Volume 1, Chapter 21: A Bunch of Worthless Rabble

"What's the meaning of this? Are you refusing to give us face?" the young man with dyed yellow hair persisted aggressively.

A few other flashy hoodlums chimed in: "Yeah, do you think you're better than us?"

"What's with that stuck-up attitude?"

"If you don't give us an explanation today, things aren't going to go well."

Brother Nan stood behind them, a cold sneer playing on his lips. Just a high school kid—he couldn't wait to see the boy lose his temper. As long as he dared to throw the first punch, the boys would be sure to teach him a proper lesson about how the world worked.

The commotion drew the attention of the patrons in the bar, who began to look their way. The owner, seeing a conflict brewing, walked over quickly. Upon seeing the group, he realized they were regulars. He couldn't help but feel a sense of disdain for these punks; he looked down on people who made a living by cheating and scamming, and he was even more annoyed that they dared to cause trouble in his establishment. He knew the ringleader was Brother Nan.

"Nan, don't cause trouble in my place, or don't blame me for not being polite," the owner warned.

Brother Nan’s eyes flickered with a hint of caution when the owner intervened. "Brother Dong, it’s this kid who’s disrespecting us; we’re just venting some frustration. Don’t worry, we won’t stir up trouble in your venue." He made a promise, as he had no desire to cross the bar owner. He gestured toward Li Yan and his friend. "Hey, you two, come outside with us."

Zhao Zhengzhong was not oblivious to what would happen if they followed this group outside. He might look simple-minded, but he wasn't stupid. "We can talk about whatever it is right here. We’re busy."

"Hey, what? You’re really not going to give us any face, huh?" The yellow-haired youth grew impatient.

The bar owner cast a sympathetic look at Li Yan and Zhao Zhengzhong; these two youngsters were clearly being targeted. He couldn't explicitly say anything more. "Nan, I said it once: no trouble in my bar. Handle your business in private, but keep it civil while you're here. Understood?" He expressed his displeasure to the group, while subtly signaling to the two students not to follow them out. That was all he could do; he wouldn't interfere further.

Brother Nan nodded. "I understand, don't worry."

Li Yan understood the owner's hint, but he didn't share the same line of thought. He felt there was something suspicious about this. There were plenty of others in the bar who had just finished their college entrance exams and were out to relax, so why were they being singled out? It felt far too targeted. He wondered if he should use these punks to test his own combat prowess. While the Order Bureau’s regulations forbade attacking civilians, he was allowed to defend himself if he was in danger. With his current strength, dealing with these thugs would be effortless.

"Zhengzhong, let's go," Li Yan decided, wanting to find out why this group was coming after him.

Zhao Zhengzhong was stunned and looked at Li Yan, baffled. Just like that, they were going to follow them out?

It seemed highly likely they would suffer for it tonight; this didn't seem like Li Yan's usual style. But he didn't hesitate for long—if something happened, he would stand by Li Yan and face it together.

Brother Nan was surprised to see the two actually walking toward the exit. It worked out perfectly for them. If the boys had stayed put or called the police, it would have been a headache to handle. High schoolers were just high schoolers—even after graduation, they were just bookworms who didn't know the dangers of the real world.

"Old Li, should we call the police?" Zhao Zhengzhong whispered as soon as they stepped outside.

Li Yan patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, I can handle it. I won't let you get hurt."

Zhao Zhengzhong remained skeptical, feeling certain they were about to get beaten up. "They’re following us. Are you sure you don't want to call the police?" He glanced back to see the group of punks swarming out after them. They weren't moving to attack yet, likely because there were security cameras at the bar entrance.

"Are you afraid?" Li Yan asked.

"Afraid? What the hell is there to be afraid of?" Zhao Zhengzhong retorted, though his voice lacked conviction. "Don't worry, even if a fight breaks out, I’ll be the first one in. We'll face it together."

The loyalty between young men was so simple and foolish. Li Yan felt a warmth in his heart for his best friend. If he had the chance in this life, he would definitely look out for him. He remembered that in his previous life, he and Zhao Zhengzhong had drifted apart after starting college. By the time they graduated, they were both so busy scrambling for a living that they hadn't met for years.

He decided to explain: "I just feel like something is fishy here. Someone might be trying to target me. Just protect yourself; leave the rest to me."

They walked at a steady pace, deliberately heading toward a dark, secluded alleyway. Behind them, Brother Nan was delighted. If the two had stayed on the main road or tried to run, he would have had to put in some effort. But since they were foolishly heading into an alley, they were practically digging their own graves. He couldn't be blamed for what happened next.

"Follow them. When we get there, just beat them up. Teach them a lesson, but don't kill anyone, got it?" Brother Nan instructed his friends.

"Don't worry, we know what to do."

Li Yan had specifically chosen a dead end; it was the perfect place to trap the rats. They dared to provoke him? None of them would get away tonight.

Zhao Zhengzhong was starting to panic, realizing they had run out of road. He grabbed a wooden stick from somewhere, his hands trembling slightly.

"Don't be nervous. When it starts, you just guard the exit. Don't let a single one of them run away."

"What? Old Li, are you sure? Shouldn't we be the ones running?" Zhao Zhengzhong’s heart sank. They were surrounded, and now Li Yan was telling him to guard the entrance? Even a movie star wouldn't say something like that. It seemed they were doomed to get a beating after all.

Brother Nan saw the dark, camera-free alley and knew it was the perfect spot. "Do it! Focus on that Li Yan guy."

Hearing the order, the thugs charged forward, fists flying. Zhao Zhengzhong was just about to swing his stick at the yellow-haired youth when he felt his collar being grabbed, and in the next moment, he found himself behind Li Yan.

Li Yan shifted his body, moving like a ghost. With a flurry of movements, the sound of groans filled the air. Before the thugs could even see how he struck, they were already on the ground.

Brother Nan, a veteran of street fights for years, was stunned. What had just happened? Suddenly, a palm flashed before his eyes. With a loud *thwack*, Brother Nan was sent flying two or three meters away, crashing heavily to the ground.

The few remaining young women with the group stared in shock, clearly terrified. One of them, Tanya, was the first to snap out of it and prepared to scream, but before a sound could escape her lips, she was slapped across the face.

"Shut up with that noise."

*Smack! Smack!* A few more strikes left the young women reeling and dizzy.

Zhao Zhengzhong was stunned, staring in disbelief. "Holy crap, when did Li Yan get this badass?"

"Stop staring and guard the entrance! I have questions for them," Li Yan urged.

"Oh—right, okay!" Zhao Zhengzhong stumbled toward the entrance, standing there with his wooden stick like a temple guardian.

A few of the thugs on the ground tried to scramble up, but Li Yan kicked them back down. "Stay put, everyone. If anyone moves, I'll make sure they regret it."

Hearing the threat, the two who were trying to get back up decided to stay on the ground and groan instead.

"And you lot," Li Yan said, pointing fiercely at the four young women. "If I hear one scream, I'll knock your teeth out."

The four women clutched their faces, sobbing softly. They couldn't comprehend what had just happened. To them, Li Yan now seemed like a demon.

Li Yan walked over to Brother Nan, grabbed him by the hair, and hoisted him up with one hand, pinning him against the wall with his feet dangling.

"So, you're 'Brother Nan,' is that it? Tell me: who sent you to cause trouble for me?"