C8 Exchanging for Ancient Heroes.

Hu Yang flashed a smile and addressed the man in the suit, "You may have tried to deceive people with that Night Rose, but I owe you thanks. You did put in quite the effort to arrange those flowers for me!"

"Arrange flowers for you?" scoffed the man in the suit, his voice dripping with disdain. "And who exactly do you think you are?"

Ding!

A whopping number 167 sprang to Hu Yang's mind, bringing with it a surge of elation. At last, his efforts were paying off.

His spirits lifted instantly, his demeanor radiating vitality. He carried himself with a calm confidence that caught Hsiao Xinya's eye, prompting a smile to dance across her features.

She acknowledged the man in the suit with a cool nod, "You're Jin Nanyu, aren't you? Didn't we settle this last time? You were to stop pestering me. What brings you here today?"

"I wanted to surprise you," Jin Nanyu gestured towards the roses, "until you finally agree to accept me..." His words trailed off as he noticed Hsiao Xinya inching closer to Hu Yang, sparking a flash of jealousy. He snapped at Hu Yang, "Kid, just who do you think you are?"

"I'm your grandpa!" Hu Yang mused inwardly, 'Surely, talking to a grandson this way should earn me some extra points!'

But the system's tally remained unchanged. Jin Nanyu's face turned a shade of thunderous grey, clearly still seething with anger.

Out of the blue, someone from the crowd called out to Hu Yang, "I've seen this guy before. He was handing out flyers at Eastern Plaza a few days ago."

A buzz of chatter erupted among the onlookers.

"Here I thought he was some wealthy heir, but he's just a flyer distributor."

"Ha! He's proposing to Hsiao Xinya? Did he lose his mind?"

Ding ding ding!

To Hu Yang's delight, a cascade of numbers began to flood his mind. Mockery from one bystander added 32 points, disdain from another 26, ridicule from a third 18...

The numbers were climbing rapidly, surpassing seventy in a blink, and his total score soared past 2000!

While Hu Yang was basking in his secret triumph, someone piped up, "Maybe he's just pretending to be a flyer guy to get a taste of real life."

With those words, the system's numbers ground to a halt!

Hu Yang shot a glare of annoyance at the interloper. Who did this guy think he was, coming here just to ruin my moment?

Hsiao Xinya regarded him with a serious gaze. "You claim you're here to propose. Shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"

"I'm just a regular working guy, from a family with nothing to their name—no house, no car..." Hu Yang trailed off, hoping the numbers in his head would tick up once more, but to no avail.

"I don't buy it! How can someone as ordinary as you claim to be possess such unflappable poise?" Hsiao Xinya shook her head with conviction.

Hu Yang paused, taken aback. He had come here primarily to rack up points to save Wan, yet despite his earnest efforts, the results were underwhelming.

Jin Nanyu flailed his arms and bellowed, "You're just here to stir up trouble!"

"No, I'm here to rescue Hsiao Xinya," Hu Yang responded, his tone detached.

Jin Nanyu laughed uproariously. "Rescue? Please. With my wealth, I have everything I could ever want. Why would Hsiao Xinya need saving by the likes of you?" Another round of laughter, and Hu Yang's mental tally finally jumped by 26 points.

Realizing he was unlikely to squeeze many more points out of Jin Nanyu, Hu Yang's expression hardened. He gestured towards the Ferrari nearby. "Unless I'm mistaken, that's a rental from Star Dream Fated Wedding Agency, isn't it?"

Jin Nanyu's face fell, and through clenched teeth, he retorted, "No, there are plenty of Ferraris out there. What makes you think I can't own one?"

"The license plate is 00088. Whether it's rented or not, a quick online check will tell us," Hu Yang said coolly.

Jin Nanyu seethed, on the brink of an outburst, when someone from the onlooking crowd piped up, "He's right! That car is from Star Dream. My niece used it for her wedding last month!"

"I've rented it too. It's pricey—over five thousand for just one day!"

The crowd began to murmur disparagingly, "Can't believe how shameless some folks are, flaunting a rented car as their own."

Amidst the scornful chatter, Jin Nanyu's face turned a shade of iron blue, his eyes flashing with malice as he glowered at Hu Yang.

"So, this is the kind of person he is. Thank you for revealing his true colors." Hsiao Xinya leaned in close to Hu Yang, offering him a smile filled with gratitude.

"That little punk has messed up my plans. Get over here and teach him a lesson!" Jin Nanyu bellowed in rage.

Instantly, four hulking men in black shed their sunglasses and closed in with a menacing air.

He's actually got hired muscle at his beck and call!

A wave of danger washed over Hu Yang, causing his heart to race.

Just then, a string of text flashed in his mind: [Imminent threat detected. Would you like to redeem the ancient Devil Card for a heroic rescue?]

Without hesitation, Hu Yang responded, "Redeem!"

The system quickly prompted, "Please enter the amount!"

Caught off guard, Hu Yang blurted out, "Six hundred."

Ding!

As expected, his cerebral system's balance dropped by six hundred points. His curiosity piqued, Hu Yang wondered what marvel the ancient Devil Card could possibly conjure.

The Northern Underworld Immortal System was no laughing matter. Having deducted points, it was bound to deliver something in return.

Surely it wouldn't literally drop an ancient hero from the heavens?

Lost in thought, Hu Yang suddenly found one of the black-clad brutes reaching for his throat.

He quickly stepped back, shouting, "Damn system, where's my backup?"

Jin Nanyu's henchmen paused, thrown off by his outcry. They scanned the area, each pondering whether someone bold enough to mock Jin Nanyu would dare to face him alone.

Jin Nanyu himself cast a wary glance around. The silence was unbroken; no one stepped forward. He let out a contemptuous snort and commanded, "Quit the theatrics! Beat him senseless!"

"Jin Nanyu, he was only making a joke. Why must you take it to heart?" Hsiao Xinya implored, trying to defuse the situation.

"Even jokes have consequences! What are you waiting for? Hit him! Don't stop until he's on his knees begging for mercy!" Jin Nanyu looked down at Hu Yang with a sneer.

The four makeshift thugs closed in on Hu Yang once more, their coordination seamless. They formed a tight circle around him, leaving no avenue for escape.

Xinya Hsiao let out a soft sigh and quietly chastised Hu Yang, "You really don't know what's good for you. Even I wouldn't dare to cross him, and look at you now. What are you going to do? You better apologize to him quickly."

Hu Yang thought to himself, if it weren't for Wan, he would never have come here to deal with this femme fatale. But to apologize to Jin Nanyu? No way! He knew the Tiger Subduing Fist, and if he could just catch these goons off guard, maybe he could fight his way out.

As Hu Yang was tensing up, ready to fight for his life, a child's voice suddenly rang out from the crowd, "Don't hurt my master!"

Taken aback, Hu Yang watched as the four thugs looked around in confusion, trying to locate the voice.

The crowd split apart as if cleaved by an invisible blade, leaving a path clear.

Those shoved to the side began to grumble and complain. Then, a gaunt young man with long hair and a pallid complexion leaped out from among them.