205: Chapter 205 The one lying on the ground is the one who hit you!

Humiliated by Zhao Xiaoshuai's display of wealth, his face visibly flushed red, and the veins on his forehead began to bulge.

These types of young punks, having met a few so-called "big shots" in the underworld, acted like they feared nothing and were obsessed with saving face.

Although he was too weak to even stand, his brothers were all sprawled on the ground wailing in agony.

But even if they had lost the fight, they couldn't lose their spirit. It didn't stop him from spitting out a few harsh threats: "So what if you've got some dirty money? I've got my eyes on you now. Don't let me see you around this area again!"

Zhao Xiaoshuai watched his forced display of ferocity with great interest. "Oh? And if I do show up again, what will you do about it?"

"I'll beat you every time I see you! My big brother is Brother Hua. Go ask around this neighborhood—who doesn't know him? Keep acting tough, and I'll make you disappear from the face of the earth!"

When it came to bragging, these punks never disappointed.

However, Zhao Xiaoshuai had indeed never heard of this "Brother Hua," nor did he know what kind of ranking this character held. He walked over to the shop owner, who had hurried out to check on the situation, and decided to ask.

"Boss, I'll compensate you for the damages here. Do you know this so-called Brother Hua?"

"It's good that you aren't hurt, sir. These punks have been causing trouble more than once or twice; it's infuriating!"

"The man he mentioned is named Cai Hua, a notorious hoodlum in this area. I've heard he has some 'big brother' above him. Cai Hua often comes to the shops around here to collect 'protection fees.' If you don't pay, those guys come by to stir up trouble."

"What kind of big brother? Like a mafia boss?"

"No way. There's no such thing as the mafia anymore. It's just a big hoodlum leading a few small-time punks. They talk a big game, but they're too cowardly to actually do anything."

"They just act like rascals to bully us honest folks. Even if the police come, it's just treated as a civil dispute, so they can't really arrest them."

Speaking of "big brothers," Zhao Xiaoshuai remembered that he knew a few himself. He took out his phone and called the leader, a man surnamed Zhang. "Brother Zhang, I've been mobbed by a group of guys…"

The bystanders watching the commotion heard this and glanced at the "spirited" young punks sprawled on the ground, then looked at the energetic Zhao Xiaoshuai who was complaining, and were left speechless for a moment.

It was indeed a mob attack, but he certainly wasn't the one getting beaten.

After hanging up, Zhao Xiaoshuai walked back to the yellow-haired punk with the earring and squatted down, patting his face. "Do you have any other big brothers? This one of yours doesn't seem very capable. Why don't you call a few more and try again?"

"Who are you trying to impress? You just made a random phone call and think you can scare me? Do you think I was born yesterday?"

But the moment he finished speaking, his phone rang. He stiffened instantly. He struggled to pull his phone out of his pocket, and the caller ID showed it was Brother Hua.

The yellow-haired punk's confidence dropped by half. He thought to himself: *This guy looks like a polished gentleman, could he actually know people in the underworld?*

As soon as he answered, his big brother launched into a furious tirade.

"What? Brother, you want me to apologize? We live by our reputation out here; I can't bring myself to do that!"

On the other end of the line was a rough, booming voice that could be heard clearly even through the phone. "Fine, if you want your 'reputation,' that's fine. But they said if you don't apologize, they're going to break one of your arms and legs. You better think this through."

After some time, Zhao Xiaoshuai had gained a certain understanding of these so-called "big brothers" who operated in the gray areas.

Those who relied on acting like rascals to extort shop owners were the lowest tier of hoodlums. They often gathered a bunch of unemployed youths under their wing, using underhanded tactics to make some pocket change.

The figures behind Sister Hong were established "big brothers" with their own legitimate businesses. Their status in the underworld was far higher than these hoodlums, and they could muster significantly more manpower.

When necessary, as long as they didn't kill anyone, they could recruit brothers who were desperate for money to take the fall. Breaking limbs wasn't just an idle threat; they were truly capable of doing it.

Upon hearing this, the yellow-haired punk realized the weight of the situation. His previous backbone vanished instantly, and he spoke to Zhao Xiaoshuai in a subservient tone:

"Big Brother, I was wrong. I'd had too much to drink and got carried away. Please, a man of your stature shouldn't hold a grudge against someone like me. Just treat me like a fart and let me go…"

Just then, several police officers received a report from the public and arrived on the scene quickly.

A scene of chaos greeted their eyes: four or five young men were sprawled across the floor in disarray, wailing in pain, while a "victim" by the wall was begging the "perpetrator" for mercy in a low, submissive voice.

"Don't move! Hands on your heads, squat down right where you are!"

Seeing the officers closing in on Zhao Xiaoshuai, several concerned bystanders and the shop owner hurried forward to explain.

"Officer, there's been a mistake! It's all a misunderstanding. Here's what happened…"

The officer in charge was a middle-aged man. He frowned and scanned the scene inside the shop again, asking with some skepticism:

"Are you telling me that the ones lying on the ground are the hoodlums who frequently cause trouble, and that Mr. Zhao, who looks completely unscathed, is the victim? And that they were the ones mobbing Mr. Zhao?"

"Yes, exactly!"

*How is that "exactly"?!* The attackers were all lying on the ground wailing, while the supposed victim didn't even have a wrinkle in his clothes!

At this moment, the team leader suddenly felt that Zhao Xiaoshuai looked familiar.

Isn't this the model citizen who was just awarded a commendation banner a few days ago!

He went over and shook his hand familiarly. "Oh, it's Mr. Zhao Xiaoshuai! Are you out doing a good deed again?"

"These punks were drunk and tried to harass my girlfriend, so I taught them a lesson. I've already paid for the damages. Officer, my girlfriend has had a bit too much to drink, and I need to take her home. Do you think…?"

"Ah, the situation is clear enough. There are plenty of witnesses here, and the shop has surveillance footage; we'll collect the evidence in a bit. But we still have to follow procedure. Just come over with us to file a statement; it won't take much of your time. As for these hoodlums, we'll take them back for questioning."

"That would be great, thank you."

The statement took about ten minutes to complete.

Little Angel had been feeling the effects of the alcohol earlier. Although she was a bit frightened, her boyfriend had suddenly unleashed his prowess and knocked all those annoying people down, which put her mind at ease. Afterward, she grew increasingly sleepy, and now she couldn't help but nod off.

Zhao Xiaoshuai scooped her up into his arms. She managed to open her eyes, saw it was her boyfriend, and then snuggled into his chest, falling fast asleep.

"I'll be taking my girlfriend home now. If you need anything else, feel free to contact me at any time."

Watching the man and woman leave, the team leader muttered to himself, "Doesn't look like the same beauty who came to the station last time. These big entrepreneurs really have colorful love lives."

As the maybach drove away, the team leader turned back, his expression now stern. "Get these guys detained! Call a vehicle and take them all back for interrogation!"