Mutual consent

On Maple Avenue in White Cloud City, one car caught the attention of passing motorists, and many raised their phones to take pictures.

A man stood on its roof, holding a coffin aloft.

Tang Fei, who was driving, was in turmoil. Hu Mei had told him the gist of what had happened, and he knew they were probably about to end up fighting their own allies.

But Pei Zheng was his cousin by blood, after all, and Tang Fei naturally leaned toward him. Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, he pulled out his phone with the other and sent Pei Zheng a text.

"Trouble's coming to the Nine Dragons Club. Jiang Nan is on his way to make a scene."

Pei Zheng was attending a business ceremony. After seeing the message, he rushed toward the club without stopping to explain himself to the guests, calling his father, Pei Hu, along the way.

Tang Fei deliberately took a couple of detours to stall for time. By the time they arrived at the Jiujiang Club, Pei Hu and his son were already waiting at the entrance.

Jiang Nan jumped down from the car with the coffin, and Pei Hu and his son immediately came forward.

"Brother Jiang Nan, it's been a while! How have you been?"

Jiang Nan glanced at the club's sign in surprise. "This place belongs to your Black Tiger Hall?"

Pei Zheng still did not know what had happened. "Brother Nan, what's all this?"

For a moment, Jiang Nan's thoughts were tangled. Pei Zheng had always treated him respectfully. Jiang Nan knew the man wanted to befriend him for his own interests, and although he understood that relationships with people like this were only superficial, he was still a raw recruit when it came to navigating social dealings.

But the thought of Lin Jiajia's horrific condition instantly swept away that awkwardness. He had to get justice for this child today!

He could not worry about all that now. With a cold expression, Jiang Nan asked, "Xinlan works for you, doesn't she? I want to see her!"

Pei Zheng smiled ingratiatingly. "Yes, we do have someone by that name. What do you need Xinlan for, Brother Nan? Could there be some misunderstanding here?"

"So you're involved in making girls entertain clients too?" Jiang Nan's tone abruptly turned icy.

How could Pei Zheng not know what services the club offered? Judging by Jiang Nan's fury, those girls probably had some connection to him. He had come to stand up for them.

But they could not leave their own people unprotected either. Otherwise, what would become of the Black Tiger Hall's loyalty and honor?

"Brother, why don't we talk inside? If there's been any misunderstanding, I'll personally see that you get justice!" Pei Hu spoke with righteous conviction.

Jiang Nan did not refuse, and the group entered the club's lobby. On the way, Tang Fei quietly gave his uncle and cousin a brief account of what had happened.

Jiang Nan gently set the coffin on the reception area's coffee table. With his head lowered, he did not look at the father and son as he said mockingly, "The Black Tiger Hall is a gang, after all. I can understand you doing shady things, but at least don't throw away your humanity!"

Pei Hu was displeased. This young man did not even know how to phrase things tactfully. He had always treated Jiang Nan well, and now Jiang Nan wanted to turn against him over an outsider?

But with Master Roshi, known as the God of Martial Arts, backing Jiang Nan, Pei Hu was reluctant to openly fall out with him. He could only send someone to fetch Manager Lan.

Manager Lan hurried into the lobby. Seeing the gathering, she wondered how even the old hall master had become involved. Then she spotted Hu Mei standing helplessly behind the crowd, and she immediately guessed most of what had happened. At the same time, she found her confidence.

"What happened to this child really was an accident!"

Sister Lan explained, "Everything we do here is by mutual consent. I paid her father right at the start, and he personally handed her over to me!"

With just a few sentences, Sister Lan washed the club's hands of all responsibility. Even Jiang Nan almost got drawn into her line of reasoning.

Coming back to his senses, Jiang Nan asked, "How did the child die?"

After more than a decade working in establishments like this, what situation had Sister Lan not seen? What kind of troublemaker had she not dealt with? She felt no fear, yet her tone was utterly innocent. "Ah, it really was an accident. The client got high last night and didn't know his own strength."

Drugs. Abusing girls. Those two jarring notions battered Jiang Nan's reason.

"I thought the Black Tiger Hall was something impressive. Turns out this is the sort of business you're in!" Jiang Nan sneered.

Pei Hu felt his face burn. Suppressing his anger, he said, "Brother, that's going a little too far. Our business may not be particularly respectable, but it's still conducted by mutual consent. The Black Tiger Hall paid every cent it owed. Why get so worked up over this?"

So he thinks I'm sticking my nose where it doesn't belong?

"Fine. Fine. Fine!"

Jiang Nan repeated the word three times, then snapped, "Mutual consent, is it? Did you ever ask whether Lin Jiajia, lying in this coffin, consented?! You talk about consent without even asking the person involved. Fine, then! Today I'm going to break all your legs, and we'll see whether you consent to that!"

Pei Hu's temper flared too. He said darkly, "Those are some bold words, Brother Jiang Nan. I wonder which is greater-your ability or your arrogance?"

With things having reached this point, Jiang Nan no longer cared about preserving their relationship. In any case, he and the father and son were only casual acquaintances. Why should he associate with people like them?

"So you want to find out?" Jiang Nan asked coldly.

Pei Hu sneered. "I never wanted to be your enemy, brother, but you keep pushing me. I'm sure your master won't blame me when he hears about this. It's been six months since our last spar. Since you're so confident, I'll have to accept your invitation!"

By bringing up their spar six months earlier, Pei Hu was also reminding Jiang Nan that he was no match for him. He wanted Jiang Nan to back down before things became too ugly.

But Jiang Nan did not appreciate the gesture at all. He slowly rose and walked to an open space nearby. "Wrongdoing has to be punished. I'll give you a chance. I'll stand right here without moving. Both of you can come at me together. If you can make me move even half a step within ten moves, I'll leave immediately and act as though none of this ever happened."

Pei Hu narrowed his eyes and sneered. "Arrogant fool. I'm more than enough to deal with you alone!"

"I suggest you come at me together," Jiang Nan said evenly. "And don't hold anything back! If you can't make me move half a step within ten moves, I'll cripple your legs, just as I promised."

Tang Fei, who had been silent at the side, abruptly shuddered. Why did Brother Nan threaten to cripple people's legs at every turn? Did he have some kind of fixation on it?

It seemed he would have to teach Jiang Nan a lesson today. Pei Hu rolled up his sleeves as he approached and said in a low voice, "In that case, let me see how much you've improved!"

From their bout six months earlier, Pei Hu knew that Jiang Nan's strength was close to his own. Besides, Jiang Nan was young and vigorous. If he dared to make such a boast, he must have improved over the past six months. Pei Hu therefore did not dare underestimate him. Gathering his full power, he drove a punch at Jiang Nan's face, determined to teach him a lesson.

Bang!

A dull impact sounded, but Jiang Nan merely raised his palm and blocked Pei Hu's attack without any change in expression.

Pei Hu was horrified. His fierce attack felt as though it had sunk into a bottomless sea, while Jiang Nan stood before him as immovable as a mountain.

How was this possible?!

It had only been six months!

"Zheng, attack with me!" Pei Hu could no longer worry about saving face and called for his son to join him.