The old wooden door closed behind him with a heavy thud.
Fu Fong stood in the middle of the abandoned courtyard, his breathing still uneven from everything that had happened inside Bao Li’s hideout.
The two masked n who had escorted him there did not follow him any farther. They simply stood by the entrance, watching him leave before disappearing back into the darkness.
For a long mont, Fu Fong remained where he was.
His wrists still ached from the ropes.
His mind was even more chaotic.
Bao Li’s words continued to circle inside his head.
Think carefully.
Tomorrow, I want your answer.
A bitter smile appeared on Fu Fong’s face.
"Crazy..."
He muttered the word to himself before turning toward the narrow forest path that led back to the village.
The night was unusually quiet.
The moon hung high above the trees, casting a pale silver light over the empty road.
Fu Fong pulled his clothes tighter around himself and quickened his pace.
He only wanted to return ho.
He wanted to forget this entire night.
But after walking only a short distance, he suddenly heard sothing.
Rustle.
His footsteps stopped.
The sound ca again.
Rustle.
Soone was hiding among the trees.
His heart imdiately tightened.
"Who’s there?"
No answer ca.
Fu Fong frowned and slowly took another step.
Then shadows suddenly rushed out from both sides.
Several n dressed in black surrounded him before he could even react.
His face changed instantly.
"You again?!"
He turned to run.
But another figure appeared behind him.
A rough hand grabbed his shoulder while another covered his mouth.
Fu Fong struggled with everything he had.
"Mmph!"
He kicked wildly and even managed to hit one of the n.
The man rely took half a step backward before grabbing him again.
The movents were clean.
Far more organized than Bao Li’s n had been.
That realization made Fu Fong’s heart sink.
Who exactly were these people?
His arms were restrained again, but unlike before, no one struck him.
No one cursed at him.
The entire group worked in complete silence.
Within monts, his eyes were covered once more.
He was dragged through the darkness.
This ti, however, the journey was much shorter.
Eventually, he heard a wooden gate open.
Then footsteps.
Several people seed to bow at the sa ti.
A calm voice finally spoke.
"Bring him in."
Fu Fong froze.
There was sothing strangely familiar about that voice.
The cloth covering his eyes was removed.
Lantern light flooded his vision.
He blinked several tis before finally seeing where he was.
It was another old house.
But unlike Bao Li’s hideout, this place was surprisingly clean.
Several guards stood along the walls with straight backs.
Every one of them carried a sword.
None of them spoke or spoke.
They simply waited.
Fu Fong slowly looked around.
His breathing beca slower.
Who could command n like this?
Then he noticed the person sitting at the end of the room.
The man was lazily leaning against a wooden chair with one leg crossed over the other.
A teacup rested casually in his hand.
His face was hidden behind the shadows.
Fu Fong narrowed his eyes.
"You..."
The figure slowly raised the teacup and took a sip.
Then he laughed softly.
"What?"
"You don’t recognize already?"
The voice finally matched the face.
Fu Fong’s eyes widened so much they almost seed ready to fall out.
His entire body froze.
"Han... Han Fuji?"
The man sitting before him smiled brightly.
"The very sa."
For several long monts, Fu Fong simply stared at him.
His mind completely refused to accept what he was seeing.
Han Fuji?
The sa Han Fuji who looks and acts like power and money was far within his grip.
How the hell did he get such influence when they when only been in the barren land for such short period of ti.
Impossible.
Fu Fong slowly looked toward the n standing around the room.
Not one of them looked like ordinary villagers.
Their expressions were cold and their posture was disciplined.
Every movent they made was precise.
These were trained n.
And they were all taking orders from Han Fuji.
An uneasy feeling slowly crawled up Fu Fong’s back.
Han Fuji noticed the look on his face and smiled even wider.
"You seem surprised."
Fu Fong could barely find his voice.
"You..."
He looked around the room again.
"Who are these people?"
Han Fuji rested his chin against one hand.
"My people."
Fu Fong’s breathing stopped for a mont.
His people?
How?
Bai Ming had married this man.
Surely she would know if her husband controlled a force like this.
Unless...
A frightening thought suddenly entered his mind.
Maybe she did not know.
Maybe nobody knew.
Maybe the carefree man everyone laughed with was only a mask.
Fu Fong slowly looked back at Han Fuji.
For the first ti since they had t...
He realized he had never truly understood the man sitting in front of him.
Han Fuji gently placed his teacup on the table.
The smile on his face remained, but there was no warmth behind it anymore.
"You humiliated my wife in front of the entire village."
His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest.
"You made her cry."
His eyes slowly narrowed.
"And unlike Bao Li..."
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"...I hold grudges."
The room fell completely silent.
Fu Fong suddenly understood sothing that made his blood run cold.
Tonight...
His first kidnapping had been an a form of alliance.
But this one...
This one had been waiting for him all along and it totally wasn’t gonna end in talking.
"So..."
His eyes narrowed.
"Who exactly are you?"
Han Fuji picked up his teacup again.
"I thought you already knew my na."
Fu Fong took a step forward.
"No."
His voice beca colder.
"I know the fool who follows Bai Ming around all day."
"I know the man who drinks too much and jokes too much."
"But that man..."
His eyes swept across the room.
"...does not command people like these."
The smile on Han Fuji’s face remained unchanged.
Fu Fong pointed at the guards.
"You act like so important Song Li from the capital."
"You carry yourself like soone who has spent his entire life ordering people around."
His breathing slowly beca uneven.
"And now I find you hiding in the barren lands with so many n under your command."
He stared directly into Han Fuji’s eyes.
"Who are you?"
Han Fuji quietly took another sip of tea.
"I am Bai Ming’s husband."
Fu Fong’s expression darkened.
"I am serious."
"So am I."
The answer only made him angrier.
"You think this is funny?"
Han Fuji gently placed the teacup back on the table.
"No."
"Then answer !"
Fu Fong’s voice echoed through the old house.
The guards standing along the walls did not move.
The lantern flas continued to sway quietly.
Only Han Fuji looked at him with complete calmness.
For a long mont, neither of them spoke.
Then Han Fuji slowly set his teacup down.
The soft sound of porcelain touching wood seed unusually loud in the silent room.
He looked at Fu Fong and let out a small sigh.
"You really talk too much."
Fu Fong gritted his teeth.
"You kidnapped in the middle of the night."
"You expect not to ask questions?"
Han Fuji lightly waved his hand.
"The answers you want are not important."
"What is important..."
A faint smile slowly appeared on his face.
"...is that I ca here to finish our unfinished business."
Fu Fong frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
Han Fuji leaned back in his chair.
"The bet."
The single word made Fu Fong’s expression freeze.
For a brief mont, he simply stared.
Then his face gradually darkened.
"You..."
Han Fuji nodded.
"I still rember your bet, you made a very big bet."
"You were so confident."
"You even mocked my wife in front of everyone."
His smile slowly disappeared.
"I have a very good mory."
Fu Fong unconsciously took a step backward.
"That was just people talking."
"No."
Han Fuji’s voice remained gentle.
"That was a promise."
He slowly lifted his hand.
"Bring them in."
Several guards imdiately bowed.
"Yes, Master."
The old wooden door opened.
Heavy footsteps echoed from outside.
Fu Fong instinctively turned his head.
A group of large won walked into the courtyard one after another.
They were dressed in bright, exaggerated clothing, their faces heavily made up, and each of them wore an expression that suggested they had absolutely no patience for nonsense.
The mont they entered, they glanced around the room.
Then their eyes landed on Fu Fong.
Several of them folded their arms.
One even cracked her knuckles.
Fu Fong’s face imdiately lost all color.
"No..."
He looked back at Han Fuji.
"You can’t be serious."
Han Fuji simply smiled.
The guards respectfully guided the won toward a small room at the far corner of the courtyard.
The old wooden door was pushed open.
Lantern light spilled across the floor before the won disappeared inside.
The door remained open.
Han Fuji slowly stood up.
He walked toward Fu Fong until only a few steps separated them.
A mischievous smile rested on his face.
"I arranged all of this especially for you."
He gently dusted an invisible speck from his sleeve.
"After all..."
"A man should always keep his word."
Fu Fong stared at him in horror.
"You... you wouldn’t actually..."
Han Fuji looked at the guards.
"Why wouldn’t I?"
Then he turned back to Fu Fong.
"I rember very clearly how proudly you spoke that day."
"You laughed while my wife was being humiliated."
"You enjoyed watching her suffer."
His smile never faded.
"So tonight..."
"You can experience a little embarrassnt yourself."
Fu Fong’s legs nearly gave out beneath him.
His earlier anger disappeared completely.
"Han Fuji..."
His voice shook.
"I was wrong."
"I apologize."
"You’ve already taken your revenge."
"Just let go."
Han Fuji quietly looked at him.
Then he shook his head.
"If apologies could erase everything..."
"...Bai Ming would never have cried."
Fu Fong’s breathing beca uneven.
For the first ti in many years, genuine fear appeared on his face.
He took another hurried step forward.
"I’ll apologize publicly."
"I’ll do anything."
"Please—"
Before he could finish speaking, Han Fuji calmly lifted one hand.
The guards imdiately understood.
Two n stepped forward and grabbed Fu Fong by the arms.
His eyes widened.
"No!"
He struggled desperately.
"Han Fuji!"
"You can’t do this!"
The guards ignored him completely.
Han Fuji turned around and picked up his teacup again.
Without even looking back, he spoke calmly.
"Take him away."
Fu Fong struggled with everything he had.
His voice echoed through the old house as he shouted and begged.
But Han Fuji simply stood there with his back facing him, quietly sipping his tea while the guards dragged the panicking man toward the room in the corner of the courtyard.
The old wooden door slowly closed.
And only then did a faint smile return to Han Fuji’s face.
"So debts," he murmured softly to himself, "should never be left unpaid."
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