Facing

Wang Long had found him?

Qin Fang flashed away from the crack in the door in an instant and pressed his back against the wall, his face dark.

Qin Fang had never dared to forget Wang Long. One of the biggest reasons he was working so hard at cultivation... was Wang Long!

But after leaving Spring Return Hall, his master had mentioned Wang Long and the others only once, telling them that he had already left.

And that had been the end of it.

For nearly the next month, Qin Fang had stayed in this courtyard and hadn't stepped outside once.

His master hadn't mentioned the Iron Tiger Gang again, either.

So he had no idea what they were up to.

He'd almost forgotten about them.

Yet he hadn't expected...

They would actually come looking for him today?

Qin Fang's expression darkened. He held his breath and didn't dare peer through the crack in the door again, only listening intently to the commotion outside.

How had they found him?

Who had revealed his whereabouts?

His master's face flashed through his mind, but he immediately dismissed the thought...

His master couldn't have betrayed him.

If he'd meant to sell him out, why go to the trouble and expense of helping him? He could have simply abandoned him back then.

So where had something gone wrong?

Thoughts flashed through Qin Fang's mind.

At the same time, the pounding on the door grew louder. They were clearly getting impatient.

Then Qin Fang heard a voice.

"Brother Dragon, is that kid really here?"

The voice sounded doubtful, yet Qin Fang recognized it.

At once, the image of a sleazy man with a mole by his mouth surfaced in his mind.

"Damn it, we've been looking for that kid for nearly a month, and this is the first lead we've got. Whether it's him or not... let's take a look first."

Wang Long's voice was low and vicious.

"Best if it's not. Otherwise... I might just have to kill someone today."

Qin Fang's heart sank... They really had come for him.

But how had they known he was here?

Qin Fang's mind raced.

Not many people knew he was here. Aside from his master, there was the boy who had delivered goods here a few times, the bricklayers and carpenters, and... the neighbors.

But aside from his master, none of them knew about his connection to the Iron Tiger Gang.

And his master couldn't have betrayed him.

So where had the leak come from?

As he thought, shouts rang out from outside. "Damn it, open up! If you don't, I'll break the door down!"

"We've knocked this much and nobody's opening up. Looks like there really is something fishy!"

"Scar-Head Li said Old Wu's refugee disciple stays home almost every day. Now we're knocking and he still won't open... Brother Dragon, should we send a few people around back, in case he tries to run?"

The voices came from outside.

Qin Fang's heart sank. Those words seemed to answer one of his questions...

So his master hadn't betrayed him.

It was Scar-Head Li.

Who was Scar-Head Li?

He didn't know the man at all.

But it wasn't hard to work out.

The nickname sounded like that of a street thug, so it couldn't be the honest boy or one of the bricklayers and carpenters.

That left one of the neighbors...

But why Scar-Head Li had brought him up to Wang Long and the others was still a huge mystery.

Whatever the reason, Wang Long and the others had come knocking. That was a fact, and Qin Fang had to find a way to save himself.

"Right. Send two men to block the back door. Don't let him get away. That courtyard wall doesn't look too high... climb over and have a look."

Wang Long's voice came from outside.

Qin Fang's expression turned cold. Without hesitation, he moved quickly toward the room...

His throwing knives were all inside.

He rushed in and shut the door, then dashed to the target and pulled out the throwing knives, gripping them in his hand.

The cold knives brought him a trace of comfort.

Then he heard a thud from the courtyard.

Clutching the knives, Qin Fang hurried to the door and peered outside through the window lattice.

They had indeed climbed over the wall. A figure dropped into the courtyard, glanced casually at the house, then went to the gate and lifted the latch. Wang Long and the others filed in from outside.

"Kid, get out here. I've come to collect what you owe!"

Wang Long, his face covered in heavy jowls, swept his vicious gaze around the courtyard before turning toward the house's closed door.

As he spoke, they started toward the house.

Qin Fang's expression was grim.

It had all happened too suddenly. He hadn't been prepared at all.

What should he do now?

Someone had gone to block the back door. He had almost no chance of getting away.

And now Wang Long and the others were in the courtyard.

Wolves ahead, tigers behind.

He was caught between a rock and a hard place.

It was as if he'd fallen into a desperate situation all over again.

Qin Fang's expression turned cold, a vicious gleam surfacing in his eyes.

But soon he took a deep breath and held himself back—for now.

Seeing Wang Long and the others enter the courtyard and head toward the front door, he simply shoved it open with a bang.

...The leader of the Iron Tiger Gang was a Dark Force martial artist, and Wang Long's younger brother.

He remembered that.

When the door suddenly flew open, Qin Fang stood expressionlessly in the doorway. Wang Long and the others all froze in surprise, stopping where they were.

The man with a mole on his face studied Qin Fang closely, then suddenly sneered. "Brother Dragon, we found him. It's him!"

He sounded certain.

Wang Long looked Qin Fang up and down. But to be fair... Qin Fang now was a completely different person from the refugee he'd been a month ago.

Back then, Qin Fang had been disheveled, his face caked in layers of grime, barely clinging to life.

Now he wore clean robes and stood tall. He was still pitifully thin, but his face was clean, with sharp brows and bright eyes. His high, prominent cheekbones marred his looks a little... but he truly looked like a different person from the refugee of a month ago.

Wang Long himself couldn't be sure it was the same person.

So when he heard his subordinate's certainty, he hesitated.

But soon, he chose to trust his man.

He narrowed his eyes at Qin Fang. "Kid, do you remember me?"

Standing in the doorway, Qin Fang took in the expressions on all their faces.

Apart from the man with the mole by his mouth, who insisted it was him, the others all looked uncertain.

But once the pockmarked thug spoke, they too immediately decided Qin Fang was the refugee from a month ago.

Qin Fang's gaze settled on the thug with the mole by his mouth... A month ago, this was the same man who had first suggested that Qin Fang might have run out of money.

Qin Fang wasn't one to hold a grudge.

But this man was an exception.

After his thoughts flashed by, Qin Fang let out a soft breath and spoke slowly. "Brother Dragon, of course I remember you. If not for you, I'd have died a month ago and never met my current master... I wouldn't dare forget your great kindness."

By saying this, Qin Fang confirmed his identity.

Wang Long's eyes narrowed, and a vicious look spread across his face. "Good, good, very good. Since you remember, this will be easy to settle... So, kid, don't you think what you did was a little too lacking in honor? I saved your life, but once you recovered, you just up and left without even sending word... You've had me searching for you for a whole month."

A murderous glint flickered in his eyes.