"You think you can get rid of me with fifty bucks? Dream on! I won't leave until I get a hundred bucks!"
Wang Caifeng's withered, claw-like fingers gripped Zhao Xiaoxiao's neck tightly.
Howard shouted "Stop!" and, despite the pain, stepped forward to separate the two, but was caught off guard and was slammed hard into his open wound by Wang Caifeng!
Blood instantly soaked through her uniform, but Wang Caifeng's eyes darted around, and she rolled to the ground, yelling, "The officer is beating me! He's trying to kill this old man!"
——
Howard practically gritted his teeth as he arrived at Zhao Xiaoxiao's doorstep.
The wound on my left shoulder was protesting sharply from the pulling and the rapid walking. Every heartbeat pulled at that piece of flesh, bringing waves of excruciating pain.
The bandages under the military uniform were probably already soaked through by the warm liquid that had gushed out again.
But he didn't slow down at all, and even carried an imposing aura. Behind him were two young soldiers who had rushed over after receiving orders, and they looked nervous.
The thin wooden door of the Zhao family's house couldn't contain the noise inside at all.
Before even entering the door, one could hear Wang Caifeng's sharp, sarcastic curses, thick with her rural accent, piercing the air like steel needles: "...jinx! spendthrift woman! Fifty yuan? Are you trying to fob me off? I raised your man with my own hands, and now that I'm finally enjoying a couple of days in the city, you can't even tolerate me? Huh? No way! One hundred yuan! If you're short a penny, I'll hang myself on this doorframe and let the whole military region see how you two drove your own grandmother to her death!"
Then came Zhao Xiaoxiao's broken wails, hoarse and desperate, mixed with the jarring sound of things being overturned: "No! There's really nothing left! Grandma! Are you trying to force us to our deaths? Where do we have any money left at home?!"
Howard's eyes flashed with a sharp look. Without the slightest hesitation, he kicked open the already rickety wooden door with a loud bang!
The scene inside the house resembled a chaotic battlefield.
Wang Caifeng no longer looked like she was terminally ill. Her hair was disheveled, and she resembled an enraged lioness, straddling Zhao Xiaoxiao, who was slumped on the ground.
Those withered, claw-like hands, one gripped Zhao Xiaoxiao's hair tightly, while the other was choking her neck fiercely!
Zhao Xiaoxiao's face turned purplish-red as she struggled futilely, waving her hands. Tears and snot streamed down her face, her eyes were unfocused, and she was almost suffocating.
The ground was a mess, with broken bowls, crushed cornbread, and torn pieces of cloth scattered everywhere.
A strong, unpleasant odor, a mixture of sweat, cheap face cream, and stale food, hit me.
"Stop!" Howard's voice boomed like thunder, carrying the iron-blooded authority forged on the battlefield, instantly drowning out all the noise in the room.
He stepped inside, his tall figure exuding immense pressure, and the light in the room seemed to dim instantly.
Wang Caifeng was startled by the sharp shout and instinctively relaxed her grip slightly. Zhao Xiaoxiao took the opportunity to gasp for air and cough violently.
Despite the excruciating pain in his shoulder, Howard moved with lightning speed.
His right hand shot out like lightning, precisely grabbing Wang Caifeng's wrist that was gripping Zhao Xiaoxiao's neck. The force was strong yet controlled, and he pulled outwards sharply!
"Ouch!" Wang Caifeng cried out in pain, staggered and fell off Zhao Xiaoxiao by a huge force, and finally rolled off her.
"Help her up!" Howard ordered the soldiers behind him without turning his head, his gaze fixed on Wang Caifeng like ice.
Fine beads of cold sweat trickled down his forehead, and the pain in his left shoulder, caused by the exertion, felt like it had been scalded by a red-hot iron.
Two soldiers immediately rushed forward and hurriedly helped Zhao Xiaoxiao, who was slumped on the ground coughing hysterically, to the only relatively intact bench nearby. Zhao Xiaoxiao was trembling all over, and the bruises on her neck from being strangled were shocking. Her eyes were empty, filled only with the bewilderment and fear of surviving a disaster.
Wang Caifeng's wrist ached from Huo Hua's sudden tug, and seeing the officer's menacing demeanor, she felt a bit intimidated.
But how could the shrewishness that had been ingrained all his life be so easily suppressed? Especially when he saw Zhao Xiaoxiao being helped away, leaving him all alone, his bluffing arrogance was instantly ignited.
Her eyes darted around, and she caught sight of Howard's slightly furrowed brows and pale face, a wicked thought suddenly popping into her head.
"Oh my goodness!"
Without warning, Wang Caifeng fell heavily to the ground at Huo Hua's feet with a "thud," like a piece of rotten wood that had been chopped down!
Her movements were incredibly large; she practically lunged at Howard!
Howard's pupils suddenly contracted! He was seriously injured, and his movements were already a little slower than usual. In addition, he had not expected this old woman to be so crazy. In his haste, he only had time to turn to the side to try to dodge.
It's too late!
Wang Caifeng's thin but powerful shoulder slammed solidly and viciously into Huo Hua's injured left shoulder!
"Ugh—!" A muffled groan, barely suppressed, escaped Howard's tightly clenched teeth.
Excruciating pain! It felt as if a bullet had torn through my flesh again, violently churning the bones and muscles inside!
Suddenly everything went black, and a strong, pungent smell of blood rushed to my throat.
His tall body swayed violently out of control, and he stumbled back three steps before barely managing to steady himself by leaning against the rickety, broken table behind him.
Cold sweat instantly soaked through his short hair and the military uniform on his back.
On his left shoulder, the bright red, though not glaring, spread rapidly like a strange flower blooming in the snow, seeping into the green military uniform and becoming increasingly glaring. The strong smell of rust instantly overwhelmed the other smells in the room.
"Commander!" The two soldiers were horrified and rushed over to help him.
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