From a distance, Xiang Ri noticed two hulking men standing at the entrance of the Sinking Bar, heightening his sense of alertness. He hadn't expected them to arrive so swiftly—who knew how Monkey and the others were faring? Running into such merciless men would surely be brutal; he could only hope it wasn't the worst outcome.
"Hey! What do you want?" one of the burly men with a hooked nose asked, his halting Mandarin laced with suspicion.
"Coming to a bar, of course, to drink," Xiang Ri replied, not breaking his stride as he walked forward.
"We're closed today. Go somewhere else." The man with the hooked nose extended an arm to block him.
"But this is my favorite place," Xiang Ri responded smoothly, continuing to approach. "And who might you be? Haven't seen you around before. New security for the bar?"
"Yes, newly hired security," the hooked-nose man replied, taking the bait.
"No wonder you don't recognize me. I'm a regular here." Satisfied, Xiang Ri withdrew his probing gaze; there wasn't a single person inside the bar. It seemed everyone had been cleared out. Odd, though, that they'd posted only two guards at the entrance, leaving the bar deserted. Could the others be in the basement? What about Monkey and the rest? The thought sparked a plan in his mind.
"You'd better come back tomorrow," the hooked-nose man said brusquely, issuing a clear dismissal.
Calculating the distance between them, Xiang Ri wore a harmless smile. "Oh, by the way, there's something I'd like to ask."
"What is it?" the man responded impatiently. He would have shot this annoying stranger if he didn't risk giving away his identity.
"I was just wondering… how tough are your necks?" In an instant, Xiang Ri's hands shot out, seizing the two men by the throats. They barely had time to react before his vice grip tightened, and a sickening crack signaled their crushed windpipes.
Dragging the two lifeless bodies into the bar as effortlessly as if they were sacks of straw, he was about to head towards the basement when a voice echoed from his left.
"Who are you?" Another brawny man, similarly dressed and equally imposing, approached, leveling a massive silver pistol directly at Xiang Ri.
He recognized it instantly—his beloved Desert Eagle. Though his strength had returned to its peak, the sight of such a formidable weapon still gave him pause. Glancing down at the two bodies, Xiang Ri swiftly crafted an excuse. "I was passing by and saw these two fainted at the door, so I brought them in to see if they were alright."
"Owen, Tru!" the guard called out in shock. Due to his angle, he had only seen one person enter, so he'd come over to investigate. He was puzzled that an outsider had managed to slip in despite his comrades standing guard. And why had they suddenly "fainted"? Of course, he was unwilling to believe that the scrawny young man in front of him was responsible. Still, suspicion gnawed at him as he lowered the gun to check his comrades' condition. He overlooked one fatal detail: how could this unassuming figure have the strength to haul in two men, each over 180 pounds?
"Hey, buddy, what's going on?" Another voice came from the left, sending a cold sweat down Xiang Ri's back just as he was about to make his move. Glancing over, he saw yet another brute seated a few meters away. He finally understood why he hadn't seen anyone through the glass earlier—they had been sitting down, hidden by the high-backed chairs. A wave of relief washed over him; had he attacked immediately, he would've had a Desert Eagle aimed at his back—a fatal oversight.
"They're dead!" the guard's astonished exclamation barely left his mouth before Xiang Ri struck, driving a fist into his temple while flinging a nearby chair at the seated man.
Unexpectedly, the seated guard reacted quickly, leaping up to dodge the chair and instinctively reaching for his weapon. But Xiang Ri wasn't about to let him get that far—he grabbed another chair and hurled it.
The guard braced himself to withstand the blow, hoping to finish retrieving his weapon afterward. He misjudged, however, and the force of Xiang Ri's throw sent him and the chair flying. He crashed into a cluster of tables, skidding five or six meters before coming to a halt, his head split open and blood pooling beneath him. It was clear he wouldn't be getting up again.
Xiang Ri exhaled a long breath, knowing that had he been a moment slower, he would have faced real danger once his opponent freed his hands. He pried open the fingers of the thug who had just pointed a gun at him, taking the weapon. Then he retrieved the firearms from the two guards at the door and tucked them into his waistband before quickly hiding in a concealed spot. With the racket he had just caused—the crashing chairs and splintering tables—it was inevitable he'd alarm the people in the basement.
Sure enough, within seconds, several armed brutes burst out, weapons in hand. Xiang Ri counted six in total. Dangerous—these men were seasoned militants, surely trained, not amateurs. If they weren't armed, he wouldn't bat an eye, no matter their numbers. But as it stood, each one of them held a deadly weapon, making him reluctant to act hastily. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret; had he known the situation was this perilous, he might have reconsidered coming. Still, deep down, he knew he would have come regardless; thinking of Monkey and the others reminded him of the friends he once fought beside in school.
"Levis!" one of the brutes shouted, spotting the bloodied, unfortunate soul sprawled on the ground.
"Who's there! Show yourself! I'll kill you!" Another thug, who bore a striking resemblance to the fallen man, roared, his voice brimming with rage. Though it was hard to distinguish his features, Xiang Ri's earlier glimpse had stayed with him; he guessed these two shared a blood bond, which explained the intense fury.
Should he take him down first? Xiang Ri pondered. Sending the two close brothers to meet the same fate didn't seem like a bad idea.
"Bang!" A resounding shot rang out, and the enraged brute's head exploded, his body crumpling to the ground. This wasn't due to Xiang Ri's impeccable aim but because the man had been so close that missing would have been nearly impossible.
"There! Over there!" The remaining men fired toward the source of the gunshot, unleashing a barrage without verifying their target.
Pinned down, Xiang Ri shrank deeper into the corner. Damn it, outnumbering me and calling yourselves heroes?