Arthur had heard the theory of creation through earth, wind, water, and fire in his past life; he hadn't expected it to be the same on the Douluo Continent.
Before the two could chat any further...
Various noises drifted in from outside the shop as the flow of the crowd headed deeper into the snack street... On the other side, Tang Wulin followed Xie Xie into a shop. The stove was covered in burners. Inside the clay pots, the beef was stewed until it was tender and flaky, its aroma wafting straight into their nostrils. Half of the five square tables in the shop were occupied.
The cozy warmth, mixed with the scent of meat, dispelled the chill from outside.
"It smells so good! I didn't expect you to like this kind of place, Xie Xie," Tang Wulin said in surprise.
Xie Xie was no longer as cold and arrogant as usual. He said softly, "My mother used to love the beef here the most."
The owner, Uncle Li, came forward with a smile, familiarly serving two portions of Braised Beef, white rice, and side dishes. "Xie Xie, you brought a friend? The side dishes are on the house."
He reached out and patted the top of Xie Xie's head. Xie Xie, who usually had germaphobia, didn't dodge and even showed a smile.
This scene completely overturned the image Tang Wulin had of him.
"What are you waiting for? Let's eat."
The beef melted in his mouth, and the sauce soaked into the rice. Tang Wulin couldn't stop eating.
Xie Xie suddenly called Uncle Li over and asked for ten more portions. He had long ago figured out Tang Wulin's appetite, making Tang Wulin scratch his head in embarrassment.
The two chatted as they ate, but as they talked, Xie Xie's eyes suddenly reddened. "My name was given to me by my mother; she said it was to commemorate her chance encounter with my father... but when she was gravely ill, my father didn't even make it back to see her one last time."
He leaned over the table, shedding his usual cold arrogance.
Uncle Li brought over the beef. He had been watching Xie Xie and sighed as he added to Tang Wulin, "This child was first brought here by his mother, but later on, he was the only one who came every time. You're the first friend I've seen Xie Xie bring here." Hearing this, Tang Wulin patted Xie Xie's back.
Xie Xie wiped away his tears and glared at him. "Forget about this! You're not allowed to mention it again!"
Then the two looked at each other and smiled, the atmosphere gradually warming up.
After the two had eaten their fill, they walked out onto the street side-by-side to help their digestion.
Xie Xie suddenly pointed toward the shop where they had just eaten. "What's going on over there?"
He saw a crowd gathered around the Braised Beef shop. His heart tightened, and he immediately ran over.
Getting closer, he saw the stove in front of the shop had been overturned, clay pots were shattered on the ground, and beef soup was spilled everywhere.
Uncle Li was collapsed by the entrance, blood at the corner of his mouth and one eye starting to swell. He was crying out to three burly men, "This is my livelihood!"
The leader, Light Dragon, who had a dragon tattoo on his bare arm, snorted coldly. "If you don't pay the protection fee, then don't open your shop!"
"Big Brother Light Dragon, it's not that I won't pay... I really have no money. It's all gone toward my family's medical bills." Uncle Li wailed, "Please stop smashing things. If I don't have money for my wife's treatment, I won't want to live anymore..."
Light Dragon showed no mercy. "What does your life or death have to do with me? If you have no money, don't open a shop. We'll find someone else who can pay to take this spot. Get out, get out! Don't take up space here."
"Uncle Li!" Xie Xie rushed to Uncle Li's side to help him up.
Tang Wulin glared at Light Dragon. "How can you treat Uncle Li like this!"
Seeing they were just two children, Light Dragon laughed arrogantly. "A little brat dares to meddle in others' business? Scram!"
He raised his hand to push Tang Wulin, but Tang Wulin threw a punch. Light Dragon staggered but immediately lunged back. Their fists collided, and Tang Wulin was actually pushed back two steps. Light Dragon possessed incredible strength and even revealed two spirit rings.
Just as Light Dragon reached for Tang Wulin again, Tang Wulin's right hand summoned Blue Silver Grass, instantly using Binding on Light Dragon's limbs.
Working in perfect harmony, Xie Xie seized the opportunity and pressed his dagger against Light Dragon's neck. "Apologize to Uncle Li and pay for the damages! Otherwise, I'll kill you!"
Light Dragon wasn't afraid. He sneered, "Little brat, you dare to kill me?"
Although Xie Xie had never killed anyone, his anger had already flared up.
The Light Dragon Dagger pressed down, only to find that the opponent's skin had turned iron-gray and his neck was as hard as a block of iron.
Light Dragon threw a punch at Xie Xie.
"Watch out!" Tang Wulin shouted a warning while simultaneously pulling on the Blue Silver Grass wrapped around Light Dragon.
At that moment, a figure abruptly appeared beside Light Dragon. With a press of his hand, Light Dragon instantly slumped to the ground.
Xie Xie, coming to his senses, saw the figure clearly and was instantly overjoyed. "Arthur!"
"What happened?"
Arthur had heard the commotion—people were saying someone was smashing a shop and a fight had broken out—so he rushed over immediately.
Although he couldn't help everyone, he wouldn't let things like this slide if he encountered them.
He arrived just in time to see this scene.
With a quick glance, Arthur remembered that this was something that had happened in the original story. Even with his involvement, Xie Xie frequented this shop, so he would have eventually come into conflict with Light Dragon anyway.
But he still had to ask for clarification first.
Seeing Arthur had arrived, Tang Wulin ran up and, along with Xie Xie, recounted the beginning and end of the matter.
"Oh? You're quite arrogant, aren't you? Even saying things like 'I don't dare to kill you'." Hearing that it was just as he thought, Arthur stepped on Light Dragon's head.
In his view, people like this were worse than Evil Soul Masters. If Evil Soul Masters deserved to die, then this Light Dragon deserved it even more.
Light Dragon tried to push away the foot on his head but couldn't find the strength. "Kid, do you know who I am? My brother is the East Sea City Mecha Captain, Guang Biao!"
"Then do you know who I am?" Arthur raised an eyebrow and suddenly leaned down, lightly tapping a point on the dragon tattoo on Light Dragon's arm. That was exactly where he had blocked the node of the Soul Power circulation within the other's Meridians.
In an instant, it was as if Light Dragon's bones had been removed. The more he tried to use his Soul Power, the more he trembled with pain, and even his curses were stuck in his throat.
Seeing this, the two henchmen nearby were shaking so hard their legs trembled; not one of them dared to step forward, as even Light Dragon had no power to resist.
Someone in the crowd of onlookers whispered, "Isn't that Light Dragon? Someone's finally teaching him a lesson!"
Another person added in a low voice, "Uncle Li is such a good person. His wife is bedridden, and they rely on this shop to survive. Light Dragon is really a piece of work!"
These words reached Light Dragon's ears, and his face turned the color of pig liver, but he could only grit his teeth and endure. "You... you dare to hurt me, my big brother will definitely..."
"Hurt you?" Arthur shook his head. "You just asked Xie Xie if he dared to kill you."
"Now, why don't you guess if I dare to kill you?" His voice was very soft, yet it carried a chilling pressure.
Light Dragon was truly terrified now. He could feel that this person was completely different from Xie Xie. His voice trembled, "I... I was wrong... I'll pay for Uncle Li's shop, I apologize..." His previous arrogance had vanished without a trace, leaving only a face full of terror.
Arthur turned to look at Xie Xie, who was supporting Uncle Li. "Do you know how much was lost?"
Xie Xie immediately consulted with Uncle Li and reported the losses.
Light Dragon hurriedly made his henchmen take out the money, and then he apologized while still under Arthur's foot.
Uncle Li looked at the federation coins in front of him, then at the trembling Light Dragon, and finally let out a sigh. "The money is enough... just don't come back to cause trouble in the future."
"Don't worry, he won't be coming back to cause trouble anymore," Arthur said with a slight shake of his head, reassuring Uncle Li.
Since he had stepped in to help, he would see it through to the end. He had originally intended to just kill him, but looking at the worried Uncle Li and the surrounding crowd, he felt that would have a negative impact.
It would be better to send Light Dragon to prison and lock him up for life.
Arthur was confident that once he sent Light Dragon in, even that Mecha Captain brother of his wouldn't be able to get him out.
This was the confidence that came from having a powerful background.