"Cheng Xiaolong, what makes you think you can challenge Brother Kun?"
A group of thugs surrounded a slightly handsome boy in ordinary clothes.
Despite being outnumbered, the boy showed no fear.
He scanned them and then addressed the one in front of him, whose ear was pierced multiple times and adorned with earrings. "I didn't intend to challenge Brother Kun, but Xiaoli is my neighbor. She's a decent girl, and it's wrong for Brother Kun to push her into a fiery pit!"
"What the hell! Do you think you're some chivalrous hero? Is it your place to interfere with Brother Kun's business?"
"Exactly. You're just a waiter, do your job and don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."
"Believe it or not, we can have you lying on the ground in minutes!"
The thugs pressed closer, some of them pointing their fingers at the boy's head and shouting.
Brother Kun, as the thugs called him, was a pimp who made a living by tricking and coercing girls into prostitution, with many thugs under his command.
These thugs not only protected him and dealt with deadbeats but also severely punished disobedient girls at Brother Kun's command.
Cheng Xiaolong, surrounded by the thugs, had a neighbor named Xiaoli. While they weren't close friends, they were on good terms. She was one of the few people who didn't look down on him because his parents had died when he was young.
A few days ago, Xiaoli's father was injured at a construction site and urgently needed a large sum of money for treatment. She borrowed some money from Brother Kun.
Besides his other 'business,' Brother Kun also dabbled in loan sharking.
In her desperation, Xiaoli borrowed money from him. After her father's surgery, she approached Brother Kun to discuss repayment.
To her surprise, Brother Kun informed her that the loan had a "nine out, thirteen back" arrangement.
This meant that for the 30,000 yuan Xiaoli borrowed, she had to repay over 40,000 yuan.
In just one week, she owed over 10,000 yuan in interest, an amount Xiaoli simply couldn't afford.
At this point, Brother Kun employed his usual tactic: he offered to introduce her to a job that paid quickly.
Coincidentally, Cheng Xiaolong came to find Xiaoli at that moment. Upon hearing the situation, he immediately declared that he would find a way to repay Xiaoli's debt.
Brother Kun didn't say anything then, as there were many people around.
However, Brother Kun had already taken a liking to Cheng Xiaolong and, true to form, sent his subordinates to ambush him.
"I will gather the money for Xiaoli. Please convey a message to Brother Kun: tell him that she..."
Before Cheng Xiaolong could finish his sentence.
The thug closest to him couldn't contain himself. He shoved Cheng Xiaolong hard, "Who do you think you are? If Brother Kun fancies her, it's her good fortune!"
Xiaoli, Cheng Xiaolong's neighbor, wasn't exceptionally beautiful, but she possessed a gentle, youthful charm reminiscent of a girl next door. This was why Brother Kun had gone to such lengths to lend her money.
Now that he was one step away from bringing Xiaoli down, how could he let anyone ruin his plan?
As for Cheng Xiaolong claiming he would repay Xiaoli, that was out of the question.
This was precisely why Brother Kun sent his men to cause trouble for Cheng Xiaolong and warn him to mind his own business.
"We're just talking, but I warn you, don't lay a hand on me!"
Cheng Xiaolong, after being pushed, showed visible displeasure.
He hadn't done anything wrong, yet he was surrounded by a group of people who were verbally abusive.
And now, someone was even shoving him. It was natural for Cheng Xiaolong's mood to sour.
"Damn it, this kid thinks he's tough. So what if I push you?"
The guy who had pushed Cheng Xiaolong before widened his eyes at his words.
He then reached out to push Cheng Xiaolong again.
But this time, just as his hand was halfway extended, Cheng Xiaolong blocked it with his right hand, stepped forward, and swept his right leg.
The thug, who was about to push Cheng Xiaolong, immediately stumbled forward, falling flat on his face.
None of the thugs present had expected Cheng Xiaolong to fight back.
By the time they reacted, their comrade was looking up, a front tooth knocked out, his mouth full of blood.
"Damn it! Cheng Xiaolong, I'll kill you."
With his enraged roar, the thugs surrounding Cheng Xiaolong immediately swarmed him.
Initially, Cheng Xiaolong, relying on his agility, managed to hold his own against the swarm of thugs.
However, as the fallen thug got back up and more joined in, Cheng Xiaolong's room to maneuver gradually diminished.
Bang!
A thug, seizing an opportunity, grabbed a broken bottle from the ground and smashed it directly onto Cheng Xiaolong's head.
The bottle shattered.
Cheng Xiaolong clutched the spot where he was hit, and blood quickly began to flow.
Despite the bleeding from his head, the thugs showed no intention of stopping.
"Damn you, weren't you so tough? Get up and fight! If you have the guts, get up again."
Cheng Xiaolong was beaten to the ground. The guy he had tripped earlier, kicked him repeatedly and fiercely.
Before long, Cheng Xiaolong, battered and bruised by the thugs, lay motionless.
"Brother Hua, is this kid dead?"
After a while of kicking and punching, seeing Cheng Xiaolong motionless on the ground, several thugs simultaneously stopped.
Although these thugs were often involved in fights, killing someone was a different matter entirely.
Seeing Cheng Xiaolong covered in blood and utterly still, they became anxious.
The earring-clad guy also had a bad feeling, so he crouched down, intending to check if Cheng Xiaolong was still breathing.
But to his surprise, Cheng Xiaolong, who had his eyes closed, suddenly snapped them open.
The earring-clad guy was startled.
But before he could react, Cheng Xiaolong, with his eyes open, had already grabbed his neck with one hand.
"Don't move if you don't want to die!"
With his other hand, Cheng Xiaolong held a shard of broken bottle he had found on the ground.
"Damn it! Let Brother Hua go, or I'll kill you."
"Damn it, this guy is so cunning, he was faking death just now!"
"Let Brother Hua go quickly, or you're dead meat!"
None of the thugs had expected Cheng Xiaolong to be faking his death.
Now that he had taken Brother Hua hostage, they all started shouting threats.
Cheng Xiaolong held Brother Hua's neck with one hand, and with the other, he pressed the glass shard against his throat.
"Get out of my way! If I slip and my hand moves accidentally, this guy will be finished!"
As he spoke, Cheng Xiaolong applied a little more pressure with the hand holding the glass shard.
The next second, a cut appeared on Brother Hua's neck.
Blood trickled down his neck. Brother Hua, not exactly a tough guy, was terrified on the spot.
"Cheng Xiaolong, don't do anything rash. Let's talk this out. You guys, step back, back away!"
Brother Hua said, trying to calm Cheng Xiaolong, while waving at the other thugs.
He was truly afraid that Cheng Xiaolong would slip and accidentally stab him to death.
"Get lost!"
Cheng Xiaolong kicked Brother Hua hard in the lower back and then turned and ran.
The thugs first helped Brother Hua, and then, realizing what had happened, they tried to give chase. But Cheng Xiaolong had already run far away.