Zhou Ni wouldn't take the money, but I wasn't annoyed. I squatted down by the fish stall and said, "No rush. Let's sell your fish first."

If selling turtles needed touts, then I'd become a fish tout. After waiting a moment, an older woman approached to look at the fish. I casually scooped one up and tossed it back, saying, "What fine fish! Still swimming! Miss, you raised these yourself, haven't you?"

Zhou Ni didn't understand what I was doing, but with a customer present, she could only play along. "Yes, are you looking to buy?"

I replied, "I have a younger sister studying at home, and I wanted to buy her a fish to boost her brainpower. Such fresh fish, raised by yourselves, must be nutritious. It's just a bit small; I'm worried it won't be enough for the whole family."

The older woman chimed in, "Young man, you're dense! Why not buy two?"

"Right! Then give me two."

Zhou Ni was too embarrassed to expose me in front of the lady, so she threaded two fish with a string and asked the vegetable vendor next door to weigh them. I handed her a hundred-yuan bill, and she flushed, shaking her head. "I can't make change."

I picked up the fish and said, "No trouble. Leave the money here with you; I'll come back later once I get change."

With that, I walked off with the fish. I heard the older woman behind me say, "These fish really are fresh. Miss, give me two as well. I have a grandson who just started school; I need to nourish him."

Just then, several other elderly ladies gathered around the stall. The first woman told them, "Buy two! Take them home to nourish your grandsons. People in the city are all focused on nutrition now; we can't let our children fall behind."

Everyone enthusiastically agreed. Those better off bought two, to share with the adults at home; those less well-off bought one. In no time, Zhou Ni was sweating profusely from the activity.

I carried my two fish and walked around the market once. I bought a few catties of pork, a small bag of rice and flour, and a container of peanut oil. Later, I saw a village girl selling old hens, and on impulse, I paid for two.

I returned to the fish stall carrying a pile of purchases, which startled Zhou Ni. "Why did you buy so many things?"

As I set the things on the ground, I explained, "I was afraid I couldn't carry them, otherwise I would have bought more fish. Sell these off, and here's the money for these two."

Zhou Ni didn't take the money; instead, she handed me back the hundred yuan from before. "I hate tricksters who use cheap schemes—people like you."

I felt incredibly gloomy inside. When had I ever suffered such an insult? Fine, I’d endure it. I placed the two fish I was holding back among the few remaining on the ground, then sat down on the dirt beside the stall and said nothing more.

Including the fish I returned, there were only 5 left unsold. It seemed my touting had worked quite well. I'd just sweet-talk a few more people when they came, sell them off quickly, and rush home to make dumplings. I was practically starving to death.

"Zhou Daneng is selling fish! I heard you're quite capable—even dared to report me to the county seat?"

Three men, all about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, surrounded the stall, and Zhou Ni became visibly agitated upon seeing them.

Another man said, "Tiancheng, look how grown up Zhou Shan's daughter is! Big where she needs to be big, small where she needs to be small. Why don't you play matchmaker for me? I still don't have a wife."

Zhou Ni shrieked, "Zhang Tiancheng! Xu Di! You've gone too far! Murder demands a life! You'll all die horribly!"

Zhang Tiancheng raised his foot and—poof—stomped one of the fish flat. "Damn brat! Reporting me? I'll let you report me! I'll let you report me!" While cursing, Zhang Tiancheng proceeded to stomp on the remaining four fish one after another.

Zhou Ni’s rage boiled over. She fumbled for the scissors hidden in her bosom, drew them out, and gripped them tightly, stabbing toward Zhang Tiancheng. "I'll kill you! I'll avenge my father!"

Zhang Tiancheng jumped back, startled by the weapon, but could a nineteen-year-old girl truly match up against a twenty-seven or twenty-eight-year-old man? He sidestepped Zhou Ni’s lunge and immediately grabbed her wrist.

"Stinking bitch! Daring to attempt murder on the street? Today, I’m going to strip you naked right here and rape you!" Zhang Tiancheng snarled as he reached out to tear at Zhou Ni’s clothes. Suddenly, a flash of golden light erupted before his eyes, and a loud slap sent him staggering back several steps.

I steadied the terrified Zhou Ni. "Which one drowned your father?"

Zhou Ni was extremely surprised; this had nothing to do with me, but still, she pointed angrily at Zhang Tiancheng. "It was him! Even if it wasn't him, he was the mastermind."

I said, "You step aside. Girls shouldn't carry scissors around; it's a bad habit. Nail clippers are enough to kill beasts like that."

Zhang Tiancheng clutched half his face and spat, "Damn bitch, bringing a pretty boy to deal with us! Brothers, charge! Let’s give him a taste of what we’re made of! If we don't beat him to death today, we’re useless!"

Strength in numbers—the three of them didn't intend to fight in turns. They clenched their fists and rushed toward me together. It was best they came all at once; it saved me the trouble of dealing with them one by one. Although my body hadn't fully recovered, deploying a B-class superhuman against these three was overkill. With my current strength, I could take on thirty of them.

"Foshan Shadowless Kick!" I deliberately showed off in front of Zhou Ni; perhaps she’d fall for me. With a leap, I kicked out more than a dozen times at the three thugs. I remembered a guy in the National Security Bureau who used the Flying Cloud Eighteen Kicks; I wondered how the power of my Shadowless Kick compared to his.

Though the three were vicious, their reaction speed was far too slow. They couldn't dodge even one of my dozen kicks. They tumbled straight to the ground, rolling several times. Xu Di had lost all his teeth from the impact. I wasn't even wearing shoes; if I had put on leather boots, I could have kicked their heads in.

Zhang Tiancheng struggled to get up and grabbed another man. "Li Erwa, Li Erwa, why did he kick you senseless? Get up and fight!"

I used the same technique I used fighting Li Qi, closing my eyes and kicking and slapping wildly. Zhang Tiancheng rolled from one end of the market to the other, and I kicked him back again and again. Finally, tiring of the beating, I asked Zhou Ni, "Is that enough for today? If not, we can keep going."

Zhou Ni was still gripping the scissors tightly, her eyes slightly unfocused. "I must kill him! Kill him to avenge my father!"

"Good!" I agreed. "Stab him to death with those scissors. Aim for the heart, preferably, so he doesn't feel any pain. That way, he won't have time to repent his sins."

Zhou Ni sensed I was being sarcastic. She turned to me. "What if I don't kill him? If the police won't arrest him, should we just let him run free? A life for a life. I know you’re afraid of getting implicated, but if I kill him, it has nothing to do with you! You step away."

"That's the biggest joke I've ever heard—I'm afraid of getting implicated? If the police won't catch him, I will! He can dream if he thinks he'll go free! Stab his thigh, stab his arm with those scissors, just don't let him die. In a couple of days, once his wounds are mostly healed, we can stab him again. We’ll wait until he’s suffered enough pain before we kill him; it’s not too late then."

Zhou Ni was stunned by my suggestion, but before she could process it, Zhang Tiancheng struggled on the ground, trying to flee. She really rushed forward with the scissors, kicking and stabbing him until Zhang Tiancheng couldn't even manage a full scream. One life was nearly gone; his body was a bloody mess. Li Erwa and Xu Di, cunning as they were, realized the opponent was too formidable and simply lay on the ground pretending to be dead, thus avoiding further beating.