Chapter Seventy-Seven: Admitting Defeat (Part Two)

Qiu Yandang wished he could slap himself! How could he be so clumsy and foolish? He had utterly disgraced himself—kneeling before his enemy!

“Hurry and get up. The floor is cold; don’t let your knees catch a chill, or you’ll regret it in old age.”

As Qiu Yandang was lost in regret, a hand appeared before him. Instinctively, he grabbed it, stood up, and muttered a thank you.

Wait—whose hand?

Only after he’d risen and spoken his thanks did he realize something was amiss. Qin Tian was standing before him, smiling warmly.

Qiu Yandang smacked his own mouth. How could he have accepted Qin Tian’s help and thanked him of all people!

“Qin Tian! Don’t think that just because you helped me up, I’ll forgive what happened earlier! I’m telling you, today, I will absolutely cripple you!”

With that, Qiu Yandang retreated, positioning himself behind his group of hired thugs.

Tang Yiliu and the others exchanged glances, puzzled at how quickly Qiu Yandang had become antagonistic toward Qin Tian—clearly, there was no small amount of hatred. Yet, this was all to their benefit; they smiled knowingly. Let them fight! The fiercer, the better!

Ideally, Qin Tian would be truly crippled, and then they could watch the Griffin family’s reaction—would they stand up for Qin Tian?

Qin Tian shrugged. People like Qiu Yandang only learned their lesson after a harsh punishment. He was not inclined to argue further.

He beckoned to Tang Yiliu, dismissing the group of thugs as insignificant.

“Go! Break one leg, and I’ll reward you with two hundred thousand! Break two, it’s five hundred thousand! Break both legs and arms, and I’ll pay you two million!” Qiu Yandang waved his hand viciously.

“How generous!” Qin Tian remarked. Throwing around hundreds of thousands, even millions—a sum most ordinary families could never earn in ten years.

These thugs were merely half-baked bodyguards, mostly street toughs, motivated only by money. Despite their suits and decent appearances, they were nothing more than dogs that bite for pay.

The first thug charged, aiming a punch at Qin Tian’s arm, determined to claim “first blood!”

Two hundred thousand—he could live lavishly for a while! The girl at Autumn Moon Club was still waiting for him.

Seeing Qin Tian not dodge, the thug grew excited; it seemed the money was within reach!

But in the next moment, disaster struck. Qin Tian lashed out with his foot, kicking him squarely in the knee.

Legs are always longer than arms.

The thug pitched forward, Qin Tian sidestepping as he crashed straight through a glass coffee table.

Tang Yiliu and the others hastily retreated, fearful of being caught in the chaos.

The second thug prepared to attack but, witnessing the first’s misfortune, hesitated. It seemed Qin Tian possessed real skill; he couldn’t afford to be careless.

He circled before Qin Tian, pacing back and forth, searching for an opportunity.

“Will you stop dawdling and get on with it! All your pacing is giving me a headache!” Qiu Yandang stepped forward and kicked the thug’s backside, furious at his dithering.

The thug turned to Qiu Yandang with a forced, plaintive smile, then rushed toward Qin Tian.

He lunged through the air, but Qin Tian had no intention of letting him succeed. With a swift high kick, he intercepted him midflight.

Bang!

Qiu Yandang felt as if a giant black rat had whizzed over his head. Turning, he saw the kicked thug slumped against the wall, unconscious or worse.

The remaining thugs stared at Qin Tian in terror, reluctant to approach.

Just from those two moves, it was obvious: Qin Tian was a trained fighter. Years spent brawling on the streets had taught them to recognize skill instantly.

“Master Huang, what do you make of Qin Tian’s abilities?” Tang Yiliu, witnessing Qin Tian in action for the first time, was surprised by his ferocity.

“Very strong—perhaps already beyond the standard grades. This young man is extraordinary!” Huang Qinhui squinted, watching Qin Tian.

After returning home that day, Huang Qinhui had tracked down Snake Brother, the man who’d provoked Qin Tian. From his account, Huang Qinhui deduced Qin Tian was at least a peak-grade expert—ninth grade.

But now, observing him, Qin Tian’s abilities had reached the foundational realm of the transcendent grade!

This young man was truly frightening.

If he ever became a martial arts master, then…

Huang Qinhui shuddered. Given Qin Tian’s age, there was every possibility he could reach that height in the future.

In that case, even the Four Dragons of the capital would have to respectfully address him as “master.”

Moreover, when faced with a peak martial arts expert, even a powerful family like the Griffins would need to tread carefully.

Suddenly, Huang Qinhui understood why Wade Griffin was so protective of Qin Tian. It wasn’t merely brotherhood—they saw Qin Tian’s martial arts potential and believed he could reach the summit. It was an investment!

With this in mind, Huang Qinhui decided it was best not to provoke Qin Tian any further. At least, he wouldn’t; what others did was their own affair. He, Huang Qinhui, would not participate.

He resolved to arrange a private meeting for his son, Huang Yuquan, to pay respects to Qin Tian—perhaps to forge a connection, or at least ease relations.

As a martial artist, Huang Qinhui understood the terrifying power of a martial arts master.

Years ago, a mysterious organization had, through its cadre of martial arts masters, nearly decimated the country’s underworld, almost overturning it single-handedly!

Huang Qinhui’s heart was already admitting defeat.

Qin Tian stepped forward with a feigned move, and the group of thugs recoiled in fear.

He feinted a punch, and they retreated again.

Qin Tian shook his head with a smile—such cowardly dogs, fierce only against the weak!

“You useless lot! Go on, attack! There’s so many of you—how can you be afraid of one man?” Qiu Yandang scolded, exasperated.

The thugs exchanged glances; one gritted his teeth—two million was at stake!

Fortune favors the bold—he’d risk it!

With someone leading, the others followed, surging toward Qin Tian. Numbers emboldened them, making them forget how quickly he’d taken down two men.

“What a nuisance.” Qin Tian exhaled heavily through his nose, then turned and placed both hands on the sofa.

Drawing another deep breath, he lifted the sofa—large enough for six adults to sit side by side—as if it were a plank.

Swinging it like a club, he brought it crashing down on the charging thugs.

Bang!

One sweeping blow sent the group flying, bodies crashing into every corner of the room, smashing furniture in their wake.

Qiu Yandang’s jaw dropped in shock—was this even human?