Chapter 127: Still Acting Tough?

Zhang Xiaofan kicked Yue Xiaohua aside, then cast a calm, indifferent gaze toward the dozen or so thugs. Without a word, he moved with lightning speed, brandishing the jagged neck of a beer bottle.

Zhang Xiaofan’s speed was so extreme that the thugs had no time to react. In an instant, he had struck the first man in the abdomen, then the second, the third... Within moments, the dozen thugs were sprawled on the ground, wailing in agony. Their clothes were soaked in blood, and they began to fear for their lives.

How could this person be so ruthless? He was like a homicidal maniac! They were terrified, but it was too late for regrets; this man seemed even more vicious than their boss, Scorpion.

"Still feeling tough?"

Zhang Xiaofan walked back to Yue Xiaohua. Though in excruciating pain, Yue was still conscious.

"No, not anymore, brother... which outfit do you run with?" Yue Xiaohua no longer dared to show defiance. This man was so skilled and so brutal that he truly believed this young man would kill him if he pushed further.

"Are you going to pay the damages?" Zhang Xiaofan crouched down, patted Yue Xiaohua’s face, and asked coolly.

"I’ll pay... I’ll pay..." Yue Xiaohua stammered, though he was secretly thinking of reclaiming the money the moment the stranger left.

"Thinking of taking revenge once I’m gone?" Zhang Xiaofan seemed to read his mind.

Yue Xiaohua’s expression flickered. "No, no... I wouldn't dare."

"You’d better not. Otherwise... you’ll end up like this." With that, Zhang Xiaofan crushed the beer bottle into powder in his hand.

Yue Xiaohua watched in sheer terror. Damn it, was this guy even human?

"Don't worry, sir, I wouldn't dare seek revenge," Yue promised, trembling with fear.

"That’s for the best. I’ll leave my phone number with the owner. If he tells me you’ve come back for retaliation, don't blame me for what happens next," Zhang Xiaofan said coldly. "Now, cough up the money."

"Yes, yes, right away." Struggling through the pain, Yue Xiaohua forced himself to stand and barked at his subordinates, "Damn it, get the money out!"

The dozen thugs, also nursing their injuries, rummaged through their pockets. Adding up their bills—a few hundred here, a thousand there—they scraped together ten thousand yuan and handed it to Yue. Though agony racked his body, Yue Xiaohua forced a smile and held it out to Zhang Xiaofan. "Brother, please, accept this."

"Accept it? My ass. You think I want your money? You trashed this man’s shop and ruined his business. This is compensation for the owner, understand?"

"Yes, yes... I understand." Yue Xiaohua nodded repeatedly, then held the money carefully as he walked over to the restaurant owner, forcing a smile. "Boss, this is to compensate you."

The owner didn't dare take the money. He thought to himself that if these thugs would just stop collecting protection money, he’d be grateful enough. He was also deeply afraid; after all, this righteous young man wouldn't be here to protect them forever. These thugs had powerful connections. Since this group had failed, they would surely bring someone even more formidable next time.

He truly dared not take it. The owner shook his head, declining. Zhang Xiaofan understood the man’s fear; it was only natural for someone long bullied by these thugs to be skeptical of his ability to keep them at bay. Having done what he could, Zhang Xiaofan knew he couldn't solve the owner's long-term problems.

He walked into the shop, wrote down his number, and handed it to the owner. "If you trust me, call me if they come back, and I’ll settle it. Of course, if you don't, you can continue to be bullied, or you can find the courage to stand up for yourself. Otherwise, you’ll be a victim forever—and your daughter..."

"I understand! I won't be a coward anymore. For my daughter's sake, if they come back, I’ll fight them to the death!" the owner said firmly.

Zhang Xiaofan smiled. It seemed the owner had finally reached an awakening. Even though these thugs were numerous and ruthless, they were afraid of death. If the owner fought back with everything he had, they wouldn't dare go too far.

"This is for my meal," Zhang Xiaofan said, tucking three hundred yuan into the owner’s hand.

"Benefactor, you've helped me so much, I can't take your money," the owner protested again.

Zhang Xiaofan didn't respond, simply turning and walking toward Xia Shihan, taking her hand as they headed out to the street. The owner's daughter, Xiaolan, watched his retreating figure, an image that would be deeply branded into her heart from that moment on.

Yue Xiaohua groaned, clutching his wounds. "Damn it, get to the hospital! I feel like I'm dying!" He roared, and his men scrambled to follow him.

"Brother Yue, we didn't collect the protection money today. How are we going to explain this back home?" one of the thugs whispered on the way.

"Damn it, how would I know? You lot are useless! A dozen of you were taken down in the blink of an eye!" Yue roared.

"Should we go to Brother Scorpion?"

"You don't need to tell me that! This brat nearly killed me; this grudge must be settled!" Yue Xiaohua spat viciously.

***

"Xiaofan, you were so cool back there. Did it feel like being a great hero?" inside the Hummer, Xia Shihan asked with a smile. She felt more and more that this boy, who was younger than her, was incredibly masculine.

"Really? I didn't feel like one," Zhang Xiaofan replied. "You’d better be careful—don't go falling in love with me."

"Pfft, look at you, so full of yourself," Xia Shihan rolled her eyes.

"I'm not being full of myself; I'm just giving you a friendly warning. After all, I am quite exceptional," Zhang Xiaofan laughed.

"I just thought of something. You’re a martial artist, aren't you? Do you have a very powerful master? Or are you from some ancient martial arts family?" Xia Shihan asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"What, digging into my background so soon? Trying to see if we’re a good match?" Zhang Xiaofan teased.

"You are so annoying! I’m asking you a serious question," Xia Shihan said, exasperated.

"Alright, fine. I’m an orphan. Just like in the movies, I grew up on a mountain learning martial arts from an old man, and now that I've achieved some success, I’ve come down," Zhang Xiaofan said.

"Hmph, fine, don't tell me if you don't want to..." Xia Shihan pouted. Zhang Xiaofan felt truly wronged—she didn't believe him even when he told the truth.

Back at the villa, Xia Shihan went to bed early, truly exhausted. Zhang Xiaofan spent half an hour browsing the web, and finding no useful information, decided to rest. Unlike Xia Shihan, however, for him, cultivation was his rest.

His current strength was infinitely close to the late stage of the Spirit Opening Realm, but despite many attempts, he couldn't break through that barrier. He understood that the path of cultivation could not be rushed; when the time was right, success would come naturally. For now, his accumulation simply wasn't enough.

After a night of cultivation, he felt refreshed. The next morning, Zhang Xiaofan woke up feeling ravenous. He’d only had a bit of barbecue the night before and hadn't been full. He checked the fridge, but it was empty. He remembered there was instant noodles in his car, so he went out to retrieve them. Fortunately, the villa had an induction cooker, and the pots and pans were clean.

He boiled the water, blanched the noodles, drained the water, and then added the seasoning—a method that made them much more fragrant than just boiling them directly. A mouth-watering aroma immediately filled the air. Zhang Xiaofan took a sniff, satisfied; it had been a long time since he’d had instant noodles. He rubbed his hands together, grabbed a pair of chopsticks, and began to eat.

"Wow, that smells so good! What are you eating?" Just then, drawn by the scent, Xia Shihan walked down from the second floor, looking like she hadn't quite woken up yet. When she saw the noodles and smelled that alluring spicy aroma, she couldn't resist.

"You’re secretly eating breakfast without calling me... slow down! Leave some for me!" Xia Shihan rushed over, grabbing his arm to try and seize the bowl.