C22 Zhou Wen Makes His Move

Everyone was taken aback by Lin Jing's kick.

Chen Yu was taken by surprise. He had intended for Zhang Zifan to give Zhou Wen a hard time, but he hadn't anticipated that this woman would lash out with a sudden kick.

Moreover, she seemed quite adept at it, clearly not her first time kicking someone.

Lee Yiran and Zhou Yu were taken aback. The previously gentle and elegant woman had transformed before their eyes.

"You dare to hit me? Do you know who I am?" Zhang Zifan clutched his stomach, his face twisted in anger.

"I don't care who you are. If you dare give me that look again, I swear I'll gouge out your eyes!" Lin Jing retorted with fury.

Zhang Zifan's leering had been relentless, and she had tolerated it for far too long.

The nerve of this man, expecting her to sleep with him. He should take a good look at himself.

"Lin Jing, please, don't be rash," Han Xiao quickly stood up, grabbing Lin Jing's arm, her voice filled with concern.

As a journalist, she was well aware of the identities of these individuals.

Zhang Peng, Zhang Zifan's backer, was a heavyweight in Anewood. She too had noticed Zhang Zifan's sleazy stares but knew better than to provoke someone like him. Avoidance was the better strategy, but she hadn't expected Lin Jing to react so explosively.

This was not going to end well.

Han Xiao looked at Lin Jing with a mix of worry and understanding. She knew her friend well and was aware that Lin Jing was acting out of a desire to protect them. Still, Han Xiao couldn't help but sigh internally.

"Quite the fiery temper, beauty," Zhang Zifan sneered, wiping his mouth.

"I just wanted a little company for the night, but now I've changed my mind." He got to his feet and gestured. The two men behind him stepped forward, their gazes fixed on Lin Jing.

"You two, tie her up!" Zhang Zifan commanded, seething with rage.

"Yes, sir!" The men responded in unison and advanced towards Lin Jing.

They had been caught off guard by Lin Jing's unexpected move, which had resulted in their boss's son receiving a kick.

This was a humiliation in front of their boss, and if Zhang Peng got wind of it, they'd be in for a serious reprimand.

The men were determined to make an example of her.

"What are you trying to do?" Han Xiao demanded, her voice tense with anxiety.

"Your gorgeous friend hit me, and you're asking what we want?" Zhang Zifan said with a cold laugh. "Or maybe you'd like to be tied up by me as well?"

"Don't worry, Han Xiao, I've got this!" Lin Jing declared, her fists clenched as she assumed a fighting stance with one foot forward and the other back.

As the two men closed in on her, they suddenly lunged forward, reaching for Lin Jing's shoulders.

Lin Jing quickly sidestepped, then bent down to deliver a punch to one of the men's waist.

However, the other man had already circled behind her, swiftly grabbing her arm.

These men were seasoned fighters, each with their own techniques, not the kind that Lin Jing, a recent graduate from the Police Training School, could easily overcome.

Her punch had little effect on the man, who simply twisted his waist and lunged at her again.

In a matter of seconds, Lin Jing found herself immobilized, her arms held by the two men.

Meanwhile, Zhou Wen and the others were still in shock, not having reacted yet.

"Thought you could fight, huh?" Zhang Zifan approached with a vile grin, reaching out to lift Lin Jing's chin.

Lin Jing responded by spitting in his face.

"You dare to spit on me, you bitch!" Zhang Zifan shouted, his hand raised to slap her, but he couldn't bring it down.

A strong hand had seized his wrist.

Looking up, Zhang Zifan saw Zhou Wen standing beside him, his expression icy as he gripped Zhang's wrist tightly.

Zhang Zifan struggled to free himself, but to no avail.

"Zhang Zifan, tell your men to let her go," Zhou Wen demanded coldly.

"As if! Zhou Wen, if you kneel and apologize to me, maybe I'll consider it," Zhang Zifan retorted with a sneer.

"Zhou Wen, just let it go. You've seen what Zifan's men can do. They're no pushovers," Chen Yu chimed in with a malicious smirk.

"Zhou Wen, maybe you should just kneel and apologize. That way, your friend can get away," suggested Lee Yiran, who had been frightened the whole time.

"Sister Yirann, how can you say such a thing?" Zhou Yu asked, her brow furrowed in disapproval.

"What else can we do? We simply can't afford to provoke them!" Lee Yiran exclaimed, clearly flustered.

The billiard room attendants stood off to the side, watching the scene unfold with an indifferent gaze.

Several youths were playing billiards when the disturbance caught their attention. They approached, forming a curious crowd.

"Chen Yu and Zhang Zifan are both here!" they whispered among themselves.

Today, Mirrora Manor was closed to the general public, accessible only to those familiar with the manor's shareholders.

The group of young men and women, all dressed in the height of fashion, looked on with interest.

"Do you recognize that guy?" someone asked, nodding toward Zhou Wen.

The bystanders shook their heads; Zhou Wen wasn't part of their social circle, so they didn't know him.

"It's been ages since anyone dared to cross Zhang Zifan. This is quite the spectacle."

"Isn't that Zhang Peng's goon? Zhang Zifan even brought his dad's muscle. Looks like this guy's done for."

"Last time there was a clash between Soaring Heights Hotel and Bronze Bay Hotel, those two put the owner of Bronze Bay Hotel in the hospital."

"And to think, Bronze Bay Hotel is usually frequented by the police. Yet, Zhang Peng got off scot-free!"

Their voices grew louder, unconcerned with the presence of others.

Lin Jing, restrained and unable to move, listened intently to the conversation, committing every word to memory.

Zhang Zifan, emboldened by the crowd's chatter, burst into boisterous laughter. "Zhou Wen, aren't you one of Elder Xu's guys? Go on then, save your damsel in distress!"

"What can you do besides hold onto my hand?" Zhang Zifan taunted with a smug grin. "If you lay a finger on me, I'll have my men strip that woman's clothes off right now. Let's see who's quicker!"

"Go on, strip her! Everyone's watching!" The onlookers egged on, some even whistling and cheering.

Zhou Wen's gaze was icy. Lin Jing was immobilized by one man while another kept watch, alert to any interference, preventing Han Xiao and the others from intervening.

The assailant gripped Lin Jing's clothing tightly. With just a bit more force, the fabric would surely rip apart.

"Zhou Wen, get on your knees and apologize to me now," Zhang Zifan demanded. "Do it, and I might just let you off easy. Otherwise..." His threat was cut short by a sudden, sharp pain in his wrist.

Zhou Wen's grip had tightened, turning his wrist a deep shade of red.

"Damn it, tear this woman's clothes off!" Zhang Zifan bellowed.

The man holding onto Lin Jing's clothes was ready to rip them away when suddenly, a loud thud echoed as Zhang Zifan found himself kneeling on the ground, clutching his wrist in agony.

Meanwhile, Zhou Wen charged toward Lin Jing with incredible speed.

The man's fingers tensed to tear the fabric, but a fist abruptly materialized before him.

Zhou Wen's punch landed squarely on his face, sending a spray of blood from his nose. Following up with a powerful kick, Zhou Wen sent the man flying.

Han Xiao and the others couldn't help but smile, impressed by Zhou Wen's fighting prowess.

Shock was etched on Lin Jing's face.

"Holy cow! That was badass!"

"Wow! Did you see that? He's so quick!"

"Such swift moves and powerful strikes! He's definitely skilled!"

The onlookers' faces registered surprise and respect.

As one adversary was just beginning to react, Zhou Wen's second punch was already homing in on his face.

The man dodged nimbly, a smirk crossing his features.

With a swift motion, he extended his right hand, his fingers hooking like talons, and latched onto Zhou Wen's shoulder.

The crowd let out a collective sigh. Zhang Zifan's thug had been taken by surprise and outmatched by Zhou Wen.

But now the man had caught on and clearly wasn't about to give Zhou Wen any more opportunities.

"You might be quick and strong, but when it comes to actual martial arts, you're still green," the man sneered, having quickly deduced that Zhou Wen lacked proper martial arts training.

In that instant, as Zhou Wen's punch was thrown with full force, it was too late to pull back or evade the man's grasp.

"Zhou Wen, you're dead!" Zhang Zifan shrieked, still nursing his wrist.

Zhou Wen's wrist throbbed with unbearable pain as it swelled significantly from Zhou Wen's punishing grip. A glint of brilliance flashed in Zhou Wen's eyes. His shoulders dropped suddenly, muscles tensing and relaxing in quick succession. The man trying to hold him felt like he was trying to grasp a slippery eel, and in an instant, Zhou Wen had wriggled free.

"How is this possible! Have you mastered muscle control to this extent?" The man was incredulous.

Zhou Wen paid him no mind. Planting his feet firmly, he spun around and unleashed a swift kick.

The man's vision was suddenly filled with the sight of an oncoming foot, fast and forceful. With a resounding thud, the kick connected with his neck, sending him crashing to the floor.

Both of Zhang Zifan's henchmen were now sprawled on the ground.

"Zhou Wen has gotten stronger!" Chen Yu exclaimed, his face a picture of shock. Zhou Wen's combat style was far more intense than it had been in their previous encounters.

"Could Zhou Wen be one of Elder Xu's people? Only someone trained by Elder Xu could possess such prowess," Chen Yu mused, taking a deep breath.

"How can this be? These are skilled fighters I got from my father! How could you defeat them?" Zhang Zifan was visibly rattled, his surprise evident.

Zhou Wen dusted himself off and positioned Lin Jing safely behind him. His gaze was icy as he fixed it on Zhang Zifan.

Zhou Wen was well aware of the reasons behind his newfound strength. The second upgrade of his underwear had boosted his agility and control force by 10 points each. He had been studying these enhancements over the past few days. The increase in agility had sharpened his speed, while the control force had improved his mastery over his body. The boost wasn't substantial, but it was enough to manage certain muscles that previously eluded his control, like those in his shoulders.

It was this precise muscle control that allowed Zhou Wen to evade the man's grasp. Yet, Zhou Wen recognized his reliance on instinctual fighting; without the enhancements from his underwear, he would have been at a disadvantage.

"It's time to learn some techniques," Zhou Wen thought to himself.

Just then, the door to the billiard room burst open.

A muscular man clad in a leather jacket pushed the door open and strode in. His expression was stern, and he exuded an intimidating presence. It was none other than Tang Qing, the man who had intervened earlier.

Upon surveying the scene, Tang Qing's brow furrowed briefly, then smoothed out.

"Zhou Wen, Elder Xu would like to meet with you," Tang Qing said with a smile as he made his way over to Zhou Wen.