Chapter 16 Ding Fan Makes a Move

With the addition of Ding Fan, the work on the dock, which was supposed to last until noon, finished before ten o'clock.

The dockworkers were all impressed with Ding Fan. Although he seemed to be a thin and frail man, his efficiency matched that of three workers, making him an excellent worker.

The dock paid daily based on the number of bags carried, and Ding Fan thought this was very convenient as it saved a lot of trouble.

After calculating his wages, Ding Fan counted his earnings, which added up to more than three hundred dollars, while the other workers barely made over a hundred. Ding Fan earned three times what they did.

Ding Fan stuffed the three hundred dollars and a note recording his work into his pocket. From the morning's work, he felt his muscles solidifying and impurities in his body being expelled with his sweat. The morning had not only provided him with body cultivation but also some earnings, so he was in a good mood for a while.

Leaving the dock, Ding Fan headed home. He planned to go directly to the Medicine Shop to pick up some herbs and spend the afternoon at home practicing alchemy.

Ding Fan hadn't taken the less than ten thousand dollars he had left at home; besides, carrying that much money on him was inconvenient, so he had to go home to get the money first anyway.

As Ding Fan passed the nearby market, he glanced at the entrance and was relieved to see the figure of the flower girl.

However, what puzzled Ding Fan was that today, the flower girl's eyes were dull, and her face seemed unusually flushed. At this moment, her movements were also clumsy as she slowly followed two young men towards a white van.

One of the youths had dyed his hair completely white, resembling a White Hair Old Man, while the other was Baldie. They clearly looked like street thugs.

Ding Fan couldn't understand why the flower girl would follow these two men. However, from her walking posture, Ding Fan sensed something was wrong, as she swayed left and right as if drunk.

The flower girl must have been drugged. Although Ding Fan didn't know what the drug was, it must be something that could control her consciousness; otherwise, why would she follow those thugs?

By then, the flower girl and the thugs had gotten into the white van. The vehicle started and quickly drove out of the market entrance.

Ding Fan couldn't delay, so he waved down a taxi. After getting in, he promptly handed a red hundred-yuan bill to the driver.

"Follow the van in front."

Ding Fan was certain the flower girl was in trouble. She had once credited Ding Fan a pot of Fragrant Mind-Consolidating Grass. So, for this reason alone, Ding Fan would not stand idly by if she was in trouble.

The driver, motivated by the money, didn't utter a word and quickly pressed the gas pedal to follow the van.

Not long after Ding Fan left in the taxi, Wu Min came by and looked puzzled at his disappearing figure. She still remembered how Ding Fan had beaten up the yellow-faced woman last night, so she recognized him.

But Wu Min couldn't understand why Ding Fan had watched the flower girl intently for so long and then hurriedly followed her.

Could it be that the flower girl was his friend?

…

The taxi Ding Fan was in followed all the way and eventually entered a residential complex.

It was a complex that evidently didn't house wealthy people. When the flower girl got out of the car, she no longer seemed as alert as when she got in but was supported by the two thugs.

"Brother Mouse, aren't you playing a bit too rough this time? Rape is a crime."

"Do you think Brother Mouse is a fool? He definitely has his methods. Don't worry, we'll definitely keep this girl under our control."

"Really?"

"Relax, you won't miss out on your share…"

Ding Fan followed behind. Upon hearing the name "Mouse," he had a rough idea of what was happening. However, he did not act rashly but merely followed from a distance.

The two thugs took the flower girl to a garage door which soon opened up after being rolled up. They then supported her into the garage. Since the garage was fairly secluded, nobody noticed what was happening there.

The garage was spacious, but its interior didn't resemble a garage at all. It contained a large, white, soft bed, and around it were professional photography equipment, light reflectors, fill lights…

Mouse was currently sitting on a sofa, fiddling with a DSLR camera. Once the thugs walked in, they pushed the flower girl onto the soft bed.

"Big brother, brought the girl to you," Bald Man entered the garage, smiling obsequiously at Mouse.

Mouse put down the camera, glanced at the flower girl sprawled on the couch, and a sinister smile crossed his lips.

"Mouse, what...what's all this about?" White Hair Old Man, his hair dyed white, looked baffled at the photography equipment in the garage.

"Xi Zi, you don't know yet, do you? Big brother here knows how to make money. Not only do we have fun with this girl, but we can also make a fortune," Bald Man said, expertly reaching for the DV by the bed.

"Make a fortune?" White Hair Old Man was still confused.

"Geez, why are you so oblivious? Just give this girl a little something to eat, wait for her to get heated up, then use the DV to capture it all. Get some juicy shots, and then sell them online," explained Bald Man while fidgeting with the DV.

"Don't worry, brother, we've done this several times already. These girls all pretend to be so innocent but just wait until they've ingested the stuff—they go crazy wanting more. Even if they wake up and run to the cops, we've got proof they did it willingly. The cops can't touch us," he added.

As Mouse spoke, he stood up and handed the camera to White Hair Old Man beside him. "When I'm having my fun, make sure to capture the good moments brother; after I've had my fill, I'll let you all have a share too."

"Thanks, Mouse!" Hearing there was something in it for him, White Hair Old Man immediately brightened up with a wide grin.

"Baldie, how's the DV coming along?" Mouse turned and asked Bald Man.

"Bro, it's all set up and recording already," Bald Man replied.

Mouse nodded. "Once she feels the effects of the drug, keep the camera steady... We'll show this chick's true colors today. Damn it, if she dares to betray me later, with this video alone, I can crush her."

"Don't worry, bro, it's not my first day doing this. Don't you know my skills?" Bald Man said with a laugh.

Squeak squeak...

Right at that moment, the roller shutter in the garage that had been lowered began to slowly rise, surprising Mouse and his companions. They had locked the metal chain door; there was no way someone could open the shutter from the outside without unlocking the door first.

The shutter stopped when it had opened about a meter and, at that moment, Ding Fan ducked and came in from the outside. Then, even before Mouse and his companions could understand what was happening, Ding Fan closed the shutter once more.

The three men were somewhat baffled by Ding Fan's actions.

"Fuck! It's you." Mouse instantly recognized Ding Fan. "You've got some nerve showing up here. If Officer Huang hadn't been there the other day, I would have cut you up with my knife."

Ding Fan glanced at the flower girl on the soft bed. He had heard everything that was being discussed in the garage, and their misdeeds against women were unforgivable already—but to exploit their victims even further by making money off recordings was down right vile!

Moreover, from their conversation, Ding Fan could tell this wasn't their first time engaging in such deeds.

Whoosh! In a swift movement, Ding Fan kicked the DV camera out of Bald Man's hands. As the camera flew away, he threw a punch, with his right hand forming a fist, driven by his twisting torso, creating a gust of wind.

Bang!

Ding Fan's powerful right punch landed heavily on Bald Man's neck. Bald Man didn't even have the chance to react; he was sent flying sideways by the force of the punch.

Thud... Bald Man crashed to the ground, raising a cloud of dust. Now, as he lay there, drooling from the mouth, his eyes rolling back, and his right leg kicking uncontrollably...

"Fuck!" White Hair Old Man was stunned. As a gangster, brawls were daily fare, but he had never seen someone strike with such ferocity and visual impact as Ding Fan.

It is often said the meek fear the bold, and the bold fear the reckless. With Ding Fan attacking so mercilessly, White Hair Old Man instantly felt a chill.

Just then, White Hair Old Man suddenly felt a shove from behind, propelling him involuntarily toward Ding Fan.

Ding Fan's right fist hammered straight into White Hair Old Man's face.

Watching Ding Fan's fist enlarge before his eyes, White Hair Old Man internally cursed Mouse behind him—no need to look to know Mouse had pushed him...

Boom!

White Hair Old Man's nose exploded under Ding Fan's punch, blood immediately splattering everywhere. He lost consciousness instantly and collapsed.

"You... you..."

As Mouse stared at his two knocked-out henchmen, he was utterly bewildered. He had not expected Ding Fan to be such a formidable fighter. Had he known this beast was so ruthless earlier, he would never have messed with him.

"Bro! I was wrong... Please spare me," Mouse immediately knelt down.

Seeing the size of Ding Fan's fists, Mouse knew he stood no chance.