80. Coming to Challenge

"Kid, you dare mess with our business? Brother Fei will never let you off." One of the thieves, being shoved away, turned his head and shouted fiercely at Chen Fengyun.

Smack!

But Zhong Lingling slapped the man on the head. "What are you yelling for? If you don't behave, let me tell you, this time it's not just theft—you're armed and dangerous, endangering public safety. You'll be in prison for years."

As he watched them being taken away, Chen Fengyun frowned. He had heard that these thieves operated as a gang. It seemed he’d stirred up a hornet’s nest. Not that he was afraid for himself—what concerned him was the possible threat to An Jingru.

"But Jingru is the daughter of the CEO of An Group. Surely those thieves wouldn’t dare cross her? As long as we’re careful about their underhanded tricks, we should be fine."

Chen Fengyun quickly left with An Jingru. After such an incident, neither of them felt like strolling around any longer. Chen Fengyun suggested taking her home, and after a moment’s thought, she nodded in agreement.

"Oh, right. I have something for you," he said, after seeing her to her building. "I've imbued it with internal energy; it will protect you. Promise me you’ll always wear it for your own safety."

He hesitated for a long while after escorting her to her neighborhood, then finally took out a jade talisman and handed it to her. Back in Lincang, he’d managed to acquire quite a bit of high-grade jade, perfect for carving talismans and sculptures, and strong enough to bear the power of magical arrays. Whenever he had free time, he crafted a few.

"Oh, a gift from you!" An Jingru ignored the rest of his words, her eyes bright with delight at receiving a present from him.

"It’s just an ordinary jade talisman, but it will keep you safe. Remember, don’t take it off, not at any time," Chen Fengyun emphasized.

"I promise, I’ll always wear what you give me," she replied, nodding earnestly.

"Alright, you’d better head home so your parents don’t worry. We can go shopping another day when there’s time," Chen Fengyun smiled, patting her gently on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Brother Fengyun." An Jingru suddenly leaned closer, murmured her thanks, and planted a quick kiss on his cheek before dashing into the building.

Chen Fengyun stood there, momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected An Jingru to have such a bold side, kissing him at the gate like that, unconcerned with the people around. His feelings were a tangled mix.

"Now, it’s time to settle some unfinished business." Having seen An Jingru home, Chen Fengyun’s real intention was to deal with the gang of thieves once and for all. Earlier, he had discreetly left a tracking aura on the thief who’d escaped.

If it were just himself, Chen Fengyun might have waited for the thieves to come after him. But since An Jingru was involved, he meant to nip the threat in the bud.

Soon, Chen Fengyun arrived at the bus station near Tianfu Square, an area known for its seedy mix of characters. The thief’s aura lingered somewhere nearby.

He walked slowly, extending his senses into the shadows. Around him lurked all manner of vice—prostitution, gambling, theft, scams, extortion—anything you could imagine.

"Hey, handsome, looking for a room? We offer special services guaranteed to make you feel amazing." A woman in her forties, garishly dressed and caked in pale makeup, latched onto his arm, trying to tempt him.

"I’m just passing through, not from out of town," Chen Fengyun replied, shaking his head and walking on.

"Hey, brother, genuine second-hand phones—Apple, Huawei, ZTE, you name it. Only a couple hundred bucks. Want one?" A middle-aged man sidled up and whispered.

"I already have a phone. What would I do with more? Try someone else," Chen Fengyun replied coolly, not even glancing at him.

Ahead lay a narrow alley. Chen Fengyun entered without hesitation. At the end of the alley, three men lounged about, smoking and chatting.

"Who are you, kid?" One stepped forward, barking a question.

"I’m looking for Brother Fei. Is he in?" Chen Fengyun asked calmly.

"You know Brother Fei? What do you want with him?" The other two drew closer, wary.

"I have a score to settle with him," Chen Fengyun grinned, then struck like lightning—three punches, and the thugs were down. He walked straight to the door ahead.

As he entered, a cacophony of music and voices greeted him. The place was abuzz with men and women dancing and singing, the atmosphere wild and unruly.

Chen Fengyun locked onto the thief’s aura and headed upstairs, where two young men blocked his way. "Second floor’s off limits, buddy."

"Is Brother Fei in there?" Chen Fengyun asked with a smile.

The two hesitated, exchanging glances. In the next instant, Chen Fengyun was upon them, knocking them out with a punch each, his lips curling in a faint smile.

Inside a room on the second floor, a crowd was hatching schemes. Among them was the skinny thief, who hadn’t yet dared to report the earlier incident to Brother Fei.

Bang!

Chen Fengyun strode over and kicked the door open, stunning everyone inside. They turned to stare as a young man walked in.

"Who are you, kid?"

"Anyone know him?"

"What are you doing here?"

Voices clamored, but only the skinny thief recognized Chen Fengyun, his body trembling with fear, sensing he was the target.

"Which one of you is Brother Fei?" Chen Fengyun asked softly, though his words reached every ear.

"Who the hell are you? What business do you have with Brother Fei?" A bald youth demanded, while the others parted to reveal a middle-aged man in a white shirt reclining on a sofa.

The man was effeminate, his gaze as cold and venomous as a snake’s. Two scantily clad young women clung to him, and his hands roamed their bodies.

Around the room, seven or eight young men lounged with a menacing air, some gripping clubs or makeshift weapons.

On the coffee table before Brother Fei lay an open package, its contents a white powdery substance. As Chen Fengyun entered, someone hurried to cover it up.

But Chen Fengyun’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t recognize the stuff, but could guess what it was—heroin, most likely. Clearly, this gang of thieves was involved in far more than petty crime; trafficking drugs, perhaps, and other illegal dealings.