Eye of Insight

The burly vendor twisted a plucked chicken in his hands and slammed it down on the counter with a heavy thud. The sharp "crack" echoed, and a few pinkish water droplets splattered in all directions, like the burst of a water-filled balloon. Anyone with half a brain could tell this chicken had been pumped full of water, with even the cut edges gleaming white.

"Fu*k! If you weren't a woman, I'd slap a few teeth out of your mouth right now. Either way, you're paying for this chicken today," the vendor growled, his face twisted with fury.

Oxie might look delicate and refined, but when it came to cursing people out, she didn't hold back. Unable to win the verbal battle, the vendor resorted to intimidation.

Oxie lifted her chin, unyielding. "I'm not paying a single cent for this water-filled chicken. I'm leaving now. If you stop me, I'll call the police." She pulled out her phone and waved it in front of him, her expression daring him to try anything. It was as if she was holding a grenade, not a smartphone.

The vendor laughed coldly. "Go ahead, chick, call the cops and tell them this stall is Tony's."

Oxie froze for a moment, then was about to hit the dial button when, suddenly, a big hand shot out from the side and snatched her phone away. Before she could react, someone shoved her hard from behind, sending her stumbling forward and crashing her chest against the edge of the marble counter. The pain made her cry out.

The burly vendor smiled grimly and grabbed the cleaver from the counter, raising it high. With a sickening "chop," he brought it down on the chicken's neck. The bloody head rolled, coming to a stop right in front of Oxie.

"Ah!" Oxie screamed and stumbled backward, nearly losing her balance. But before she could fall, a strong hand pressed against her back, steadying her. She looked up to find a familiar face.

"Ethan!" Oxie exclaimed, as if she'd found her savior.

Ethan shook his head, shoving the phone into his pocket. He'd already called the police, but when he saw Oxie getting bullied, he couldn't just stand by, especially with his connection to Mike.

He spun around quickly and grabbed a slim, wiry man by the shoulder. "Give me the phone."

Ethan had seen it all—this guy had taken Oxie's phone and pushed her in the chaos.

The wiry man snarled, showing his teeth. "What the hell do you want, kid? Let go, or I'll teach you a lesson." Just as he finished speaking, his pocket started ringing with a Taylor Swift song.

Turning his head, Oxie saw she was still holding another phone, staring at the slim guy's pocket with wide, furious eyes.

Ethan yanked the wiry man's arm back, throwing him off balance. Seizing the opportunity, Oxie dashed forward and grabbed a pink phone from his pocket.

The wiry man jerked his shoulder free and pointed at Ethan, teeth gritted. "You little bastard, I'll make sure you regret this... Ow!"

He cut himself off with a howl of pain as Ethan twisted his finger in the opposite direction, making him drop to the ground.

The burly vendor, seeing his guy in trouble, charged forward with the cleaver, pointing it at Ethan. "You little bastard, let go, or I'll chop you into pieces."

His threats lacked conviction. Despite his usual bravado, he was just a butcher, not a killer, and had no real intention of using the cleaver. He just wanted to intimidate Ethan.

Ethan kicked the wiry man aside and ducked low, grabbing the vendor's leg, flipping him onto his back with a sharp jerk. The vendor's head hit the cement floor with a sickening thud, knocking him out cold, the cleaver falling to the side with a clang.

The crowd around them gasped, and chaos erupted. Taking advantage of the distraction, Ethan grabbed Oxie's hand and bolted toward the market exit. As they passed the seafood section, Ethan made sure to grab their things before continuing their escape.

Just as they reached the market's edge, they heard shouting behind them. Ethan turned around to see a group of men, armed with sticks and knives, charging toward them. A taxi was pulling up right then, and Oxie waved it down. The two of them jumped inside.

"Drive!" Oxie shouted urgently, and the driver, seeing the danger, slammed on the gas. The car sped off, leaving the pursuing men choking on dust.

The driver, a sturdy middle-aged man, shook his head as he glanced at the sweat-soaked pair. "This market's not safe. There are too many bullies. A few days ago, a young guy got his head cracked open just outside the market. I was the one who took him to the hospital."

Oxie fumed, "They force people to buy water-filled chickens and then beat them up if they refuse. They're nothing but thugs! I'm going to report them!"

Ethan chuckled bitterly. "You seem so calm, but when you snap, you're like a lion. Just be careful you don't get yourself into more trouble. Where do you think I'll go if my 'bro' gets into trouble?"

Oxie pouted. "It's that fat bastard's fault. If he hadn't wanted fried chicken, none of this would've happened. But luckily, I met Ethan the hero today."

Ethan waved his hand dismissively. "Please, I was running for my life, terrified I'd wet myself. If it weren't for this driver, we'd still be running."

The driver laughed. "It's not my business, just a lucky coincidence. But I'd advise you to drop the idea of reporting them. Those guys don't act like that without backing. If they weren't protected, they wouldn't be so bold."

Though Oxie was fiery, she wasn't naive. She knew reporting these thugs would be pointless; it would only bring trouble. It was better to just find another market and buy a chicken somewhere else.

Seeing Oxie looking downhearted, Ethan took out his phone and called Mike.

"Bro, bad news about your sweet girl..." Ethan paused dramatically.

Mike's voice boomed through the speaker, sounding furious. "Spit it out already! Don't mess with me. You still owe me half a month's meals!"

Ethan stuck out his tongue. "I ran into Oxie at the market, and she was getting beaten up by a guy selling water-filled chickens..."

"What? Say that again?" Mike's voice was wild with rage, now fully convinced that something was wrong. Oxie had gone to buy chicken, right?

"Oxie got hit by a son of a b**ch at Jillon Market selling pumped-up poultry. If I hadn't shown up, who knows what might have happened."

Mike lost it, and the roar that followed could probably be heard from a mile away. "Those sons of b**ches dare lay a finger on my wife? I'm bringing people over to deal with them right now!"