Chapter Thirty-Nine: Harassed on the Road

"Hey, gorgeous, got any plans tonight? Why don’t you hang out with us?" Liu Hu swaggered over from a distance, a leering grin plastered across his face as he plopped down next to Ouyang Nana. Suddenly, he jabbed a finger in the direction of Xiao Ye and Chiron.

"You two pretty boys, get lost as far as you can!" he barked. "Otherwise, I’ll use your heads as drinking cups later!"

"Hmm?" Liu Hu's words brought a faint, amused smile to the lips of Xiao Ye and Chiron. Pretty boys—this was the first time anyone had dared to call them that. In truth, after years on the battlefield, their skin had long been tanned to a deep bronze, worlds apart from the pale faces implied by that term.

"What, you two refuse to leave? Forcing me to get physical?" Liu Hu’s eyes bulged like brass bells, and the easy smiles on Xiao Ye and Chiron’s faces only fueled his anger.

But his threats meant less than nothing to the two men.

"Damn it, look down on me, will you? I’ll kill you!" Unable to hold back any longer, Liu Hu raised a fist and swung at Xiao Ye.

In the next instant, a dark shadow flickered before him, and Liu Hu was sent flying backward, crashing heavily to the ground.

It was not Xiao Ye but Chiron who had acted, his face turning icy cold in a heartbeat.

"Anyone who dares raise a hand against Lord Xiao has only one path—death."

"Lord Xiao? I don’t care what kind of lord you are!" Liu Hu scrambled up from the ground, wiping the blood trickling from his nose. His fury only deepened.

"Get them! Kill those two bastards!" At his command, a gang of thugs rushed at Xiao Ye and Chiron.

Xiao Ye didn’t even bother to look up, calmly picking up another bite of food. It wasn’t that he couldn’t fight—he simply had full confidence in his subordinate. With Chiron’s skills, dealing with these small-time punks was more than enough.

As the mob surged forward, Chiron too stepped forward without hesitation, plunging straight into the throng. In just a few moments, every one of Liu Hu’s men was sprawled helplessly on the floor.

The scene before them left Liu Hu utterly stunned. His men had been tossed around like toys.

"My god, who are these people? One against ten!"

"Could it be? Are they descendants of Ip Man?"

Inside the restaurant, the onlookers broke into shocked whispers. Chiron’s prowess was beyond anything they could have imagined.

"Chiron, throw these men out. Don’t disturb the other diners," Xiao Ye said coolly.

"Yes, sir."

With that, Chiron lashed out with a swift kick, sending one of the thugs flying out the door. The impact echoed like a car crash, the thug landing hard in the street outside.

The crowd gasped again. To send a man flying with a single kick—what kind of strength was that?

Following Xiao Ye’s orders, Chiron casually kicked the remaining thugs out of the restaurant, leaving everyone watching in utter disbelief.

"Wait—what do you want?" Liu Hu’s face turned deathly pale as Chiron approached him.

"Will you leave on your own, or shall I help you out?"

A shudder ran through Liu Hu. Seeing his men lying battered outside, he realized that if Chiron kicked him, there’d be no telling how many bones would break.

"You just wait, all of you! This isn’t over!" Liu Hu scrambled out the door, shooting Xiao Ye and his companions a glare filled with venomous rage.

"You’ve crossed me, Liu Hu. Don’t think you’ll survive in Jianghai City!"

With that, he fled, dragging his battered cronies away while Chiron made no move to pursue.

In an instant, the restaurant fell silent. All eyes were drawn to Xiao Ye’s table, curiosity and awe filling every gaze.

"Alright, Chiron, come sit down and eat," Xiao Ye said.

While Chiron had been dealing with Liu Hu and his gang, Xiao Ye had already finished his meal.

As Xiao Ye stood up, Ouyang Nana pouted in protest. She had hoped that while Chiron was busy handling the troublemakers, she could chat more with Xiao Ye. Who could have guessed Chiron would dispatch them so quickly, leaving her with barely a moment to talk.

"This is all your fault—you couldn’t have taken your time? You just had to ruin my time alone with Brother Xiao," she grumbled at Chiron.

At that moment, Liu Hu, who hadn’t run far, came charging back toward the restaurant. Behind him surged dozens of thugs, their fierce expressions enough to frighten everyone inside.

"You bastards! I’m here for revenge!" Liu Hu sneered, and at his side stood a burly man a full head taller than himself.

"Brother Dong, that’s the guy who beat up our men just now!" Liu Hu pointed at Chiron. The man beside him was his elder brother, Liu Dong.

Originally, Liu Hu had planned to call his brother, but as luck would have it, Liu Dong was already nearby. Now, face-to-face with his enemy, Liu Hu’s eyes burned with hatred as he glared at Chiron.

"Kid, you’re dead today!"

Chiron frowned, setting down his bowl, ready to confront the new threat.

Suddenly, a hand pressed him back. Xiao Ye smiled lightly. "You finish your meal. Leave these to me."

Chiron hesitated. "But—"

"Don’t worry. I just finished eating—I could use a little exercise."

Xiao Ye rolled his shoulder. If he let Chiron handle it, he’d have to stay behind and keep Ouyang Nana company—a prospect he dreaded, given the girl’s boundless energy.

"No way, is he going to take on all those men alone?"

"Impossible! There are dozens of thugs—if he wins, he’d be better than Ip Man!"

In the restaurant, everyone stared at Xiao Ye in shock as he stepped forward alone.

"Boy, do you even know what death is?" Liu Hu sneered, scanning Xiao Ye up and down. His grin widened.

"Listen up! Get down on your knees and hand over that pretty girl, and maybe I won’t break your legs!"

"Otherwise, you won’t even know how you died!"

Liu Hu’s threats were met with utter indifference. Xiao Ye stood straight as a lamppost, his eyes calm as a still lake.

"Here’s my offer: if each of you kneels and slaps yourselves ten times, I’ll let you leave."

"What did you say?"

Xiao Ye’s words sent the thugs into fits of laughter.

"You want us to kneel and slap ourselves? Do you have a death wish?" Liu Hu’s smile turned maniacal.

"Screw you! I’ll take you down myself!"

As he spoke, a whip-like kick lashed out before him. The next instant, Liu Hu arced through the air, crashing to the ground with a heavy thud.