Childhood has a great impact on everyone.
Many criminals who are abhorred by gods and men are mostly due to an unhappy childhood, leaving psychological trauma, which leads to an incomplete personality, developing traits like paranoia, and thus being prone to extremes in adulthood, with some even engaging in evil deeds deliberately.
Dongfang Xiaoyao's childhood was unhappy.
This misfortune stemmed from a lack of paternal and maternal love—Mu Tiejun and He Fang both failed to fulfill their responsibilities as parents!
This misfortune was further compounded when, at the tender age of eight, she fell into the hands of loan sharks and was confined in a dark, cramped room, almost suffering abuse!
Jiang Wuming wanted to take Dongfang Xiaoyao to accompany He Fang and Gao Yue, the mother and daughter, back home. Besides wanting Dongfang Xiaoyao to repay He Fang's kindness of birth, he also wanted to help Dongfang Xiaoyao overcome the nightmares of her childhood—to make Dongfang Xiaoyao face those loan sharks again!
By the time Jiang Wuming and Dongfang Xiaoyao accompanied He Fang and Gao Yue back home, it was already nine in the evening.
As He Fang approached her doorstep, she appeared somewhat panicked, looking left and right, trying to see if there were any strangers around.
Although Jiang Wuming claimed that Dongfang Xiaoyao would help He Fang resolve all her current problems, He Fang didn't quite believe him.
Her husband's business had failed, and he owed enormous debts, not only to banks but also to loan sharks, totaling sixty to seventy million. How could Dongfang Xiaoyao possibly resolve this?
Especially since she knew that those who lent money at high interest were ruthless people!
For instance, she had heard that someone, unable to repay the money on time, had been dragged to a desolate place and buried halfway in the ground, his spirit terrified; and young girls who couldn't repay their debts were directly sent to nightclubs to sell their bodies, exhausting their youth and still failing to clear the interest!
Jiang Wuming could sense He Fang's fear, and through his spiritual sense, he knew that the loan sharks had already entered He Fang's home and were waiting in the living room for the mother and daughter to return.
However, he did not disclose any of this to He Fang, nor did he hint at what Dongfang Xiaoyao should do next.
The person who tied the knot should be the one to untie it.
Jiang Wuming knew very well that for Dongfang Xiaoyao to completely eliminate the nightmares of her childhood, she had to personally decide and handle the subsequent events.
"Ding—"
With a slight chime, the lock of the townhouse opened.
"Please come in."
He Fang opened the door and invited Jiang Wuming and Dongfang Xiaoyao inside.
For some reason, upon hearing the words "please come in," Dongfang Xiaoyao felt a strange sensation, but she didn't say anything and walked in first.
Not only could Jiang Wuming sense someone in the living room, but she could too.
Seeing this, Jiang Wuming gestured for He Fang and Gao Yue to go first, and he followed at the rear.
He Fang said nothing and, with Gao Yue, followed Dongfang Xiaoyao into the house, instinctively turning on the lights.
"Ah—"
As the lights came on, He Fang let out a startled scream and instinctively hugged Gao Yue.
This was because she clearly saw four fierce-looking men sitting in the living room!
In the living room, the four men sat on the sofa, looking at Dongfang Xiaoyao with confusion and admiration.
Confusion arose because, according to the information they had, He Fang's household consisted only of He Fang and two children, and there was no Dongfang Xiaoyao among her relatives and friends.
Admiration stemmed from the fact that Dongfang Xiaoyao possessed a cold, beautiful face and an impressive figure!
At this moment, upon hearing He Fang's scream, the four men shifted their gaze from Dongfang Xiaoyao. The leading man said, "Stop screaming, close the door, and let's talk about your debt repayment!"
There was no response. He Fang, with a look of fear and helplessness, gazed at Jiang Wuming and Dongfang Xiaoyao, unsure of what to do.
"Who are they? Why are they back with you?"
The leading man, seeing He Fang's actions, sensed that something was amiss and asked with a frown.
"There's no one at home, and you entered without permission. Is this how you conduct business?"
This time, before He Fang could speak, Dongfang Xiaoyao retorted coldly.
At this moment, Dongfang Xiaoyao's mind flashed back to her childhood, to the scene when those loan sharks forcibly broke into her home.
On that day, Mu Tiejun had been so terrified that he collapsed.
And the way those loan sharks looked at her was exactly the same as the way these four men had looked at her just now!
"Bitch, are you telling us what to do?"
The leading man glared fiercely at Dongfang Xiaoyao and said coldly, "Debts must be repaid, it's only natural! I don't care who you are, you'd better not interfere in this matter!"
"What if I insist on interfering?"
Dongfang Xiaoyao said, walking expressionlessly towards the four men.
"Bitch, are you looking for death?"
The leading man's expression turned cold, and he waved his hand, saying, "Xiao Liu, this one's for you!"
"Sure thing, Brother Shan!"
The young man called Xiao Liu, with a buzz cut, his short hair dyed yellow, wearing an earring and a muscular build, was Brother Shan's top henchman.
"Little girl, you've got a great figure. How about we go to the bedroom and explore the art of the human body?"
Xiao Liu stood up, a lecherous grin on his face as he approached Dongfang Xiaoyao, looking as if he wanted to drag her to the bedroom to do business.
As his words fell, he reached Dongfang Xiaoyao and reached out to touch her face.
"Bang!"
Immediately, a dull thud was heard.
Dongfang Xiaoyao's right foot shot out like lightning, kicking Xiao Liu in the groin.
Originally, according to her modus operandi in the dark world, she would have delivered a fatal blow. However, she recalled the rules of the secular world that Jiang Wuming had told her and did not kill him, nor did she even use her internal energy.
But with her strength as a nine-star martial artist, she could have kicked Xiao Liu to death with just her physical strength!
She knew this well, and thus, when she acted, she deliberately controlled her strength.
However—
Even so, Xiao Liu had no reaction to this kick.
"Aooo!!"
Immediately, a cry of pain echoed through the living room.
Xiao Liu collapsed on the ground, blood gushing from between his legs!
His third leg had been blown apart by Dongfang Xiaoyao's kick, and he had fainted on the spot!
"Uh..."
He Fang, holding Gao Yue, stared at the scene before her, instantly turning into a statue.
Not only she, but the other three men on the sofa were also stunned!
They had been in the loan shark business for many years, and they had dealt with countless people. Some were thrown into rivers to feed the fish, and young girls were subjected to gang rapes before being dumped in nightclubs!
They had never encountered a situation where the debtor side acted first before they could even make a move!
And this was a young and beautiful girl!
More importantly, they hadn't even seen how Dongfang Xiaoyao had moved, only seeing Xiao Liu lying limply on the ground, blood gushing from between his legs!
"Who exactly are you?"
After a brief moment of shock, Brother Shan was the first to regain his composure and looked at Dongfang Xiaoyao with some apprehension.
Although he hadn't seen how Dongfang Xiaoyao moved, with his years of experience in the gray areas, he could tell that Dongfang Xiaoyao was no ordinary person!
"Someone who's here to settle accounts with you!"
Dongfang Xiaoyao said coldly, stepping towards Brother Shan and his two subordinates.
"Bitch, are you pushing your luck?!"
Brother Shan's expression changed. He hardened his resolve, stood up, drew a pistol from his waist, and aimed it at Dongfang Xiaoyao!
...