"Ye Qiu, throw him over here for us to play with!" Tang Guo shouted.
"Yeah, just don't beat him to death—half-dead is fine," Lin Bao'er added.
The bearded man's step faltered, nearly causing him to trip. These two crazy women thought of him as a toy?
Filled with anger, he felt the urge to get rough. The bearded man charged at Ye Qiu, swinging a punch at his chin with his fist encased in a gleaming steel knuckle. If this punch landed, it would pierce his throat with multiple holes.
Ye Qiu knew he couldn't take the punch head-on and stepped back to avoid it. The bearded man's confidence soared as he followed up with a horizontal elbow strike, his movements fluid and aggressive.
Ye Qiu dodged the elbow strike again, stepping back once more. The crowd supporting the bearded man started cheering, while the girls worried for Ye Qiu shouted encouragement.
"Tang Tang, it looks like Ye Qiu can't beat that bearded guy," Lin Bao'er said, clutching Tang Guo's arm. "Should I call someone?"
Tang Guo's smile faded, her face turning serious as she watched Ye Qiu duel with the bearded man. Even she, with no martial arts knowledge, could tell that this opponent was different from the others Ye Qiu had easily defeated. The bearded man's attacks were sharp and fast, forcing Ye Qiu to retreat twice.
Shen Momo was also worried, handing her phone to Tang Guo. "Call your dad and ask him to send help."
Just as Tang Guo was about to dial, Ye Qiu suddenly smiled at the bearded man.
"Russian Spetsnaz, right? But these moves seem a bit amateurish," Ye Qiu said, dodging the bearded man's continuous attacks with ease.
The bearded man's heart sank, and he launched a sidekick at Ye Qiu's legs, growling, "Who are you?"
"Who I am doesn't matter. Let me show you how these moves are supposed to be used. You've learned a bit but missed the essence," Ye Qiu said, suddenly changing from defense to offense. He stepped forward, fist aimed at the bearded man's chin at a sharp angle. The bearded man knew the power of the move and quickly retreated.
Ye Qiu stepped forward again, this time using his elbow. The bearded man blocked it awkwardly, but Ye Qiu spun 180 degrees and struck with his other elbow, landing a solid hit on the bearded man's face.
The bearded man's face burned with pain as he staggered back five or six steps, finally out of Ye Qiu's reach. He clutched his face, gasping for breath. If he hadn't backed off, Ye Qiu's continuous elbow strikes would have pummeled him mercilessly. This move, invented by a genius commander of the Russian Spetsnaz, was a lethal close-combat technique.
Realizing he had underestimated his opponent, the bearded man now faced an undeniable expert.
Seeing Ye Qiu defeat another opponent cleanly, Tang Guo and Lin Bao'er cheered wildly, and even the worried Shen Momo smiled.
The bearded man massaged his face, waiting for the pain to subside, then clenched his fists and approached Ye Qiu again.
"Stop," the buzz-cut man said, walking over with the help of two staff members. His severe injury made every step painful, and his face twisted in discomfort. "This is a misunderstanding. Let's not escalate things."
"Are you okay, boss?" the bearded man asked, concerned.
"I'm fine," the buzz-cut man waved him off and approached Ye Qiu, smiling. "You've got some skills, brother. My men are no match for you."
"If they were all like him, I'd be down by now," Ye Qiu said, pointing to the bearded man. Respect for strong opponents was important, and this bearded man's skills were commendable and brutal.
"Haha, it's my fault tonight. You know how it is—men see beautiful women and get ideas. Let's just call it a night and make friends," the buzz-cut man said, extending his hand to Ye Qiu.
"I have no problem with that. Just let us leave," Ye Qiu replied. He wasn't one to press his advantage unnecessarily. Since the other party was backing down, he saw no reason to continue. After all, they hadn't suffered any losses; Tang Guo had started the fight by kicking him.
"Fei Xiang, and you are?" the buzz-cut man introduced himself with a name reminiscent of a famous singer from the '80s.
"Ye Qiu."
"Brother Ye, to be honest, this bar is mine. How about a drink?" Fei Xiang invited, showing interest in Ye Qiu.
"Sorry, maybe next time. We need to get back," Ye Qiu declined politely.
"Sure, there's always next time. Here's my card. Visit anytime," Fei Xiang handed over a vintage-style business card.
"Definitely," Ye Qiu said, taking the card and signaling Tang Guo and Shen Momo. They all headed for the exit.
With time still early, the bar resumed business. The patrons, fueled by the recent excitement, channeled their energy into dancing and mingling.
"Master, should I gather some men and follow them?" the bearded man asked Fei Xiang respectfully.
"Follow them? Why? We're friends now," Fei Xiang replied with a smile.
The bearded man was taken aback but said nothing more, directing others to take their injured comrades to the hospital.
In the car, Tang Guo and Lin Bao'er, still excited, chattered about the recent events.
"That was amazing, Ye Qiu! You were like a hero holding the pass against a thousand enemies," Tang Guo laughed, impressed by their supposedly inept bodyguard's hidden talents.
"Yeah, your one man guarding the pass could hold off ten thousand husbands," Lin Bao'er joked.
Tang Guo paused, then realized the pun and shouted, "You cheeky girl! Just wait, I'll get you for that!"
To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8