Chapter Twenty-six: Playing Tricks

"Fine, you come out first and I'll explain everything to you." After a moment's silence, he walked outside and beckoned with his hand.

"Brothers, let's go see what tricks this kid wants to play."

"Seal up the gate to the outer yard, don't give him a chance to run."

At this, Erhu turned to the crowd of his men inside and called out. Instantly, the group followed him outside.

Liu Xiulan, seeing this display, immediately realized things were going badly. She hurried after them.

"Lu Hao! Lu Hao, run! Hao, don't fight them! You can't win, my child!"

She was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, but several thugs blocked her, not even letting her out the door.

"Alright, speak up. Are you planning to leave an arm behind, or do you still want to act tough?" Erhu drew a cheap purple lighter from his belt and lit it.

He exhaled a puff of smoke, his face filled with contempt and disdain.

"Let me tell you, it's fair to collect a debt, but you never should have come to my house and threatened my mother."

"This, I really can't stand, you know?"

As Lu Hao finished speaking, his hand moved ever so slightly.

"Ah!" With a scream from Erhu, Lu Hao's silver needle struck unerringly at a most humiliating spot.

"You!" Erhu had barely registered the discomfort near his rear when he tried to break Lu Hao's hand.

But in that instant, his crotch was stained a bright yellow.

"Pfft! Sss! Pfft!" A series of explosive sounds came from Erhu's trousers.

At once, a foul stench filled the air, making all the followers who usually looked up to Erhu clamp their noses in disgust.

"Brother Hu, what did you eat yesterday? Was it garlic? The smell is..." one of the younger thugs behind him couldn't help but say.

"Ah!" Erhu ignored him, face flushed, clutching his backside, his expression turning almost purple with shame.

This time, he hadn't just brought his old cronies to collect debts, but also some newcomers and a few tough young girls who'd just joined his gang.

Erhu had meant to use Lu Hao as an example, to show these youngsters his power.

He never expected to soil himself first.

"Why can't I stop! I barely ate anything this morning!" Erhu clutched his pants, his face ashen.

"Hurry, give me some paper, any of you got tissues?" he pleaded with his men.

Then he rushed toward the Lu family's bathroom.

"What's wrong, you need the toilet? I just locked it," Lu Hao sneered. He'd prepared for this when they came into the yard.

"You! Damn you!" Erhu cursed, trying to make for the gate, planning to make for the fields or any nearby toilet.

But halfway there, Lu Hao stuck out his foot and tripped him to the ground.

Another embarrassing explosion came from Erhu's trousers, and this time everyone clearly saw the large, dark, foul stain spreading across the seat.

"You bastard, was this your doing? I'll never forgive you, I'll kill you!" Erhu, heedless now, scrambled up and lunged at Lu Hao with a kick.

But Lu Hao had anticipated him. As Erhu got to his feet, Lu Hao hooked his other supporting ankle.

With a thud, Erhu crashed down again.

Lu Hao sneered, "You think I called you out here for nothing? If you hadn't come out, what if you'd done this inside my house? The yard's all dirt and flowers, so you can fertilize them."

"You... How did you do it?" Erhu cried in shock, having no idea how Lu Hao pulled it off.

"Hmph, why should I tell you? You're not even worthy to speak to me," Lu Hao replied coldly.

Erhu was infamous for colluding with the village chief's son, Zhou Run, and with Sun Wenguo, seizing land and houses from honest villagers.

No punishment for him was too harsh.

Just then, one of the lackeys hurried forward with some paper. "Brother Hu, maybe we should just leave it for today?"

"Leave it? If I fall, can't you take care of him?" Erhu snapped.

He waved a hand. "Get him! If anything happens, I'll take responsibility!"

At his command, his followers surged forward, ready to attack Lu Hao.

But Lu Hao grabbed the nearest one—a dyed-blond youth who'd tried to pull a knife.

With a crack, Lu Hao dislocated the youth's shoulder, and with a scream, the blond thug fell to his knees before him.

"Ah!"

Lu Hao seized his four fingers in one hand.

"Dare to pull a knife on me? Do you want to keep these four fingers?" Lu Hao's face was icy.

"No more! Please, big brother, let me go! It hurts so much, I can't take it!" the blond begged on his knees.

Lu Hao shoved him away, sending him sprawling. "Running around with thugs like Erhu, what future can you have? Go home and reflect for a night—come to me at this time tomorrow and I'll set your arm."

"And another thing," Lu Hao swept his gaze across the crowd.

"If any of you dare try, you'll end up like him—or worse!" He strode forward, hands clasped behind his back.

Immediately, an intimidating aura radiated from him.

The gathered thugs, seeing Lu Hao's confidence and watching their comrade get taken down, dared not make a move.

Besides, their leader Erhu was now kneeling on the ground, clutching his belly and nearly in tears. With their head incapacitated, what fight did they have left?

"Get out—all of you. I don't want to see you again," Lu Hao clapped his hands.

The gangsters, terrified, dropped their knives, nunchaku, and other weapons, and bolted from the yard.

Lu Hao glanced at the foul-smelling Erhu on the ground, then pulled the blond youth over. "Clean up all this mess he made. If I still smell it in two hours, I'll take your other arm."

"Yes, I understand," the blond nodded earnestly.

"Well, get to it," Lu Hao said, then turned to go comfort his mother.

Just then, a voice called urgently from outside.

"Lu Hao! It's bad! Quick, come to the village clinic—someone's dying! The staff can't move the person, so I thought maybe you could help..."