Chapter 88: The Fight

The Japanese girl bowed to Qiu Fengyu.

“No need, don’t thank me. You’ve already paid a high price. I made quite a profit,” Qiu Fengyu spoke frankly.

“Still, I have to thank you,” the Japanese girl insisted, her face still expressionless.

Qiu Fengyu scratched his head. “Come again tomorrow. For now, you should go back.”

The Japanese girl rose to her feet, bowed to Qiu Fengyu again, and then left, still wearing a satisfied smile as if content with the delicacies he had made.

“That girl likes you,” Tim came over, watching the Japanese girl’s departing figure and grinning mischievously. “If she smiled a bit more, she’d be quite pretty.”

“I’m telling you… Boss, I bet Chief Coffin will be upset,” Davis joined them.

“Get lost, go clean up.”

“Boss, about the Cobra… what’s our move?” Tim asked.

“The day after tomorrow we’re escorting those two bastards to prison,” Davis said. “To be cautious, I think Chief Coffin will come along…”

“Come back tomorrow night,” Qiu Fengyu cut in.

Tim grinned, and even Davis nodded. Yes, if Cobra tried to ambush them along the way, Chief Coffin would almost certainly be in danger. Not only that, Cobra might launch a retaliatory massacre on the townsfolk. That was a given.

After dinner, Qiu Fengyu took Tim and Davis driving around the outskirts of the town, going as far as thirty miles out.

Familiarizing oneself with the terrain was not just for his own sake—it was also a means of anticipating the enemy.

Especially at spots where they might be ambushed, Qiu Fengyu kept making notes in his little notebook.

Once everything was done, he told Davis and Tim to come back and survey the area again the next day.

Night had fallen. After dropping the two off at their homes, Qiu Fengyu returned to his shop. According to his habit, he grabbed a few beers and sat on the rooftop.

The lights of the small town cast a gentle glow over the night. It felt as though he was gradually adapting to the slower rhythm of life here.

Suddenly, there were loud bangs—someone was firing a gun, and people were shouting and arguing. A police car sped through the town, its headlights sweeping toward the bar.

“Damn it, we should all pick up our guns!” A burly man wearing a cowboy hat and a crumpled vest waved his revolver and yelled drunkenly.

The police car door opened, and Chief Coffin stepped out.

“Hey, Sandra, drop that damn gun!” Coffin drew her pistol and aimed it at Sandra, shouting loudly. Another officer got out from the other side, his weapon also trained on the big man.

“Chief Coffin—hey, hello, Chief Coffin, why are you pointing a gun at me?” Sandra slurred, turning unsteadily to face the chief.

“Don’t come any closer! I swear I’ll shoot, Sandra, drop the damn gun—right now!” Chief Coffin barked.

“You going to shoot me? Go ahead, then! Everyone in this town is a coward anyway. I’m helping you—we need to fight those sons of bitches… let them know Abilene cowboys aren’t to be messed with!” The big man waved his gun around, sending the bystanders scurrying and gasping in terror.

“Listen, Chief Coffin, these people are like women—hear how scared they sound?” Sandra shouted to the crowd. “Hey, you cowards of Abilene, are you really so afraid of those bastards?”

“That’s enough, Sandra, you’re drunk. Give me your gun.” Chief Coffin holstered her own pistol and approached Sandra with her hand out. “I’ll hold onto it for you. When those bastards show up, we’ll deal with them together…”

“No, no, Chief, I’m not one of those cowards. I’m ready for war at any moment, to fight those bastards…” Suddenly, Sandra stumbled back two steps, brandishing his gun at Coffin. “Don’t come near me. I can’t guarantee my gun won’t go off… just leave me alone, okay?”

He laughed uproariously as he spoke.

“I’ll be this town’s savior, folks… You’re all cowards… spineless…” Suddenly, with a jerk, he raised his pistol and fired—bang! The bullet whizzed over Chief Coffin’s head.

Coffin dove to the ground, then slowly got up, shaken. The other officer started to fire, but Chief Coffin stopped him. She drew her own weapon.

“Listen, Sandra, I’m giving you one last chance… If you put the gun down, I’ll let you go…”

“Don’t even think about it. I’m a warrior. When I was serving in the Navy, what were you doing, little lady? Don’t think that just because you’re chief, you’re more experienced—I’m the one with real combat experience. The police should be following my orders…”

With a crash, Sandra suddenly collapsed.

“Oh my god!” People around them cried out in shock.

As Sandra fell, Qiu Fengyu appeared behind him, shaking out his hand before turning to Chief Coffin with a smile. “He’s a tough one.”

“Watch out!” Chief Coffin suddenly shouted at Qiu Fengyu.

Sure enough, Sandra, even after hitting the ground, began to climb to his feet. His gun had slipped from his grasp—Chief Coffin kicked it away, and the other officer quickly retrieved it.

“You’re dead, kid!” Sandra snarled, squaring off against Qiu Fengyu in a fighter’s stance.

Qiu Fengyu shrugged and began circling Sandra slowly.

“Buddy, I know it was you who wrote those words on my noodle shop’s wall,” he said.

“So what if I did? There’s no one in this town who’s a bigger bastard than you. Close shop at a whim, damn it, I’ll write whatever I want. What are you going to do about it?” Sandra barked, suddenly lunging forward and throwing a punch at Qiu Fengyu.

Qiu Fengyu dodged nimbly.

His punches were heavy, fast, and carried real force. If he weren’t drunk, they’d probably be even quicker.

“Is that all you’ve got?” Qiu Fengyu taunted him.

“Damn it, I’ll knock that look off your face!” Sandra threw another flurry of punches.

Qiu Fengyu dodged them all, deftly shifting his steps and provoking Sandra with more jibes, which only made him angrier.

“Hey, kid, is dodging all you know? Just like everyone else in this town—you’ve caught the cowards’ disease. Where’s your courage now?” Sandra jeered, and without warning, swung a powerful punch at Qiu Fengyu.

The force of that blow was palpable; even the crowd could feel it. Chief Coffin couldn’t help but cry out, “Qiu—!”

With a sharp smack, Sandra’s fist landed squarely in Qiu Fengyu’s open palm. Qiu Fengyu gripped his fist, retreated a few steps to diffuse the force, and unbalanced the big man.

With a thud, Sandra pitched forward and crashed to the ground like a sack of potatoes, the impact echoing loudly. Qiu Fengyu had kicked him sharply in the shin, making him collapse. Then, with a swift move, he twisted Sandra’s arms behind his back.

“He’s all yours, Chief Coffin!” Qiu Fengyu winked at her, beckoning her over.

Chief Coffin shot him a glare, then went to cuff Sandra. Sandra struggled to his feet and glared at Qiu Fengyu. “I’ll be back for you, buddy, I swear I will!”

“Spend some quality time at the station first,” Qiu Fengyu replied, flipping him off.

“Hey, boss, that was amazing!” Davis called out from the crowd, giving Qiu Fengyu a thumbs up before glancing at Sandra being shoved into the police car by Chief Coffin. “That guy’s notorious for being a handful.”

“No, clearly he’s not,” Qiu Fengyu replied, grinning at Davis. “I’m the toughest one around!” With that, he slung his coat over his shoulder and headed toward his noodle shop.

“That move was awesome—will you teach me?” Davis called.

“Of course—now get lost! I’m going to bed,” Qiu Fengyu waved him off.

That night’s brawl outside the bar made many in town see Qiu Fengyu in a new light. Clearly, he wasn’t afraid of trouble—and he could certainly hold his own in a fight.

The crowd dispersed, some returning to the bar, others heading home to sleep. The quiet of the small town night slowly returned.