Chapter 25

The gang leader hadn't even reacted, puzzled as to why his strong, combative subordinates were powerless against that frail child. The moment the thought crossed his mind, the sound of thuds left him standing alone in front of the frail apprentice at the herbal shop.

There was no time to think further. With a roar, the gang leader charged at Jiang Junming. His moves were seasoned and ruthless, his face full of ferocity, far surpassing his subordinates.

But in Jiang Junming's eyes, many white highlights were shining on the gang leader's body, with a large Arabic numeral 25 on his shoulder. However, Jiang Junming did not choose this spot. Instead, he took a step back, dodging the gang leader's stabbing knife, and stepped on the gang leader's foot.

A tremendous force landed on the gang leader's ankle, pinning his right foot to the ground, immobile. His upper body continued to surge forward. In that instant, Jiang Junming sidestepped the gang leader, raised his right elbow, and struck the gang leader's lower back.

It was he who had threatened to break his legs.

It was he who had threatened to destroy the herbal shop.

Jiang Junming, enraged, did not follow the brain's instructions for a simple and direct combat method to knock out the gang leader. Instead, he struck the gang leader's right kidney area with his elbow. Although the target was not in his line of sight, Jiang Junming had adapted to the brain's markings and his own body's changes, making his movements simple and precise, hitting the vital spot.

"Ahhh~~~" A scream of agony drowned out all the surrounding noise. Even the gang leader wouldn't have expected to emit such a scream. Even if several knives were stabbed into him, he wouldn't lose all his willpower and scream. These gangsters relied on their ruthlessness to bully people on the streets and fight for territory. They had to grit their teeth and endure pain, not cry out. If they were easily beaten and screamed, they would never be able to stand their ground in the area.

But when Jiang Junming's elbow hit his lower back, the gang leader felt all his strength drained away. His back muscles twisted and spasmed as if numerous dull knives were simultaneously stabbing and twisting his back. This pain was something the gang leader had never experienced before, and it was beyond human endurance.

With a "thud," the gang leader fell to the ground, his body contorted into a strange angle, his limbs stiff, his head and lower body bent backward like a bow pulled in reverse. This bizarre and grotesque posture indicated the intense pain the gang leader was enduring, which was unbearable.

Jiang Junming wanted this effect. Striking the kidney area causes intense pain that can make a person lose consciousness. If the force is controlled, the person remains conscious but loses control of their limbs, contorting in pain. Even in his anger, Jiang Junming still controlled his strength, not causing irreversible harm to the gang leader, only making him feel the pain.

The intense pain and the feeling of impending death made the gang leader have a momentary hallucination. If he continued to tangle with this, he would surely die. Perhaps he was already dead, his mind blank.

Jiang Junming glared at the gang leader on the ground, feeling some of his anger vented.

At this moment, the city guards and the priests of the Care Church arrived.

Priest Raphael, upon hearing from the returning believer that Jiang Junming had been chosen to enter the Church Academy, felt the last trace of his vague worry disappear. He hurried to the herbal shop to meet Jiang Junming. As for the believer's animated description of how Jiang Junming had repeatedly amazed the crowd during the test, being favored by the goddess and having exceptional talent, and how the two bishops had almost come to blows over Jiang Junming, Raphael had no interest in hearing it.

That boy named Junming was a gift from the goddess, no doubt about it. Otherwise, who could refuse the invitations from the Church of Justice and the Church of Dawn, which would mean overseeing a temple?

Rushing over, Raphael saw from a distance that Jiang Junming seemed to be fighting someone. His heart leaped to his throat, almost jumping out of his chest. The boy named Junming was frail and weak. Even with exceptional talent, he could only sense divine power, which offered no help in a street fight. If a gifted young man were beaten to death by gangsters...

Priest Raphael dared not think further and, disregarding his still unhealed body, hurried over.

As long as he's not dead, as long as he's still breathing, I'll save him no matter what the cost! Raphael grumbled in his heart, blaming the young man for wasting his bright future by tangling with a few gangsters. A person favored by the goddess is like a porcelain vase compared to these street gangsters. To be so reckless and not cherish oneself...

When Priest Raphael approached, what he saw was completely different from what he had imagined. He stood there, stunned, looking at the injured and groaning gangsters scattered on the ground. Especially the gang leader Derrick, whom Raphael knew. The number of lives on his hands could not be counted on one hand. Always ruthless, how could gang leader Derrick be lying on the ground, contorted into a strange position, not just groaning but shouting and roaring in pain?

Could these people have been beaten by Junming? Raphael looked at the injured gangsters on the ground, his gaze finally landing on Jiang Junming standing among them.

Thank the goddess! Raphael attributed everything he couldn't understand to the goddess's favor. What else could explain what he saw? A frail twelve-year-old boy cleanly and neatly defeating over a dozen armed thugs—what else could he do but thank the goddess?

Moreover, Priest Raphael felt even more relieved. The Care Church was the weakest of the churches. It was a rare favor from the goddess to have a boy like Junming appear. If he were killed by street gangsters, the loss would be too great for the Care Church to bear. Shaking his head, even with Jiang Junming standing right in front of him, Raphael didn't dare or want to think further.

The city guard officer arrived shortly after, looking at the gangsters rolling on the ground in pain, surveying the surroundings. The city guard officer didn't believe that a frail young boy could have beaten all these gangsters. It must have been someone else who did it. But no matter how he searched, he couldn't find anyone in the crowd who looked capable of defeating so many gangsters.

"This matter must be thoroughly investigated! We must find the mastermind!" Priest Raphael said angrily, seeing the city guards take their time.

－*****

There's one more update. Xiao Long requests your collection, recommendation, and support. Thank you to "超喜欢台风, jonesw" for your support. Thank you so much.

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