Help in a Time of Need

A little over an hour later, Gu Yanzhi emerged from the arcade.

His hands were tucked into his empty trouser pockets, but a lingering smile on his face suggested he still wanted more.

"This pachinko stuff is pretty interesting."

In his previous life, he had seen countless forum posts poking fun at Yuji Itadori's pachinko addiction. Just now, he had sat down at one of those machines and tried it himself-the steel balls shot out and clattered through the pins, and especially when one dropped into the winning slot, the colored lights flashed, and a cascade of balls poured out.

There really was something to it. Something to it indeed.

Still savoring the experience, he absently felt his pocket, only to find it empty.

He had been so busy enjoying himself that he had forgotten to stop, blowing all the money he had borrowed from Ito.

He stood outside the arcade, tilted his head back to look at the sky, and fell silent for a few seconds.

Need to get some more money.

He was still mulling over the problem.

But just as he rounded a street corner, he stopped.

Seven or eight people stood in the alley. Ito Shota was at the front, his forehead still red and swollen from the slap during lunch break, but his expression had regained that particular air of condescending composure unique to rich kids.

Behind him stood a group of street thugs with hair dyed all sorts of colors, gripping baseball bats and steel pipes. One bald man was toying with a folding knife.

Ito had clearly spared no expense to avenge what had happened during lunch break.

When he spotted Gu Yanzhi, a smile slowly spread across his face. "What a coincidence, Tanaka. I was just looking for you."

Gu Yanzhi looked at the men behind him, then back at him, and the worry on his face faded little by little.

His lips curved into a genuinely warm smile. "Funny how things work out. I was looking for you too."

Ito's smile froze for half a second. Then he shook his head, a trace of pity creeping into his voice.

"You still don't get what's happening."

"These guys aren't students. You think being strong means you can do whatever you want? Out here, it's all about influence! It's about who's backing you!"

He stepped back, turned around, and took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulling one out and placing it between his lips.

"Cripple him."

Several dull thuds came from behind him, followed by a rapid burst of screams. The clang of metal pipes hitting the ground mixed with the thumps of bodies striking walls and the sharp cracks of bones being knocked out of place.

Ito did not look back. He closed his eyes, savoring the nicotine spreading through his lungs as he pictured that Tanaka guy behind him being swarmed and beaten with baseball bats.

Then he heard a sound that should not have been there-laughter.

His eyes snapped open. He turned around, and the cigarette slipped from his lips and fell to the ground.

Gu Yanzhi stood in the middle of the alley, his left hand clamped around a thug's neck, lifting him clean off the ground.

The thug kicked wildly in the air, both hands prying at Gu Yanzhi's fingers, his face turning purple. Five more men lay around them-some curled up against the wall clutching their ribs, others sprawled unconscious beside the trash cans.

Baseball bats, wooden planks, and steel pipes littered the ground.

The two thugs still standing held their weapons up, but their legs were shaking. Neither dared take another step forward.

"Y-you-what the fuck are you-" The bald man's knife hand trembled, the blade pointed at Gu Yanzhi as his voice rose several pitches.

Ito's composure shattered completely. He instinctively took a step back, then another.

"Keep going!" he shouted at the two remaining thugs, all his earlier swagger gone. "My dad isn't paying you to stand around watching! Get him!"

The two thugs exchanged a glance, gritted their teeth, and charged.

Gu Yanzhi tossed aside the man in his grip, sidestepped the first steel pipe swinging toward him, and sent its wielder crashing into the wall with a backhanded slap.

The second turned to run, but Gu Yanzhi caught him by the back of his collar, hauled him back, and drove a knee into his stomach. Then he let go, allowing the man to slide to the ground.

They were all down.

Ito turned and ran, but after only three steps, Gu Yanzhi appeared in front of him, so fast it was as though he had teleported.

Unable to stop in time, Ito slammed headfirst into his chest, the impact bouncing him backward onto the ground.

"You-what the hell are you-" Ito braced his hands against the ground and scooted backward. His voice was no longer merely cracking; it was trembling.

He pulled his wallet from his pocket, fumbled out a stack of bills, and held them up in front of him, speaking in a frantic rush.

"You can have as much as you want! I have loads of money! I can give you more! Work for me, be my enforcer-no, my bodyguard! Whatever you want, I'll give it to you. My dad's rich. My family can afford anything-"

Gu Yanzhi did not take his money. He lowered his gaze to the ground. Ito's cigarette had fallen from his mouth when he ran, and the butt was still burning on the concrete, sending up a thin wisp of white smoke.

He bent down and picked it up, watching the ember flicker as he spoke in a casual tone.

"Smoking isn't a good habit for a high school student, Ito."

He approached Ito, who scrambled backward desperately until his back hit the wall.

Gu Yanzhi crouched in front of him. No sooner had he settled into position than a pungent stench of urine hit his nose. He glanced at the dark wet patch spreading across Ito's crotch, said nothing, and reached out to hold his head in place. He used little force, just enough to keep him from moving.

Then he pressed the cigarette butt against Ito's forehead.

The faint sound of skin scorching was especially clear in the quiet alley.

Ito let out his loudest scream of the day, his body thrashing violently. But his head was pinned firmly in place, leaving him only able to kick his legs in vain. A burnt stench rose, and a red brand formed right between his eyebrows.

Gu Yanzhi let go.

Ito clutched his forehead and curled into a ball, his screams still echoing through the alley. Gu Yanzhi watched him, then lulled him to sleep with a backhanded slap across the face.

Gu Yanzhi stood, brushed the dust off his knees, and began quickly gathering the money.

He picked up the bills one by one and folded them neatly, his movements meticulous and his tone full of distaste.

"You almost got them dirty. Who'd hold a grudge against money?"

He stuffed the money into his pocket and glanced back at the thugs strewn across the ground and Ito slumped unconscious against the wall.

Then he turned and headed toward the mouth of the alley.

The afternoon sunshine was still lovely, the streets were still quiet, and the wind chimes outside the convenience store were still tinkling.

He felt the bills filling out his pocket once more. It was about time, too. He headed to the movie theater to take care of his real business.