After leaving the Zhang residence, Shen Qingyue went straight to Zhao Mazi’s house.
When Zhao Mazi saw her appear at his doorway, his heart lurched and he cursed inwardly. He hurried to shut the door.
“It was in the back street that I got beaten up by you—why are you blocking my door now?!”
Shen Qingyue jammed her hand into the narrowing crack, her voice cold and lethal, like the King of Hell himself.“You came looking for trouble with me. I came to settle it. That’s perfectly reasonable, isn’t it?”
Zhao Mazi threw all his strength into pushing the door, but still couldn’t hold it back. Panic-stricken, he shouted, “I was just paid to do a job! If you want someone, go find the real boss!”
Before he finished speaking, the door was shoved open with a bang.
The force sent Zhao Mazi stumbling backward to the ground.
Before he could get up, Shen Qingyue strode forward, bent down, grabbed his collar, and hauled him up, her gaze pressing down coldly.
“I won’t make things hard for you. Just pretend you caught me and escort me to see your employer.”
Zhao Mazi let out a breath of relief and nodded quickly.“That’s nothing at all—just say the word, no need to get angry.”
“Let go first. I’ll take you to the boss right away.”
Shen Qingyue snorted softly and released him.
Zhao Mazi scrambled to his feet, brushing off his clothes while grinding his teeth inwardly.
He’d been humiliated in public today.
If he didn’t get some payback, where would the dignity of a street thug like him go?
His eyes rolled, and he plastered on a fawning smile.“If we just go like this, it’ll be obvious something’s wrong. How about… I tie you up? That way the boss will believe it.”
“Don’t worry—just for show. I’ll keep it nice and loose.”
Shen Qingyue studied him for two seconds, half-smiling.“Fine.”
A vicious glint flashed in Zhao Mazi’s eyes. He went inside and pulled out a thick hemp rope, tying Shen Qingyue’s hands and feet.
Though he’d said it was only for show, he tied tight, knotting it as hard as he could.
After finishing, he tugged on the rope to make sure it was absolutely secure.
Zhao Mazi dropped the act, a ferocious grin spreading across his face.
“You little bastard! Fell into my hands now, didn’t you? You dared hit me in the street—I’ll make you pay!”
“Once I beat you half to death and vent my anger, I’ll hand you over to Wang Yonggui. Then I’ll earn another payout.”
He sized Shen Qingyue up and spat in disdain.
“Looking closer, you’re actually pretty good-looking. If I were into that sort of thing, I’d play you to death.”
“I hate pretty boys the most. Right now, I’m gonna let you taste my fists!”
With that, he swung his fist, the wind whistling as it smashed toward Shen Qingyue’s face.
But before it could land, Shen Qingyue caught his wrist in one hand and twisted—crack—snapping the bone.
Zhao Mazi screamed, his whole face contorting in agony.
With Shen Qingyue’s strength, bending steel wouldn’t have been a problem—let alone tearing free from a hemp rope.
She rolled up her sleeves and said coolly, “I wasn’t planning on making a move. You brought this on yourself. Like hitting faces, do you?”
“Very well—then I like it too.”
“Boss Shen! I know I was wrong!” Zhao Mazi begged. “Don’t—don’t hit my face!”
Shen Qingyue didn’t hold back. She aimed straight for his face and punched him several times.
The force was measured—enough to beat him into a swollen mess without killing him.
Zhao Mazi curled up, crying through his nose and tears.“I really know I was wrong… stop hitting me… I’ll call my underlings, have them take you to the gambling den. Debts have their owners—you go find them…”
Shen Qingyue gave a magnanimous hum.“Fine. Go.”
Zhao Mazi staggered off to fetch his lackeys.
When they saw his miserable state, they were so scared they looked like quails. Whatever Shen Qingyue said, they did—without the slightest resistance.
She held out her hands, signaling them to tie her up.
Unlike Zhao Mazi, they didn’t dare play tricks—just looped the rope around twice before obediently escorting her to the gambling house.
The gambling den had a back door for staff.
As soon as Shen Qingyue was handed over to the people inside, the lackeys bolted and vanished.
The head enforcer barked orders to his men.“Take her to the woodshed. The bosses will be here shortly.”
Not long after Shen Qingyue was locked inside, the two bosses arrived in a hurry.
Wang Shunfa squinted at Shen Qingyue, who was crouched among the firewood with her hands bound, and felt a surge of pleasure.
“Damn it! This brat injured so many of our men before—really thought he had three heads and six arms.”
“And look at him now—caught by Zhao Mazi’s bunch anyway!”
Wang Yonggui examined Shen Qingyue coldly, a trace of calculation flashing in his eyes.
“This kid’s got some skill. If we can make him submit and keep him as muscle for our gambling den, he’d be a huge asset.”
“Forget it.” Wang Shunfa curled his lips, eyes icy. “He doesn’t look obedient. Just kill him—clean and easy.”
Thinking of the losses he’d suffered at Shen Qingyue’s hands, Wang Shunfa ground his teeth.
“Killing him outright is too merciful. Chop him up and feed him to the dogs—that’ll wash away the shame of our gambling den!”
Wang Yonggui pondered for a moment, then nodded.
“Someone hard to control really shouldn’t be kept. Do it your way.”
Wang Shunfa pulled out a dagger and advanced step by step.
“Kid, in your next life, learn to watch who you offend.”
The blade gleamed coldly as it was about to stab down—
Shen Qingyue moved.
She grabbed a wooden stick beside her and snapped her wrist. The stick whistled through the air, striking Wang Shunfa’s knife hand precisely and knocking the dagger away.
Then she swung at the back of his knee.
Wang Shunfa cried out and dropped to the floor with a thud.
“Damn it! We’ve been fooled—this kid was pretending!”
Seeing things go south, Wang Yonggui turned to flee, only to be yanked back by Shen Qingyue.
“Trying to run? Not that easy.”
The stick howled through the air as she laid into both of them.
Thoughtful enough not to alert the guards outside, she stuffed rags into their mouths.
Dull thuds echoed through the room, mixed with the crackling of firewood tumbling to the floor.
Outside, the guards began to feel something was off.
The one on the left hesitated and whispered, “That doesn’t sound right in there. Should we go check?”
The one on the right shook his head.“The bosses said unless it’s urgent, we’re not to go in. If it’s noisy, that means they’re enjoying themselves. If you barge in, you want to die?”
That sounded reasonable, so the left guard kept standing watch and ignored the commotion.
Inside, Wang Yonggui was about to explode with rage.
Those two idiots outside—why weren’t they coming in?!
There were over a dozen enforcers in the gambling den. Even if they couldn’t win, they could at least stall long enough for him to escape!
Shen Qingyue swung the stick again and again.
The two bosses were beaten black and blue, cursing through the pain.
Wang Yonggui ached all over and knew that if this kept up, he’d really meet the King of Hell. Desperate, he forced out muffled sounds, signaling that he had something to say.
Shen Qingyue swept her gaze over the wrecked woodshed, then at the two half-dead bosses. Slowly, she pulled the cloth from Wang Yonggui’s mouth and tossed it aside.
“Keep it short,” she said calmly.“Make me satisfied, and I’ll let the two of you go.”