Hearing the voice, I quickly turned toward its source.
Earlier, my focus had been entirely on Xiaocui, so I hadn't noticed the massive figure sitting beside Aunt Su Yimei and Tingting.
The man was enormous—so wide that at a glance, I'd mistaken him for part of the couch.
Now that he moved, I got a proper look.
Dripping in gold jewelry and exuding wealth, he was undoubtedly the owner of Tianbao Pavilion. I hurriedly said, *"Thank you for your righteous intervention, Senior."*
*"Righteous?"* The fat man gave me a strange look.
His expression left me momentarily speechless.
He snorted. *"This wasn't righteousness. This was 'disaster striking while minding my own business.' Even if you're Hu Wenhui's friend, we're settling this bill clearly."*
My head throbbed.
This was an antique shop. A single piece from the wreckage below could bankrupt me.
*Why open an antique shop on a funeral street instead of near the ghost market?*
But I kept that thought to myself, my mouth opening and closing uselessly.
For the first time, I truly understood the agony of being broke.
Seeing the fat man's jowls quiver with irritation, I braced myself.
*"I might not have the cash… but I have some gold, silver, and jade pieces at home—"*
*"From the Ten Thousand Mountains?"* His eyes gleamed.
The greed in his gaze made me feel like a walking target.
But what choice did I have?
His shop was in ruins, the losses undeniable.
Besides, without him, Xiaocui would've been captured.
Reluctantly, I admitted, *"They're part of my wife's dowry."*
His face instantly brightened like a grinning Buddha. *"Perfect. I'll drop by your place tomorrow."*
I nodded bitterly. At this point, Xiaocui's dowry was our only bargaining chip.
This was his turf. While I was frantic about Xiaocui, his priority was his antiques. Until we settled that, I couldn't press for answers.
Once the compensation was agreed upon, I finally asked, *"Master Jin, you mentioned the attackers were from the Three Yin Sect, the Mystic World, and the Ten Thousand Mountains. Any proof?"*
He waved a meaty hand. *"I'm not old enough to be called 'Master.' Just Jin Youcai."*
*"Uh…"*
His name was… fitting.
Jin Youcai continued, *"No proof, but I could tell from fighting them. Why? Planning to expose them?"*
The idea had crossed my mind.
Seeing my silence, he sighed. *"Kid, I don't know why those three forces suddenly teamed up, but this incident isn't small. Staying silent might be the only way to stay alive. Get it?"*
*"Master Jin, you're Hu Wenhui's friend—you must be part of the Mystic World too. How can you just stand by?"*
I couldn't swallow this injustice.
Jin Youcai chuckled. *"If I were part of the Mystic World, I wouldn't be friends with Hu Wenhui. I know your uncle too. Listen—when trapped between internal and external threats, the safest move is to do nothing."*
His words struck me.
With the Ten Thousand Mountains involved, my so-called "backing" was meaningless.
Right now, forget justice—keeping Xiaocui alive was already a struggle.
The affairs of the Ten Thousand Mountains were beyond my reach. Their secrecy was impenetrable. Even if Zhan Ling could gather intel for me, it wouldn't be anything crucial.
The only solution was to wake Xiaocui. Only by reclaiming her authority over the Ten Thousand Mountains could we end this internal strife.
As for the Mystic World…
I already had a plan.
Turning to Zhan Ling, I asked, *"You said Xiaocui collapsed after seeing something like a statue?"*
She nodded.
I filed that away without another word.
No more talk of justice.
*"Justice lies in the hearts of men"* was just a hollow comfort.
But one day, I'd drag that justice into the light.
I sat on the couch, cradling Xiaocui's head in my lap, channeling Dao energy to nourish her consciousness.
Her dantian, however, remained an abyss—vast and unreachable.
By dawn, Xiaocui stirred awake.
Jin Youcai, who'd dozed off, cracked an eye open at our murmurs. *"Kid, you can leave now. I'll visit your shop this afternoon to settle the damages."*
He stood, a mountain of a man.
Hard to believe someone his size could move like a fighter.
After checking Xiaocui—no worse than before—I helped her up, thanked Jin Youcai profusely, and we left Tianbao Pavilion.
In the car, Aunt Su Yimei, silent all night, finally spoke. *"Yangyang, when will this end? Tingting's terrified—she hasn't said a word since last night."*
Exhausted and worried about Huang Jiu, I could only mutter, *"I'm sorry."*
She sighed, hugging Tingting as tears slipped free.
She'd known what she was getting into with my uncle.
But reality had proven harsher than she'd imagined.
Yet right now, blind and deaf to the bigger picture, I could do little to guarantee their safety.
All I had was an apology.
Zhan Ling dropped us at the shop. Seeing Aunt Su Yimei and Tingting drained, she offered to take them home and stay with them for the day.
I nodded gratefully.
Xiaocui and I stayed behind, waiting for Huang Jiu.
But instead of Huang Jiu, Plague God arrived.
I stood to greet him. *"Uncle Hu—"*
*"I know,"* he cut in.
I blinked. *"If you know, do you have a plan?"*
His reply was curt. *"No."*
Silence.
That single word meant he wouldn't intervene.
I poured him water and said nothing more.
After a sleepless night, I took Xiaocui to the VIP room and dozed off on the couch.
By afternoon, Huang Jiu returned—battered and bruised.
I bolted upright. *"Well?"*
He glared. *"You said you'd back me up! Instead, you came back here to nap?"*
*"Brother Huang, last night was a trap."*
*"A trap set by Lai Youwei and those losers?"* He looked skeptical.
Pacing the room, I recounted everything.
When I finished, Huang Jiu fell silent for a long moment. Then, grimly, he said, *"That means we're out of options."*
I met his gaze. *"From now on, focus all efforts on finding the Ten Thousand Mountains' operatives in the city."*
That statue Zhan Ling mentioned?
I *would* have it.
If I couldn't fight fair, I'd set a trap of my own.
A deadly one.