Chapter 78: Closing the Door to Beat the Dog

When Wang Shunyang heard this, his anger flared up at once. “Xu Mo, who the hell are you calling useless?”

Xu Mo shrugged slightly. “Did I say anything wrong? Tomorrow you’ll be announcing to the entire city that you’re a good-for-nothing. So if I call you that now, am I not right?”

Wang Shunyang was practically fuming with rage and shouted, “Someone, close the doors!”

At his command, two servants rushed in from outside and quickly shut the courtyard gate.

Wang Shunyang sneered. “Do you know what this is called now?”

“Locking the doors to beat the dog!” He suddenly raised his voice, sounding imposing.

Xu Mo was not to be outdone and called out, “Exactly! It truly is locking the doors to beat the dog. I see you’re well aware of yourselves!”

“Damn it, you’re asking for death!” Wang Shunyang roared in fury.

At this, Wu Boyi urged, “Young Master Wang, enough talk. Let’s just do it!”

Wang Shunyang had the same thought. He pointed at Xu Mo. “Beat him!”

At his order, six burly men armed with clubs charged at Xu Mo.

Qin Mutou immediately pulled Xu Mo behind him. “Master, leave this to me.”

With that, he drew the bronze hammer from his waist and strode out to meet the six men.

In an instant, the six thugs surrounded Qin Mutou and launched their attacks in turn. Yet Qin Mutou held his ground without faltering, swinging his hammer with such force and momentum that the six men couldn’t get close.

Watching from the corridor, Wu Boyi muttered under his breath, “Young Master Wang, this fellow is something else. So young, yet he can handle six men at once!”

These six thugs were enforcers from Lishui Pavilion, specially hired by Wang Shunyang and Wu Boyi. They had brought a few servants of their own, but found them too weak, so they paid extra for hired muscle.

Though their choice was sound, it turned out to be utterly useless!

Wang Shunyang glanced at Wu Boyi. “What, do you think this brat can take on all six by himself?”

Wu Boyi shook his head hurriedly. “You misunderstand, Young Master Wang. That’s not what I meant. I just think it’s a pity—such skills, but he’s following the wrong master.”

“He’s only himself to blame for being blind,” Wang Shunyang said with contempt.

Just then, a miserable scream sounded. Both Wang Shunyang and Wu Boyi looked over to see one of the thugs clutching his chest, collapsed on the ground after taking a direct hit from Qin Mutou’s hammer.

Wang Shunyang was stunned. He barked, “What are you lot doing? So many of you and you can’t handle one man? Do you want to get paid or not?”

Stung by the rebuke, one of the thugs rushed forward, club raised high, aiming straight for Qin Mutou’s head.

But Qin Mutou wouldn’t let him succeed. As the club came down, he raised his hammer to block. There was a crisp crack; the wooden club split in two, leaving the thug momentarily dazed.

Seizing the opening, Qin Mutou struck without hesitation, driving his hammer into the man’s abdomen.

The man howled in agony, dropped to his knees, and then curled up on the ground, sweat beading on his forehead.

With two men down, Qin Mutou now had room to maneuver. He pressed his advantage and quickly felled three more.

Each fell with injuries in different places—one clutching a knee on the ground, another holding his shoulder against the wall, a third curled on his side, hands pressed to his hip. But they had one thing in common: all were groaning in pain.

Now only one thug remained before Qin Mutou.

That man was ashen-faced and trembling all over. At the slightest movement from Qin Mutou, he dropped to his knees with a thud, threw away his club, and begged, “Spare me, young master! Please, spare me!”

Seeing the man pleading, Qin Mutou turned to Xu Mo. “Master, shall I let him go?”

Xu Mo stepped forward. “Lie flat! If you get up, I’ll smash you to bits!”

The thug, as if granted amnesty, pressed his face to the ground and didn’t dare move a muscle.

With the six thugs dealt with, Xu Mo and Qin Mutou turned their eyes to Wang Shunyang and Wu Boyi.

“Young Master Wang, Young Master Wu, it’s your turn now,” Xu Mo said with a mocking smile. “So, which of you will go first?”

Wu Boyi was terrified. “Young Master Wang, what do we do now?”

Wang Shunyang, though just as frightened, forced himself to appear calm. “Xu Mo, if you have the guts, don’t rely on him. Face me one-on-one!”

A duel?

Xu Mo nearly laughed aloud.

“Fine!” Without a trace of hesitation, Xu Mo rolled up his sleeves. “I’ll practice with you!”

But instead of stepping forward, Wang Shunyang shoved Wu Boyi ahead. “You go!”

Wu Boyi was dumbfounded. He pointed to himself, stammering, “M-me?”

“Of course! Or do you think I should go?” Wang Shunyang glared.

Wu Boyi shook his head, hands waving frantically. “No way, Young Master Wang…”

Wang Shunyang threatened, “If you don’t, I’ll tell your father about your cheating at the gambling house. See how he deals with you then!”

Wu Boyi’s face fell at once. “How can you do this? You promised you wouldn’t tell my father!”

“Then get over there!” Wang Shunyang snapped.

With no choice, Wu Boyi clenched his fists and timidly approached Xu Mo.

“Mutou, step aside,” Xu Mo said.

“Master, are you sure?” Qin Mutou sounded worried.

Xu Mo, annoyed at the doubt, retorted, “Who do you think you’re looking down on? Step back!”

Qin Mutou retreated a few paces, gripping his hammer, ready to intervene at any moment.

Xu Mo moved to face Wu Boyi.

As soon as they drew close, Wu Boyi mustered all his strength and swung a punch straight at Xu Mo’s face.

Xu Mo dodged swiftly and, in the same motion, swept out his leg.

Wu Boyi yelped as he tumbled heavily to the ground. When he raised his head, two streams of blood were trickling from his nostrils—he’d landed face-first.

Realizing his nose was bleeding, Wu Boyi burst into tears, wailing, “No more, no more! I want to go home, I want to go home…”

Xu Mo watched Wu Boyi bawling like an oversized baby and shook his head in speechless exasperation, thinking, “Is this a joke?”

“Master, watch your back!” Qin Mutou suddenly shouted.

Wang Shunyang, seeing Xu Mo’s back turned, had tried to sneak up with a stone.

Xu Mo knew better than to turn around. Thinking quickly, he sidestepped to the left, just in time to avoid the stone crashing down.

Wang Shunyang missed with his full-force swing, stumbled forward, and nearly fell.

But he wasn’t willing to give up. Regaining his footing, he tried to attack Xu Mo again.

Too late. Before he could even raise his arm, Xu Mo’s fist struck him squarely on the bridge of his nose.

Stars exploded before Wang Shunyang’s eyes. The stone fell from his grasp, and he swayed, dazed.

Nothing infuriated Xu Mo more than cheap tricks and sneak attacks. Wang Shunyang’s ploy had truly enraged him.

Xu Mo landed another punch. Wang Shunyang couldn’t withstand it and collapsed in a heap.

Xu Mo didn’t let him off. He strode over and unleashed a furious barrage of kicks to Wang Shunyang’s head…