Repaying the Debt

That night, at the Fish-Dragon Gang's hall.

Feng Hao wore a fawning smile as he poured wine for Li Dadao.

"Hall Master Li, I've already driven that Zhao widow into a corner. Her son has vanished somewhere these past few days too. If you ask me, he's probably fled far from home..."

"In a couple of days, I'll go to her door to collect the debt and play the part of a vicious villain. Then Hall Master Li can descend like a god of might, shake your tiger's body, and save Zhao Clan from the depths of fire and water.

"When the time comes, Zhao Clan will surely be so moved that she offers herself to you. From then on, she'll devote her heart to you, Hall Master!"

By the time Feng Hao finished, Li Dadao was grinning from ear to ear.

Ever since he had seen Wei Luo's mother at the docks, she had filled his thoughts day and night.

He had tried several times to approach her, but his vicious reputation preceded him. Every time Zhao Clan saw him, she would hide from him while still far away.

Thus, he and Feng Hao had colluded like wolves and jackals, setting up a scam to swindle Wei Luo's mother.

"Hahaha! You bald-headed rascal have quite a few tricks up your sleeve."

Feng Hao immediately bent low and flattered him.

"These are only petty tricks, beneath notice. They cannot compare to Hall Master Li's wisdom and martial might!"

In ordinary people's eyes, Feng Hao was a tyrant, but before martial artists like Li Dadao, he was not even worth a fart.

So he kept himself extremely humble. His fierce face smiled more professionally than a prostitute's.

Seeing Li Dadao in high spirits, Feng Hao paused before speaking again.

"Hall Master Li, there is something I'm not sure whether I should say.

"This little brother wishes to serve you like a dog or horse, but I have no path into martial arts..."

Before he could finish, a trace of disdain appeared in Li Dadao's eyes, and he cut him off.

"You want to practice martial arts? You're too old. You don't even have a chance to enter the gate."

Feng Hao immediately settled for second best.

"Then could Hall Master perhaps teach me a move or two?"

The smile on Li Dadao's face vanished at once.

A coarse fellow like Feng Hao actually wanted him to offer guidance? Did he truly think he could stand on equal footing with him?

If anyone else had spoken to him this way, he would have split them with a palm strike.

But Feng Hao was still somewhat useful, so Li Dadao said casually,

"Start out as one of the Fish-Dragon Gang's underlings. If you make any outstanding contributions in the future, teaching you a couple of moves won't be impossible."

Upon hearing that he could join the Fish-Dragon Gang, Feng Hao's eyes immediately lit up. He filled three brimming cups of wine to show his respect.

Li Dadao merely took a perfunctory sip, then dismissed Feng Hao after a few words.

Having joined the Fish-Dragon Gang, Feng Hao immediately felt his future was bright as brocade.

To flaunt his newfound status, he called several fair-weather friends to a restaurant. They drank until nearly midnight before he staggered home.

Drunk, Feng Hao smiled with incomparable delight. Earlier, when the restaurant manager had seen the Fish-Dragon Gang clothes on him, the man had looked at him with complete awe.

His brothers had showered him with praise, saying outright that they wanted to follow him. Someone had even taken the initiative to pay for the meal.

"Hehe... With my brains, now that I've joined the Fish-Dragon Gang, I'll surely make something of myself..."

As he reached the dark alley outside his home, a sudden urge to urinate struck him. Feng Hao untied his waistband and began pissing against the wall.

Just then, a shout shattered the night's silence.

"Feng Hao?"

Feng Hao shook himself dry and turned around blankly.

"Who's calling for your grandpa in the middle of the night?"

As the figure drew closer, Feng Hao made out the man's face by moonlight.

"Wei Luo?!"

"What the hell do you want?"

Before he could finish, Wei Luo burst a cloud of lime powder from his palm.

Caught completely off guard, Feng Hao was hit full in the face. Intense burning instantly seared through his eyeballs.

He screamed and swung his fists wildly, but having lost his sight, he could not even touch the corner of Wei Luo's clothes.

Wei Luo gave him no chance at all. Seizing an opening, he drove a fist into Feng Hao's head.

The force of two hundred jin erupted. With a dull thud, Feng Hao crumpled sideways against the base of the wall, unable even to stand steadily.

Seeing that he was not dead yet, Wei Luo grabbed his hair and smashed his head into the wall with all his strength.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

His skull struck the hard brick wall again and again, each impact producing a dull sound.

Before long, Wei Luo felt something sticky on his hands, and Feng Hao fell silent.

He immediately took a sack from the corner, stuffed Feng Hao inside, slung it over his shoulder, and headed for the riverbank.

More than ten minutes later, a dim yellow boat lantern appeared on the river.

The Hun River was broad, the perfect place to sink a corpse.

"Don't... don't kill me. If you kill me... Li Dadao won't spare you."

The moment the sack was opened, Feng Hao muttered weakly, trying to grasp at a sliver of life.

Wei Luo had not expected this man's vitality to be so strong.

But he hesitated for only an instant before looking at the large stone meant for sinking bodies in the river.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

Splash~

Soon, a bloom of crimson spread across the river's surface.

Wei Luo disposed of his clothes, then used river water to wash the blood from between his fingers.

Only after finishing everything and confirming there were no loose ends did Wei Luo sit on the boat, gasping for breath.

Other than the three taels of loose silver in his money pouch, Feng Hao had nothing left on him.

Across two lifetimes, this was the first time he had killed someone.

His fingers were still trembling. Wei Luo clenched his fists, and only after a long while did he calm his turbulent emotions.

"He forced me to do it!"

"Even if I paid back the money this time, there would still be a next time."

"Someone like Feng Hao deserved to die. Even if I had to choose again, I would still kill him."

Wei Luo's gaze gradually hardened. In a world like this, he had no other choice.

Only by becoming strong enough himself could he live like a proper human being!

Thinking of the Fish-Dragon Gang clothes Feng Hao had worn, Wei Luo frowned again, sensing a faint threat.

Still, the few taels of silver on Feng Hao were timely aid in the snow. They would be just enough to improve his meals.

--

It was not until the afternoon of the next day that Wei Luo brought his boat ashore.

When he returned, there were more than twenty dace fish in the boat.

"Damn, that Wei Luo kid is really capable. He caught so many fish again."

"Wei Luo, where did you catch those fish? Tell me, will you?"

"..."

The moment he reached the docks, several familiar fishermen greeted Wei Luo.

Because his catches had been consistently plentiful, Wei Luo had gained a little fame. Whenever he returned to the docks, someone would ask where he caught his fish, hoping to try their luck there.

Wei Luo was not stingy either. He told them the location every time.

As for whether they could catch anything, that depended on their own luck.

After selling the fish to the restaurant, Wei Luo quickly returned to Yellow Mud Alley.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He knocked on the door.

"Who is it?!"

His mother's slightly trembling voice came from the courtyard.

"Mother, it's me."

The courtyard gate creaked open.

Zhao Clan looked nervous. She scanned both sides of the alley, pulled Wei Luo inside, then hurriedly shut the gate.

"Luo'er, why did you suddenly come back? Hurry back to the Sun Family. Feng Hao has come to the door again these past few days."

"Don't worry about Mother. Even if we have no money, Feng Hao won't be able to do anything to me."

"Listen to me. Stay at the Sun Family from now on. Feng Hao wouldn't dare provoke the Sun Family..."

As she spoke, she pulled a money pouch from her pocket and stuffed it into Wei Luo's hand.

"Luo'er, I heard people say that practicing martial arts requires good food. Take these few hundred copper coins and use them. Don't let yourself go hungry."

Mending nets was tedious work that cut at the hands, and a whole day's labor could not earn more than a few dozen copper coins.

Looking at the welts on his mother's hands where the flesh had split open, Wei Luo felt the money pouch weigh heavily in his hand.

He was silent for a moment before speaking.

"Mother, don't worry. I've already paid the debt."

"Feng Hao won't come again."

Zhao Clan stared at him in astonishment.

"Where did you get the money?"

"From catching fish, of course."

"You caught another treasure fish?"

"Mm. I got lucky."

For several days in a row, Feng Hao had come to the door demanding payment. Wei Luo's mother had been alone at home and was already close to breaking down.

Now that she learned the matter was settled, her tightly wound nerves finally relaxed.

Though she still had many doubts in her heart, Wei Luo said no more. He carried the dace fish off to cook.

Fragrance drifted through the courtyard. Watching the figure busy at the stove, Wei Luo's mother finally showed a relieved smile.