Chapter 107: No More Holding Back

It was past nine in the evening when dinner concluded. Kang Ning, Gao Qinghua, and Du Jianwu drove back toward the city center in two separate vehicles. Seeing Gao Qinghua’s micro-van turn off in a different direction through his rearview mirror, Kang Ning signaled at the next intersection and looped back toward the southern suburbs.

During the meal, Shuyi had appeared twice. Each time, her gaze toward Kang Ning was gentle and shy; she would glance at him, immediately look away, and then politely excuse herself. Recalling Luo Ming’s sigh and noticing the melancholy in Shuyi’s eyes, Kang Ning felt a stir in his heart. He wanted to help this beautiful girl achieve her dream of attending university.

Kang Ning parked his car on the roadside about thirty meters diagonally across from the farmhouse restaurant’s entrance. The business was just closing, and employees were emerging in twos and threes, pushing their bicycles. Shuyi was nowhere to be seen. After waiting for over ten minutes, he watched the rotund owner slowly shut the main gate. Thinking she might have left early, Kang Ning felt a pang of regret. He started the engine, drove fifty meters ahead to a wider section of the road to make a U-turn, and began a slow return to the city.

As he passed the bamboo fence in front of the courtyard, Kang Ning instinctively glanced inside. Under the dim streetlamp near a detached building some twenty meters back, he saw two men struggling with a woman who was fighting desperately. The woman’s silhouette looked exactly like Shuyi’s.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Kang Ning stopped the car and leaped out. He reached the bamboo fence in a few strides, gripped a sturdy post, and vaulted over the six-foot barrier. He strode toward the three figures near the small house. The two men, both around thirty, never expected anyone to break in. They released Shuyi and turned to face him, their eyes burning with rage and murderous intent.

Kang Ning glanced at Shuyi, who was huddled on the ground, weeping. Exhausted and terrified from her struggle, she had no strength left. Her white blouse was torn, leaving only the sleeves and a few strips of fabric that failed to conceal her slender yet full, fair frame. Even her bra had been trampled into the dirt.

Kang Ning was furious. The sharp, piercing glint in his eyes beneath his furrowed brows caused the two aggressive men to pause in caution. The shorter, stockier man squinted at him. "Buddy, this woman made a deal with us—two thousand for the night. If you’re smart, get lost. I’m in a good mood today and don’t want to make things hard for you."

Just then, the chubby owner in his forties scurried over, blocking the space between Kang Ning and the two men, clearly terrified of the situation escalating. "Gentlemen, please, show me some respect. Don’t start a fight here. I’ve always been dutiful to you two—anything you’ve asked for, I’ve provided. It hasn’t been easy!"

The owner then turned to Kang Ning, pushing him rudely. "Get out of here! Is this something you can handle? If you don’t leave, not only will you lose your life, but you’ll drag me down with you! Go, move!"

Kang Ning blocked the owner’s push with a light movement, rendering the man unable to budge him an inch. "Tell me, did you sell this girl, or are these two lying?"

Shuyi clutched her chest and ran behind Kang Ning, sobbing. "I never agreed to this! They wouldn’t let me leave, they forced me—"

The shorter man grew impatient. "You’ve got guts. Are you one of Ni San’s men?"

Kang Ning grew alert. "And what kind of deity are you?"

The shorter man sneered, "Hmph! Don't think that just because you held a fancy funeral for someone that you’re big shots. In my eyes, you’re worth less than dirt. I’ll tell you the truth: my young master is from the Pan family in Zigong. No one on this road has ever dared to slight us. Be smart, leave the girl, and get lost. Don't let me see your pretty face again."

The taller, more sinister man lost his patience. He glared coldly at Kang Ning and roared at his companion, "Xiao Jun, did you leave your balls at home?"

Seeing the situation, the owner backed away quickly, whispering to the taller man, "Master Pan, please have mercy! I’ve never neglected you in the year you’ve been coming here! I’ll find you a few other girls, okay? Master Pan..."

The shorter man finally pulled out a strange-looking dagger. He cast a look of contempt at the terrified owner, then lunged toward Kang Ning’s abdomen. Kang Ning was already prepared; he shifted his feet to dodge the blade, struck the man’s neck with his right hand, and gripped the man’s knife-wielding wrist with his left. With a full-body pivot, he performed a smooth 360-degree flip and landed gracefully. A series of bone-cracking pops echoed through the air as the man collapsed, clutching his shattered left arm and howling in agony.

Before the man surnamed Pan could even reach for the gun behind his back, Kang Ning slid toward him like a phantom and delivered a solid kick to the outside of his knee. A crisp snapping sound followed, and the man’s leg bent at a sickening ninety-degree angle. After a single wail, the thug collapsed and passed out from the pain.

The owner stared in shock. Two vicious thugs had been rendered powerless and beaten to the ground by this refined young man in the blink of an eye. Before he could even catch his breath, he witnessed something even more chilling.

Kang Ning walked to the thugs, who were writhing on the ground. He stepped on the shorter man’s head and delivered a swift, powerful palm strike to the back of his neck. The shrill screaming stopped abruptly. He repeated the motion on the unconscious Pan, then turned to the owner.

"I didn't want to show you mercy, but since you still have a shred of conscience, I’ll let you go today. Get up," Kang Ning said coldly.

The owner, shivering uncontrollably, hadn't even managed to stand straight when he felt as if his head had been hit by a truck. He lost consciousness, flew two meters back, and tumbled to the ground, motionless.

Kang Ning approached the terrified Shuyi. "Is there anyone else inside?"

Shuyi trembled for a moment before stuttering, "There... are two others..."

"Where?" Kang Ning asked softly.

Shuyi pointed with a shaking hand toward the house thirty meters away. "In there... two of the masters... they’re both drunk..."

Kang Ning thought for a moment, walked to the house, and peeked inside. He quickly returned, carefully picked up the bra and fabric strips from the ground, and tucked them into his pocket. After a quick scan to ensure he hadn't left anything on the concrete, he scooped Shuyi up in his arms and sprinted toward the main gate. He unlatched the heavy bolt with his foot, kicked the gate open, and rushed out. He placed Shuyi into the passenger seat, ran around to the driver’s side, and sped away.

Kang Ning stopped the car in the shade of a tree near the night market in the city center. He turned to Shuyi and smiled slightly. "Wait for me in the car for a moment. I’ll go buy you some clothes and be right back."

"Are those men... dead?" Shuyi asked, still trembling.

Kang Ning smiled faintly. "It’s not so easy to die, but they likely won't remember anything about tonight. Don't let your mind wander; just wait for me."

As Shuyi began to calm down, she stared blankly at Kang Ning’s tall, retreating figure as he entered a clothing store. She looked down at her nearly exposed upper body and hurriedly pulled the remaining strips of fabric over her chest. Her face flushed bright red. After a moment, she realized she had forgotten to cover herself during the entire drive—perhaps he had already seen everything.

At that thought, the young girl couldn't help but bury her head in her chest. Beyond the fear, an indescribable feeling surged within her. She could clearly hear her heart thumping, and her chest felt burning hot.