Yang Yi and Lin Fatty, after getting off the train, didn't head straight for the so-called Li family residence. Instead, following their initial plan, they decided to visit the bank first, then find a place to change clothes, get a good night's sleep, and only then check out the Li family place tomorrow, especially since it was already nearing dusk.

City A was a legendary place, a place steeped in myth. Countless miracles had been forged here by countless individuals, yet simultaneously, it served as a graveyard for just as many. Anyone who had truly made their way in this world understood precisely what kind of place this was, and how unfathomably deep the waters ran.

After a round of haggling, whining, and dramatic pleading, Yang Yi and Lin Fatty managed to secure a room for the night for a mere hundred yuan. This wasn't due to Yang Yi being stingy or reluctant to spend; it was simply because there was no need to do otherwise.

To mimic the spendthrifts who booked hotels costing thousands a night—those people were practically burning money as if it were paper. Yang Yi and his companion didn't have that kind of cash right now, and after their long journey, what they needed most was rest.

"Fatty, sleep well tonight. Tomorrow, we'll pay a visit to the Li family, and then we can properly plan our next steps!" Yang Yi told Lin Fatty before promptly falling asleep.

Lin Fatty didn't reply. He just glanced at Yang Yi, a flicker of worry crossing his eyes for some unknown reason, thinking to himself, Is this path Brother Yi has chosen truly the right one? Fatty couldn't place why he felt this way, but moments later, he too climbed into his own rough cot and began snoring loudly.

The next morning—

"Chatter-chatter!"

"Crackle-pop!"

A continuous cacophony of noise drifted up from downstairs and the attic into the ears of the still-sleeping Yang Yi. He frowned, pulling the thin blanket over his head, clearly finding the noise unbearable.

The noise from the attic persisted; there was no help for it. Since it was morning, the people living upstairs needed to head out to work. With a sigh of resignation, Yang Yi shook off the hazy remnants of a rather pleasant dream.

Rubbing his eyes, he walked to the window and gazed out at the scene outside. His expression was blank, as if half his consciousness was still elsewhere.

"Brother Yi, up so early?" Lin Fatty managed to gasp out, mouth wide open.

"Fatty, get ready. We're going out for breakfast, and then we need to head to that Li family place," Yang Yi said quietly.

"Oh, yeah!" Lin Fatty mumbled, yawning repeatedly as he shuffled toward the small wash area to clean up.

A short while later, Yang Yi and Lin Fatty bid farewell to the attic room they had only occupied for one night and made their way toward a nearby street stall selling breakfast.

Yang Yi stopped in front of a stall and addressed the owner: "Boss, two bowls of porridge, please."

"Certainly. There are stools inside; please, have a seat," the owner, a stout woman, replied politely, gesturing toward the few tables and stools set up within the stall area.

"Hey—old woman, ready with the protection money?" A harsh, arrogant voice suddenly cut through the air.

Hearing the voice, both Yang Yi and Lin Fatty involuntarily turned to look. A punk with dyed yellow hair was leading two men, their bearing utterly arrogant. Based on their look, it was clear they weren't there for pleasantries.

The stall owner flinched upon hearing the voice, her face growing unnaturally pale. "Young man..."

"What? Old woman, don't tell me you’re short again? You said that last time; do you think we'd fall for it now?" the leader with the yellow hair sneered dismissively.

"Young man, I truly have no money. Moreover, I have a family to support. Please, just let me be," the owner pleaded, her face etched with panic.

Just then, a small girl's voice piped up: "Mama, Mama!"

"Xiao Yan, Xiao Yan, hurry up and go to school, don't come over here, go!" The owner’s heart sank into confusion as she saw her daughter approaching. Her already frayed nerves tightened painfully.

"Mama, I haven't eaten breakfast yet." The girl looked to be no older than seven or eight, a charmingly small figure pouting her delicate lips with an expression of pure, innocent youthfulness.

The yellow-haired punk let out a sudden, nasty chuckle upon seeing the owner’s daughter. The owner seemed to sense his shift in focus and quickly pulled Xiao Yan behind her, as if trying to shield her daughter from harm.

"Old woman, I’ll give you two choices right now. One: you pay up, and we leave immediately, never bothering you again. Two: if you refuse to pay, that's fine too—we'll take your daughter as collateral!"

"No! That’s impossible!" the owner roared, her face ashen, her fear intensifying.

"So, you're willing to pay?" the yellow-haired punk asked with a sinister grin.

"I’ll pay, I’ll pay! Just don't take my daughter away." The owner looked tearfully at her child. "Xiao Yan, I'm sorry, Mama is useless. You probably won't be going to school today."

"Stop putting on that pitiful act with that funeral face! If you’re paying, hurry up, or else—!" Before the yellow-haired punk could finish, he smiled when he saw the owner reach toward the greasy money drawer.

"This is all I have. Take it," the owner said, handing over a few ten-yuan bills to the punk.

"What? Just this little bit? Do you think we're beggars?" The yellow-haired punk angrily swatted the money to the ground.

"It's the truth, this is everything I have. Young man, I run a small business; how much can I possibly earn?" After speaking, the owner weakly hugged her daughter close.

"I don't care. You two, grab her daughter! If we sell her, she’ll surely fetch a decent price," the yellow-haired punk snarled, a shadow of malice crossing his eyes.

"Haha, yeah!" The two men standing behind him burst into laughter.

"Ah... Mama!" Xiao Yan cried out, looking at the two villains before her with sheer terror.

"Damn it, Fatty!" Yang Yi could no longer hold back, his face blazing with anger that he couldn't immediately vent. "As for those two guys, beat them however you want, but leave that yellow-haired dog for me!"

"You got it... Gaa-gaa!" Lin Fatty replied with a sly grin, standing up. He walked toward the thugs, deliberately flexing his hand, the sound of his bones grinding against each other echoing: Krak-krak!

The yellow-haired punk and his men heard and saw this, but the sudden turn of events momentarily froze them in stunned silence.

P.......[Brothers, don't forget to add this to your collections and recommend it—let’s get fired up!]