Chapter 4

The next day,

night fell.

Fang Linyan, somewhat restless, sat in the internet cafe.

The environment in the internet cafe was terrible, with people smoking and shouting everywhere, creating a chaotic atmosphere that made Fang Linyan very uncomfortable. However, this was the only internet cafe in Nidou Town, so it was still very busy.

Why was Fang Linyan in the internet cafe in Nidou Town?

It was because this was the closest town to Huichuan No. 5 Dock. The text message clearly stated that at 12:17 AM on the 13th, he must be at Huichuan No. 5 Dock, neither early nor late.

Fang Linyan, considering his weak physical condition, which prevented him from running or engaging in intense exercise, carefully examined and calculated his route. He left at 11:30 PM on the 12th and rode an electric scooter to Huichuan No. 5 Dock. This way, he could arrive on the road outside Huichuan No. 5 Dock around 12:10 AM.

This location was only 400 to 500 meters from Huichuan No. 5 Dock, and waiting here for about five minutes would ensure he arrived exactly at 12:17 AM.

As for the electric scooter, Fang Linyan had brought it himself. Before coming, he had specially inspected and maintained the second-hand electric scooter and charged it fully upon arriving in Nidou Town to ensure there would be no mechanical issues.

The electric scooter was parked in a well-lit area outside the internet cafe and was locked with a chain by the manager to prevent theft.

Thus, from start to finish, Fang Linyan had thought everything through meticulously, almost eliminating all possible risks. Now, everything was ready, and he just needed the final push.

Time passed slowly, and Fang Linyan absentmindedly browsed the web pages in front of him, his thoughts drifting to the upcoming event.

What would happen at Huichuan No. 5 Dock? Why did the mysterious text message insist he neither arrive early nor late? How would his fate be reversed?

Because Fang Linyan was constantly lost in thought, he ignored the cold gazes of a few non-mainstream teenagers sitting on the sofa, who clearly looked like delinquents.

Suddenly, Fang Linyan felt his phone vibrate. He snapped out of his daze, picked up his phone, and saw that it was the alarm he had set, indicating it was already 11:30 PM.

At this moment, Fang Linyan suddenly felt his throat dry. He took two deep breaths and, following his plan, took some pain-relief and cough-suppressing medication to prevent any sudden illness. Then, he drank a can of Red Bull to ensure he had enough energy.

Fang Linyan closed his eyes, cleared his mind for ten seconds, took a deep breath, and stood up to pay at the counter.

As he stood up to pay, the few delinquents sitting on the sofa exchanged glances and stepped into the darkness.

Next, Fang Linyan left the internet cafe, unlocked his scooter, and prepared to turn onto the main road. However, he saw several rocks blocking the road ahead. The road was already bumpy, and with the rocks, he couldn't ride through.

Fang Linyan, in a hurry, didn't have time to think and quickly stopped to move the rocks.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he left the scooter, a teenager suddenly darted out from a nearby corner and pushed the scooter. Then, two more non-mainstream teenagers emerged from the darkness, one holding a switchblade and the other a half-brick, both advancing towards Fang Linyan.

The teenager with the switchblade, his face full of hostility, pointed the knife at Fang Linyan and said,

"Damn it, what are you looking at? Hand over all your money, and your phone too."

Fang Linyan felt a chill run through his body. Having lived at the bottom of society, he knew these small-time hooligans were the most troublesome, simple-minded, and quick to anger, with no sense of restraint! If it were any other time, he would have backed down immediately, but then taken his revenge later.

But how could Fang Linyan back down now? How could he dare to?

To him, the money and phone were secondary. The area was remote, and it was late at night, so he couldn't even call a taxi. The electric scooter was his only means of transportation to ensure he arrived at Huichuan No. 5 Dock on time, representing his only hope for survival!

Therefore, Fang Linyan made a decision. He showed a look of fear and panic, hurriedly taking out his money and phone. The teenager with the knife, seeing the red bills, immediately became excited and reached out to grab them.

At this moment, Fang Linyan let go of the money, and the bills fell.

The teenager naturally bent down to pick them up.

Fang Linyan kneed him in the face! He could clearly feel the sound of the other's nasal bone deforming and breaking under the impact!

The teenager with the knife let out a muffled cry of pain, clutching his face and rolling on the ground. At that moment, he could only think of one thing: the pain, the excruciating pain!

After landing his blow, Fang Linyan quickly picked up the switchblade and chased after the teenager who had pushed the scooter.

Seeing Fang Linyan approaching with a knife, and with "Big Brother" rolling on the ground in pain, the teenager panicked, shouted, and ran away, abandoning the scooter. Fang Linyan, seeing his scooter was unharmed, felt a sense of relief.

However, as the saying goes, overconfidence leads to downfall. Just as Fang Linyan relaxed, he suddenly felt a movement from his side. He quickly turned around, but before he could fully turn, he saw the delinquent with the brick raise it and throw it at him...

"F**k..." Fang Linyan managed to think this much before everything went black.

***

"Hey, hey?"

The voice seemed to come from far away, yet it felt close. Fang Linyan struggled to open his eyes, feeling a severe headache, a buzzing in his ears, and a bitter taste in his mouth.

After opening his eyes, Fang Linyan swallowed a mouthful of saliva with a metallic taste, then saw the light flickering before him. He struggled to raise his head to shield his eyes, and his vision gradually cleared, revealing a familiar face. Oh, right, this guy was the internet cafe manager.

"Are you okay? After someone paid and left, they suddenly returned and said you were lying outside. Do you need an ambulance?"

The manager looked anxious, as the incident had happened right outside the internet cafe. He was just an employee and couldn't bear the responsibility.

Fang Linyan was about to speak when a wave of indescribable fear surged through him. He suddenly propped himself up, staggered, but quickly steadied himself by holding onto the wall. He asked urgently,

"What time is it now?"

The manager looked at his phone and said in surprise,

"12:15 AM, what's wrong?"