C16 Wang Hu's Fear

Ever since Zhao Lei consumed the Immortal Dew, his speed and strength weren't the only attributes that improved—his senses became significantly sharper as well.

In the peak of summer, the grassy roadside should have been alive with the sounds of insects and frogs. Yet, as Zhao Lei approached his home, the silence was unsettling; not a single chirp could be heard, indicating that something was amiss.

Pausing to listen more intently, Zhao Lei could make out the faint sound of breathing, confirming someone was definitely hiding nearby. On such a night, an ambush at his doorstep was clearly not a friendly gesture.

Before acquiring the Purple Gold Gourd, Zhao Lei would have turned tail and fled. But now, he was a changed man. Instead of running, he calmly picked up a stone and, after a moment's listening, hurled it toward the roadside.

The stone whistled through the air and crashed into the underbrush, eliciting a pained cry, "Aiya!"

The cry brought a smirk to Zhao Lei's lips. Clearly, his hunch was right—someone was lurking in the shadows, undoubtedly with ill intentions.

"Damn you, Zhao Lei, for throwing a stone at me!" The man in hiding, realizing he was discovered, emerged from the grass, cursing loudly.

It was Wang Hu and his two henchmen who had plotted against Zhao Lei. Following Wang Tao's instructions, they had eagerly set up their stakeout near Zhao Lei's house, anticipating his return like anglers waiting for a catch.

The trio had expected a swift capture but had not anticipated waiting from dusk till dark without a glimpse of Zhao Lei. The summer night in the countryside was a feast for mosquitoes, and they were all mercilessly bitten. The other two men had been ready to leave for some time.

But Wang Hu was stubborn, determined to wait for Zhao Lei's return, leaving his reluctant subordinates with no choice but to endure. Finally, when Zhao Lei did return, they were inexplicably detected, and Wang Hu even took a stone to the head.

Known as the village tough, Wang Hu's patience had run out. No longer concerned about Zhao Lei escaping, he stormed out of the grass, still spewing curses.

Upon realizing that Wang Hu and his cronies were the ones lurking in the shadows, Zhao Lei let out a silent sigh of relief. Just a few days earlier, he wouldn't have dared to cross paths with Wang Hu and his gang, but now, he no longer regarded these village thugs as a threat.

Rather than fleeing as Wang Hu and his crew had anticipated, Zhao Lei remained in place, facing them with a cool detachment. "What's the plan, hiding by my house in the dead of night? Looking to steal something, or perhaps rob me?" he asked calmly.

Wang Hu was momentarily taken aback by Zhao Lei's demeanor, but he quickly recovered and stepped forward, demanding, "You careless kid, you've thrown your trash and hit me on the head. Cough up five thousand yuan to make up for my troubles, or it's going to get unpleasant!"

Zhao Lei scoffed, "That's what you get for skulking around in the bushes."

Wang Hu bristled at the response, his anger rising. "You've grown quite the spine, talking back to me like that!" he bellowed. "You're going to pay up today, or else!"

Unintimidated, Zhao Lei retorted, "Go ahead and try!"

Enraged, Wang Hu signaled his henchmen with a sharp command: "Get him!" The two were all too ready to pounce, charging at Zhao Lei. Yet without so much as a glance back, Zhao Lei gauged their positions by the sound of their footsteps alone and delivered two swift kicks, landing squarely on their stomachs.

Despite holding back, Zhao Lei's kicks were more than the thugs could handle. They collapsed to the ground, clutching their bellies and wailing, unable to get up for quite some time.

Wang Hu was taken aback by Zhao Lei's newfound prowess, having not seen him in just a few days. Accustomed to throwing his weight around in the village, Wang Hu didn't pause to reconsider and charged at Zhao Lei, roaring with fury.

But Wang Hu was no match for Zhao Lei, who was in a completely different league. Before Wang Hu could even throw a punch, he found himself on the receiving end of a stinging slap.

Remembering the times Wang Hu had bullied him, Zhao Lei didn't hold back. The blow left Wang Hu seeing stars, his head spinning as he fell to the ground, unable to get back up.

After a short time, Wang Hu felt a warm trickle from his nostrils. Instinctively wiping his nose, he was shocked to find his hand smeared with fresh blood. Furious, he blurted out, "You dare to hit me, I—"

But before Wang Hu could finish his threat, Zhao Lei had seized him by the collar and hoisted him into the air with one hand.

Wang Hu was no giant, but he was a solidly built young man, tipping the scales at over 130 kilograms. Yet Zhao Lei lifted him effortlessly, a feat of strength that would send shivers down the spine of most onlookers.

In that moment, however, fear was the last thing on Wang Hu's mind. Choked by Zhao Lei's grip, he gasped for air, his face turning a deep shade of red, veins bulging on his forehead as if they might burst at any second.

Desperately, he flailed, trying to pry Zhao Lei's hands off, but no amount of struggling made a difference. Wang Hu's vision blurred, and he feared he might meet his end right there.

Suddenly, Zhao Lei released his hold. Wang Hu collapsed to the ground, gulping in air, never before so grateful for the simple pleasure of breathing.

"You see," Zhao Lei said, towering over him, "I can discipline you anytime I choose. We're all from the same village—why not live in harmony? Yet you insist on making trouble for me. Why put yourself through this?"

Wang Hu caught his breath, his senses slowly returning. Despite Zhao Lei's calm demeanor, to him, he seemed as fearsome as a demon.

The harrowing ordeal had made it clear to Wang Hu that Zhao Lei had the power to end his life effortlessly if he wished.

Wang Hu, a mere village thug, was used to intimidating the meek locals, but faced with Zhao Lei's formidable presence, he no longer dared to cause trouble.

Listening to Zhao Lei's words, Wang Hu eagerly agreed, "Absolutely, we're all neighbors here. We should get along. We were blind not to see your strength before. Please, don't hold it against us. We won't make the same mistake again!"

Zhao Lei was well aware that Wang Hu's submission was simply to avoid further beatings, and he was certain that Wang Hu was still resentful. Nevertheless, Zhao Lei couldn't actually kill these men; he had to content himself with intimidating the thugs to keep them from causing him any more trouble.

Therefore, Zhao Lei chose not to call out Wang Hu's true feelings, merely nodding nonchalantly, "That's certainly for the best. From now on, let's mind our own business. You're free to go."

"Yes, yes, we're leaving right now!" Wang Hu managed to get to his feet and kicked his two underlings, prodding them to make a hasty exit.

Wang Hu was genuinely terrified by the show of strength Zhao Lei had demonstrated and was eager to get as far away as possible.

But they had barely taken a few steps when they heard Zhao Lei's voice chillingly cut through the air from behind them, "Hold on a second!"