Chapter Thirty-Two: Danger in the Disco (Part Two)

****Please add to your favorites****

As soon as Lan Qian saw the three men pull out knives, she knew things were going badly. She stepped forward, placing herself protectively in front of the others, and shouted, "I'm a police officer! Drop the knives now!"

Zhuo Nan, a look of exasperation on his face, leaned back and said, "Sis, your shift is over..."

Lan Qian was just about to reply when she caught sight of something unexpected. The shrimp-headed thug, who had just bent down, was struck squarely in the face by a powerful kick from Zhuo Nan. His whole body flew through the air like a kite with its string cut, crashing into a speaker set far away before finally coming to a halt.

Lan Qian stared in astonishment at Zhuo Nan, then at the motionless shrimp-head lying on the floor. Had he killed him?

A piercing noise blared from the toppled speaker, drawing everyone's attention in the dance hall.

"Did you see that? That kid is unbelievable! He sent Shrimp-Head flying with one kick..." whispered Thug A.

"Wow, that kick was so cool! And he's so handsome..." gushed Delinquent Girl B.

Zhuo Nan's philosophy in a fight was simple—take down the ringleader first. With Shrimp-Head dispatched, the remaining three were hardly worth worrying about.

He turned to face the nearest thug, the one closest to Lan Qian. With a swift motion, he darted forward. This thug was a cut above the others—let's call him Grass Carp. Unlike Shrimp-Head, Grass Carp wasn't so easily overwhelmed. As Zhuo Nan rushed him, Grass Carp was ready, swinging his knife from left to right. The attack forced Zhuo Nan to slow, wary of the weapon. One failed strike was enough for Zhuo Nan to switch to defense—the proximity of Lan Qian made things too dangerous.

Just as Zhuo Nan was about to push Lan Qian out of the fray, Thug B charged in from the side. He had to admit, these three worked together better than the Four Kings he’d met in prison, though any one of the Four Kings was far stronger than this lot.

Trying to shove Lan Qian away could send her straight into Thug B—who was armed. If she got cut, it would be his fault. He needed another plan. Catching Lan Qian’s hand, he pulled her towards him, pivoting on his right heel and spinning them both in a graceful arc, just avoiding Thug B’s attack. In that instant, Lan Qian’s back pressed against Zhuo Nan’s chest, her head resting on his left shoulder, left hand raised behind her. Their movements flowed together seamlessly, a perfect, dazzling tango in the midst of chaos.

Lan Qian looked up and met Zhuo Nan’s eyes. She smiled, a world of charm in her expression—a smile that gave Zhuo Nan immense encouragement.

All martial arts in the world are invincible, but speed is the key… “Zhang Ning, weren’t you hoping to play the hero and save the beauty? Sorry, this chance isn’t yours…”

“Damn you…” Grass Carp, brandishing his dagger, roared and rushed at Zhuo Nan from directly in front, while Thug C lunged from Zhuo Nan’s left.

With his left hand, Zhuo Nan lifted Lan Qian by the waist, his right arm around her shoulders, holding her in his arms as he leapt into the air, dodging Thug C’s attack. In the same motion, he swept his leg in a powerful arc, kicking Grass Carp square in the face. Grass Carp spun twice in midair before crashing to the ground, out for the count.

Lan Qian shot Zhuo Nan a look, thinking, "This brat, even in a fight he can't help but take advantage of me..."

Zhuo Nan’s series of moves left the crowd breathless. They’d only ever seen such skill on TV, but now it was unfolding live before their eyes. No one wanted to miss a moment.

On the second-floor railing, Zhang Ning was filled with regret. He hadn’t expected Zhuo Nan—just fifteen—to be so formidable. From the look of things, dealing with the last two thugs would be only a matter of minutes. Damn, you’ve managed to show off in front of Lan Qian again...

Thug C and Thug B exchanged glances, then looked at the downed Shrimp-Head and Grass Carp. Fear gnawed at them. Two of their own had been defeated in mere seconds; this was no longer about helping Zhang Ning save face—it was their own battle with Zhuo Nan. If they didn’t take him down, how could Shrimp-Head’s crew keep their reputation here?

Fear aside, in their world, pride mattered more than life itself. Thug B pulled out a brick, hastily dialed his phone, and shouted, “Get over here now! Boss is in trouble—bring the gear!”

Lan Qian was now regretting not having bought a mobile phone—this would have been the perfect time to call for backup. Though she was a police officer, she’d never dealt with a situation like this before.

Zhuo Nan watched Thug B coldly, releasing Lan Qian. “There’s no time…” As soon as he spoke, he was already moving. Thug B had just pocketed his phone when Zhuo Nan was upon him, moving so fast the crowd could barely believe their eyes. Was this some martial arts hero out of a novel? He seemed almost to fly.

Thug B looked up in panic to see Zhuo Nan right in front of him, raising his knife in desperation. But Zhuo Nan pinned his wrist in a vice-like grip.

Zhuo Nan smiled—a smile that, to most, was bright and charming, but to Thug B, was the smile of a grim reaper.

With the music in the dance hall long silenced, Zhuo Nan’s fist crashed into Thug B’s chest, a resounding blow that echoed through the room.

In that moment, Thug B regretted ever dropping out of school to join a gang, regretted following his boss tonight to mess with Zhuo Nan. He could have spent the night partying, found some girl to have fun with, but now he knew—he was headed straight for the hospital.

Like a puppet whose strings had been cut, Thug B collapsed limply to the floor once Zhuo Nan released him.

Zhuo Nan turned, eyes fixed on the last remaining thug.

Thug C’s hand trembled on his knife, his legs beginning to give way. Watching Zhuo Nan step slowly closer, Thug C realized he would likely end up in the hospital with his boss and friends.

His gaze darted to Lan Qian, who stood not far away. Gritting his teeth, he lunged at her, knife raised.

Lan Qian, still stunned by Zhuo Nan’s earlier feats, didn’t notice Thug C’s move until it was too late. The dagger pressed cold and sharp against her lower back.

Zhuo Nan realized the danger as soon as Thug C moved, but was a heartbeat too late.

“Don’t move, kid. One more step and I’ll stab her...” Thug C snarled from behind Lan Qian, holding her hostage.

Zhuo Nan remained calm, his mind rapidly calculating the time it would take to reach Lan Qian and subdue Thug C.

“Zhuo Nan, it won’t work,” his inner voice calculated. “You’ll need 1.33 seconds to get to her, and 0.71 more to handle the thug. That’s over two seconds. But he only needs 1.46 seconds to react and stab Lan Qian. You’ll be too late.”

Zhuo Nan shook his head and smiled—a reaction that seemed bizarre to onlookers. His girl was being held at knifepoint, and he could still smile? In truth, he was communicating with his own mind: “He won’t dare stab her. If he hurts her, he’s finished.”

Lan Qian saw Zhuo Nan’s smile and felt his confidence. Her nerves eased—she believed he could save her.

“Zhuo Nan, I have a safer way,” said his mind.

“What is it?”

“I’ll take control of the thug’s nervous system.” Clearly, his mind was about to display yet another extraordinary ability.

“How?”

“Simple. I’ll emit a brainwave interference signal, invade his brain, and control his body. When you rush over, I’ll freeze his reflexes for two seconds. It should look natural.”

“Alright, let’s do it.” Zhuo Nan decided at once.

“Follow my lead.” A brief pause. “Go!”

At the instant the command was given, Zhuo Nan charged like a wild beast unleashed, crossing the four-meter gap between them in a blink. The crowd could hardly believe their eyes—was this really a martial arts hero, flying through the air?

Lan Qian was stunned, momentarily forgetting the danger behind her. In a single blink, Zhuo Nan was in front of her. My God...

Thug C stared ahead, motionless, his body under the mind’s control—he was now utterly unconscious.

Zhuo Nan pulled Lan Qian into his arms, then delivered a swift kick to Thug C’s stomach, sending him flying—a sight the crowd was now becoming familiar with.

“Sis, are you alright?” Zhuo Nan asked, holding Lan Qian’s hand with concern.

Lan Qian smiled and shook her head. “I’m fine. Never thought my silly little brother was so amazing.” If one looked closely, there was more than sisterly affection in her gaze—there was a deep, gentle tenderness.

Applause erupted in the hall, first a single clap, then another, soon swelling into thunderous ovation. Everyone was moved by Zhuo Nan’s display—brawls were common, but rarely so spectacular. Here was a true master, a legendary hero.

In the shadows, Zhang Ning glared at them, seething with hatred. His plan had been to embarrass Zhuo Nan and then swoop in to save Lan Qian, but things had turned out very differently. Seeing the joy on Lan Qian’s face, Zhang Ning wished he could pull out a gun and shoot Zhuo Nan right there.

But he wouldn’t have to. There were others who would deal with Zhuo Nan…