Please remember to bookmark and recommend!

*****************************

"Piece of cake. Stay still, you bastard!" Although Chang Le didn’t quite understand what Shen Xingkong was up to, he was sure Shen Xingkong had a plan. So he squatted down and firmly held Xu Jianhui's legs.

Shen Xingkong held a needle in one hand while pulling off Xu Jianhui's left shoe and sock with the other. The smell that hit them nearly made Chang Le puke. It seemed Xu Jianhui hadn’t washed his feet in centuries, and the stench was unbearable. Chang Le couldn't resist sneaking in another hard kick to vent his disgust.

Shen Xingkong felt around the sole of Xu Jianhui's left foot for a moment, signaling with his eyes for Chang Le to keep holding on. Then, without hesitation, he drove the needle straight into the center of Xu Jianhui's foot. He didn't need to precisely locate the acupoint; even if he missed, he could just try again. After all, his aim was to force a confession, not to practice accuracy.

However, Shen Xingkong got lucky—or rather, Xu Jianhui was unlucky. The needle hit its mark perfectly, piercing right into Xu Jianhui's Yongquan acupoint, exactly where Shen Xingkong intended.

"Ahh~~Ahh..." Xu Jianhui let out a horrifying scream, his body convulsing in pain.

Chang Le’s hair stood on end. He had never heard such a blood-curdling scream in his life. Even the most brutal torture scenes in movies didn’t compare to this.

Xu Jianhui lay trembling on the ground, his face pale as snow, drenched in sweat that dripped onto the ground like a downpour.

Suddenly, both Shen Xingkong and Chang Le caught a whiff of something foul and quickly jumped back several meters. It turned out that Xu Jianhui, overwhelmed by the excruciating pain, had wet himself. To be honest, Shen Xingkong hadn't anticipated the Yongquan acupoint to cause such intense pain. He had only read about it in acupuncture manuals, where it was noted for its severe pain potential. Luckily, he had restrained himself; if he had gone any deeper, Xu Jianhui might have passed out from the agony.

The Yongquan acupoint, located on the sole of the foot at the junction of the second and third toes about an inch down, is the first point of the Kidney Meridian in Chinese medicine. Known as "Earth Surge," it governs the kidney’s vitality and pathology. People with weak kidneys often massage their soles, essentially stimulating the Yongquan point. Simple pressure on this point can significantly enhance kidney function, leading to overall vitality.

From a Western medical perspective, the area around the Yongquan acupoint is densely packed with capillaries and nerve endings, making it highly sensitive. This is why most people find it unbearably ticklish when their foot is tickled.

Such an important and sensitive acupoint requires careful handling during acupuncture. It shouldn’t be deeply or obliquely punctured, as any mistake could cause extreme pain to the patient—just like what Xu Jianhui was experiencing. Moreover, the sensation isn’t just painful but also a tormenting mix of pain and itching that could make even a sane person wish for death.

"Old Shen... did we go too far?" Chang Le asked nervously, glancing at Shen Xingkong.

"Don't worry, he won't die," Shen Xingkong replied, though he wasn't entirely confident himself. Pinching his nose, he leaned closer to Xu Jianhui, "Xu, did you go to my house yesterday afternoon and trash it or not?"

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Yes... yes... I did... Brother... please, let me go... I’m begging you... sob sob..." Xu Jianhui, now weak and barely able to speak, couldn't hold back his tears any longer.

"Why did you do it?" Shen Xingkong's face darkened as he remembered the wreckage of his home.

"It was... it was Wang Lei... Wang Lei made me do it... It hurts so much... sob..."

"What did you get out of it?"

"Wang Lei... took us... took us to karaoke last night..."

"Hmph!" Shen Xingkong snorted coldly, his expression filled with disdain.

He felt sorry for someone like Xu Jianhui, who would do anything for a taste of the so-called high life, even if it meant being a lackey for someone like Wang Lei, who had simply paid him off with a night at karaoke.

"Xu Jianhui, you'd better wise up! Do you think Wang Lei can protect you forever? Or that his father can stay deputy head of the criminal police for life? It wouldn't hurt to use your brain more."

Offering this piece of advice, Shen Xingkong pulled the needle out of Xu Jianhui's foot and tossed it aside. He and Chang Le then walked out of the grove side by side, leaving Xu Jianhui behind to reflect on his actions.

The small act of revenge made both Shen Xingkong and Chang Le feel pretty good, though they knew this wasn’t the end of it. Wang Lei was the real mastermind, but they didn’t have a way to deal with him—at least not yet. However, they were determined that Wang Lei would eventually pay.

They skipped the first class of the day and didn’t bother with the second one, which was just a study period anyway. What was the point of going?

With his anger vented, Chang Le returned to his usual self. He bought a bouquet of roses from the student service center to woo his new girlfriend, while Shen Xingkong found a quiet spot on campus to continue studying his acupuncture manual. After two days of intense focus, he had already memorized the locations and functions of several key acupoints.

By the time afternoon classes rolled around, Shen Xingkong and Chang Le returned to the classroom. They saw Xu Jianhui sitting next to Wang Lei, tearfully recounting what had happened. Wang Lei’s face was ashen. As the three of them locked eyes, it was clear that sparks were flying. This moment marked the official beginning of a bitter rivalry, with Wang Lei flashing a sinister grin as if to warn Shen Xingkong and Chang Le to watch their backs.

In this world, no matter who you are, sooner or later, debts have to be repaid.

Still preoccupied with the thought of providing a beauty treatment to Chang Le’s “aunt,” Shen Xingkong and Chang Le slipped away before the second afternoon class ended.

Chang Le drove his Audi A6 enthusiastically, bringing Shen Xingkong to his house. Although they had known each other for a year and a half, this was Shen Xingkong’s first time visiting Chang Le’s home. As soon as he got out of the car, Shen Xingkong was stunned.

Z City was split into two parts, Henan and Hebei, by the Mei River. Although the river wasn’t particularly large, its waters were clear, with willow trees lining the banks and white stone paths winding through picturesque scenery. Upstream of the Mei River was an upscale residential area filled with various-sized villas, home to nearly all the city's wealthy and influential people.

Chang Le’s house was in this luxurious neighborhood, a twin villa with a private courtyard in front and a swimming pool in the back. To purchase this property, Chang Le's father had spent a whopping 13 million yuan. The Chang family had even planted rare trees in the courtyard, built a small artificial hill, and hired a guzheng player to perform almost 24 hours a day, displaying the height of extravagance.

Although Shen Xingkong had seen such villas before, it had only been on TV. Standing there in person now, he was overwhelmed by the power of wealth. Money might not be everything, but it sure could do a lot that those without it couldn’t even dream of.

Following Chang Le into the grand villa’s living room, Shen Xingkong was amazed by the 360-degree glass ceiling, the premium white marble floors and walls, and the furniture that gleamed with a golden shine. The chandelier alone was over five meters high, and several maids or servants were bustling about the room, busy with various tasks.

Seeing that Chang Le had returned, two maids—or perhaps they were servants—smiled and came forward to ask if he needed anything. Chang Le waved them off and then pulled Shen Xingkong to sit on a sofa that was so thick and soft it felt like sitting on a cloud.