Turns out, the young man had been playing the fool and deliberately mocking them. Especially the one who was leading the group, his face swelled up with indignant embarrassment into the color of pig liver. The thought of actually paying the guy made him feel like a complete idiot.
Zhao Yi was also thrown into confusion, totally not expecting Li Zhongnan to pull such a move. In a moment of utter despair and helplessness, he suddenly grabbed her hand and said, "Honey, let's go home." She didn't feel any discomfort, but a sense of indescribable emotion welled up in her heart.
She had never felt this way before, a strange feeling, but she couldn't put it into words.
But now, she was no longer afraid, no longer panicked.
Regaining her ability to think, she gave a slight smile to Li Zhongnan, shook her head and firmly said, "Thank you. Young man, you better go. They won't dare to harm me."
There were many of them, and they were professional tough guys. How could a young man like him stand against them? Even if captured, considering her status, she wouldn't be in fatal danger, at most humiliated.
But if he didn't leave, he would surely be killed.
Sure enough, the lead man in black laughed heartily when he heard this, "Want to leave? You think it's that easy? You dare to mock me? I'll see to it that your corpse is completely disfigured!"
Li Zhongnan completely ignored the fool, smiling at Zhao Yi, "Sister, I'm not leaving. If I leave, who's going to pay me?"
Zhao Yi was both amused and exasperated. This wily youngster was so mercenary, was his head filled only with thoughts of money? Ignored, the leader in black was filled with rage, drawing a large cleaver with a sudden flourish.
With a deafening roar, he lunged straight at Li Zhongnan, "Boy, die for me!"
His strike was swift and fierce, the gust it created howled, slashing through the air aiming directly at Li Zhongnan's neck.
If this strike landed, he would undoubtedly die.
Zhao Yi could already picture the bloody scene. In that split second, she didn't know where she found the courage, but she shoved Li Zhongnan with all her strength; "You can't beat them, go now! Leave me alone."
And then, she stood in front of him.
She couldn't let an innocent person get involved. At that moment, it was the only thought in her mind, completely an instinctive behavior.
Li Zhongnan looked at her in slight astonishment. In her beautiful, clear eyes, there was still panic and fear, but they were resolute. He felt a little moved from within, realizing he had underestimated her.
The knife, getting closer, was she going to die?
Zhao Yi was not willing to accept her fate, not wanting to leave the world just like this. She still had many things to do.
"Don't be afraid, I am here." Li Zhongnan said with a comforting smile.
With that, he leapt into the air, his body soaring high, and gave a casual kick. With a loud thud, the gang's leader - blade and man - were sent flying through the air by his kick and he fell unconscious several meters away.
Just one kick!
With one kick, he sent a professional tough guy flying. It seemed so effortless. Watching this, Zhao Yi was extremely shocked.
That...
It was incredible! Too fierce to be true!
Then, with a few moves, he took care of the remaining gangsters.
Li Zhongnan turned around, gave Zhao Yi a slight smile and said, "Sister, how was that? Did I look cool?"
Zhao Yi, still not recovered from the shock, subconsciously replied, "Cool, very cool."
At her words, Li Zhongnan chuckled contently. To have such an attractive and sophisticated woman call him cool felt quite pleasant.
After a while, Zhao Yi expressed her gratitude, "Young--- thank you, thank you so much---"
She originally wanted to call him "young man," but she just couldn't bring herself to say it.
As she was on the verge of being violated, at her most desperate and helpless moment, her hopes shattered, he appeared. And saved her from a dire fate. This kind of emotion came from the bottom of her heart, and it was incredibly strong.
Overwhelmed with emotion, she wanted to grasp his hand but remembering the advantage this sly youngster took of her earlier, she retracted her hand and blushed slightly.
Li Zhongnan chuckled, teasing her, "Sis, you can't do this, it's improper contact between a man and a woman."
With that, he hid his hands, easing her awkwardness.
Zhao Yi, amused by his antics, began to feel more relaxed. She joked, "You've been calling me sis, and you're still talking about improper contact? You're not sincere at all."
Li Zhongnan grinned mischievously, chose not to tease her anymore, and asked seriously, "Sis, what's going on?"
Zhao Yi shook her head, pondered for a moment, and replied, "I'm not quite sure myself."
Suddenly,
Several cars zoomed in and stopped nearby.
The car doors opened, and seven or eight men in black jumped out. Some of them were even holding firearms.
"Run!"
Li Zhongnan's face changed dramatically, and he pulled Zhao Yi's hand to dash into the woods.
Even though he was confident, he couldn't say for sure that he was bulletproof. After all, he didn't yet have a clear understanding of his own power.
"What are you doing? Let go of me!"
Zhao Yi, being dragged by him, was somewhat unwilling.
She had already experienced his impressive agility. But now, in the middle of nowhere, he pulled her into the forest, which was rather frightening.
Thump, thump, thump...
Sounds echoed from behind.
"Sorry!"
Zhao Yi blushed, feeling guilty.
He fixed her pen before, and now he saved her. Yet, she had such filthy thoughts about him, which was not very appropriate.
Li Zhongnan wasn't thinking that much. He kept dragging her through the forest, running as fast as possible, until they finally delved into a sugarcane field.
Then, he heaved a sigh of relief.
Sugarcane is widely cultivated in Northrealm, with thousands of acres forming a dense coverage. Hiding in it, not to mention a few bandits, even an entire brigade would have trouble finding someone, even in broad daylight.
Of course, he didn't dare to stop, weaving through the field with Zhao Yi.
"Ah!"
A scream suddenly echoed from behind.
When he turned around, Zhao Yi was nowhere to be seen.
Li Zhongnan was startled; how could a person suddenly disappear?
After looking around, he noticed a well.
Peering down, Li Zhongnan couldn't help but laugh; Zhao Yi had fallen into it.
Luckily, it was summertime and hadn't rained in a while, so the water wasn't too deep– it was below her head.
Zhao Yi tried to climb up for a while, but after failing, she gave up.
Li Zhongnan asked, "Are you okay, sis? Do you want me to come down with you?"
Zhao Yi managed a wry smile and said, "I'm fine. It's safer here, the water is cool, and I feel comfortable. I'll stay here till sunrise."
The well was so narrow that two people would probably have to hug each other.
"Alright! Then you stay!"
Li Zhongnan smiled awkwardly, realizing how smart this woman was.
After a while, Zhao Yi spoke again, "I dropped my phone in the water. Do you have yours? It's a bit dark down here."
Li Zhongnan took out his phone, turned on the flashlight and shone it into the well.
All of a sudden, Zhao Yi screamed, "Snake! There's a snake... it's crawling towards me..."
Her voice was filled with panic.
Indeed, there was a four-legged snake, crawling around.
Li Zhongnan chuckled again, leisurely observing, "Sis, that's a four-legged snake. Don't worry, it's not venomous and it doesn't bite."
Zhao Yi was still terrified and yelled in panic, "No...no. Please come down and get it out."
Alright then.
Li Zhongnan was speechless. Despite facing the sharp blades of bandits not too long ago without a scream, a harmless four-legged snake sent her into such terror.
Women, strange creatures.
Placing his hands on the well's wall, he slowly climbed down, grabbed the snake and threw it out. As he prepared to climb back up, Zhao Yi anxiously shouted, "Don't...don't leave, I'm scared."
Li Zhongnan gave her a glance and said irritably, "Sis, do you think I'm some sort of God? How long can I hang like this in the air?"
Zhao Yi blushed and said, "You...come down with me!"
"That wouldn't be appropriate, genders should not touch!"
Li Zhongnan replied with an innocent smile.
Seeing him so nonchalant, Zhao Yi was almost in tears, "Please, I... I'm scared of snakes!"
"Alright, if I don't go to hell, who will?"
In the water.
After a while, Zhao Yi screamed again, "Snake..."
Li Zhongnan tensed up and asked, "Where? Tell me quick!"
Now, the space was too cramped. There was no room to maneuver and if there was a poisonous snake, it could be fatal.
Zhao Yi, a little embarrassed and scared, "It's crawling on my stomach, and it's moving..."
Li Zhongnan couldn't help but laugh again, joking, "Sis, have you ever seen a snake that radiates heat?"