Chapter 2, Deterrence

Just as the crowd was about to close in, Tang Jingcheng suddenly burst in from the side, standing with his back to the beast cart in front of the pursuing crowd. He casually threw Zhang Tianliu aside and shouted, "What are you all doing?"

Even when Zhang Tianliu spoke to this extent, Tang Jingcheng remained expressionless

Hmm. Zhang Tianliu nodded slightly, paused his steps, and moved aside to allow Tang Jingcheng to see the scene ahead. He then gestured with his lips and said: "The responsibilities bestowed upon you by society compel you to punish the wicked and eliminate evil. For you, there is no past tense, but is there a future tense?"

With those glowing arrows added, it appeared as brilliant as fireworks, yet in reality, its power was comparable to that of a rocket launcher, and the sound of the explosions left his eardrums still somewhat numb.

A man leaned closer to the big man and said, "Fifth Brother, should we not take a step back on this matter? Just now, I noticed that the speed at which that person approached is beyond what an ordinary person can achieve. Moreover, he is holding someone in his arms and has not revealed a trace of true energy until now. This level of restraint is quite terrifying! Perhaps he really is the hound mentioned by that little thief! In any case, once the goods are in hand, it's just a woman. I can help you find a few more later, Fifth Brother."

Tang Jingcheng clearly did not have as much thought as Zhang Tianliu, and he shouted, "Is there no law in this world? If you want to collect a debt, there are officials to uphold justice for you. If it involves murder and robbery, or if you are driven by lust, then this matter is under my jurisdiction!"

Whatever you say is of no use, in this life you shall never attain freedom

The individual stands with a broad and robust physique, resembling a fierce tiger, exuding an imposing presence. Towering and formidable, akin to a city wall, he is unlike the other beasts behind him. Yet, this person dares to confront thirty of them with only a small thief by his side. His words and actions reflect an extraordinary demeanor, devoid of any timidity, standing firm like a mountain. Such spirit is not something an ordinary person can possess

Chasing the leader ahead is a burly man dressed in coarse ancient garments, riding a completely snow-white fierce tiger, which is four to five times larger than the tigers Zhang Tianliu is familiar with, moving at an incredible speed. As he approached the beast cart, the man suddenly extended his hand and shot out a beam of black light from his palm, transforming into chains that coiled around the beast cart like a long snake. With a grip and a pull, amidst the thunderous roar of the tiger, the momentum of the beast cart was surprisingly neutralized, and the enormous lion dog pulling the cart simultaneously broke free from it, rolling away to a distance of ten zhang with a series of rumbling sounds.

The man from the Han dynasty nodded silently. After the younger brother withdrew, he stared at Tang Jingcheng for a long time but could not discern anything about him.

However, it was not long before such thoughts emerged. When Tang Jingcheng caught up and Zhang Tianliu saw the full appearance of the beast cart, he was completely taken aback

Zhang Tianliu rolled his eyes and straightened his head, mocking, "A man who cannot see the future entrusting his whole heart to another man, how utterly despicable."

The blazing sun shines brightly, making the heat unbearable

Zhang Tianliu walked weakly in front, pressing his dry, thin lips together

To his utter astonishment, as soon as he spoke, the big men were collectively shocked, and he even heard someone exclaim: "Holy Capital Eagle Dog"

Those who have wives and children are indeed different; they possess a certain composure. You say you have been left here; what will happen to your wife and children at home? Perhaps they will truly regard it as a plane crash and set up a tombstone for you. Then another man may come to your grave and say, 'I will take care of your wife and children; do not worry.'

How to line up at this moment is not something that requires thought

He rubbed his arm, which was hurt from the fall, and couldn't help but mutter to himself: "Even if I understand it clearly, it still depends on whether the other person can comprehend it."

Zhang Tianliu turned back to look at the tense Tang Jingcheng and said: "Do not treat me as your emotional support. With me around, you will only feel hindered. You should seek a new future, after all, capturing me means you have won. If you persist, I will only be your greatest burden."

After a moment of mutual gaze, a drop of cold sweat trickled into the corner of the big man's eye. He blinked and coldly snorted, "Since you wish to intervene, very well, I shall give the court a favor. The green mountains remain unchanged, and the waters flow long; we shall meet again in the future"

Zhang Tianliu was taken aback upon hearing this; he actually understood it. Although it was not Mandarin, it was definitely a dialect of Huaxia.

What feels even worse than him is the Han people and others

Regarding Tang Jingcheng's heart of stone, Zhang Tianliu said that nothing would be of any use

How imposing! With just a few words, he has integrated into society. It seems this fellow is not entirely foolish. However, a person like you cannot truly understand the suffering of those who have their wages withheld. Only I can uphold true justice. With these thoughts in mind, Zhang Tian stood up, patted his backside, and displayed his handcuffs, clasping his fists as he said: "Gentlemen, this person is a lackey of the court, while I, my brothers, am one of you. When the fight breaks out later, please do not harm me. I am willing to offer all my life savings in gratitude for your life-saving grace."

"It has nothing to do with winning or losing," Tang Jingcheng said coldly

A group of people chasing behind the beast cart, riding on various monstrous creatures with different fur, including wolves and dogs, sheep and deer, but no horses. Their sizes are all quite enormous, and as they gallop, the ground trembles with a thunderous roar, raising clouds of dust, leaving Zhang Tianliu utterly dumbfounded

To everyone's surprise, the burly man on the tiger coldly replied, "None of your business."

Tang Jingcheng, who had gained the ability, was brimming with confidence. He seemed to possess boundless strength, effortlessly lifting Zhang Tianliu, a fully grown man, as if he were a small chick, and carried him towards the beast cart.

Tang Jingcheng ignored him. He was also thirsty. There was no shortage of water nearby, but he had not seen anyone along the way. His mood was very poor, and his mind was in turmoil. He needed hunger and fatigue to remind himself that he was still alive, rather than being a mere walking corpse

Zhang Tianliu truly does not know whether Officer Tang is genuinely foolish or astutely cunning to an extreme. If it were not for the imposing demeanor he displayed in his last statement, the other party would undoubtedly have turned around and reduced him to nothing.

Just as a group of people was about to leave, Zhang Tianliu, feeling complicated emotions, suddenly saw Tang Jingcheng step forward and coldly say: "Wait, the matter is not yet clear, all of you..."

Something is not right, don't go over there, hey, if you want to get yourself killed, don't drag me into it...

In Zhang Tianliu's eyes, the situation before him was very clear. Despite Officer Tang possessing immense supernatural powers, the individuals in front of him were not to be underestimated. Just a moment ago, Zhang Tianliu had observed clearly that the leading strongman had conjured an iron chain out of thin air to lock the cart in place, and amidst a barrage of explosions, the iron chain had vanished just as mysteriously. Now, he could not see where the chain had gone on the strongman's body. This clearly indicated that it was not martial arts, but rather sorcery

Zhang Tianliu felt helpless, but after witnessing Tang Jingcheng's abilities, he was no longer worried about being affected.

When faced with such a situation, what comes to mind for everyone is the next step to take

The day before yesterday I didn't eat, yesterday I had no cigarettes, and today I don't even have water. Is the suspect not human? Officer Tang, you are breaking the law; I will accuse you of abuse.

Zhang Tianliu, after speaking, turned his head to look ahead, and faintly saw a group of figures chasing a beast cart, as if there were flaming arrows striking the beast cart, erupting with faint sparks of colorful light

If it were Zhang Tianliu, there would be ten thousand ways to live well, but Officer Tang simply cannot see a future

"Something is not right." Zhang Tianliu furrowed his brow slightly, sensing that something was amiss

After seeing the glowing arrows in the hands of the pursuer, Zhang Tianliu confirmed that this is not an ordinary world, and that extraordinary abilities are not necessarily invincible

"Your methods are truly ruthless; if you intervene, I will surely flee." Zhang Tianliu never meddles in others' affairs. When faced with such situations, he only takes the opportunity to slip away early while the other party is distracted, as he cannot predict whether those individuals might harm the innocent.

Zhang Tianliu was left with a black line across his forehead upon hearing this

At first, he thought it was an ox cart, but upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a giant brown-haired lion dog, resembling the size of an elephant

As the vehicle came to a halt, glowing arrows rained down, quickly engulfing the beast cart in a devastating explosion. Before long, amidst the flying wood splinters, a man and a woman emerged from within the cart, appearing to be father and daughter.

Regardless of whether Tang Jingcheng's motivations stem from his profession or his inner convictions, he does not permit such occurrences to unfold before him. Therefore, Zhang Tianliu's attempt to threaten him with escape proved futile.

Moreover, the vehicle is even more spacious than a bus

Without finishing his words, the Han and others did not look back; the fierce beasts beneath them moved swiftly, vanishing in the blink of an eye

There is momentum, but without the strength to match that momentum, what are you pretending for