C53 They Were too Careless

Lee Yu's brow creased ever so slightly.

Within seven steps, whether a gun or a fist is faster varies from person to person. He might not outrun a bullet, but he was certainly quicker than the one pulling the trigger.

Yet, glancing at Huang Xiu beside him, he found himself in a quandary.

He hadn't anticipated the Northern Group's audacity to wield a gun so recklessly.

The standoff didn't last long. Ann Kangyu, the helmsman of the Northern Group, gestured respectfully and inquired, "May I ask which family you hail from?"

Old Master Ann, despite his snowy hair, radiated a youthful vitality, his complexion ruddy and his presence remarkably composed. Lee Yu was taken aback; the elder was likely a martial arts master, his energy just a shade less potent than Chen Chengde's.

Still, such so-called masters hardly impressed Lee Yu.

"Does my lineage really matter?" Lee Yu responded coolly.

Ann Kangyu's eyes narrowed. He had clawed his way up from nothing to his current lofty status, a figure of considerable influence. The retort irked him.

His irritation, however, was tempered as his gaze fell upon the Black Panther, clutching his neck, too terrified to move. Ann Kangyu's inner fire was quelled.

He was known for his ruthlessness and prudence. To have his top enforcer reduced to such a state, and to effortlessly topple over sixty grown men, it was clear this wasn't some naive youth ignorant of the world's vastness.

"Looks like Black Panther has crossed someone formidable. I wonder who it could be."

Ann Kangyu was suddenly filled with regret for standing too close.

Perhaps the old man couldn't stop a bullet, but he might kill him before his men could even fire.

"Young man, is that any way to address Old Master Ann?" A man in black drew his gun and fired without a second thought.

What!

Ann Kangyu was taken aback—he hadn't even spoken yet!

Lee Yu hadn't expected such audacity. Though he saw the move and had time to evade, what of Huang Xiu behind him?

He clenched his jaw and stood his ground.

It was time to take a risk!

As the gunshot echoed, a bullet sped forth. To the astonishment of all, it seemed an impassable void had formed before Lee Yu, halting the bullet in its tracks.

But it hadn't stopped!

A glint of realization shone in Ann Kangyu's eyes as he was the first to discern that the bullet's momentum was unabated; it was merely obstructed by an invisible force in front of the young man.

In the next instant, he gasped in disbelief. What in the world was this creature?

He whirled around, wrested the firearm from the stunned man in black, and promptly fired several shots.

With an icy demeanor, Ann Kangyu disregarded the fallen man and turned to face Lee Yu.

His expression had shifted to a smile. "My apologies, brother. It seems I've been lax in my oversight!"

Relieved to see that Lee Yu showed no signs of intervening, Ann Kangyu allowed himself a brief respite before turning back and delivering two final shots to the head of the man in black.

A chill of dread settled in him. On one hand, these men had been loyal to him for years; who would dare to bypass him and strike? What if he had been the intended target? On the other hand, the presence of a Grandmaster capable of projecting his energy was alarmingly close.

And he bore ill will towards him.

"Brother, might I inquire about your business here?" Ann Kangyu asked, eyeing Lee Yu warily. The young man's composure in the face of his tactics had sparked a flicker of fear within him.

Others might be oblivious, but he was acutely aware that this was a display of energy projection. In the martial arts realm, this marked one as a towering figure, a Grandmaster.

And to be so young, what immense power must he wield?

Such an individual was beyond his means to provoke.

"What do you think?" Lee Yu retorted, glancing at Huang Xiu, whose eyes remained tightly shut. He delivered a swift kick to Brother Bao at his side, sending him crashing into the wall and tumbling down heavily.

Ann Kangyu's heart clenched. Black Panther had served him well over the years; was he not privy to his underhanded dealings?

Yet, until now, there had been a semblance of peace, and he had turned a blind eye. After all, Black Panther had his wits about him, steering clear of those untouchable. And for the troubles with ordinary folk, they always found a way to smooth things over.

Upon seeing the girl Lee Yu had been protecting, and the nearly naked state of the black leopard, it was clear to him what had transpired.

"Ah, in this life, you always have to pay your dues," Ann Kangyu sighed, swiftly dissociating the Black Panther from the Northern Group. He declared, "This was all Black Panther's doing. Of course, since it happened on our turf, we can't shirk responsibility. I'm prepared to offer a hundred... no, ten million yuan in compensation. And rest assured, we'll take care of Black Panther."

He had initially thought to offer one million, but upon catching Lee Yu's icy stare, he upped the ante tenfold without hesitation.

Lee Yu nodded. "He mentioned someone was bankrolling him. You..."

Before he could finish, Ann Kangyu interjected, "Don't worry, I'll make sure to find out who it is for you."

With that, Lee Yu held his peace.

From the moment he got the news, a fire had been raging in his chest.

His mindset hadn't shifted much since his arrival in the Otherworld, yet he'd already faced the horrors of Stone Village, journeyed to the County Duke's residence in Green Mountain County, and encountered kidnappers.

How could an ordinary person from Blue Star, a nation of peace, endure so much? The system had thrust Lee Yu into a whirlwind of experiences, and he knew he needed to adjust his inner state. If he continued to bottle it up, he would eventually reach his breaking point.

This incident had served as his release valve.

Now that he was at peace, he had no intention of causing harm to the innocent. The issue was resolved, and with someone else willing to clean up the aftermath, Lee Yu was more than content to let them.

"By the way, did I accidentally harm those men earlier?" Lee Yu paused mid-stride.

Ann Kangyu, walking alongside him, was taken aback. After composing himself, he replied, "They clearly didn't watch where they were going and got themselves hurt!"

Satisfied with the response, Lee Yu pressed, "And you're sure nothing like this will happen again?"

"Absolutely not!"

Ann Kangyu's face soured at the implication. Was he suggesting that any future incidents would fall squarely on the shoulders of the Northern Group?

Without lingering, Lee Yu quickly departed with Huang Xiu.

The girl was terrified; it would be best to take her home sooner rather than later.

After the young man had departed, Ann Kangyu's face turned grim. "Assign some people to start tailing that girl from today. Make sure she's well protected!"

"Summon Black Panther!" Ann Kangyu commanded with a wave of his hand. He needed to pay close attention to this situation. If there were to be a next time, the modest enterprise of Northern Group might not withstand the turmoil.

Moreover, if this incident could serve as a bridge to connect with the young man...

Ann Kangyu's brow furrowed in thought. Was there an angle to play here?