Chapter 33: Grand Opening

His clothes were open at the chest, with a brutish face and an overall gangster vibe—clearly not good people.

Mock was the leader of a small gang in the southern district of the imperial capital, making his living by collecting protection fees. As on Earth, light and darkness coexisted here; this place also had its criminal underworld.

Today, someone gave Mock ten gold coins to cause trouble at the two newly reopened restaurants and clothing shops. Mock naturally didn’t refuse and brought a group of his brothers along.

There were more than ten thugs in total. As soon as they arrived at the entrance, they brusquely shoved aside the customers. Sanchez frowned—he was the manager Xu Feng had hired. These people clearly meant trouble, but as the saying goes, harmony brings wealth. He stepped outside and said, "Gentlemen, you..."

"Get lost!" Mock shoved Sanchez aside, while his underlings began harassing the young women greeting customers, which immediately provoked screams. The thugs laughed heartily.

"Stop!"

A cold voice rang out. The crowd parted, and Xu Feng stepped forward. Mock held his men back. This young man exuded an oppressive aura... but don’t get the wrong idea—it wasn’t a kingly aura, but the aura of a mage, though these thugs didn’t recognize it.

"You are..." Mock signaled his men to stop, his voice softening. He had a feeling this young man shouldn’t be provoked, but he’d taken the money, now he had to deliver. Now that things had come to this, he had no choice but to cause trouble.

"I’m the owner here. Why are you causing trouble?"

As Xu Feng spoke, the unsettling aura that had bothered Mock vanished. The small gang leader thought it must have been his imagination and got cocky again.

"Causing trouble? I’m here to collect protection fees."

"Oh." A faint smile appeared at the corner of Xu Feng’s mouth. "Do you know what I hate the most?"

"What?" The thug blinked, confused.

"Someone getting cocky in front of me."

Xu Feng’s voice came through, and at the same time, Mock saw a fist rapidly enlarging before his eyes. With a thud, he took a hard punch to the face. The thugs were stunned—they had come to cause trouble, but before they could even start, the other side had struck first.

Weren’t businessmen supposed to value harmony and avoid trouble? Who was this young man? The thugs had a bad feeling.

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. When Xu Feng took over these two shops, he had anticipated that someone might cause trouble. So not only did he personally oversee things, but he also hired a group of bodyguards.

"Damn it!"

Mock had never been insulted like this before. Xu Feng’s punch had swollen his eye. After clambering to his feet, his face twisted into a vicious snarl. "Brothers, smash this place!"

The thugs roared in agreement and were about to rush forward when Xu Feng’s lips curled into a disdainful smile. Immediately, the bodyguards charged forward.

A fierce brawl erupted at the shop entrance. In less than two minutes, the situation became one-sided. Mock’s men were just a bunch of thugs and unemployed drifters—they could bully ordinary people, but today they had run into a brick wall. The reason was simple: the bodyguards Xu Feng hired were professional adventurers. Though not high-level, they could handle several of these lowlifes at once. The thugs were pummeled, howling in agony.

The customers weren’t scared off; instead, they stood by and applauded. These thugs had been bullying and oppressing people for a long time, making them universally despised. Seeing them beaten up felt like a breath of fresh air for everyone, and their goodwill toward the owner of these two shops greatly increased.

"Damn it, how did this happen?"

The person who had paid to instigate the thugs was now hiding nearby. The situation had developed completely beyond his expectations. He hadn’t expected the new owner of these shops to be so tough after the change in ownership. But... he still had a backup plan.

The crisp sound of horse hooves echoed from the end of the street. A small squad of cavalry appeared. From their armor and equipment, it was clear they were part of the Imperial Capital’s Constabulary cavalry unit.

Xu Feng frowned. It seemed his opponent had considerable influence, even able to bribe the Constabulary to serve him. Fine, let’s see what other tricks he could pull.

The patrol soldiers quickly arrived at the shop entrance, forming a semicircle to block the exits. Xu Feng frowned again. The hired bodyguards wisely stopped fighting, though by now, none of the thugs could stand up.

The leader of this squad was a handsome knight, around thirty years old. On his chest hung a certification badge—Intermediate Lower-Rank Knight. Not bad—an Intermediate Knight already possessed Battle Aura.

"What’s going on here? How dare you cause a public disturbance? Don’t you know this violates the Imperial Capital’s Public Security Regulations?"

"Officer, I think you should first understand the situation. For example, the cause and course of events." Xu Feng glanced at him. "This wasn’t a public brawl. They were causing trouble, and we were merely defending ourselves."

"I’m not an officer; I’m Captain Zari of the Fifth Squad of the Public Security Department."

"Alright, Knight Zari, I’ve already said they were causing trouble." Xu Feng sighed.

"That’s not true, Sir Knight."

Mock, the thug leader, struggled to his feet, tears and snot streaming down his face as he recounted how he, a law-abiding citizen, had been unjustly beaten by the owners of these two shops. He even wailed loudly as he spoke, his acting skills so masterful that it was a waste he wasn’t in theater!

Unfortunately, justice lies in the hearts of the people. The onlookers booed continuously, with many exposing his lies. However, Knight Zari seemed to turn a blind eye to all this. He glanced at the young man before him and said, "Based on your unjustified assault on an imperial citizen, according to public security regulations, I am now arresting you. These two shops will also be temporarily sealed." With that, he ordered his soldiers to take action.

Xu Feng smiled, looking sarcastically at the knight before him. "Captain, didn’t you hear the voices of the people around you? Or is distorting the truth your habit?"