Wang Ye held the golden baseball bat in his hands, weighing it lightly while wearing a sly smile as he eyed the gang members.
While copying Red Skull's memories in the church, Wang Ye had also inherited his combat skills.
Although Red Skull wasn't particularly adept at hand-to-hand combat, he was more than capable of teaching a few goons a lesson.
Additionally, during his time at headquarters, Wang Ye had trained with several elite agents skilled in various martial arts and combat styles, absorbing their techniques and battle experience.
He had mastered Tai Chi, Muay Thai, Sanda, MMA, boxing, wrestling, sumo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, and more, blending them all into his own unique fighting style.
With such combat prowess, it was easy to imagine how these unfortunate goons would fare against Wang Ye.
"Looks like you're asking for trouble!"
The leader sneered. "Brothers, get him!"
At his command, the goons lunged at Wang Ye.
A blonde youth led the charge, swinging a steel pipe at Wang Ye's head. Just as the pipe was about to land, Wang Ye shifted his stance slightly, effortlessly dodging the blow.
Then, with a quick reverse grip on his baseball bat, Wang Ye struck the unsuspecting blonde youth on the back of the head.
The blow knocked the blonde youth unconscious instantly, leaving him foaming at the mouth as he collapsed to the floor.
The other goons, who had been complaining about the blonde hogging all the credit, froze, stopping in their tracks.
The leader, seeing his teammate down, gritted his teeth and spat, "So, that golden weapon is all you're good at? Fine, don't use it then—fight us barehanded!"
Wang Ye smiled, placed the bat back on the counter, and waved them over with a taunting gesture. "Come at me all at once!"
Seeing Wang Ye drop the weapon, the five goons grew more aggressive. They charged forward with their machetes drawn.
This time, a blue-haired youth took the lead. But before he could strike, Wang Ye slapped him hard, sending him spinning like a top before he collapsed next to the blonde youth, joining the foaming camp.
Seeing their comrades downed, the remaining four hesitated, exchanging nervous glances with their leader. They quickly realized they were in over their heads.
"You think your fists are enough?" the leader growled. His gaze shifted greedily to the antiques in the store. "Let's see how good you are without using your hands either!"
With that, Wang Ye crossed his arms behind his back, giving them a mocking smile.
The four goons clenched their teeth and charged again. This time, the leader hung back, waiting for his men to engage first.
But once again, Wang Ye proved more than capable. The red-haired youth, leading the charge, was swiftly kicked by Wang Ye, flying out the door. The purple-haired and green-haired youths were caught in the collision and sprawled on the ground, joining the foaming group.
The onlookers, startled by the sudden commotion, retreated in fear, watching the scene unfold with growing curiosity.
The leader, seeing his entire crew incapacitated, fell to his knees in front of Wang Ye, pleading for mercy.
"Big Brother! Grandpa! I'm sorry! I've done horrible things! Please, spare my miserable life!" he begged.
"Get out!" Wang Ye waved dismissively. "I don't want any trouble. Drag these idiots away and disappear from my sight forever."
The leader, as if granted a second chance at life, kowtowed several times before hurriedly dragging his unconscious men into an alley. The two scouts who had been observing quickly disappeared, realizing the situation had gone south.
Meanwhile, a scrawny young man, who had finally squeezed his way through the crowd outside, witnessed the entire confrontation. He looked down at his thin frame, wondering briefly if he should give it a try.
(Wait, no, I'm not here to rob him!)
Inside the shop, Wang Ye disdainfully wiped nonexistent dust from his hands, then casually sat back in his chair, tapping the armrest absentmindedly.
Shadows hidden across the street stirred immediately, tailing the defeated goons as they were dragged away. Their purpose was obvious, though unspoken.
Wang Ye continued humming a tune, swinging his legs contentedly, as though nothing had happened.
The scrawny youth hesitated at the door for a moment. After a deep breath, he knocked politely.
Knock knock knock.
Wang Ye glanced up at him and smiled warmly, standing up with enthusiasm.
"Good day, sir! Looking for antiques? You're in luck! As our first customer, you can enjoy a 50% discount on any single item of your choice!"
"Hello, I'm Steve Rogers... Actually, I'm not here to buy antiques," Steve replied awkwardly, unsure of how to continue.
"Haha, no worries! Whether you buy or just browse, you're welcome! Please, come in!" Wang Ye gestured with a gentlemanly wave. He knew exactly what Steve wanted but couldn't resist teasing this future super soldier.
Steve, feeling slightly embarrassed, steeled himself and stepped into the shop.
Wang Ye quickly switched gears, becoming a lively salesman, enthusiastically showing Steve various antiques.
Looking at the beautiful artifacts before him, Steve couldn't help but wonder why he was here. Wasn't he supposed to be asking the owner for combat lessons?
"Uh, excuse me, boss," Steve finally spoke up, "I was wondering if you could teach me the martial arts you used earlier against those gangsters? I... I don't have any money, but I'm willing to work for you. I can clean, cook, do laundry—I'm good at all of it!"
Steve was already mentally preparing to be rejected, but his eyes held a determined glint as he looked at Wang Ye.
Wang Ye stroked his chin, studying Steve for a moment before chuckling.
"Oh, of course! If it helps you, I'd be more than happy to teach you! As payment, you can just help out around the shop with cleaning."
"Really? That's... that's amazing!" Steve had been ready to give up when he saw Wang Ye's serious expression, but the sudden turn of events left him pleasantly surprised.
(End of Chapter)
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