Li Fan’s shout was like a heavy hammer smashing into everyone’s chest.
After a brief silence, the entire mahjong parlor exploded like a wok splashed with boiling oil.
“Damn! It’s the cops!”
“Run!”
“Out the back door!”
The twelve “talents” scattered like frightened rats. Tables were overturned, mahjong tiles clattered across the floor, and the place descended into chaos.
Blocking the doorway, Li Fan watched the unruly crowd with icy eyes.
Run?
A thug with dyed yellow hair, closest to the door, growled and tried to force his way past Li Fan.
Li Fan didn’t even glance at him. The instant the man charged within reach, he casually lifted his leg.
Thud!
The yellow-haired thug felt as if he had crashed into an invisible wall. He flew backward faster than he had come, knocking over two accomplices. Clutching his stomach, he curled up like a shrimp, unable even to groan.
Two others rushed in from both sides, attempting to ram Li Fan together.
Li Fan’s figure flickered like a ghost between them. His hands chopped down precisely at the backs of their necks.
“Uh…”
Their eyes rolled back as they collapsed limply to the ground.
In the blink of an eye, the threat at the entrance was completely eliminated.
But inside the room, several men had already reached the back window and rear door, on the verge of escape.
Li Fan’s gaze sharpened. He remained calm. Bending down, he casually scooped up a few playing cards left scattered on the mahjong table.
“Want to leave? Did you ask me?”
A cold smile curved his lips as his wrist flicked.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three playing cards shot out, slicing through the dim room in three barely visible streaks, cutting through the air with piercing sounds.
A thin man attempting to climb out the window suddenly felt a sharp numbness behind his knee. He lost balance instantly, screamed, and tumbled from the windowsill, clutching his leg and rolling on the ground.
Another man who had just pulled open the back door felt a stinging pain in his rear shoulder, as if stung by a wasp. He stumbled and fell face-first.
The last one, the fastest runner, was Old Four, the leader responsible for selling stolen goods. One foot had already stepped past the threshold of the back door. His face even showed ecstatic relief at surviving.
The next second, his smile froze.
Whoosh— This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
A sharp tearing sound cut through the air.
It was the Ace of Spades.
Old Four felt an agonizing pain rip through his right arm. He looked down, eyes bulging.
That thin playing card had embedded itself deep into the flesh of his forearm like a flying blade, more than half the card buried in muscle. Bright red blood flowed steadily along the edge.
“Ahhhh—!!!”
A pig-slaughtering scream echoed through the mahjong parlor.
The unbelievable scene was like a bucket of ice water poured over everyone’s heads, instantly extinguishing any remaining thought of escape.
The room fell silent again.
Every man froze, staring in horror at the unscathed young police officer, then at Old Four rolling on the floor with a card stuck in his arm. A chill shot from the soles of their feet to their skulls.
Was this really a cop?
Was this even human?
Using playing cards as weapons? And embedding them into flesh?
The supernatural display completely crushed their will. One by one, they obediently squatted down with their hands on their heads, not daring to move.
[Ding! Successfully dismantled theft and stolen goods trafficking den. Captured 12 criminals. Reward: 600 points!]
The system notification arrived slightly late.
Li Fan glanced at the points and frowned slightly.
Twelve people, only 600 points? An average of 50 each?
He clicked his tongue, somewhat displeased.
These petty thieves weren’t worth much.
He lifted his eyes and shot Ju Xinlei and Zou Xuesong a fierce glare.
The two shuddered under his murderous gaze, necks shrinking into their collars, heads lowering even further.
Twelve people. Not enough handcuffs. That was a problem.
Li Fan scanned the messy mahjong parlor. Soon, his gaze landed on a thick hemp rope used for bundling scrap in the corner.
He walked over, picked it up, weighed it in his hand, and smiled kindly.
For some reason, seeing that smile made the twelve men even more uneasy.
With a grin, Li Fan grabbed one end of the rope and, like lifting a chicken, hauled up the nearest thug. In a few swift motions, he tied a solid binding knot.
His movements were quick and practiced. In less than five minutes, all twelve “talents” were tightly strung together with a single rope, one after another, unable to escape.
From a distance, they looked exactly like a freshly skewered string of candied hawthorn, just without the syrup.
“Move it. All of you behave.”
Gripping the other end of the rope, Li Fan gave it a firm tug, herding the human “skewer” out of the mahjong parlor.
Morning sunlight poured down. The alley bustled with people, filled with everyday life.
This strange procession, led by a young police officer and followed by twelve dejected thugs, immediately drew everyone’s attention.
“What’s going on?”
“Is this a movie shoot?”
“Doesn’t look like it. Look at them, bruised and swollen. One of them’s still bleeding from the arm!”
Neighbors and passersby stopped to watch, pointing at the spectacle.
“Young man, what’s happening?” an aunt returning from grocery shopping asked bravely.
Li Fan paused, glanced at the drooping “hawthorn skewer” behind him, then took out his police ID and held it up clearly.
“Police operation. Caught a few thieves. Please make way.”
Police?
The crowd fell silent for a second, then erupted into thunderous applause and cheers.
“Good! Well done!”
“Officer, amazing! One person catching so many!”
“I always knew these guys were suspicious, sneaking around the alley every day!”
“Officer, thank you for your hard work!”
A bun shop owner even rushed out from his store and stuffed two steaming meat buns into Li Fan’s hands.
“Comrade, you haven’t had breakfast, have you? Take these. My treat!”
Looking at the simple, warm smiles around him and hearing the sincere thanks and praise, an indescribable warmth surged through Li Fan’s body.
He grinned, showing his white teeth, stuffed the buns into his pocket, and waved to the crowd.
“Thank you, everyone!”
Then he tightened his grip on the rope and marched proudly toward Huli Police Station, pulling behind him the moving string of “merit points” as the crowd saw him off.