CHAPTER 44: CHAPTER 44 THIS MASTER’S JOY

"More?" Xia Liang raised an eyebrow, asking subconsciously, "What else have you done?"

"Theft, robbery, we’ve done it all. We only started this line of work in the last year, and let me tell you, it’s quite lucrative. Just a few days ago, we scammed a woman, and boy, did we make a killing—three points, just like that. We were really lucky that day. That money was what she’d prepared for her son’s surgery. If we were a bit later, those three points would have been gone."

Looking at the old lady’s smug expression, the people in the crowd looked like they wanted to tear her apart.

"Stop talking, Mom!" Seeing this, Da Hu ignored the pain in his stomach and crawled over, trying to stop his mother.

But the old lady slapped his hand away. "What’s there to hide? I heard her son died later because they couldn’t afford the surgery, and the woman killed herself. Good thing the money ended up with me. That short-lived son of hers was a lost cause anyway, bound to die sooner or later. Why waste the money? My two sons aren’t married yet. It’s better that the money came to me so my boys can afford to find wives..."

Seeing the old lady looking so proud and completely unrepentant, Yun Bing couldn’t take it anymore.

"Enough!" She had never imagined that such a depraved person could exist.

She immediately used her comms to call for backup, preparing to arrest the three of them.

But the old lady was still spewing more of her exploits.

"Theft, robbery..."

With every crime she confessed, her two sons’ faces grew a shade paler.

A few minutes later, two vehicles from the Protectorate pulled up, and three Protectors got out.

"That’s about enough."

Xia Liang stopped using the Contradictory Card, and only then did the old lady fall silent. At that moment, she finally realized that she and her two sons were finished. With so many crimes piled up, including several cases where their actions had indirectly or directly led to someone’s death, they would be spending the rest of their lives behind bars.

"Take them away!" Yun Bing commanded the other Protectors, her face grim.

"Yes, ma’am."

Under the furious glares of the crowd, the three were handcuffed and loaded into the vehicles.

Yun Bing, however, didn’t get in. Instead, she turned to Xia Liang with a complex expression on her face. After a long moment, she clenched her teeth, stepped forward, and bowed a full ninety degrees.

"I’m sorry. I almost wronged you and let these scumbags get away."

"Hah. Women," Xia Liang replied coldly.

Yun Bing’s face flushed with embarrassment. She knew she had been far too rash today. Yet, seeing her like this, Xia Liang had no intention of letting her off the hook. He gave her a look of utter disappointment.

"If all Protectors are like you two were just now, then I’m very disappointed. Taking our tax money not to catch criminals, but to go after good people like me."

"I... I’m sorry." Yun Bing had never been rebuked like this. From childhood, she had always been the best; no one had ever spoken to her this way. The problem was, she couldn’t argue back. All she could do was apologize repeatedly, her face growing redder by the second.

Seeing Yun Bing’s sincere acceptance of her mistake, Xia Liang suddenly lost interest in chastising her further. He waved his hand dismissively.

"Forget it. I’m leaving." With that, he turned to get into his car.

"Hey, wait," Yun Bing suddenly called out, stopping him.

Xia Liang frowned and turned to face her. "Is there something else?"

Her face bright red, Yun Bing walked up to him and stammered, "Uh... could I get your contact information? I’m truly sorry about today. I’d like to treat you to dinner after work to apologize properly."

Faced with a beautiful woman’s hopeful gaze, Xia Liang simply shook his head. "I forgive you, but let’s skip the dinner."

"Ah?"

Yun Bing’s mouth fell open. Xia Liang’s response had clearly caught her off guard. It was the first time in her life she had ever asked a man for his contact information, and she had been rejected.

Seeing Xia Liang’s refusal, the onlookers who hadn’t dispersed yet grew discontented and started muttering sarcastic taunts.

"What’s with the act?"

"Yeah, who does he think he is? Some big shot?"

"He’s no gentleman, refusing a beautiful woman like that."

"I bet he’s still mad about being wrongly accused earlier."

"Right? What a petty, narrow-minded man."

Hearing their comments, Xia Liang could only feel contempt. Why is it normal for a woman to reject a man, but when I reject a woman, I’m ’putting on an act’? They complain all day about others having no gentlemanly grace or being narrow-minded, but they’re probably even worse themselves.

In the face of such mockery, most people would have let it slide, seeing as they were outnumbered. But Xia Liang was clearly not most people.

He pinched his nose with one hand and fanned the air with the other. "Wow, can you smell that?" he said sarcastically. "Such a strong scent of lemons. So sour. You’re all so gentlemanly and magnanimous, so why isn’t anyone asking for *your* contact information, huh?"

He paused, pretending to have a sudden revelation. "Oh! I get it. It’s because you’re broke and you’re not handsome, so nobody’s interested in you. Besides running your mouths, you’ve got nothing."

"You!"

Xia Liang’s words had enraged everyone present. How could he say that to their faces? So what if he was rich and handsome? That didn’t give him the right to talk to them like that.

The crowd balled their fists, their faces full of righteous indignation as they prepared to rush him. Yun Bing was startled. She had never met anyone so fearless. She opened her mouth to speak, but Xia Liang pulled her behind him.

Yun Bing could see no fear on Xia Liang’s face. Instead, he looked eager for a fight. He even stretched his limbs before taunting them.

"Come on, don’t be afraid. Don’t worry, I have money. If any of you get hurt, I can afford your medical bills."

Hearing his outrageous words, Yun Bing was speechless. Is this guy not afraid of dying? He’s provoking so many people!

Confused, Yun Bing kept watching.

The crowd, however, suddenly remembered Xia Liang’s feat from earlier—knocking out two burly men in less than five seconds. They all calmed down, each man pushing the next forward, hesitant to make the first move.

Seeing this, Xia Liang remarked with contempt, "A bunch of cowards!"

His voice was loud, and everyone heard it clearly. But the large crowd could only swallow their anger, afraid that Xia Liang would challenge one of them to a one-on-one fight.

This whole scene was mind-boggling to Yun Bing, who stood behind him. What the hell? There’s a whole crowd of them, and they’re being intimidated by one guy in his twenties?

Unfortunately, there was no one to explain it to her.

Losing interest, Xia Liang turned and walked toward his car. The crowd quickly parted to let him through. He opened the door, got in, and slowly drove away.