Chapter 17 : Fix the plot
Now, Chen Fan was certain—Su Ming was determined to have a hostile relationship with him. Trying to appease or reason with him would clearly be futile. Chen Fan couldn't help but feel puzzled by Su Ming's motives. Could he just be some mindless, delusional person living in his own world? Chen Fan wondered. I'll need to find out more about him, he decided.
"You think you can fool me with this act?" Su Ming sneered, his expression full of disdain. "I'm sure you're just trying to lower our guard so you can play your tricks later. I'm warning you—leave Lingzhou immediately. Don't make me take action."
With those words, Su Ming raised his hand, signaling to his bodyguard. The tall, muscular man who had been lurking in the shadows behind him now stepped forward, his powerful presence a stark contrast to Su Ming's pompous attitude. The bodyguard had been hidden nearby from the start, ready to intervene if necessary. As a seasoned martial artist, he had heard every word of the conversation. However, inwardly, he wanted to bury his face in shame. This is beyond embarrassing. What nonsense is my young master spouting? But a job was a job, and he had no choice but to follow Su Ming's orders.
[I'm sorry, Tang He. This might sting a little], Su Ming thought, feeling a brief pang of guilt for what he was about to do.
Watching this unfold, Feng Yanyan glanced at Su Ming with an expression that screamed disbelief. Her gaze then shifted to the muscular bodyguard standing behind Su Ming, and a trace of pity flickered in her eyes—this seemingly strongest man in the area had to endure such a ridiculous situation.
"Boy, I'll say it again—leave Lingzhou immediately," Su Ming declared, his voice brimming with arrogance.
"Alright," Chen Fan interrupted before Su Ming could continue his threat. His eyes shifted briefly to the approaching bodyguard. Of course, Chen Fan knew he could easily defeat him. However, he had a different plan in mind. He wanted to uncover more about Su Ming's intentions. If Su Ming's hostility truly stemmed from some mental delusion, he would likely persist with his threats, believing Chen Fan was intimidated by the show of force. Let's see where this leads, Chen Fan thought, his expression calm and composed.
"Uh?" Su Ming's eyes widened as he watched Chen Fan casually start to walk away. His mind raced to make sense of the situation, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't comprehend it.
[Isn't he supposed to be the protagonist? His strength should already be beyond any martial artist! Why the hell does he look so... docile?]
[No! If he really leaves, what will happen to the plot?!] Su Ming panicked, his thoughts spiraling as the situation slipped further out of his control. Watching Chen Fan, now a good distance away, Su Ming clenched his fists. Determined to salvage the moment, he pushed aside his embarrassment and shouted,
"Tang He, beat him!"
The sudden command caused both Tang He and Feng Yanyan to snap their heads toward Su Ming, their eyes widening in shock. Neither could believe what they'd just heard. Even Chen Fan paused mid-step, his expression stunned as he turned slightly, struggling to process the absurdity of the moment.
"I knew it! You're just pretending to leave, aren't you?" Su Ming continued shouting, his tone accusatory. "You're still looking down on me, aren't you?"
Chen Fan turned fully now, his face filled with bewilderment as he gave Su Ming a long, incredulous stare.
"What are you waiting for, Tang He?" Su Ming barked, turning to his bodyguard with what he probably thought was a commanding, fierce expression. Tang He blinked in disbelief before reluctantly snapping out of his confusion.
"Um, young master... I think—" Tang He started to speak, but he was cut off by a sharp command.
"SHUT UP. Are you the bodyguard, or am I?" Su Ming's voice was dripping with condescension.
Tang He smartly shut his mouth. His inner turmoil aside, he briefly glanced at Chen Fan, who was still standing there, calm and composed. Despite the absurdity of the situation, Tang He decided to maintain his professionalism. After all, his job was to protect his young master, no matter how ridiculous the circumstances. He briefly cast an apologetic look at Chen Fan before deciding to just beat him and cause a light injury—nothing too severe.
As Tang He rapidly closed in on Chen Fan, Feng Yanyan unconsciously felt a pang of worry for him. After all, for an ordinary girl like her, Tang He's imposing strength was intimidating. Even though she had heard Su Ming's earlier boasts about Chen Fan's power, without witnessing it firsthand, she couldn't be completely confident in his abilities.
As Tang He's powerful fist came barreling toward him, Chen Fan moved fluidly. His body reacted instinctively, and he caught Tang He's arm with ease, using the momentum of his opponent's strike against him. Pivoting with a swift full-body rotation, Chen Fan sent the larger man hurtling through the air with remarkable force. Tang He's eyes widened in disbelief—he had clearly underestimated his opponent's strength.
Chen Fan's throw launched Tang He directly toward Su Ming. Tang He collided with Su Ming's right shoulder with a heavy impact, the force of his momentum carrying him further until he slammed into the wall behind Su Ming, finally coming to a stop.
The scene left Feng Yanyan momentarily stunned, her earlier worry giving way to awe at Chen Fan's sheer, overwhelming strength. Meanwhile, Su Ming sat frozen on the ground, his expression a blend of shock and pain as he clutched his shoulder, still reeling from the collision that had knocked him onto his backside after Tang He's impact.
Chen Fan observed the scene calmly, piecing together his thoughts. By now, he was certain of Su Ming's intentions: the man wanted to provoke hostility but had no desire for him to leave Lingzhou City. If Su Ming were truly brainless, he would have been satisfied with mocking Chen Fan from a safe distance after his departure. However, Su Ming's drastic actions and subtle panic at the prospect of Chen Fan leaving confirmed his suspicions. As for the throw, it was a small act of revenge—a way to vent the mild irritation Su Ming's antics had caused.
"D-DON'T! Don't come near me!" Su Ming's voice snapped Chen Fan out of his thoughts. Turning his attention to Su Ming, who was stumbling backward, clutching his shoulder with a look of exaggerated horror, Chen Fan froze.
Brother, I haven't even taken a step toward you, Chen Fan thought, staring at Su Ming with a mix of confusion and amusement.
At that moment, Tang He moved cautiously, positioning himself protectively in front of Su Ming. His posture was tense, and his wary gaze remained fixed on Chen Fan. After witnessing Chen Fan's overwhelming strength, Tang He was certain they would be in serious trouble if Chen Fan decided to retaliate further.
"Take me out of here! Get me out now!" Su Ming stammered, clutching Tang He's arm with desperation.
Tang He immediately scooped Su Ming up in a princess carry, causing Su Ming to flush with slight embarrassment. The whole situation had taken a turn he hadn't expected, and being carried like this only added to his humiliation. Without hesitation, Tang He bolted toward the end of the alley, carrying Su Ming as if his life depended on it.
Chen Fan watched the two retreating figures, thinking the matter was finally over. But just as he was about to move on, Su Ming's voice echoed from the distance.
"Boy, just you wait! My father will deal with you—you won't be safe in Lingzhou!"
The defiant shout left both Chen Fan and Feng Yanyan staring after the vanishing pair, their expressions a mix of confusion and disbelief.
---
In the car, Su Ming tried to calm his nerves, especially after the mortifying scene of being princess-carried in public, drawing curious stares from passersby. For a moment, he truly wished he could return to his original world immediately.
System, what's going on? Why was the engagement called off? Su Ming demanded, the question gnawing at him ever since he heard it.
Useless system, Su Ming scoffed, slumping back in his seat. The entire interaction with Chen Fan had drained his mental energy. Thankfully, at least the plot was moving forward—albeit clumsily. Chen Fan might have found his actions peculiar, but Su Ming decided to figure out countermeasures later.
What about my reward? he asked, hoping for some consolation.
Hearing the reward notification, Su Ming decided it was worth all the trouble. He dismissed the system's backhanded remark and felt his mood lighten.
I need to find out why the plot is deviating, Su Ming thought, resolving to meet—or, if necessary, stalk—Feng Xueying. From the earlier conversation, it was clear this woman was at the root of his current predicament.
The next plot event was the tournament. Thinking about it, Su Ming felt a flicker of excitement. In his original world, martial arts tournaments only existed in movies or novels, but here, they were a reality. With the system's assistance, he could remain undetected. The thought of witnessing cultivators clash in combat intrigued him, fueling his anticipation.
Moreover, the tournament provided a welcome respite—there would be no interactions with Chen Fan for the next few weeks. That alone was enough to soothe Su Ming's frayed nerves. He could relax and enjoy the spectacle while keeping a watchful eye on the storyline to ensure it didn't stray further from its intended path.
Finally, some time to breathe and recalibrate, Su Ming thought, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he envisioned the battles ahead.