It’s here in black and white. It says twenty taels! The Tiger Head Gang has its rules—’nine-out, thirteen-in.’ Add in the interest from the past few days, and twenty taels of silver is exactly right!"

"Ah! But, Young Master Xiao Hu..." Old Gao opened his mouth to protest, but one of the thugs viciously kicked him in the back, sending him face-first into the dirt. He came up with a mouthful of blood.

"Still trying to get out of it!?"

"Let’s not be so violent," Young Master Xiao Hu said, waving a hand dismissively. He squatted down to look Old Gao in the eye. "Old Gao, just tell me. Are you paying back the silver today or not?"

"Young Master Xiao Hu, even if you sold me, I couldn’t get you twenty taels of silver!"

Old Gao wailed, his face a mask of misery.