Chapter 24: The Martial Arts Master

Through his x-ray vision, Xu Yi saw Huang Dabao tied to a chair. Aside from a few cuts on his face, he did not appear to be seriously injured.

Inside the office, there were five other people besides Huang Dabao. One woman sat in the corner, head buried in her knees, trembling and refusing to look up; Xu Yi could not see her face. On the other side, standing opposite Huang Dabao, was someone Xu Yi recognized: Zhang Feng, the man he had beaten just yesterday.

However, Xu Yi’s attention was quickly drawn to the three men standing behind Zhang Feng. He frowned, as they felt strangely familiar. Their postures were as upright as pines, their gazes sharp as lightning, and even while standing still, their muscles remained taut. Though not overly muscular, every fiber of their being contained raw power, like cheetahs coiled and ready to strike. It was a sensation Xu Yi had only encountered once before, at the National Martial Arts Tournament.

These were masters of martial arts.

Xu Yi narrowed his eyes, his entire body tensing up as he stared fixedly at them. The young man in the center stood out the most, instantly capturing his focus. The man radiated an immense aura, his breathing long and steady as he stood with his hands clenched into fists. Xu Yi could see that the knuckles on the man's hands were white—a telltale sign of years of dedicated strike training.

Just as Xu Yi was observing him through his x-ray vision, the man suddenly looked up and met his gaze. Xu Yi’s breath hitched. In college, his mentor had once told him that a true martial arts master possessed incredibly keen senses; the slightest disturbance would alert them. Clearly, his intense observation had triggered the man's intuition.

Xu Yi immediately pulled back his gaze and steadied his breathing. A moment later, he saw the young man look toward his direction with a puzzled expression before eventually looking away. Xu Yi let out a sigh of relief, but his heart sank. His mentor had said that those capable of such perception were, without exception, masters among masters—a rarity even in the world of martial arts. In all his years on the martial arts team, Xu Yi had only seen such individuals from afar at national competitions; he had never encountered one in Donghai City.

Where on earth did that madman find such experts? Did he even have a chance against them? Xu Yi began to calculate his odds.

***

Inside the pool hall, Zhang Feng looked down at Huang Dabao with arrogance. "Huang Mao! Damn it, I’ve been wasting my breath on you for half an hour. I’ve given you enough face, so don't be ungrateful."

"Hmph! If you're smart, I suggest you hand over your intelligence network. Maybe then I can put in a good word for you with my uncle and let him spare your miserable life."

Huang Dabao cast a look of disdain at Zhang Feng. He didn't speak, but his contempt was clear. Zhang Feng felt deeply insulted, his face turning bright red.

"Damn you! You're asking for it!" Zhang Feng cursed and slapped Huang Dabao across the face. "Damn it! Everyone knows you’re a coward, an illegitimate son kicked out of his own house. You piece of trash, how dare you give me attitude?"

Blood trickled from the corner of Huang Dabao’s mouth, but he didn't even grunt. He turned his head and stared at Zhang Feng with icy eyes. The cold gaze sent a shiver down Zhang Feng’s spine, leaving him unsettled. This only fueled his rage; he couldn't accept that he, the victor, was being intimidated by a tied-up piece of trash.

Zhang Feng began to punch and kick Huang Dabao, shouting insults as he did so. "Damn it! You never dared to make a sound before. You think you’re hot stuff just because you took Scar’s position? Fuck that! In front of me, you’re still the same loser. You hear me, you dead-eyed bastard?"

"A loser is a loser! Why are you acting tough? Ha! Does it hurt? If it hurts, beg for mercy!"

Zhang Feng’s face grew twisted. His anger wasn't being vented; it was only growing. He had expected Huang Dabao to be groveling at his feet, crying for mercy and handing over what he wanted. Why was this guy acting so tough now?

By this point, Huang Dabao’s face was covered in blood, his eyes swollen shut. Yet, he still didn't utter a sound of pain. Finally, Huang Dabao even flashed a smile at Zhang Feng.

The smile caught Zhang Feng off guard. He felt as if it were the ultimate mockery, as if Huang Dabao were saying, "Come on then! If you've got the guts, kill me!"

"Damn it!" Zhang Feng, consumed by blind rage, looked around, grabbed a pool cue, and swung it toward Huang Dabao’s head. "Damn you, if you're not afraid of death, I'll kill you and see if you're scared then!"

The cue swung down with immense speed. A flash of regret crossed Huang Dabao’s eyes, and he closed them.

*Snap!*

A soft sound echoed. The young martial artist standing behind Zhang Feng had stepped forward and caught the pool cue.

"What the hell are you doing?" Zhang Feng roared at the man.

"Enough. If you kill him, it won't be good. Uncle Zhang said this man is still useful," the young man said coolly. He squeezed his hand, snapping the pool cue in two, and tossed it aside.

Zhang Feng glared at him, gritting his teeth. "Hmph! I know that. I’ll handle the affairs my uncle entrusted to me. You’re just a hired hand; know your place. My business is not for you to decide."

The young man shrugged casually. "I’m just reminding you. Uncle Zhang specifically asked for this person. Besides, there might be others behind him."

"Hmph! I’m well aware of that," Zhang Feng said irritably, though he stopped attacking Huang Dabao. Perhaps feeling his authority challenged, he added, "In the Donghai Gang, everyone knows this punk used to be a spineless coward. They call it one of the three major halls, but he isn't even fit to carry my uncle’s shoes."

"He just got lucky when Scar ran off, giving him the chance to step in. What kind of people could possibly be behind a loser like him?" Zhang Feng walked behind Huang Dabao, acting wildly. "Even if there are, so what? Can they stand against my uncle? Even the position of the Donghai Gang boss will be my uncle’s sooner or later."

"If the people behind him don't show up today, fine. But if they do, I’ll show them what I’m made of! Hahaha!" Zhang Feng laughed manically.

On the other side of the wall, Xu Yi’s eyes narrowed. He had found his opening.

*Now!*

Xu Yi took a deep breath, stepped back, and clenched his fists. He dropped into a horse stance and fixed his gaze forward.

"Hiyah!"

With a roar, Xu Yi threw a powerful punch.

*BOOM!*

A massive crash echoed as the force of the blow slammed into the wall of the internet cafe. The entire building shook. Where Xu Yi’s fist struck, the wall cracked and shattered, yielding to reveal a gaping hole.