Intimidating Delinquents

At Lingnan High School, they usually relied on their numbers to run wild across campus, and bullying freshmen had long been commonplace.

Today, their targets had changed to Chi Tong and Shendai Liufei.

The surrounding students stopped in their tracks. Some frowned in concern, some whispered among themselves, but more simply watched with cold indifference or malicious delight.

This is bad. The new students are about to get taught a lesson. This is going to be awful. Should we stop them?

If you want to, go ahead. I don't want to mess with those guys!

The students around them spoke in low voices, their whispers filled with unease and fear. Their eyes held sympathy, along with a trace of helplessness.

Faced with Lingnan High School's notorious delinquents, no one dared step forward or say a word. They could only watch silently as the newcomers were bullied.

Yet Shendai Liufei stood beside Chi Tong, her brows slightly furrowed, but there was not the slightest trace of fear on her delicate face.

Who was he?

She was the third daughter of the Shindai family. Having grown up among the powerful and wealthy, she had seen more storms than these people had traveled roads. In her eyes, these little punks did not even qualify as ants.

Kid, didn't you hear what we said?

One delinquent sneered and stepped forward, reaching for Chi Tong's collar with a rough, threatening motion.

Shendai Liufei frowned, just about to warn Chi Tong to be careful, when in that instant, a bone-chilling cold seemed to surge up from the depths of hell and sweep across the entire scene.

The air seemed to freeze, and even the sunlight appeared to dim.

The smiles on several delinquents' faces stiffened. Their bodies seemed to be suppressed by some invisible force, making even breathing difficult.

As if by prior agreement, they all looked toward Chi Tong. He still stood where he was, but the calm in his heterochromatic eyes had vanished, replaced by an icy, blade-like scrutiny.

His gaze seemed capable of seeing through the human heart, and his presence seemed able to freeze the air.

The delinquents felt their hearts tighten violently, as though they would be crushed by some irresistible force the very next second.

You're far too arrogant!

Chi Tong slowly raised his head. His tone was calm, yet it carried an unquestionable authority.

The moment his heterochromatic eyes met those of the delinquents, some invisible force seemed to burst forth from his gaze.

It was not an angry stare, but an utterly indifferent scrutiny, as though he looked down upon all living things.

There was no murderous aura, no furious roar—only the instinctive awe ordinary people felt when facing an emperor.

The delinquents' bodies began trembling uncontrollably. Their limbs seemed bound by invisible chains, and even breathing became heavy and difficult.

The one who had been the most arrogant, standing closest to Chi Tong, now backed away trembling like a startled wild dog before collapsing onto the ground with a thud.

He did not know why Chi Tong's gaze had intimidated him so badly, but he had a feeling that if he did not obey, the consequences would be more than he could bear.

Get lost!

Chi Tong's voice remained calm, but that icy chill cut across the hearts of everyone present like a blade.

I don't want to say it again!

Several delinquents swallowed in unison, their legs weakening until they could barely remain standing.

Their eyes were filled with terror and reverence, as though they had just undergone a judgment from hell. No one dared block the way again.

Their bodies trembling, they hurriedly made way for him, like subjects welcoming the return of a king—or ants avoiding the gaze of a god.

Some of them could not even stand steadily and collapsed one after another, their faces pale and their eyes unfocused, unable to utter a word.

Chi Tong did not spare them another glance. He simply walked on in steady strides, as though what had just happened was no more than a breeze brushing past him.

Shendai Liufei followed closely behind. She did not look back at those punks either. Her eyes remained fixed on the figure ahead.

That back was cool and proud, calm and composed, as though he had been born to stand at the center of the world.

At that moment, Chi Tong shone brighter than ever.

Watching his back, Shendai Liufei's heartbeat quickened without her realizing it.

A faint blush spread across her lovely face, and a shy flush quietly surfaced like the most delicate cherry blossom of spring.

Fortunately, Chi Tong was walking ahead and did not turn around. Otherwise, she would have been too embarrassed to face anyone.

Only after they had gone far away did the delinquents still sprawled on the ground finally recover, letting out long breaths as though they had just escaped the gates of hell.

Damn, that scared me to death!

Sigh, what the hell just happened?

Why were we scared of that brat?

You've got some nerve saying that. Weren't you scared too?

That guy just feels hard to mess with. I think we'd better not provoke him again.

Yeah, that's what I think too.

The delinquents remained slumped on the ground, talking over one another, their voices filled with the lingering shock of surviving a disaster.

While they were still reliving that soul-deep sense of oppression, the chill around Chi Tong had already quietly faded away. That suffocating pressure now seemed like nothing more than an illusion. His eyes had returned to their usual calm, and the unfathomable coldness within them was once more replaced by familiar composure, as though nothing had happened.

Ah!

Just then, a familiar voice came from ahead, carrying a hint of teasing and the warmth of a long-awaited reunion.

Chi Tong and Shendai Liufei stopped at the same time and looked toward the voice. At the corner not far away, a teenage boy was waving at them.

His signature broom-like hairstyle stood up slightly beneath the sunlight, carrying a touch of unruliness and carefree ease.

That familiar figure, that familiar smile.

The newcomer was none other than Sento Zhang.

Seeing Sendoh again, complicated emotions surged within Chi Tong.

He stood where he was, calmly looking at that familiar figure, his heart filled with emotion.

At first, he had never expected that he would end up at Lingnan High School and become teammates with Sendoh again.

He had considered going to Shohoku High School, but that had only been because of his regrets over the main cast when he watched the anime in his previous life. He would not deliberately choose Shohoku High School just to make up for those regrets.

To him, this was a real world, so naturally, he had to consider practical circumstances when making decisions.

Sento, long time no see.

Chi Tong spoke with a smile. A rare warmth appeared in his heterochromatic eyes, and though his tone was calm, it carried a trace of emotion from their reunion after so long apart.

Sendoh smiled as well, still as carefree as ever.

Yeah. I was honestly worried you might not play basketball anymore.

But the instant he drew close to Chi Tong, that familiar yet unfamiliar aura washed over him.

He paused slightly. Chi Tong seemed to have changed, yet somehow remained the same.

Over the past year or so, the person before him seemed to have become more complicated. Sento could see traces of the Chi Tong he once knew, yet he also sensed a familiar but alien pressure. His feelings were a tangled mess.