The green-haired thug sneered, his gaze sweeping over the small barbecue stall with a predatory gleam. "We've just eaten several skewers of what you roasted. Who knows what kind of filth or virus was in it?" He took a dramatic pause, crossing his arms. "You better compensate us."
E Jonga narrowed his eyes, his expression hardening. "How much do you want?"
"Counting our moral damages, lost wages, and medical expenses..." Green Hair smirked, "Give us ten thousand dollars, and this matter is settled."
Fonley's face drained of color. "Ten thousand dollars?! You might as well go rob a bank!" Their stall had just opened, and they hadn't even started turning a profit yet. That amount would take months, if not years, to earn.
Green Hair slammed his palm onto the table, making the dishes rattle. "What did you just say? Are you accusing me of extortion? I found a cockroach in my food! Shouldn't I be compensated?"
"I think you planted that cockroach yourself!" Ising Yu stepped forward, standing protectively beside her mother. "You all look dressed up in fancy clothes, but you don't act like decent people."
At her words, Green Hair turned his head, his eyes narrowing as a lecherous grin spread across his face. "Well now, forget about the money. We can settle this another way."
E Jonga, misinterpreting his words, immediately brightened. "Oh? You're letting it go? Well, that's good! What would you like to eat? I'll cover your bill tonight."
Green Hair let out a low chuckle. "I haven't finished talking yet. I don't want your money—but your daughter… she's a real beauty. How about this? Let her have a drink with us, and we'll call it even."
His gang erupted in laughter, their gazes crawling over Ising Yu like vultures eyeing prey. "Yeah, a little drink… then we can have some real fun!"
Fonley's hands trembled with anger as she whipped out her phone. "Enough! You're going too far! I'm calling the police."
Before she could dial, Green Hair lunged forward, snatching the phone from her hands. With a sneer, he threw it to the ground, shattering it beneath his heel. "Call the cops? Let's see if you can still dial without a phone."
From his waist, he drew a gleaming knife, pointing it at them menacingly. "Now listen, I've changed my mind. Not only do you owe me money, but your daughter's coming with us for the night. Otherwise, don't blame me for what happens next."
Fear gripped the small family as they instinctively shielded Ising Yu. Nearby customers, sensing imminent danger, fled the scene, leaving behind only overturned chairs and half-eaten meals.
"Stop right there! You haven't paid your bills!" Fonley called out desperately, but the fleeing diners had no intention of staying in harm's way.
Green Hair sneered. "Tsk, tsk. What a shame. Looks like you're all alone now. So, what'll it be? The money or the girl?"
The whole time, Yang Mo had been sitting calmly, watching the scene unfold without so much as a flinch. His indifference seemed to enrage Green Hair further. He stomped over to Yang Mo and banged the knife against the table. "Hey, brat. You deaf or something? You think you can just sit there and ignore me?"
Ising Yu gasped. "Brother Yang Mo, be careful!"
Yang Mo finally rose to his feet, his gaze steady and unreadable as he met Green Hair's hostile glare. "What kind of lowlife resorts to threatening innocent people just to make a quick buck? You don't even have the courage to earn your own living, so you go around scaring small vendors instead? Pathetic."
A tense silence fell over the scene. Green Hair involuntarily gulped. Despite Yang Mo's lean frame, there was something unsettling about his unwavering confidence.
"What did you just say?" Green Hair barked, trying to cover up his uncertainty.
One of his lackeys, seeing his hesitation, goaded him on. "Brother Green Hair, you gonna let him talk to you like that? Cut him down!"
For a moment, Green Hair hesitated. He might carry a knife, but he'd never actually used it. It was all for show—intimidation. Getting physical meant real consequences, and in a society governed by law, serious injury could land him in jail. Usually, his threats alone were enough to get what he wanted. But Yang Mo wasn't flinching. That made things complicated.
Just then, his phone rang. Relief flickered across his face as he quickly answered.
"Where the hell are you, Green Hair?!" an angry voice barked from the other end. "Didn't you say you'd have my money ready? I've been waiting all damn night!"
Green Hair stiffened. "Knife Brother, don't worry! I'm handling it right now, but I ran into some stubborn folks who won't cough up the cash."
"Hah? Stubborn? Did you mention my name? You think people dare mess with Little Le's Flying Dagger?!"
Desperate to save face, Green Hair immediately twisted the situation. "Of course, I mentioned it! But this guy laughed and said you must have been watching too many TV dramas to come up with such a lame name."
The line went dead for a second. Then—
"What?! That bastard wants to die! Where are you? I'm coming over right now!"
Green Hair's confidence surged. He smirked and put his phone away before glaring at Yang Mo. "You're done for, kid. My boss is on his way. Let's see if you're still brave when he gets here."