A group of people, with a final resolve, marched towards the gates of the Butterfly Garment Factory.
As soon as they made a move, footsteps echoed from the surrounding shadows, startling Liu Sanhu and his companions, causing them to halt abruptly and scan their surroundings warily.
Then, all of them wore expressions of utter disbelief. From the dark corners around them, one after another, tall figures emerged.
These individuals were all burly, well-built men, each with their arms crossed, staring at them coldly.
Their powerful presence and indifferent gazes, even without any action or words, instilled an innate sense of fear.
There were simply too many of them, completely encircling Liu Sanhu's group. It was evident that preparations had been made long in advance.
Startled by this sudden turn of events, the fighting spirit that had just ignited in many of them died before it could even take hold, replaced by a profound sense of panic and helplessness.
"You... what do you want?"
At this moment, even the steady Liu Sanhu felt fear, his heart trembling. Fortunately, he managed to restrain himself.
However, his subordinates beside him were already shaking uncontrollably, their faces ashen.
In this peculiar environment, on enemy territory, and after the torments they had endured that afternoon, everyone was already on edge, like startled birds.
Now, with so many people suddenly appearing and them being trapped in a siege, it was only natural to be afraid.
"Brother Hu, I'm scared!!"
Huang Lianqin, trembling with fear, hid behind Liu Sanhu, clutching his clothes tightly, her face pale and her expression panicked.
However, Liu Sanhu received only silence in response.
The more than twenty burly men around them simply stood there, motionless, like statues. Against the backdrop of the night, they exuded an even greater sense of dread.
Time ticked by second by second. The garment factory gate remained shut, while outside, over twenty men stood around with indifferent expressions. In such circumstances, every moment felt like an eternity.
Fear and anxiety enveloped everyone's hearts, as no one knew what would happen next.
The unknown was always the most unsettling.
Thus, in this atmosphere, about half an hour passed.
Just as many in Liu Sanhu's group could no longer bear it,
*Swish!!*
The tightly shut garment factory gate suddenly opened, startling everyone. They became fully alert, their gazes fixed on the entrance.
But what happened next left Liu Sanhu and his group stunned and utterly bewildered.
"Dinner's ready!"
Under their astonished gazes, a group of people emerged from the factory gate, each carrying various tools.
There were tables and chairs, copper pots and charcoal, as well as an assortment of dishes, drinks, and fine wine.
*Clatter!*
These people worked with incredible speed, quickly setting up long tables and benches. They then expertly lit the charcoal and placed the copper pots on top.
"What are they doing? Are they inviting us for hot pot?"
Looking at the various types of beef, lamb, blood sausage, tripe, omasum, meatballs, duck blood, fish tofu, enoki mushrooms, crown daisy, and cabbage laid out on the tables…
Liu Sanhu and his group instinctively swallowed, their stomachs rumbling.
It was only then they realized they hadn't eaten dinner yet!
As the rich aroma of hot pot wafted into the air, everyone felt their mouths water and their hunger pangs intensify.
A few minutes later, the hot pot aroma grew stronger. The broth in four or five copper pots began to boil, with six or seven men gathered around each pot.
They laughed and chatted loudly, skillfully adding meat and pouring wine.
In the freezing night air, gathered around a steaming hot pot, eating heartily and drinking fine wine and beverages, was surely a moment of great pleasure in life.
Whether intentionally or not, the five copper pots formed an irregular circle, precisely encircling Liu Sanhu's group.
"They're doing this on purpose, torturing us!"
Huang Lianqin gritted her teeth and cursed in a low voice.
Knowing that none of them had eaten dinner, they had deliberately set up the hot pot so ostentatiously outside the factory gate, forcing them to watch but not eat. This was a more horrific form of torture.
She truly wondered which scoundrel had come up with such a wicked idea, wishing him a son with no eyes.
"No, I can't stand it anymore! Li Ya, that bitch must be watching us secretly. I'm going in to find her!"
Huang Lianqin was on the verge of collapse. After all, she was the largest shareholder of the garment factory, the one with the most power.
Liu Sanhu had also reached his limit, but he calmly said, "Don't be rash, we can't get in!"
So many people were surrounding them, eating hot pot. While they seemed jovial, one could occasionally feel cold glances sweeping towards their group.
If they made any move, these people would likely drop their chopsticks in an instant and react with lightning speed.
"Then what should we do? Just stand here? Cold and hungry?"
Huang Lianqin gnashed her teeth.
Liu Sanhu opened his mouth but found himself speechless.
No dinner, cold and hungry, their car destroyed, their men beaten, nowhere to stay, and no hotels accepting them.
This Yongnan County seemed to be a forbidden land for them. From the moment they stepped foot into it, they had suffered unprecedented hardships.
"Let's return to the city and make a new plan!"
Finally, Liu Sanhu said, his face extremely grim.
"Return to the city? Are we just going to leave like this? Without even seeing that bitch's face?"
Huang Lianqin was clearly very unwilling.
"Idiot, are you going to stay here and waste away if you don't go back?"
Liu Sanhu cursed loudly. "They have meat to eat, wine to drink, and warm beds to sleep in. What do we have?"
"We can't win a fight, so why stay and wait to eat their excrement later?"
After muttering curses, Liu Sanhu turned and walked away.
He couldn't bear to stay a minute longer. He wished he could immediately call people from Pingyang City to come and kill all these bastards and uncivilized people here.
Seeing Liu Sanhu truly leave, Huang Lianqin panicked and quickly scurried after him.
*Swish!!*
At that moment, a sound of tables and chairs colliding startled Liu Sanhu and his group.
They turned to look, and their faces turned even paler!
The group who had been happily eating hot pot had many people drop their chopsticks and stare intently in their direction.
"You... what do you want?"
"We're leaving, alright! We won't stay here anymore!"
Someone in Liu Sanhu's group yelled in utter despair, unable to endure such torment any longer!
However, just like before, no one answered their questions. Under the fearful gaze of Liu Sanhu and his group, those people quickly retreated into the shadows not far away.
Then, intense beams of light suddenly illuminated the darkness, accompanied by the roar of motorcycles.