Ling Dong gave him a glance and simply stood there, lifting his foot and kicking toward the first person who had hit him.
The next moment was so surreal that Ji Shuqin felt like he was dreaming.
In front of Ling Dong, five or six men were like children, getting knocked down instantly.
At the entrance, those five or six men lay scattered about, groaning in pain.
Ji Shuqin looked up at Ling Dong with admiration, not feeling the chill from him anymore, just awestruck by his incredible prowess.
Although Pei Yicheng had been impressive when he intervened yesterday, it was now daylight, and Ji Shuqin could see everything much more clearly.
Ling Dong walked into the yard, and more thugs rushed out from both sides.
"Be careful," Shuqin warned, picking up a stick from the ground. Trembling with fear but feeling that he couldn’t be too cowardly as Ling Dong, a total stranger, was fighting for him, he said, "I, I’ll help you."
Ling Dong glanced at him, taking in his frightened appearance, but there was a hint of admiration in his eyes. Despite being clearly terrified, he still wanted to help.
"Brother Dong, Dong," Brother Niu emerged, trying to restore some face for his men by devastating the troublemaker underfoot. However, upon seeing Ling Dong’s face which was as stern as the King of Hell’s, he froze, uncertainly looking at Ling Dong.
"Do you recognize me?" Ling Dong raised an eyebrow. The scuffle moments ago hadn’t taken any effort on his part.
"Ling Dong, Brother Dong?"
Brother Niu stared at Ling Dong in disbelief, and the moment he had confirmation from Ling Dong, he immediately knelt down.
The thugs, ready for a fight, were stunned.
The stick in Ji Shuqin’s hand was almost thrown away. Brother Niu, who had acted so high and mighty before, was now kneeling down to Ling Dong?
"Brother Dong, I was blind and didn’t recognize your stature; it was all a misunderstanding," Brother Niu bowed and scraped, adopting an apologetic manner, "Brother Dong, I honestly didn’t know he was under your protection. Otherwise, I definitely wouldn’t have dared... dared to ask him for money."
"In one week, two hundred turned into a thousand. What a lucrative deal you have," Ling Dong’s voice was cold, betraying no emotion.
"A misunderstanding, how could it possibly go from two hundred to a thousand? That would be robbery," Brother Niu casually pointed at one of his men, "It must have been nonsense he spouted."
The innocent underling who’d been blamed felt like crying but had no tears to shed, and immediately knelt down. If Brother Niu couldn’t afford to offend him, what could he, a mere henchman, do? He concluded it was best not to resist—after all, his life was on the line.
"Ji Shuqin, oh no, Brother Ji, this was all a big misunderstanding," Brother Niu said, his round face squeezed into a smile, which looked quite awkward. "To make up for your... for your two hundred yuan, let’s consider it as if it never happened. Lao Er, quickly bring Brother Ji’s IOU," Brother Niu said.
Old Two, the one who’d been called out, stared blankly at Brother Niu, suspecting that he might be possessed.
"Old Two, what are you staring at? Why aren’t you getting it?" Brother Niu’s face darkened as he barked.
In their circle, Brother Niu was always one to be obeyed without question. Startled by the scolding, Old Two immediately went to get Ji Shuqin’s IOU.
There on the spot, Brother Niu was ready to tear up the IOU, smiling as he said, "Let’s forget about it, please rest assured, Brother Dong. From now on, such a misunderstanding will definitely not happen again."
"Wait a moment," Ling Dong stopped him with a gesture.
Brother Niu immediately offered up the IOU in his hand respectfully.
"Is this the one?" Ling Dong laid the IOU in front of Ji Shuqin and asked.