Two SUVs sped towards the Cultural Palace. The informant in the car didn't dare to lie.
However, they didn't know Yao Ji and had no idea what he looked like. Liang Liang had one of his friends go to the Cultural Palace in advance to wait.
Upon reaching the street opposite the Cultural Palace, Yang Jian prepared to get out of the car. Liang Liang stopped him, "Brother, you're not well. Stay in the car. I'll go in with Afeng and the others."
"Alright, make sure you bring Yao Ji out to me."
Yang Jian knew he couldn't fight in his current condition, and going in would only be a burden.
At this moment, the informant said, "Yao Ji is inside the roller skating rink. I'll take you in."
"No need. You wait in the car. If Yao Ji is inside, I'll let you go immediately."
Seeing the two hulking men eyeing him, the informant had no choice but to stay put. This was a deviation from his original plan.
Liang Liang and Afeng, along with four others, crossed the road and entered the Cultural Palace grounds. The roller skating rink was on the right side of the compound. As they approached the entrance, they could hear the loud music from inside.
"Brother Liang, Yao Ji is indeed inside, but the situation seems a bit off. It's almost all men, about twenty to thirty of them."
A young man, about eighteen or nineteen years old, came out from inside and whispered the situation report.
Liang Liang turned back, "Brother Feng, it might be a trap inside. Should we go in?"
Afeng frowned, "Could they have guns?"
The young man shook his head, "Probably not. People fight here often, but no one dares to use guns. There are too many people, and using a gun would lead to police investigation. Cases involving firearms are severely punished."
"Then it's fine. When we go in, you subtly point out who Yao Ji is, and then we'll leave immediately."
Afeng, skilled and bold, was willing to brave any danger.
The six of them entered in single file, all wearing masks. Upon entering the roller skating rink, they indeed saw that it was mostly men, with only two female attendants selling items.
"Brother, the one opposite wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt is Yao Ji."
The young man subtly indicated to Afeng.
Afeng glanced at the person, "Alright, you and Liang Liang leave immediately. We'll handle the rest."
As soon as he finished speaking, the dim neon lights instantly switched to bright incandescent bulbs, illuminating the entire roller skating rink.
At the same time, the young people who were skating glided to the opposite side and quickly changed their shoes.
The entrance to the roller skating rink was blocked by five or six young men wielding machetes and wooden clubs. Liang Liang and his group were surrounded.
The two female attendants trembled in fear, hiding in a corner of the counter, watching the unfolding events with terror.
It was indeed a trap. Liang Liang and the others couldn't leave.
"You're the ones who offered a reward of twenty thousand yuan to find me, right? Take off your masks and let me see who you are."
Yao Ji carried a machete, over a meter long, on his shoulder. Surrounded by more than a dozen people, he walked from the center of the rink and stopped about five meters from Afeng's group.
Afeng scanned his surroundings. They were completely surrounded. The opposing side had at least forty people, some of whom had entered from outside. They were all armed.
"You must be Yao Ji. Come with us, we just have a few questions to ask you. I guarantee your safety."
Afeng's face was calm. He showed no fear despite facing so many people. He stepped over the railing and walked to within two meters of the other party. The other three did the same, with their hands behind their backs, facing different directions, ready to draw their weapons and attack at any moment. Liang Liang and his friend were protected in the center.
Yao Ji burst into laughter, "Buddy, haven't you seen the situation clearly? Guarantee my safety? You should worry about your own safety. Do you think you can leave this roller skating rink tonight?"
"So, we have to fight? Don't regret it."
"Regret? That's the funniest joke I've heard all year. Who gave you the courage to speak so arrogantly, Liang Jingru? However, I can give you a chance to regret. Come to the center of the venue, kneel down, and tell me why you're looking for me with such a large sum of money. Maybe I'll let you go."
"Enough nonsense, attack."
As Afeng gave the order, he drew two extendable batons from his waist and, with a forward roll, reached Yao Ji.
The movement was too fast. Yao Ji instinctively swung his machete forward but hit nothing. At the same time, he felt a sharp pain in his right leg and fell to the ground.
A young man beside him also fell at the same time.
Having taken down two people with one move, Liang Liang, who had just drawn his baton to defend himself, stared in disbelief.
The other three also launched their attacks in their respective directions simultaneously. Each of them wielded two batons, one for defense and one for offense.
The use of extendable batons was taught to them by Yang Jian during his training at the gym. This weapon was retractable, easy to carry, made of steel, could block machetes, and was light and flexible.
When Yang Jian taught them its use, he integrated techniques from traditional martial arts, making it effective for both offense and defense. It was highly applicable in one-on-one fights or group brawls.
Furthermore, Afeng and the other three were all combat experts. They had followed Yang Fan in fighting for territory for Luo Tong and were seasoned veterans with considerable on-the-spot experience.
The four of them charged into the crowd as if entering an empty space, beating the thugs and ruffians until they cried out in pain. These people, usually arrogant and bullying, relying on numbers and acting tough, were even intimidating when wielding knives, but they had no technique. Facing skilled fighters like Afeng and his group, they couldn't even retaliate.
"Run! These guys are experts! We can't win."
The young men guarding the entrance saw the tide turning against them. They opened the door and ran out. It was too late to stay, as half the people inside had already fallen.
Liang Liang snapped back to reality and immediately signaled his companions to lift Yao Ji, who was lying on the ground clutching his leg and groaning, and drag him out.
In less than three minutes, no one was standing in the vast roller skating rink. Those who could run had fled, and those who couldn't were injured. Afeng and his group had already taken Yao Ji out the door.
The two attendants then tremblingly emerged to call the boss.
On the bank of the Xinhe River, Yao Ji was thrown onto the sand like a dead dog. He could no longer stand and was filled with regret.
He regretted not hiding immediately after hearing that someone was inquiring about him at a high price, and instead arrogantly wanting to see who it was.
He regretted not listening to the other party's suggestion earlier and coming out with them obediently. It was just a few questions, he could have just gone along with it.
Just moments ago, he thought he had the upper hand with his numbers, but now he was like a lamb awaiting slaughter.
If he was lucky enough to escape this time, he vowed to live a low-key life from now on. The underworld was too deep. Relying on bullying and mindless aggression might work against ordinary people, but when encountering experts, there was no turning back.
"Yao Ji, I have a few questions for you. If you answer well, I'll let you go today. If your answers are not satisfactory, I'll bury you in this riverbed."
A figure, holding his waist, appeared before him.
Yao Ji struggled to sit up. The voice was friendly and had a local Xinhe accent. The person who had beaten him earlier had an accent from another region. This inexplicably filled him with fear.