Chapter 4: Unexpected Reunion and a Confrontation

The situation had suddenly taken an unusual turn.

Previously, I had always harbored a lingering curiosity: what exactly had my sister intended for me to do at the Green Tree Cafe all those years ago?

Why, upon my belated arrival, had she treated me with such chilling indifference?

Thus, after my rebirth, I had assented to her request with remarkable swiftness.

In truth, I yearned to unravel that old knot in my heart. This time, I was determined to discover her true intentions for summoning me!

However, upon reaching the cafe, my gaze fell upon my sister, standing amidst a group of unfamiliar men.

Her face bore a distinctly unwilling expression, as though she were being coerced.

No wonder… no wonder my sister had detested me before my rebirth for failing to keep our appointment. It seemed she had been cornered by a group of ruffians.

And in that critical moment, when my sister had desperately needed me, I had been delayed by a simple errand to withdraw cash…

Now, having been granted this rebirth, I, Bai Han, vowed that no one would ever again lay a hand on my sister!

After composing myself, I strode purposefully towards my sister.

Uttering not a single word, I advanced directly to her side, then reached out and gently but firmly pulled her behind me.

Shielding my sister with my body, I fixed the men opposite with an unforgiving stare.

These were clearly not students; their bared chests, extensive tattoos, and overt ruffian demeanor made that abundantly clear. The blatant disdain in their eyes when they looked at me, coupled with the lecherous gaze they cast upon my sister, caused my own eyes to turn glacial.

Were this the apocalypse, these individuals would have long since met their end beneath my blade.

Simultaneously, a perplexing question arose within me: ‘How on earth had my sister become entangled with such unsavory characters?’

“Han, you’re finally here!”

As I locked gazes with the menacing ruffians, my sister, initially startled by my sudden action of pulling her behind me, unexpectedly snapped back to reality.

A faint smile graced her lips, her large eyes crinkling at the corners. Then, with an affectionate tone, she unexpectedly latched onto my arm.

My sister’s words momentarily caught me off guard, yet I quickly regained my composure and played along.

“My apologies, Bai Xia! I was just held up for a while at the gym.”

As I uttered these words, a strained smile stretched across my own face.

‘I truly despise having to put on an act in front of others…’

‘In the apocalypse, I would simply dispatch these individuals without a second thought.’

‘After all, in that desolate era, human lives were the cheapest commodity.’

“You’re Bai Xia’s boyfriend?”

“Indeed. May I inquire as to why you’re seeking my girlfriend?”

As I continued to play along with my sister’s charade, the ruffians across from us all widened their eyes in astonishment. Their gazes were filled with shock, clearly taken aback by my declaration of being her boyfriend.

“Is that for real?”

“Holy shit, Bai Xia actually has a boyfriend?”

“No way! Bai Xia is J High’s renowned campus belle, rumored to be incredibly proud and unapproachable. Even D High’s most sought-after heartthrob and top scholar pursued her, only to be completely ignored.”

“Forget about the campus heartthrob; even Brother Li himself was directly rejected by Bai Xia!”

“Just who is this punk, to have somehow become the boyfriend of the great campus belle Bai?”

“Tch, what’s so special about being a boyfriend? This little hatchling, barely out of its shell, can’t possibly compare to Brother Li. Let’s not even talk about it; anyone who’s ever dared to snatch a woman from Brother Li has ended up as fish food in the ocean.”

“True! A mere student like him isn’t even fit to lick Brother Li’s boots.”

“Hmph, let’s teach him a lesson right now, and show him his place.”

While the ruffians were still muttering amongst themselves, I gently guided my sister further behind me. This was to ensure she wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire should a conflict erupt.

A decade spent in the apocalypse had honed my senses, making me acutely aware of even the slightest hint of killing intent.

Though the killing intent emanating from them was but a faint wisp, it was enough to put me on high alert.

In my current state, my physical prowess was far from its peak.

Therefore, a cautious approach was paramount to ensure a favorable outcome.

“It is, naturally, quite real. Now, you still haven’t answered my question: what exactly do you want with my girlfriend?”

“Your girlfriend’s best friend pulled a stupid stunt, and now we’ve got her held here. So, you understand.”

“Understand what?”

“If you don’t want to end up dead, break it off with her immediately. She’s the girl Brother Li has his eyes on.”

“Pah! Why should I be held accountable for Wang Lili’s blunders? Furthermore, she is no longer my friend.”

My sister, seething with anger, popped her head out from behind me. Her face was contorted in a furious scowl, and she gnashed her teeth, looking as though she wished to tear into the men opposite.

Observing my sister’s furious, puffed-up demeanor, like a cornered kitten, I shook my head with a helpless sigh. Then, I gently raised my hand and pressed her head back behind me.

“Regardless of who you are, no one lays a single finger on Bai Xia in my presence.”

Having uttered those words, any lingering thoughts of a peaceful resolution vanished entirely.

The men opposite clearly harbored malicious intent; any show of weakness would undoubtedly lead to me being brutally overwhelmed.

Therefore, striking first presented itself as the most viable course of action.

The only complication was the sheer number of onlookers. A brawl here would be difficult to contain and even harder to explain later.

Nevertheless, there was no alternative; I could only steel myself and charge forward!

I offered the men opposite a slight smile, though this was not the strained grimace from moments ago, but a genuinely sincere one, born from deep within.

‘To think, on the mere second day of my rebirth, I’d already be embroiled in a fight!’

I swiftly advanced a step, my right hand forming a precise ‘knife-hand’ strike that connected squarely with one man’s neck, instantly rendering him unconscious.

Capitalizing on the momentary shock that paralyzed the other men from my sudden assault, I rapidly closed the distance and successfully incapacitated two more.

****

Within moments of my sudden outburst, three men lay sprawled on the ground. The suddenness of it all was akin to a disturbed hornet’s nest, sending the surrounding onlookers screaming and scattering backward.

Yet, some spectators, seemingly undeterred by the unfolding chaos and eager for a good show, merely retreated a short distance before reforming a curious circle around us. Several even produced their phones, beginning to record videos or snap photos.

“Tsk tsk, these students nowadays are truly something. With such a slender build, who would’ve thought he could so effortlessly take down three grown men.”

“You’re right, but this young lad is truly foolish!”

“Oh? Old brother, do you happen to know what sparked this brawl?”

“I’m not entirely sure, but having sold fruit here for so many years, those particular ruffians are quite familiar to me. They’re part of Brother Li’s crew, accustomed to running rampant and bullying everyone in this vicinity.”

“Brother Li? You don’t mean *that* Brother Li, the one who’s done time for murder, dabbled in drugs, and been involved in countless brawls, do you? He’s notoriously dangerous. Many who’ve crossed him have had their entire families wiped out overnight, with not a single trace of the perpetrator ever found!”

“Yes, that’s precisely him! This young man is likely in for a world of pain. Even if he manages to best these ruffians today, Brother Li is not someone anyone can afford to provoke.”

Just as the surrounding crowd continued their hushed whispers and pointed fingers, the remaining ruffians finally snapped out of their stupor. Their faces contorted in furious snarls, they lunged at me, fists raised.

My feet remained unyielding, yet with a nimble shift of my body, I precisely evaded their incoming attack.

My hands clenched into tight fists. With a swift movement of my neck to the left, I perfectly dodged the approaching punch.

Immediately, a punch struck out.

It landed squarely on one man’s eye socket, knocking him unconscious. Without a moment’s pause, I continued my assault on the remaining individuals.

A decade of survival in the apocalypse had rendered my combat skills second nature. Dealing with a few ruffians now felt effortlessly easy.

My main concern, however, was the aftermath of this confrontation – a detail that had troubled me from the start. Having been reborn just days before the apocalypse, my primary goal was to quietly gather resources and train my body until the zombie virus erupted.

If I, an ordinary student, suddenly became a master of combat, it would undoubtedly draw unwanted attention. However, when it came to anyone daring to bully my sister, I would face them all, no matter how many there were!

The fight concluded swiftly. After knocking everyone to the ground, I prodded their limp bodies with my foot.

Only when none of the unconscious men stirred did I turn away, feeling a lingering dissatisfaction.

As I did, I met my sister’s gaze, filled with unadulterated admiration.