Chapter 221: Arrogance

A burly man with a fierce and menacing expression led a gang of thugs armed with knives and clubs, exuding an aura that warned of trouble. 

The moment this group appeared, onlookers scattered like leaves in the wind. These men were nothing like the cocky youths from earlier; they were true scoundrels, ruthless and violent. The sight of their bloodthirsty demeanor and weapons in hand was enough to make even the bravest hesitate, fearing they might become collateral damage. 

After all, weapons show no mercy. One accidental blow could leave you with no place to seek justice—let alone expect compensation for injuries from men who wouldn't hesitate to strike again. 

Yet, in a corner of the scene, a handful of people remained unfazed. Not only did they stay, but they also whispered amongst themselves, seemingly oblivious to their peril. These were none other than the four-person group that had followed the commotion. 

"Hey, Xiao Hei, did you see that? That guy took down over a dozen on his own!" a red-haired youth with an eccentric look asked the tall man beside him, his voice tinged with awe for the subject of their discussion. 

One would expect a pampered and weak playboy, yet he had transformed into a one-man wrecking crew, effortlessly taking down a group of ruffians without so much as a scratch. This transformation was precisely what the red-haired youth found baffling. 

However, the tall man misunderstood his point, dismissing it indifferently. "I saw. Just a bunch of kids. I could've handled them with one hand." 

The handsome young man's gaze flickered, a spark of deep curiosity glinting in his eyes. "To slap someone weighing as much as a grown man into the air requires a force of at least three to four hundred pounds. Fascinating. I'm beginning to believe there's a reason we were ordered to monitor him. But... is that really all there is to it?" He stroked his chin, a trace of anticipation flashing across his face. 

The icy beauty beside him, however, was full of scorn. "What's so impressive? He's just a lecher with a bit of basic combat skill." To her, dealing with those thugs wouldn't even require lifting a finger—a single glare would suffice. 

The red-haired youth and the tall man exchanged knowing glances, their expressions turning peculiar. Their minds couldn't help but drift to a certain incident involving a listening device and someone's posterior. 

But under the icy beauty's sharp glare, they quickly averted their gazes back to the scene, though their hearts were brimming with suppressed laughter. Since joining forces, they had never seen her at such a disadvantage. Usually, she had them completely under her thumb. The opportunity to savor this rare moment, even silently, was too good to pass up. 

"Boss, should we step in?" the eccentric youth asked nervously, eyeing the thugs who had just arrived. He feared any mishap with their "subject of observation" would make explanations to their superiors difficult. 

"Let's wait a bit longer," the handsome young man replied coolly, holding him back. Though he shared the same concerns, his curiosity overrode his caution. He wanted to see what surprises this person might unveil. 

Meanwhile, the situation in the center of the scene had grown tense. The burly leader of the thugs stared straight at Xiang Ri, twirling a steel rod in his hand. "So, you're the one causing trouble in my territory?" 

"And what if I am?" Xiang Ri's tone was calm as he felt two figures press close behind him. He realized the two girls were clinging to him in fear, their apprehension understandable given the murderous aura emanating from this new group. Turning slightly, he reassured them softly, "Don't worry. I'm here." 

"Mm!" The girls nodded firmly, their initial fear seemingly dissipating entirely with his words. 

"Hmm, interesting." The burly man cast a glance at the bodies sprawled on the ground. He hesitated to act rashly. While the young thugs under his command were no masters of combat, for someone to take them all down single-handedly was no small feat—especially with one arm. What kind of force would this man wield if he used both? 

Deciding caution was the better part of valor, the man sought to test the waters. If the situation could be resolved peacefully, he preferred not to escalate. After all, the Panlong Gang had significant operations planned in the West District soon. Provoking an unknown and formidable adversary now would be an utterly foolish move. 

"Brother, which gang are you with? Don't you know this territory belongs to the Panlong Gang?" As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeve, revealing a vicious dragon tattoo coiled around his arm. 

"Panlong Gang?" Xiang Ri paused, a sardonic smile flickering across his face. Internally, he marveled at his uncanny knack for crossing paths with this infamous syndicate. The so-called number one gang? Frankly, if not for dealing with a scumbag surnamed Li in the past, he wouldn't have even heard of this supposedly renowned organization. 

Since the feud was already established, Xiang Ri didn't mind deepening it. After all, he doubted that the Li scum—whose dignity he had thoroughly crushed—would let bygones be bygones. 

Thus, his response was succinct, cutting through the air like a blade: "Never heard of it." 

"What did you say?" The burly thug's expression darkened. Though the Panlong Gang was newly formed, its ties to the infamous underworld figure An Tiger were undeniable. On the surface, the leader was the inconspicuous real estate mogul Li Sansheng, but everyone knew the real authority lay with An Tiger's eldest son, An Wen. Li was little more than a puppet, a nominal vice president at best. 

"What's wrong? Didn't understand me?" Xiang Ri sneered, pressing his advantage. "I said, I've never heard of the Panlong Gang. Why is that so surprising? Also, as for the guy who hit my sister earlier, I'll settle for taking the hand he used. Surely, you have no objections?" 

The thug's face grew even darker. "And what about you attacking my men? How do we settle that?" 

Xiang Ri laughed arrogantly. "That's just interest. You should know, some people's hair strands are worth more than trash like you." 

"Good! Good! Good!" The thug's fury boiled over, each "good" spat through gritted teeth. "This is the first time I've heard someone speak so insolently to me. Kid, no matter who you are, you're dead today!" With that, he waved his arms, signaling the twenty-some henchmen behind him to close in. 

Xiang Ri quickly pushed the two girls into a corner to keep them out of harm's way. Just as he prepared to act, another group stormed into the bar. 

This new arrival numbered over fifty, each wielding blades and clubs, their presence no less imposing than the first group. 

At the forefront was a young man with a thin mustache, brandishing a large machete. His cocky demeanor was evident as he bellowed, "Boss, we're here!" With that, they charged forward, surrounding the original group of thugs. 

"Monkey, what's the meaning of this?" The burly thug clearly recognized the newcomer, his tone laced with displeasure. 

"What's the meaning?" Monkey retorted smugly. "I should be asking you! What's the meaning of surrounding my boss?" 

"Your boss?" The thug was taken aback, then incredulously pointed at Xiang Ri. "You're saying that kid is your boss? He's with the Hungry Wolves Gang?" 

Monkey opened his mouth to reply, but Xiang Ri cut him off. "Monkey, cut the chatter. Get a few men to escort these two girls out." 

Though Xiang Ri wasn't afraid of the situation, his concern lay in the possibility of the enemy taking the girls hostage. With his injured right hand, he could only protect one of them if it came to that. If forced, he could rely on a newly acquired "skill," but its deadly nature was something he was reluctant to unleash. 

He knew well that even a glimpse of violence could haunt the girls, still innocent and pure. Witnessing such carnage might leave them scarred forever—a consequence Xiang Ri refused to bear. 

"Yes, Boss," Monkey replied, signaling to a stout subordinate. The man immediately led a small group into the encirclement, carefully escorting the frightened yet curious girls to safety. 

Relieved, Xiang Ri turned his attention back to the matter at hand. As he passed the blue-haired youth lying on the ground, he stomped down on the man's arm with a sickening crack. The youth awoke from his unconscious state, howling in agony, only for Xiang Ri to send him back to oblivion with a casual kick. 

Watching his subordinates so thoroughly humiliated on their own turf, the burly thug was seething, nearly coughing up blood. But he could only swallow his rage. The odds were no longer in his favor, and with larger matters pressing on the gang, starting a war now would be reckless. 

"Fine," he growled through clenched teeth. "Debts have their origins, and grievances their owners. I'll remember today's favor, brother." 

Careful not to escalate the situation into a gang-wide conflict, the thug framed the feud as personal rather than organizational. Any large-scale retaliation would risk plunging the Panlong Gang into chaos, and he knew he'd be the first to pay for such recklessness. 

"As expected," Xiang Ri replied with a knowing smirk, stopping Monkey from advancing further. His gaze swept over his foes with an air of disdain. "Let me warn you: don't even think about targeting me or anyone around me. If you do, I'll obliterate the Panlong Gang until nothing remains but ash." 

With that, Xiang Ri turned and strode out of the bar, never once looking back.