C1 Rescuing the School Beauty

"Kid, I sense a strong Yin Flame within you. Be careful, or you might find yourself in trouble!"

Xu Lin had barely left Redwood High when a white-haired old man stopped him in his tracks.

The man appeared to be in his sixties, with a lengthy goatee and a grey priest frock draped over his frame, a worn bag slung across his back.

Xu Lin eyed the elder with confusion.

"Do you need something? If not, please don't block my path. I need to get home and if I'm late with my homework, are you going to cover for me?"

The old man ignored Xu Lin's protests, seizing his hand with surprising strength.

"Don't worry, I won't keep you from your homework!" he declared, then scrutinized Xu Lin's palm with intense focus.

As the old man stroked his beard, nodding then shaking his head, Xu Lin grew increasingly bewildered.

"Would you mind explaining? What's with all the nodding and head shaking?"

"You were raised by your grandfather, never knowing your parents, which has left you somewhat timid. You're often bullied at school, aren't you?" the old man inquired.

Xu Lin was taken aback; the old man's accuracy was unsettling.

Indeed, Xu Lin had grown up without his parents, his grandfather raising him on the meager earnings from scavenging trash. Xu Lin's motivation to excel in his studies was fueled by a desire to repay his grandfather's sacrifices.

Despite consistently ranking at the top of his class at Redwood High, Xu Lin was no stranger to the school's bullies, who targeted him for money. Lacking the funds to appease them, he frequently endured their beatings.

"If you continue on this path, you'll always be at the mercy of others. But you're in luck, because you've crossed paths with me!"

Releasing Xu Lin's hand, the old man reached into his bag and produced an ancient-looking ring, slipping it onto Xu Lin's finger before he could protest.

"This ring will bring significant changes to your life!"

After expressing his gratitude, Xu Lin turned to leave, but the old man quickly grabbed him again.

"You don't think this ring comes without a cost, do you? Give me some money for it, or how will I afford my next meal?"

"Do I look like someone with money?" Xu Lin asked with a shrug.

"We must have some kind of destiny, you and I. I'll let you have the ring for just 20 yuan!"

As Xu Lin was reaching for his wallet to pay the old man, a limited edition Ferrari pulled up beside them.

A portly middle-aged man emerged from the Ferrari. Upon seeing the old man, he exclaimed, "Sir, I'll offer you 50 million for the item in your bag!"

"In your dreams!"

Before anyone knew it, the old man had sprinted off into the distance.

"Kid, I'll leave this 20 yuan with you for now. Pay me back the next time we cross paths!"

Watching the old man disappear, the middle-aged man lamented, "Blast it, he got away again!"

Then, noticing the ancient-looking ring on Xu Lin's finger, he asked eagerly, "Young man, did that old gentleman give you that ring?"

"Yes, he did!"

"How about I offer you ten million yuan for it?"

Xu Lin's affirmation only heightened the middle-aged man's excitement.

"In your dreams!"

Mimicking the old man's retort, Xu Lin walked away, paying no further attention to the middle-aged man.

As he walked, Xu Lin pondered what could be in the old man's bag that was worth a 50 million yuan offer.

Lost in thought, he was interrupted by a voice.

Following the sound, Xu Lin spotted a familiar and beautiful figure – Xue Moye, the renowned goddess of Redwood High.

Xue Moye was being dragged into a dimly lit alley, her mouth covered by a man's hand.

Not only was Xue Moye stunningly beautiful, but her father, Xue Gang, was a man of considerable influence.

Xu Lin had brushed past this illustrious young woman countless times at school, yet had never spoken to her, their worlds being so vastly different.

But familiarity or not, Xu Lin couldn't ignore Xue Moye's peril.

He rushed to the alley and was filled with rage at the sight before him.

The man had one hand clamped around Xue Moye's throat, while his other hand was ripping at her blouse.

Xu Lin couldn't resist swallowing hard at the sight of that flash of snow-white skin.

The man's eyes gleamed with avarice as he took in Xue Moye's mature figure.

Sadly, Xue Moye was just a junior high student and didn't have the physical strength to match the man.

"Please, I'm begging you to let me go. My family has a lot of money; I can give you whatever amount you ask for!" Xue Moye pleaded through tears.

"I don't care about your money. Once I've had you, not only will I get a hefty payout, but getting to sleep with a pretty girl like you is a bonus. Money or not, I'll be thrilled! You better calm down because soon you'll understand the true meaning of ecstasy," he taunted, as he began to pull at Xue Moye's pants.

"Help! Is there anyone who can save me?"

Regrettably, the alley was secluded, a dead end, and no matter how loudly Xue Moye screamed, there was no response.

"Go ahead and scream, my dear. The louder you are, the more it excites me!"

The man had completely removed Xue Moye's pants and was about to tear off her last piece of clothing when a voice echoed from the entrance of the alley, "Release her!"

At the sound, both the man and Xue Moye turned to look. They saw nothing more than a boy, sixteen or seventeen years old.

Xue Moye had hoped for a strong savior, but seeing only a youth, her face was etched with despair.

"Who's this kid thinking he can play hero? You're too green. Scram, kid, don't ruin my fun!"

Xu Lin, suppressing the fear inside him, stepped toward the man. "As long as I'm here, you won't lay a finger on her!"

"Looking for trouble, are you?"

Annoyed by Xu Lin's defiance, the man closed the distance quickly and threw a punch straight at Xu Lin's chest.

The man's punch packed a lot of power, sending Xu Lin flying backward before he crashed to the ground.

"Worthless!" the man spat out, then his face twisted into a sly grin.

"Today's your lucky day. First, you'll witness my strength, and then, kid, you'll get a taste of what a woman feels like!"

The man had been specifically recruited to target Xue Gang. His initial plan was to take care of Xue Moye, grab the cash, and make a run for it, but he hadn't counted on Xu Lin showing up. The man figured he could pin the whole thing on Xu Lin.

Adjusting his belt, the man advanced toward Xue Moye.

Xue Moye shut her eyes, succumbing to despair.

Xu Lin was filled with self-loathing. Being bullied at school was one thing, but now he realized just how powerless he truly felt.

However, as Xu Lin's overwhelming hatred surged, the ring on his finger began to emit bursts of white light, and he felt a surge of strength course through him.

"Stop!"

Xu Lin leapt to his feet and was upon the man in an instant.

The man tried to strike Xu Lin, but was caught off guard as Xu Lin's palm struck him on the head, sending him crashing to the ground, unconscious.

As the man hit the floor, Xu Lin's newfound strength drained from him. He collapsed, sitting on the ground, panting heavily.

"Xue Moye, call your dad right now, tell him to send someone for you!" Xu Lin gasped.

Through her tears, Xue Moye approached Xu Lin, her voice laced with concern. "How do you know my name is Xue Moye? Are you okay?"

"I go to Redwood High too. Don't worry about me, I'm just... out of energy."

In that moment, Xue Moye's torn clothing left her vulnerable, her figure exposed to Xu Lin's gaze.

Xue Moye, realizing Xu Lin was looking at her, let out a shriek and hurriedly covered her chest with her hands.

But it was a futile gesture; Xu Lin, without hesitation, removed his jacket and draped it over Xue Moye.

"Make the call. There's clearly someone pulling the strings behind this man. Maybe your dad can get some answers out of him."

Blushing, Xue Moye dialed Xue Gang's number.

Upon learning of his daughter's ordeal, Xue Gang rushed to the scene with his men and took the unconscious man into custody.

By then, Xue Moye had changed into fresh clothes. She tried to return the jacket to Xu Lin, but he had already disappeared without a trace.