The little star from the Gobi Desert, handed over to the state, is hailed as a national treasure.

The town is small, with typical features of Northwest China. Cement roads, low-rise tiled houses, and the air is filled with dryness and the smell of sand. The most common sight here is various red flags, and red slogans such as "Self-reliance and hard work" are painted on the walls. The loudspeakers on the flagpoles are playing rousing revolutionary songs.

The pedestrians were simply dressed, and occasionally a few bicycles would pass by, leaving behind a string of pleasant bicycle bell sounds.

"Daddy, where are we going?" Sweetie hugged her father's neck, curiously looking at the unfamiliar street scene.

"Go buy some good food for the uncles and elders," Liang Zhe replied gently, pondering what he could buy.

Sponge cake? Malted milk powder? Or brown sugar? I just don't know if these products are available.

Just as they crossed the street, a tall, thin figure suddenly appeared from the street corner and crashed straight into Liang Zhe and his daughter!

Liang Zhe reacted swiftly, turning his body to the side and simultaneously pulling his arm in to protect Tian Tian tightly. The figure couldn't stop in time, stumbled, and fell to the ground with a thud, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Ouch!"

He was a young thug in his early twenties, wearing a gray pullover sweater, with permed hair and a pair of gleaming triangular eyes. He rubbed his arm as he got up, cursing, "Damn it! You little punk, can't you watch where you're going..."

He was only halfway through his sentence when he saw Liang Zhe's crisp military uniform, and the rest of his words caught in his throat. The arrogant expression on his face quickly vanished, replaced by an indifferent look. He touched his nose, coughed lightly, and turned to walk away, muttering, "What a damn nuisance."

Sweetie nestled on her father's shoulder, watching the thugs walk away cursing, and asked curiously, "Daddy, the big brother didn't bump into you, so why are you angry?"

Following his figure, Liang Zhe saw several thugs squatting on the street corner, cigarettes dangling from their mouths, eyeing passersby with ill intent—clearly looking for someone to stage an accident and extort money from.

He hesitated for a few seconds, then decided not to cause any trouble and to wait until he had purchased the nutritional supplements before reporting the situation to the local police.

These guys have been doing this for a long time; it shouldn't be hard to find them.

Just as he was about to leave with Tian Tian in his arms, a loud, exaggerated scream suddenly came from behind him.

Liang Zhe turned around and saw the young man who had bumped into him sitting on the ground, clutching his foot with one hand and pointing at the woman in front of him, yelling loudly. The woman was wearing a neat dark blue Lenin suit, her jet-black hair was styled into two braids, she had delicate features, fair skin, and a canvas bag slung across her shoulder.

She frowned, her face full of anger: "Comrade, I was walking normally the whole time. I bumped into you on my own."

"Nonsense! You're the one who hit me! Do you think nobody saw it?" The thug clutched his foot, wailing dramatically, "My leg is definitely broken! You have to pay for my medical treatment!"

The woman clearly hadn't expected him to be a scoundrel, and her cheeks flushed with anger: "You're being completely unreasonable. Let's go to the police station together and let the officers uphold justice."

"Police station? Who are you trying to scare!" The thug became even more arrogant when he saw that she was delicate and beautiful and alone. "Stop talking nonsense and give me the money! Otherwise, I'm not done with you!" As he spoke, he reached out to grab her bag.

"This is robbery!" The woman was both shocked and angry. She gripped her bag tightly and backed away, but she was no match for the young man's strength, and the strap of the bag was stretched out.

Seeing that she wouldn't let go, the thug's face darkened, and he gave a wink to someone behind him. Several thugs who had been squatting on the street corner smoking immediately surrounded her.

"Hey girl, you hit someone and aren't going to pay anything? You're pretty arrogant, aren't you?"

"Judging by your attire, you seem like a respectable person. You're not planning to renege on your debt, are you?"

"Hurry up and give me ten yuan, and some food coupons too. You're carrying such a big bag, you can't be broke, can you?"

The woman, trembling slightly with anger, was being harassed by them: "You're all in cahoots! Is there no law in broad daylight?"

Liang Zhe witnessed all of this. Seeing this group of people bullying a single woman like this, he couldn't help but feel angry.

Sweetie in my arms whispered, "Daddy, that bad brother lied. He fell on purpose."

Liang Zhe, of course, knew exactly what was going on. He asked his daughter in a low voice, "What does Tian Tian think we should do?"

Without hesitation, Tian Tian pointed and said in a clear voice, "Brother is bad, Dad is helping Auntie!"

Upon receiving his daughter's "instruction," Liang Zhe smiled slightly: "Okay, let's listen to Tian Tian and go help Auntie."

Seeing that the group of thugs was about to snatch the bag, Liang Zhe did not hesitate any longer. He rushed forward in a few steps and grabbed the wrist of one of the men who was trying to snatch the bag.

"Ah—!" The man felt as if his wrist was being constricted by an iron clamp, and a sharp pain shot through him, causing him to scream in agony.

Liang Zhe tightened his grip, lifting him off the ground like a chick, and coldly shouted, "Extortion in broad daylight, and you even dare to rob me? You've got some nerve!"

The man was initially startled, but upon recognizing the other man as a soldier, he was terrified. Just as he was about to apologize, his accomplice shouted, "He's all alone, and he's carrying a child! Don't be afraid, everyone, attack together!"

Upon hearing this, the boy was filled with malice and, without saying a word, swung his free hand at Liang Zhe's face!

Liang Zhe pulled Tian Tian into his arms, turned his head to avoid the punch, and at the same time grabbed the other person's wrist and swung it hard—the person was thrown out like a broken sack, landing heavily three or four steps away, his eyes rolling back in pain.

Seeing their companion suffer a loss, the others shouted and charged forward, along with the thug who had just claimed to have a broken leg. Some even grabbed wooden sticks from the corner of the wall.

"So what if he's a soldier? Mind your own business! Beat him up!"

"Daddy, watch out!" Sweetie exclaimed.

"Don't be afraid, Sweetie, close your eyes." Liang Zhe quickly instructed, then turned sideways like a gust of wind and delivered a sharp side kick, sending the thug at the front flying.

"Ouch—" The man was caught off guard, his internal organs were instantly turned inside out, and he lay on the ground for a long time, unable to get up.

When the second person threw a punch, Liang Zhe neither dodged nor avoided it. His left hand shot out like lightning, precisely grabbing the man's wrist, twisting it in the opposite direction, and pushing him towards the third person.

The two screamed and collided, falling face-first into the mud.

Seeing that he couldn't gain any advantage, the fourth person's fierce eyes flashed with a hint of murderous intent. He avoided Liang Zhe and raised the wooden stick high, smashing it down on Tian Tian in his arms!

He had long recognized Liang Zhe's exceptional skills, but the little girl in his arms was his only weakness.

Liang Zhe's eyes flashed with a cold light as he kicked out with his right leg, striking the middle of the stick. The thug felt a tremendous force, his hand instantly split open, and the wooden stick flew far away from his grasp.

Before he could react, Liang Zhe stepped forward and delivered an elbow strike to his ribs. The man groaned, clutched his ribs, and knelt on the ground, coughing up blood.

The last thug, feigning injury, was terrified when he saw his accomplices all taken down in the blink of an eye. He turned to kick them, but Liang Zhe flicked the stick with his toe, caught it without looking, and hurled it backward—

The wooden stick drew an arc in the air and struck the thug precisely on the back of the head, knocking him to the ground with a cry of "Ouch!"

This time, I really can't get up.