Chapter 551: Encirclement

After parting ways with Xiao Qin, I saw a new and interesting comedic act on the streets and I inadvertently spent more time watching it. I only went to eat dinner by myself when the comedic show had ended.

There were various delays along the way, so it was late by the time I was almost home and the moon was overhead. I was the only pedestrian on a pitch black pathway that had several broken street lights.

Even if this was a shortcut, there weren’t many people who passed through here after work. Single women made an effort to avoid this place, probably because they were worried about running into bad people.

For me, of course, it didn’t matter. It was close to my home, and I’ve walked this path at least a thousand times. Besides, I was one of those ‘bad guys’ that the women wanted to avoid.

I still remember when I was in my first year of middle school and I was already really tall. Once, at around 10 o’clock at night, I couldn’t sleep, so I came out for a walk and wandered to this shady path.

I had arrived at around the same time of a female white-collar worker heading home after doing overtime. She was in an office lady attire, carrying a branded bag and wearing high heels. But when she saw my dark figure from afar, she immediately turned around and ran away, she didn’t even give me a chance to say something like “if you want to pass through here, then you have to pay a fee”.

Unexpectedly, when I walked on this narrow and windy path today, I saw four or five black figures up ahead blocking the way.

Based on their height, it didn’t seem like they were children who were playing hide and seek. I couldn’t help but remember the other day when four people who looked like fitness trainers tricked me with a text message and threatened me with batons.

But these figures weren’t as built as the last group, they could simply be passing through. If I ran away without getting a clear understanding of the situation, then wouldn’t I be as cowardly as the female office worker who was in high heels?

Driven by those thoughts, I put my hands in my pockets, and began strutting forwards to show my courage.

After arriving at a place where the streetlights were intact and a little brighter, I noticed that the five people across from me were around my age and it didn’t seem they had good intentions.

They look like a bunch of hooligans. They were all poorly dressed and had bad postures. One of them who was chewing gum looked at me with malice.

But I didn’t know any of them, so I don’t think they came to pick a fight. If they wanted to mug me, then they chose the wrong opponent.

We looked at each other in vigilance as I brushed past, but we didn’t clash.

So they think I’m not easy to deal with? It looks like they are looking for easy targets, or maybe people who had more money? I hope that office worker I saw last year never takes this route.

However, before I even walked ten steps, the leader of those five hooligans, a very skinny and gloomy man, called out weirdly:

“Ye Lin, you don’t have to walk so fast.”

I was shocked and looked back. The other side had already carried out their plans and formed a semi-encirclement around me.

“Who are you, have we met before?” I still kept my hands in my pockets and stared at the leader who was as skinny as a praying mantis.

Being shined on by both the moonlight and streetlights gave his incredibly thin face a strange color. It made him reveal his true sinister intentions and he oozed with malice.

“Hmmm, Ye Lin, I often heard about you, but we’ve never met before. I recognized you by your mean mug and how you always drag your right foot when you walk.”

Huh, he even noticed something as small as me dragging my right foot?

The reason for my behavior was because I watched ‘A Better Tomorrow’ as a child. I really admired Xiao Ma, so whenever I wanted to act as the lone hero, I would always unconsciously imitate his gait, and over time it developed into a habit.

My father once complained about it before saying that the sole of my right foot always wore out faster than my left foot.

The class leader had also expressed her opinion about this “bad habit” during group exercises.

Actually, I had stopped dragging my right foot for a while now after a period of intentional correction.

But today’s situation reminded me of the heroic actions of Xiao Ma when he was soaked in blood and fighting the enemy.

“Who are you, do you have a grudge against me?” I asked while searching for a path of retreat with the corner of my eye. The guy who was chewing gum seemed to be the youngest, so he was most likely the easiest to breakthrough.

I was able to fight 1v5 before, but that was only if I turned on berserk mode. Under Peng TouSi’s dissuasion, I’ve decided to seal the skill to prevent me from going down the wrong path. I hope that one day I’ll be able to go 1v5 without relying on berserk mode.

While the bubble gum chewing guy looks weak, the others didn’t look easy to deal with. At this point, they each pulled out an extendable baton one after the other and fiddled with it in their hands as a demonstration.

“Well…” the leader, who liked to press his finger against his temple when he speaks, replied with a wicked smile, “I don’t have a grudge against you, but Huang San, who used to follow me, does…”

Huang San, the guy who lost control of his bladder at yesterday’s underground fight? He already found someone so quickly to avenge him? It looks like his old man is quite capable.

I was outnumbered and I was still trying to find an opportunity to escape. In order to stall for time, I asked again:

“You said Huang San followed you? Bullshit, how come I’ve never heard of you?”

I said as I gathered strength on my right heels, intending to make a quick retreat.

But the guy across from me said something that made it impossible for me to retreat.

“Of course there was no need for Boss Huang’s son to follow me, it’s more accurate to say we hung out together from time to time. He called me big brother because he looked up to me, but since I’ve received a lot of help from Boss Huang, I can’t let you go after you seriously injured Huang San.”

“It’s because I, Tie Xian, am a man who’s loyal to his friends.”

Wait, what did you say? Tie Xian? Wasn’t that the guy who cut Brother Gang’s tendons? Didn’t he run to another province to escape his crimes, but was caught and brought back, then sentenced to prison? How did he get out already?

Seeing my anger and surprise, Tie Xian shook his finger and said rather smugly.

“You all thought I was in prison, right? But it wasn’t a serious charge, since Boss Huang paid for me, I’m essentially out on medical parole… a lot of corrupt officials were released this way, so adding me makes no difference.”

I pulled out both hands from my pockets and clenched them into fists.

“Huhuhuhuhu…” Although the other side had more people, I laughed even more creepily than they did.

“That means I should thank Boss Huang.Thanks to him for getting you out so I don’t have to break into prison to give you a beating.”

Tie Xian took a step backwards and instructed his men to defend him.

“Ye Lin, you fight like a mad dog, there’s no way I would pick a fight if I wasn’t confident we could beat you.”

“Long Qi, Xia Qiu, go.”

The two people with strange nicknames rushed me from the front, waving their batons, after they listened to Tie Xian’s order.

I quickly avoided it, and then used a boxing side step to send a counterattack towards their faces, but unexpectedly Long Qi and Xia Qiu had quick reactions and they both dodged my fist.

Tie Xian was worthy of being a military strategist type of character. He himself doesn’t have much combat power, but he doesn’t fight an unprepared battle.

Other than the young one who was chewing bubble gum, Tie Xian’s three remaining men, were obviously experienced in battles.

As expected, while I was busy dealing with the ones in front of me, the guy behind me was waiting for an opportunity to move, he then lunged at me with his baton.

I turned around and sent him a kick, which coincidentally hit him in the right hand that was holding the baton. The baton flew out of his hand and almost hit the one who was chewing gum and had been doing nothing.

“Shit, this guy’s even stronger than the rumors say.” The guy who had his baton kicked away cursed with his filthy mouth.

“Long Qi, Xia Qiu, Nian Yu, all of you go together and beat him to death.”

Tie Xian ordered again once he had already hid in a safe position.

“Boss, you just got out, should… should we leave him at least with one last breath?”

The guy whose nickname was Nian Yu asked.

Tie Xian had a cold smile, “Leave him one last breath for what? So he can get revenge? Don’t worry about it and take him out.”

Then he pointed to young one who was still chewing gum, “We brought Xiao Cheng so we coulld have a minor take the blame. Boss Huang already had a talk with Xiao Cheng’s family, even if we killed Ye Lin, minors will only get a light sentence. You won’t be treated badly when working for Boss Huang.”

I stole a glance at Xiao Cheng. He had a childish face and he kept on chewing gum to get rid of his fears. So he was the one who would voluntarily take the blame if I was killed?

It really is stupid, even homicide can be pushed onto others in this materialistic society?

It really seems something Ai ShuQiao taught me was already being applied in real life.

The last time I was surrounded by four large men, my phone mysteriously called the police, but miracles don’t happen twice. I wasn’t even able to pull out my phone and call the police in the current situation.

Nian Yu picked up his baton and the three guys, who were decent at fighting, attacked me again.

I have now missed the best time to escape. Do I have to use berserk mode to have a chance of victory?

But I gave up the idea of using berserk mode after sensing the hardness of the batons.

The damage caused by a metal baton, coupled with the user’s strength, can’t be underestimated if it directly hits my body.

Not to mention the fact my whole body would be sore after using berserk mode. I just used it in the ring yesterday, but I still haven’t fully recovered today. It was one of the reasons why I couldn’t catch up to Xiong YaoYue while she was in her costume.

Basically, it would do more harm than good to use berserk mode, a mode that takes away rational thought, in this situation. But how am I going to change the unfavorable situation?

Suddenly, I remembered that in “Slam Dunk”, when Miyagi Ryota was surrounded by Hisashi Mitsui and some others, Miyagi attacked Hisashi Mitsui and ignored the others around him. He was able to achieve a good result with both of them being sent to the hospital.

Now was the opportunity to use this tactic. I should pass Long Qi, Xia Qiu, Nian Yu, and directly attack Tie Xian. Even if the plan doesn’t work, I can at least make Tie Xian suffer the same fate.

I’ll also get revenge for Bro Gang at the same time.