The men glanced at each other, their faces full of uncertainty. No one dared to step forward.

　　“What are you standing around for? Do I pay you to just stand there? Take him down!” Zhang Ming bellowed.

　　Spurred into action, the men rushed at me, but they were just a bunch of regular guys, while I was a trained fighter who’d spent years sharpening my skills in the mountains. In a matter of moments, I had them all on the ground, groaning and rolling around in pain.

　　“Worthless! Every last one of you!” Zhang Ming snarled, pointing at them in disgust.

　　I turned my gaze to him, slowly closing the distance as I spoke, “If they’re worthless, why don’t you show me what you’ve got?”

　　“Stop right there, Wang Xiaofeng! Don’t come any closer!” He was backing away, his voice trembling, terror written all over his face.

　　“Ha, so even you get scared sometimes!”

　　Before he could react, I lunged forward, launching a punch straight at his face. But just as my fist was about to connect, a hand suddenly shot out from the side, catching my punch with precision. A wave of soft yet unyielding force rippled through, twisting my arm. Alarmed, I immediately ducked and spun away, executing two backflips before landing firmly on my feet. I fixed my eyes on the figure ahead.

　　“It’s you!”

　　The person who blocked my punch was none other than Li Yongxia.

　　“That's right. Surprised, are you?” she said with a slight smirk.

　　I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I just stared at her, my face a mix of shock and curiosity. She was right—I was surprised, but not because a woman could pull off a move like that. What threw me was the technique she’d used to catch my punch. It was identical to the "Coiling Serpent’s Tail" my master had taught me, down to the way she applied the force. It was almost uncanny.

　　“What’s the deal with you and him? Why are you so determined to protect him?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

　　Li Yongxia glanced briefly at Zhang Ming, then back at me. “That’s none of your concern.”

　　“Fine, no point in wasting any more words.” I didn’t bother pressing her further. Instead, I grabbed Zhou Quan and started to leave.

　　“You’re just going to let them go?” Zhang Ming asked behind us, his voice laced with frustration.

　　“Let them go,” Li Yongxia said, her tone steady.

　　I could hear every word of their exchange, but I didn’t look back. My mind kept replaying her move, the way she’d intercepted my strike.

　　After that moment, something shifted in me toward Li Yongxia. The guardedness and resistance I felt earlier had melted away, replaced by a strange pull to understand her. And deep down, I couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe—just maybe—she felt it, too."Was I just imagining things?" I wondered to myself.

　　"Feng, I..." Zhou Quan began hesitantly beside me.

　　"It’s okay. I know how you feel, but you’ve got to face reality. Thinking you can take out Zhang Ming? That’s just a fantasy," I said.

　　Zhou Quan went quiet, his head dropping slightly. He understood what I was saying, and deep down, he knew he didn’t have it in him. I could feel the frustration and helplessness gnawing at him.

　　"Don’t worry. Someone like Zhang Ming, who goes around hurting people without a second thought—his days are numbered," I assured him.

　　Zhou Quan glanced up at me. "You really think so?"

　　"Of course. When have I ever lied to you?"

　　For the first time, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

　　I wasn’t just saying that to comfort him. A guy like Zhang Ming, with all the ruthless things he’s done, will get what’s coming to him eventually. Karma has a way of catching up—it’s only a matter of time.

　　We walked the rest of the way back in silence, and when we finally reached the inn, Zhou Sheng and the others let out a collective sigh of relief at the sight of Zhou Quan, safe and sound.

　　"Feng, you found my brother’s killer, and instead of thanking you, I’ve just been dragging you into more trouble..." Zhou Quan started to apologize.

　　I raised a hand to cut him off. "Don’t worry about that. What matters is that you’re safe. From now on, think before you act. Remember, your mom’s only got you now. With your brother gone, you’re all she has left. She’s going to need you."

　　"I understand, Feng," Zhou Quan replied, his voice steady.

　　"How about we treat you to dinner tomorrow, Feng?" Zhou Sheng chimed in with a grateful smile."Keep your money. I know it’s not easy working out here, so save it for something nice to take back home," I said, giving Zhou Sheng a reassuring pat on the shoulder before heading to my room.

　　That night, I just couldn’t find any peace. Meditation didn’t work, and sleep was no better—I kept drifting in and out, waking up again and again. After hours of tossing and turning, I finally made a decision. Tomorrow, I’d say my farewells to Liu Dazhuang and Wang Mengyun and then set out for He Village. There were still unsettled souls waiting for me there—Zhang Cuicui among them.

　　Morning came fast. I stretched to loosen up, had a quick breakfast, and returned to my room to pack up.

　　“Feng, are you leaving already?” Zhou Sheng asked when he saw me.

　　I gave him a small smile. “Yeah, it’s time for me to get going.”

　　“But we haven’t even properly thanked you yet!” he protested.

　　I waved a hand dismissively. “No need. You don’t owe me anything, alright?”“That’s not gonna fly. You helped Quan out a ton, so we’ve got to show our appreciation,” Zhou Sheng insisted.

　　I couldn't argue with that logic, so I replied, “Alright then, let’s keep it simple. How about we just grab a bite at the restaurant where you work?”

　　“Sounds good! Let’s do lunch,” Zhou Sheng said, his eyes lighting up.

　　“What are you guys up to?” Zhou Hu suddenly popped up, noticing our conversation.

　　“Feng’s leaving soon, and we’re figuring out lunch plans. We’ve got to show him some gratitude,” Zhou Sheng explained.

　　“So soon, Feng?” Zhou Hu asked, his brow raised.

　　“Yeah. I was planning to visit my senior sister after coming down the mountain, but I ran into you guys. It must be fate. Now that your issue is settled, it’s time for me to move on.”

　　“Okay then, I’ll round up Quan and Desheng. We’ll keep it low-key, but we’ll make it a proper send-off,” Zhou Hu suggested, a grin spreading across his face.

　　“Sounds good,” I agreed, feeling a sense of camaraderie.

　　“Xiao Feng, Xiao Feng!” someone suddenly shouted from outside.

　　I immediately recognized the voice—it was Liu Dazhuang.

　　“Over here!” I called back, waving my hand.

　　Before long, Liu Dazhuang appeared. “Hey! You alright? We didn’t hear from you all night.”

　　“Yeah, I’m fine. No worries,” I reassured him, trying to sound nonchalant.

　　“You don’t have to tell me. I know you went looking for Zhang Ming,” Liu Dazhuang said, his expression serious. “Don’t worry, a fox will eventually show its tail. I’ll catch him, trust me.”

　　“True that. Just keep your eyes peeled,” I said, flashing him a grin.

　　“Officer Liu?” Zhou Hu called out, curiosity in his voice.

　　Liu Dazhuang turned to Zhou Hu and asked, “And who might you be?”

　　“Zhou Hu. Remember? I was the one involved in that fight at the construction site, and you brought me in for questioning,” Zhou Hu said, a bit sheepishly.

　　Recognition flashed in Liu Dazhuang’s eyes. “Oh, it’s you!”

　　“Heh, yeah…” Zhou Hu chuckled, a bit embarrassed.

　　“You know Feng?” Zhou Hu asked, gesturing between us.

　　“Yeah, I know him!” Liu Dazhuang replied with a smile.

　　“That’s awesome! Feng just mentioned he’s leaving, and we’re planning to give him a send-off at lunch,” Zhou Sheng chimed in, clearly excited about it.

　　Liu Dazhuang turned to me, a mix of surprise and concern in his eyes. “You’re leaving, Xiao Feng?”

　　“Yeah, the situation's pretty clear now. Just keep an eye on Zhang Ming,” I said.

　　“I got it!” Liu Dazhuang shot back. “But if you're leaving, you should at least give us a heads-up—especially your sister Mengyun. How can you just take off without saying anything?”

　　“You’re right, Dazhuang,” I admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed.

　　“You should talk to your sister Mengyun before you leave. She's about to hang out with her good friend Su Yan,” Liu Dazhuang suggested.

　　“Su Yan!”

　　Suddenly, everything clicked, and I froze in place. I knew exactly what was bothering me!

　　This Su Yan! Zhang Ming said I had met her, and after thinking it over, the only possibility was that woman I saw at the restaurant with Zhang Ming that day!

　　It had to be her!

　　Zhang Ming told me not to investigate her anymore. With his cautious nature, he would definitely take care of anyone who posed a risk or threat!

　　“Xiao Feng? Xiao Feng?” Liu Dazhuang called, snapping me back to reality.

　　“Quick, Dazhuang! Go find Su Yan, hurry!”