Peerless Martial Expert in the City
Chapter 453 - 454: Stubborn and Unenlightened

Chapter 453: Chapter 454: Stubborn and Unenlightened

Regarding these two pickpockets, Xiao Yi had not expected them to be so bold as to blatantly follow him. Nevertheless, he didn’t think too much about it, as he could tell immediately that these two were merely ordinary thieves, not experts. He didn’t believe they could come up with any tricks.

While Xiao Yi was resting with his eyes closed, the bus soon reached the Provincial People’s Hospital Station. To his slight surprise, the woman also alighted at this stop. Upon seeing that Xiao Yi was getting off as well, and that his expression appeared calm as if he hadn’t noticed the two following men’s venomous stares, the woman seemed to hesitate for a moment before turning and, bracing herself against the pickpockets’ hostile gazes, approached Xiao Yi. Her face flushed, she said softly, "My friend, thank you for earlier. Those two pickpockets, they are still following you. Be careful."

"Hmm?"

Xiao Yi hadn’t expected that the woman would dare to come over to warn him. He was slightly taken aback, but then a touch of emotion stirred in his heart. Although he didn’t need the woman to remind him, and the situation had started because of her, in this day and age, almost everyone is out for themselves, evident from the way people on the bus looked away. Even the man on the train who was a lawyer acted similarly!

Yet this girl had managed to come forward to warn him, showing abundantly that the girl was very grateful. Compared to that lawyer, it was like comparing heaven and earth!

After a while, a look of gratitude appeared on his face as he said, "Thank you, I know."

"You know?"

Upon hearing Xiao Yi’s words, the woman stared at him in surprise.

"Yes, actually, I’m an undercover officer, so, I’m not afraid of them."

Watching the girl’s astonished expression, a smile appeared on Xiao Yi’s face.

"You?"

The girl’s eyes scrutinized him from head to toe, her face filled with disbelief.

"Yes, I’m about to meet up with my colleagues and catch all those thieves in one sweep. Go on with your business, no need to worry about me."

Xiao Yi made a shushing gesture, carefully glancing at the pickpockets not far behind him, then he said to the girl.

"Uh... you really are..."

Seeing Xiao Yi’s gesture, the girl, now somewhat skeptical, began to believe.

"Yes, of course I am."

Xiao Yi nodded firmly. When he saw the girl looking back to warn him, he had already decided to change his original plan of ignoring the pickpockets’ antics and resolved to deal with the two petty thieves first.

Therefore, he decided to tell a kind white lie to this kind, grateful girl.

"Then... Officer, thank you..."

Seeing the earnest expression on Xiao Yi’s face, the skepticism on the girl’s face finally vanished. After reddening slightly and thanking Xiao Yi, she turned around and ran towards the hospital ahead.

Looking in the direction the girl was running, Xiao Yi finally understood why she had been so anxious earlier; it turned out that the girl was rushing to use the money for someone’s medical treatment. His heart couldn’t help but feel more relieved, grateful that he had intervened just in time. Otherwise, without this life-saving money, who knows how desperate the girl would have become.

It took a while for Xiao Yi to come back to his senses. He turned around and looked at the two pickpockets not far behind him. A faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on his lips, and instead of heading towards the hospital, his feet took him down a less populated street.

The two pickpockets had seen the woman looking at them while signaling something to him, and after her run, Xiao Yi appeared as if he had noticed nothing and continued walking just as before. Both of them couldn’t help but feel pleased and hastened their steps to follow Xiao Yi.

As Xiao Yi walked towards a direction that became increasingly remote and less crowded, the corners of the pickpockets’ mouths couldn’t help but curl up into a hideous grin. They exchanged glances, each seeing the excitement in the other’s eyes.

When Xiao Yi reached the mouth of a sparsely populated old alley, the two men exchanged a look, hesitated no longer, and quickly surrounded him from front and back, trapping him in the middle.

"Oh, the two of you, we meet again. What fate, eh?"

Looking at the two guys who rushed up, Xiao Yi’s face displayed a beaming expression.

He had thought that these fellows might take a while longer, maybe moving to a more secluded place before daring to rush at him. He expected to spend more time, yet to his surprise, their courage was even greater than he had imagined and they had charged at him right there.

But for him, this was naturally the best outcome.

"Fate my ass!"

Hearing Xiao Yi’s words, the two men nearly choked on their own rage. Finally, one of them showed a ferocious expression and glared fiercely at Xiao Yi, cursing him.

"Kid, you’ve got some nerve obstructing our livelihood. You didn’t even see who we are!"

The other, who looked more sinister, coldly stared at Xiao Yi, his eyes revealing a chilling demeanor.

"Uh... Guys, didn’t you see just now? That money was for saving a life. Surely, even you would feel embarrassed to steal that kind of money, right? In a way, I was accumulating virtue on your behalf."

Hearing the first man’s words, a cold flash passed through Xiao Yi’s eyes, but it disappeared in an instant. He then put on a small smile and said.

The man, evidently more hot-tempered than Xiao Yi had expected, was about to explode with curses again just as Xiao Yi finished speaking. Unfortunately, he could not complete his tirade this time.

As soon as he began to speak, accompanied by a crisp slap, his body spun like a top. He twirled more than a full circle before barely steadying himself, reflexively covering his now swollen half-face with his hand, his mouth still agape as a trace of blood trickled from the corner, his face displaying an expression of disbelief as he looked at Xiao Yi.

"Obstinate fool!"

Xiao Yi’s expression was icy as he stared at the man. He had already given him one chance before. If the two had behaved a bit better, he might have considered letting them go. After all, petty thieves aren’t the most heinous of criminals, but he hadn’t expected such foul language and stubborn resistance from this man.

At that moment, he completely abandoned the idea of giving them another chance.