Chapter 48: Xue Tian'ai Is Utterly Exasperated

Just as Xue Tian'ai sneered and shouted, "This is what happens to those who refuse to get lost," the five thugs at the booth had already risen to their feet and were striding toward him. Each of them brandished either an expandable baton or a knife. The crowd, seeing this, quickly scattered, afraid of getting caught up in the violence. Yet many faces showed eager anticipation—clearly, they were looking forward to the spectacle that was about to unfold. A few, however, had already dialed the police, hoping authorities would come to put an end to this farce.

In the blink of an eye, the five thugs stood before Xue Tian'ai. The one who seemed to be their leader, his hair dyed a vivid blue, spoke up. "You're ruthless, friend. You cracked open my buddy's head just like that!"

"Did I? I merely told him to get lost," Xue Tian'ai replied with a cold smile, utterly unfazed. "So, what do you want?"

"We just wanted to buy your lady a drink. Did you really have to go this far?" The blue-haired thug tapped his baseball bat against the edge of the bar, making a series of heavy thuds.

"Enough of your crap, you snot-nosed punks. If you're going to do something, do it. If not, then get the hell out of here!" Xue Tian'ai's face was the picture of arrogance and contempt.

"You cocky bastard!" snarled a green-haired thug, unable to contain himself. He swung his baton straight at Xue Tian'ai's head.

Xue Tian'ai's look of disdain only deepened. At the last possible moment, he lazily extended his left hand and caught the descending baton mid-air with a dull thud. He held it steady, not even flinching, as if the blow had landed on a pillow instead of flesh.

"Is that it?" Xue Tian'ai mocked with icy scorn.

The green-haired thug was already reeling inside. He'd put all his strength into that swing, but Xue Tian'ai had stopped it as if it were nothing. In all his years running the streets, he'd never encountered anything like this. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't wrestle the baton free—Xue Tian'ai's hand clamped down on it like a magnet.

"Scram."

Just as the thug was about to let go, Xue Tian'ai gave a sudden yank, tearing the baton from his grasp. Unprepared for the move, the thug stumbled forward, and as he lurched within arm's reach, Xue Tian'ai's right foot shot up with a resounding thud. A sickening crack followed—the sound of bone breaking. The green-haired thug's body flew through the air like a rag doll and crashed to the ground. The moment he hit the floor, he clutched his ribs and howled in pain.

The blue-haired leader flinched as he watched his companion so effortlessly dispatched. He hadn't expected Xue Tian'ai to be this ruthless. He'd assumed their pink-haired friend was only caught off guard, but now he realized this man fought with deadly precision. At first glance, Xue Tian'ai and Gan Bingning had looked like ordinary office workers—who could have guessed he would run into an immovable force tonight?

"Is this all you've got?" Xue Tian'ai glanced disdainfully at the blue-haired thug.

"Damn it! Get him, all at once!" The blue-haired thug, though intimidated, still had four men on his side even without the two already taken out. In his mind, no matter how tough Xue Tian'ai was, he couldn't possibly take on four armed men at once. After all, two fists can't beat four hands, especially when those hands hold weapons.

The remaining four thugs charged at Xue Tian'ai.

A mocking smile deepened on Xue Tian'ai's face. There was derision in his eyes, but also a quiet confidence—the kind that belonged to a man known as the God of Assassins, Phantom Butterfly. He felt it was beneath him to deal with such petty street thugs. He'd already given them several chances to back down, but they were determined to throw themselves against him.

There was no need to show mercy to such insignificant rabble. Instantly, a cold and menacing aura radiated from Xue Tian'ai.

Watching from nearby, Gan Bingning turned pale. She remembered the night Xue Tian'ai had rescued her from three thugs—she knew he could fight. But this was different. Now he faced several opponents, all armed.

By this time, the four thugs were already swinging their weapons at Xue Tian'ai. He gave a soft, derisive laugh and dropped into a crouch, dodging all four attacks in one fluid motion. As he crouched, he reached up and seized two baseball bats, yanking them hard. The two thugs holding the bats lost their balance and tumbled toward him.

In the same instant, Xue Tian'ai snatched both bats, gripped them together, and swung them like a club into one thug’s abdomen. The moment the bats landed, he let go, sending both thug and bats flying backward.

Without pausing, Xue Tian'ai rose and delivered a powerful kick to another thug's stomach, leaving him curled on the floor, retching and disoriented.

Now only two remained, brandishing a knife and an expandable baton. They lunged at Xue Tian'ai, aiming for a decisive blow.

The onlookers watched with growing dread. No one believed Xue Tian'ai could dodge another coordinated attack after such a dazzling display. It seemed that even he would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

Gan Bingning’s heart was in her throat. She cried out instinctively, “Tian’ai, watch out!”

Before her words even faded, Xue Tian'ai launched himself skyward like a grasshopper, leaping into the air with startling agility. He swept his leg out with the force of a raptor’s wings, knocking both the baton and the knife from his attackers’ hands.

He landed, and in the next instant, delivered two lightning-fast punches—Wing Chun style. His fists moved so quickly they were a blur, whistling through the air and connecting with the thugs’ faces.

Thud! Thud!

Crack! Crack!

With the dull impacts came the unmistakable crunch of breaking noses. Blood spurted from both men like miniature fountains, and they collapsed limply to the floor.

An eerie silence descended. Time itself seemed to freeze, the scene suspended in disbelief. Everyone present was gripped by a sense of astonishment.

Effortless annihilation. He'd crushed six armed thugs with his bare hands, without a single pause, every move flowing as naturally as water—and emerged without a scratch.

Was he a special forces soldier? A martial arts master? The ease with which he dispatched his foes felt surreal, like a dream. Some people even pinched themselves, unsure if they were awake.

Gan Bingning, who had stood by Xue Tian'ai’s side throughout, now gazed at him with stars in her eyes. Her cheeks, flushed red from drinking, now burned with excitement. This was the very same Xue Tian'ai who had rescued her that night—a far cry from the slovenly, lackadaisical figure she knew at work. Now, he radiated an aura of absolute dominance, like a sword unsheathed, looking down on the world.

He was like a hero out of a fairy tale. And everyone knows that beauty adores the hero.

Xue Tian'ai strode over to the blue-haired thug, who was still lying on the ground, retching. He nudged him with his foot, rolling him flat onto the bar’s floor.

“Like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. You really overestimated yourself,” Xue Tian'ai taunted, pressing his foot onto the thug's chest, his gaze full of contempt.

"You... I'm with Boss Lü! Boss Lü will never let you get away with this!" the blue-haired thug stammered, trying to sound tough, though his heart was filled with terror.

If he’d known this pretty-faced man was so terrifying, he’d never have sent the pink-haired thug to invite the woman for a drink. Then he wouldn’t have wound up beaten half to death.

Xue Tian'ai was speechless at the thug's words. Why did every street punk, when beaten, immediately invoke their boss's name? The night he’d saved Gan Bingning, the thugs had claimed to be with Boss Fu; now tonight it was Boss Lü.

“Didn’t your Boss Lü ever teach you when to back down?” Xue Tian'ai dismissed any thought of these so-called bosses. After all, he was the leader of Butterfly and the eldest grandson of the Xue family. To him, these petty criminals were beneath notice.

The thug was already consumed by fear. He had hoped that invoking Boss Lü’s name would scare Xue Tian'ai, but the man’s expression remained calm and unmoved—there wasn’t a trace of fear. Sure, he worked for Boss Lü, but he was just a small-time thug, bluffing with the boss’s name. He’d never even met the man, let alone expect his help against someone like Xue Tian'ai.

“Boss Lü really won’t let you off!” the blue-haired thug tried one last bluff.

“You won’t have to wait for him. I’m not letting you off tonight,” Xue Tian'ai replied with a chilling smile, raising his foot to stomp the thug’s face.

But just then, a sudden commotion erupted as a group of people burst into the bar. The crowd stirred restlessly.

“Freeze! Police!” rang out a sharp, commanding female voice.

Xue Tian'ai halted and turned toward the sound. The next instant, his eyes widened in disbelief, and a wave of exasperation washed over him.

He cursed inwardly: “Damn it, is Beiyang City really just one big village?”