Chapter 107: Firmness

“You're brave, all right. But I've seen plenty of young people with your kind of courage. Most of them are found dead in a smelly gutter the next morning.” Kun Jiu said, glancing at Ahu.

A muscular man stepped out, swinging his arms and showing off the blocky knots in his biceps, his face full of arrogance and menace.
Kun Jiu stubbed out his cigarette and lit a fresh one, holding it between his fingers. “You stepped onto New East Society turf and hit someone you shouldn't have. You’re not going anywhere.”

“So, this is the protein-powder hulk of a meat pig that’s going to stop me?” Lu Feng laughed coldly.

“Ahu,” Kun Jiu said with a laugh, “someone said you’re a meat pig; I’ve never even raised one in my life.”

“Boss, just keep an eye on him,” Ahu sneered at Lu Feng. “This kind of trash—I can crush it to death with one hand.”

“Make it quick, all right. My wife is waiting for me to go home and eat roast goose.” Kun Jiu said, clearly impatient.

“Hey!” the muscular man shot Lu Feng a provocation. “You little punk, if you want a fight, then do it fast. My boss has goose to eat and no time to play with you.” He moved to grab Lu Feng, his hand coming out like he was catching a chicken.

Lu Feng slipped aside and said, “Little punk? I want to see how strong you really are.” Then he spun and landed a punch on the man’s shoulder.

The brute didn’t dodge at all. Lu Feng’s fist connected, then the man instantly clamped onto it, seized both of Lu Feng’s arms, and with a sudden burst of force lifted him and slammed him down.
The onlookers sucked in their breath, already picturing Lu Feng reduced to meat pulp.

Xia Yubing drew both knives, ready to jump in.

As the muscular man’s body arced through the air, Lu Feng was about to hit the ground. He braced himself, legs landing first in a crouch to absorb the impact, then snapped his arms around and grabbed the man’s arm from behind. Before anyone could react, he did to the brute exactly what had been done to him: grabbed his arm and hurled him down.

He struck the floor with a heavy crack.

Kun Jiu flinched and started to move toward the crowd as if to disappear.

Lu Feng closed the distance in one step, clamped a hand around Kun Jiu’s throat, lifted him, and slammed him against the wall. “All this talk and you’re gone when it comes to leave?”

The New East Society lads saw their boss pinned and screamed, eyes gone wild, hacking at Lu Feng’s back with their knives.

Xia Yubing changed her grip and charged, her two thin blades dancing at her hands into twin circles of steel. In one spin she carved bloody cuts across several of the thugs.

The ones she clipped recoiled with yelps, and the rest were swept down by a single kick from her foot.

Xia Yubing raised her knives to her shoulders, stepped in front of Lu Feng, and stared down the New East Society fools, whose eyes dared not meet hers.

Kun Jiu forced himself to stay calm. “This is your feud with Wang Huawen. It’s wrong to settle accounts with me.”

“Something that happened on your turf, and you expect me to believe you have nothing to do with it?” Lu Feng sneered.

By Su Muyu’s character she wouldn’t have come to a place like this under normal circumstances. She had been drugged; this was happening on New East Society turf. It didn’t take much thinking to know they were involved.

“You can believe it or not,” Kun Jiu said, “but I have to tell you this: New East Society isn’t someone you provoke. Let go while things are still manageable, or else...” He cut off, then smiled, cold and sharp.

Lu Feng laughed. “I don’t know if there’s anything in this world I can’t provoke. But you—” he said, punching Kun Jiu in the upper belly.

Kun Jiu gagged and retched, his face turning pale as sharp pain seared through him, sweat beading and running down his forehead.
“Remember this one,” he said through clenched teeth. “I won’t forget it.”

Lu Feng struck him again, this time in the face. “Remember clearly! If you ever want revenge, come looking for me. A man should keep some boundary. Doesn’t everyone have a wife and children?”

Kun Jiu’s expression hardened. “You!”

“What, that makes you this angry when I mention your wife and children? If I dragged your wife and children, drugged, into a bar, would that make you this calm?” Lu Feng said, furious at such a man without limits.

“Kid, too much rigidity breaks easy,” Kun Jiu snarled.

Xia Yubing took in the room, stepped close to Lu Feng’s back, and whispered, “New East Society is one of the three major factions. If we stay any longer, we won’t get out.”

Lu Feng gave a curt nod. With one elbow strike he broke Kun Jiu’s arm, tossed him down beside Wang Huawen, then went over and picked up the dazed Su Muyu and moved toward the door.

The entrance was packed with New East Society men, but Xia Yubing held them back with her knives, and together they stepped out of Nightwave Bar, one hard pace at a time.

They got into the car, and Xia Yubing sheathed her knives.

“Thanks,” Lu Feng said as he drove.

“What?”

She hadn’t heard him at first. A moment later she replied, “No need. Think of it as returning a favor.”

“Do you still take contracts?”

“What?”

She blinked, then answered, “This is how I make my living.”

“Then what’s the price on those two useless heirs?” Lu Feng asked.

“If it’s a full contract, both of them, I want fifty thousand. Are you asking me to kill them?” Xia Yubing asked.

“I haven’t decided.” Lu Feng drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, frowning in thought.

He had never killed anyone, had never hired a killer. He was a traditional medicine doctor who believed in saving lives, and now he was being forced to weigh taking one.

Su Muyu in the front passenger seat was still half-conscious, weakly struggling, tugging at her seatbelt and crying that someone should let her go.

“Fine. Contact me once you decide.” Xia Yubing said.

“Do you want to be taken home?” Lu Feng asked.

She looked at Su Muyu and shook her head. “No. Drop me off at the next intersection. You should take her back first.”

At the next junction he pulled over, let Xia Yubing out, and then drove on to the Su residence.

The Su household was quiet. When Lu Feng entered carrying Su Muyu, who had started to sob, Aunt Wu called from the kitchen, “Miss Su has returned?”

“Oh, Muyu is back. I’ll take her upstairs.” Lu Feng said, and carried her up the stairs.

At the next step he asked, “Where are Mr. Su and that crazy girl?”

“Mr. Su’s assistant called. Mr. Su has engagements tonight and won’t be home for dinner. the second daughter will be at the police station late, working overtime.” Aunt Wu answered from inside.

Lu Feng asked no more and carried Su Muyu into her room.