Jin Shi patted Gun Zi on the shoulder and said with a ugh, “Congratutions, congratutions! You solved a major case. Seven cases in one night—who else could have such skill besides you?”

  Gun Zi replied, “You.”

  Jin Shi ughed heartily and said, “Not me. I don′t have a ruthless enough heart. This line of work is getting harder for me.”

  Gun Zi′s expression changed slightly, but he held it in.

  Jin Shi asked, “Who′s next?”

  Gun Zi lifted his head, staring at a sign across the street.

  A bck signboard with golden characters: "Liyuan Pawnshop."

  The owner of Liyuan Pawnshop was known for skinning people alive but never gnawing on their bones. In fact, he would often leave some meat on the bones for others to share.

  Guo Dalu had always had a decent impression of this man. Seeing Gun Zi and Jin Shi heading toward the pawnshop, he couldn′t help but want to follow.

  Wang Dong, who had been standing silently behind him, suddenly said, “Don′t move.”

  Guo Dalu grinned. “I′m not Wang Dong. Why shouldn′t I move?”

  Wang Dong replied, “If you move now, you′ll bring trouble.”

  Guo Dalu ughed. “Since when have you been afraid of trouble?”

  Wang Dong said, “Right now. And this is exactly the kind of trouble I don′t want.”

  Guo Dalu said, “Don′t forget, he′s our dear uncle. We can go help him anytime.”

  Wang Dong said, “No uncles are no big deal. No ancestors—now that′s trouble.”

  Guo Dalu was taken aback. “No ancestors?”

  Wang Dong said, “If our dear uncle really has a criminal record, and I go help him, wouldn′t that disgrace my ancestors?”

  Guo Dalu said, “You don′t have to go—I will!”

  Wang Dong sighed and said, “If I could just let you go alone, why wouldn′t I be lying in bed sleeping right now?”

  Guo Dalu looked into his cold, expressionless eyes and his icy face. Yet, at that moment, a warmth of friendship surged in his heart.

  If he wanted to do something, no one could stop him.

  The only thing that could stop him was a friend.

  By now, Jin Shi and Gun Zi had already reached the pawnshop′s entrance.

  The door was closed, but before they could knock, it suddenly swung open.

  The pawnshop boss poked his head out and said, “I knew you three would come again. Please, come in, come in.”

  Jin Shi and Gun Zi exchanged a gnce, then stepped inside.

  A man in bck stood guard at the door.

  Guo Dalu gritted his teeth and muttered, “I don′t know what kind of methods Gun Zi will use against him. Looks like I should go take a look.”

  He didn′t need to.

  Because at that moment, Jin Shi and Gun Zi had already walked back out.

  From inside the pawnshop, the boss′s voice called out, “Leaving so soon? I won′t see you off, then.”

  Jin Shi csped his hands together with a smile and said, “No need for formalities. Please, stay.”

  Guo Dalu was stunned and muttered, “What′s going on? Why are those two suddenly being so polite?”

  Wang Dong said, “When Gun Zi beats someone, it′s never done carelessly. Otherwise, his stick would have broken long ago.”

  Guo Dalu asked, “Who exactly is this pawnshop boss? What gives him the power to make them so respectful?”

  Wang Dong pondered for a moment and said, “Maybe it′s precisely because he is nobody, and that′s why people treat him with respect.”

  Guo Dalu thought about it but wasn′t sure if he understood what that meant.

  He didn′t have time to dwell on it. The next target of Jin Shi and Gun Zi was Mai Laoguang′s roast meat shop.

  Guo Dalu frowned. “I never would′ve thought they′d even suspect someone like Mai Laoguang. Their paranoia is really something.”

  Yan Qi said, “This time, you don′t need to worry. There′s no way they′ll find anything wrong with Mai Laoguang.”

  Guo Dalu said, “Of course, I′m not worried—but not for the reason you think.”

  Yan Qi asked, “Then why?”

  Guo Dalu said, “They′re human too. They need to eat. If they take down Mai Laoguang, what are they going to eat tomorrow?”

  Wang Dong replied, “Shit.”

  Guo Dalu ughed, but just as his smile appeared, it vanished immediately.

  From inside the roast meat shop came a sudden cry of arm—Mai Laoguang′s voice.

  Then, Gun Zi′s voice followed, cold and forceful: “Where did this gold ingot come from? Speak!”

  The moment Guo Dalu heard the word "gold," he shot out like an arrow.

  This time, even Wang Dong didn′t try to stop him.

  They saw Gun Zi lifting Mai Laoguang as effortlessly as Mai Laoguang would lift a roast duck.

  Roast ducks are, of course, greasy, and the sweat on Mai Laoguang′s face glistened under the light like oil.

  He was trembling so much that he couldn′t even speak.

  Gun Zi barked, "Are you going to talk or not? Where did the gold come from?"

  But this time, Mai Laoguang didn′t need to answer.

  Guo Dalu had already rushed in and decred, "I gave him the gold. I bought thirty pounds of meat, forty pounds of wine, plus seven geese and eight chickens from him. No one got the worse end of the deal."

  Gun Zi slowly set Mai Laoguang down, then turned around and gred at Guo Dalu.

  Guo Dalu stood there nonchantly, with a roguish air, hardly looking like someone who could pay with gold.