At the police academy, Luo Yan had been one of the top students in combat training, excelling even beyond many male trainees. Faced with sudden danger, she did not panic but instead steadied her mind, carefully calculating her next move.
"Who are you?" Luo Yan asked coldly.
"My name is Wang Wu. You don't know me, but you're very familiar with my brothers. Five days ago, you killed them on the spot with your team," the man's voice was hoarse and grating, like stones grinding against each other. "You earned yourself quite the commendation by taking their lives."
"They committed murder, taking the lives of three innocent people. Justice was served," Luo Yan replied, now understanding the motive behind the ambush. Realizing there was no room for negotiation, she abandoned any futile attempt at reasoning with him.
"Hah, is that so? From your perspective, they deserved to die. From mine, you deserve the same fate. After all, we can't let them walk the Yellow Springs alone, can we?"
With a sinister laugh, Wang Wu raised his blade and lunged at Luo Yan like a tiger pouncing on its prey.
Though Luo Yan had trained in disarming techniques, Wang Wu's speed was overwhelming, leaving her with no choice but to dodge repeatedly.
His strikes were swift and ruthless, each aimed at her vital points, giving her no opportunity to counterattack. Within moments, she found herself cornered, her options dwindling rapidly.
While her face betrayed no fear, a chill had crept into her heart. Wang Wu's skill was formidable, rivaling even her instructors at the academy. Moreover, he had the advantage of wielding a blade—an extra inch of reach often meant the difference between life and death.
Ever since his brothers' deaths, Wang Wu had meticulously planned his revenge, determined to make Luo Yan pay with her life.
Reality seemed to favor his scheme; Luo Yan's situation grew increasingly dire, while he appeared to gain the upper hand with ease.
"Die!"
With a thunderous roar, Wang Wu swung his blade in a deadly arc, its glint slicing through the dim light as it aimed for Luo Yan's swan-like neck.
Facing the jaws of death, Luo Yan's heart was unexpectedly calm.
Her father had died in this line of duty, and now she was about to meet the same fate. Perhaps, in some way, this could atone for the mistakes her father had made.
There was no fear, no regret—only a faint sense of sorrow.
"I wonder… would Chen Yi feel sad?"
A dull thud echoed through the parking lot, yet the expected pain never came. Opening her eyes, Luo Yan saw a man standing before her, as if descended from the heavens.
Though his back was not particularly broad, it exuded an unshakable reliability that made her feel safe for the first time in the face of death.
"Chen Yi?"
Luo Yan's eyes widened in disbelief. "Why are you here?"
Chen Yi had noticed the ominous aura surrounding Luo Yan back at the restaurant. After calculating that she was in danger, he had followed her from a distance.
When she entered the parking lot, he hesitated. The lack of foot traffic meant she would likely notice him, and knowing her temper, she might explode into a fury.
After pacing at the entrance, Chen Yi ultimately decided to follow her in.
Though their friendship might have been tenuous, he couldn't stand idly by and watch her perish. At the very least, he owed her a warning.
Quickening his pace, he hoped to catch her before she got into her car. But upon entering, he stumbled upon the scene of Wang Wu's ambush.
Seeing Luo Yan in peril, Chen Yi dared not make a sound, fearing it would distract her and lead to her death. Instead, he circled around, carefully approaching the two until he could intervene at the critical moment, saving her just as she had resigned herself to fate.
Wang Wu, furious at having his victory snatched away, roared with rage.
"Kid, rescuing a damsel in distress requires timing. Three-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged women are everywhere. Don't throw your life away for one."
Though his words were forceful, Wang Wu's confidence wavered.
The sharp pain in his ribs from Chen Yi's earlier kick told him all he needed to know—his ribs were likely fractured, if not outright broken.
More troubling was how Chen Yi had managed to sneak up on him without detection, saving Luo Yan from certain death.
This kid was no ordinary person.
But as Wang Wu studied Chen Yi's youthful face, he sneered inwardly. "How skilled could someone so young really be?"
He dismissed his earlier doubts. Despite the saying that "youth defeats the old master," a twenty-year-old was far from his physical peak. Lacking experience, the boy would likely rely on brute force, leaving himself open to counterattacks.
With a blade in hand, Wang Wu was confident that one mistake would be all it took to end this fight.
Chen Yi, unfazed by the threat, smirked and replied, "Clearly, you've never courted a woman. Don't you know that danger only makes a girl fall harder? The more perilous the situation, the more she'll be yours forever."
Wang Wu was momentarily stunned by the absurdity of Chen Yi's words, his mouth hanging open in disbelief.
Behind him, Luo Yan broke into a cold sweat. This man was utterly incorrigible. Even at a time like this, he had the nerve to spout nonsense and crack jokes.
"Let me guess, Scarface—you're still single, aren't you?"
Chen Yi continued to provoke both Wang Wu and Luo Yan with his taunts.
Wang Wu's face darkened, veins bulging in frustration. Was this boy insane? What had initially seemed like a capable opponent now appeared to be a lunatic.
"Since you're clearly out of your mind, don't blame me for being ruthless. In your next life, try not to be so unlucky!"
Before Wang Wu could finish his threat, Chen Yi struck with lightning speed, landing a punch squarely on his nose.
The nose, one of the most fragile parts of the human body, is particularly vulnerable to heavy blows. While Wang Wu didn't lose consciousness, the searing pain left him in tears, snot streaming uncontrollably.
"You little b*st*rd! You played dirty!" Wang Wu roared, clutching his face as he swung his blade wildly at Chen Yi.
"Who are you calling a little b*st*rd? Your whole family are little bastards!"
Chen Yi retorted while deftly dodging the blade. Seizing Wang Wu's wrist, he delivered another crushing blow to his already-injured nose.
Though Wang Wu was a skilled fighter, Chen Yi's unconventional tactics and relentless assault left him reeling.
Capitalizing on his advantage, Chen Yi struck Wang Wu's wrist with a precise chop, disarming him. What followed was a flurry of punches—a seamless combination that left Wang Wu dazed and disoriented.
Chen Yi, an orphan with no formal training, had honed his skills through sheer necessity. Lacking a mentor, he had taught himself by studying martial arts manuals and analyzing fight footage, blending techniques from various disciplines into his own unique style.
His unorthodox approach often caught opponents off guard. Mixing boxing with taekwondo, he might suddenly switch to a low blow or an eye gouge if it meant securing victory.
To him, concepts like "honor" or "sportsmanship" were luxuries for those with idle time. When your life was on the line, survival took precedence over principles.
Wang Wu, unaware of Chen Yi's background, had grossly underestimated him and was now paying the price.
Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Wang Wu scrambled to his feet, glaring at Chen Yi with murderous intent.
"Not bad," Chen Yi said with a nod, genuinely impressed. "That roll-and-tumble move was executed flawlessly. I should practice it myself—it might come in handy someday."
To Wang Wu, however, the comment was nothing short of mockery.
Having trained in martial arts since childhood and rarely encountering defeat, Wang Wu had never suffered such humiliation, let alone at the hands of a young upstart.
"Kid, I'll kill you!"
Like a rabid dog, Wang Wu lunged at Chen Yi with reckless abandon.
Though his attacks were wild, they were not without strategy. Noticing that Chen Yi rarely used his legs, Wang Wu targeted his lower body, forcing him onto the defensive.
"Game over, kid!"
With a triumphant cry, Wang Wu suddenly produced a hidden dagger, thrusting it toward Chen Yi's chest at a vicious angle.
"Chen Yi, watch out!" Luo Yan screamed, throwing herself forward in a desperate attempt to shield him.
But no matter how fast she moved, she couldn't outpace Wang Wu's blade.
"No!"
Inwardly, Luo Yan screamed in helpless despair. If she could, she would gladly take the blow in Chen Yi's place.
She had already owed him so much—was she now to owe him her life as well?
But her prayers seemed futile. Wang Wu's dagger, like a bolt of lightning, struck with deadly precision, aimed to claim Chen Yi's life.