Chapter 01: A Misunderstanding Leads to Danger

A young man reached out and caught a tomato that had been thrown from an unknown source, instantly becoming furious: "Who the hell threw that! Are you tired of living or what!"

Farmer A did not doubt his own eyesight; he was a type that could thrive in both urban and suburban areas. Having frequently roamed the streets of the city, he had long since developed a keen eye, holding a record of four months without being caught by the urban management. He stared intently through the morning mist at the leisurely people walking down the street, suddenly shouting, "Damn it, it's really the urban management, you all still don't believe it!" He then quickly started his three-wheeled motorcycle, preparing to make a getaway.

The sudden turn of events left the young man stunned. After enduring countless blows, he was furious and took a few steps forward, ready to confront someone who was about to throw a radish. However, upon closer inspection, he realized it was a man in his forties or fifties, with a weathered face and graying hair. This realization abruptly halted his fist. The radish vendor, seeing the situation, instinctively covered his head, rolled onto the ground, and began to wail: "Help! Help! The city management is hitting people! Help! The city management is hitting people!"

The deputy of Wang did some work, causing the onlookers to disperse. A police officer opened the trunk of the police car, and Yang Ermao cooperatively got in by himself. The officer then kicked him on the backside, and Yang Ermao, already fuming, shouted, "Who the hell are you kicking!"

Today, none of you are allowed to leave. Whoever caused this, step forward and compensate me for my clothes and medical expenses. Do you think I am easy to bully? If I can't find the person responsible, I will beat each and every one of you. Do you believe I can take down this group of scoundrels?

... ...

Not far from the market lies the famous Song City of Fengcheng—Jinxiu Song City. Early in the morning, a young man emerged from the Song City. As usual, at this time every day, he jogged a few kilometers in the city square. However, yesterday he might have indulged in a night of revelry with friends, leaving the Song City only at dawn. Walking along the road leading to the urban area, the young man swung his shoulders and kicked his legs, performing the warm-up exercises he often did.

On a midsummer morning, Fengcheng, located at the foot of the Zhongtiao Mountains, appears particularly tranquil. In the thin morning mist, one can faintly see the towering buildings both near and far, lined up in succession. Although this emerging city, which is based on coal, somewhat lacks cultural depth, it still ranks among the renowned cities of the Sanjin region due to its solid economic foundation

The young man who had just jogged to the edge of the market was momentarily taken aback; he suddenly realized that the entire market, including both the buyers and sellers, was staring at him. Even the draft animals were no exception; an apparently older bull occasionally let out a defiant "moo"! It seemed to him that he had never received such attention before.

Hi! No, that's not right! The young man known as Yang Ermao suddenly realized and cursed himself internally. He often got caught and had become accustomed to wearing handcuffs. When others arrived, he put them on himself without any explanation. Isn't that just asking for trouble?

The vendors, who were observing closely, suddenly stopped their hands as if they had been magically frozen in place. Some of them were still holding onto vegetables they had not thrown away. The surrounding vendors were indeed taken aback by his performance of breaking bricks with bare hands. It is worth noting that the half brick had been rigorously tested, as it could withstand the weight of a 500-pound cart without breaking. Everyone felt that something seemed off; the usual characteristics of the urban management officers, who were known to bully the weak and fear the strong, were very evident. When they encountered a crowd of vegetable farmers, they would run away faster than rabbits. It was rare to see someone so bold.

The young man glanced behind him, puzzled, as there was no one there. He was certain that these people were looking at him. He lowered his head to examine himself and, with a lack of confidence, touched his face. It was strange; there were no flowers growing on his body or face. He thought to himself that it was indeed an eerie start to the day. However, he paid little mind to it and continued walking forward, observing the astonished crowd. In his usual tone, he said, "Look, what are you staring at? Do I look like a young lady?"

I... I can't believe how unlucky I am! After the police officer reviewed the footage of his earlier performance, Yang Ermao estimated that he was definitely going to take the blame. He weakly said, "Deputy Wang, I truly am wronged this time"

... ...

... ...

In Fengcheng, the term "Ermao" is generally used to refer to transient migrants from other places. This young man is named Yang Wei, a fact well known among the personnel at the Jinxiu Police Station. However, everyone has become accustomed to calling him Yang Ermao, and his reputation is quite significant. Many people are aware of Yang Ermao, while very few know his actual name, Yang Wei. More people mistakenly believe that his name is simply Yang Ermao.

"You came to check so early; are you sure you aren't seeing things? If you're coming, you should bring a whole truckload of people!" said a potato wholesaler while weighing the potatoes.

The morning market by the beautiful bridge did not originally exist; it only emerged two months ago. There are already seven or eight wholesale markets for fruits and vegetables in the urban area, but many vendors engaged in small-scale retail prefer to source directly from farmers or long-distance traders rather than wholesale from the markets. This is because the variety is abundant and the prices are low, eliminating multiple costs such as those from industry and commerce, urban management, and taxation. Even small business owners in the wholesale markets are willing to source directly from here.

"Don't give me that, weren't you the one who claimed to be wronged last time! Take them away... The crowd has dispersed, it's all over, you there, you few, come back with us to make a record... What do you mean you don't want to go? You have to go, assisting in the investigation is a civic duty... Everyone else has already left!"

This young man seemed to have been unjustly attacked, and he was filled with genuine anger. He glared, pointing a finger at the crowd, and shouted in a very arrogant and furious manner: "Damn it, go ahead and hit me! Go ahead and strike!"

"No way, this place has only been here for two months, and we still can't find it!" said a carrot seller.

Yang Ermao, what kind of scoundrel are you, I still don't know! The police officer, known as Deputy Wang, felt relieved upon seeing him; after all, it wasn't a serious case. He lit a cigarette and said, "You say they bullied you, who would believe that? Let the public see what kind of character you have, and see who the bad guys are and who the good people are!" He then looked at Yang Ermao with a mocking expression

Yang Ermao suddenly realized, looking around at the people nearby. Aside from the old man still lying on the ground, it was clear that the others were either middle-aged uncles in their forties or fifties or aunts. Occasionally, there were a few young people, who evidently bore the marks of sun and wind on their faces, and it was obvious they were honest farmers. In contrast to the handcuffed Yang Ermao, who had bulging eyes and tied-up hair, with red tomatoes and yellow eggs dripping from his hair, and faintly visible half a tattoo on his arm, it was hard to believe he was not a local ruffian, not a thug, not a bad element. It was evident he had the same sun and wind marks on his face, and one could easily guess he was an honest farmer. Compared to the handcuffed Yang Ermao, with his bulging eyes and tied-up hair, with red tomatoes and yellow eggs dripping from his hair, and faintly visible half a tattoo on his arm, to say he was not a local ruffian, not a thug, not a bad element, would likely be met with disbelief.

At nearly six o'clock in the morning, the early market is at its most bustling. In addition to small vendors, many early risers are eager to pick up some fresh and affordable vegetables at low prices. The entire market stretches along the roadside for a full mile, with vehicles coming and going and the sounds of people bustling about. Occasionally, the lowing of a cow or the braying of a donkey can be heard, as farmers from nearby villages also come to join the morning market, creating an extraordinary scene of liveliness.

Look, look, isn't that a second-rate thug coming!" As Farmer A looked up and shouted, he suddenly noticed a young man approaching from a distance and hurriedly asked those around him. In Fengcheng, the police are generally referred to as "thunder boys," while those from the industrial and commercial administration, taxation, and urban management who frequently interact with small vendors are all categorized under the "thug" series. Among them, urban management is particularly referred to as "second-rate thugs," implying that they are even smaller and worse than the thugs.

Hey, you little brat, just wait, I'll deal with you later... It's early in the morning and you won't let anyone have a moment's peace! The police officer didn't seem angry; he appeared to be quite familiar with the arrested Yang Ermao and didn't mind at all. With a playful laugh, he snapped the back cover shut with a loud clap.

This left the young man in a state of both laughter and tears. After cursing under his breath, he turned around to see a crowd gradually forming, with layers upon layers of onlookers. More and more people gathered to watch, and the vegetable vendors seized the opportunity. Seeing him alone, they were in no hurry to leave, surrounding the young man in the center. Suddenly, a couple of vegetables were thrown his way, but he managed to dodge them effortlessly. However, it was clear that things were not going well for him; the color of his clothing was no longer discernible. Red tomatoes, green vegetable leaves, black mud, and yellow-white eggs covered him entirely, turning him into a living advertisement!

The existence of this semi-public market has indeed faced multiple crackdowns and closures by functional departments such as industry and commerce, taxation, and urban management. However, the people have never lacked wisdom. Years of interaction with management departments have equipped them with rich experience, allowing them to master the essence of guerrilla tactics. Each time they are shut down, a new wholesale market quickly emerges in the surrounding areas, and it soon thrives. Over time, the management departments find themselves powerless against this free market, which possesses a vitality comparable to that of a cockroach. Thus, this morning market has truly become a free market in the real sense.

The disdainful expressions and arrogant attitudes of the young people instantly ignited the shared resentment among the deeply aggrieved vegetable vendors. It was unclear who incited the crowd with the words, "Old and young folks, let's smash those bastards!"

"Damn, the city management is so overbearing!" A voice emerged from the crowd as a large tomato was thrown.

"Disperse, disperse! Who is causing trouble here!" Four police officers from the precinct brandished their batons to separate the crowd. One officer, seemingly the leader, suddenly spotted a young man in the center of the crowd who was arrogantly delivering a speech. He pointed at him and shouted, "Yang Ermao, why are you here again? Cuff him!" The two officers beside him immediately drew handcuffs from their belts and approached the young man, referred to as Yang Ermao. This time, the young man did not resist arrest, nor did he put up a fight; instead, he cooperatively allowed them to put the handcuffs on him.

"What the hell, do you still want to fight?" In a moment of youthful rage, the young man kicked up a half brick from the ground as if it had eyes, catching it in his left hand. Then, with his right hand clenched into a fist, he brought his fist down, the size of a bowl, directly onto the brick in his left hand. The brick shattered into several pieces, which he then threw at the feet of the surrounding crowd, causing the merchants encircling him to hurriedly step back in fear. Again, he clenched his right fist, and with a bowl-sized punch, he smashed down on the brick in his left hand, which shattered into several pieces. He tossed the broken fragments at the feet of the crowd, frightening the merchants around him into a hasty retreat.

This sudden sound startled everyone, and those present had varying degrees of experience dealing with the urban management authorities. It is best to avoid such encounters, but if one does occur, it is often quite unfortunate. Frequently, both the vehicle and the vegetables are taken away. If one tries to retrieve them, paying the fine is not worth it; if one chooses not to, losing the food can indeed be quite regrettable. Everyone suddenly stopped, watching the approaching young man, while some had already begun to pack up their vegetable stalls, preparing for a hasty retreat

Stalemated, the sound of sirens from a police car could be heard in the distance. The Jinxiu Police Station is less than three kilometers away, and it is likely that early morning exercisers have already reported the incident. Moreover, fights, disturbances, and cases of roadblocks to rob women have frequently occurred around Jinxiu Gecheng, and the local police have become quite adept at handling such situations, demonstrating an unusually swift response.

An unexpected scene erupted, as layers of dark shadows flew in from all directions towards the young man. Tomatoes, radishes, cabbage stalks, potatoes, eggplants, carrots, and scallions came crashing down in overwhelming numbers. An elderly woman selling eggs shouted as she threw: "You two devils, for taking my cart, for taking my eggs, for bullying the villagers!" After smashing a few eggs, she suddenly realized she had wasted several coins and began to feel distressed. Resolving herself, she picked up some leftover rotten vegetables from the ground and joined the fray of throwing.

Early in the morning, the bustling market by the Jinxiu Bridge in the suburbs of Fengcheng began to come alive with activity. Tractors, tricycles, rickshaws, and unicycles created a cacophony, bringing in vegetables from vendors, fruit sellers, and local farmers. There were even farmers from nearby rural areas carrying their goods on their shoulders or in their hands. The vegetables in their baskets often appeared quite ordinary and were not particularly visually appealing, clearly sourced from the farmers' own fields. These items were precisely what morning exercisers and casual market-goers favored, representing true organic produce that is rarely seen in the urban markets, and they were also reasonably priced

"Deputy Wang, that's not right. Today I can do anything. I am the victim! This group of vegetable sellers is bullying me!" Yang Ermao shouted at the leading police officer.