Chapter 3: Escape Cardio
“Jie Tong, y-you—” Yu Han stuttered as the other boy sprung forward, holding the blade at waist level and stabbing upwards.
The blade rose with a silver flash. Before it could pierce Yu Han’s jaw, he leapt back by sheer instinct. His fat body should not have had such agility, and Yu Han barely kept his balance as the sand shifted.
Jie Tong stabbed again from above. This time it hit, cutting into Yu Han’s nose. Yu Han screamed, shoving Jie Tong away like a sumo-wrestler.
The dagger left a gash, and blood trickled down to his lips. A metallic taste filled his mouth, but there was no pain.
The push sent Jie Tong stumbling back. He tutted.
“Didn’t know you were this strong,” he said.
“Why?” Yu Han asked. “We took you in. We gave you a life!”
Jie Tong spat out the herbs he had been chewing. He tossed the dagger up, then snatched it from mid-air.
“You didn’t know I was from the Bloody Grass Gang, did you?” Jie Tong smiled. It looked exceptional on his handsome face. “We have a deal with the head chef, you see.”