"Kid, you sure can run!"
In a secluded, deep, and pitch-black alley, four tall figures had cornered a man and a woman. Shang Honglian, clinging to Qin Chuan's back, trembled uncontrollably.
He had been carrying someone and making a call, and they had finally been caught. His phone was snatched away.
"Bros, it's not that I wanted to run, but we were truly scared!"
"I gave you all my money, and you still won't let us go. Who wouldn't run in such a situation?"
Qin Chuan tried his best to remain calm and stall for time. He had already called Zheng Chengdao and believed that help would arrive soon. His current task was to delay as long as possible, hoping Zheng Chengdao and his men would hurry.
*Slap!!*
Before Qin Chuan could finish speaking, he received a fierce slap across the face, the pain shooting through him.
"Kid, you're not being honest!"
"Who said you gave us all your money? What's with this phone?"
A man in black grinned sinisterly, shaking the stolen phone.
"Bros, you only asked for money, not the phone. If I had known you wanted the phone too, I would have given it to you!"
Qin Chuan continued to plead subserviently, as if he hadn't just been hit. He had no choice. The situation was dire. Four burly men, armed with daggers, clubs, and other weapons, stood against him. He was unarmed and no match for them. His only hope was to find an opportunity to quickly incapacitate one of them.
"Oh, so you're a good boy then?"
Another man in black spoke. Though his face was obscured, his tone clearly conveyed amusement.
Qin Chuan was about to reply when he was slapped again, this time by a different assailant. The blow was powerful, causing his mouth to sting. A salty taste flooded his mouth; Qin Chuan knew he was bleeding. But he couldn't dodge. Lowering his head would expose Shang Honglian, making things even worse. Shang Honglian was Shang Bingrong's beloved daughter and a beautiful girl. Qin Chuan had already noticed one of the thugs eyeing her beauty. In the darkness of this remote alley, if these four men did anything to Shang Honglian, it would be a lifelong regret for him.
"Good boy, my ass! Don't let this kid fool us. He's a sly one!"
"He's already called for backup. I'm asking you, did you call the police?"
Qin Chuan quickly shook his head. "No! I swear, absolutely not!"
"Not?"
A man in black approached. Qin Chuan could tell from his eyes that this was the same scoundrel who had earlier harbored ill intentions towards Shang Honglian. A bad feeling washed over him. The hand that had been resting on Shang Honglian's backside slowly moved away, rubbing against the stone wall behind.
"How can we believe you? Unless... you let us have some fun with the girl on your back!"
"Brothers, I'm telling you, this girl is absolutely stunning!"
"Oh, really? We hadn't really noticed before!"
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's grab this girl and get out of here quickly! This kid has already called for help, and we can't stay here long!"
Vulgar shouts filled the air as the four men in black closed in, their eyes glinting with lust.
"Woo woo!!"
A muffled sob came from behind Qin Chuan. Shang Honglian was terrified and had started crying.
"Qin Chuan, you must not abandon me! I'd rather die than be defiled by them!"
"Kid, don't say we didn't give you a chance. If you just leave this girl, you can leave safely!"
A man in black leaned close to Qin Chuan, a mocking grin on his face. He clearly saw Qin Chuan's feigned weakness and was deliberately tormenting him.
"I'll fuck your mother!"
Suddenly, at this very moment, Qin Chuan, who had been acting weak all along, exploded! The arm he had kept behind him shot up, thrusting a sharp, triangular stone he had somehow acquired into the thug's eyes.
"Gasp... Ah!!!"
"My eye! My eye!"
Caught completely off guard, the man in black was struck directly, clutching his eye and letting out a piercing scream. Qin Chuan seized the fleeting opportunity, rapidly darted out with Shang Honglian on his back. His movements were incredibly swift, as if he had planned this for a long time. This time, Qin Chuan didn't run deeper into the alley. Instead, he headed back the way they came. Once they reached the street, the snack street, those four thugs wouldn't dare to chase them further. By the time the remaining three thugs reacted, Qin Chuan was already several meters away. Behind him, the enraged thugs pursued, vowing to kill them.
"Qin Chuan, put me down, let's run together!"
"You won't be able to run fast like this!"
Shang Honglian spoke. Qin Chuan quickly let her down. Shang Honglian discarded her remaining sandal and, barefoot, was pulled by Qin Chuan as they fled desperately. They ran and ran, for what felt like an eternity. Ahead, they saw light. They had returned to the spot where the incident had occurred. Finding no sign of pursuit, they finally stopped, gasping for breath.
"Where are those people?"
Shang Honglian asked, bending over to catch her breath. Qin Chuan shook his head. "I don't know!"
Just as he finished speaking, a blinding light appeared in the distance, followed by the rumbling sound of motorcycles. It seemed many people were approaching rapidly. Shang Honglian instinctively shrank behind Qin Chuan, while Qin Chuan narrowed his eyes, grabbed a stone from the ground, and stood guard, his body tense.
"Boss!!"
Only after the motorcycles stopped did a familiar voice ring out. Qin Chuan's body finally relaxed, and he slumped to the ground.
"Qin Chuan, what's wrong?"
"Boss!!"
"Third Brother!"
"Little Chuan!"
Exclamations followed in succession. Zheng Chengdao, Qin Yang, Qin Gang, Bai Xiaoguang, and many other familiar faces appeared.
"I'm fine..."
Qin Chuan waved his hand, but before he could finish, his second brother, Qin Er Ge, suddenly knelt down, shining a flashlight directly on Qin Chuan's ankle. "What's wrong with your foot?"
This question drew everyone's attention, and then they all gasped. Qin Chuan's left ankle was swollen to the size of a bun, badly bruised and terrifying to behold. Shang Honglian saw it, and immediately covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face like precious pearls.
"Quick, take him to the hospital!"
"Damn it, who were those people? Little Chuan, tell me, where are those bastards? I'll skin them alive!"
Qin Er Ge was furious, emanating a palpable aura of rage. The others were also furious, their expressions grim.
"Those people are in this alley. Qin Chuan and I just ran out from here," Shang Honglian quickly explained. "They also stole Qin Chuan's phone and wallet!"
"Big Brother and Brother Dao, you take Third Brother to the hospital first!"
"Xiaoguang, you and the other brothers come with me!"
Qin Er Ge waved his hand and sped into the alley on his motorcycle, with Bai Xiaoguang and the others close behind.
"Little Chuan, let's go to the hospital quickly!" Qin Yang said to Qin Chuan after Qin Er Ge had left.
Qin Chuan, however, shook his head, his gaze falling on Shang Honglian. "Let's find a place first, let Honglian clean up, then take her home!"
"No! I don't want to go back!!"
The moment Qin Chuan finished speaking, Shang Honglian reacted intensely, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.