Backing Down and the Locksmith Shop

Lü Yi gripped the kitchen knife firmly in his hand, the cold metallic touch transmitting through his palm, which intensified the mad glint in his eyes.

He looked down at Sun Qiang, who was slumped on the ground like a lump of mud. His previous mask of "kindness and reason" was completely torn off, leaving only a naked threat with the paranoia unique to the mentally Patient.

"Qiangzi," Lü Yi's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a dull knife cutting flesh, slowly torturing Sun Qiang's already broken nerves, "I just gave you a chance, didn't I?"

He paused, looking at Sun Qiang's violently trembling body and unfocused eyes, a cruel smile curving his lips:

"But you're useless!"

"Fine—!" he drawled, as if making a momentous, condescending decision, "Now, I'll give you one more chance. Your last chance."

He held up three fingers and waved them in front of Sun Qiang, his tone leaving no room for argument:

"I'll give you three more counts. Within those three counts, you'll kneel on the ground and respectfully call me 'Master.' Then this matter will be over, and we'll call it a day!"

His tone suddenly turned sharp, like an ice pick piercing to the bone:

"Otherwise... then open your dog eyes wide and see if I, Lü Yi, dare to use this knife to make a cut on your body and bleed a little!"

He didn't give Sun Qiang any chance to think, bargain, or muster his remaining courage. Almost the instant he finished speaking, he started counting:

"one!"

As the number appeared on the screen, Lü Yi slowly and ceremoniously raised the cleaver in her hand. The blade reflected a chilling light in the dim hallway, its sharp edge aimed directly at Sun Qiang's location. This slow movement was more terrifying than a direct strike, for it was filled with uncertainty and a palpable sense of impending doom.

Sun Qiang's breath caught in his throat, his eyes bulging slightly with fear. He stared at the sharp blade hanging above his head, as if he could feel the cold touch of the blade cutting through his skin.

"two!"

Lü Yi stared intently at Sun Qiang, his eyes devoid of any human emotion, filled only with a pure, ravenous thirst for chaos and violence. Like a wild beast surveying its prey, he awaited the final choice: a humiliating surrender to life, or a defiant acceptance of death?

The shadow of death loomed over him like a tangible reality. All of Sun Qiang's wishful thinking and bravado were utterly crushed in that instant. He had no doubt that the moment the word "three" was uttered, the knife would indeed fall without hesitation! This Madman, he was capable of anything!

Faced with extreme fear, so-called face and dignity become thinner than a piece of paper.

Just before Lü Yi's lips were about to utter that decisive number—

"I'll kneel! I'll kneel! Sir! Spare me!!"

Sun Qiang let out a hoarse scream, tinged with sobs. As if his bones had been removed, he crawled forward a few steps, scrambling on all fours, not even caring about the mess he had left behind after losing control of his bladder. With great effort, he raised his trembling hand and slammed the open security door shut with a bang, as if that would block out any possible outside gaze and preserve the last shred of decency.

Then, facing Lü Yi, he used the last of his strength to slam his forehead heavily onto the cold cement floor.

Thump!

A muffled thud.

"Grandpa... Grandpa... I was wrong! I was really wrong! Please forgive me! I'll never dare to do it again! I'll never dare to provoke you and your brothers again!" Sun Qiang's voice trembled violently and choked with sobs, filled with desperate pleas. He curled up on the ground, not daring to raise his head, like a worm awaiting final judgment.

Lü Yi's hand, holding the knife, paused in mid-air. He looked down at the man at his feet, who had completely lost his human form. There was no joy of victory on his face, only an almost bored indifference. He curled his lip, seemingly somewhat disinterested in Sun Qiang's decisive surrender.

He slowly put down the cleaver, but didn't put it away. He stretched out his free left hand and, as if patting an inanimate object, patted Sun Qiang's bald head, which was covered in cold sweat and dust, a few times.

"Fine, you know what's good for you." Lü Yi's voice returned to its slightly neurotic calm. "You remember this, Qiangzi. I'll only say this once today."

His tone suddenly turned cold, carrying a chilling edge:

"From now on, whenever you see me or my brother (referring to Lin Feng), you must call us 'Master'! Do you hear me?!"

Sun Qiang trembled, nodding hastily, his voice barely a whisper, "I... I heard it, sir..."

"If I find out you dare to disobey me, or do anything underhanded behind my back..." Lü Yi chuckled coldly, a laugh that sent chills down one's spine, "I'll beat you every time I see you! I guarantee it'll be more 'comfortable' each time! Understand?!"

"I understand! Grandpa! I understand!" Sun Qiang promised, his voice trembling with tears, and he kowtowed even lower.

Seeing his cowardly appearance, Lü Yi completely lost interest. Too lazy to say anything more, he casually tucked the kitchen knife into his belt behind his back, concealing it with the hem of his clothes.

Then, without even glancing at Sun Qiang on the ground again, as if he were just a pile of trash on the roadside, he hummed that never-ending off-key tune, turned around, and went downstairs with light, even somewhat jubilant steps.

In the stairwell, only Sun Qiang remained, slumped on the cold floor as if his soul had been ripped away, sobbing softly and suppressedly amidst the pervasive smell of urine. The humiliation he had suffered today would likely haunt him for the rest of his life.

The next day, sunlight pierced through the clouds, bringing a meager warmth to the city. Following the address given by Lawyer Zhou, Lü Yi found a temporary place to stay and settled in. His mind was still racing, constantly thinking about the door lock that Lin Feng had sealed with glue the day before.

He strolled out and spent twenty yuan at a hardware store on the roadside to buy a sturdy and heavy U-lock for his bicycle. Carrying this heavy iron lump, he wandered around the street, his eyes scanning the surroundings, and finally settled on a small shop that looked unassuming, with a sign that read "Professional Locksmith Services: Locksmith Opening, Lock Replacement, Lock Repair".

He strolled inside. The shop was a bit messy, and the air was filled with the smell of metal and machine oil. There were two men inside. One of them, a young man who looked to be in his early twenties, was sitting on a small stool, engrossed in playing a mobile game, occasionally uttering a few game terms.

The other was a middle-aged man in his forties, with dark skin, wearing oil-stained work clothes. He was sitting on the floor, leaning against the counter, with a cigarette in his mouth, squinting at the door, looking utterly bored.

Lü Yi's gaze skipped over the young man engrossed in the game and landed on the middle-aged man. He quickly took a few steps, walked up to him, and slammed the brand-new U-lock in his hand in front of him. He forced a seemingly honest but actually deliberately fake smile and asked:

"Master, can you take a look? Can this lock be opened?"

The middle-aged craftsman was startled by the sudden commotion. He lazily raised his eyelids, glanced at Lü Yi, looked him up and down, and assessed his slightly eccentric demeanor before finally focusing his gaze on the brand-new U-shaped lock.

He didn't even reach out to take it; he merely glanced at it casually before turning his gaze back to the door, exhaling a smoke ring, and speaking in a heavily accented, slightly impatient tone:

"It can be opened."

He paused for a moment, then quoted a price:

Fifty yuan.