Eastsea Underworld and a Timely Bell

Coarse burlap cinched tightly around Light Dragon's head. The arm he had raised into the air to gather strength suddenly froze, and his furious curses, muffled inside the sack, became garbled, leaving only muffled roars.

Before his two lackeys could react, both took a sharp blow behind the knees at the same time. Their legs gave out, and they dropped to their knees.

Then identical black burlap sacks were pulled down over their heads.

The whole thing was swift and clean, without a single unnecessary word.

The two figures grabbed the edges of the sacks and dragged the three struggling men briskly toward the alley outside the shop. Their shoes scraped harshly against the bluestone floor as they vanished beyond the doorway in an instant.

Every diner in the shop, the owner included, along with the Zero Class group, was stunned. Their bowls and chopsticks all froze in midair.

Yet only two or three seconds later, a commotion erupted from the street outside.

The dull thuds of fists and kicks rang out in rapid succession, mixed with Light Dragon's heart-wrenching wails and his two lackeys' frantic pleas for mercy. The sounds crashed into the shop one after another, making everyone's hearts tighten.

"Ahh, stop hitting me! I was wrong!"

"Brother Long, save me!"

"Please show mercy! We'll never collect protection money again!"

The screams grew louder and louder. It was clear that whoever was outside showed no mercy, targeting only the thick, fleshy parts of their bodies. It looked like a vicious beating, but no lives were endangered. It was purely a lesson.

Everyone in the shop looked at one another, their faces full of disbelief.

Lin Xun turned a blind eye to it all. He took a huge gulp of fruit beer, exhaled comfortably, and casually said, "Nice!"

Then he picked up a large chunk of beef brisket soaked in rich broth and stuffed it into his mouth, eating with great relish, as though the sounds of beating and screaming outside were nothing more than insignificant street noise.

The shop owner let out a long breath and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He felt immensely satisfied, but did not dare show it too openly in the circumstances. He could only mutter softly, "Evil people really do get what's coming to them..."

The sounds of beating in the alley gradually weakened, until only the groans and whimpers of Light Dragon and the other two remained.

The lesson was probably over, and the people who had done it should have already left.

The meal had been quite eventful.

No one mentioned the interruption with the thugs again. They quickly finished the remaining beef in the pot, wiped their mouths, and prepared to go their separate ways.

The people of Zero Class already had their own plans, so after eating, they naturally split up.

Xie Xie had family matters on his mind and was the first to disappear in a flash.

Wu Siduo was in high spirits and stubbornly dragged Gu Yue to browse a newly opened accessory shop by the street. The two walked off side by side, chatting and laughing.

The honest Tang Wulin had her heart set entirely on forging. After saying goodbye to everyone, she headed straight for the academy's forging room.

In the blink of an eye, only Lin Xun, the lone idler, remained at the lively dining table.

He could not be bothered to wander around, and he had nothing else to do, so he simply turned around and strolled leisurely back toward Shrek Academy.

The streets and alleys were quiet in the afternoon. The breeze carried the lingering scent of meat, making him drowsy with comfort.

With his hands in his pockets and his steps lazy, Lin Xun was still idly wondering how to make some big news and farm some system points.

But after walking less than a few dozen meters, he reached a quiet stretch of road flanked by high walls, with scarcely anyone around.

Whoosh!

Several black shadows suddenly shot out at once from the alleyways and behind the trees on both sides of the road.

They were fast, and their movements were perfectly synchronized.

Five or six young men and women dressed in tight combat clothes and pale gray masks instantly formed an encirclement, firmly blocking Lin Xun in the middle of the road.

Front, back, left, and right—every direction was sealed off.

The atmosphere froze completely in an instant.

Ordinarily, being surrounded like this would look extremely dangerous.

Yet strangely, after surrounding Lin Xun, none of them made a move.

They stood ramrod straight, frozen in place without moving.

They neither released Soul Power nor opened their mouths to threaten him. They did not even give him a fierce look.

They were simply standing there, dryly surrounding him.

The scene was absurdly awkward.

Lin Xun: "..."

He stopped and swept his gaze over the strangers surrounding him.

His face was full of confusion.

It was his first time seeing someone surround another person for a fight so halfheartedly.

They looked like a group of extras hastily gathered for a production, too afraid to move from their assigned positions while waiting for the director to call action.

Several awkward seconds passed in silence.

At last, one boy standing at the edge of the group could not hold back any longer. He secretly turned his head aside and muttered under his breath.

His voice was not loud, but the road was so quiet that every word drifted clearly into Lin Xun's ears.

"Why hasn't Sister Mu Xi shown up yet... If we don't move soon, he's going to leave."

The moment those words came out, the air grew even more awkward.

Lin Xun understood immediately.

So you were here to ambush me?

And the lead actress was late?

He nearly laughed out loud.

This bunch had to be here for comedy.

Lin Xun did not panic. He simply stood there with his hands in his pockets and waited quietly, curious to see what they were trying to perform.

After another two or three awkward seconds of waiting, light footsteps finally came from the distance.

Mu Xi, with her golden hair tied in a high ponytail, hurried over.

The girl had deliberately adjusted her expression, forcefully squeezing a trace of sharpness and urgency into her brows as she tried her best to look tense.

Unfortunately, her acting was truly terrible.

The panic on her face was utterly superficial, while her eyes remained completely calm. Even her stride was far too steady, without the slightest trace of someone rushing to save another person.

The entire thing was so awkward it made one's toes curl.

As soon as she approached, she raised her voice before any of her subordinates could speak and shouted coldly in feigned anger.

"Who are you people?! How dare you privately surround academy students? You've got some nerve!"

As she shouted, she also put on a show of authority, waving a hand vaguely at her own group of subordinates.

The masked lackeys immediately got the message and cooperatively pretended to be intimidated.

They all hastily retreated two steps, deliberately putting on fearful, wary expressions.

One of them even let out an exaggerated muffled groan, pretending to have been struck by Soul Power.

The acting was laughably fake.

Mu Xi continued forcing herself to stay in character. She stepped forward with a cold face, putting on the air of someone protectively standing up for another person.

"Leave immediately! If you dare cause more trouble, I'll report you to the enforcement team at once and have every one of you taken down!"

After saying that, she frantically signaled at her lackeys.

Retreat! Hurry and retreat!

Her subordinates understood and immediately pretended to be intimidated and outmatched. They turned around in panic and scattered into the alleys.

In the blink of an eye, they had vanished completely.

The small road instantly became empty again.

Only Mu Xi and the calm-faced Lin Xun remained, staring at each other.

The silence was terrifying.

After finishing her act, Mu Xi slightly adjusted her hair, forcefully suppressing her embarrassment before turning to look at Lin Xun.

She tried hard to squeeze out a gentle and composed smile, pretending that everything just now had been a genuine sudden crisis.

"Junior, are you all right?"

"Good thing I happened to pass by. Otherwise, they would have surrounded you and caused you trouble."

Looking at her clumsy yet adorable acting, the corner of Lin Xun's mouth twitched slightly.

Mu Xi gave a light cough and immediately took the opportunity to name her condition. "Junior, I did save you, after all. Shouldn't you... show some appreciation?"

"Appreciation for what?" Lin Xun raised an eyebrow slightly, pretending not to understand.

Looking at the calm and composed Lin Xun before her, Mu Xi began making calculations in her heart, intending to seize the initiative while she could.

She had deliberately staged this rescue precisely to find an opportunity to get closer to Lin Xun and test his true nature, so that she could later knock some sense into the love-struck Ouyang Zixin.

After thinking it over, she lifted her chin and spoke with a few teasing words of feigned boldness. "As for showing appreciation, in TV dramas, when a hero saves a handsome man like this, isn't it customary to offer yourself in return?"

Mu Xi had calculated it all steadily and believed she had control of the rhythm. In her eyes, she held the upper hand now and could seize the initiative however she pleased.

As the saying went, this was... repaying kindness with a reward!

But she never imagined that her little scheme would look ridiculously childish in Lin Xun's eyes.

At her words, Lin Xun merely chuckled softly. His smile was lazy and teasing, while his eyes held the composure of someone who had seen through everything.

Before Mu Xi could make another move, his figure shifted. He stepped forward and planted one hand steadily against the bluestone wall beside her, cleanly pinning her against the wall.

As he moved in, his faint presence enveloped her, directly trapping the unprepared Mu Xi between him and the wall.

The distance between them suddenly closed. Their eyes met, close enough for them to clearly see the emotions in each other's gaze.

At that moment, Mu Xi was completely stunned, her entire body frozen in place.

Every thought in her mind descended into total chaos.

Previously, she had only felt that Lin Xun looked clean and gentle, with an outstanding temperament and a face that girls would find appealing.

But now they were absurdly close, almost close enough to feel each other's breaths.

Only then did she truly see just how devastatingly handsome that face was.

His brows and eyes were refined and crisp, his eyelashes long and thick. When he lowered his eyes slightly, they naturally carried a gentle filter. His pupils were dark and bright, and even a casual glance held a relaxed indifference.

His nose was straight, his lip line clear, and his skin clean and fair. He was full of youthful vitality, yet he also carried a touch of mature, lazy wickedness.

Sunlight slanted in from the mouth of the alley, falling across his profile and making his features seem even more flawless. Even the subtle play of light and shadow was perfect.

Mu Xi's mind buzzed, going mostly blank in an instant.

An absurd yet genuine thought uncontrollably surfaced in her heart.

How is this guy... so handsome?

Mu Xi had always believed that Lin Xun's gentle persona was an act, that his charm was something he deliberately controlled. But in this moment of close eye contact, she suddenly understood a little.

With that face, coupled with his effortlessly gentle disposition, he did not need to deliberately flirt at all. Simply standing there was enough to make girls' hearts race.

She had originally sworn to expose his false mask.

But now, instead of getting a handle on the villain, she herself had been thrown into turmoil by his looks.

Her originally confident mindset completely collapsed. Her cheeks quietly heated up, her ears reddened even more, and she stiffly leaned against the wall. She did not know where to put her gaze and could only stare flusteredly into his eyes, not daring to look away or move closer.

Lin Xun took in her momentary panic and every other emotion.

He chuckled inwardly.

Sure enough, she was still a young girl at heart.

She talked about testing and controlling him, but the moment they looked at each other up close, she immediately lost her composure.

Before an experienced playboy, Mu Xi's little schemes truly were not enough.

Lin Xun leaned down slightly, closing the distance by a few more inches. His gentle voice sounded softly, carrying a trace of teasing.

"Senior has been staring at me for so long..."

"Are you really planning to have me offer myself to you?"

Mu Xi was completely at his mercy.

She and Lin Xun were simply not on the same level.

The script she had cleverly designed herself was childish as a game of house in front of this man.

Just as the ambiguous standoff continued.

A burst of hurried, ragged footsteps suddenly came from the alley entrance, accompanied by panicked shouts.

"Sister Mu Xi! Run!"

The juniors who had just pretended to surround Lin Xun before scattering away now all came scrambling back, practically rolling and crawling.

Every one of them was pale-faced and drenched in sweat, running as though their souls were about to leave their bodies.

One boy was so panicked that he tripped and fell hard onto the road. He scrambled against the ground in an attempt to rise, his eyes filled with terror.

The previously quiet and secluded alley instantly shifted from sweet ambiguity to oppressive tension.

Before Mu Xi and Lin Xun could react.

Boom!

A heavy mechanical impact rang out, and even the ground trembled slightly.

A tall, burly figure stepped forward in a mecha, slowly appearing at the alley entrance.

Standing before the mecha was Light Dragon, who had just been hooded with a sack and thoroughly beaten.

His nose was swollen and his face bruised, his head covered in bumps, his clothes torn and tattered. Blue and purple bruises covered his face, and his entire body bore the marks of a beating. He no longer had the arrogant, domineering appearance he had worn when entering the shop. He looked so aggrieved that he was nearly crying.

Behind him, more than a dozen muscular men rushed out in a dense mass, all of them fierce-looking. They directly blocked both ends of the entire alley.

The retreat was sealed, the path ahead blocked. There was no gap at all.

The oppressive presence crushed down on them, frightening Mu Xi's group of subordinates into huddling tightly in the corner, barely daring to breathe.

The mecha slowly came to a stop. Its hatch opened, and a burly, bald middle-aged man with a face full of flesh stepped down. His gaze was savage and sharp as he swept his eyes across the scene, radiating vicious hostility.

He was Light Dragon's biological older brother, Guang Biao.

A truly ruthless figure in Eastsea.

Light Dragon hurried forward and pointed at Lin Xun and Mu Xi beneath the wall. His voice carried a sobbing tone, filled with grievance and hatred.

"Brother! It was them!"

"It was these two! They had someone ambush me! They beat me into this state and humiliated me in public! You have to avenge me!"

The entire alley instantly fell deathly silent.

Lin Xun glanced at them, released the still-dazed Mu Xi, and reminded her, "Call your father to handle this."

The situation looked oppressive, but Mu Xi's father, Mu Chen, was the president of the Donghai Blacksmith Association and a Saint Blacksmith. Handling something like this would be effortless for him.

Although Guang Biao was the captain of the Eastsea City Mecha Brigade, he was far inferior to Mu Chen. Whether in strength or status, the gap between them was enormous.

So he paid them no mind and was about to leave.

But the moment he took a step, a fierce-looking burly man in the front row immediately stepped forward, spreading his arms wide to block the way. His gaze was overbearing, with no intention of backing down.

They were blocked front and back, sealed off on both sides. This group had never intended to let the two of them leave.

The lingering shyness and panic on Mu Xi's face vanished in an instant, her brows drawing tightly together. She immediately stepped forward and stood in front of Lin Xun, shouting, "What are you doing? You—"

But she had not even finished half a sentence.

A violent, savage surge of Soul Power suddenly erupted!

Guang Biao could not be bothered to listen to her nonsense. His eyes were filled with viciousness as he raised a hand and unleashed a powerful Soul Power shockwave straight at Mu Xi.

He struck ruthlessly and without restraint, not caring in the slightest whether she was an academy student or had any backing.

Mu Xi's Soul Power cultivation was far inferior to his, and she was completely unprepared. Caught off guard, her slender body was instantly struck by the Soul Power shockwave.

The girl felt a sharp pain explode in her head, and her vision immediately went black. Her body went limp, and the blow scattered her consciousness.

Her body felt weightless as she fell straight toward the ground.

Just as she was about to crash heavily onto the blue-brick pavement, Lin Xun's gaze shifted. He stepped forward, wrapped an arm firmly around Mu Xi's slender waist, and caught the limp girl securely in his embrace with one hand.

She felt light and soft in his arms. Her eyes were tightly shut, her long lashes lowered, and her face had instantly turned pale. She had completely lost consciousness.

Lin Xun lowered his eyes to the unconscious girl in his arms. The lazy, carefree smile in his eyes completely faded, and a trace of chill silently crept into his gaze.

Guang Biao watched the scene, his fleshy face showing nothing but cold brutality.

He took two steps forward and looked down at Lin Xun from above. With a cold snort, he said domineeringly:

"Talking tough is useless."

"You dared to hit my brother, Guang Biao. Today, none of you are leaving here in one piece."

With a sweep of his large hand, he gave the order in a deep voice:

"Take them away!"

The dozen or so burly men beside him immediately stepped forward, closing in and completely cutting off every route of escape.

Lin Xun carried the girl in his arms, his gaze cold as he ignored the burly men around him.

But just then, a strange ringing of bells echoed through the entire alley.

Ding ding ding—