Wang Family Moneyhouse.
The spacious main hall was brightly lit.
Seated below, a dozen fierce-looking thugs gathered around a large table, snatching and fighting over meat and wine.
Wang Gou'er sat in the main seat at the head, his gaze venomous.
Beside him stood a green-robed old man with completely white hair and beard. Squinting his dim, aged eyes, he used a golden needle to stitch up Wang Gou'er's wounds.
The wounds on his chest had already been sutured.
The ones on his face were mostly stitched up as well.
It was just that this green-robed old man was advanced in age and his eyesight was failing, often placing the needle wrong. His face covered in blood, Wang Gou'er cursed, "Old Man Zheng, can you fucking look carefully when you put the needle in?!"
"Do you know you just stabbed me in the nose?!"
Old Man Zheng's name was Zheng Huaiyi, the proprietor of Yunzhou's Huichun Hall.
The very man who had sold the fake medicine to Yang An.
"My apologies, my apologies. I'm getting old, and my eyesight is poor at night. Please bear with me a little, Lord Gou."
The ninety-year-old Zheng Huaiyi chuckled heh heh.
The green gourd hanging from his head bobbed wildly.
Wang Gou'er snapped, "Just be careful!"
Zheng Huaiyi nodded repeatedly. As he continued to insert the needle, blood slowly oozed along the thin thread. Wang Gou'er, who disliked using anesthetics, nearly shattered his teeth from gritting them so hard, trembling constantly from the pain.
When he couldn't bear it anymore, he would take a massive gulp of liquor.
For many years, whenever Wang Gou'er returned injured from fighting outside, it was always Zheng Huaiyi who treated his wounds.
The two had a very good relationship.
While stitching the wounds on his face, Zheng Huaiyi asked curiously, "Lord Gou, you're not a lecherous man like this old one. Why do you care so much about that Yang Ning, even having people beaten up like this?"
Wang Gou'er felt frustrated too.
He was just a dog raised by a nobleman, a black glove. The order he received was to get Yang Ning as quickly as possible; a nobleman higher up had specifically requested her. As for who that nobleman was or what they wanted Yang Ning for, Wang Gou'er didn't know either.
It just so happened that the Yang family suffered a sudden disaster.
Li Yan offended Lin Hao, the son of the Yunzhou Military Governor.
He killed Lin Hao's fierce beast and injured his spine. So, Wang Gou'er took advantage of the situation and set up a trap to force a good woman into prostitution.
He had done this sort of thing plenty of times before.
Li Yan was just a petty law enforcement officer, and the Yang siblings had no abilities whatsoever. Wang Gou'er originally thought it was a sure thing.
He never expected Yang An to charge out halfway through.
Not only did he fail to snatch Yang Ning, but he also nearly lost his own life.
The scars were stitched up and wrapped in clean gauze.
The lingering pain made Wang Gou'er's face dark and gloomy. Not daring to reveal the nobleman's business, he snapped, "Why do you care so much! I just suddenly felt the urge and wanted to play with a woman, what of it?"
"Heh heh heh, nothing at all."
Zheng Huaiyi winked and smiled.
Having spent half the day stitching Wang Gou'er's wounds.
He was also tired. Sitting on a stool, he took a sip of wine. Recalling Yang Ning's face and figure, a dark lust clouded Zheng Huaiyi's dim, old eyes.
"True enough, a married woman certainly possesses a unique charm."
"Once Lord Gou is tired of playing with her, could you let this old man have a taste too, to experience the wonders of that little Madam Yang?"
A person requested by a nobleman, how could we possibly lay a finger on her.
Wang Gou'er didn't answer.
He merely asked Zheng Huaiyi, "Did you find the Earth Dragon Fruit I asked you to find?"
"Found it! Just found it!"
Zheng Huaiyi put down his wine cup, pulled an agarwood box from his sleeve, and opened it. Inside lay an oval-shaped fruit radiating a golden glow!
Seeking credit, Zheng Huaiyi said, "The Earth Dragon Fruit is a Rank 2 spiritual item. This one in my hands is a full two hundred years old; it's probably not far from becoming a Rank 3 spiritual medicine!"
"Wait until this old man finds a few complementary herbs for Lord Gou."
"Using this Earth Dragon Fruit to temper your flesh and strengthen your bones and tendons, it will definitely help Lord Gou refine your Mortal Aspect to the second revolution, allowing your cultivation to break through to the eighth grade!"
"Break through to the eighth grade, huh."
Wang Gou'er's eyes filled with hope. Although he was approaching fifty and his cultivation had begun to regress, his martial heart had not yet cooled. Patting Zheng Huaiyi's shoulder, he said, "If you can help me break through to the eighth grade, I won't treat you poorly."
"Lord Gou is too polite." Zheng Huaiyi thanked him repeatedly.
The thugs sitting in the hall eating meat and drinking wine also stood up at this moment to congratulate Wang Gou'er.
"May Lord Gou's martial fortunes prosper!"
"Wishing Lord Gou an early ascension to the eighth grade!"
Wang Gou'er waved his hand, hushing the crowd. "That's a matter for later. Right now, I have a more important thing to do!"
Thinking of Yang An.
Recalling the humiliation he suffered at the Yang house, the eyes beneath Wang Gou'er's dog felt hat turned venomous. Pointing to the wound on his cheek, he addressed the crowd, "Yang Erlang bullied me too much, humiliating me to this extent."
"How can such deep hatred and enmity go unavenged!"
"If I don't flay his skin, pull his tendons, shatter his bones, and exterminate his entire family, how will I, Wang Gou'er, ever show my face in Yunzhou City again!"
"If I, Wang Gou'er, can't survive here."
"Every single one of you scoundrels and hooligans, don't even think about having a good time either! So tomorrow morning, all of you bring out your most ruthless sides. If you don't tear the Yang house apart, I'll tear you apart!"
"Yes!"
The dozen or so fierce thugs standing in the hall shouted in unison.
Chen San, who had been knocked out by Yang An with a single punch, was also among them.
He rolled his eyes.
Stepping forward with a face full of eagerness, he said, "Lord Gou, we have a tough battle to fight tomorrow. Shouldn't the brothers have some fun tonight?"
"It just so happens we have a batch of new goods in the house."
"Once the brothers are relaxed and satisfied, we'll have more energy to work tomorrow!"
Hearing these words.
The other thugs under Wang Gou'er all looked up, staring eagerly at Wang Gou'er, their eyes brimming with anticipation.
The reason Wang Gou'er had been able to rise from a beggar to his current status.
Controlling several moneyhouses.
And becoming a prominent figure in Yunzhou City's underworld, was that besides being ruthless and daring, he was also extremely skilled at winning people's hearts.
Winning people's hearts sounds difficult.
But in truth, it boils down to four words: clear rewards and punishments. If the people beneath you don't see tangible benefits and real profit, why would they risk their lives for you?
Wang Gou'er pointed at Chen San and the other thugs, cursing with a smile:
"You and the rest of you cheap breeds, thinking of nothing but eating, drinking, and playing around every day!"
"Fine, fine, I'll let you have your way tonight!"
"But let's be clear. After you finish satisfying yourselves with those filthy deeds in your pants tonight, you all better bring out your ruthlessness tomorrow."
"Yang An and that Li Yan..." Wang Gou'er said ferociously, "I don't want a single piece of intact flesh left on them, and I certainly don't expect them to live past tomorrow!"
Chen San and the other thugs howled in excitement.
"Lord Gou, tomorrow we'll flip the Li house's roof straight off!"
"That son of a bitch Yang An dared to hurt Lord Gou. Tomorrow we capture him alive and torture him properly! Torture him to death!"
"Yes, we must capture him alive!! If you ask me, that Yang An is quite pretty, like a gigolo. Why don't we play with him until he's broken, snap his arms and legs, and sell him to a brothel? We might even get a good price for him!"
"Makes sense! Makes sense! Hahahaha!"
With his subordinates' morale soaring, Wang Gou'er sat back in his chair, took a sip of wine, and said to Zheng Huaiyi beside him, "Mr. Zheng, bring that batch of new goods out for a look."
"Yes, Lord Gou."
Zheng Huaiyi clapped his hands, and soon two thugs brought the goods up.
The "new goods" they spoke of.
Were actually six young women kidnapped from God knows where!
All had fair complexions and possessed quite some beauty.
Most were around fifteen or sixteen, while the youngest among them looked to be only eleven or twelve, with a very lively and pretty appearance.
Dressed in green, clutching a jade flute in her hands.
Being forcibly dragged up by the thugs, and seeing this room full of fierce men, the little girl in green instantly shrank into a ball from terror, crying and screaming, "Don't come near me! Don't touch me! Or you'll regret it!"
The little girl in green was exceptionally beautiful.
Far prettier than the other women.
Wang Gou'er stared unblinking. Originally lacking any romantic interest due to his injuries, his interest was piqued at this moment. He asked Zheng Huaiyi, "Where did this little brat get kidnapped from? Why is she holding a flute?"
"I heard from the old hag that this little brat looks nice but isn't very smart. She was tricked on the road with a piece of candy." Zheng Huaiyi pointed at the little girl's head and laughed. "And she guards that jade flute like it's her life, absolutely refusing to let anyone touch it."
Saying this, Zheng Huaiyi signaled a few thugs to snatch the little girl's jade flute.
The thugs had barely walked over.
Before they could even touch the jade flute, the little girl immediately threw herself onto the floor, using her small body to tightly shield the jade flute, hugging it desperately to her chest.
She screamed fiercely like a little beast.
"Don't touch it! Don't touch! Get away!"
Furious, the thugs raised their hands to strike her, but Wang Gou'er stopped them. Looking at the little girl with interest, he asked, "Do you know how to play the flute?"
The girl in green said, "I don't! The flute belongs to my Miss! Except for my Miss, no one is allowed to touch it!"
"Hahaha, no wonder she has such fair and tender skin. It turns out she's a maid from a wealthy family." Looking at the girl in green, Wang Gou'er's eyes grew even more satisfied. Licking his lips, he said, "It doesn't matter if you don't know how to play the flute; I'll teach you later."
"Send this one to my room. The rest belong to you!"
Wang Gou'er pointed at the little girl in green.
Hearing this, two thugs immediately hoisted her up by the arms and dragged her toward the inner room.
"Let me go! I'm telling you, my Miss will come looking for me very soon! If you bully me, she will definitely kill you all! Kill every single one of you!"
"Waaah, Miss, come save me quickly!"
"Keke promises never to run around recklessly again, or eat things given by strangers!"
The little girl named Keke broke down in tears.
Tears flowed freely like a running faucet.
Her feet, clad in bamboo-embroidered shoes, kicked left and right. In no time, the two thugs dragging her received several kicks.
But she had no strength in her body.
Being kicked by her didn't hurt at all.
The thug dragging her teased, "Let alone the fact that your Miss won't find this place, even if she did, having fallen in here, I'm afraid she wouldn't even be able to protect herself, and would end up with the same fate as you!"
Keke cried even harder.
Meanwhile, the other women were now in an even more tragic situation. The pack of thugs pounced on them like starving, vicious dogs. The sound of clothes being torn to shreds and screams of despair filled the air!
Wang Gou'er chuckled a few times.
He stood up and was about to take the little girl named Keke back to his room.
Knock, knock, knock.
An out-of-place knocking sound suddenly echoed.
Her face a mess of tears, Keke cried out in joyful surprise, "It's my Miss! My Miss has come to save me! You're finished! You're all going to be finished!!"
Wang Gou'er frowned.
Late at night, who would come knocking?
Could it really be that this little brat's Miss has come looking? But so what if she has? Wang Gou'er was extremely confident in how solid his backing in Yunzhou was, and he let out a dismissive cold sneer.
He glanced at Chen San, signaling him to open the door.
Chen San, who had been the first to pounce on the women and had already pulled his pants down, didn't dare disobey Wang Gou'er's order.
He could only resentfully pull his pants back up.
Half-naked, he opened the door and snapped impatiently, "Who is it! Knocking on the King of Hell's door in the middle of the night! Do you want to die..."
But before he could finish his sentence.
Seeing clearly who the person was and meeting those indifferent eyes, Chen San was so terrified his blood froze and his body went rigid.
A cold light flashed across his neck.
Before he could even scream.
He was grabbed by the hair by Yang An, and his head was sliced off.
The first one.