Chapter 284
Chapter 284
Chapter 284 - Find Someone Who Can Make a Decision!
The kick was delivered with such force that it could have left an adult man screaming in agony, clutching his leg.
Crack…
The outcome was more severe than expected. The sharp sound of a bone breaking took even the thug by surprise. He hadn't thought he'd kicked that hard.
But within half a second, reality hit him. The excruciating pain in his leg was undeniable evidence that the kick had been too forceful, but it was his own bone that had snapped, not that of the man he'd tried to strike.
“Stop right there!” Wang Wei sensed something was amiss.
His henchman had clearly kicked the other man, yet in an instant, the henchman was the one on the ground, apparently with a broken leg. What in the world had happened?
Wang Wei hadn't been focusing on the details. Had the other man managed to counter-kick, resulting in his henchman's injury?
Regardless, he couldn't stand by while his associate was attacked and let the assailant walk away. He was there to prevent anyone from entering the company, and he couldn't overlook any threat.
“What's going on?” Zhang Xiaolong turned to face them, completely ignoring the fallen thug as if nothing had happened. “If you truly believe you've been wronged, you should be suing their company. Harassing me here is pointless. You'd be better off preparing for a lawsuit, or you won't like the outcome.”
“You think you can hit someone and just walk away? You're underestimating us,” Wang Wei retorted.
Zhang Xiaolong chuckled. “So you're all in this together. Let me set one thing straight—I didn't hit your brother. He tried to hit me and, unfortunately, ended up breaking his own leg. How can that be my fault?”
Broken? Seriously? How could he spin such a tale?
This wasn't some toddler prone to accidents; this was his man, who should be able to handle himself. If he's breaking his own leg in a scuffle, how's he supposed to hold his own out here?
“So you're intentionally stirring up trouble,” Wang Wei realized, recognizing that he was dealing with a tough opponent. “We're men of Fourth Uncle Chu. What's your name? What group are you with? Let's not have any misunderstandings.”
“I reside at number 36 on Sky Water Path,” Zhang Xiaolong replied coolly. “So Fourth Uncle Chu sent you to hassle Essence Dragon Company? I'm curious—what's his beef with Essence Dragon? Or is someone pulling his strings?”
“Thirty-six Sky Water Path?” Wang Wei furrowed his brow, racking his brain for a moment, but he couldn't recall any place by that name in Qingyang.
Zhang Xiaolong gestured behind him, prompting Wang Wei and the others to look in the indicated direction. Right next to the entrance of Essence Dragon Company, they spotted a sign: “Thirty-six Sky Water Path.”
“Are you playing games with me?” Wang Wei was initially annoyed, but then the realization dawned on him.
He had inquired about the location, and the response had been the address of Essence Dragon Company. This implied that the person he was dealing with was associated with Essence Dragon Company, suggesting that further discussion was futile.
Still, Wang Wei hadn't anticipated encountering such a formidable young man at a mere makeup company. What kind of underhanded technique had he used to break someone's legs in an instant?
“If you have any grievances, feel free to take them up with me,” Zhang Xiaolong said, pointing to the camera mounted above the company's entrance. “It's all recorded there, every last detail. I haven't laid a finger on anyone. If you're thinking of setting me up, it's not going to work. Does anyone else feel like trying their luck? Though, if you'd rather not end up like your friend there, I'd advise you to back off.”
“Kid, you might have a few tricks up your sleeve, but do you really think you can take on Fourth Uncle Chu by yourself? Or stand against the Chu Sect?” Wang Wei scoffed.
Zhang Xiaolong remained unfazed. “I'm not familiar with the Chu Sect or any Fourth Uncle Chu. Just keep away from my company, and there won't be any trouble. But if you insist on disrupting my business, I'll have no choice but to pay a visit to this Fourth Uncle Chu you speak of.”
“We can leave, sure,” Wang Wei said with a smirk, “but only if you sell the Essence Dragon Makeup formula to us. Ten million is a generous offer. Don't be too greedy, and you could live comfortably as a millionaire. But if you fail to see reason, you might end up with nothing, and Fourth Uncle Chu will still get the formula.”
Zhang Xiaolong laughed heartily. “You think you can get my formula for a mere ten million? And you claim you're not the greedy ones? I usually avoid foul language, but I'll make an exception: Get lost! And if you don't leave now, I'll make sure you're not able to leave at all!”
“Kid, you've got quite the nerve,” Wang Wei remarked, surprised to find this individual even less cooperative than the two women. “Fellows, let's give this pretty boy a lesson in humility!”
With that, he and the seven or eight others encircled Zhang Xiaolong and launched their attack.
None of them were skilled fighters; they were just brawlers who relied on sheer ferocity and street fighting techniques. Yet, even a group of them was a challenge for the average martial artist to fend off.
At Wang Wei's signal, they all struck simultaneously, aiming for the neck and groin with whatever moves came naturally to them.
There's an adage in the martial arts community: no matter how skilled you are, you're still vulnerable to a kitchen knife, and no matter how good your kung fu is, a brick can take you down. There's truth in that.
They had no concern for rules or ethics; their only goal was to take you down.
If Zhang Xiaolong had been just for show, he might have been easily defeated, but he was far from it.
Suddenly, their blows were ineffective, their limbs immobilized, followed by the sound of snapping bones and agonized screams.
Wang Wei could never have imagined that this young, handsome man would be even more vicious than they were. In a flash, he had broken several of their arms and legs, leaving them writhing on the ground.
“You're ruthless…” Wang Wei gasped, fighting through the pain, “But now you're in deep trouble. All six of us have fractures. Unless you hand over the formula to Fourth Uncle Chu and he gives the nod, you're off the hook. Otherwise, get ready for a stint behind bars!”
Zhang Xiaolong approached and crouched down to face him, “Sorry, but I'm not interested in jail time, nor am I willing to sell the formula. However, you were right about one thing: there is trouble, but it's not mine, it's yours!”
He reached out and firmly grasped Wang Wei's other arm, which had not been injured. Without any apparent effort, Wang Wei let out another agonized scream.
“You…” Wang Wei was acutely aware that his other arm was now broken.
This had taken him completely by surprise. An average person, even one with some martial arts skills, couldn't possibly be as vicious as Zhang Xiaolong. And shouldn't he be worried about facing consequences?
They were thugs, and they all knew that life behind bars was tough. Shouldn't ordinary people be even more afraid of jail time? Or did this guy have some powerful support?
“Take me to Fourth Uncle Chu,” Zhang Xiaolong stated calmly, “Since you're not in charge, I need to speak with someone who is.”