Knocking a Muffled Club

"Beautiful lady, don't leave just yet—we brothers still want to have a chat with you."

The bearded man in military uniform grabbed Liu Zhaozhao's arm, his eyes carrying a drunken haze and a smirk hanging at the corner of his mouth.

Beside him stood a bald man, his head glistening under the lights, a cigarette dangling from his lips, looking thoroughly thuggish.

"Let go!"

Liu Zhaozhao's brows furrowed slightly, her voice cold and clear.

Qin Dadi and Xiao Yunlong immediately stepped to Liu Zhaozhao's side, glaring at the bearded man and barking in low anger:

"Let go!"

"Hah, a few stray dogs dare to bark in front of your Master Dai?"

The bearded man sneered contemptuously. He had long noticed the situation at their table. Having been stationed at the base so long, surrounded mostly by men, they were about to burst. The moment a beauty appeared, a fire burned in their hearts.

But he wasn't a fool—he knew there were people at the base he absolutely couldn't provoke, like high-tier psionic users or scions of major families.

To be cautious, he'd observed for a while, starting with the serial number on the uniform of that soldier kid. After some digging, he learned the situation at their table.

Turns out these people were from the 319th Legion, a defeated army that had just retreated back to Scorching Sun Valley after losing a battle.

Though he hadn't pinned down their exact identities, truly formidable figures wouldn't end up in a trash unit like this.

Seeing the bearded man still refusing to let go, Liu Zhaozhao's face turned cold. A burst of flame suddenly erupted from her arm.

"Sss—"

The bearded man yanked his hand back quickly. As a Tier 2 Psionic User, he wasn't about to be hurt by a little flame, but being treated like this made him lose face.

"Oh, didn't expect you to be such a fiery woman."

The bald man stepped forward, a lecherous grin on his face. "Brother Dai here is a Purple Thistle Medal recipient—he's killed no fewer than a few hundred orcs with his own hands. A true combat hero. Asking you for a drink is doing you a favor, and you're still not happy?"

Purple Thistle Medal.

Qin Dadi and the other two exchanged glances. Anyone who earned that medal was indeed a brave fighter on the battlefield.

But being good at winning battles didn't make someone a good person.

Some soldiers were strict with themselves, guided by strong morals.

Others were tigers on the battlefield but turned into outright thugs once they stepped off it.

Qin Dadi pulled Liu Zhaozhao behind him and said calmly:

"You two, I don't care who you are, but remember—this is a military base, not a place for you to get drunk and cause trouble."

"Hah, a loser like you dares to lecture me?"

The bearded man reeked of alcohol, a look of disdain on his face. "Your 319th Regiment couldn't even take the Golan Heights, and now you have the nerve to slink back to Scorching Sun Valley."

"Let me tell you, Master Dai here was a vanguard soldier in the Battle of Scorching Sun Valley. Every inch of this land was won inch by inch by us veterans. Without us, you lot wouldn't be sitting here drinking and enjoying yourselves."

"What's wrong with me asking her to have a couple of drinks with me?"

The bearded man's words stabbed like steel needles into the hearts of Qin Dadi and the others. For the 319th Legion, failing to take the Golan Heights and being forced back to Scorching Sun Valley was a deep humiliation. Having that wound ripped open raw made their mood plummet.

"Whatever contributions you've made, the Military Department will reward you accordingly. We may have lost a battle, but the orcs we've killed aren't fewer than yours."

Xiao Yunlong said coldly, "Move aside. If you don't, I'll call the Disciplinary Squad."

At the mention of the Disciplinary Squad, the bearded man visibly flinched, the drunkenness in his eyes fading slightly. He snorted and said:

"Stray dogs sure have some bite. Fine, Grandfather's in a good mood today, so I won't bother with you. But from now on, I don't want to see you in this tavern."

"This is a tavern for heroes and warriors—not a place for cowards!"

As he finished, the surrounding patrons cheered and applauded in agreement.

Seeing this, the bearded man's smirk grew even more smug. He waved his hand and said, "Da Chao, let's go."

"You got it."

The bald man gave the Earth Dragon Squad a thumbs-down gesture, then followed the bearded man as they swaggered out of the tavern.

"Damn it, that's too much."

Xiao Yunlong's face flushed with rage, alternating between pale and red. He itched to charge up and beat them senseless.

Fortunately, Qin Dadi held him back and shook his head. "We just got here—try not to stir up trouble."

Xiao Yunlong's chest heaved as he gritted out, "If I ever get the chance, I'll smash their faces into a pulp."

Qin Dadi knew Xiao Yunlong was just venting. Someone who'd earned the Purple Thistle Medal was likely stronger than Xiao Yunlong.

"Let's go too."

Qin Dadi waved his hand. Their originally good mood had been ruined, and he felt a bit deflated.

"Hold on a second—I need to use the restroom."

Just then, Qin Tian spoke up.

"Alright, you go ahead then. We'll wait for you at the entrance," Qin Dadi said.

"Okay."

Qin Tian nodded and walked toward the restroom, a faint glint flickering in his eyes.

The night was like water.

Inside an alley, two men staggered forward with their arms draped over each other's shoulders.

"Brother Dai, that chick just now was really something. I should've copped a feel too, gotten a bit of an advantage."

"See, that's why you're not as smart as your big bro. That little girl's arm was tender, like it was made of water—smooth and slender. Thinking back on it now, I'm still buzzing. Should've groped her longer, or maybe tried a different spot."

"Haha, Brother Dai, where were you thinking of touching?"

"Well, that would be... hehe."

The two men spouted all sorts of crude talk, occasionally bursting into lewd laughter.

"Hey."

Just then, a faint voice sounded from behind them.

The two hadn't noticed anyone behind them at all, and their hair instantly stood on end. But before they could turn around, a sharp pain exploded at the backs of their heads. The next moment, both went black and collapsed to the ground.

Under the night, a straight-backed figure stood behind them. Then, as if sinking into a quagmire, he vanished into the shadows.

"What took you so long?" Xiao Yunlong asked, puzzled.

Qin Tian said flatly, "The restroom was crowded. Had to queue for a bit."

"Phew, I thought you got harassed too."

Xiao Yunlong slung an arm around Qin Tian's shoulder and said earnestly, "Qin Tian, there's something you might not know. Most men like women, but some men are only interested in men."

"Even though your handsomeness is a notch below mine, we're both good-looking guys. Out in the world, you've got to watch out not just for women, but also for some ill-intentioned men."

Hearing this, Qin Tian couldn't help but roll his eyes.

Beside them, Qin Dadi chuckled, while Liu Zhaozhao said disdainfully:

"Qin Tian is handsome. You, on the other hand, forget it."

"Wow, Zhaozhao, saying that really hurts me. Am I not handsome? How about you take another look?"

The moonlight was gentle. The group chatted and laughed as they walked toward the dormitory. The warm yellow streetlights stretched their shadows long, side by side, a very cozy scene.

On the other side, the two men slowly climbed to their feet. They touched the lumps on the backs of their heads, first feeling a wave of lingering fear, then roaring in fury:

"Ahhh! Bastard, I will find you!"