Chapter 8: Wang Hu's Plea for Help

Upon hearing this voice, Wang Hu’s expression shifted drastically. He looked up toward the stands and saw a bald man standing there, wearing a mocking grin.

"Baldy!" Wang Hu glared at him and spat, "I broke your leg last time. What’s the matter? Is it healed and itching for another beating?"

Baldy snorted coldly, walked down from the stands, and said, "Cut the chatter, Wang Hu. You’ve got some nerve—daring to lay a hand on my woman!"

As he finished speaking, a group of lackeys emerged from behind him, dragging out three of Wang Hu’s men who were bound tightly. These three were covered in bruises and welts, whimpering and begging for mercy.

"Brother Baldy, have mercy! You promised that if we called Wang Hu, you’d let us go!"

"That’s right, please let us go! We were blind and didn't recognize you. We really didn't know Sister Lu Hua was your girlfriend."

The three of them were truly unlucky. They had been trying to kidnap a few girls to complete a task. The first attempt had gone smoothly, and they had managed to hold out for half an hour. But for the second, they had accidentally targeted Lu Hua. She had only been Baldy’s girlfriend for a few days, so very few people in school were aware of it.

Regret filled them, but since they were caught, they could only beg. As for their loyalty to Wang Hu, it had long been forgotten; in this day and age, honor was a luxury few could afford, and Wang Hu was no exception.

Baldy kicked each of them hard before turning to Wang Hu. "What do you have to say for yourself? These are your men, and they dared to touch my woman!"

"I had no idea what they were doing!" Wang Hu roared.

"Ha! Trying to wiggle out of it already?" Baldy sneered. "I know you can fight, so to ensure there are no slip-ups, I’ve specifically invited an expert from a martial arts studio. If you don't want to suffer, you'd better cough up some money."

"So that’s your game," Wang Hu realized.

"Enough talk. Hand over half a million, and I’ll let you go this time. Otherwise, you can plan on having a broken leg tonight."

They had clashed before, and Wang Hu had ambushed him, breaking his leg. Having finally lured Wang Hu into a trap, Baldy was determined to make him pay.

As he finished, a middle-aged man in a martial arts uniform stepped out from behind him. He glanced at Wang Hu and said, "A Level 2 Daoist."

"A colleague!" Wang Hu replied.

"Heh, a Level 2 Daoist and already so arrogant? Take this!"

As he spoke, spiritual energy surged in the man’s hands, and he lunged forward with lightning speed.

"At least a Level 4 Daoist!"

Wang Hu’s expression tightened. His skin took on the texture of stone, and he shouted, "Stone Fist!"

*Bang!*

Even with the enhancement of his Stone Body, the gap in their levels was too great. The impact sent Wang Hu flying. In the next instant, the man in the uniform was already upon him. He grabbed Wang Hu by the collar and lifted him off the ground, saying coldly, "Your physique is quite special."

"Let... let me go..." Wang Hu groaned in pain.

"Wang Hu, heh, how does it feel? You ambushed me last time, but this time, I’m going to break your legs," Baldy gloated.

"Baldy, you just want money, right? Let me go, and I’ll pay you," Wang Hu said, realizing the situation was dire.

"Wu Jun, what do you think?" the man in the uniform asked.

Wu Jun replied, "Uncle, since the kid is willing to pay, let's do it. Wang Hu, why aren't you getting your phone and transferring the money?"

"Fine, but I don't have that much on me. I’ll have my lackey bring it over," Wang Hu said.

"Are you trying to pull a fast one?" Wu Jun asked warily.

"Not at all. I’ll just have one of my guys come over, that’s all," Wang Hu insisted.

"Fine, hurry up. And that gold necklace I saw you wearing last time? Bring that, too. You have one hour."

"Yes, yes!" Wang Hu pleaded.

The man in the uniform released him. Wang Hu pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Hey, it’s me, Wang Hu. Listen up, you brat, bring me half a million immediately. And bring that gold necklace of mine. What? I’m fine, don't worry. Just bring it to the basketball court. If you’re an hour late, I’ll kill you! Do... do you understand?"

He hung up the phone.

*Smack!*

Wu Jun slapped him across the face. Wang Hu roared, "Why did you hit me?"

"Hey, we’re waiting for money anyway. Nothing else to do, so why not hit you?" He gestured to his men. "Ten slaps each, take turns!"

*Smack! Smack!*

Back in the dormitory, Zhang Xiaofan hung up the phone and looked at the disheveled Su Qianqian, sighing at the poor timing.

He never expected Wang Hu to call for help at such a moment. It was ruining his plans. He had finally managed to lure Su Qianqian over under the pretext of discussing their cultivation, even sending Jiang Jiewei and Hu Xiaotian away, hoping to finally win her over today.

But alas...

"Xiaofan, what was that about? Wang Hu called you a brat and was ordering you around," Su Qianqian asked suspiciously, having heard everything through the speakerphone.

"Wang Hu is in danger," Zhang Xiaofan explained. "He called me a 'brat,' which is highly unusual for him. It was a signal. Then he asked me to bring money, followed by saying he was fine—that was the opposite of the truth. He’s in a very dangerous situation. He gave me an hour; if I don't show up, he's done for."

"If even Wang Hu can't handle them, the enemies must be strong," Su Qianqian said. "Are you really going to save him?"

"If it were in the past, I might have hesitated," Zhang Xiaofan said with a dark expression. "But now... I have to."

"Why?"

"Other classes are starting to use the Red Packet Group. They’ll likely gain the same special abilities we have. If we come into conflict with them while we're weak, it’ll be trouble. Wang Hu has decent strength in our class, making him a useful asset. As long as he obeys me, he has his uses."

"I see. Then let's go save him," Su Qianqian said.

"We’ll go, but we need a foolproof plan," Zhang Xiaofan added. "If the opposition is far too strong, there’s no point in throwing our lives away."

Zhang Xiaofan had no real affection for Wang Hu. They had always been at odds, and even though Wang Hu was submissive now, they weren't exactly friends. To Zhang Xiaofan, Wang Hu was merely a pawn. And pawns were ultimately expendable.

He then called for Hu Xiaotian, Jiang Jiewei, and Zhou Jian. Fortunately, they hadn't left school yet, or an hour would have been tight.