As the two of them enjoyed the lively fireworks and delicious food, a commotion nearby caught Lin Chen's attention.
When he approached, he saw three figures standing in front of a grilled-fish stall. The one leading them was so dark he looked like a coal briquette brought to life. He was especially burly, with a hint of brutishness between his brows. Most striking of all was his shiny black bald head.
With his hands on his hips, he towered over the stall owner and berated him, repeatedly demanding protection money in an arrogant, overbearing tone.
The stall owner was an honest, ordinary man. His face full of difficulty, he humbly tried to placate the boy, but the coal-black youth wouldn't let up. The two lackeys behind him chimed in with their big boss's demands.
Frightened by the commotion, Na'er instinctively shrank behind Lin Chen, her little hand gripping his sleeve tightly.
Lin Chen stopped and handed Na'er the skewers he was holding. "Don't be afraid, Na'er. Stay here and wait for me."
When you see injustice, raise your voice; when it's time to act, step in.
Lin Chen walked up behind the three and barked, "What do you think you're doing? This is Shrek City, not a place where you can run wild!"
His loud reprimand startled all three. The leader turned around, furrowing his brow as he sized up the young-looking Lin Chen. Disdainful amusement spread across his dark face.
"Where'd a little brat like you come from? You think you can meddle in my business? If you know what's good for you, get lost."
One of the lackeys stepped forward and looked Lin Chen over, then ingratiatingly addressed the leader. "Big Boss, from the way he's dressed, he looks like he's got plenty of money. Why don't we..."
The other lackey finished, "Take the money he's carrying, too." Greed flashed in his eyes.
A faintly scornful smile tugged at Lin Chen's lips. "You think you're worthy?"
The coal-black youth instantly flew into a rage. He was already annoyed that the stall owner wouldn't hand over the protection money. Now Lin Chen, even younger than him, had challenged him in front of everyone, and he was losing face. "You little brat. Looks like you don't know what's good for you."
He stamped his foot and shouted, "Man!" Martial Soul Possession! A white Soul Ring slowly appeared, and he swung an elbow straight at Lin Chen's face.
Lin Chen could barely keep it together. A few memes from his previous life echoed through his mind.
Azure Dragon Martial Soul Possession! Brilliant azure-gold light burst forth. His right hand was swiftly covered in azure-gold scales, transforming into a sharp, sturdy dragon claw. Under the stunned gazes of the onlookers, he blocked the coal-black youth's elbow strike.
"Thump!" A muffled collision rang out. The forceful elbow slammed into the dragon claw, but Lin Chen caught it with ease. The coal-black youth's arm went slightly numb from the impact.
The two lackeys hadn't yet realized how serious things were. They kept egging him on from the sidelines. "Go, Big Boss! He made you lose face—teach him a lesson!"
A trace of surprise appeared on the youth's dark face, but fury quickly swallowed it. Spurred on by his lackeys, he gritted his teeth and roared again, "Man! Take this elbow strike!"
He drew on all his Soul Power and lunged forward. His elbow cut through the air with a whoosh, swinging at Lin Chen again with even greater force than before.
Lin Chen's gaze remained calm. He didn't take the elbow strike seriously at all. He shifted slightly to the side and precisely reached out with his dragon claw, seizing the boy's wrist and giving it a light twist.
A crisp crack sounded, followed by the boy's wail. His entire arm was restrained in an instant, and he stumbled to his knees.
The two lackeys' faces changed drastically. Their cheering abruptly stopped, and they backed away before turning tail and vanishing in a flash.
Seeing both his lackeys run off, the coal-black youth roared furiously, "Man! You two have no loyalty..."
Before he could finish, a yellow Soul Ring slowly appeared around Lin Chen, tinged faintly with dark purple.
The first Soul Skill granted by the Thunder Hell Vine, Thunderous Might, activated. Lin Chen held back, using just enough power to knock the boy unconscious.
Lin Chen canceled his Martial Soul Possession and walked over to Na'er. "It's taken care of. Let's go."
Na'er nodded firmly and handed him the skewers. Lin Chen took them and was just about to leave.
Urgent footsteps sounded from the end of the street. Several members of the Shrek City law enforcement team hurried over and surrounded them.
Their eyes swept over the unconscious coal-black youth on the ground, then settled on Lin Chen and Na'er. Without asking a single question, they stepped forward and said, "You're suspected of fighting in the city. Come with us."
As soon as the words were out, several officers stepped forward. They hoisted up the boy lying on the ground like a dead dog and took Lin Chen and Na'er away with him.
The grilled-fish stall owner and onlookers hurried over to explain what had happened, but the officers wouldn't listen. They could only anxiously watch the two children being led away.
The sudden turn of events left Na'er momentarily stunned.
They were soon taken to the Shrek City law enforcement branch. The cold, solemn atmosphere made Na'er instinctively shrink behind Lin Chen again.
The team captain wore a stern expression as he sized up the very young Lin Chen. "Fighting is prohibited in the city. Contact your parents and have them come here immediately."
Lin Chen didn't explain. He silently took a communicator from his soul tool storage ring and entered a familiar number.
Na'er stood behind Lin Chen, her fingers clutching the hem of his clothes tightly.
The communicator soon connected, and Ya Li's voice came through. "Lin Chen, how are you and Na'er enjoying your time out?"
Lin Chen began explaining what had happened, recounting the whole story from beginning to end.
When she learned that Lin Chen had been detained by the law enforcement team, all hell broke loose on the other end of the call.
Zhuo Shi and Feng Wuyu happened to be nearby. Yali remained fairly composed, but Zhuo Shi and Feng Wuyu were so furious they jumped up and down, cursing the law enforcement team for failing to distinguish right from wrong. The two men reached the same conclusion at once.
They immediately set off for the Shrek City law enforcement branch.
In mere moments, the law enforcement branch's entrance was smashed to pieces. A massive pressure of Soul Power swept through the entire hall. Since Yali couldn't appear in person, she had to send Zhuo Shi and Feng Wuyu instead.
The team captain recognized the newcomers, and his expression changed. His legs nearly gave way. He had never imagined that the boy before him was from Shrek Academy.
Na'er, hiding behind Lin Chen, saw the familiar figures. At last, her heart settled, and she quietly let out a breath of relief.
There were indeed things about Shrek Academy that were detestable, but Lin Chen had always especially approved of its fiercely protective nature.
Feng Wuyu and Zhuo Shi hadn't let anger cloud their judgment. Their gazes quickly swept over Lin Chen and Na'er. Seeing that both children were unharmed, they finally felt some of the tension ease.
Zhuo Shi's voice was cold. "This ends here. We're taking them with us." His words kept the law enforcement officers present too intimidated to breathe freely.
Feng Wuyu made his position clear, his tone leaving no room for compromise. "You detained Academy disciples at will without distinguishing right from wrong. Starting today, every single one of you will have to requalify before returning to your posts!"
The team captain's legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed to his knees. His face turned deathly pale, and he didn't dare offer a single word in his defense.
On the way back, Lin Chen couldn't help wondering: what was going on with this world? How had the Big Boss shown up here?
Before you continue