Chapter 174: Playing with Hearts

This punch was much heavier than Wen Shilin's weak, ineffectual one. It sent Zhuo Shuqing sprawling to the ground with a dull thud. Everyone still fighting froze, their eyes wide with shock as they looked in their direction.

“Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough!!” Zhuo Shuqing lay twisted on the ground, coughing painfully. First, he coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, then he started spitting out teeth…

One, two, three…

Before he could utter a word, Zhuo Shuqing had already spat out four or five teeth; essentially, the teeth on one side of his face were broken. That side of his face was visibly red and swollen, and his features were contorted in pain.

He looked up at the stranger in the brown overcoat, his eyes filled with profound confusion…

Zhuo Shuqing didn’t know this person at all, nor did he understand why he had suddenly punched him. He was still completely stunned. He stumbled to his feet, and as his eyes slowly cleared, an unprecedented fury began to ignite within them!

He tremblingly pointed a finger at Chen Ling, his gaze wishing to tear him to shreds.

Just as he was about to speak, Chen Ling's eyes narrowed slightly, and the invisible python coiled around Zhuo Shuqing bit his head again.

Zhuo Shuqing froze.

The fury that had erupted suddenly vanished. At that moment, he felt an unprecedented emptiness and desolation… He looked at Chen Ling, whose eyes were full of amusement and curiosity, yet he couldn't muster even a trace of anger.

He was like a ruthless monk who had spent ten years cultivating on a mountain, now returning to the mortal world to face his enemy, with only peace remaining in his heart.

He had let it go.

The surrounding thugs tensed up, ready to swarm and teach the stranger a lesson as soon as Zhuo Shuqing gave the command. But they watched Zhuo Shuqing expectantly for a long time before he finally spoke, casually:

“Who are you? I don’t seem to know you.”

At that remark, everyone was stunned.

Wen Shilin couldn't believe his ears. After he had thrown his punch, Zhuo Shuqing had wanted to have him beaten to death. Yet, after the stranger had punched out half of his teeth, he wasn't angry at all?

Had he misjudged him? Was Zhuo Shuqing actually quite magnanimous?

Everyone looked at Chen Ling in shock. In their understanding, after Chen Ling threw that punch, the originally arrogant Zhuo Shuqing suddenly became unusually compliant, not even daring to utter a single curse word. The only explanation was that Zhuo Shuqing already knew and feared Chen Ling… yet he claimed not to know him.

Or perhaps Chen Ling’s punch was simply too brutal, scaring him into submission?

Considering everything, this seemed to be the most logical explanation.

“Just passing by,” Chen Ling replied calmly.

“If you were just passing by, why did you hit me?”

“What you were doing was too disgusting; I couldn't help myself.”

Zhuo Shuqing shook his head, seriously replying, “That’s not right.”

“Whether it’s right or not isn’t up to you,” Chen Ling glanced at him. “Or do you want me to punch you again?”

“…No.”

“Then get out.”

Zhuo Shuqing’s gaze swept over the crowd behind him, a flicker of rationality in his eyes. He had already gotten what he wanted, and Wen Shilin had been taught a lesson. There seemed to be no reason to stay… After a moment of thought, he spoke:

“Forget it, let’s go.”

Under everyone’s bewildered gaze, Zhuo Shuqing turned and walked towards the end of the alley without any hesitation.

The thugs, armed with clubs, were instantly dumbfounded. Before they arrived, Zhuo Shuqing had told them to teach these people a lesson. Now a fight had broken out, and they were on the verge of winning, only for him to get punched and then turn around and say it was time to leave?

If they just left like this, not only would the beating they just took be for nothing, but if word got out that they had been scared away by refugees, they would lose all face.

The other thugs looked blankly at their leader, seemingly waiting for his command. After a moment of hesitation, he gritted his teeth and followed Zhuo Shuqing.

Once he got closer, he lowered his voice and asked:

“Boss, what’s going on? Just so you know, the brothers have fought this far; if we leave now, there will be no refunds!”

Zhuo Shuqing was about to say something, and at that moment, Chen Ling’s mind stirred.

The heart-python that had swallowed all of Zhuo Shuqing’s anger opened its mouth slightly and expelled the emotion back into Zhuo Shuqing’s mind.

Zhuo Shuqing looked at the scowling thug, and an inexplicable surge of dark fury welled up within him!

The anger Chen Ling had stolen was the fury Zhuo Shuqing had felt after his teeth were knocked out, which was on a completely different level from the mild annoyance caused by Wen Shilin’s weak punch earlier. As this rage returned to his mind, his eyes instantly turned red.

Smack—!

He couldn't resist slapping the thug across the face with a crisp sound, then exploded in fury:

“What are you?! When I tell you to leave, you leave! What are you blabbering about?!”

The air suddenly fell into a deathly silence.

The many thugs following behind were momentarily stunned by this scene. When they recovered, anger simultaneously flared on their faces, and they immediately rushed forward, surrounding Zhuo Shuqing and his assistant.

The slap left the thug leader’s head ringing. It took him a long time to recover, then he looked at Zhuo Shuqing in shock,

“You…”

After delivering the slap and venting some of his anger, Zhuo Shuqing's rationality somewhat returned. He stared blankly at his hands, his mind a complete blank.

He had been completely dominated by the sudden surge of anger just now, having no idea what he was doing… much like most non-premeditated murderers are often blinded by emotion when committing their crimes.

“Damn it! All for your stinking money! Am I supposed to put up with this?!” The thug leader finally lost his temper, cursing loudly, “Beat him to death!”

At his command, the many thugs immediately rushed forward and savagely beat Zhuo Shuqing and his assistant. Amidst cries of pain, Zhuo Shuqing was beaten beyond recognition.

This inexplicable reversal left the residents of District 3 and Wen Shilin somewhat bewildered. They couldn't understand Zhuo Shuqing's erratic behavior, but seeing him savagely beaten by the thugs he himself had hired still brought them immense satisfaction.

Flash—!

A flash illuminated the alleyway. Chen Ling had, at some point, gotten hold of Zhuo Shuqing’s camera and pressed the shutter, capturing the chaotic scene in the alley.

In the flickering light, the film permanently recorded Zhuo Shuqing’s miserable state. Afterwards, Chen Ling casually tossed the camera, which still contained images of Zhao Yi beating people, to Wen Shilin and turned to walk towards the other end of the alley.

He calmly walked through the noisy, enraged thugs, adjusting his collar, which had become slightly disheveled after throwing the punch. In the shadows of the alley, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly,

“The power to manipulate minds… interesting.”