Chapter Thirty-One: Gathering of Ruffians

She held up the lighter in her hand—a torch-style model from a niche shop. Its flame was hotter, lasted longer, and wouldn’t waver at the slightest breeze like ordinary lighters. Now, she was searing this man's eyelids; if he resisted, she burned the part he used to fend her off.

After only a few rounds, his pleas grew even more desperate. “Please, auntie, goddess, I beg you, just tell me what you want me to confess! Okay? I’ve admitted fault for ages, but you don’t want to hear apologies—you keep asking if I’ll talk. What exactly do you want me to say?”

Jiang Huan paused for a second, put away the lighter, and stood up. “Are highway robbers nowadays all this stupid? Obviously, I want to know how many of you there are and where your main base is.”

“We—we don’t have a main base.”

Jiang Huan produced the lighter again, and fetched a half-liter bottle of fuel from the car.

“Big sister! I’ll talk, I’ll spill everything, please! Don’t be so cruel! We’re forced into this, too—our higher-ups are the Azure Dragon Gang from the police department. We’re just auxiliary members, not yet qualified to join. Only those with contributions can become official. Also, today was actually the first time we stopped a car…” Usually, they only ambushed people.

When Jiang Huan heard mention of the police department, her expression changed.

She didn’t fully believe him, nor did she entirely doubt him, but if they were linked to the police’s gang, she needed to move faster.

Jiang Huan turned back into the RV. As the thug leaned against the wall, exhaling in relief, she came down again.

This time, she carried two burlap sacks.

“Sister! Big sister! I told you everything, why—mmph mmph—”

Jiang Huan gagged them both with makeshift plugs, bought from a roadside shop during the rainy season; she hadn’t expected them to be useful in such a situation. She spoke, “The sacks are just so you can’t see which way I leave. If you struggle again, I can’t promise I won’t make a few new holes in you.”

The thug inside the sack went completely still; the other was already half-unconscious, making it easier to bag. After finishing up, Jiang Huan quickly stowed anything useful from the RV into her spatial bag, slipped into another alley, changed her clothes to look bulkier, and headed for the underground market.

She had previously drawn items like explosion-proof glass and a fire-resistant, super-capacity fuel tank—mainly integrated into the big RV. This inconspicuous off-road RV was meant for commuting; now, after being targeted, she had to abandon it. A twinge of regret lingered in her heart.

Her expression showed a hint of displeasure. When someone stopped her at the market entrance, her tone was equally cold: “What, are you robbing people at the gate?”

The gatekeeper hesitated. “No, it’s just that starting today, you have to show valuables to enter.”

In other words, you needed something worth trading to get inside.

Jiang Huan took off her backpack, opened it, revealing two cartons of cigarettes, two bottles of liquor, scattered candies, and even two intact packs of doll-shaped air fresheners. These could all be traded for goods in the market. The gatekeeper let her pass, and Jiang Huan realized she’d misunderstood him, so she apologized.

“It’s fine. Times are tough, I understand. Go on in—oh, and if you don’t finish trading before you leave, could you let me know?” He seemed eager for a share of cigarettes and liquor himself.

As long as she had goods to barter, Jiang Huan didn’t care if her deals were with customers or the guards.

She nodded and walked inside with her backpack.

The moment she entered the market, she was startled by the scene before her.

It wasn’t filthy or chaotic; rather, the sight reminded her of pre-apocalypse city village markets—stalls everywhere, some just wooden planks or tablecloths laid out, with goods piled on top and vendors hawking their wares. Sellers wore all sorts of warm clothing, sometimes standing, sometimes squatting, occasionally pacing to keep their blood from stagnating in the cold.

There weren’t many good spots left for her to set up shop.

Jiang Huan didn’t rush to open a stall. She wandered around, quickly mapping out the layout of goods and their zones. She was about to pick a spot nearer the center when someone followed her.

“Hey, buddy, you’ve been looking around forever without buying or selling. What’s your deal?” The voice was brash, carrying a hint of menace.

Another thug?

Were the thugs gathering today just to get in her way?

Jiang Huan turned around, and upon seeing the person, she instinctively stepped back two paces.