Urban Martial Saint

The stray dog’s broken leg was set, and after bandaging its wounds, it finally regained some spirit.

After such an ordeal, it looked thoroughly exhausted. The big boy hurriedly ran outside, and after about half an hour, he returned carrying some raw meat. He threw the meat into a pot, cooked it, and then took it out to feed the stray dog.

After eating, the stray dog’s spirits revived considerably. It gratefully licked its little owner and lay down beside him, finally unable to resist, sinking into a deep sleep. Meanwhile, the three puppies, oblivious to everything, continued to play around, nursing and romping beside it.

Ye Qing and the others had somber expressions, realizing the stray dog was clearly beaten by someone. Judging by the dog’s injuries, whoever hit it was probably trying to kill it. It’s hard to fathom the cruelty of someone who would beat a small dog like this. It truly was a miracle it managed to return alive.

Seeing the stray dog sleep deeply, Ye Qing gently sighed. He glanced at the three children beside him with worried faces and comforted them softly, ”It’s okay, it’s okay. Its injuries aren’t serious; it’ll recover soon.”

The three children didn’t understand Ye Qing’s words. They looked at Ye Qing, but their expressions remained unchanged. However, they didn’t linger there. The big girl suddenly walked over to the big boy, turned out his pocket, and took all the money from it. She carefully counted the money, suddenly changed her expression, widened her eyes at the big boy, and gestured at him hurriedly.

Ye Qing couldn’t understand either, but he could tell the big girl was very anxious. Yet, the big boy remained relatively calm. He waited for the big girl to calm down, then slowly gestured, walked to the side, and started cooking. Although the stray dog had eaten, none of them had.

The big girl was very anxious, running over to the big boy and constantly gesturing. But the big boy ignored her, just kept his head down to cook.

The little girl sat beside them, helplessly watching her brother and sister, unable to join in the fray.

The big girl gestured to the big boy for a while, and seeing he wasn’t responding, she got angry and turned away, ignoring him. Ye Qing noticed clearly; the big boy also had a worried face but quietly finished preparing lunch, served first the little girl and Ye Qing a bowl before taking a bowl to the big girl.

The big boy isn’t much older than his two sisters, but the care he shows them surpasses that of many adults.

The big girl, still visibly angry, shouted something at the big boy in their peculiar language, but he stayed silent. Eventually, in frustration, she took her bowl and started eating first.

The big boy also picked up his bowl, wolfing down his food quickly. After finishing, he didn’t clean up. Instead, he picked up a large bag and left the area near the shack. Seeing him leave, the big girl hurriedly finished her meal and grabbed a bag to follow him.

Ye Qing was also puzzled, usually after eating they’d clean up the pots and bowls first, then take a short break before heading out. What’s happening this time, not even cleaning the pots and bowls, just leaving right after eating?

Of course, he couldn’t ask. These three kids don’t speak, only uttering sounds and making gestures, which he couldn’t understand.

Accompanying the little girl to finish her meal, Ye Qing felt more sensation returning to his limbs. Slowly, he tried sitting cross-legged, putting force on his legs to hold up his body. After several attempts, he managed to sit stably, with his legs just strong enough to support him, which excited Ye Qing greatly.

At this rate of recovery, in less than two days he’d likely be walking again. Then he could call back to Shenchuan City and ask for help.

The little girl collected the pots and bowls, washed them by the river, and tidied everything near the shack before sitting beside the stray dog. She gently stroked the sleeping dog, her face showing nothing but affection and pity, clearly devastated by its condition.

About two hours later, roughly at three in the afternoon, as Ye Qing was slowly attempting to stand, the roar of motorcycles suddenly came from outside the trash heap.

Ye Qing paused, then became overjoyed. The approaching motorcycles meant people were coming. If he could ask them for help to make a phone call, he’d be able to contact Shenchuan City today.

”Hey, is anyone there? Can you help me?” Ye Qing shouted loudly, but the motorcycle noise was deafening, unsure if anyone outside could hear him. Regardless, the roaring sound was getting closer.

Meanwhile, the little girl, hearing the motorcycle noise, looked horrified and hurriedly hid behind the shack with the stray dog, as if extremely frightened.

”Don’t be afraid, it’s just a motorcycle,” Ye Qing reassured her softly, thinking the girl feared the sound of the motorcycle.

The little girl shook her head repeatedly at Ye Qing, her face still filled with fear, unaffected by Ye Qing’s comfort. In contrast, her fear grew as the motorcycles approached, clearly not fearing the sound but the arrival itself.

Bewildered, Ye Qing couldn’t fathom what was wrong with the girl. But now, he couldn’t ponder more, with people coming, he could ask for help contacting people in Shenchuan City and leave with the three kids and dogs.

Soon, the motorcycle sounds grew even closer. Finally, a motorcycle rounded the corner and entered Ye Qing’s view.

It was a black motorcycle resembling a racing bike, sounding modified. The bike was covered in skull decals and adorned with iron chains, similar to the street racing gangs Ye Qing had seen in Shenchuan City. The rider, likely eighteen or nineteen, wearing racing gang attire, had brightly colored dyed hair, exuding an arrogant air. Riding the motorcycle, he twisted the throttle furiously, causing the wheels to spin and kick up dust.

Ye Qing had hoped the rider might help, but the appearance of a street racing gang member disappointed him. He knew these youths, often teenagers or newly adults, were arrogant troublemakers. Asking them for help was futile; if they didn’t cause you trouble, you were lucky.

Despite this, Ye Qing had to give it a shot. Seeing the gang approach, he straightened his posture and waved to the youth, ”Friend, could you lend a hand?”

The gang youth didn’t hear Ye Qing, seemingly not even seeing him, and charged directly at Ye Qing on the motorcycle. Following this, three more motorcycles sped out, also rushing toward them. Overall, four gang members came, with two motorcycles carrying girls, making a total of six people.

The leading gang member charged at Ye Qing dangerously quickly. Although Ye Qing waved frantically, there was no sign of slowing down, alarming Ye Qing. But in his current state, he couldn’t dodge, just watched the motorcycle racing toward him. Just as it seemed he’d be hit, the bike swerved, narrowly missing him, circling him several times, enveloping Ye Qing in dust and causing him to cough uncontrollably.

Finally, after seemingly playing enough, the youth stopped the motorcycle nearby, laughing heartily at Ye Qing’s dust-covered appearance. He had an utterly smug expression, indifferent to how bedraggled Ye Qing was or to the danger just now.

The remaining three bikes also stopped. From one, a tall youth dismounted. Glancing at Ye Qing, he asked, ”Hey, old guy, where are you from?”

Inside, Ye Qing felt quite annoyed, but given the situation, needing their help, he swallowed his anger.

”Hello, my name is...” Ye Qing started, but the tall youth waved him off, ”No need for your name, just remember mine and the rules here. Call me Sulon; around this trash heap, it’s my territory. Here, you gotta pay a protection fee. Not much, fifty bucks a week per person. If you’re with these three brats, it’s convenient: four of you, two hundred a week!”

Only then did Ye Qing understand why the little girl feared motorcycles. They weren’t just racing gangs; they were thugs demanding protection money. Ye Qing never imagined even at a trash heap one would have to pay protection fees. It’s mind-boggling. It’s one thing in city venues, but shaking down those picking trash, didn’t they have any conscience?

”Hey? Do you understand?” Seeing Ye Qing silent, the tall youth waved at him, taunting, ”Old guy, seems you can talk, unlike those brats. You don’t want me explaining the rules physically, do you? Your old bones won’t survive long under my hands!”

As the tall youth said this, he and the others burst into reckless laughter, completely treating Ye Qing as just another trash collector.