"But..." Shirayuki blushed at Zhang Fan's suggestion, her mind swirling with delight at the thought of addressing him so informally. She was completely immersed in a blissful fantasy, envisioning a domestic scene where she, dressed in homely attire, would greet Zhang Fan as he returned home. "Welcome back, Zhang Fan. Would you like to have dinner first, or a bath, or maybe..." The sheer embarrassment of her own daydreams turned her cheeks into a furnace of shyness.
"Zhang Fan, welcome back." In her imagination, Shirayuki stood at the doorway of a cozy apartment, dressed as a doting housewife, welcoming her husband home. And naturally, in this fantasy, the husband was none other than our protagonist, Zhang Fan.
Unable to contain her embarrassment, Shirayuki's face radiated with heat, almost swooning from her own vivid imagination.
"Hey, you guys are underestimating us, aren't you? Don't ignore our presence!" The disenchanted quartet of senior bullies, who had earlier accosted Shirayuki, now emerged, their heads festooned with lines of irritation. They were appalled at being disregarded in such a public setting.
"Oh? You haven't left yet?" Zhang Fan feigned surprise upon seeing the four thugs. Initially willing to let them off, he now resolved to deal with them, given their persistent nuisance.
"Enough talk! Bow down and apologize, or else you'll regret it!" The leader of the group, a blonde-haired ruffian, threatened Zhang Fan as they brandished their weapons - two wielding Italian-made .40 Elites pistols, and the others armed with daggers. Their menacing appearance belied their lack of true strength; they were no more than bullies, hardly befitting of the Butei title.
"What are you planning to do?" Shirayuki's concern was evident as the assailants revealed their arms. Zhang Fan, dressed in plain clothes, faced real firearms – was this an attempt at murder?
"What are we going to do? Here at Butei High, the strong rule. Since you're here, be prepared to be dominated. We're just teaching you the first lesson," the blonde-haired boy sneered. In his eyes, anything short of killing was fair game.
"Zhang Fan, please stay behind me!" In an unexpected move, Shirayuki positioned herself protectively in front of Zhang Fan, a stark contrast to her usual demure demeanor. While Zhang Fan was touched by her gesture, a few bemused lines crossed his forehead – he never expected to be shielded by a delicate girl.
"Shirayuki, you're underestimating me. Also, please, just call me Zhang Fan, not 'Lord'!" Gently tapping her head, Zhang Fan pulled Shirayuki behind him. Saving damsels in distress was his forte, after all.
"Zhang Fan..." Shirayuki hesitated but finally addressed him by his first name, standing obediently behind him, her trust in him evident. "I trust you, Zhang Fan," she thought, ready to be his supportive partner.
"Strongest rules, huh? I appreciate the lesson, seniors. In return, I shall offer you a chance to rest – how about that?" Zhang Fan's lips curled into a sly smile. To him, the senior bullies were nothing but trivial obstacles, mere pretenders inflated by minimal training.
"Rest?" The blonde-haired boy was momentarily confused.
"Yes,
a rest at the hospital," Zhang Fan clarified, his grin widening menacingly. As the leader began to comprehend the threat, he attempted to raise his gun, but before he could react, a forceful punch landed on his abdomen. Astounded by Zhang Fan's strength and speed, he couldn't believe such a seemingly slender figure could pack such power.
"What are you!" Another thug, armed with a gun, tried to retaliate, but before he could fire, a playing card lodged itself painfully in his hand, forcing him to drop his weapon. The scream that followed was a mix of pain and shock.
Zhang Fan's skill with the playing card, a technique refined through training with Xiao Tong, was astonishingly effective. His ability to turn such a seemingly harmless object into a weapon was a testament to his skill and creativity.
"Who are you?" The remaining two, brandishing knives, were visibly shaken. They couldn't fathom the level of skill displayed by Zhang Fan – was he an A or even the legendary S rank Butei capable of single-handedly taking down a special forces team?
"As you see, just a new student," Zhang Fan replied nonchalantly. After a few more swift moves, all four bullies lay defeated on the ground. They were no match for him, not even worth his full effort.
Zhang Fan, not one to let bullies off easily, continued his assault even as they lay on the ground. Enraged by their audacity to target Shirayuki, he was determined to make them regret their actions. After a few more kicks, he drew his .44 Magnum revolver.
"Let's see if your Butei uniforms are really bulletproof," he mused, aiming at the leader's left arm. He had no intention of killing them, just a lesson they wouldn't forget.
"Stop!" Just as Zhang Fan was about to pull the trigger, their savior appeared – a formidable woman wielding a nearly two-meter-long katana. Her presence alone was enough to change the atmosphere.
Zhang Fan could sense her strength, comparable to his own. Intrigued by her, he admired the fierce and powerful beauty that seemed only possible in the world of anime.
"Freaking freshmen causing trouble on the first day," the woman muttered discontentedly, looking at the injured bullies with disdain. Then, her attention turned to Zhang Fan. "What's your name, kid? Are you new here?"
"Indeed, and I must say, you have quite the eye," Zhang Fan replied with a smile, which only served to shock the nearby students further.