Huang Mao was the first to rush into the alley, yet he failed to catch sight of Li Chen.
"Strange, I clearly saw him run in here, how did he vanish in the blink of an eye?"
Zhao Ergou was also baffled. He looked around and then gestured to his men.
"Search around, he must be nearby, he couldn't have gone far!"
However, before Zhao Ergou finished speaking, an icy voice suddenly rang out from behind him, startling him.
"No need to look, I'm right here!"
Zhao Ergou looked towards the voice, only to see Li Chen nonchalantly chewing on a leaf, hands in his pockets, giving them a sidelong glance.
Seeing this, Zhao Ergou couldn't help but feel alarmed.
He steadied his mind, pointed at Li Chen's nose, and demanded, "Was it you who hurt my brothers?"
Li Chen barely cracked a smile and said, "They had it coming!"
Zhao Ergou was furious at Li Chen's complete lack of respect.
"You've got some nerve, kid!"
Li Chen nodded and casually responded, "I'm used to it!"
"Oh boy, you're quite cocky, huh? Let me tell you, I specialize in dealing with the disobedient!"
Then he waved to his men and ordered, "Brothers, attack together, teach this kid a lesson!"
Huang Mao and the others chorused in response, rolling up their sleeves, swarming like a pack of ravenous wolves towards Li Chen.
Watching them strut with exaggerated swagger and weak stance, Li Chen instinctively shook his head with disdain.
"Pathetic, a bunch of losers!"
No sooner had the taunt left his lips, Li Chen unleashed a Tai Chi opening move, slapping Huang Mao's face.
"Slap!"
A crisp slap echoed, leaving a bright red palm print on Huang Mao's cheek.
Immediately after, Li Chen stepped out with his left foot, using his toe as a pivot, and swept across with his right in a fan shape.
"Crack!"
"Crack!"
"Crack!"
Three horrific bone-breaking sounds, and the three flunkies at the front all suffered comminuted fractures of the knee, collapsing rigidly to the ground.
Seeing Li Chen's martial prowess, how he downed four of his men in the blink of an eye, Zhao Ergou felt a surge of fear.
Grinding his teeth, he pulled out a shiny fruit knife from his waist and stabbed at Li Chen.
Li Chen's expression darkened when he saw the knife.
"You're asking for it, don't blame me!"
As Zhao Ergou lunged with the knife, Li Chen advanced instead of retreating, closing the gap.
Then, with a swift disarm, he snatched the fruit knife right from Zhao Ergou's hand.
"Crack!"
Zhao Ergou's wrist fractured, his balance lost, and he stumbled to the ground heavily.
At that moment, he realized he had kicked an iron plate.
"Brother, this is all a misunderstanding, I swear!"
Li Chen frowned. "Brother?"
Zhao Ergou had grown up tough on the streets and could read the room. Seeing things go south, he quickly corrected himself.
"Big Brother!"
Li Chen sneered, "Who's your big brother?"
Just then, Huang Mao suddenly cursed like a madman, as if injected with expired chicken blood.
"Damn, kid! You've gone too far, we are..."
"Slap!"
Before he could finish his sentence, Li Chen backhanded him with a resounding slap.
"I'm bullying you now, what's it to you?"
Stunned by Li Chen's slap, Huang Mao didn't dare let out a peep, let alone talk back.
"Slap!"
Li Chen handed him another slap and said coldly, "You were acting tough just now, why the cowardice? Speak up!"
"Slap!"
"I..."
"Slap!"
"What about you, still talking back?"
Huang Mao felt like crying. Speak and he's slapped; stay quiet and he's still slapped – what does he want me to do?
Li Chen didn't bother with him, turned, and walked towards Zhao Ergou.
"I'm in a good mood today, so I won't stoop to your level. But don't let it happen again!"
He paused briefly, then threw the shiny fruit knife.
"Otherwise, it'll end like this knife!"
Before the word "knife" could fully form, Li Chen struck the blade with a finger.
"Crack!"
The fruit knife shattered into two halves, clattering to the ground.
Witnessing this scene, Zhao Ergou, Huang Mao, and the rest were dumbstruck, gaping wide enough to fit a duck egg.
Li Chen huffed and, like a Martial Arts Grandmaster, walked away with his hands behind his back, striding confidently.
After leaving the alley, Li Chen planned to go back to check on Ye Chuxue at school.
Passing the park, a gorgeous figure caught his attention.
A tall, attractive girl was practicing her punches under a willow by the lakeside.
The girl's movements were vigorous and powerful, exuding a proud aura of a heroine.
Her slender waist twisted with the wind, and the prominent peaks at her neck quivered with her body's sway, like ripe red apples in June, almost dripping with temptation.
Li Chen watched her for a while and commented, "Accuracy's not bad, but your speed and power need work!"
He shook his head and turned to leave.
The punching girl, always prideful, had been irked by Li Chen staring at her neck area, but with no reason to react, she held back.
But she never expected him to keep shaking his head.
What did that mean?
Did he think her punching was awful?
Or was he unimpressed by the peaks under her neck?
Seeing Li Chen about to leave, she quickly ended her routine, stepped forward with an icy expression to block his path.
"What were you shaking your head for just now, who are you looking down on?"