Wu Jun entered the residential complex and searched for over ten minutes, finally locating his target, Building 38.
He glanced up at the building.
Not a single light was on in the entire building.
Shimen City was considered a second-tier city in China, and not even one of the top ones at that.
The pace of life wasn't as tense as in first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Shenzhen.
The entertainment options weren't as plentiful as in the big cities; even the square dancers packed up early.
It was almost eleven at night now. The complex was dead quiet, without a single person in sight.
He glanced at the row of cars parked downstairs. The moonlight was decent tonight; he could see the license plates without a flashlight.
Wu Jun sprang into action, searching the open-air parking spots downstairs for Wang Hongliang's Honda Accord.
After about three minutes of searching, a familiar license plate came into view.
'You're the one.' Wu Jun squatted by the car, slipped the backpack off his shoulders, unzipped it, and took out five cans of spray paint.
'That bastard Wang. You were cruel first, so don't blame me for being ruthless.' Wu Jun thought to himself and began spray-painting the car.
PSSSHHH...
He quickly finished one side of the car, using up one can of spray paint.
Wu Jun took out another can from his bag and moved to the other side.
PSSSHHH...
"Hey! What do you think you're doing, kid!" Suddenly, a loud shout came from behind him.
Wu Jun froze, his hand stopping mid-motion.
He whipped his head around and saw an old man in a security guard's uniform standing five or six meters away.
CLANG. Wu Jun threw the spray can in his hand to the ground and shot up from his spot.
The old man was extremely quick. He took a few fast steps and blocked the gap between two cars, trapping Wu Jun.
The way Wang Hongliang was parked, with the front of the car against a wall and another vehicle beside it, left only one path for escape.
The old man's move completely cut off Wu Jun's retreat.
"Trying to run after doing something bad!" the old man scolded angrily. "You punk, I knew you were up to no good the moment you walked in. And sure enough, I caught you red-handed!"
Wu Jun looked awkward. 'My first time doing something bad, and I get caught red-handed. My skills are just terrible.'
'If I really wanted to run,' he thought, 'this old man couldn't stop me. I could just shove him aside.'
However, this man was old and frail. If Wu Jun knocked him over and he got hurt, Wu Jun would feel terrible about it.
His only goal tonight was to get revenge on Wang Hongliang; he didn't want to hurt anyone innocent.
Seeing Wu Jun standing there stunned, a conflicted look on his face, but not making any rash moves, the old man pointed at Wang Hongliang's car and berated him. "Do you have any idea whose car this is?! It belongs to my partner's son! You dare spray his car?! Are you looking for trouble, or what?!"
'Auntie Xu's... partner?'
Hearing the old man's words, Wu Jun's scalp tingled, and he couldn't help but shiver.
"Y-y-you're Old Man Wang!" Wu Jun was terrified, stumbling back a few steps and stuttering.
'Didn't Auntie Xu's husband pass away?!'
'He's watching his son's car even after death.'
'I've run into a ghost in the middle of the night!'
The old man's eyes widened in anger. "What Old Man Wang? I'm your Uncle Luo!"
"Uncle Luo?" Wu Jun froze. 'Wang Hongliang's father's surname is Luo?'
"It doesn't matter which uncle I am! It's wrong to spray-paint someone's car. That's a rotten thing to do. And since I caught you today, it's just your bad luck."
Luo Weimin pointed at Wu Jun and said, "You stay right there and don't move."
Seeing Luo Weimin take out his phone to make a call, Wu Jun felt a huge headache coming on.
'When Wang Hongliang vandalized my place, I couldn't get any proof, so he got away with it. But I get caught red-handed. This is a total loss!'
Wu Jun's mind raced, and he blurted out, "Uncle Luo, wait, don't make that call! Do you know an Auntie Xu... Xu Xiulan?"
"Hm? You know Xiulan?" Luo Weimin was taken aback for a moment, then his voice suddenly rose as he scolded, "You know Xiulan and you still spray-painted her son's car!"
Seeing Luo Weimin pause, Wu Jun knew his delaying tactic had worked.
Wu Jun nodded, his face a mask of righteous indignation. "That's right! I'm spray-painting the car of that unfilial son of hers! If I wasn't afraid of making too much noise, I would've smashed it to bits!"
Luo Weimin was stunned. 'He's spray-painting a car, and he acts like he's in the right? Not only that, but he's saying spray-painting isn't enough? This kid wants to smash the car too?'
'And what's this about an unfilial son?'
"Sir, a man of justice such as yourself... please keep your voice down so you don't wake anyone," Wu Jun said. "Come over here, and I'll explain everything properly." He gestured at the car. "With all these cars here, why do you think I'd single his out to spray-paint?"
Luo Weimin gave him a wary look. "Don't even think about pulling any tricks, kid. I'm telling you, I was a soldier when I was young. Don't let my age fool you; taking you on would be a piece of cake."
"I know, I know, I won't pull any tricks." Wu Jun nodded cooperatively. Luo Weimin approached Wu Jun with a suspicious look on his face.
"It's Uncle Luo, right?" Wu Jun whispered to him. "Since you know Auntie Xu and call yourself her partner, doesn't it make you furious that her bastard son, Wang Hongliang, threw her out on the street?"
Luo Weimin was shocked to hear this. "What! Something like that happened?! No wonder I haven't seen Xiulan for the past two months!"
"Uncle, keep it down!" Wu Jun frantically pulled him down into a crouch. 'If anyone hears this commotion and comes to check, I'm busted!'
Luo Weimin grabbed Wu Jun's hand, his expression agitated. "Young man, tell me exactly what happened! Where is Xiulan now? Is she doing okay? Is she suffering?"
Wu Jun told him the truth, explaining how Xu Xiulan was kicked out by Wang Hongliang, was working as a cleaner in a hospital, and how Wang Hongliang would still go to her for money every time she got paid. He told Luo Weimin everything he knew, with a bit of artistic embellishment.
The way Wu Jun told it, Wang Hongliang came across as an incredibly vivid and lifelike scoundrel.
"That bastard!" Luo Weimin was furious after hearing the story. "Xiulan is such a good woman! That son of a bitch Wang... his father was bedridden for over a year, and Xiulan was by his side the whole time, taking care of his every need. As soon as his old man passed, he kicked Xiulan out. That's like casting someone aside after they've outlived their use—"
Luo Weimin felt that comparing the goddess of his heart to something to be "used" was a bit inappropriate, so he stopped short and changed his phrasing. "He's just ungrateful! He deserves to be struck by lightning!"
"Isn't that the truth! I'm so angry!" Wu Jun said. "I told Auntie Xu I'd help her get the house back, but she refused. She said she felt bad for her grandson. Sigh! Auntie Xu is just too kind! I've never met such a kind woman."
"Uncle Luo, you have excellent taste," Wu Jun added, not forgetting to give Luo Weimin a thumbs-up.
"So..." Luo Weimin looked at Wu Jun and said, "So, you came here to stand up for Xiulan? Young man, I misjudged you. You did the right thing! Keep spraying, I'll be your lookout! You're not leaving until you're done!"
Luo Weimin's attitude had done a complete 180, and Wu Jun was stunned.
He had originally planned to talk his way out of it with Luo Weimin and then beat a hasty retreat. Now, it seemed he had no choice but to finish the job.
'He's even going to be my lookout?'
"Uncle Luo, there aren't many people with a sense of justice like yours left in the world!" Wu Jun exclaimed. He deftly picked up the can he'd dropped and got back to work. 'Might as well finish what I started!'
PSSSHHH...
While acting as lookout, Luo Weimin watched Wu Jun spray the words.
Local stray. Barks and bites. Unvaccinated.
Total Scumbag. So shameless, he's invincible!
Watching Wu Jun spray-paint these words, Luo Weimin frowned. "Little Wu, this stuff you're writing... it doesn't really fit the theme of the evening, does it?"
"Huh?" Wu Jun turned to look at Luo Weimin, a puzzled expression on his face.
"Give me a can. I'll do it." Luo Weimin held out his hand for the spray paint.
Looking confused, Wu Jun took out a new can and handed it to him.
Luo Weimin shook the can, walked over to the car's front windshield, and sprayed three large, forceful-looking green words.
Disloyal, Unjust, Unfilial!
"Uncle Luo, what beautiful calligraphy!" Wu Jun gave Luo Weimin a thumbs-up.