C7

"Hsu Danian, what was that? I dare you to say it again!" Wang Ping was livid. She had never imagined that Hsu Danian, who always seemed to nod and bow to her every whim, would dare to speak to her in such a way over Ye Luo.

"I said shut up! Ye Luo is my brother, and I won't let you talk about him like that!" Hsu Danian inhaled deeply, his voice resolute. A shadow of sorrow crossed his brow, knowing full well that his words would irreparably widen the rift between him and Wang Ping.

"Oh, look at you, Hsu Danian, getting bold, are we? Who do you think you are? If you hadn't been fawning over me like a pathetic lapdog, do you think I'd even spare you a glance? Without me, you're nothing—just like Ye Luo, worthless, garbage. And now you have the nerve to talk about loyalty and raise your voice at me? Listen up, if you don't sever ties with Ye Luo today, you can forget about ever showing your face around me again!" Wang Ping jabbed a finger at Hsu Danian's nose as she berated him.

Hsu Danian's complexion turned a steely shade of grey. He could take Wang Ping's insults towards him, but her relentless belittling of Ye Luo ignited his fury.

"Danian," just as Hsu Danian was about to lash out at Wang Ping, Ye Luo interjected, "I've got this situation under control. There's no need for you to step in. You and Wang Ping should head back."

"Pfft, handle it yourself? In your dreams," Wang Ping scoffed.

"What do you mean, Ye Luo? We're brothers. How could I possibly stand by and do nothing when you're in trouble? It's just a fight, and I'm all for it," Hsu Danian said, managing a strained smile.

"Clueless to the end, Hsu Danian. You want to go down with him? Fine, I'll grant your wish. From this moment on, we're done. Don't you dare come near me again. Oh, and after today, you might not even get the chance to see either of you," Wang Ping taunted.

"Then just get the hell out," Hsu Danian spat back, his anger boiling over.

"You... Fine, if you're so brave, don't come crawling back to me on your knees like a dog!" Wang Ping snapped before striding away. She had no intention of joining Hsu Danian and Ye Luo in their death wish.

But no sooner had Wang Ping lifted her foot than a flurry of footsteps echoed around them. In an instant, over twenty people charged toward them, encircling Ye Luo and his companions with a menacing air.

"Ye Luo, you've become quite the master of hide-and-seek. I've been searching for you for hours," Zhu Jian sneered, his lips curling in a mix of mockery and malice.

As the tyrant of Linhai University and the son of a school board member, he had been humiliated by a kick from Ye Luo. How could he let this slide without breaking Ye Luo's legs to even the score?

Ye Luo looked at Zhu Jian and the crowd around him, a smirk playing on his lips. In his past life, such a situation might have scared him, but now, he felt nothing but contempt.

"Zhu Jian, haven't you bullied Ye Luo enough? Why push it?" Hsu Danian inhaled sharply, stepping forward to shield Ye Luo. He considered himself much better in a fight than Ye Luo, but against such a crowd, he knew a thrashing was unavoidable.

Zhu Jian was taken aback by Hsu Danian's intervention. He hadn't expected anyone to have the guts to stand up to him for Ye Luo's sake.

Casting a glance at Hsu Danian, Zhu Jian's gaze then shifted to Wang Ping, who stood to the side, her expression dark. He remembered her; as Hsu Danian had mentioned, Wang Ping's family ran a decent business and had some dealings with his father.

"Wang Ping, are these guys your friends?" Zhu Jian inquired.

Zhu Jian might have been domineering, but he wasn't foolish. If they were indeed close to Wang Ping, he was willing to show some leniency for the sake of mutual interests.

"I don't know them. I just happened to be passing by. That fat fool over there even told me to buzz off. Whatever you need to handle with them, Zhu Jian, it's none of my business. But honestly, I think some people, who lack both talent and brains, could use a good lesson," Wang Ping said through clenched teeth.

She had grown accustomed to Hsu Danian's habitual meekness around her, but today, he had the audacity to yell at her on behalf of Ye Luo, even telling her to get lost. This was more than she could stomach. The only way to quench the burning resentment in her heart was to witness Hsu Danian and Ye Luo being pummeled into submission by Zhu Jian.

Hsu Danian's cheek visibly twitched at Wang Ping's harsh words. He harbored no illusions about Wang Ping coming to his and Ye Luo's aid with full force. In fact, he would have understood if she chose to stay out of it entirely. But her words were so final, so encouraging of Zhu Jian's punishment, that it cut him deeply. She was, after all, the one he had once, and still did, truly cherish.

"That's perfect. If that's how it is, then step back a bit—wouldn't want you to get blood on you," Zhu Jian said with a cold laugh.

Wang Ping cast a fleeting glance at Ye Luo and Hsu Danian before moving aside. She was determined to witness their downfall, to see them groveling on the ground for mercy.

"Alright, take out Ye Luo's legs. And if this fatso doesn't wise up, cripple him too," Zhu Jian commanded, gesturing to the group of twenty or so men.

"Zhu Jian, this is a school. How can you so blatantly disregard the law and assault fellow students?" Hsu Danian protested desperately.

"Heh, you're aware this is a school, but what you fail to realize is that this school is mine, not yours. Here, I am the law. Attack!" Zhu Jian declared.

Armed with wooden sticks and baseball bats, the mob charged at Ye Luo and Hsu Danian, fueled by a desire to impress their leader, Zhu Jian.

"To hell with it—if I'm going to die, so be it," Hsu Danian muttered through clenched teeth, ready to throw himself into the fray. But just then, an arm barred his way, and he watched as Ye Luo's form seemed to transform into a streak of lightning, darting among the assailants.

Soon after, the air was filled with chilling screams, akin to the sound of pigs being slaughtered.

In just a matter of seconds, under Hsu Danian's astonished eyes, the attackers had all collapsed, one after another. Over twenty people, without exception, were now writhing on the ground, clutching their hands or feet, their screams filling the air.

Aside from Ye Luo and Hsu Danian, Zhu Jian and Wang Ping were the only ones left standing amidst the chaos.

Hsu Danian was dumbfounded, and he wasn't alone in his shock. Zhu Jian and Wang Ping's faces were a picture of disbelief. What had just happened? They hadn't quite caught it. How had so many gone down so quickly?

Ye Luo was unfazed by their astonishment. These people had come to break his limbs, so it was only fair that he return the favor.

He approached Zhu Jian and fixed him with a look. "You were after my legs, weren't you?"

"I..." Zhu Jian's legs began to shake uncontrollably. He couldn't fathom it. More than twenty men against one, and in less than a minute, they were all down? How was that possible? Was this some kind of nightmare?

"Ye, Ye Luo, you know who I am. If you dare lay a finger on me, at Linhai University, and in all of Linhai, you will... Ah!!!"

Zhu Jian's threat was cut short by a piercing howl as Ye Luo's foot connected with his left knee, shattering the kneecap. Zhu Jian hit the ground hard.

Ye Luo wasn't done yet. He lifted his foot and placed it on Zhu Jian's other leg. Zhu Jian had intended to break both of his legs, so naturally, Ye Luo felt compelled to reciprocate in kind. Anything less would be unacceptable.

"Stop!"