Volume 1 Chapter 22: An Urgent Summons from the Overseer

Brother Nan’s feet dangled in the air, kicking wildly.

Seeing that he was still struggling, Li Yan slapped him twice. This brought Brother Nan to his senses, and he finally calmed down. He finally realized that the high school student before him was not someone to be trifled with; tonight, they had kicked a steel plate.

"Br-brother, don't, don't be impulsive. Let’s talk this over. It’s our fault tonight..." He pleaded, his tone filled with supplication and a hint of fear.

In truth, Li Yan had plenty of ways to deal with these thugs. He could have easily called Captain Wang and handed them over as a favor to boost the captain's performance record. But that was a tactic for when he lacked strength. When a person’s individual combat power is enough to suppress a whole group, it is better to act than to talk. Especially with thugs like these—if you beat them into submission once, they will be as obedient as grandchildren the next time they see you.

"Tell me, who asked you to come and stir up trouble?" Li Yan asked directly, his eyes filled with certainty, leaving Brother Nan no room for excuses.

Brother Nan’s eyes flickered, hesitating. But seeing the intimidating look in Li Yan’s eyes, he decided to betray Fu Hantao. After all, he was still pinned to the wall; if he couldn't grasp the reality of the situation, he would likely suffer another brutal beating.

"It... it was Fu Hantao. He gave me ten thousand yuan and told us to teach you a good lesson." A man like Brother Nan had no hesitation when it came to selling someone out. It was only ten thousand yuan, not a million; it wasn't worth keeping a secret for.

Upon hearing the name, a flash of ruthlessness crossed Li Yan’s eyes. He felt surprised, yet not entirely unexpected. He remembered that back in high school, Fu Hantao used his family’s wealth to bully others constantly. He was always boasting in class about how he had gone to discuss business with some "big shot" from the streets or bragging about various fights. In short, he loved projecting the image that he was well-connected in the underworld and not someone to be messed with. Back then, Li Yan thought there might be more to him, but now it seemed laughably childish. It turned out his so-called underworld connections were just a bunch of "delinquent youths."

"Heh, that’s interesting." Tossing Brother Nan to the ground, Li Yan pulled out a cigarette and lit it. If he hadn't been reborn, he would have suffered a major loss tonight. After a moment, Li Yan decided that since he had received a "gift," he should return the favor and teach Fu Hantao a lesson.

Brother Nan climbed up shakily, covering his lower face with one hand, as Li Yan had knocked out two of his teeth with that slap. Seeing Li Yan’s unpredictable expression, he didn't dare make a sound. Even delinquent youths fear being beaten; when they encounter someone stronger and more ruthless, they become even more cowardly than anyone else.

After exhaling a puff of smoke, Li Yan scanned the group of punks. Sensing his gaze, several of them hurriedly lowered their heads, terrified of drawing his attention. Li Yan thought about how these people would likely continue to harm honest folks in the future and decided to give them an unforgettable lesson. If he could turn a few of them around after tonight, that would be enough.

"Did I tell you to stand up? Get back down! What? Do you want another beating?"

The punks scrambled to squat back down.

"Listen up. I want you to walk like ducks until I’m satisfied. Anyone who isn't convinced can step forward and argue with me one-on-one." Li Yan looked to see if any "warrior" dared to step up. Not a single one did.

"You, lead the way. Line up and walk to that intersection, then turn back," Li Yan commanded, pointing at Brother Nan to act as the "mother duck," with the rest of the lackeys trailing behind him. The long line looked just like a mother duck taking her ducklings out to forage.

Zhao Zhengzhong, holding a wooden club, watched with a twitching mouth, a series of expletives running through his mind. Who could have imagined a group of punks with rainbow-dyed hair and tattooed arms walking in a duck-waddle line? Yet, he was witnessing it tonight. It completely shattered his perception of the world.

The four "delinquent girls" were exhausted after walking two laps. They whimpered softly, afraid that crying out loud would earn them another slap. Their "all-powerful" Brother Nan had lost two teeth and didn't dare let out a peep, dutifully waddling at the front. Their faith in him crumbled instantly. So much for the "big brother" of the streets; he was waddling like a duck more obediently than anyone.

After more than an hour, the punks were unable to continue and began to howl in misery.

"You, you, and you... come over here. The rest of you, keep walking."

"Director Zhao, keep an eye on them. If they aren't obedient, just beat them."

Li Yan pointed at Brother Nan and the four girls, signaling them to step out. Freed, they felt no resentment or disrespect toward Li Yan; instead, they were grateful he was letting them off.

"Br-no, Brother Li, is there anything you need me to do? Just name it!" Brother Nan’s posture was lower than ever, looking exactly like a fawning lapdog.

Li Yan pulled out his phone and opened his contacts. He quickly found the number for Captain Wang, the head of the Municipal Public Security Bureau's Anti-Drug Division.

"You’re called Brother Nan, right? You should have some reputation in this area. Captain Wang is my uncle. I’m wondering if I should give him a call and get you all free room and board for the night."

Brother Nan only lost his teeth, not his eyesight. Seeing the label on Li Yan’s phone, his heart sank. He cursed silently, thinking this kid was truly vicious. Not only had he beaten them, made them waddle like ducks for over an hour, but now he was threatening to call the police. He wasn't leaving them any way out.

"Brother Li, Brother Li, just tell me what you need! How was I supposed to know Captain Wang was your uncle? If I had known, I wouldn't have dared even if I had a hundred guts! Please, give me a chance, I’ll never do this again." Although Brother Nan was a thug, he was sharp enough to realize that Li Yan wasn't calling because he wanted to show off his power and ensure they would be obedient in the future.

This was exactly the effect Li Yan wanted. To deal with these thugs, one had to suppress them comprehensively through both force and authority. That was the only way they would stay in line.

"Fu Hantao gave you ten thousand yuan to deal with me, right?" He turned on the voice recorder on his phone. Keeping evidence would be useful later.

Brother Nan, though reluctant, had no choice but to admit it: "Yes, Fu Hantao gave me ten thousand yuan tonight to teach you a lesson."

Li Yan nodded in satisfaction, turned off the recording, and pulled Brother Nan into a quiet corner. The others didn't know what was happening, only seeing them whispering to each other. After they finished talking, Li Yan even pulled a stack of cash from his pocket and handed it to Brother Nan.

With everything settled, Li Yan lost interest. "Director Zhao, let's go."

Leaving the group of punks behind, he and Zhao Zhengzhong walked away.

"Old Li, are we just leaving it at that? Or are you planning to hand the evidence to the police and send Fu Hantao straight to jail?"

Li Yan shook his head. "Not quite. Do you really think this is enough to do anything to Fu Hantao?"

Zhao Zhengzhong was puzzled. "Then you're just going to let it slide? We almost suffered a huge loss tonight."

Li Yan replied, "Just wait. I’ve sent Fu Hantao a big gift. You’ll know in a few days."

Zhao Zhengzhong exclaimed, "Damn, you’re even keeping me in the dark? Are we still brothers?" He then added, "By the way, Old Li, how come I never knew you were such a good fighter? Where did you learn that?"

Li Yan said, "It’s a secret. It’s a family tradition, and my family doesn't want me to expose it easily."

Zhao Zhengzhong felt that his understanding of his best friend was nowhere near complete. As they walked back, the watch on Li Yan’s wrist vibrated. Li Yan frowned, knowing it was Yue Chengze contacting him.

"Wait, Old Li, when did you get a watch? And it’s... pink?" Zhao Zhengzhong finally noticed the pink watch on Li Yan’s left wrist, which looked completely out of place.

Li Yan felt a surge of anxiety; Zhao Zhengzhong absolutely could not know about the Order Bureau. "I have some business to attend to. Take a cab home. Oh, and the watch was a gift from Luo Jiazhuang, don't be jealous." With that, he turned and headed toward his hotel.

He left Zhao Zhengzhong standing there, completely bewildered.

Back in his hotel room, the pink watch on Li Yan’s wrist transformed back into its true form as a locator. A line of text was projected into the air in front of him:

"Li Yan, the Director has an urgent summons. Come immediately!"