Brother Bao’s fist techniques were fierce, each punch whistling through the air with a roaring wind. His underlings watched with wide-eyed admiration; their boss was truly formidable. Not one of them could withstand a single punch from him.
The surrounding college students were also awestruck. It was no wonder no one dared to cross Chong Tian Bao in the university town. His power seemed even more ferocious than an ordinary boxer’s. Who could possibly stand against him?
Zhao Yongchang and Zhang Xin were also intimidated by Chong Tian Bao’s might. They then looked at Zhang Fan, full of worry, fearing that Zhang Fan might be ruined if he made even the slightest mistake.
“Too slow.” The punch that seemed incredibly swift to others appeared to Zhang Fan to be moving at a snail’s pace. He could easily dodge it, but there was no need.
Just as Brother Bao’s fist was about to smash into Zhang Fan’s chest, and Brother Bao’s face lit up with joy, Zhang Fan picked up the stool he had placed on the ground and smashed it down fiercely at Brother Bao.
“Thump.”
Brother Bao’s delighted expression instantly turned ashen due to the stool. He couldn’t withstand the blow and was immediately knocked to the ground. After a moment of daze, as he was trying to get up to fight again, he found a foot pressed down on his chest, pinning him so he couldn't move, no matter how he struggled.
Xiao Qiang Ge, standing nearby, felt his chest loosen. He then saw Zhang Fan’s foot move away and land on the side of Brother Bao.
He should have been happy to be let go, but when he looked sideways and saw his boss’s miserable expression, he stopped halfway through getting up. After some thought, he decided to lie on the ground with his boss.
“A master!” Brother Bao was a martial artist who had cultivated inner strength, albeit only at the Minor Accomplishment stage. However, he was more than enough to deal with dozens of ordinary thugs. Yet, after striking first, he was countered by this youth and knocked down with a stool. The foot now on his chest made him feel immense pressure.
This person was at least a master of the Perfected stage of inner strength.
Inner strength was divided into three levels: Minor Accomplishment, Great Accomplishment, and Perfected. Martial artists at the Perfected stage of inner strength were rare in the entire Donghai city. For example, Guang Tou Qiang was a martial artist at the Perfected stage.
“I say, you’re so weak, yet you dare to lead underlings and extort protection fees. Don’t tell me you have a boss above you?” Zhang Fan looked down at Chong Tian Bao and asked.
“Yes, yes, yes,” Chong Tian Bao said quickly.
“Call him and tell him to come and pick you up,” Zhang Fan added.
“Kid, you’re dead! You actually gave me a chance to call for backup.” Chong Tian Bao was overjoyed. He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed his boss.
“Brother Qiang, I’ve been beaten. The opponent is very strong. I couldn’t even take one move…”
And so, Chong Tian Bao did what his underling Xiao Qiang had done earlier, and, as expected, received a torrent of scolding. After all, calling for his boss to come and pick him up was not only embarrassing for himself but also for his boss.
Chong Tian Bao, pinned under Zhang Fan’s foot, unable to move, looked at his group of underlings and the surrounding onlookers. He felt an unparalleled sense of humiliation. But he truly couldn’t resist; the youth’s foot was simply too heavy.
At this moment, all he could do was hope his boss would arrive sooner so he could be freed. He also planned to publicly beat Zhang Fan in front of his underlings and the spectators to regain his lost dignity.
He would also give his useless underling Xiao Qiang a beating later for calling him over rashly without even assessing the opponent’s strength, leading to this unjust humiliation.
Although he had brought over a hundred underlings, facing an expert like Zhang Fan, who could fight a hundred men alone and was at the Perfected stage of inner strength, his underlings’ swarm would be futile. It was better to have them stay put and save on medical expenses.
And so, the hundred thugs, armed with baseball bats, stood idly by. Without their boss’s orders, they dared not make a move, quietly waiting.
The surrounding crowd had fallen silent. They never expected that the local overlord of the university town, Chong Tian Bao, who could fight a crowd, would be knocked to the ground with a stool by a high school-looking youth and be pinned there, unable to move. This display had even intimidated the group of underlings brought by Chong Tian Bao into inaction.
“Chong Tian Bao actually has a boss?”
“Yeah, I thought Chong Tian Bao was the big shot, but it turns out he’s just an underling. How powerful must his boss be?”
“This kid is finished later. Even if he’s a great fighter, can he withstand a gun? People at Chong Tian Bao’s level have firearms, let alone his boss.”
“That makes sense. No matter how skilled you are, a single shot can take you down. This is the era of firearms, after all.”
The students around were all surprised to hear that Chong Tian Bao had a boss. Only Chong Tian Bao’s underlings became excited upon hearing that their boss’s boss was coming. They knew that their boss’s boss was a major figure in the entire North District, someone they rarely got to see. And soon, that legendary figure would arrive. Thinking about it made them excited. They then looked at the youth who had his boss pinned under his foot, and couldn’t help but show pity in their eyes, because they knew how ruthless and merciless the legendary boss was. This youth should cherish his remaining time, as it would soon become just a fond memory.
“It’s over. What about my barbecue prince? I finally found such delicious barbecue, and it looks like I won’t have another chance.” The incredibly sexy female college student sighed, feeling like she was about to witness the downfall of a superstar in the barbecue world. Her immense love for barbecue brought her heartache and… regret.
“Xiao Fan, why don’t you apologize sincerely to Brother Bao? I’ll pay some money to settle this grudge. My barbecue stall doesn’t matter.” Zhao Yongchang’s face turned pale upon hearing that Chong Tian Bao had a boss, and that his boss was coming. Chong Tian Bao alone had a hundred underlings; his boss’s underlings could drown them all with a single mouthful of spit.
“Heh heh, you want to settle it? Too late!” Chong Tian Bao, beneath Zhang Fan’s foot, grinned maliciously. “When my Brother Qiang arrives, none of you will escape!”
Seeing Brother Bao still acting so arrogant even under his foot, Zhang Fan shifted his step. The sole of his shoe, which had accidentally stepped on dog excrement that day, landed on Chong Tian Bao’s mouth, sealing it shut.
Chong Tian Bao’s face instantly turned ashen, his mind filled with complex emotions. “Ahhh, it stinks! Why was I so rude? Have I forgotten the saying ‘a true man can bend and stretch’?”
Zhang Fan turned his head to comfort his uncle. “Don’t worry. Even if his boss comes, I’m not afraid. Uncle, just watch from the side.”
Uncle Zhao Yongchang was still very worried, but since things had escalated to this point, he couldn’t think of any other solution and could only watch from the side.
Aunt Zhang Xin also looked worried. Only Zhao Qingqing, upon hearing Brother Bao’s words, seemed to recall something. Her eyes lit up, and she whispered to herself, “Brother Qiang… Brother Qiang… could it be him?”