Chapter 64

Just like this, they walked to the cargo yard. There were already quite a few people here. Nowadays, the number of people in the cargo yard was twice as many as a few years ago, but among Zhao Jin's peers, there were only about twenty, all from well-off families and who had been practicing martial arts all along. For them, the contests in the cargo yard were rare opportunities for practical combat experience. The others were either busy making a living or had already left Xuzhou, and those who had good relationships with everyone would occasionally come to visit.

The rest were all like Zhao Jin and his peers from back then, around ten years old, unable to help with household chores but also unable to stay at home idly. The parents in Xuzhou City all knew that there were capable people overseeing the cargo yard in the west of the city, so they didn't worry about their children learning bad habits or being kidnapped. Some even actively sent their children here.

The young boys who came here every day would pretend to have martial arts contests, but they were just looking for fun. Whenever Zhao Jin and his group had their contests, these boys would happily gather around to watch.

Children need heroes the most, and the children here all regarded Zhao Jin and his group as heroes. If they could do something for them, it was considered a great honor.

Chen Sheng and the others had already arrived. Seeing Zhao Jin come, they all stood up and approached. Chen Sheng, with a puzzled look, said, "Why weren't you at home today? When Zhaoming and I went over, we didn't see you, and your mother was very worried."

Before Zhao Jin could answer, Chen Sheng asked Mu Shulan, "What's wrong with Xiaolan? She looks unhappy."

They had been playing together for a long time, and their relationships were very close. Mu Shulan was the same age as Chen Hong, and Chen Sheng had always treated her like his younger sister.

The little girl hadn't answered yet. Zhao Jin turned his head and saw the two people who had been following them standing at the eastern entrance of the cargo yard, occasionally looking this way. Zhao Jin turned back and said in a low voice, "There are two men in cotton jackets at the eastern entrance. They've been following us since this morning. Liu Yong, take a few people and go around from the other side to catch them!"

"Don't look over there, or you might scare them away!" Zhao Jin said in a low voice. Chen Sheng, hearing this, looked curiously in that direction. Liu Yong didn't hesitate to follow Zhao Jin's instructions. Over the past few years, everyone had gotten used to following Zhao Jin's arrangements.

Liu Yong had also brought a few younger brothers. He called out, and they left the cargo yard from the western entrance. However, this area was well-connected, and they could easily go around.

"It's rare to see you bring a spear," Chen Sheng said, looking at Zhao Jin. Zhao Jin smiled and replied, "I didn't expect things to be so chaotic in Xuzhou. If I didn't bring a weapon, Xiaolan might have been kidnapped."

Chen Sheng's face suddenly turned cold, and he drew his long knife halfway before slamming it back down. He said in a low voice, "When we catch them, beat them to death."

Hearing Zhao Jin's words, not only Chen Sheng but also Wang Zhaojing, Sun Dalei, and everyone else was furious. Although Mu Shulan didn't participate in the contests, they had developed a deep friendship over the years. For someone to be so brazen was truly reckless.

Shi Manqiang, who had been staring at the two men, suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Xiaoyong and the others are over there!"

Liu Yong had always been short, so he was called "Xiaoyong." Hearing this, Zhao Jin turned around and saw Liu Yong and the others walking over with a smile.

The two young men sitting by the roadside didn't notice anything and were still staring and whispering to each other.

Liu Yong and the others walked up laughing and joking, then suddenly turned and pounced on the two men. Although they were only fifteen or sixteen, they were already quite strong, and their attack was sudden. The two men were caught off guard and were immediately knocked to the ground.

"You little brats, you..." The two men on the ground struggled and cursed, but Zhao Jin and the others had already arrived. Without saying much, they kicked the men hard, causing them to curl up like shrimp, unable to even cry out from the pain.

"Beat them up, but don't kill them!" Zhao Jin said.

A group of people, already eager to fight, immediately surrounded them and started punching and kicking. Wang Zhaojing, who had been keeping his hand on the hilt of his sword, finally let go. He didn't join in the fight but smiled and said, "Brother Zhao is luring them here to catch them all at once?"

Wang Zhaojing was now even more graceful and elegant, with a charming and free-spirited demeanor. Zhao Jin smiled and nodded.

He wasn't afraid of the two men who had been following him, and he could have caught them on his own, but he didn't want to let the other one escape.

The two men being beaten were already begging for mercy, but with such a rare opportunity to beat someone, no one was willing to stop. The two men couldn't even beg for mercy anymore.

"Stop, a few of you drive the crowd away. Don't let them gather to watch," Zhao Jin said.

Many children had stopped playing and gathered to watch the beating. Shi Manqiang and a few others went over and loudly dispersed them. They immediately scattered, forming small groups, but they still peeked from a distance, not daring to come closer.

Zhao Jin walked over, and the two men were lying on the ground with bruised faces, but they still looked angry. Being ambushed and caught by a group of younger boys, they felt aggrieved but also不服气 (unconvinced).

"Why were you following us?" Zhao Jin asked.

"Who said we were following you? The road is so wide, can't we walk? This is your..." The two men couldn't get up but were still being stubborn.

Before they could finish, they suddenly felt a chill on their heads. They reached up and found that their hats and hair were gone, as if their foreheads had been shaved. They didn't react immediately, but they saw a flash of light and then a sturdy, slightly overweight young man holding a long knife, with hair still on the blade.

Only then did they realize that someone had cut off their hair and hats with a single stroke. If the blade had been a bit off, half their heads would have been gone.

The two men's faces turned pale, and they started trembling involuntarily. Zhao Jin asked again in a cold voice, "Why were you following me? Who sent you?"

"I... We were told to find out which family the young lady belongs to and where she lives... We are from Yunshan Xing." The two men no longer dared to hide anything and spilled out the information like a waterfall.

"Yunshan Xing?" Zhao Jin frowned, and his face turned dark. He knew this place; it was a business of Yunshan Temple in Xuzhou City. Although it wasn't very prosperous, it was the representative of Yunshan Temple in the city, handling affairs with the government and receiving visitors from all over.

He pondered for a moment, and the two men on the ground thought he was afraid of their name. One of them glared and said, "Do you know we are working for the Buddha? Hurry up and help us up..."

This time, he didn't finish his sentence before Zhao Jin kicked him, causing his lips to bleed.

Yunshan Xing, Yunshan Temple, and thinking back to the monk Runan he had seen yesterday, Zhao Jin pieced everything together. The young boys around him had various expressions: Wang Zhaojing was calm, Chen Sheng frowned, and the others looked somewhat apprehensive.

Before he could speak, Liu Yong tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "Big Brother Zhao, I heard that the abbot of Yunshan Temple likes young girls."

Disgusted, Zhao Jin realized they were indeed targeting Mu Shulan. He felt frustrated and quickly made a decision: "Everyone, let's help. We'll report this to the authorities."

Everyone was surprised but quickly understood. They started beating the two men again, forcing them to stand up, and took them to the prefecture office.

With over twenty people surrounding them, even though they were all teenagers, the two men had no chance of escaping.

However, upon hearing they were going to the authorities, the two men were not afraid but rather a bit arrogant. They muttered, "We advise you not to meddle. Let us go now. Even if we go to the authorities, our boss can get us out with a single note."

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