Chapter 21

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

Chapter 21: Standing Up for Justice or Getting Into Trouble

What?! A million? The students and patrons in the restaurant were filled with anger, nearly blowing their tops. Just moments ago, they had overheard the conversation between the restaurant owner and the thugs, realizing that the thugs were either calculating poorly or trying to scam the owner. The total debt, including interest, was twelve thousand eight hundred. Gold Boss had around seventy to eighty thousand on hand, which fell short of the actual debt of ninety-seven thousand. Now, out of nowhere, this thug demanded a million! It was outrageous—far worse than robbing a bank. It was clear they were resorting to extortion.

Chen Haiqing’s eyes nearly popped out in disbelief. "Brother, if I’m not mistaken, didn’t I just hear that the restaurant owner owes you twelve thousand eight hundred? You shouldn’t be demanding a hundred thousand. I know all about lenders taking high interest, but this is absurd!"

Even though Chen Haiqing was rich, a million was still an outrageous amount to demand. His face reflected his displeasure.

"You’re just being too greedy! I know how the loan shark rules work, but I’ve never seen anything like you!" Ai Juan, a fiery girl from Hunan, rolled her eyes in frustration.

Chen Shanshan, who graduated from Hainan University, chimed in, "Yeah, it’s completely immoral! Asking for a million when you lent five thousand is robbery! It’s twenty times the amount! Selling drugs or weapons doesn’t even compare to that kind of greed!"

Other students, emboldened by their numbers, began voicing their dissent.

"Leave some leeway for future encounters, will you? I’ll give you ten thousand; be satisfied with that! We still need to eat, don’t block our way here!" One of the guys, who seemed to have a rough past, spoke sharply.

"Hmph, who told the owner to owe us money? A debt is a debt. I say how much it is, and that’s that! Anyone who dares to challenge me can come forward!" The lead thug raised his chin defiantly, wielding the butcher’s knife and threatening the students around their tables.

"Challenge? We dare!"

"I won’t back down!"

"Who do you think you are? Get lost!"

"That’s outright robbery!"

"Ha, wait until you get locked up!"

The thug’s provocations were like pouring gasoline on a fire, igniting the students’ rage. Many couldn’t stand by any longer, shouting in response.

"You really have guts! I suggest you cool it, or you might get hurt. A little blood is nothing, but if this escalates, you’ll regret it!" The lead thug nonchalantly brandished the butcher’s knife he had stuck into the table, shaking it before them. He said to one of his followers, "Call Blackie! Bring more of our guys here! I don’t believe we can’t deal with a bunch of kids!" He shot a threatening look at the four tables of students, clearly underestimating the forty students present.

"Please don’t!" The restaurant owner, sensing the tension rising, quickly stepped in to mediate. These were all young men with hot tempers; one wrong move could shut his restaurant for good.

"Get lost! Gold Boss, worry about yourself! Gather the money, or I’ll chop off a finger!" The lead thug shoved the restaurant owner aside, revealing his disregard for any peace.

Among the four tables of students, a few had seen their fair share of trouble and quietly picked up empty beer bottles nearby—clear makeshift weapons. Although not as effective as knives, they were still formidable.

"Lin Mo, take the girls and leave! We’ll handle this!" Chen Haiqing signaled to Lin Mo nearby. Despite being a rich kid, he was wise and knew the escalating tension indicated trouble ahead. Even if they appeased the thugs now, there was a chance a few of their group would still be used as examples. It was important to stand their ground.

"Can you handle it, Old Chen?" Lin Mo, who had remained quiet, analyzed the thugs with keen eyes. He thought about how, when his battle energy was at its peak, he could squash these guys like ants with just a finger. But now, even with little battle energy restored, his physical strength would still be enough to deal with them.

This world was strange; something seemed to cap the restoration of his battle energy. No matter how hard Lin Mo tried, he could only recover a tiny fraction; fully regaining his peak state felt like it would take forever.

"Are we scared of them?" Chen Haiqing didn’t exhibit the naivety of a rookie. As the dorm leader, he understood the depth of experience many students had. Some, who appeared gentle or scholarly, had reputations as bullies back in school, and he knew they would not shy away from a fight. They were likely as capable as these thugs. If they engaged and then retreated to campus, would they really expect the thugs to follow them there?

Chen Haiqing was confident as he saw the opportunity to establish authority. Sometimes, mere words weren’t enough to earn respect; a mixture of kindness and intimidation was also necessary. With everyone feeling emboldened by alcohol, they rallied behind him.

"Okay!" Lin Mo stood up, saying little. He realized the others were more than capable of dealing with these thugs.

Although Chen Haiqing wasn’t fully aware of Lin Mo’s capabilities, he urged him and several female students to leave, feeling somewhat relieved when Lin Mo did not hesitate to comply. He was calm even in this tense situation, which raised a few eyebrows from Chen Haiqing.

As Lin Mo and his female classmates stood to leave, two thugs immediately blocked their path, grinning lewdly and attempting to intimidate the girls as they had with the waitstaff. One chubby thug grinned, saying, "You think you can come and go as you please? Not a chance! Come here and give your big brother a dance, or stay put! Our buddies will be here soon to have some fun!"

The girls’ faces flushed in anger at the blatant disrespect occurring in broad daylight.

"Absolutely! We guarantee you’ll be satisfied, ladies! We’ll serve you well!" another thug chimed in, ignoring Lin Mo entirely.

Lin Mo remained undeterred, brushing them off. He disregarded their pathetic bravado, recalling instances in the imperial capital when nobles would behave similarly yet cower at the appearance of a Dragon Knight, fearing the wrath of a Giant Dragon.

Just as the two thugs prepared for their misguided advances, tens of students surged forward from the four tables, pushing the two perverts away. With beer bottles, benches, and various makeshift weapons ready, Lin Mo led the girls past the thugs while casting a disdainful glance. These thugs were lucky; had they tried to touch anyone else, they’d have been knocked out cold.

The lead thug, however, remained silent, only smirking as if unfazed by the students rallying together. He thought the students were merely emboldened by numbers; once their friends arrived, it would be their turn to demonstrate strength.

Just as Chen Haiqing and the others noticed Lin Mo and the girls making their way out, relieved by their successful escape, they suddenly heard a series of screeching brakes outside, followed by chaotic shouts and footsteps rushing toward the restaurant.

"Hey, you little brats! Don’t think you’re impressive just because of your numbers. I’ll make sure you remember this day!" The lead thug’s sinister smile grew as he brandished the butcher’s knife, addressing the students threateningly. "Kneel and beg for mercy! Otherwise, I swear on anything, I’ll break a leg for every one of you before you even leave here!"

Panic swept through the students’ faces, including Chen Haiqing, who now looked grave at the realization that the thugs had indeed called reinforcements. The gang seemed to have more men than he had anticipated. He discreetly pulled out his phone and sent a pre-prepared message, despite his bravado. A smart person knows the importance of backup; however reckless he might seem, he understood not to act impulsively without a plan.

"Lin Mo and the girls won’t run into those thugs, will they?" a nearby student whispered to Chen Haiqing, who could see the anxious looks on everyone’s faces. No one expected the reinforcements to arrive so quickly, and it seemed an all-out brawl was now unavoidable.

Some students, once model ones in class, looked pale and terrified, their minds blank with fear.