C63 Fifty Thousand Yuan Was Not a Small Amount

Lian Chu Rou stared at the man before her, terror etched across her face. He had once been the epitome of wisdom and reason, but now his countenance twisted into something monstrous.

It was beyond her comprehension that this man, who professed his affection for her and his desire to teach alongside her, would use the pretext of a nighttime jog to make an untoward advance.

Ho Honglang exuded an air of smug assurance, having meticulously planned his every move. He knew the ebb and flow of the crowd on this road like the back of his hand.

While most people congregated in the square, indulging in food and drink before eventually dispersing, the road would grow quiet, with fewer passersby. Ho had even brought along some cohorts to deter any would-be heroes.

He took his time, relishing the retelling of his past deeds, all to witness the growing despair and resignation in the eyes of the beautiful girl before him.

"What are you saying? You've already laid hands on my best friend?" Lian Chu Rou gasped, her voice laced with disbelief.

"Absolutely. A little cash and she was all too eager to hop into bed. Remember when your best friend took a day off the same time I was 'sick'? She wasn't ill. We were at a hotel!"

"That can't be. She told me her grandfather was gravely ill. You must have manipulated her!" Lian Chu Rou pieced it together swiftly and declared with conviction, "You're vile, using money to coerce her!"

Ho Honglang's face stiffened, the truth mirroring Lian's accusations.

"Better worry about yourself!" Ho Honglang spat out coldly, his anger boiling over as he reached to rip at the girl's clothing.

But in an instant, his hand was seized in a vice-like grip.

"Who's there?" Ho Honglang whirled around to find a striking young man holding him back. A wave of relief washed over him, and he demanded arrogantly, "Let go!"

He struggled fiercely, but his face turned a livid shade of red as he remained immobile.

"Where are my men?" Ho Honglang bellowed, expecting his backup to appear. But there was no response.

"Looking for them?" Lee Yu's voice came, tinged with amusement. He stepped aside, revealing six or seven figures sprawled haphazardly on the ground.

Witnessing the scene, Ho Honglang's alarm surged, and his tone involuntarily softened.

"Brother, what do you want from me?"

Ho Honglang scrutinized Lee Yu's reaction with caution. He was certain of one thing: this stranger didn't recognize anyone here. If he were a friend of Lian Chu Rou, he'd be conversing with her by now.

Yet, there he was, smiling at Ho Honglang, silent and still. Ho couldn't make heads or tails of the situation.

"Fifty thousand, that's a decent sum," Lee Yu finally said, nodding. "But do you really think your life is only worth that much?"

The threat in their approach was palpable.

A shiver ran down Ho Honglang's spine. That icy tone suggested he was not pleased with Ho's actions and was ready to mete out punishment.

And the men Ho had brought, some of them trained fighters, had been taken down without a whisper.

Who was this person?

"Five hundred thousand then!" Ho Honglang bit down hard. "That's all the money I have. It's yours!"

"I'll give you a million to take him down!" Lian Chu Rou found her voice and screamed her offer.

She realized this was her only shot at revenge. Ho Honglang had failed today, and it was sheer luck someone had stepped in to help her. But once this opportunity passed, her family would never risk offending the Ho family on her behalf.

Lee Yu gave the girl an odd look.

Lian Chu Rou was undeniably attractive, a fact that often drew unwanted attention. But Lee Yu's acts of kindness weren't driven by looks.

Had it not been for Huang Xiu's troubles with the Northern Group, he wouldn't have intervened on her behalf.

With a sudden burst of strength, Lee Yu released his grip and turned to leave the grove. "Follow me, I'll get you out of here."

"Ah!" Ho Honglang howled in pain.

Crippling just one hand was letting him off easy.

Lian Chu Rou shot Ho Honglang a venomous look before hurrying after Lee Yu.

Curiosity filled her gaze as she looked at Lee Yu. This young man, years her junior, could he be one of those legendary warriors?

"You just struck someone from the Ho family," Lian Chu Rou said with concern. "Thank you for saving me, but the Ho family values that scum highly. You... maybe you should come to my place for now?"

Her implication was clear: the Ho family would seek revenge.

She also wasn't sure if her own family could offer Lee Yu adequate protection.

"Don't worry about him; I've already taken care of it," Lee Yu reassured her, shaking his head. "As for the Ho family... they're not a concern!"

He had had a sudden inspiration during his encounter with Ho Honglang, transferring his spiritual energy into the other man. Surprisingly, it worked. Then, he manipulated the spiritual energy to damage several vital acupoints.

This was his first time releasing spiritual energy. Previously, he wouldn't have succeeded, but since reaching Seventh Grade, his spiritual energy had become fluid. Thanks to his unique physique and the purity of his Thunder Spiritual Force, he managed to release some of it.

It seemed like the perks of being the chosen one... Others needed to reach Sixth Grade to release their spiritual energy.

Moreover, the ability to release spiritual energy was a hallmark of reaching Sixth Grade, yet he'd achieved it at Seventh Grade.

"I'm aware," Lian Chu Rou replied, mistakenly thinking the young man referred to Ho Honglang's arm. She nodded, then added, "The Ho family is formidable, with several Covert Power masters. Don't underestimate them. The ones you faced earlier were just enforcers."

"Covert Power masters..." Lee Yu gave her a curious look. "How do they stack up against Chen Chengde?"

"Well, the Chen family is definitely more powerful, and they even have a great elder," Lian Chu Rou began, then caught herself.

The young man who came to her rescue must be a junior from the Chen family, right? That would explain his nonchalance toward the Ho family.

Chen Chengde alone could take on several Covert Power masters from the Ho family without issue.

The distinction between Covert Power and inner strength wasn't significant, but with age came strength. Even among Covert Power masters, there were different tiers.

Chen Chengde was among the top ten in the province, skilled in various martial arts. There were whispers that he had reached the level of a half-step Grandmaster. If true, the Chen family's standing would rise even further.

"But why did he address the Chen family's elder by name?" Lian Chu Rou wondered to herself.

"Alright, everyone head on home and find your moms," Lee Yu announced.

It was only then that Lian Chu Rou realized they had reached the plaza.

As Lee Yu started to walk away, she quickly called out, "Thank you so much for tonight. I teach at No.1 High School, so if you ever need anything, feel free to reach out to me!"

"Could it really be such a coincidence?" Lee Yu mused, scratching his head. No.1 High School was a prestigious institution in S City, and it was also where Huang Xiu was currently enrolled.

But with No.1 High School's reputation for strong faculty and numerous teachers, the chances that the girl he had saved was teaching his third-year students seemed slim. Not dwelling on it, Lee Yu hailed a taxi and headed home.