Soon, Xie Xie's shoulders stopped trembling.
He slowly sat up, wiped away the tear stains with a tissue, took a deep breath, and forced his voice to steady: "Thank you… all of you."
His gaze swept over his friends—finally landing on Gu Yue.
He managed a weak smile. "Gu Yue… you really meant it just now… right?"
Gu Yue gave him a calm look. "When have I ever lied?"
She turned to Fang Yang. "You pay."
Tang Wulin blinked, then awkwardly interjected, "But… wasn't this meal supposed to be on me?"
Fang Yang chuckled, patting his shoulder. "It's fine, Wulin. Let me handle this one."
After finishing their meal, Fang Yang walked to the counter and settled the bill.
As the four stepped out, Uncle Li watched their retreating backs, face soft with relief.
"Little Xie… finally has friends. That's wonderful."
He murmured to himself, voice thick with emotion.
Once outside, they decided to continue their food adventure down the snack street.
The lane buzzed with life—aromas weaving through the air like a fragrant tapestry:
- Salt-grilled prawns sizzled on skewers over charcoal, sea-salt enhancing their oceanic sweetness.
- Fire-roasted Softbone Rabbit—crispy outside, tender within.
- Fried Blue Silver Grass—golden, crunchy, surprisingly delicious…
Tang Wulin fully embraced his foodie nature, devouring everything from one end of the street to the other.
His cheeks bulged like a chipmunk's, yet his eyes still scanned for the next stall—making the others laugh.
"Ugh… I'm so full," Tang Wulin groaned, rubbing his stomach.
Xie Xie shot him a look. "Wulin, you can't even finish it—why keep forcing yourself?"
Tang Wulin scratched his head sheepishly. "I can't help it… everything's just too good!"
Fang Yang, still holding Gu Yue's hand, teased, "Gu Yue—you made me treat everyone. Don't I get some compensation?"
Gu Yue's eyes sparkled with playful mischief. "What kind of compensation do you want?"
Fang Yang pretended to ponder—then grinned. "Let me hold you for a bit."
"W-well… alright…" Gu Yue's cheeks flushed faintly—her mind drifting to something unspoken.
Xie Xie and Tang Wulin immediately turned away, suddenly "fascinated" by a nearby dumpling stall.
They weren't about to get blinded by this couple's sweetness.
(Though Tang Wulin's lips curled into a warm smile—thinking of his senior sister.)
"Let's head back to Donghai Academy," Fang Yang suggested, glancing at the darkening sky.
But just as they turned to leave—
Gu Yue suddenly stopped.
"Wait—something's wrong at the entrance."
The others followed her gaze.
At the far end of the snack street, the crowd was in chaos—shouts and arguing echoed faintly.
Xie Xie's pupils contracted violently.
That's… right in front of Uncle Li's shop!
His heart lurched. Without a word, he sprinted forward.
"Xie Xie, wait!" Fang Yang grabbed Gu Yue's hand and chased after him, Tang Wulin close behind.
"You can't do this! This is how I feed my family!"
Even before they reached the scene, they heard Uncle Li's desperate cries.
Xie Xie charged through the crowd—his heart shattering at the sight.
The entrance to the Clay-Pot Beef shop was wrecked.
Rich beef broth spilled across the ground, steam rising from the ruins.
The handcrafted clay pots—Uncle Li's life's work—lay in shards, scattered in the soup.
Uncle Li lay crumpled at the doorway—blood trickling from his mouth, one eye swollen shut, face etched with agony and despair.
Three hulking thugs stood over him, sneering.
The leader—a bald man—stood shirtless despite the cold, his arms coiled with a dragon tattoo that glared under the sunlight.
His two lackeys loomed beside him, glaring contemptuously at the helpless onlookers.
"Listen up, old man Li," the bald thug sneered, kicking a pot shard aside.
"A wise man knows when to yield. Everyone on this street pays protection fees—except you! Are you mocking me, Guang Long?!"
He grabbed Uncle Li by the collar, voice dripping with menace:
"If it weren't for your famous beef, I'd have crippled you already. Pay up today, or this shithole stays closed forever!"
The crowd stayed silent—no one dared to speak.
Uncle Li trembled, voice choked with tears:
"Brother Guang Long… it's not that I won't pay… My wife is gravely ill. Every coin I earn goes to her medicine…"
He wiped his eyes. "If you destroy my shop… how will she survive? And then… this old man's life…"
Guang Long burst into cruel laughter.
"Oh? Threatening me with your life?"
He shoved Uncle Li away. "You think I care about your worthless existence? I'll just replace you with someone who pays!"
Before the words faded—
he kicked over the stove.
The iron pot rolled, charcoal sparks flying—chaos erupted.
"Guang Long! I'll kill you!" Uncle Li roared, bloodshot eyes blazing as he lunged forward.
Guang Long snarled, delivering a brutal kick that sent Uncle Li flying.
"Kill me? You don't even deserve to die by my hand!"
He straightened proudly, sneering at the crowd.
"Open your eyes, old man! I'm a Soul Master!"
He scanned the terrified faces. "This is what happens to those who defy me!"
A cold voice cut through the air from behind him.
"Apologize to Uncle Li. Pay for the damages. Or you die."
Xie Xie stood there—Light Dragon Dagger in hand, eyes burning with ice-cold fury.
This shop held every memory of his mother.
Destroying it was like erasing his past.
Guang Long turned—and laughed.
"You? This street's really gone downhill—a brat playing hero?!"
He sensed Xie Xie's soul power—and dismissed it.
On this street, no one had lasted three moves against him.
What was a snot-nosed kid?
Xie Xie's voice dropped to a deadly whisper:
"Watch closely. This strike… will be beautiful."
WHOOSH!
Two yellow soul rings blazed beneath his feet.
Fueled by rage, his speed and precision surged to their absolute limit…
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