The few conscious thugs looked up at Zhang Yang’s approach, their faces etched with terror. This was the same man who had taken all of them down with a single move.
Zhang Yang’s power far exceeded their wildest imaginings; seeing him advance now triggered a primal fear in every one of them.
Casually grabbing one man, Zhang Yang easily extracted the address and details concerning that Boss Wang.
They were all on the same street; the distance clearly wouldn't be far.
After tossing aside the petty gangster who was shaking uncontrollably, Zhang Yang headed straight for Boss Wang’s company.
Boss Wang also ran a logistics firm, but his operation was vastly larger than Hu Xin’s, ranking as one of the top logistics companies in the area.
The facade of his logistics company was considerably grander and wider than the one owned by Hu Xin’s group.
This Boss Wang was rumored to be the local kingpin, keeping a horde of enforcers on his payroll, and he was notorious for strong-arming local businesses.
Before Hu Xin and his partners, several successful logistics companies without strong backgrounds had either been squeezed out or forcibly bought out by Wang.
Leveraging brutal tactics and a few helpful connections, Boss Wang had amassed a significant fortune in just a few years, making his reputation in this district even more formidable.
Hu Xin and Gu Cheng’s logistics company hadn't initially warranted his attention, but over the last few months, their small enterprise had expanded rapidly, catching his eye. This was especially true once he discovered that both Hu Xin and Gu Cheng were outsiders, still students—a ripe piece of meat, in his view.
Since they were clearly fat for the taking, there was no reason to be polite. He hadn’t hesitated to approach them; when they refused, he resorted to violence, giving them a harsh warning—a tactic he had employed more than once before.
Boss Wang even secretly believed that in a matter of days, they would crawl to him and sell their company, or face closure. Here, if Boss Wang spoke, no one dared contradict him; he had already sent word to have the vehicles in Hu Xin’s lot impounded temporarily.
Raising his gaze to the massive storefront, a cold glint flashed across Zhang Yang’s face.
Suddenly, more than thirty men burst out from the main gate. These men were much like the petty thugs from before, all wielding clubs. Leading them was a short, pot-bellied middle-aged man dressed in a black suit.
The fat man was shouting curses incessantly.
Seeing this man, Zhang Yang’s eyes narrowed slightly. He had already inquired about Boss Wang’s appearance; Wang was known to be a fatty.
“Boss Wang?”
Zhang Yang called out directly. The stout man, who had been walking forward, stopped dead, looking at Zhang Yang with surprise.
The man who had emerged was indeed Boss Wang. He had received a call from his subordinates; the task he was overseeing was moments from completion when this unexpected obstacle, this “Cheng Yaojin,” suddenly appeared and took down all his men. Now, his crew was defeated.
Upon receiving the report, he immediately gathered reinforcements, preparing to retaliate.
It was only because he hadn't clarified the situation—believing the opposition numbered many—that he brought this large a force, intending to brawl. This was his territory; here, he feared no one.
“You called me?”
The fat man looked at Zhang Yang with a hint of confusion, not realizing this was the very person he needed to find.
Trailing far behind Zhang Yang was a crowd of onlookers. None dared approach; these were the people from outside Hu Xin’s door, following out of morbid curiosity. But Boss Wang’s reputation for brutality was infamous, and Zhang Yang had already demonstrated formidable strength; they could only follow from a distance, and no one was foolish enough to rush to the front.
“That’s right, I called you. Are you Boss Wang?”
A smile suddenly spread across Zhang Yang’s face. A fat man, bringing this many people out—Zhang Yang was now certain this was the man he sought. Good, he found the main target; saved him the trouble of going inside.
“Who are you? Do I know you?”
Boss Wang seemed slightly puzzled. Encountering Zhang Yang here felt strange, but seeing Zhang Yang’s fine attire, he paused to exchange a few words.
“No, but you will soon enough!” Zhang Yang replied.
“If you have business, speak to my secretary first. He’s in the office. I have matters to attend to!”
Boss Wang frowned. His men were currently embroiled in a fight, and he needed to rush to support them; he didn't have time to converse with a stranger. At this moment, he assumed Zhang Yang was someone coming to discuss business.
“No need. Finding you is enough. Your secretary is useless in this matter!”
Zhang Yang said with a smile, causing Boss Wang’s brow to knit tightly together.
Looking at Wang, Zhang Yang continued, “Let me introduce myself first. My name is Zhang Yang, a classmate of Hu Xin. You don’t need to worry about whatever errand you sent people on; those you dispatched won't be getting up anytime soon!”
“You?”
Boss Wang’s eyes suddenly widened, instantly followed by a look of pure rage.
Only now did he realize the visitor wasn't here for business, but to cause trouble. He felt utterly mocked and became intensely furious.
“You dare come here alone to cause trouble? Brothers, get him!”
A man beside Boss Wang roared and charged forward first, swinging a steel pipe. At his cry, the thirty-plus men behind him rushed forward as well. They all ran fast, convinced that since the target was alone, he would be swiftly beaten; they couldn't afford to be slow and miss their chance to impress the boss who stood right there.
Clang!
The man’s steel pipe smashed directly against Zhang Yang’s arm. Zhang Yang was utterly unaffected, but the recoil made the attacker’s hand go instantly numb. As he stared at Zhang Yang in shock, his expression flipped instantly to terror.
Zhang Yang shot out one hand, seizing the arm holding the steel pipe, and lifted the man bodily. The attacker’s body became uncontrollable, followed by darkness as he was hurled somewhere out of sight.
One down meant the next. Even when Zhang Yang was only at the second layer of Inner Strength, dealing with men like this was easy; now, as an advanced cultivator at the third layer of Inner Strength, it was effortless.
Thud! Thud!
Crack! Snap!
Before long, Zhang Yang had dealt with all thirty-plus men by himself. The faster they ran, the sooner they met their unfortunate end.
Boss Wang was completely dumbfounded. He hadn't anticipated Zhang Yang being so terrifyingly powerful, capable of taking down all his men single-handedly. Now, alone, he stood no chance against Zhang Yang.
It was then he understood why his subordinates had suddenly met disaster; with such an expert present, his men never stood a chance.
“F-Forefather, you are an Inner Strength Master?”
As Zhang Yang approached, Boss Wang finally panicked. He took two steps back, asking fearfully.
Zhang Yang suddenly paused, his brow twitching slightly. This Boss Wang actually knew about Inner Strength cultivators? He was just an ordinary person; how could he know such things?
“F-Forefather, a misunderstanding, purely a misunderstanding! Whatever it is, we can resolve it. C-Can we talk inside?”
Boss Wang had no thought left for his beaten subordinates on the ground; he pleaded with Zhang Yang, still shaking with fear.
“You know about Inner Strength Masters?” Zhang Yang ignored the plea, asking softly.
“I know, I know! A senior from the Huyan Family is staying with me; he is also an Inner Strength Master!”
Boss Wang nodded frantically. He genuinely knew of Inner Strength experts and understood how terrifying such individuals were. That was why he was so afraid; he knew perfectly well that even though the man before him was young and alone, defeating him would be simple—a hundred of him wouldn't be a match for Zhang Yang.
“The Huyan Family?”
Zhang Yang’s brow twitched again.
He did know a bit about the Huyan Family. It was an ancient lineage, though its recorded history was shorter than that of his own Medical Saint lineage, only stretching back about a thousand years. Nevertheless, any family with a millennium of continuous tradition was rare. Domestically, only five families remained with such longevity: the Long Family, Zhang Yang’s own Medical Saint lineage, and this Huyan Family mentioned by Wang.
“Yes, Forefather. I didn’t know your connection to Hu Xin; it’s all my fault. I will certainly compensate you. Can we please discuss this inside?”
Boss Wang regarded Zhang Yang cautiously. He did have an Inner Strength Master backing him, but he wouldn’t dare easily offend one. The expert from his rear was only here to collect certain items and would leave soon. Furthermore, Wang wasn't truly a member of the Huyan Family; he’d only gained favor because his sister was noticed by someone in the Huyan Clan and subsequently married into it, giving him the opportunity to manage some profitable dealings for them in the mundane world.
Even hidden families required worldly things like money; their lives couldn't be entirely divorced from reality, especially as they included ordinary members within their ranks.
“Lead the way!”
Zhang Yang uttered the two words calmly. Boss Wang’s tense face immediately relaxed, replaced by a hint of relief, even pleasure.
He dared not inquire about his subordinates lying outside, taking Zhang Yang into the company. The fallen men could only writhe in pain, accepting their bad luck.
Boss Wang’s logistics company dwarfed Hu Xin’s; behind the main building was a massive parking lot that belonged entirely to them. Past the parking lot stood a luxurious villa where Boss Wang usually resided.
This area was far removed from the front. The Inner Strength expert from the Huyan Family was currently inside; Wang was still preparing the necessary items for them and had stayed on for a few days to ensure everything was ready. He understood these individuals’ power and had been diligently serving their needs.
The Huyan Family required agents in the mortal realm. Unlike the powerful Long Family, which could simply dispatch an outer branch to manage these affairs, the Huyan tended to select influential people in the secular world to assist them. In return, they offered protection to these worldly associates and provided opportunities for their children to learn Inner Strength techniques.
Boss Wang’s son was currently studying Inner Strength at the Huyan residence. Regrettably, what he was being taught amounted only to the superficialities, falling short even of what Long Cheng knew; whether he could ever achieve true mastery remained uncertain. The Huyan Family did this merely to offer them a sliver of hope.
Just as they reached the villa entrance, Zhang Yang sensed an Inner Strength cultivator cultivating within. The man’s breathing was remarkably steady. Judging purely by respiration, he had already broken through the first layer of Inner Strength and reached the second, and certainly not in the early stages of that level. Zhang Yang would need to meet him to gauge his exact strength.