Chapter 2 Rest In Peace

• The river meandered and twisted, flowing gently, nourishing the small Evergreen Village in the old town district. From a distance, it was a picture of serene tranquility.
• After ensuring the injured elderly man from the airport was settled in the hospital, Yulian returned to Tigris' hometown to send the latter back to his roots.
• Five years had passed, and many things had changed, yet it seemed Tigris' hometown was the same as Yulian remembered, unchanging since he was little.
• “Tigris, I remember it was five years ago when you bid farewell to your hometown and elders, joining me in the gang. Now, we've finally returned home.” Standing across the small river, Yulian cradled Tigris' ashes, his voice choked with emotion, his eyes brimming with tears.
• Tigris, a passionate youth of yesteryears and an iron-willed fighter, had now turned into a handful of white ashes in Yulian's palm. How could that turn of events not evoke a sense of heartache?
• As home drew near, fear took hold, and the task of bidding farewell to the departed became even more necessary.
• “Tigris, I'm taking you home!”
• Collecting his emotions, Yulian crossed the river bridge, heading toward Tigris' home, according to his memories.
• Just as he stepped into the village, he was greeted by the thunderous roars of bulldozers and excavators. Interspersed within the cacophony were the disdainful curses of men and the wailing cries of women, their voices filled with heart-wrenching despair, creating an atmosphere of utter chaos.
• The villagers had also gathered together, standing on their tiptoes to get a better view. They were engaged in animated discussions, clearly enjoying the spectacle.
• After all, it was Tigris' hometown, so the place also held a place in Yulian's heart. He couldn't just stand by and do nothing. He furrowed his brows, quickly walked toward an old man, and asked, “Sir, what happened in the village?”
• The old man, with a worried frown and a bitter expression, harshly stepped on the cigarette he was puffing on with the sole of his shoe. Only then did he curse loudly, “It's all because of those b*stards from Invictus Realty. The city wanted to rebuild the old town district, so they handed the project over to Invictus Realty. These jerks, relying on their wealth and manpower, forced us to accept the demolition and rebuilding at less than thirty percent of the market price. They've already brought disaster upon Evergreen Village! Look, they've come again today. This time, it's for Lorenzo's house at the east end of the village. Ah, life hasn't been easy for Lorenzo's family. They worked hard for most of their lives to send their son into the military, only to receive news a few days ago that his son had been killed in action. Today, on the day of their son's funeral, their home is being forcefully demolished. It's truly inhumane. Respect for the dead is paramount, especially for a martyr. These people from Invictus Realty show no humanity at all!”
• Suddenly, a buzz echoed in Yulian's mind. At the east end of the village. Lorenzo's house. Their son's a martyr. Forced demolition. That's Tigris' home!
• “B*stard!” At that moment, Yulian's demeanor dramatically transformed. Like an enraged beast, his anger surged like a volcano eruption.
• With the wind at his heels, he dashed forward with a whoosh like a hurricane, madly rushing toward Tigris' home.
• Yulian's astounding aura startled the old man, causing the latter to tremble and nearly fall flat on his backside. With wide eyes, he exclaimed in shock, “T-This young man is so fierce. He's even faster than a leopard.”
• Meanwhile, in a small courtyard at the east end of the village, the bulldozer's engine roared, and under the swing of its steel claw, the wall made of earth collapsed thunderously.
• Rumble!
• Dust was sent flying everywhere. Even the large tree in the courtyard began to teeter on the brink of falling.
• The only main room in the small courtyard had been turned into a memorial hall. By now, it had already been thoroughly wrecked by a group of burly men. Fruits and pastries, tables and chairs, offerings and dishes, all were scattered about the place.
• On the altar table, there was a photograph of a young man. He exuded a vibrant spirit. His youthful innocence was still evident on his baby face, and his naive smile was forever frozen in time.
• “B*stard, you're nothing but robbers. *ssholes!” A beautiful woman in her twenties, her eyes rimmed red, stood protectively in front of her elderly, crying parents. Her voice was filled with both anger and helplessness as she shouted at the group of burly men who were causing destruction, “My brother hasn't even been dead for long, yet you're already here to forcibly demolish our home. Do you have any humanity left? I'm calling the police. You're all going to be arrested!”
• The group of burly men who were in the midst of wreaking havoc sneered dismissively. One of them, the leader, paused. A scar ran across his face, from his left eye to his right lip, making his smile particularly sinister and ruthless. “Girly, it's clearly written in black and white in the contract. From today onward, this place belongs to us, Invictus Realty. If I want to smash, I'll smash. If I want to demolish, I'll demolish. You want to call the police? Go ahead. Even when the police arrive, they'll have to help me smash.”
• A man with sharp eyes also sneered. “D*mn it! Smash the place. Placing this morbid thing in front of me is bad luck!”
• “Ruffians! *ssholes!” Tigris' elder sister, Tatiana Hepburn, sat helplessly on the ground, a downpour of tears streaming down her face.
• Just as a group of burly men were about to continue their rampage, Tigris' frail, white-haired mother, Larissa Hepburn, slowly approached them. She held a picture of her son with tears streaking down her aged face. “I beg you. Please just give us one day, no, just half a day. As soon as my son's ashes arrive, we'll immediately move out. We'll do it at once! My son died outside. I must let him come home. I must let him come home!”
• In the midst of their conversation, Larissa unexpectedly fell to her knees with a thud, bursting into uncontrollable sobs.
• Parents would always worry about their children.
• “Mother!”
• “Honey!”
• Tatiana and Tigris' father, Lorenzo Hepburn, held Larissa with puffy eyes, sobbing and choking with grief, looking utterly heartbroken.
• Scarface and Sharp-eye, along with their group, finally came to a halt, a hint of impatience etched between their brows. They were contemplating how to dismiss the family when suddenly, as their gaze swept over Tatiana's beautiful face, their eyes lit up.
• The two shared an unspoken understanding, exchanging a knowing glance. Scarface lit a cigarette and looked down at Larissa with a smirk. “Old woman, we are aware of your son's situation. We're all human, and our hearts are also made of flesh, so we feel your difficulty, too. However, our boss is pressing us hard. As his subordinates, we naturally can't slack off. Otherwise, we might lose our jobs.”
• Upon hearing that there was still room for negotiation, Lorenzo and his family hastily wiped away their tears. In a rush, they pleaded, “W-We'll give you money. Just wait for us half a day to finish the funeral. We'll give you all our savings, everything we have.”
• “How much money can a bunch of country bumpkins possibly have?” Sharp-eye sneered disdainfully. However, he then squinted, his eyes full of lust as he lifted up Tatiana's chin, admiring her beautiful, teary face. “Old man, I won't lie to you. My buddies and I are so busy with our work that we don't have time to start families. I think your daughter is quite good. If this girl could be with me, we would be family. We could negotiate about the house demolition, and I guarantee she'll live a life of luxury for the rest of her days. How about it? Do you want to give it some thought?”
• Lorenzo was immediately flustered. “T-This won't do.”
• “In your dreams, you shameless rogue!” Tatiana was also infuriated to the point of despair. She spat out fiercely. “Even if I were to die, I would never associate with you b*stards!”
• “You don't know what's good for you!” Scarface spat, and with a swift smack, he slapped Tatiana.
• Instantly, Tatiana's cheek swelled up, but her eyes still held a stubborn defiance and a hint of resentment.
• “You're just a country bumpkin. Do you take yourself as someone significant? What nonsense!”
• Scarface looked down at Tatiana in a high and mighty manner and sneered, “I sleep with countless women like you a day. I'll send you to the nightclub to serve as a prostitute, letting countless men ravage you. Just because I paid you some attention, you actually think highly of yourself? Haha!”
• “Hahaha!”
• The group of brutes also joined in the boisterous laughter, their laughter loud and grating. Clearly, they were no strangers to such beastly acts.
• Upon seeing that, Tatiana immediately turned pale and trembled with fear. Lorenzo felt a surge of anger. Unable to contain his rage, he picked up an iron shovel from the ground and swung it toward Scarface.
• “You jerk! How dare you insult my daughter? I-I'll beat you to death!”
• Bang!
• Scarface was in high spirits. While he was distracted for a moment, his head was struck with a thud. Everyone around him was dumbfounded. The burly men couldn't believe their eyes. They never expected Lorenzo would have the guts to hit their boss.
• “Goodness, you old geezer. How dare you ambush me? You must be tired of living. Hit him! Beat him to a pulp for me!”
• Scarface clutched his head, from which fresh blood was gushing. He wailed in agony, feeling utterly furious.
• “Old geezer, you're courting death!”
• Only then did the group of brutes come to their senses. They immediately picked up the weapons in their hands, their faces filled with malice as they charged toward Lorenzo.
• “Dad, run! Run quickly!” Tatiana shrieked repeatedly.
• Seeing the steel rod hurtling ferociously toward his head, Lorenzo realized he couldn't dodge in time. Resigned to his fate, he closed his eyes and sat down on the ground.
• At that very moment, with a whooshing sound, a burly figure flashed by. Yulian, with an expressionless face, stood in front of Lorenzo, raising his forearm.
• Clang!
• A sound akin to the crisp ring of metal echoed. The steel rod, astonishingly bent at a forty-five-degree angle, fell to the ground. The immense recoil forced Sharp-eye to stagger back five or six steps. Before he could even register surprise, Yulian swiftly delivered a kick to his chest. Sharp-eye, who stood over one meter eighty, was sent flying like a cannonball, hurtling five or six meters before crashing heavily onto the ground. His agonized screams filled the air.
• All the burly men in the room fell silent in an instant, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. Goodness, is he even a human? He's too strong!
• Scarface's expression changed. He pointed at Yulian angrily and cursed, “F*ck! Who the h*ll are you? Do you know that I'm from Invictus Realty? Why are you being a busybody? Are you tired of living?”
• Yulian turned around. His gaze was piercing, and he exuded an overwhelming aura.
• Scarface was considered a notorious gang leader, but when he met Yulian's gaze, he felt distinctly uncomfortable. It was as if he was facing a ferocious tiger that was ready to pounce at any moment. Subconsciously, he took two steps back, his face turning as pale as a ghost. His legs felt weak, and cold sweat trickled down his back. He's definitely a formidable person!
• As Scarface and his gang were filled with apprehension toward Yulian, Yulian, however, no longer had the time to deal with those troublemakers. He respectfully helped Lorenzo to his feet, his expression somewhat self-reproachful, and his eyes slightly reddened. “Mr. and Mrs. Hepburn, I apologize for my late arrival. Tigris is home.”
• Lorenzo and Larissa, trembling, received the long-awaited urn containing the ashes of their son, Tigris. In an instant, tears streamed uncontrollably down their countenances.
• “My child!”
• At that moment, all their longing, bitterness, and despair transformed into heart-wrenching, devastating cries.
• With moist eyes, Yulian gazed at the candid photo of Tigris on the altar. He stood with his back straightened and bowed. Buddy, you've returned to your roots. Rest in peace!