"Yes! Give it back!"
"Or we'll smash up your stall!"
The crowd grew even more agitated, surging forward to surround Xu Kuo, seemingly ready to attack at any moment. Niu Erbao and the others quickly shielded Xu Kuo, nervously watching the group of irrational vendors.
Faced with the surging crowd, Xu Kuo showed no panic whatsoever; instead, he found it somewhat amusing. He glanced around at the indignant faces.
"I lied to you?" His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to everyone's ears. "Back then, whose wife was sick and urgently needed money? Whose child was waiting for rice to cook? Who begged me, just to sell the vegetables, even if it meant losing money?"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the loudest shouters. "The contract is in black and white. You sold to me voluntarily, and the transaction was completed. Now you want to back out just because vegetable prices have gone up? There's no such logic in the world!"
His words left everyone speechless, their faces turning pale and then red. They understood the reasoning, of course, but how could they accept watching the hard-earned silver slip away before their eyes and become Xu Kuo's?
"Bullshit!" Scarface retorted, "Who knew vegetable prices would rise so quickly! You've fooled us! You did it on purpose!"
"Yes! You did it on purpose! You knew all along!"
"Enough with the nonsense! Today you either return the vegetables or pay me back!"
The crowd started making a ruckus again and began acting like scoundrels.
Xu Kuo shook his head, gaining a new understanding of the shamelessness of this group. Too lazy to waste any more words with them, he simply ordered them to leave.
"I don't have time to waste with you. If you know what's good for you, get out of here now! Don't interfere with my business!"
"roll?"
Just then, a sinister voice rang out from behind the crowd. Several burly, menacing-looking men escorted a thin, shifty-eyed man out. The man wore a malicious smirk as he sized Xu Kuo up and down.
He was the backbone of this group of vendors, nicknamed "Monkey Three".
Monkey Three clapped his hands and grinned at Xu Kuo: "Kid, you've got some nerve! I knew you wouldn't give in so easily."
He pointed to the several burly men with unfriendly expressions beside him, his tone full of threat: "See these? My specially invited friends. Today, you either return this dish, or... hehe, don't blame us for being impolite!"
They were prepared all along! These vendors were determined to rob us!
Xu Kuo glanced at Hou San and his thugs, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. Just clowns. He didn't even bother to look at them again, turning to go back behind his stall. Wasting words with such people would only lower his own standards.
"Huh? He's leaving?"
"He chickened out! Haha! He thought he was so great!"
"You must be terrified to see the people Third Brother brought!"
Seeing Xu Kuo turn around, the vendors assumed he was scared and became smug, bursting into mocking laughter.
Monkey Three's face darkened; he felt ignored by Xu Kuo and was losing face. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he waved his hand at the burly men.
"What are you all standing there for? Grab him!"
Several burly men grinned maliciously and pounced on Xu Kuo's back like wolves and tigers, their large, fan-like hands reaching for his shoulders!
It happened in the blink of an eye!
Just as those hands were about to touch Xu Kuo, Xu Kuo slid to the side like a ghost, his feet light and seemingly casual, yet he avoided all the captures with incredible precision!
The burly men missed their target and nearly collided with each other, looking rather disheveled.
"Huh?" Monkey Three and the other vendors were all stunned for a moment, not expecting Xu Kuo to react so quickly.
"This kid dares to hide?"
"Grab him! Break his legs!"
"Let's see how he leaves this market today!" the vendors shouted angrily.
Monkey Three's face was gloomy. He stared at Xu Kuo, who had stood up again and still had a faint mockery on his face, and spoke viciously.
"Kid, this is your last chance!" He pointed to the ground. "Right now, kneel down and kowtow to apologize! Return all the vegetables you swindled from us! And you'll have to cover the appearance fees for my friends too!"
He licked his lips, a cruel glint in his eyes.
"Otherwise, not only will I make sure you don't leave this market, but I'll also smash your lousy stall to pieces!"
Hearing Monkey Three's threatening words and feeling the malicious gazes around him, Xu Kuo's anger began to rise.
"Oh? You're not being polite?" He glanced contemptuously at Monkey Three and the burly men beside him. "I'd like to see just how you're being impolite! If you've got the guts, bring it on!"
This kid, he's about to die and he still dares to talk back?!
"You reckless fools! Attack them! Beat them to death! If they cripple you, it's on me!"
The burly men, who had been eager for a fight, received their orders and their eyes gleamed with even greater ferocity as they lunged at Xu Kuo once more! This time, they held back, their fists whistling through the air as they aimed straight for Xu Kuo's vitals!
The onlookers seemed to already picture Xu Kuo being beaten bloody and begging for mercy on his knees, and many wore expressions of schadenfreude. Niu Erbao and the others were even more on edge, their palms sweating with tension.
However, what happened next shocked everyone!
Instead of retreating, Xu Kuo advanced, his body swaying like a willow in the wind. He moved seemingly lightly, yet always managed to dodge the powerful punches and kicks with the slightest margin. Then, several muffled thuds followed, accompanied by the cracking sound of bones dislocating!
In the blink of an eye, the burly men who had been so aggressive just moments before were sent flying backward like broken sacks, screaming as they crashed to the ground, writhing and howling in pain, clutching their arms or legs, clearly incapacitated!
It all happened in the blink of an eye!
You could hear a pin drop in the entire market!
Everyone stared in disbelief at the still calm and collected figure in the center of the field, and at the several burly men on the ground groaning in pain, their minds blank.
How...how is this possible?! This kid is actually this good at fighting?!
The sinister smile on Monkey Three's face froze, replaced by unbelievable horror, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
The thugs he hired were notorious tough guys in the county, usually one of them could take on two in a fight. How come they were like paper in front of this young man?!
Xu Kuo dusted off non-existent dust from his clothes, his cold gaze slowly turning to the terrified Monkey Three. He walked over step by step, unhurriedly.
"Thump...thump...thump..."
Every step felt like stepping on Monkey Three's heart.
Xu Kuo walked up to Hou San, looked down at him, and a faint, cold smile played on his lips.
"Now, do you still want the dishes?"
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