Chapter 380

Chapter 380 Who Is More Arrogant?

If Su Rui knew that on the rare occasion he took Lin Aoxue out to see a midnight movie, he had walked straight into a business under the Yuanwei Gang’s control, would he be sick with regret?

　　Of all the things he could do with Lin Aoxue, why did it have to be watching a movie at the Yuanwei Gang’s cinema? This wasn’t romance — this was literally risking his life to chase a girl!

　　”Since Gang Leader Wanyan wants to hear it, I’ll share my thoughts then.”

　　Su Rui glanced around, a sharp gleam flickering briefly in his eyes: “Of course, Gang Leader Wanyan, you’re the one who asked me to speak — I’m not stalling for time.”

　　”I’m not worried about you stalling. Stall as long as you like.” Wanyan Zhengyong said calmly, his tone carrying an air of absolute confidence.

　　”The way I see it, the reason you remind me of that worthless deputy gang leader Yan Kaida from the Desert Wolf Gang is that you’re both too confident.” A look of mockery spread across Su Rui’s face: “Not just confident — you’ve quietly crossed the line into arrogance.”

　　”Oh? You’re calling me arrogant?”

　　Hearing this, a faint mocking smile appeared in Wanyan Zhengyong’s eyes, and he said: “I feel compelled to push back on that. I have many flaws, but arrogance is the first one I refuse to accept.”

　　The Yuanwei Gang had dominated the three northern provinces through years of unending conflict among rival powers. Though others called him the supreme overlord of the northern underground world, Wanyan Zhengyong himself had never seen it that way.

　　His Yuanwei Gang had grown stronger with each passing year of warfare, eventually climbing to the top spot among all gangs in the three northern provinces — yet that top position was far from secure. Several gangs below were watching hungrily, bloody clashes broke out regularly, and one moment of carelessness could cost the Yuanwei Gang its dominance.

　　Because of this, through years of relentless pressure from outside threats, Wanyan Zhengyong had never once let his guard down — not even for a moment. If he were truly arrogant, believing that once the Yuanwei Gang reached the top there was nothing left to worry about, the gang would never have survived to this day, let alone built the unrivaled fighting force it now possessed!

　　Therefore, Wanyan Zhengyong did not consider himself arrogant, and he absolutely refused to accept Su Rui’s words!

　　In the chaotic underground world of the north where countless powers rose and fell, Wanyan Zhengyong could afford to be fierce — but never haughty. Because that would mean destruction!

　　With such a formidable leader at its helm, how could the Yuanwei Gang do anything but grow stronger?

　　After hearing Wanyan Zhengyong’s words, Su Rui continued with a cold laugh: “The way I see it, believing you’re not arrogant is the greatest arrogance of all.”

　　Having held a position of power for so many years, almost no one had ever dared to repeatedly talk back to Wanyan Zhengyong, let alone speak to him with this kind of attitude. In the past, anyone who dared to do so would likely have had their legs broken by the Yuanwei Gang’s top fighters long ago!

　　”Say something that actually makes sense. I’m not interested in listening to you talk in circles.” Wanyan Zhengyong said flatly, a faint trace of impatience already appearing in his eyes.

　　Beside him, Old Tian stopped stroking his snow-white goatee. He placed one hand in front of his lower abdomen and the other behind his back, his legs slightly staggered — one forward, one back!

　　This posture seemed like nothing more than a simple way of standing, but on Tian Bingyi, it was anything but simple!

　　Anyone who had ever seen Tian Bingyi in action would have recognized it immediately — this deceptively plain stance was his opening form before striking!

　　”Let me explain in detail for Gang Leader Wanyan.” Su Rui’s eyes swept briefly over Tian Bingyi, seemingly without pausing for even a moment, then continued looking at Wanyan Zhengyong.

　　Yet Tian Bingyi, noticing that Su Rui had seemingly glanced his way — whether intentionally or not — felt a jolt in his chest!

　　He hadn’t personally made a move in front of others for many years. By now, in the entire underground world of the three northern provinces, the few who had been fortunate enough to witness him in action could be counted on one hand — and the vast majority of them were in coffins, their eyes shut forever.

　　This opening stance was Tian Bingyi’s own creation. Though it looked simple, almost like ordinary standing, it was in fact the optimal posture for channeling his inner power to its fullest extent in the shortest possible time, given his particular fighting style.

　　Yet this movement had produced not the slightest shift in his aura — his presence remained completely concealed and unreleased. So how had Su Rui noticed?

　　Could it really just be a coincidence?

　　In truth, this didn’t mean Tian Bingyi was overthinking things. Before a fight, a true master always pays attention to every detail in the surroundings, because any detail could become the opening that leads to victory!

　　This was what martial arts referred to as “perception” — something that could, at the right moment, become the decisive factor that turns the tide and determines the outcome!

　　Su Rui merely glanced at Tian Bingyi, then continued: “Earlier, Yan Kaida of the Desert Wolf Gang told me to get lost and leave my woman behind for him.”

　　At the words “my woman,” Lin Aoxue suddenly felt a loud buzzing erupt in her head, and whatever Su Rui said next, she couldn’t hear a single word. Her heart, which had only just managed to calm down, began pounding rapidly again!

　　My woman!

　　Hearing those four words, what Lin Aoxue felt in her heart could not be described as mere butterflies — those butterflies were practically crashing into walls!

　　If there had been a mirror in front of her, Lin Aoxue would have seen that her cheeks had turned completely crimson, as if blood were about to drip from them!

　　How could he be so direct? How could he be so domineering?

　　”Does the way Yan Kaida spoke to me count as arrogance?” A hint of mockery tugged at the corner of Su Rui’s mouth.

　　Neither Old Tian nor Wanyan Zhengyong said a word. In their minds, Yan Kaida had been blind enough to provoke Su Rui — that was simply asking to die. Arrogance didn’t even begin to cover it. The man was a fool!

　　Even if he hadn’t died, he was someone whose death would be no loss to anyone!

　　But Yan Kaida was nothing more than a spoiled, good-for-nothing second-generation heir. How could he possibly be compared to someone like Wanyan Zhengyong — a true strongman who had carved out his empire with the Yuanwei Gang through real blood and steel in a lawless land?

　　This comparison made Old Tian feel it was somewhat insulting to Wanyan Zhengyong — and even Gang Leader Wanyan himself felt it was a little off!

　　If Su Rui said it a couple more times, he might genuinely lose his temper!

　　”Even though Yan Kaida spoke to me that way, I said something back to him.” Su Rui paused, then continued: “I told him that starting tomorrow, the Desert Wolf Gang had better get the hell out of Ninghai. If I saw one of them, I’d break one person’s legs.”

　　Tian Bingyi couldn’t help but interject: “What if not a single person from their gang left?”

　　Su Rui smiled lightly: “Simple enough — I’d just break everyone’s legs. I gave them a chance. Who told them not to listen? Opportunities are there to be seized. If they couldn’t seize it, that’s not my problem.”

　　It had to be said that when it came to deflecting responsibility, Su Rui had a real talent for it — he could wash his hands of anything without a trace.

　　Su Rui spoke simply, his tone relaxed, as if he were describing something completely trivial. Yet when these words reached Old Tian’s ears, they carried a very different weight.

　　The image of Su Rui single-handedly fighting ten Eastern martial artists that day rose unbidden in his mind. Though Su Rui had taken some injuries, armed with nothing but a long blade and a combat knife, he had steadily dominated all ten opponents, picking them off one by one — ten went in, only one came out!

　　At the thought of this, Tian Bingyi’s fist tightened another notch!

　　He knew that the young man before him might well be the strongest opponent he had faced since completing his training — young in age, but ruthless at heart, and with a martial perception sharp enough to cut!

　　Tian Bingyi, who had not encountered a worthy adversary in many years, had already made his full preparations, and sweat was beginning to seep into his palm.

　　”So the Desert Wolf Gang brought this on themselves by crossing me.”

　　As Su Rui said this, he glanced at Tian Bingyi once more.

　　Because of that glance, the aura that had been quietly building around the latter suddenly froze in place.

　　Su Rui raised one finger with deliberate disrespect, pointing it from a distance at Wanyan Zhengyong, and said: “Yan Kaida talking to me that way is one thing. But you — Gang Leader Wanyan, self-proclaimed master of the northern underground world — you stand here on Ninghai’s turf, within the territory controlled by the Azure Dragon Gang, and you stand before me and tell me, from on high, to take my own life.”

　　A deep, undisguised mockery had spread across Su Rui’s face: “You think just because you say it, I’ll do it? Do you really believe you have the right to say that to me?”

　　Su Rui’s words carried an indescribable dominance. If Yan Kaida and Wanyan Zhengyong were arrogant, then Su Rui had gone so far beyond arrogance there were no words left for it!

　　Hearing these deeply disrespectful words, Wanyan Zhengyong’s expression darkened like still water before a storm! A concealed killing intent flickered in the depths of his eyes!

　　He was going to kill Su Rui — that had already been decided, and the arrangements had long been made.

　　The blood debt of Beitang had to be repaid in blood. Otherwise, there was no way to quell the fury of his brothers!

　　Yet both Wanyan Zhengyong and Old Tian genuinely admired Su Rui. After arriving here, Wanyan Zhengyong had acted on a sudden impulse and decided to give Su Rui one more chance!

　　If he agreed to be recruited, his true value would far exceed that of several Beitangs combined!

　　But now, Wanyan Zhengyong felt that his earlier gesture had been entirely unnecessary and almost laughable. A young man this wild, this arrogant, this untameable — how could he ever accept being recruited?

　　Seeing Wanyan Zhengyong fall silent, with a subtle shift in his aura and mood, Su Rui smiled: “Think carefully — whether it’s you or Tian Bingyi, do either of you actually have the right to say that to me?”

　　Su Rui repeated his question, and it nearly ignited the fury smoldering in Wanyan Zhengyong’s chest.

　　”Why don’t I have the right?” Wanyan Zhengyong’s voice dropped to a terrifying low!

　　He was a supreme overlord. He was the man who had led the Yuanwei Gang to carve a bloody path through the chaos of the underground world. Why didn’t he have the right?

　　If he didn’t have the right to say it, then who did?

　　Su Rui’s answer was already crystal clear — no one had the right to say that to him. No one!

　　Lin Aoxue hadn’t lifted her head. Her cheeks were still flushed crimson, and the buzzing in her mind had long since faded. Listening to Su Rui’s boundlessly domineering words, a sense of intoxication rose in her heart once more.

　　Pressed close against his warm chest, their heartbeats falling into sync, Lin Aoxue was suddenly struck by a strange feeling — one she had never experienced in all her twenty-some years of life!

　　A sense of anticipation, a sense of longing, like honey dissolving silently in her heart, slowly spreading and flowing!