Chapter 14 You’re looking for death

"Huh! Why didn't they answer the phone? It's past noon; they should be taking a break. My dad's team is renovating, and they usually rest at this time," Luo Feng muttered to himself. He tapped the "Mobile Location Finder" feature on his phone screen, and a map of Yangzhou City quickly appeared. A red dot marked his own location, while a green dot indicated his father's phone.

"Not too far from me," Luo Feng deduced, a smile tugging at his lips. * "I'll run over to Dad and deliver the news of my becoming a prospective martial artist in person." He immediately followed the map's directions, speeding toward his destination.

In the Yidong District, at the Tiandu Garden residential complex...

"Hurry up! Get those items moved faster so you can rest and eat lunch. We want to eat too!" Zhang Haobai, clad in white T-shirt and pants, frowned as he urged the workers. Three stern-faced bodyguards stood by his side.

"Take it easy, sir. These furniture pieces are valuable; we can't be careless!" One of the renovation crew members called out. Outside the villa's private courtyard, a truck loaded with well-wrapped wooden furniture stood parked.

Wooden furniture is a luxury in this era—rare and expensive! Most people live in urban districts where trees are scarce, planted only for aesthetic purposes. While there are abundant trees outside the city, they're guarded by monsters. The cost of felling and transporting them is sky-high!

Today, most households use plastic or glass furniture. Wood is a luxury only the wealthy can afford.

"Be careful," the renovation crew members whispered as they carefully unloaded the heavy furniture from the truck. Three of them strained to carry the solid wood pieces, each weighing over a thousand pounds.

"Hold it steady," Zhang Haobai warned, * "These are high-quality timber pieces. If you damage them, your boss will have your heads." The workers panted, their faces glistening with sweat. It was July, just past 1 p.m., the hottest time of the day.

"Guys, let's take a short break. We'll carry the rest into the house in one go," one of the workers suggested, placing the furniture down gently in the courtyard before straightening up with a relieved sigh.

"Old Luo, my stomach is growling," another worker said, stretching his large frame.

"After this set, there are two more. Once we're done, we'll all go eat together," Luo Hongguo replied with a grin, wiping sweat from his brow. Three men moving over a thousand pounds of precious furniture was indeed backbreaking labor.

"Hurry up!" Zhang Haobai urged impatiently.

"Alright," Luo Hongguo bent down to grip the furniture, * "Let's lift it together, boys!" With a collective * "One, two, three, lift!", they heaved the furniture up the stairs and into the house, emerging moments later. As they passed by Zhang Haobai and his men, the stench of sweat wafted through the air, causing Zhang to frown.

"Poor people will always be poor; they're destined to do this hard labor for life," he thought disdainfully. Born into a wealthy family, Zhang Haobai had always looked down on those at society's lowest rungs, believing they lacked the drive to better their lives.

"Be careful not to bump into the door," Luo Hongguo warned as they carried the furniture again, their clothes drenched in sweat, beads of perspiration trickling down their faces and necks.

"Take a breather outside," they said, setting the furniture down once more to catch their breath.

"Let's go, one, two, three, lift!" Though tired, the workers were accustomed to this grueling labor, knowing their limits well and rarely making mistakes. Moments later, they returned to move the final set of furniture.

"It's so hot," Zhang Haobai muttered, glancing at the sky. * "Wang Ge, let's grab a bite at the restaurant next door after this."

"Thank you, young master!" the bodyguards replied cheerfully.

Zhang Haobai glanced at the renovation crew, then his eyes landed on a crack in the marble pathway of the courtyard—the result of his sparring with his guards days earlier. * "Hmm," he thought, * "My allowance is running low. This could come in handy!" Just then, Luo Hongguo's phone rang. * "It must be Xiao Feng," he thought, but with the furniture still in his hands, he couldn't answer. He decided to wait until they set it down.

"Take a break outside, and handle it gently," Luo Hongguo instructed as they carefully lowered the furniture. He pulled out his phone and saw his son's name on the caller ID, a smile spreading across his face. Just as he was about to call back, a shout erupted:

"What's going on here?"

"Ah! You were told to be careful. What did you do?" Zhang Haobai's angry voice boomed. Luo Hongguo and his crew turned to see Zhang's dark expression, his finger pointing at the marble pathway crushed by the furniture: * "How could you be so careless? Look what you've done to my family's marble! This is Nanshan marble, worth tens of thousands per piece. Do you think you can afford to pay for this?!"

Luo Hongguo and his crew looked down to see a small crack in the marble beneath the furniture.

"Hmph! I'll call your boss and sort this out," Zhang Haobai fumed, * "Wang Ge, do you have their company's number? Call them and have their boss come over! Talking to these people is useless."

"I have their number," the bodyguard named Wang said, pulling out his phone.

The renovation crew exchanged knowing glances.

"That crack was already there before," the tall worker said.

"Stop making excuses!" Zhang Haobai scoffed. Luo Hongguo, an experienced worker, knew that such disputes were tricky. Companies valued their reputation, and without proof that the workers weren't responsible, they would likely have to pay up, which would result in deductions from the workers' wages.

"Let's just move the furniture inside first," Luo Hongguo suggested, reaching for the furniture.

"Move it inside?" Zhang Haobai stepped forward, shoving Luo Hongguo aside. * "Don't try any tricks! The furniture is on the marble, and that's evidence! You think you can move it inside and then deny it? I've seen all these little tricks before. Wait for your boss to arrive," he barked.

"Old Luo, Old Luo!" The other workers rushed to help Luo Hongguo to his feet.

"It's okay," Luo Hongguo said, rubbing his shoulder.

"Why did you push us?" the workers retorted angrily. * "We didn't even know if we broke the marble. What's your problem?" These laborers weren't afraid of confrontation; if things escalated, they'd fight back, knowing that even if arrested, the police would likely release them without pressing charges.

"Don't get smart with me!" Zhang Haobai kicked the two workers in the stomachs, sending them flying.

"Pfft! Pfft!" They landed on the ground, gasping for air.

"Think again before you act tough!" Zhang Haobai sneered. His family had influence in Yidong District, and beating up a few poor laborers was nothing to him.

"Wang Ge, teach them a lesson so they'll shut up," he ordered, waving his hand. The bodyguards moved in to discipline the workers, while Zhang Haobai took the phone.

"Yes, this is Tiandu Garden. Get Mr. Hou from the renovation company on the line. Your delivery crew today was a disaster—messing up my marble pathway. Send someone over to fix this, or don't expect payment for the furniture!"

Before he could finish—

"Stop!" A loud shout came from outside the courtyard. Luo Hongguo and his crew, cornered by the burly bodyguards, were covered in bruises.

"Hmm?" The bodyguards and Zhang Haobai turned to see a模糊 figure dash into the courtyard. Zhang Haobai recognized Luo Feng immediately and bellowed, * "Luo Feng, you dare show up at my place? Attack him!"

"You son of a—" Luo Feng's eyes blazed as he saw his father, drenched in sweat and clutching his stomach in the corner, his face red with rage. For years, his father had endured such hardships and disdain, only to suffer this indignity today.

One of the bodyguards, a short and pudgy man, sneered and stepped forward.

"Get lost!" Luo Feng roared, delivering a powerful kick that sent the pudgy guard flying four meters before crashing to the ground. The other bodyguards jumped in shock.

"Luo Feng, you came to my house to attack my men? You're asking for death!" Zhang Haobai shouted, his eyes bulging.

"You're looking for death!" Luo Feng snarled, his eyes glowing with fury.