Malicious Guests at the Door
The leftover food on the table was still warm, and the burning sensation of chili peppers still lingered on the tip of the tongue. Lawyer Zhou took out his wallet, just about to call the waiter to settle the bill, when Lü Yi patted her slightly bulging belly with satisfaction and let out a burp with the flavor of Hunan cuisine.
Lin Feng picked up the cup of coarse tea that had gone cold, and calmly looked out the window, as if admiring the street scene, or as if waiting for something.
In this relaxed moment, full and refreshed—
"Clang!!"
A loud bang suddenly shattered the hustle and bustle and warmth that had just accumulated inside the small restaurant!
The already somewhat old glass door was kicked open violently from the outside, slamming heavily against the wall behind it. The glass rattled and emitted a teeth-grinding groan. Dust fell from the door frame.
All the conversations and clattering of bowls and chopsticks inside the shop came to an abrupt halt at that moment.
Seven or eight figures, like hyenas smelling blood, carrying the ferocity unique to street brawls, surged in, instantly blocking the entrance completely. The once spacious shop suddenly felt cramped and oppressive after the intrusion of these uninvited guests.
The leader was a burly man, about thirty years old, tall and strong, wearing a tight black elastic vest that accentuated his bulging chest and biceps. His bronze skin was covered with intricate bluish-black tattoos that ran from his neck down to his arms.
He had a shaved head with a thick layer of stubble, a face full of fat, and a pair of triangular eyes that gleamed fiercely. He carried a gleaming aluminum baseball bat in his hand, the end of which was casually draped over his shoulder. His arrogant gaze swept across the store, as if he were inspecting his own territory.
The men behind him also had menacing expressions. Some wore flashy shirts with only half the buttons fastened, revealing thin chests covered in tattoos; others were shirtless, wearing only beach shorts, showing off their lean or bulky figures; still others wore dirty work pants, their eyes numb yet fierce. The weapons they carried were also varied—objects wrapped in newspaper but clearly shaped like machetes, sharpened water pipes, and solid wooden sticks about the length of a forearm.
Their steps were unsteady, their posture loose, but their brash street attitude and undisguised malice instantly engulfed the entire space like a cold tide.
The air seemed to freeze. The migrant worker uncles who had been boasting earlier fell silent, watching nervously in this direction; the young couple turned pale with fright, the girl instinctively shrinking behind the boy; the young man wearing headphones also took them off, gripping his phone warily.
The burly man in the lead glanced around, his deliberate display of arrogance, and then kicked the leg of the table closest to the door.
"Clang!" The chair leg scraped against the ground with a screeching sound.
The guests at the other table trembled, their faces instantly contorted with fear and apprehension. They dared not show the slightest anger, instead hastily forcing a smile and deftly moving their chairs, along with the dishes and chopsticks, to the back of the table, humbly making more space for the group of menacing figures. They muttered under their breath, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please, please..."
The burly man seemed quite satisfied with this "sensible" behavior, snorted through his nose, and ignored him. He led his men and surged into the store, five or six pairs of eyes like searchlights, scanning every terrified or feigning calm face as if searching for a specific target.
The proprietress, a slightly plump woman in her forties, who was hiding behind the counter, was terrified the moment the door was kicked open. Her face turned pale, and the calculator in her hand fell to the ground with a "clatter" without her bothering to pick it up. Like a frightened rabbit, she turned and darted into the smoke-filled kitchen, leaving the waiter standing outside with a pale face, caught in a dilemma.
The searching gaze quickly settled on it.
A figure emerged somewhat laboriously from behind the burly man—it was the same old man who had recently been feigning "pain" and collapsing on the street, displaying remarkable acting skills in his extortion!
He had changed into a slightly cleaner old coat, but the bruises on his face from Lü Yi's "punishment" were still clearly visible, especially around his left eye, which was a dark purple, making it difficult for him to see. As soon as he entered, his cloudy eyes, which were filled with shrewdness and resentment, darted around. Soon, like a venomous snake that had spotted its prey, he locked his gaze on Lü Yi, who was sitting by the window, tilting his head and curiously observing them!
The old man's eyes lit up instantly, as if injected with a powerful stimulant. He excitedly tugged at the arm of the burly leader, stood on tiptoe, leaned close to the man's ear, pointed in Lü Yi's direction, and whispered something urgently. Although the exact words were unclear, the expression on his face, a mixture of resentment, grievance, and the glee of impending revenge, said it all.
They were a well-organized and clearly defined professional fraud gang. Internally, the gang employed an "Eight Generals" division of labor, evolved from the ancient "Bee, Hemp, Swallow, Sparrow" system of swindling, with a rigorous structure and clearly defined roles for each member.
Chief General: The core mastermind of the gang, hiding behind the scenes, responsible for formulating complete fraud plans, assessing risks, and allocating profits; he is the true decision-maker.
The "Lure General" is like bait in a fishing game, responsible for luring the "fat sheep" (target) into a pre-set trap. The old man who collapsed earlier played this role. He exploited people's sympathy or negligence, creating trouble to lure out the target.
Counter General: Skilled at exploiting human weaknesses, using verbal provocation, reverse psychology, and creating public pressure to disrupt the target's rationality, forcing them to make decisions favorable to the scam while emotionally unstable. Those in the crowd who egg on the scammers, and those who follow the protagonist, are very likely "Counter General."
Escape General: When the scam is exposed or an accident occurs, the escape plan is planned and executed, creating chaos, cutting off clues, and ensuring that core members can escape safely.
Wind General: Intelligence gatherer. Responsible for preliminary reconnaissance, understanding the target's background, activity patterns, and the surrounding environment and surveillance of the scam location, providing information support for the operation.
Fire General: The gang's armed force. When the scam requires violence or coercion, or when resistance is encountered and obstacles need to be removed, the "Fire General" will step in. They may not be highly skilled fighters, but they are certainly ruthless enough to resort to underhanded tactics. The burly leader and his men in front of us are the "Fire General" and their henchmen who specialize in violence within the gang.
"Removal General" is a negotiation expert and crisis management specialist. When a scam encounters trouble but has not yet completely failed, "Removal General" steps in to mediate, using coercion, inducement, bargaining, and other methods to secure as much benefit as possible or achieve a smooth ending.
Rumor General: responsible for spreading false information, confusing the public, or fabricating rumors afterward to slander the target and create a public opinion foundation for the gang to exonerate itself or continue to commit fraud.
Under normal circumstances, a complete "extortion" should involve the "Lure General" drawing out the target, the "Counter General" providing support and applying pressure from the sidelines, the "Wind General" monitoring the environment, and the "Fire General" remaining hidden in the shadows, ready to deal with any emergencies and ensure that the "Lure General" can safely "escape" and seize the benefits.
However, this extortion attempt against Lin Nuannuan was an unplanned, unauthorized act.
The old man (the Lure General) and the stalker (the Counter General) probably thought that Lin Nuannuan, a female student, was easy to manipulate, or perhaps it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and they did not follow the rules to report to the gang or request "Fire General" support.
They thought they could easily take this "fat piece of meat," but they didn't expect that Lü Yi, who didn't play by the rules at all, would suddenly appear. Not only did their plan fall through, but "Lure General" Lü Yi also got a good beating.
Having lost face and been beaten, how could they swallow this insult? So, the two swindlers, one old and one young, secretly approached the leader of the "Fire General," with whom they had a good relationship. They embellished their story with exaggerated accusations and promised him benefits, thus securing the arrival of this group of reinforcements. Their aim was to exact revenge on the meddlesome tall young man (Lü Yi) and, incidentally, see if they could squeeze some money out of the other two to make up for their "losses."
With the old man's clear identification, the burly leader's triangular eyes gleamed even more fiercely. He licked his slightly chapped lips, a cruel grin spreading across his face. Without another word, he tapped the air with his baseball bat, giving the order.
Instantly, the six or seven thugs behind him, like hunting dogs receiving a signal, scattered and formed a loose semi-encirclement, approaching the window seat where the three protagonists were sitting step by step. The heavy footsteps, the scraping of metal rods on the ground, and the undisguised heavy breathing intertwined to create a suffocating sense of oppression, completely enveloping the small dining table.
Some of the other diners in the restaurant lowered their heads in fear, afraid of getting into trouble; some secretly took out their phones but didn't dare to actually take pictures; and others had indifferent expressions as if it were none of their business.