Chương 44: The Thief Gang (Part Two)
Oh dear, that young man is in trouble..."
Upon hearing the fierce shout from the scar-faced man, the onlookers around sighed inwardly. It wasn't that no one wanted to step in to help, but the sight of the five or six young men with dyed hair and suspicious bulges at their waists instantly drained their courage.
"Hey, chubby, hurry up and call Old Man Man!" Old Ma was becoming anxious. He knew the scar-faced man's ruthless reputation; if someone decided to stab a knife, it could lead to serious trouble.
"Brother Ma, I don't have a phone..."
The plump man squinted at the group surrounding Fang Yi and the girl, his round face still adorned with a smile, as if he were entirely unconcerned. Even San Pao, standing beside him, seemed indifferent.
"Use mine, quickly!" Old Ma gritted his teeth and pulled out the second-hand phone he had recently purchased. "Old Man Man has some influence here; as long as he arrives, things won't escalate..."
"Isn't it just a fight? Who's afraid of whom?" The plump man refused Old Ma's phone, instead pushing the tricycle forward and glancing at San Pao. "What do you say? Can you handle this? If not, just use Brother Ma's phone to call Man Ge..."
"Isn't it you who can't handle it? Can someone that fat even throw a punch?" San Pao spat dismissively at the plump man, but as he stood up, he picked up a half brick from beneath his feet.
"Damn it, stealing and acting tough, thinking no one would stand up for Yi Ge?" After pushing aside the tricycle, the plump man charged at the scar-faced man and landed a punch in his abdomen, causing the scar-faced man to double over in pain.
The plump man struck fiercely; before the scar-faced man could crouch down, he raised his knee and slammed it into the man's face. With that blow, the scar-faced man could no longer withstand the assault and collapsed to the ground.
"Scar Ge..." Upon witnessing their leader fall, the remaining five or six men panicked, abandoning Fang Yi and converging on the plump man. One of them discreetly pulled out a small dagger from his waist.
"Hey, are you really going to pull a weapon?" Just as the man was about to strike the plump man, he suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder from behind. Instinctively turning around, he was met with a brick smashing into his face.
"San Pao's strikes are still as ruthless as ever!"
Seeing San Pao wielding the brick, Fang Yi couldn't help but chuckle. The three of them had often fought with the older boys living at the foot of the mountain, but Fang Yi rarely engaged directly, knowing that once he did, the fight would be over.
Typically, Wei Jinhua, who was usually just a chubby boy, was the main fighter. He would charge to the front, drawing fire, his tough skin making him impervious to pain, while the plump man hit hard enough to knock someone down with a single punch.
San Pao's fighting style, however, was entirely different from the plump man's. Though he had learned a few tricks from the old Taoist, he preferred to employ underhanded tactics, hiding behind the plump man and occasionally delivering sneaky kicks.
This time, Fang Yi had no intention of joining the fray. As the plump man charged forward, he gently pulled the girl aside. With both the plump man and San Pao present, they were more than capable of handling these petty thieves. Such lowly rogues were the dregs of society, requiring only a light reprimand.
The difference between those who trained and those who did not was indeed significant. Having spent a few years learning boxing from the old Taoist and several more in the military, Fang Yi understood that the plump man's and San Pao's combat prowess far surpassed that of these five or six thieves.
In a matter of minutes, the once arrogant group was brought down to the ground by San Pao and the plump man, their cries of anguish filling the air. The scar-faced man, who had been the first to attack, had already lost consciousness.
"Hey, are you going to let go?" While observing the commotion from the sidelines, Fang Yi suddenly heard the girl's clear voice beside him. He looked down to realize he was still holding her wrist.
"I... I didn't mean to..." Fang Yi released her hand as if shocked, feeling an unfamiliar sensation at having held a girl's hand for the first time.
"I know you didn't mean it..."
Seeing Fang Yi's embarrassed expression, the girl burst into laughter. Having grown up in the capital, she and her friends were straightforward, and this was the first time she had encountered a man as shy as Fang Yi, especially considering it was her wrist he had just grasped.
"Hey, what's going on? Who's fighting?"
Just as Fang Yi pondered how to communicate with the girl, several uniformed police officers approached. Upon seeing the four or five men sprawled on the ground and the unconscious scar-faced man, their expressions shifted.
"We... we were acting in the name of justice..." The previously imposing plump man and San Pao felt a twinge of guilt at the sight of the police.
"Whether it was an act of heroism is not for you to decide. Now, explain what happened."
The lead officer furrowed his brow. They were from the local precinct, and he recognized the thieves on the ground, surprised at how badly they had been beaten. If they were seriously injured, what had begun as a heroic act could easily turn into a case of intentional harm.
"These men are thieves; they stole my wallet..." The girl stepped forward, producing an identification badge. "I'm with the city's criminal investigation team; here's my ID..."
"Ah? So, you're one of us?" The lead officer's demeanor softened upon glancing at her badge. He waved his hand, instructing, "Take these men back to the station. How dare they steal from the police; they truly have no fear of the law..."
"Does the police station have 'Police' written on it?" Fang Yi couldn't help but chuckle at the officer's words. If she weren't in uniform, no one would suspect that the girl was a police officer; she would surely be mistaken for a university student.
"You two will also accompany me to the station to provide a statement..." The lead officer pointed at the plump man and San Pao, his tone significantly more amiable than before.
"It's fine; it's just to give a statement..." The girl looked at Fang Yi.
"I won't go; I still need to tend to the stall. They can go without me..." Fang Yi understood the girl's unspoken plea and quickly shook his head. What a joke! If they all went, who would manage the stall?
"Alright, thank you so much." The girl nodded and followed the officers out of the market.
With the excitement dissipated, the crowd swiftly dispersed. The events that had unfolded in the market were like a small stone thrown into a river; once the stone sank, the water returned to calmness, and the tourists pouring into the market were entirely unaware of what had just occurred.
However, there was a noticeable change. The vendors who had previously ignored Fang Yi now regarded him with increasing coldness. Even Old Ma, who had been quite amicable, sat silently, devoid of the warmth he had shown earlier.
"Brother Ma, what's wrong? Are you afraid of retaliation?" Fang Yi moved closer to Old Ma, pulling out a pack of cigarettes he had purchased for eighteen yuan and offering one to him.
"Xiao Fang, you've stirred up trouble..." Accepting the cigarette from Fang Yi, Old Ma sighed. "Do you think those thieves can steal all day without anyone intervening?"
"Isn't someone intervening now?" Fang Yi was taken aback, realizing there were aspects of this situation he was unaware of.
"That's only when someone files a report; they have no choice but to respond..."
Old Ma lit his cigarette and lowered his voice. "Let me tell you, that scar-faced man has connections with the precinct, and he has ties with the management as well. Just because they've been arrested now doesn't mean they won't be released by nightfall..."
"Is that so?" Fang Yi's brow furrowed. He wasn't particularly afraid of the thieves' retaliation, but if they had connections with the precinct and management, it could lead to complications for him down the line.
"Do you think the money these thieves steal goes into their own pockets?" Old Ma scoffed, his eyes suddenly spotting someone pushing through the crowd. "I'm just speculating; you can take it as me rambling..."
"Brother Liu, why are you here?" Following Old Ma's gaze, Fang Yi recognized the man who had helped coordinate their stall earlier that morning, and he quickly stood to greet him.
"Xiao Fang, what's going on? Were you involved in that altercation?" Liu's expression was grim as he spoke. "Director Gu received a call, and I was told to come and handle the situation. Didn't I tell you not to meddle in others' affairs here?"
"Liu Ge, this really isn't our fault; it was that thief who stole the police officer's wallet..."
After hearing Old Ma's warning, Fang Yi refrained from taking the blame for the situation. He was merely a novice Taoist who had come down from the mountain; through good fortune, he had met Man Jun and found a small business in this antique market. Fang Yi truly wished to avoid trouble.
"Weren't your friends the ones who started the fight?" Upon hearing Fang Yi's words, Liu appeared momentarily taken aback. He had rushed over after receiving the call from Director Gu and was not fully aware of the details.
The plump man and San Pao had been taken to the precinct for questioning, a fact Fang Yi could not deny. He could only explain, "Those thieves were the ones who initiated the violence..."
"Sigh, why did you have to act so impulsively?" Liu shook his head with a wry smile. He had a good relationship with Man Jun and did not want Fang Yi and his friends to be expelled from the market over this incident.
"Xiao Fang, Director Gu is quite upset about this; he will come to handle it shortly..." Although Liu was a temporary worker, he had been with the management for several years and clearly knew more than Old Ma.
In truth, the thieves had no real connection to the precinct, but the scar-faced man had a good rapport with Director Gu. On several occasions, when the scar-faced man's subordinates got into trouble, it was Director Gu who had intervened to ensure their release.
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