Chapter 45: Hello, Who Are You!
Zhang Shaowen also looked toward the entrance, scrambling to his feet to call out to the newcomer. "Brother Long! Over here!"
Lei Long spotted him and immediately strode over with his men, radiating a murderous aura.
Someone in the restaurant recognized him and gasped, "My God, isn't that Lei Long from Qingyu Hall? What's a man like him doing here?"
"It's over. The young man who started this is going to be chopped up and fed to the fish. He must have a death wish, offending Lei Long."
"What a pity. Kids these days are so reckless. He picked a fight with the wrong person and doesn't even know it."
The crowd buzzed, looking at Zhao Dong with pity. Zhao Dong, however, remained seated calmly, his expression unchanged.
Why isn't he scared? Ding Lan was deeply surprised.
Soon, Lei Long arrived. Zhang Shaowen scurried to his side, bowing and scraping. "Brother Long! It was that bastard who hit me! You have to stand up for me today!"
Lei Long smirked, flashing a set of yellow teeth. "Standing up for you is easy, but…"
Zhang Shaowen understood immediately and whispered, "Don't worry, Brother Long. If you cripple this bastard today, I'll give you one million!"
Lei Long gave him an odd look. "One million to cripple him?"
"That's right, cripple him!" Zhang Shaowen glared sinisterly at Zhao Dong. "I want one of his legs."
"I didn't realize you were so vicious, kid," Lei Long muttered. "But consider it done."
Lei Long chuckled and waved his hand. His men instantly surrounded Zhao Dong, waiting for the order to cripple him. Yet, Zhao Dong remained unfazed, even taking a sip of water.
Beside him, Ding Lan was already pale with fear. She glanced from Zhang Shaowen to Lei Long, her expression fraught with helplessness. She wanted to help, but her words meant nothing to these men. Lei Long was a figure she couldn't afford to offend either.
"Kid, it's just your unlucky day," Lei Long said, looking at Zhao Dong menacingly. "You dared to lay a hand on Boss Zhang, so today we're taking one of your legs. Any objections?"
Zhao Dong, with his legs still crossed, looked Lei Long up and down with utter disdain. "You want my leg? Are you even worthy?"
"Zhao Dong, open your damn eyes and look! This is Brother Long! Are you trying to get yourself killed, talking to him like that?" Zhang Shaowen snarled venomously from the side.
Zhao Dong's eyes turned cold. The water glass in his hand suddenly flew out and smashed directly into Zhang Shaowen's head. The glass shattered on impact, and shards sliced open Zhang Shaowen's scalp, leaving it a bloody mess.
"AHHH!" Zhang Shaowen screamed, clutching his face as he flew into a rage. "Brother Long, cripple that bastard! Cripple him!"
His own face darkening with humiliation, Lei Long roared, "Brothers, get him! Cripple him!"
Instantly, a group of his men charged at Zhao Dong, fists raised.
Zhao Dong merely smirked, not even bothering to stand. As the first man threw a punch, Zhao Dong lashed out with a vicious kick that sent him flying. Another fist whistled toward his face, but Zhao Dong caught the man's wrist in a vise-like grip and squeezed.
CRACK! CRACK!
The sound of shattering bone echoed through the room as the man's wrist was crushed to pulp. A heart-wrenching scream tore through the restaurant. Zhao Dong kicked the man away and casually dusted off his hands as he finally rose to his feet.
A strange smile touched his lips as he made his move.
With a single step, he closed five meters in an instant, appearing before two more thugs. He punched out with both fists simultaneously. The two men were sent flying backward, their bodies doubling over like shrimp. From behind, another thug swung a steel pipe at his head. Zhao Dong countered with a spinning back kick that connected squarely with the man's face. A spray of blood and broken teeth erupted from the man's mouth. His nose and jawbone shattered from the impact, and he collapsed to the floor, motionless.
The remaining thugs froze, stunned into a stupor by his skill.
Zhao Dong snorted, a cold light flashing in his eyes. He darted forward again, appearing before two more men. His hands shot out, grabbing each by the shoulder blade, and he squeezed. With two sickening crunches, their bones were pulverized. A knee strike sent them flying backward, and they crashed through five or six tables.
The restaurant erupted into utter chaos. In just a few moments, Zhao Dong had dispatched seven or eight men.
Everyone in the restaurant was shocked by his abilities.
"This kid has some real skills! Is he a martial artist?"
"Didn't you hear? Someone said he was special forces! No wonder he's so incredible!"
Everyone, who had been holding their breath for Zhao Dong, was now simply stunned by his prowess. One young woman, in particular, was looking at him with an entirely new light.
Zhao Dong was already tall and handsome, with the sharp, resolute features of a soldier. Now, watching him single-handedly take down a group of thugs, several of the women in the restaurant found their eyes sparkling with admiration.
Ding Lan was just as stunned. Her expression flickered through a range of emotions as a strange new feeling blossomed in her heart. After all these years, Zhao Dong seems so much more masculine… so much more handsome… It was only now that she truly realized what a good-looking man he was.
Zhao Dong stepped on a steel pipe on the floor, kicking it up into his hand. He pointed it at the last two thugs. "Either scram or I beat you up. Your choice."
The steel rods in their hands clattered to the floor. Without another word, they turned and fled the restaurant in a terrified scramble.
Only Lei Long remained. His face was a deathly white. He stared at Zhao Dong, his eyes filled with terror. Dammit, how did I just randomly run into an expert of this caliber? He wasn't a fool. He could clearly see how extraordinary Zhao Dong's skills were.
As Zhao Dong's gaze fell on him, Lei Long swallowed hard and stammered, "You… you stay away from me!"
Zhao Dong advanced step by step, the steel pipe held loosely in his hand. Lei Long retreated until his back hit the wall. His legs gave out from under him, and he collapsed to the floor. "Stay away!" he yelled, trying to sound fierce but failing miserably. "I'm Lei Long! I'm from Qingyu Hall! If you touch me, you're dead!"
In a blur of motion, Zhao Dong was in front of him. He swung the pipe, and it struck Lei Long's shoulder with a sickening thud. A deep, bloody gash opened up on his shoulder. Lei Long screamed, clutching the wound as he crumpled to the ground, nearly passing out from the pain.
Zhao Dong's face remained placid. "You thought I wouldn't dare touch you?"
"You…"
Before Lei Long could finish, Zhao Dong's pipe struck him again. Lei Long gritted his teeth as blood splattered. The onlookers were shocked. No one had expected the mild-mannered Zhao Dong to be so ruthless. The pain was too much. Lei Long's vision went black, and he fainted.
Zhao Dong frowned, ignored the unconscious Lei Long, and turned to Zhang Shaowen.
Terrified, Zhang Shaowen's legs went weak, and he immediately tried to bolt. As he turned to run, Zhao Dong hurled the steel pipe. It struck the back of his knees, and he collapsed, forced to the ground.
"Running?" Zhao Dong asked as he walked over. "Did I say you could run?"
Zhang Shaowen was deathly pale, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. He was on the verge of tears. "Zhao Dong, you… don't be rash! It was all a misunderstanding… a misunderstanding!"
"Misunderstanding my ass!"
Zhao Dong sent him rolling with a powerful kick. Zhang Shaowen landed face-first on the floor. Zhao Dong stepped on the back of his neck, grinding his face into the dirty ground.
The pain was unbearable. Zhang Shaowen's voice trembled. "Zhao Dong, please, let me go! I was wrong, I really was! I shouldn't have cursed you, I shouldn't have humiliated you…"
"Let you go? You think you're that lucky?" Zhao Dong sneered, moving his foot to pin Zhang Shaowen's arm to the floor.
A sense of dread washed over Zhang Shaowen. Ding Lan's eyes widened, and she cried out, "Zhao Dong, calm down! Don't do anything reckless!"
Zhao Dong looked at her, a cold, grim smile on his face. "Feeling sorry for him?"
Ding Lan's voice trembled. "Zhao Dong, you can't afford to offend the Zhang Family! Let him go now! I'm saying this for your own good."
"For my good? Or can't you stand to see your boyfriend get hurt? You hypocrite!"
Ding Lan staggered, her face turning as white as a sheet. "Zhao Dong, you…"
She bit her lip so hard it almost bled. Her eyes turned red as a sharp pain pierced her heart. Finally, she let out a self-deprecating laugh. "Fine. You want to hear it? I'll say it. I'm afraid of my boyfriend getting hurt! Now let Zhang Shaowen go!"
"No," Zhao Dong said flatly.
As the word left his lips, he stomped down on Zhang Shaowen's arm. With a sickening CRACK, the bone snapped.
Zhang Shaowen let out one last scream before the pain dragged him into unconsciousness.
Ding Lan swayed, nearly fainting. It's over… It's really over now! Zhao Dong and the Zhang Family are now enemies to the death!
After kicking Zhang Shaowen aside, Zhao Dong had no intention of sparing Lei Long either. But just as he turned, the restaurant doors were kicked open.
A group of uniformed inspectors rushed in, surrounding the entire establishment. A woman with a cold expression, wearing smart leather shoes, walked in at the center of the group. She was tall, with a refined, almost otherworldly air. Her features were striking, making her exceptionally beautiful.
She walked in, her gaze landing directly on Zhao Dong. She smiled coldly. "So you really are here. Men, take him away!"
Zhao Dong was stunned. "Hey, who are you?"