Chapter Ten: The Legendary Monster

Due to Gadi's disruption, coupled with Wang Fatty's betrayal, it was clear that the Lucky Restaurant would see no business tonight.

Frustrated, Ye Rong ordered the shutters down, but still led a few waiters to clean up, not dismissing them until well past ten o'clock.

Although the chaos was largely Nuonuo's fault, Chen Mo, feeling partly responsible, hesitated before staying behind to help Ye Rong with the remaining chores. By then, midnight was fast approaching.

"Go, go, go! Instead of wasting time chattering with me, you'd be better off finding your little Greek beauty across the street and telling her to hurry back home!" Ye Rong snapped, motioning with a jerk of her chin while rearranging tables and chairs.

A few hours ago, Gadi and his men had quietly moved into the restaurant opposite, and ever since, an uncanny silence had fallen over it.

Though the lights still blazed across the street, no one was seen coming or going, only a strange melody drifting faintly through the night, as if some obscure ritual was underway.

"Hmm, could it be some kind of cult? Should I call the police?" Ye Rong mused aloud, stroking her chin thoughtfully. "Could it be... the legendary Aum Shinrikyo?"

Chen Mo pushed his glasses up his nose with an exasperated sigh. "Sister Rong, do you seriously think Greeks would believe in that? If you ask me, they're probably worshipping the Greek gods... you know, Zeus, Athena?"

"I don't know them. Are they relatives of Jesus?" Ye Rong asked innocently, raising her head in confusion and stealing another glance across the street—only to trip over a chair and fall.

Fortunately, Chen Mo reacted swiftly, catching her in his arms with a strained smile.

However, he failed to notice Ye Rong's scanty attire; his hand brushed unintentionally across her long, slender legs, sparking an icy yet searing sensation.

Their skins brushed lightly, and a faint tremor rippled through both of them. They raised their heads simultaneously—

Their faces were mere inches apart, close enough to feel each other's breath.

Ye Rong's gaze grew misty, her delicate lips slightly parted in a dazed, enticing manner that could drive a man to sin.

Chen Mo stared for a long moment, then nervously licked his lips and croaked, "Sister Rong, there's something I've been meaning to tell you..."

"Mmm." Ye Rong trembled lightly, her eyes fluttering closed, a blush blooming across her cheeks.

At that moment, Chen Mo felt an overwhelming urge to lean in, but he sighed instead and murmured, "Well... about my salary. Although payday's not until the end of the month, could I get an advance? Also, I've been working here for five or six years—maybe it's time for a raise?"

"...That's what you wanted to say?" Ye Rong stiffened, the warmth draining from her body as if plunged into an ice bath.

"Of course! It's a matter of life and death for me—how else am I supposed to buy a house?" Chen Mo pressed on, ignoring the ominous darkening of her expression. "Besides, over the years, I've worked hard, taken every job, and even been the scapegoat—don't I deserve a little..."

"Deserve? Not a chance—not even a sliver of one!" Before he could finish, Ye Rong shoved herself upright and viciously stomped on his foot.

"Oof—is this retaliation?" Chen Mo muttered, adjusting his glasses miserably. Women really did change moods faster than flipping pages in a book. Maybe it was early-onset menopause?

Yet even a fool could tell—at that fleeting moment when Chen Mo had almost kissed her, Ye Rong's eyes had shimmered with a fragile hope, only to dim when he hesitated.

An awkward silence blanketed the hall—until a sudden clatter shattered the tension, the noise coming from the kitchen.

Startled, the two turned in unison. Without hesitation, Chen Mo stepped protectively in front of Ye Rong, shielding her with his body.

Touched by his instinctive concern, Ye Rong bit her lip softly, her eyes glistening—yet she still grabbed a box of chopsticks from the table as a makeshift weapon.

"What are you planning to do—throw chopsticks like darts?" Chen Mo rolled his eyes in disbelief, creeping stealthily toward the kitchen door.

Peering through a crack, he spotted a faint, flickering light and a shadowy figure moving within.

He signaled Ye Rong to call the police, flashed a quick smile, then leapt forward, kicking the door open with a thunderous crash.

Before the noise had even faded, he grabbed a wok and charged at the shadow. "Stick 'em up! Hand over your wallet and—"

Mid-charge, he froze, petrified.

Ye Rong, phone in hand, glanced inside—and gasped, dropping her phone with a loud clatter.

What in the world was that thing?

If it had been a human—a grotesque, villainous one perhaps—they could have handled it. But the creature looming before them, with its bull's head and glinting silver horns, was anything but human!

Frozen under the light, the minotaur stood dumbfounded, a few cabbage leaves stuck to its lips.

The scene would have been comical—if anyone had the nerve to laugh.

For almost two minutes, they all stared at each other in mutual disbelief. Then, all of a sudden, Chen Mo burst into hearty laughter and strode forward, arms open.

"Brother! Finally, you're here! How have you been? Had dinner yet?"

Ye Rong watched the absurd spectacle with twitching eyes. Was Chen Mo some transmigrant from World of Warcraft?

The minotaur, equally bewildered by such enthusiasm, relaxed its clenched fists unconsciously.

Chen Mo, grinning from ear to ear, even patted the creature's brawny shoulder and offered, "How about some late-night snacks? Do you prefer salad or carrots?"

"Hmm... I think I prefer..." the minotaur replied, scratching its head, genuinely pondering the choices.

"Take your time!" Chen Mo clapped it on the back and, taking Ye Rong's hand, slowly backed toward the exit.

Casually talking nonsense, they made it over a dozen steps—nearly reaching the door—

When the minotaur suddenly roared in realization, lifting a heavy wok and hurling it with all its might!

Luckily, its aim was terrible. The wok whooshed past them, smashing into the door with a deafening crash.

Reacting instinctively, Chen Mo yanked Ye Rong aside, dashing toward the staircase instead.

Their frantic footsteps echoed as they raced upstairs. But the minotaur's lumbering speed was not to be underestimated; within a few bounds, it was right behind them, swinging a massive fist toward Ye Rong!

A gust of wind blasted past as Ye Rong shrieked and stumbled—miraculously dodging what could have been a fatal blow—only to be scooped up by Chen Mo, who bounded up another flight of stairs.

The minotaur, unfamiliar with human architecture, slipped clumsily, buying them precious seconds. Chen Mo prayed the creature would break its neck, but didn't dare slow down.

Slamming a heavy kick into the rooftop door, he finally burst onto the terrace, panting heavily as he checked Ye Rong—relieved to find she had merely fainted.

"Damn it, where are those idiots—Cheche and the others?"

At that moment, the minotaur crashed through the door, a whirlwind of fury, its iron fists shimmering with black energy.

With no path left to retreat, Chen Mo gently set Ye Rong aside, clenched his own fists, and faced the beast head-on.

In that desperate instant, a spark of purple-blue electricity flickered across his skin—the last remnant of the power he'd harnessed during the afternoon's chase.

The minotaur hesitated, puzzled, but it was too late—its fist slammed into Chen Mo with brutal force, hurling him back over ten meters.

He nearly crashed through the rooftop railing.

Yet unexpectedly, the spark of electricity had stunned the minotaur as well—it staggered back, its arm charred black.

"So... even monsters are afraid of electricity?" Chen Mo gasped, barely able to lift his right arm, but encouraged by the unexpected success.

In truth, although he possessed powers, he had never fought a monster before.

Yet just as he tried to rise, the minotaur roared in rage and charged again.

This time, there would be no second spark, no second chance.

"Die!" it bellowed, both fists pounding toward him like twin sledgehammers.

But just then—

A powerful suction force yanked the monster backward.

Cheche, Benben, Nuonuo, and Guoguo had finally arrived!

At that moment, Guoguo, perched atop a speeding car, flung open its lid, unleashing a whirlwind to restrain the beast.

"You... what are you?!" the minotaur stammered, baffled by the unexpected reinforcements.

"That's our line!" the four shouted in unison, striking heroic poses. "We're the Four Lucky Guardians of Fufang Street—F4!"