Chapter 82: Sweeping All Before Him

In Lotus Village, a man known as Gouzi wrapped his arm tightly around the neck of a man from Valley Village. Both men were straining, veins bulging with effort, neither willing to give in.

“Heh~!” Gouzi felt victory within his grasp, his fierce expression cracking into a grin.

The men from Valley Village, seeing their comrade immobilized, immediately shouted out in alarm.

“Tiezi, what’s wrong with you? Can’t beat a skinny chicken like that? Are you even a man? Do you have anything between your legs?”

“Come on, hit his stomach, bite him, bite him!”

A flurry of terrible advice was shouted from below. Hearing the jeers, Tiezi gritted his teeth and slammed his knee hard into Gouzi’s stomach.

The sharp pain made Gouzi instinctively loosen his grip. As he toppled onto the stage, Tiezi from Valley Village pounced, pinning him down and raining blows upon him.

“Yes! Hit him, harder, hit him!” The men of Valley Village, seeing their man turn the tide, roared with excitement.

Gu Xiaoyao sensed Da Hua, standing beside her, growing tense—her hand unconsciously clenching her own wrist.

“Those Valley Village men are too much. Are they trying to beat Gouzi to death?”

The men of Lotus Village clenched their teeth and fists in anger.

Old Chu watched Gouzi getting pummeled, his face bruised and swollen, and hurriedly shouted out to concede.

“We surrender! Our village surrenders!”

Tiezi from Valley Village heard Old Chu’s admission of defeat. He curled his lip in mockery, then landed several more punches on Gouzi before kicking him hard while he lay on the ground, laughing with wild arrogance.

“Get out of here, loser!”

“I won!” he shouted triumphantly, raising both fists in the air.

The men of Valley Village raised their own fists in fervor. Some pounded their chests, others flashed their pinkies at the men of Lotus Village.

Gu Xiaoyao watched the scene, her fingers twitching, her already impassive face growing colder.

“Lotus Village, is there anyone else who dares to come up?” Tiezi from Valley Village raised his fists and shouted confidently, his chin lifted high.

“I will!” Gu Xiaoyao stepped forward, unclasped her hands, and walked up the wooden steps to the stage, her gaze fixed on the man before her.

“What? Ha! A woman? You send a woman up here—are you hoping her looks will make us surrender?”

Tiezi from Valley Village scrutinized Gu Xiaoyao’s thin arms and legs, his twisted smile spreading across his face.

“Tsk tsk, she isn’t even much to look at. Why send her up? Is she going to use her body to fight us big men?”

The men of Valley Village howled at Tiezi’s crude remarks, their eyes sweeping hungrily over Gu Xiaoyao.

Old Chu, hearing their words, erupted in furious curses.

“Damn your filthy mouths! Can’t you keep a shred of decency?”

At first, the men of Lotus Village thought Gu Xiaoyao was causing trouble, but now, seeing her bravely step onto the stage, they felt their fates entwined with hers.

“That’s right! When your mother gave birth to you, did she only give you a mouth and forget the brains? Can’t you think before you speak? All you do is bark.”

“So what if she’s a woman? Women can beat you to your knees just the same. Don’t come crying and begging for mercy when she’s done with you!”

Spittle flew as the Lotus Village men shouted their retorts, while the Valley Village men shot back, refusing to be outdone.

Gu Xiaoyao flexed her wrist, her eyes fixed on the leering man before her. She beckoned him with a finger.

“Enough chatter. Let’s fight!”

“Oho, feisty little thing. I like that. Don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you,” Tiezi from Valley Village said, wiping his nose with a roguish air, before charging forward with his fists raised.