Chapter 65: A Call from Nanye, Cai Hu’s Departure

Zhang Ze and his two companions, after learning Li Zixing’s address from Leng Bingbing, set out with righteous indignation. However, they had only made it halfway when they spotted a young man in the distance, looking up and scrutinizing the surrounding buildings.

“Hey—”

“You, take me to Unit Three, Building Two!” Qi Lijun shouted at the trio, as if it was perfectly natural for Zhang Ze and the others to escort him back to his dormitory.

“You can’t be serious,” Peng Fei said, exasperated. “You’ve lived here for days and still can’t find your way home?” He truly found Qi Lijun baffling. In his mind, he muttered, “We’re in a hurry to handle something, and you just show up asking us to take you home?”

“Well, isn’t this Qi Lijun?” Zhang Ze remarked with a light chuckle as they approached. “Looking for Building Two?” The young man nodded in response. Zhang went on, “Just stick with us. Once we’re done, we’ll take you back.” Perhaps a bit absentminded, Qi Lijun, without much thought, simply followed this group of “delinquents.”

They arrived at the base of Li Zixing’s dorm building. Qi Lijun ignored the large number “7” on the wall, as if convinced that as long as he stuck with Zhang Ze, he’d end up back at his own dorm. With Qi Lijun in tow, the four of them marched straight to the fourth floor of Building Seven.

“Bang, bang—” Owing to Qianqian having shielded him earlier, Peng Fei was uncharacteristically angry, clenching his right fist and pounding hard on the door.

“Who is it?” Li Zixing’s question went unanswered. As soon as he opened the door, a fist met him square in the face.

Thud! Although Li Zixing was also a second-tier martial artist, caught off guard, he had no chance to defend himself. With a muffled crash, his face slammed into Peng Fei’s fist.

Everyone knew Li Zixing’s strength, so Zhang Ze had no intention of reasoning with him. Moreover, with the risk that other trainees from Pingqing Martial Arts School might overhear, the three wasted no time—attacking together! From the moment the door opened to the moment Li Zixing was floored by the three, it took barely ten seconds. Throughout, Li Zixing didn’t react, nor did he have a chance to call for help.

Slap! Cai Hu and Peng Fei pinned him down, while Zhang Ze delivered a hard slap across Li Zixing’s face. In a cold voice, he demanded, “Why did you have someone attack Liu Qianqian from our Yongsheng Martial Arts School? Do you realize you got him half-crippled?”

Stunned by Zhang Ze’s accusation, Li Zixing blurted, “That’s nonsense! I never told them to cripple him!”

In truth, Li Zixing had never intended to seriously injure either Peng Fei or Liu Qianqian. He’d only wanted to teach them a lesson. On one hand, they were all trainees attending the Provincial Martial Arts Exchange; if a serious injury occurred, the Anqing Martial Authority would certainly intervene. Li Zixing might have enjoyed the moment, but any future with the Martial Authority would be over. On the other hand, his family background was formidable—if his father learned he’d done this over a girl, he’d face harsh criticism.

That’s why, upon hearing Zhang Ze’s accusation, Li Zixing hastily protested. Satisfied with the response, Zhang Ze took out his phone, paused the recording, and kicked Li Zixing sharply. Coldly, he said, “So, you admit it then?” Though Li Zixing was a second-tier martial artist, faced with the combined assault of Zhang Ze and company, he had no way to resist. In the end, he was left with a swollen, bruised face, matching Qianqian’s fate.

After teaching him a lesson, the group left as if nothing had happened. Qi Lijun, who had witnessed everything, said nothing while upstairs. Only after they’d descended did he ask, “Do you guys have any idea who Li Zixing’s family is?”

Hearing this from both Leng Bingbing and now Qi Lijun, Peng Fei grew impatient. Picking his nose absentmindedly, he asked, “So what, his dad’s really named Li Gang or something?”

“Heh,” Qi Lijun chuckled softly. “Nothing.” But inside, he was now certain—these three had no clue about Li Zixing’s background.

Two o’clock in the afternoon. The instructors and students from all the martial schools once again gathered at the Anqing Martial Authority’s training ground. After a couple of hours’ rest, it seemed nothing had changed, except for Qianqian and Li Zixing sporting new bruises.

With Zhao Jinghong’s announcement, the group stage officially began.

It’s worth noting that Li Tian actually made it through the earlier screening. Yet, after just one match in the group stage, he was knocked out by a competitor from Liuqing Martial Arts School. The one who eliminated Li Tian—Fang Ying—ended up qualifying from Group Five.

In the blink of an eye, Cai Hu from Group Six was called to the ring, facing an opponent from Pingqing Martial Arts School. Hearing this, Zhang Ze, who was preparing for his own match, grew a little anxious—if Li Zixing sought revenge, Cai Hu could be in trouble. In the end, though Cai Hu lost, his opponent played fair and didn’t resort to dirty tactics.

At that moment, Zhang Ze heard his own name called. When he saw the name of his opponent on the screen, he couldn’t help but chuckle.

“So it’s true—enemies always meet on a narrow path.”

Muttering to himself, Zhang Ze strode toward the ring.

“Heh,” he called out, “You must be Lin Dong?” Zhang Ze eyed the young man across from him, grinning.

Since the infamous “Dung-Throwing Incident,” Lin Dong had kept a low profile in Heyue City. In fact, despite never having practiced martial arts before, he had, within just a month, reached the peak of a first-tier martial artist. The main reason he’d never trained was because of his father, Lin Wanli.

“You know me?” Lin Dong asked, unable to recall where he’d seen Zhang Ze before.

Zhang Ze laughed lightly before replying, “Saw you on the news a few days back. The stench was unforgettable.”

The moment Zhang Ze finished, Lin Dong’s body trembled with rage, his fists clenched white.

“Are you looking to die?” Since the dung incident, those around Lin Dong had carefully avoided mentioning it. Because of that event, his father had locked him at home for nearly a month. Lin Wanli, who previously forbade him from martial arts, had since changed his mind and set him on this path.

Hearing those words from Zhang Ze again, Lin Dong’s fury was unimaginable.

Elsewhere, “Hello—” Cai Hu’s injuries weren’t serious. When he saw a call on his phone, he completely forgot about his wounds.

“Who is this?” Hearing an unfamiliar voice, Cai Hu checked the caller ID again.

“This is the Southern Ye City Investigation Bureau. Are you Mr. Cai Hu?” The official introduction made Cai Hu’s heart sink. He demanded, “What’s happened to my parents?”

Meanwhile, inside a van on the outskirts of Southern Ye City—

“Damn it, can’t you keep it in your pants?” The man in the trench coat cursed furiously after receiving news. “If the Investigation Bureau catches wind of this, the organization won’t let us live!”

The buzz-cut man at the wheel didn’t respond, simply driving on as his companion raged.