"Heh, Xu Zhongding, you are truly an interesting fellow. Now that you've lost, you know to beg for mercy. Where did that arrogant and overbearing demeanor go, the one that wanted to tear down my entire shop?"
Li Yang looked at the man with amusement and said coldly, "Before, I only thought you were despicable and shameless. Now, I've seen another side of your shamelessness."
"Exactly, you shameless dog!" the crowd also cursed Xu Zhongding. "You promised to gouge your own eyes if you lost. Are you even a man?"
"Shameless wretch! You lost and now you're trying to guilt-trip Young Master Li!"
"Boss Li, don't let him off! We all support you, you must gouge his eyes!"
"Yes, gouge him, gouge him!"
"Boss Li, if you're hesitant to do it, a few of us can do it for you!" Some spectators, caught up in the emotion, even stepped forward, ready to act for Li Yang.
Xu Zhongding's face turned pale, his legs trembling.
Suddenly, a foul odor permeated the air. The crowd looked around in surprise, and then all their eyes turned towards Xu Zhongding.
Someone immediately noticed that Xu Zhongding's pants and shoes were wet. Understanding dawned, and they burst into laughter, "Hahaha, he actually peed his pants!"
"Damn it! What kind of master is this? He's an international joke!"
"Scared to this extent, yet he dared to compete in treasure appraisal with Boss Li. He's truly sick."
"Utterly unbearable to look at." Li Yang glanced at the fellow with disdain. If Xu Zhongding had shown any manliness and actually gouged his own eyes in public, Li Yang might have had a sliver of respect for him, and might have even intervened to stop him.
But this fellow was so pathetic that Li Yang's last shred of kindness hardened.
Immediately, he questioned, "Xu Zhongding, we've wasted enough time. I'll ask you one thing: will you gouge them yourself, or shall I?"
"Spare me, spare me!" Xu Zhongding knelt down, kowtowing towards Li Yang, his hands clutching Li Yang's leg as he pleaded.
Li Yang moved his foot, kicking him away. "It's useless to beg for mercy now. Er Dong, prepare two spoons for me."
"Yes, Boss." Er Dong immediately went to fetch the spoons.
The onlookers naturally understood what the spoons were for.
Seeing Er Dong leave, Xu Zhongding was terrified. He shouted in panic and tried to break through the crowd to escape.
But as he was about to flee, Li Yang reached out, grabbed his shoulder, pulled him back, and violently threw him onto the floor.
"Ouch!"
Xu Zhongding cried out in pain, gritted his teeth, and shouted, "Li Yang, don't push me too far! I'm telling you, I have sworn brothers, and one of them is a top treasure appraisal master in the capital. If you really gouge my eyes, I can guarantee my sworn brother will make you pay."
"Show mercy where mercy can be shown. If you let me go, I will personally deliver the shop's treasure as an apology, and I will absolutely not tell my sworn brother about this."
"Wouldn't it be better for both of us to go our separate ways peacefully?"
"Ridiculous. Even now, you dare to threaten me. Do you think I, Li Yang, was raised on fear?" Li Yang's anger flared, and he urged, "Er Dong!"
"Coming, Boss!" Er Dong hurried over, holding several spoons, and said, "But Boss, perhaps I should handle this dirty work."
"Don't dirty your hands, Boss. You see?"
"Alright, you do it." Li Yang nodded, agreeing.
Indeed, his heart wasn't yet so hardened that he could gouge someone's eyes in public.
Er Dong stepped forward, grabbed Xu Zhongding, and said, "Boss Xu, how arrogant and intimidating you were before. I never thought you'd have a day like this."
"You, you dare to touch me?" Xu Zhongding said angrily.
He tried to struggle and almost broke free, but the onlookers were not to be trifled with. They immediately swarmed forward, pinning down his hands, legs, stomach, and head, holding him so tightly that he couldn't resist at all.
Someone even held his eyelids open, preventing him from closing them!
Er Dong made his move.
"Ahhh!" Xu Zhongding let out a piercing scream, so full of pain that he almost fainted.
Li Yang sighed, feeling that things had gone far enough, and was about to tell Er Dong to stop.
After all, Xu Zhongding was no match for him, and he had already lost an eye, paying a sufficiently painful price.
But Xu Zhongding was not done. With half his vision gone, he felt no remorse. Instead, he roared with increased venom, "Li Yang, Li Yang! You just wait, I will make your family perish and you die a horrible death!"
"After you die, I will have people dig up the graves of all your ancestors for eighteen generations!"
"Since you are so vicious, then I have nothing more to say." Li Yang's eyes turned cold. He turned and walked back into the shop, saying, "Er Dong, stop the bleeding after you're done. Don't let him die here, lest it affect our business."
"Moreover, I, Li, keep my word. We agreed on a pair of eyes, and it will be just a pair of eyes!"
"Understood, Boss." Er Dong nodded and struck again.
"Ahhh!"
Xu Zhongding let out another piercing scream. This time, he couldn't utter any more venomous words because he had completely fainted from the pain.
Seeing him like that, everyone released their grip.
Er Dong had someone apply hemostatic powder to stop the bleeding, then called an ambulance to take him away, ensuring he wouldn't die.
After finishing, he immediately returned to the shop and walked up to Li Yang, saying, "Boss, it's all done. That old fellow definitely won't die."
"Good, that's good. You've worked hard, Manager Dong. Go wash your hands and rest for a bit." Li Yang nodded, looking at the bloodstains on Er Dong's hands, and sighed inwardly. Reality was just this cruel.
Every profession had its cruel aspects.
For instance, in stock trading, playing small was fine, but playing big could lead to losing not just a pair of hands, but even people jumping off buildings to end their lives.
Unfortunately, outsiders and newcomers only saw the most glamorous side of a profession, the most outstanding few, and had insufficient understanding of its cruelty, always believing they too would become one of those outstanding individuals.
In the end, they paid a heavy price.
Er Dong nodded and said, "Yes, Boss."
After Er Dong washed his hands and returned, Li Yang handed over the shop's affairs to him. He himself went out onto the street to relax and, more importantly, to try his luck. Perhaps this time, luck would strike again, and he might stumble upon a major find like the Zodiac paintings!
However, as soon as he arrived, the stall vendors eyed him warily.