Riverside Robbery

The spring air was warm and flowers bloomed in March, with the river water rising slightly.

On the opposite bank of the Tangdu River, willow branches swayed gently. A few girls in their prime were playing by the water, while a young woman with a camera captured the lively scene.

In the distance, a winding path led straight to the riverbank.

From the direction of the alley leading into the city, a faint, broken voice suddenly cried out, "...caught... they're kidnapping someone!"

This woman was Long Qiaozhen, who had come to Tangdu City's west district to visit her daughter Zhu Lina. Since her daughter refused to see her, she was heading back home, only to run into three thugs.

Tong Haojing, a retired soldier who was fishing by the Tangdu River with Uncle Mumu, heard the cries. He instinctively leaped from the riverbank onto the embankment. From a distance, he saw two people, one tall and one short, running towards him. He instinctively grabbed the iron stool he was sitting on and blocked the path like a mountain, shouting, "What are you doing? Where do you think you're going?"

The tall one was a scar-faced man, thin and lanky, but not timid. He held a sharp knife in his hand, looking quite smug. Seeing someone blocking their path, he yelled, "Get lost! This has nothing to do with you, or I'll kill your whole family!" He gestured with the sharp knife in front of his chest, its tip flashing a blinding light.

The shorter one also cursed in support, "Damn it, a busybody dog!"

This vicious and hurtful remark completely enraged Tong Haojing, who had a military background. He thought, to be insulted by such scum in this tiny place, wouldn't that tarnish his reputation as a Special Operations Unit member?

Tong Haojing chuckled coldly, "You're asking for death, kid. Do you know who I am? The people who've tried to mess with me haven't even been born yet!"

Seeing that this uninvited guest had no intention of backing down, the scar-faced man didn't dare to rush forward. He yelled again, "Get lost! I'm going to kill you! I'm going to kill you!" As he spoke, he lunged forward with the sharp knife, moving as fast as lightning. Tong Haojing almost didn't react in time. Instinctively, he sidestepped to his left, dodging slightly. With his left hand, he executed a "borrowing a flower to offer Buddha" move. The scar-faced man had put too much force into his thrust, and he fell face-first into the ground, like a dog eating dirt, his face covered in mud. He cried out in pain, "Ouch, ouch!"

The shorter man seized the opportunity, circling around to Tong Haojing's right. He also pulled out a knife and lunged forward, weaving it back and forth, aiming for Tong Haojing's waist. Tong Haojing's eyes were sharp, and he saw his chance. He blocked with his arm, then moved forward, knocking the knife out of the shorter man's hand.

The shorter man, unwilling to give up, jumped up and grabbed Tong Haojing by the neck. The scar-faced man got up from the ground and moved forward with his knife, preparing for a sneak attack. However, Tong Haojing spotted him out of the corner of his eye. He forcefully lifted the shorter man and threw him down. With a swift counter-movement, he blocked. The scar-faced man's knife ended up stabbing the shorter man in the thigh. The shorter man screamed and released Tong Haojing's neck, falling into a ditch by the roadside. He cried out, "My leg, my leg!"

The scar-faced man was stunned by the scene. Sensing that the situation was bad, he retreated a few steps, his legs trembling.

Tong Haojing reprimanded him, "Put down the knife, and I'll let you go!"

The glint of the knife was blinding, and a chilling aura emanated from it, threatening to injure him at any moment. As long as this kid put down the knife, everything would be fine. Tong Haojing pressed forward, spotting a weakness in the scar-faced man's stance, and prepared to disarm him.

The scar-faced man was genuinely scared. He wailed again, "Don't come closer! Don't come closer! I'll drop the knife!"

Facing this big guy, he knew he couldn't win this battle. Feigning surrender and escaping was the best strategy. The scar-faced man made up his mind. While pretending to drop the knife, he slipped under Tong Haojing's arm.

Uncle Mumu, seeing the intense fight, had dropped his glasses in the grass in his panic. He couldn't see clearly and feared Tong Haojing would be at a disadvantage. He also grabbed a wooden stick and blocked the path. The scar-faced man, like a slippery loach, immediately darted towards the river.

Tong Haojing was angry. He thought the thug was quite cunning and decided he couldn't let him get away this time. Tong Haojing broke into a run, his long legs carrying him in pursuit.

Uncle Mumu shouted from behind, "Tongtong, don't chase him! He has a knife, and it has no eyes!" His words revealed his deep affection and concern for Tong Haojing. By this time, the scar-faced man had already dropped the knife and was only focused on escaping.

Ahead, the scar-faced man could no longer run and sat on a high riverbank, panting heavily. He kept shouting threats and curses, "Damn you! What business is it of yours? I'll kill you! Don't come closer! Don't come closer!"

Tong Haojing no longer listened to the scar-faced man's nonsensical threats and advanced step by step. The scar-faced man despaired. He turned around and leaped into the Tangdu River. Tong Haojing, an excellent swimmer, saw the scar-faced man jump into the river and followed him. He was determined to catch the scar-faced man.

Seeing Tong Haojing jump into the river, Uncle Mumu couldn't help but shout, "Tongtong, why are you so foolish? You're risking your life!" Uncle Mumu thought Tongtong wasn't a good swimmer and would surely be at a disadvantage in the river. Little did he know, Tong Haojing had become an expert swimmer during his time in the army, even winning a first-class award.

Several onlookers had already gathered by the river, discussing the situation.

An elderly man from nearby said, "What are those people doing? Both of them jumped into the river! Are they not afraid of their lives? The current is so strong, it's a dangerous situation!"

A middle-aged woman commented, "Did they get into a fight over fishing spots? A while ago, some young men fought over a fishing hole, and the police even came!"

Uncle Mumu collapsed onto the ground, staring at the swift-flowing Tangdu River, utterly lost.

Everyone came over to ask him concerned questions. Uncle Mumu was so grief-stricken that he couldn't speak for a moment. Just then, the shorter man crawled out of the ditch by the roadside, dragging blood behind him. His face was pale, and he weakly said, "This old man is in cahoots with that big guy. The two of them ganged up and threw my brother into the river. Take him to the police station and pay for my brother's life!"