Chapter 18: Intervention and Escalation

The group gathered around the pool table froze, their arms, which had been crossed in casual observation, now falling to their sides. Old Rooster remained silent, taking another shot with a lowered gaze. When the ball failed to find the pocket yet again, he abandoned the game entirely, slamming the cue to the floor. He whirled around, shoving Young Master Feng with unexpected force. Young Master Feng stumbled back several steps, caught completely off guard and barely managing to keep his balance.

Old Rooster slowly advanced on Young Master Feng, a sneer twisting his lips. “I knew you’d been getting a bit too big for your britches lately,” he drawled. “So what if I said it? Bai Hailong is a piece of shit, and his sister is a whore. What, you got a problem with that?”

The dozen or so people standing by the pool table watched with cheerful grins, one young punk even starting to hand out cigarettes. Players from other tables, drawn by the commotion, set down their cues with amused expressions, crossing their arms as they joined the growing throng of spectators.

Soon, a tight circle had formed around Young Master Feng.

I stood among the onlookers, too, asking a fifteen or sixteen-year-old kid beside me for a cigarette. I watched with a grin, utterly unconcerned.

I wasn’t worried about Young Master Feng getting beaten at all. *’Your Life for 30’* could be summoned at a moment’s notice. If a single hair on his head were harmed and the matter investigated, every single person in this pool hall would be facing serious consequences.

Young Master Feng was continuously shoved by Old Rooster, yet he never retaliated. His face remained impassive, though my keen eyes caught a slight tremor in his legs.

Old Rooster, of course, wasn’t stupid. He understood the severe repercussions of offending a wealthy person. Therefore, he merely pushed, careful not to escalate to anything truly excessive.

I now understood this ‘bald chicken’s’ attitude towards Bai Hailong. I recalled Dragon Brother mentioning that she and Bai Hailong were childhood friends. I couldn’t fathom why Old Rooster harbored such intense hatred for him.

Young Master Feng remained as rigid as a plank of wood, continuously pushed by Old Rooster. ‘I couldn’t understand what was wrong with this kid,’ I thought. ‘Why did a rich second-generation heir insist on associating with this kind of social scum?’

I sighed inwardly, deciding to smooth things over for now, then settle scores later.

I put on a cheerful smile and stepped forward two paces, pulling Young Master Feng closer to me. “Big Brother,” I advised, “can’t we just talk things out calmly? Young Master Feng even meticulously prepared a dinner party for you all later. He said he wanted to give Old Rooster a gift.”

“Young Master Feng often mentions you to me, his little brother, saying he respects you greatly. There’s no need for things to be so tense…”

The group of ‘killer hair’ punks immediately turned their gaze to me. Old Rooster, still grinning, spat on the floor. “What?” he sneered. “Who the hell are you? Your big brother hasn’t even spoken yet, what are you little bastards meddling for?”

Young Master Feng reached out and grabbed my sleeve. I could feel his hand trembling. ‘Brother,’ I thought, ‘you should hurry home later. Don’t get involved with these idiotic fools. You’re not from the same world as them. Isn’t it foolish for someone to try and get along with a pack of mad dogs?’

I reluctantly raised my hands. Old Rooster completely ignored me, stepping past to my side. He grabbed Young Master Feng’s arm, cheerfully dragging him away, a grin on his face. “Come on, don’t be scared. Let’s have a little chat, you bastard…”

I felt Young Master Feng’s hand, still clutching my sleeve, tremble once more.

I sighed inwardly, looking at Young Master Feng with a helpless expression.

‘Today, I’m just going to throw myself into the fire,’ I thought, then spoke:

“Young Master,” I said, “Uncle Wang was just asking about you. He mentioned you always go out without bodyguards, worried something might happen, and asked me to look after you. Do you need them now? If so, I can make a call for you.”

Hearing this, Old Rooster indeed took a cheerful step back. He slowly circled Young Master Feng. “Alright,” he said, “bodyguards. You’re really rich, aren’t you, you bastard?”

Though Young Master Feng maintained a cold expression, fear still flickered in his eyes, and his body visibly trembled. Old Rooster said with a grin, “Back then, you said you felt too much like a sissy, that you wanted to be a real man. You came to me, saying you wanted to get into the game, not be bullied…”

“Did I help you or not? I painstakingly helped you!” Old Rooster continued, his voice rising. “That’s how you got to know so many brothers! Now you’re talking back to me? You only have what you have today because of me!”

“Damn it, now you’re giving me attitude? Are you even human?”

I felt a bit helpless. ‘Holy shit, without you, this kid would have soared long ago,’ I thought. ‘What a load of bullshit, are you trying to fool a toddler in open-crotch pants?’

Young Master Feng’s face was grim; he stared at the ground, utterly silent.

Old Rooster muttered a few more curses, his expression one of bitter disappointment. Seeing that things had gone far enough, the others quickly stepped in to placate him, pulling Old Rooster aside.

Still unsatisfied, and clearly displeased by the hidden setback, Old Rooster walked straight towards me, a grin on his face. “You’re Young Master Feng’s little brother, huh?” he asked.

I smiled. “Yes, Young Master Feng has always looked after me well…”

Old Rooster, hands in his pockets, swayed leisurely towards me, chuckling. “Hasn’t this kid taught you that when the big brother is speaking, you should stand aside, shut your damn mouth, and act like a mute? Don’t say a single f*cking word?”

‘Sure enough,’ I thought, ‘throwing myself into the fire always leads to trouble.’

Seeing the blame now aimed at me, I felt helpless. Yet, I kept a cheerful smile on my face, stepping back and raising my hands. “Big Brother,” I said, “when you’re in trouble, I, as a little brother, certainly can’t stand by and do nothing, can I?”

“Big Brother, I know I interjected and made you angry. Your little brother apologizes. Let’s just have a peaceful meal today… You’re a person of stature, there’s no need to argue with me…”

Old Rooster stood before me, hands still in his pockets, watching me with a grin. Suddenly, he swung a palm at my face. I dodged with a tilt of my head, feigning a wry smile. “Brother, don’t…”

The surrounding onlookers, seeing Old Rooster miss his slap, immediately burst into cooperative laughter. Old Rooster, clearly losing face, let out a couple of forced chuckles towards the crowd.

He then turned back to me, smiling. “Why the hell do I find you so irritating today?” he snarled. “Take one more step back, damn it!”

‘Standing still now would be idiotic,’ I thought. I kept a smile on my face, continuously backing away, even considering just running away today. But I had almost retreated to the edge of the crowd when a ‘killer hair’ punk behind me patted my back, then pushed me forward. “Hey, hey, hey,” he urged, “go forward. It’ll be over in a bit.”

Young Master Feng stood to the side, unable to meet my gaze, his head bowed low.

I wore a wry smile, raised my hands, and stood still. I was a bit at my wit’s end, encountering someone so utterly unreasonable. For a moment, I had no clever moves. I stole a glance around the pool hall, mentally calculating my escape routes.

The group of ‘killer hair’ punks assumed I had become compliant, and they happily lit cigarettes, settling in to watch the show. Old Rooster’s face held a half-smile as he walked back to me. He swung another palm, but I tilted my head and dodged again. The crowd erupted in laughter once more.

Old Rooster missed his slap again, and in a fit of rage and humiliation, he cursed loudly. “You’re really asking to die today, you bastard!”

I maintained my wry smile, seemingly backing away, but in reality, I was steadily moving towards the main exit. Old Rooster, now utterly furious, charged forward and kicked me in the stomach. It landed precisely on the old injury where Dragon Brother had kneed me some time ago, and the pain nearly made me black out. Seeing that this punk was getting too big for his britches, my anger flared. I grabbed his foot and flipped him. Old Rooster lost his balance, stumbling back ten paces before landing on his backside, breaking a row of pool cues.

The surrounding ‘killer hair’ punks immediately stood up, making sounds of surprise, and slowly began to close in on me. Young Master Feng looked up, staring at me blankly. I smiled at him. Old Rooster, now absolutely livid, scrambled to his feet, grabbed a broken half of a pool cue, and swung it in a wide arc before charging directly at me.

The stick spun through the air towards me. I instinctively raised my arm to block, and the cue head struck my forearm, making me gasp in pain. Old Rooster was already in front of me, his fist slamming into my face.

I staggered back two steps.

Blood seemed to gush from my gums. I steadied myself, stared at the ground, and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, then cheerfully looked up.

‘Am I truly so docile that you actually think I’m a sick cat?’

Old Rooster remained relentless, lifting his foot to kick my face again. I slapped his leg away, making him stumble a few steps. As he was about to get up, I rushed forward and delivered a kick that sent him crashing onto a pool table.

Old Rooster shrieked in pain, immediately erupting into sharp curses. I rushed over, grabbed his collar, and began raining blows upon his face. Old Rooster roared in agony, desperately trying to hit my head with his hands. I took a few hits, then slapped him across the face again.

I had said it before: I have no patience for those who can’t understand reason. Such people have a common name: idiots.

A cursing voice came from behind me. At the same time, I felt a sharp kick to my back, immediately losing my balance and sprawling onto the pool table. The impact struck my kidney, and the pain was unbearable.

I hastily got up, and as I turned my head, a heavy punch slammed into my face. My vision instantly went black, and I stumbled back two steps. I focused my eyes and saw it was the ‘killer hair’ punk who had pushed me forward earlier. He was muttering to himself, reaching for a collapsible baton. I immediately kicked him back several steps, sending him sprawling to the ground. My eyes red, I rushed over again, delivering two resounding slaps that made him howl.

I was enjoying the rhythm of my slaps, about to deliver two more, when the entire group behind me surged forward, cursing. I felt a sudden punch to my temple and was instantly disoriented. When I regained my senses, I was already on the ground. The punk I had just slapped was now screaming, standing up, and kicking me in the abdomen. A dull ache spread through me.

I curled up tightly, hugging my head, protecting all my vital points. The old injuries from my fight with Dragon Brother hadn’t healed, and I’d had a headache when I arrived. Now, I felt my consciousness fading. Lying on the ground, I felt fists and feet coming from all directions, unable to discern where anyone was.

I don’t know how much time passed, perhaps ten minutes. I heard cursing all around me. I was held up by two people, and I felt someone grab my hair. My head was lifted, swaying, then a stinging sensation on my face, as if I’d been slapped.

To be honest, though my eyes were open, I could barely see anything at this point. I tentatively rolled my eyeballs, feeling some obstruction in the corners of my eyes, probably due to swelling.

I was held up by two people, one on each side, with another person pulling my hair from behind. Old Rooster, whom I had kicked onto the pool table earlier, was now groaning as he got to his feet, looking like fragile goods. My head felt heavy. I shook it, smiling wryly at him. Old Rooster looked back at me with a half-smile, his expression one of both agony and ecstasy. He mumbled as he rubbed his lower back for a moment, then swayed over to me, crouching down. “Little brat,” he said, “you’re finished.”

I stared at the ground. Hearing that, I suddenly chuckled.

Old Rooster abruptly stood up, picked up a collapsible baton from the ground, and walked straight towards me.

I squinted at him. Old Rooster extended the baton head, smiled at me, and then swung the weapon with full force.

I closed my eyes.

‘Damn, I didn’t end up in the hospital after fighting Dragon Brother, but now I’m going to be broken by this bunch of trash…’

‘This time, I’m really going to be stuck in the hospital for a while…’

“If you lay a hand on him today, you can forget about keeping your own hands.”

I heard a hoarse voice from the entrance of the pool hall.

Old Rooster froze, his face twitching. He turned to look at the doorway. The group of ‘killer hair’ punks holding me all turned back in unison. The man surnamed Liu, who had been standing nearby with his head down, also trembled upon hearing the voice and looked towards the pool hall’s entrance.

Held in place, I couldn’t turn my head, but hearing that voice, my heart also trembled. I sighed, a shiver running through me.

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