The Republic of China: I, Xiangzi, a Hero in a Chaotic Era

A dozen or so figures dressed in brand-new black police uniforms and carrying batons surged in like a flood, led by a burly patrolman and the tall, thin Zhang Kui, instantly filling the small front yard.

"Police! Don't move!"

"Crack down on gambling! Hands on your heads, squat down!"

"Anyone who dares to run will have their legs broken!"

A thunderous roar suddenly erupted after a moment of deathly silence, completely shattering and extinguishing all the noise in the casino!

The pent-up anger and greed of the patrol officers, which had been building up for days, were completely unleashed at this moment. With ferocious expressions and brandishing their batons, they pounced on the brightly lit west wing like hungry wolves!

Inside the west wing, the dozens of people who had been engrossed in the frenzied gambling just moments before were suddenly doused with ice water. The clinking of dice cups, the wild laughter of winners, the curses of losers… all sounds abruptly ceased.

Time seemed to freeze for a moment, then was completely torn apart by an even greater panic!

"The black dog is here!"

"Run! Run!"

Someone let out a distorted, inhuman scream.

The frozen scene shattered instantly! The gamblers, like a flock of startled sparrows or ants whose nest had been disturbed, descended into utter madness.

Some people instinctively lunged at the gambling table, trying to stuff their own money, or any money they could grab, into their arms; others were completely terrified and just wanted to escape, recklessly pushing aside those blocking their way and rushing towards doorways, windows, or even crowds of people.

Chairs were overturned, teacups were smashed to pieces, and copper and silver coins jingled and rolled all over the ground in the chaotic trampling.

"Damn it! Grab your weapons!"

The three or four thugs left behind by Hai Gouzi in the casino reacted quickly, and after a brief moment of surprise, they immediately revealed their vicious nature.

The burly man closest to the door roared and grabbed the bench from under his buttocks, smashing it down on the head and face of the strong patrolman who was rushing to the front!

The burly patrolman, his eyes also bloodshot, neither dodged nor evaded, swinging his baton with a whooshing sound as he roared:

"Hold onto the money box! Don't let the money escape!"

"Bang!"

The wooden stick and the police baton collided violently.

Another thug seized the opportunity to grab a handful of dice and smash them hard into the face of the patrol officer who rushed in, in an attempt to block his view.

The scene instantly descended into utter chaos. Cries, curses, the dull thud of batons striking flesh, the shattering of overturned tables and chairs, the clinking of coins being trampled... all sorts of sounds mingled together, creating a suffocating sea of ​​noise.

Just as this extreme chaos erupted, the door to the east wing was suddenly pulled open!

Like a startled leopard, the sea lion was instantly awakened from its brief slumber and darted out like lightning.

His face was ashen, and his eyes flashed with a fierce light. He immediately saw the menacing police officers in the courtyard and the chaotic scene inside the west wing.

Without the slightest hesitation, he made a decisive move—run! Better to live than die!

Sea Dog's goal was extremely clear. Instead of advancing, he retreated, his body suddenly shrinking, and he charged towards the relatively low courtyard wall in the backyard like a cannonball! That was one of his prepared escape routes!

However, just as he started to move, a dark shadow, like a persistent leech, suddenly pounced out from the side—it was patrol officer Zhang Kui!

Zhang Kui had long had his eye on the leader who rushed out from the inner room, and eager to make a contribution, he was unwilling to let him go.

He roared, "Where the hell are you going, you son of a bitch!"

Then Zhang Kui took a step forward and, with all his might, slammed the heavy jujube wood baton in his hand down hard on the back of Hai Gouzi's head! If this hit, he would be seriously injured even if he didn't die.

The sea lion charged forward with undiminished momentum, as if it had eyes in the back of its head.

Just as the whistling sound of the baton barely touched the back of his head, his forward-leaning body suddenly ducked and twisted his waist in a fluid motion, as if he had practiced it a thousand times.

The baton whistled past his scalp with a gust of wind, missing its mark.

Zhang Kui's all-out attack missed, causing him to lose his balance and stagger forward involuntarily.

A cold glint flashed in the sea lion's eyes. As it crouched and twisted its waist, its supporting leg suddenly swung backward as if it were spring-loaded!

This kick was cunning and swift, hooking right at Zhang Kui's outstretched ankle.

"Ouch!"

Zhang Kui felt an irresistible force coming from under his feet, and his whole body spun around. He cried out in alarm and fell forward hard, landing heavily on the cold mud with a "thud," his mouth full of mud, and his baton flew out of his hand.

The sea dog didn't even glance at him. Using the recoil from the shove, it accelerated again and was about to pounce on the low wall.

"What a brilliant move, 'White Ape Kicks a Branch'."

A calm, undisturbed voice, like a muffled thunder rumbling along the ground, clearly reached the sea lion's ears.

The voice wasn't loud, yet it drowned out the noise of the courtyard, possessing a strange penetrating power that reached straight to the heart.

The sea lion's hair stood on end instantly!

An unprecedented chill shot straight up from his tailbone to the top of his head! He abruptly stopped his forward momentum and looked up!

Suddenly, a figure appeared on the low backyard wall in front of them.

The cool moonlight outlined the man's tall and straight figure, and his brand-new black police uniform gleamed with a cold, hard luster under the moonlight, with the insignia on his shoulder straps clearly visible.

He stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at the sea lions in the yard. His face was hidden in the shadow cast by the eaves, but his eyes shone brightly in the darkness, like those of a hawk eyeing its prey—indifferent, sharp, and devoid of any emotion.

It was Liu Jiaxiang, the director of the Xisi North Police Station.

The sea lion's heart felt as if it had been gripped tightly by an icy hand, and it instantly sank to the bottom.

The other party was able to immediately identify the Tongbei Fist technique he used to escape, and then intercepted his only escape route without him noticing. Such insight and such agility are not something that an ordinary patrol officer could possess!

Hai Gouzi instantly realized that the two lookouts were probably already in grave danger.

The escape route has been completely blocked.

Hai Gouzi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in his heart. His face instantly contorted into the bitter smile most adept at by江湖 (jianghu) figures—a smile tinged with humility and pleading. He clasped his hands in a fist salute towards the wall, speaking rapidly and adopting an extremely low posture:

"My lord! We, your humble servants, were blind to your greatness! We brothers are new to your esteemed land, merely seeking a livelihood and a few meager wages. We have no intention of offending you, much less causing trouble!"

"I have disturbed Your Majesty's authority today; I deserve to die!"

He stepped aside and pointed to the messy gambling table and scattered silver coins in the west wing.

"Everything inside is your prize! We beg you, sir, to have mercy and spare our lives! We'll get out of Xi'an Gate immediately and never set foot here again! Please, sir, have mercy!"

On the wall, Liu Jiaxiang stood motionless. The night wind rustled the hem of his uniform.