Chapter 16 of 100

Chapter 16

15 min read3,728 words

"Whoosh—"

Helian Lie’s imposing momentum was like that of an ultra-high-speed crystal track train. Even before he arrived, the fierce wind that made one’s eyes water had already struck Li Yao’s face.

Li Yao’s eyeballs felt as if they were being pricked by needles, a chill ran from his coccyx straight to his heart, and it seemed as if a "switch" deep in his brain had suddenly been flipped. The heightened senses he had experienced upon waking from his dream returned.

In that 0.1 second, he saw with perfect clarity the three stunned young men not far away, the leaves and flowers on every plant in the small garden, smelled the fragrances of dozens of dishes being cooked in the kitchen, and even saw a mosquito flying lazily about seven or eight meters away.

At the same time, he also saw a black sea cucumber lying on the ground between him and Helian Lie, which he had accidentally dropped.

A flood of numbers exploded in the depths of his brain, combining into a series of wondrous formulas, condensing into countless pieces of information about moments, lever arms, directions of force, and trajectories of motion.

After that 0.1 second, Li Yao blinked. His mind had yet to react, but his body had already moved, instinctively taking a small step to the left.

With this step, Helian Lie immediately followed up, his figure swaying slightly, shifting his attack path by 0.1 meters. Thus, when his right leg landed, it hit the slippery sea cucumber, causing him to lose his balance!

If he had been facing another opponent, Helian Lie would not have been so careless. But in his eyes, Li Yao was just an insignificant piece of trash. In his rage, he had no guard up and slid right out.

Li Yao slightly turned his body, and Helian Lie slid past him by a hair’s breadth. Li Yao could even see the utterly shocked expression on Helian Lie’s face and the eyes that seemed about to pop out. After sliding three meters, Helian Lie collided with a large dining table laden with food, and with a "clatter," several large bowls of food came crashing down.

The thick, rich sea cucumber, the intensely flavored scallops, the incredibly fresh pearl fish balls... not a bit was wasted, all landing on Helian Lie’s hair, face, shoulders, and his expensive, handcrafted luxurious clothing. It looked as if Helian Lie had just taken a bath in a slop bucket.

Silence, terrifying silence, silence like a graveyard!

Helian Lie was speechless, every nerve on his face frozen, twisted into a bizarre expression of confusion, shame, anger, and madness.

Li Yao blinked, watching a sea cucumber slowly, reluctantly, and hesitantly slide down from Helian Lie’s chiseled "sword eyebrows and star eyes."

"This, this is too much fun! Where did this kid come from? This is too outrageous!" Not far away, Zheng Dongming convulsed violently, his fat face turning purplish-red from the uncontrollable laughter.

He grabbed the two young men and subtly moved a few steps back before he couldn’t help but laugh. "I never thought watching a man eat would be more interesting than watching a woman undress. Do you think this is a special entertainment program Helian arranged for my birthday?"

One of the young men hesitated. "I don’t think so. I remember Helian seems to have some obsessive-compulsive disorder. Young Master Zheng, look at Helian’s expression; it’s as if he’s about to cry. Should we go help him?"

"Of course not. Such a spectacular show is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we must enjoy it to the fullest!" Young Master Zheng said unrighteously, pausing for a moment before adding with a smile, "But I think this kid has some character. Xiao Luo, quickly send a message to your family’s private hospital to send the most advanced emergency shuttle—Helian looks like he’s about to explode!"

Sure enough, Helian Lie recovered from his initial shock, like a dormant volcano awakening, with scorching lava about to burst forth. The intense aura surrounding him was almost tangible, raising the temperature within a half-meter radius by several degrees!

"Crack, crack," his bones made a series of popping sounds, sending shivers down one’s spine.

Li Yao’s brain worked at full speed, with countless fragments of memory spinning wildly in the depths of his mind, each reflecting a scene of intense combat.

On the surface, he seemed completely intimidated by Helian Lie’s overwhelming aura, standing there like a wooden chicken.

But beneath the surface, every muscle fiber slowly tightened, like a spring compressed to its limit, gathering immense energy.

His hands were loosely clenched, hanging naturally at his sides, as if holding two massive hammers, swaying slightly, ready to strike.

Just as the air was about to tear, at the critical moment—

A chubby hand suddenly rested on Helian Lie’s left shoulder. A middle-aged man weighing over 200 pounds, dressed in a manager’s uniform, appeared silently behind him, smiling. "Young Master Helian, you’re drunk."

Helian Lie’s pupils contracted sharply, and his tangible hostility turned 180 degrees, openly directed at the fat man.

This large, fat manager didn’t seem to have practiced any martial arts, but he faced Helian Lie’s hostility as if it were a gentle breeze, completely unfazed.

He said slowly, "Any guest who comes to Yinhu Xiaojing to dine is our bread and butter, and will receive top-notch service. This is the principle we have upheld for decades, and who in the ‘Upper East Side’ doesn’t know? If Young Master Helian weren’t drunk, how could you attack my bread and butter right in front of me?"

"Are you threatening me?" Helian Lie said, his voice icy.

The fat manager smiled, his face jiggling with the movement, looking somewhat sly. "I wouldn’t dare threaten Young Master Helian, even if I had the heart of a bear and the courage of a leopard. I’m just reminding you that at the third corridor behind Young Master Helian, at table number 22, there’s a reporter from the ‘Fuguo City Entertainment Daily.’"

"There’s a reporter?" Helian Lie’s face turned very ugly. He looked down at his disheveled state. If this appearance were captured by a tabloid reporter, within half an hour, he would certainly become the "most famous" wealthy heir in Fuguo City, and this kind of "fame" was definitely not what he wanted.

He glared at Li Yao with intense hatred, gritted his teeth, and without a word, turned and fled from Yinhu Xiaojing.

The fat manager then turned around and quietly examined Li Yao.

Li Yao’s calm demeanor, which was completely at odds with his appearance, surprised the fat manager. After a moment of hesitation, the fat manager sincerely apologized, "Sir, I’m truly sorry. Due to our negligence, you were harassed while dining at Yinhu Xiaojing. To make up for your loss, today’s meal is on the house. We hope this little incident doesn’t affect your impression of Yinhu Xiaojing, and we welcome your continued support."

A restaurant that has stood in the ‘Upper East Side’ for decades has its own deep roots and grand vision. The operators do not show the slightest slackness due to a guest’s attire or status, adhering to the highest service standards, which is how they have built a reputation that cannot be bought with a thousand pieces of gold.

Li Yao was taken aback and was about to nod when a wave of alcohol fragrance hit him. A slick-haired, cat-eyed young man with a smile appeared before him.

"Classmate, my name is Zheng Dongming. You can call me Young Master Zheng or Big Dong, but don’t call me Little Ming. I saw everything that happened just now, and I think you are one in a million, a dragon among men, the best of the best. How about we become friends?"

Under Li Yao’s somewhat wary gaze, Zheng Dongming extended his hand, lightly holding a business card adorned with elaborate spirit patterns. "Don’t be nervous. I have no other intentions. I just want to introduce you to a very professional insurance salesman. I suggest you take out all your savings and immediately buy the highest amount of personal accident insurance, because—"

Pausing for a moment, Young Master Zheng’s face took on a very eerie smile, and he said in a sinister tone, "Trust me, you’ll need it tomorrow."

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