A person sacrifices himself to become a saint in a chaotic world of martial arts.

The next day, the sky was overcast and had a chilly feel to it, typical of early autumn.

Su Bai gathered Cheng Hu, Zhao An, and Zheng Shijie, and together they went to Yangtianjing to patrol the streets.

This area is a maze of streets and alleys, bustling with activity, and a melting pot of all sorts of people, making it the territory where the Fierce Tiger Gang is often active.

Su Bai remembered clearly that the last time he came here, he was with two old constables, Sun Hou and Lao Wang, to rescue a gambler who had been beaten half to death from the Fierce Tiger Gang.

The four began their patrol at dawn, passing through the steam rising from the breakfast stalls, bypassing the peddlers carrying their wares, and scanning the shops and pedestrians along the street.

Cheng Hu followed behind Su Bai, keeping his eyes straight ahead but saying very little; Zhao An was somewhat uneasy, occasionally stealing glances at Su Bai and Cheng Hu; Zheng Shijie shrank back, trying to minimize his presence.

The morning passed peacefully without incident.

At noon, I found a tea stall to rest for a while, drank a bowl of coarse tea, and ate a few bites of dry food.

In the afternoon, sunlight barely pierced through the clouds, bringing a little warmth, and the four continued their patrol.

Just as we turned into a relatively quiet alley in Yangtianjing, a piercing scream suddenly came from the depths, breaking the lazy tranquility of the afternoon.

Su Bai abruptly stopped, his expression instantly turning stern, his right hand instinctively pressing on the hilt of the sword at his waist, his fingers clenching tightly.

"Go!" he shouted, and his figure shot off towards the source of the sound like an arrow.

Cheng Hu and the other two exchanged glances and had no choice but to follow.

The alley was quite deep, and the further in you went, the more mottled and damp the walls on both sides became, with more and more clutter piled up.

The screams came intermittently, mixed with crude curses and wailing.

When Su Bai rushed closer, he saw a dozen or so onlookers gathered in a slightly wider corner of the open space. They were all craning their necks, but dared not get too close. Their expressions varied, some were numb, some were reluctant, and some were indifferent as if it were none of their business.

Through the gaps in the crowd, several burly men could be seen punching and kicking a figure curled up on the ground. The figure was clutching its head, groaning in pain. The whispers of the onlookers drifted to Su Bai's ears on the wind:

A gaunt old man clicked his tongue, shook his head, and sighed, "Tsk tsk, Old Li is in deep trouble this time. He even dared to lend money to the Tiger Gang at exorbitant interest rates. Isn't he just jumping into a fire pit?"

A woman carrying a shopping basket nearby looked reluctant and whispered to her companion:

"Sigh, I heard that Old Li has been tricked and set up by the Fierce Tiger Gang. He's all alone, and his ancestral house is only worth a little money. Now he's probably going to be kicked out and end up on the streets."

"What a mess! These gangs are utterly lawless..." a middle-aged man couldn't help but say angrily.

The person next to him immediately tugged at his sleeve nervously, his voice hushed: "Shh! Keep your voice down! Are you out of your mind? If they hear us, they'll beat you up too!"

The man's face turned pale, and he quickly shut his mouth, but his eyes still held a suppressed anger.

Su Bai parted the crowd, his gaze turning icy as he looked into the arena.

In the center of the crowd, several thugs from the Fierce Tiger Gang were punching and kicking the figure curled up on the ground, their movements brutal and their mouths full of foul language.

A man stood with his hands behind his back, chin slightly raised, his expression full of smugness and arrogance—it was Luo Haoxuan, the young leader of the Fierce Tiger Gang, along with his group of familiar-looking ruffian henchmen.

Su Bai's gaze swept over the area, and his brows immediately furrowed.

Luo Haoxuan took two steps forward, looking down at Old Li, who was bruised and trembling on the ground, and said in a drawn-out tone:

"Old Li, don't say our Fierce Tiger Gang won't give you a way out. It's all in black and white. You borrowed ten taels of silver, and the rule is 'nine out, thirteen back.' With interest compounded, it's exactly thirty taels now." He stretched out his finger and tapped it a few times in the air, as if calculating a perfectly clear account.

Old Li struggled to lift his head, his face covered in blood and dust, his eyes bruised, his lips cracked, and he pleaded hoarsely, "Master Luo... Master Luo, please have mercy, the house... the house really can't be taken away, it's the only place my ancestors left me to live..."

"Hmph!" Luo Haoxuan sneered, his eyes suddenly turning cold. "Not the house? What are you going to use to settle this? Are you trying to renege on your debt? Do you think my Fierce Tiger Gang is a charity?"

"But...but, Master Luo," Old Li's voice trembled with anxiety as he gestured with trembling fingers towards his name.

"I took six taels of silver, that's all... It's only been a few days... How about I return fifteen taels to you, please...?" Before he could finish speaking, a burly ruffian next to him kicked him hard in the lower back. Old Li immediately curled up like a shrimp, letting out a painful groan.

The other hooligans followed suit, their boots raining down on Old Li, eliciting cries of pain.

Luo Haoxuan straightened up, leisurely dusting off non-existent dust from his sleeves, his tone light yet ruthless:

"Hmph, I don't care. Who told you to willingly sign the agreement and borrow my money? Since you borrowed it, you have to follow the rules of my Fierce Tiger Gang!"

"Master Luo... I beg you... please give me some more time... I will definitely find a way... I will sell everything I own to pay it back..." Old Li struggled to raise his arm between punches and kicks, his voice hoarse and broken from pain and despair.

"Beat him! Beat him to death! Let's see if he's tough on the guts or tough on the bones!" Luo Haoxuan's face flashed with ferocity as he suddenly waved his hand, his tone chilling.

The thugs, receiving their order, grinned maliciously and kicked even harder.

Old Li's cries grew weaker and weaker, until he could only utter incoherent groans of pain.

"Stop! No more hitting! If you lay a hand on me, you'll all be locked up and taken back to the yamen!"

A clear shout suddenly rang out, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"Huh?" Upon hearing the sound, Luo Haoxuan turned his head sharply, his gaze fixed on the source of the sound.

Upon recognizing the person, he was first taken aback, then his face darkened visibly, his eyes surging with anger and apprehension—how could he possibly forget Su Bai's swift and ruthless stab that nearly drew blood last time?

"Oh, who do we have here?" Luo Haoxuan smirked, forcing a smile that wasn't genuine, his tone clearly provocative.

"So it's Constable Su who has graced us with his presence. What's wrong? This person owes money and hasn't paid it back. It's our right to collect debts. Let's teach him a lesson so he'll remember it. What's the matter?"

Even if this matter goes to court, I have a valid case. Constable Su… you'd better stay out of this mess.”

"Hmph, Luo Haoxuan, do you really think the law is yours to dictate the law? According to the Great Qian Law, lending money at exorbitant interest rates is punishable by at least forty strokes of the cane!" Su Bai looked at Luo Haoxuan without fear.