In an alley, eight grown men were huddled together, trembling.
Across from them, An Ning was squatting on the ground, tossing a stone up and down in her palm.
"Ready to talk now?"
"T-Talk about what?"
The leader, surrounded by the others, spoke with trembling lips. He was desperate to confess, but he didn't know what he was supposed to confess to.
An Ning caught the stone and closed her hand into a fist. Trickles of fine stone dust sifted out from the gaps between her fingers.
"Tell me, why did so many of you come to deal with just me?"
"We... we were afraid you'd be tough to handle. You can't underestimate women, old folks, or kids when they're alone."
"Ohhh—"
'So that was the reason.' An Ning felt like she had learned something new.
She opened her hand and dusted the stone fragments from her palm.
"Second question. How did you know I had money? I deposited it in a private room. Not many people knew about it."
