Chapter 101: Hoodlums

Having eaten my fill, my steps carried more vigor. That fellow had mentioned a task hall on the west side of the city. I was heading there when two soldiers wielding enormous blades barred our path. They wore the same uniform as the gate guards outside. "You must be newcomers. Where are your identity badges? Without one, you can't wander freely through the city."
"Identity badges?" Only then did I notice the small tokens pinned to the shoulders of every passerby, crafted from some unknown material.
"Sorry, we're new arrivals and lack identity badges."
"Get them processed at once. There's a station at the city center for that, complete with physical strength testing." One soldier spoke.
After exchanging farewells with the guards, our group pressed on toward the city center. Under the eaves, one must bow the head. People do as they're told; on their territory, compliance is the only path. Along the way, we passed many blade-wielding soldiers and small clusters of ordinary citizens. In the eastern quarter of the World Alliance lay a compound resembling a civil administration, its three-story halls enclosed by a modest wall. Every few meters, a blade-bearing sentinel stood watch. Those within must hold high rank.
The World Alliance proved far vaster than I'd imagined. From the outer gate to the heart, the distance spanned roughly two or three kilometers. Such a feat completed in a month alone defied logic—human numbers truly wielded immense power. At the center rose a modest courtyard, its entrance framed by a bold sign: "Newcomers' Certificate Hall." Soldiers still lingered at the doors. I approached to state our purpose and followed several people inside. The hall buzzed with activity, all there to obtain certificates. It seemed countless souls flocked here daily by word of mouth, their authority a true display of dominance. I wondered who had forged this World Alliance and yearned to meet its creator.
Two lovely girls staffed the entrance, likely deeming us ordinary. They cast us disdainful glances and turned their full attention elsewhere. Damn it—judging by appearance alone, and we were ignored. No matter. We'll sit and wait. The queue stretched far; half a day might pass before our turn.
"Next," came a sweet voice. I looked closer and found the processor was once more a beautiful girl. How peculiar—all staff here were women. Did they not fear disruption? Just as we neared, several burly middle-aged men entered from outside. The lead figure towered like a bear, his gait steady and commanding. One glance revealed a man not to be crossed.
The two reception girls greeted him with warm smiles, pouring tea and offering flattery. Why did newcomers receive such different treatment?
The bear-like man spotted the pretty girls and instantly turned lecherous, clutching their hands and pressing them with questions about their lives. Anyone could see the intent, yet the girls, sensing his danger, forced smiles. Just as it was to be our turn, the bear man cut the line, shoving straight to the front and ejecting the person ahead of him. Like a locomotive, he crashed through, forcing his way to the processing window. Those shoved aside cursed him furiously. At this, the bear commanded his men to beat the innocent newcomers. Each landed with blackened eyes and swollen faces. Yu Jing reached for his weapon, but I held him back. The reception girl fled in terror, yet one ran outside to summon the patrol soldiers. Shirtless blade-wielders quickly encircled the bear.
It seemed entertainment was at hand. I had no hurry to process my own papers, so I claimed a chair. The hall emptied as all fled, fearing entanglement.
"Who dares stir trouble in the World Alliance!" the lead soldier demanded. The bear man sneered, saying nothing. He charged with a fist. The soldier, stunned by such audacity, blocked with his blade. A clang rang out as it snapped in two. The soldier staggered back in shock, then swung wildly. The bear's companions were all experts; in moments, every soldier but the leader lay scattered, groaning. The leader saw the odds and fled, spitting one last command: "Little bastard, wait for me!"
The bear man spat on the ground where the soldiers had vanished and strode to the window. "Hurry and issue Grandpa's certificate, or I'll torch the place!" The girl nodded shakily, her delicate fingers racing across the forms. "D... Daxia, what is your honorable name?"
"This old man Duan Shuiliu. Process it now, then come with me and you lot as well." He jabbed a finger at the delicate girls nearby, his tone icy.
"Old Li, what do we do?" Yu Jing whispered. He clearly could not abide it. I had roughly gauged Duan Shuiliu's strength earlier and found it no match for mine. Such brazen insolence marked a scoundrel, a hooligan. In the twenty-first century we enforced the law as police; now how could we ignore this? I told Yu Jing to stay calm and observe.
Soon the girl finished the forms. Duan Shuiliu shattered the wooden panel and iron bar before the window with a single strike, then dragged the girl out and slung her over his shoulder. At the door he ordered his men to seize the girls there—carrying or dragging them away.
I urged my companions to follow. Duan Shuiliu bulldozed ahead, unchallenged. Soldiers offered no resistance. Soon the group slipped into a narrow alley. We trailed quietly, pressing close to the walls. From a shadowed corner we watched: the bear wanted to defile those girls. Outrageous! In daylight, abducting civilians, he fancied himself Tian Boguang. The soft girls' garments were nearly torn away, yet their fierce resistance could not match the brute's power. I could contain my fury no longer and led my people into the alley.
"Halt!" I leveled two revolvers at them. Any movement would earn several bullets. Duan Shuiliu had not expected interruption of his beastly scheme. He hurled the girl aside, spun, and glared at me with venom: "Heh, truly fearless. And pretty girls to boot. Haha, Grandpa struck gold this time!" His eyes fixed on Murong Xue, oozing lewd intent.