Chapter 37: Taking Action

"I... I don't want to see him."
Li Qiyao kept her head down, gripping her cup so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. Only when Du Ruo asked did she finally speak up.

"That won't do, beautiful," Du Ruo teased, ignoring the man beside them and keeping his gaze on Li Qiyao. "You want me to kill someone just because you drew me a picture? That's quite a price to pay."

The man sneered, giving Du Ruo a contemptuous once-over.

"No, that's not what I mean. Just send him away. He... he used to be the city’s sanda champion," Li Qiyao hurriedly explained, looking up at Du Ruo—not out of concern for the man’s safety, but because she didn’t want an innocent person dragged into her troubles.

"Boss Du, I’ve already messaged Secretary Yang. Once the villagers come, just have someone throw him out," Xiang Yuanyuan chimed in. That had been their plan all along: let Du Ruo and the villagers drive the man off. With Du Ruo present, the man would be too intimidated to start anything. That way, they might have a few days of peace.

"So, just throw him out? No need to wait for Chenguang to arrive. I’ll toss him out right now," Du Ruo shook his head. Since they’d made it clear what they wanted, he would oblige. He had no desire to get involved in these petty matters. With that, he stood, ready to "persuade" the man to leave.

"Hey, are you here to be funny? I suggest you sit down and mind your own business," the man scoffed, placing a hand on Du Ruo’s shoulder to hold him down. With years of sanda training, he was confident in his own strength. That confidence—and his lack of scruples—was why he dared harass Li Qiyao relentlessly, hoping to wear her down until she gave in. Even if the police came, the most he’d get was a scolding.

Du Ruo said nothing. He looked at the hand on his shoulder, frowned, then raised his elbow and jabbed it into the man's rib cartilage—a vulnerable, nerve-rich spot.

"Ah!"
The man yelped as pain shot through him, jerking his hand off Du Ruo’s shoulder to clutch his side. Du Ruo’s elbow didn’t retreat; instead, his hand flicked downward as if by accident. The back of his middle finger, slightly raised, tapped the man between his legs—a light, precise knock, then he swiftly withdrew his hand.

The man’s scream cut off. He no longer held his ribs; instead, he doubled over, both hands instinctively covering himself.

Du Ruo had used minimal force, just enough to incapacitate without causing injury. He turned to see the man bent over, his upper body level with Du Ruo’s waist. Du Ruo frowned, formed his right hand into an eagle’s beak—fist clenched, index and middle fingers protruding—and gave the side of the man’s neck a gentle chop.

(A strike to the carotid sinus can cause dizziness or even sudden death if not done properly. Do not imitate or attempt this.)

With that blow, the man’s eyes rolled back. He went limp and collapsed to the floor, still clutching himself. It had all happened in seconds. Du Ruo’s moves were quick, subtle, and precise. Each strike had landed on a vital spot, leaving the man no chance to resist—he passed out cold.

It wasn’t that the man was weak; Du Ruo was simply faster, more accurate, and ruthless. The man had underestimated him and been caught off guard—defeat was inevitable.

Li Qiyao and Xiang Yuanyuan stared in disbelief—first at Du Ruo, calm and collected, then at the man, unconscious on the ground with his hands still clasped between his legs. It was hard to accept, especially for Li Qiyao. This man had tormented her for nearly two years, and now Du Ruo had felled him with three simple moves.

"I really didn’t want to get involved," Du Ruo muttered as he wiped his hands with a napkin and picked up his phone. He called Yang Chenguang to tell him there was no need to come—the matter was settled, no need to make a scene.

"Wu... wu wu... What else could I do?" Li Qiyao’s pent-up grievances finally burst forth at the sight of her tormentor sprawled on the floor. She broke down, covering her mouth with her hand and sobbing loudly. "I can’t beat him, I can’t out-argue him, my parents are old and I can’t let them worry. He’s just a shameless pest—at most, the police give him a warning."

"It’s alright, it’s alright... See? He’s been knocked out. If you’re still angry, go kick him a couple of times—Boss Du is here, he won’t let anything happen," Xiang Yuanyuan comforted her. Du Ruo, seeing this, couldn’t help but purse his lips. Some things he couldn’t say; after all, it was between the two women. If he didn’t owe Li Qiyao a favor, he wouldn’t have bothered today.

"Alright, if that’s all, I’ll toss him out. As long as I’m here, he won’t dare bother you again. Consider my debt to you repaid," Du Ruo said, uninterested in watching her cry. He got up, grabbed the man by his belt with one hand, hoisted him up, and prepared to drag him outside.

"Boss Du, can you help me?"
Li Qiyao, seeing Du Ruo about to leave with the man dangling like a dead dog in his grip, stopped crying and called out in a choked voice.

"This kind of problem—you have to solve it yourself, don’t you?" Du Ruo replied, pausing at the door. "I can chase him off for you, but what next? Are you going to hide out here forever? What about your parents?"

"Boss Du, I really don’t know what to do, please teach me. That coiling dragon wire of yours must be a weapon, right? Such a sophisticated weapon must be hard to make, and with your poor drawing skills, you couldn’t have made it yourself. I know a blacksmith’s shop—my family is close to them—they could definitely make the coiling dragon wire. If you help me, I’ll do everything I can to help you get it made."

Li Qiyao clung to this promise like a drowning person to a lifeline, unwilling to let go.

"Really?"
Du Ruo turned back to look at Li Qiyao, unable to hide his interest. He’d been fretting over this problem—having the blueprints but unable to manufacture the weapon was pure torture...

"It's true! Qiqi’s family is from Lishui—Lishui Longquan," Xiang Yuanyuan quickly added.