Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Tiger-Eyed Giant

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"Aguda, stop what you're doing and come help me!" Out of the blue, Zhang Mingzhi's words exploded like a thunderbolt. Even his trusted aide, Zhang Wu, was caught off guard, and Ding Li and Zhang Yurou stared intently at him. Only after a long moment did they realize Zhang Mingzhi was not joking.

Aguda was the most stunned of all. He had thought Zhang Mingzhi had simply dropped by for a meal and some idle conversation. But before much was said, such a weighty topic had been brought forth. When the meaning sank in, Aguda bowed his head deeply, silent and troubled.

"Of course, if you're unwilling, I won't force you," Zhang Mingzhi said, gazing at Aguda's reaction. After a brief pause, he smiled and added, "Honestly, this isn't why I came tonight. Don't take it too much to heart. It's just that what happened earlier struck a chord with me. Maybe it's the wine talking, but I can't help but feel you have little future, just languishing here."

"Enough of that! Let's drink!" Zhang Mingzhi truly had no wish to press Aguda further. He smiled nonchalantly and reached for the wine jar, but before he could take it, Aguda, his face contorted with conflict, suddenly looked up. After a brief hesitation, he spoke with some difficulty, "Second Brother, please don't say that! We've known each other for years, and though we haven't seen a lot of each other, I know what kind of man you are. You wouldn't ask this unless you truly needed me. But... you know my situation. I still have an elderly uncle and aunt up north. I can't just leave those two old people behind..."

"Hey! Aguda, what are you thinking?" Before Zhang Mingzhi could reply, Zhang Wu waved his hand dismissively, cutting in, "You haven't just met Second Brother yesterday! Is he the kind of man to force you into something like that?"

"No, that's not what I meant, Brother Wu!" Aguda quickly shook his head. "They raised me, and now I've got this job. All they want is to see me grow up, marry, have children, and then care for them in their old age. I just... I don't want to let them down."

"Why are you so stubborn?" Zhang Wu was both exasperated and helpless with Aguda's straight-laced nature. He shook his head, took a deep breath, and tried to reason with him: "Marry, have children, care for the elderly—that all takes money, doesn't it? How much can you make here? If you help Second Brother, would he treat you badly? Is he that kind of man?"

"Well, I..." Aguda finally understood, nodding in sudden realization. But almost immediately, he frowned and, turning to Zhang Mingzhi, asked in a low voice, "Second Brother, I don't mind helping out, but I'm just a meat-roaster. What help could I possibly be to you?"

"As long as you come over, there will be something for you to do," Zhang Mingzhi replied with a faint smile, not revealing his plans but offering reassurance. Then, with a gentle laugh, he said, "Aguda, Zhang Wu is right. I don't claim to be the most righteous man alive, but I'm no heartless traitor, either. I've never betrayed a brother, and I never will. If you agree to help me, then your uncle and aunt up north become my responsibility, too. Tomorrow, I'll send someone up there to buy them land—a few hundred acres at least—so they can live in peace, even before you do."

"Really?" Aguda heard every word of Zhang Mingzhi's last promise. His eyes lit up with excitement, and he asked eagerly.

"Land up there is so cheap. Second Brother could easily buy several hundred acres," Zhang Wu scoffed, glancing at Aguda with a touch of disdain. "Do you realize who Second Brother is? What standing he has? A few hundred acres out on the frontier isn't even worth an average house in Fuxu Town!"

Aguda knew Zhang Wu was not boasting. Back home, land was vast and sparsely populated, and even good farmland wasn't worth much compared to the wealthier regions of the Central Plains or the south. Lost in dreams of hundreds of acres of fertile land, Aguda gave no thought to Zhang Mingzhi's offer, nor did he notice the subtle shift in the atmosphere around him.

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"Second Brother, Brother Wu!" Across from Aguda, Ding Li's face had darkened completely. He stared out at the restless street with a cold glint in his eyes. "Looks like those men from earlier are back. Tonight's meal won't go as smoothly as planned."

"It's fine, they won't spoil the evening too much," Zhang Mingzhi said, his gaze sweeping across the nearby crowd of menacing figures. A faint sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth. Then, seeing Aguda still excited and oblivious to the situation, he sighed and gently reminded him, "Aguda, looks like your stall won't last the night."

"Ali, there are a lot of them. Watch out for my sister," Zhang Mingzhi said to Ding Li, ignoring Aguda for the moment. He stood up and walked to the side, tossing Zhang Wu a comment: "Zhang Wu, it's been a while since we fought side by side. There are plenty of them tonight—let's not hold back!"

"Damn! My leg's still injured!" Zhang Wu stood up with a broad grin, spat on the ground, and followed Zhang Mingzhi to Aguda's meat rack, selecting a suitable weapon from the heavy table.

As a butcher and roaster by trade, Aguda had plenty of good blades, but for Zhang Mingzhi, who had been trained since childhood, none of the weapons at hand truly suited him. He glanced over them and finally picked up a long wooden staff leaning against the rack.

Zhang Wu and Ding Li were more casual. Without hesitation, Zhang Wu grabbed a particularly sharp butcher's knife and a small boning blade, joking that it would serve as a dagger.

Ding Li was the most nonchalant of the three. Without even looking, he picked up a butcher's knife and didn't bother to check its edge. Remembering Zhang Mingzhi's instructions, he walked over to Zhang Yurou, gave her a brief, expressionless glance, and said in a low voice, "When the fighting starts, keep your wits about you. This isn't like the pleasure boat earlier. If you get hurt, I won't be able to answer to Second Brother."

"Second Brother! All you ever talk about is Second Brother!" Zhang Yurou pouted, clearly annoyed at Ding Li's businesslike manner. But she soon smiled, ignoring the looming threat, and tilted her pretty face up to tease him: "Brother Li, you'll protect me, won't you?"

Ding Li frowned in frustration, glanced at her, and muttered two stiff words, "I'll try."

"Hmph!" Zhang Yurou was even more vexed, but as the threatening mob drew closer, she didn't dare act spoiled. Puffing out her cheeks in indignation, she nevertheless shrank behind Ding Li, as if she were the sole target.

"Aguda! You little bastard, how dare you bring men to beat up my brothers? Think just because you've paid Ludachi protection money, I won't dare smash your stall?" Before anyone could get near, the leader—a burly man with tiger-like eyes—brandished a machete at Aguda and barked menacingly, "If you don't give me an explanation tonight, these dozens of brothers behind me won't let it go!"

"Second Brother, this..." Seeing the situation, Aguda's courage faded at once. He turned to Zhang Mingzhi with a pleading look for help.

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"Aguda, if you want to help Second Brother, tonight is your chance to learn," Zhang Wu hefted his butcher's knife and strode toward the group of dozens, not even sparing Aguda a glance. He called out in a steady voice, "Remember what Li just said—a man shouldn't be so hesitant. If you keep worrying about everything, you'll never accomplish anything!"

With that, Zhang Wu quickened his pace, his injured leg showing no sign of hindrance. On the opposing side, the tiger-eyed man was flanked by the very people Ding Li had beaten earlier. Recognizing Zhang Wu, they hurried to explain to their leader, "Boss, this guy didn't fight earlier, but he's one of their helpers!"

"Kid, this has nothing to do with you. Get lost while you can!" The tiger-eyed man nodded, then swung his machete toward Zhang Wu, snarling, "My blade doesn't care who you are! If you get killed, that's your fault!"

Zhang Wu didn't slow down—instead, he picked up speed, suddenly grinning to reveal a row of white teeth. He let out a series of chilling, sinister laughs, the sound grating and demonic, making even the tiger-eyed man frown in unease.

"Enough talk! Let's see your blade!" The tiger-eyed man hesitated for a split second, but Zhang Wu's speed surged. In a flash, he lunged forward, the sharp butcher's knife slashing straight for the man's chest—swift and decisive.

The tiger-eyed man's heart leapt in alarm. That strike was clearly aimed to kill. He realized at once that this was no ordinary opponent. In a panic, he dodged and swung his machete at Zhang Wu.

Calm and collected, Zhang Wu withdrew his knife and bent low, twisting his waist as his left hand, gripping the boning blade in a reverse grip, slashed upward at the man's wrist. The ferocity of the attack startled the tiger-eyed man; before he could recover, he hastily drew back his right arm. Even so, Zhang Wu's boning blade knocked his machete askew as he retreated.

Straightening up, Zhang Wu shifted his footing slightly—perhaps wary due to his injured leg, he didn't risk a kick attack, but instead swung the butcher's knife at another opponent: the man who had just reported to the tiger-eyed boss.

Everything happened too fast. The man had no time to react; he felt a chill on his arm, looked down instinctively, and pain flooded his senses. He saw half his hand, fingers still twitching, falling away from his arm. Terror flooded his eyes as he screamed, clutching at the wound with his remaining hand, but not knowing where to start. Blood loss and agony made his legs buckle, and he collapsed, thrashing for a moment before falling still, unconscious.