Where was Zhang Youzhi?

The homeless man hesitated for a long time, looking at the brilliantly lit Lejia Entertainment City in the distance, then down at the lame little gray kitten in his arms. He couldn't help sighing.

His apprentice wasn't around. Surely he couldn't take a cat along to rescue someone.

What if someone crushed it underfoot?

The homeless man looked around the nearby alleys, hoping to find a pet shop where he could leave the little gray kitten for a while.

But there wasn't one.

Just as he stood there holding the cat, unable to decide, a little girl's voice reached him.

"Uncle, would you... would you like a steamed bun?"

The homeless man froze. He looked at the adorable little girl with her hair in a bun, then at his own ragged clothes, and understood.

"I'm not a beggar. I collect scrap," he explained patiently.

"I know, but would you like a bun, Uncle?"

The little girl held a soft white bun in both hands. It looked awfully tempting.

The homeless man swallowed despite himself.

Martial artists had enormous appetites. Wu Fuzhang usually cooked instant noodles or plain noodles for himself and rarely ate meat. This bun was clearly stuffed with pork and scallions!

"Thank you. Thank you, little one." Wu Fuzhang accepted the bun and took a small bite.

The little girl beamed when the homeless man took it. As soon as he finished, she would run back and fetch another.

Delicious. So fucking delicious.

Wu Fuzhang voiced the very same sentiment as Zhang Youzhi.

He lifted the little gray kitten out of his arms and saved the filling for it. Without hesitation, the kitten grabbed the lump of meat in its mouth and nibbled away.

The little girl's eyes lit up!

"Uncle, Uncle, can I pet it?"

Looking at the little girl, Wu Fuzhang had an idea. He picked the kitten up by the scruff and handed it to her.

"I have something to do. Could you look after it for a day? If I don't come back, you can keep it. How does that sound?"

"Really?" Flushed with excitement, the little girl hugged the kitten and spun around on the spot. She didn't mind its lame leg at all.

"Yes. Go on home now."

The little girl answered happily and ran back into the alley with the cat in her arms.

Wu Fuzhang smiled with relief and rose from the steps. Facing Lejia Entertainment City, he rolled his wrists and ankles, then walked toward it, one step at a time.

Zhang Youzhi had just woken up to find himself tied to a chair. They were really giving him far too much credit.

Even if they untied him, he might not be able to stand.

Strangely, though he was close to death, his mind remained perfectly clear. His senses were even unusually sharp.

He couldn't die with this injustice unresolved! He had no quarrel with these people. Why the hell had they abducted him?

Scarface came over from the adjoining room with a vicious grin and patted Zhang Youzhi's face.

"Don't blame me. Blame President Gao. He's the one who told me to finish you off."

With that, he drove the dagger in his hand deep into Zhang Youzhi's belly.

Scream. Suffer. Hate me!

Huh? Where was the sound?

Zhang Youzhi felt a little chill inside his belly, then blinked at Scarface.

"Heh, a tough guy. No wonder President Gao wants you dead." A hint of admiration appeared on Scarface's face. He turned his right hand half a rotation counterclockwise, twisting the dagger half a turn inside Zhang Youzhi's belly.

Zhang Youzhi kept blinking at Scarface.

His stare began to unnerve Scarface.

What was going on? Why wasn't this guy showing any reaction?

Blood dripped onto the reddish-brown carpet with soft pattering sounds.

"Doesn't it hurt?" Scarface couldn't help asking.

Had his skills gotten rusty after three years without drawing blood?

Zhang Youzhi studied the knife handle sticking out of his abdomen for a moment. "It's a little cold. Why don't you try stabbing a bit higher?"

He took morphine injections like saline and ate painkillers like candy. Zhang Youzhi wasn't even afraid of Li Douyu. Why would he fear a knife?

Every lackey in the room stared at the man in the chair, utterly stunned by his words.

Even someone as vicious as Scarface sighed in admiration. "You're a real man. If we'd met sooner, we might have become brothers."

With that, Scarface pulled out the knife and prepared to slit his throat.

Zhang Youzhi stopped him.

"No, brother, hold on. Why are you trying to kill me?"

Scarface answered, "Boss Ya's orders."

"Why does Boss Ya want me dead?"

"Boss Gao's orders."

Zhang Youzhi was utterly baffled.

"Who's Boss Gao, then? Why does he want me dead?"

Out of respect for a tough man, Scarface patiently explained.

"I don't know why Boss Gao wants you dead either, but my guess is you hooked up with a girl he had his eye on. That's why he wants to kill you."

Zhang Youzhi thought for a moment.

He genuinely couldn't recall hooking up with any girl since coming to Crane City. He had only been treated like a girl and pursued by Li Douyu.

Seeing Zhang Youzhi's bewilderment, Scarface offered a reminder.

"That woman who drove over to rescue you. He Min, I think her name was. Boss Gao specifically told us to send her over to him. She's probably in his hands by now."

"He Min?!" Zhang Youzhi's pupils contracted.

Wasn't He Min that foolish girl who had wanted to jump into the river?

"No, wait, something's wrong here! Don't kill me yet!" Zhang Youzhi struggled desperately, blood pouring from his abdomen.

"You think we'll spare you just because you say so?" Scarface's last shred of respect vanished. With a cold snort, he swept the dagger toward Zhang Youzhi's throat.

With a bang, a thug covered in blood crashed through the door. Everyone inside jumped, and the dagger veered off course.

"Four Tigers, what's with all that blood?!" Scarface demanded.

"Brother Scar! Brother Scar, hurry! Some beggar thug is fighting his way in through the front entrance! The boys can't stop him!!" Four Tigers looked outside in terror.

"Useless trash." Scarface kicked Four Tigers aside and glanced back at the dagger buried in Zhang Youzhi's shoulder, right over his lung. Knowing Zhang Youzhi was doomed, he called to the lackeys who had come to "broaden their horizons." The whole crowd poured out.

Zhang Youzhi stared blankly at the dagger sticking out of his upper chest, then tentatively lowered his head.

He bit down on the handle.

Looking at the ropes binding him, Zhang Youzhi raised an eyebrow.

Brilliant.

Holding a broken staff, Wu Fuzhang stood in the lobby like a heavy bell.

A crowd of half-dead enforcers lay around him. At a glance, there were at least a dozen.

None of the customers here were clean either. No one called the police; they all fled.

The homeless man held the broken end of his staff against an enforcer's chin.

"Where is Zhang Youzhi?" Wu Fuzhang swept a cold gaze around him.

The enforcers involuntarily stepped back half a pace, exchanging confused looks.

Who was Zhang Youzhi? They'd never heard of him.

"Sir, could there be some misunderstanding?" A fat man who looked like the lobby manager approached with a fawning smile.

Wu Fuzhang sent him flying with a swing of his staff.

"Where is Zhang Youzhi?"

The homeless man slammed the broken staff down, shattering the gleaming white tiles beneath his feet.

Holding a long saber, Scarface led the main force around behind the homeless man and surrounded him.

"Sir, which gang are you with?" Scarface shouted.

"Where is Zhang Youzhi?" The homeless man frowned.

"Looking for Zhang Youzhi? So that's it. We've already butchered him. Want us to bring his corpse back for you?" Scarface grinned viciously and flourished his bloodstained machete.

The broken staff quivered, then punched straight through Scarface.

"Where is Zhang Youzhi?"

The homeless man asked again.