NOVEL NEXT Chapter 11: Chapter 11
"Hey little girl, come with us and have some fun, heh heh," a large man, seemingly the leader, leered arrogantly and pointed toward the unfinished building next to the school.
"No matter what you say, I won't go with you." Karen crossed her arms, her stance defiant as she prepared to push forward.
However, a few troublemakers blocked her path, their hands roaming as they took advantage of the situation.
A short man with a scruffy haircut stepped forward, his demeanor menacing. "Little girl, you'd better be obedient, or we'll leave some marks on your face."
With that, he pulled out a butterfly knife from his bag and waved it menacingly.
Karen, terrified, quickly stepped back.
Lip, upon seeing that Karen was the one being cornered, immediately sprang into action. With quick strides, he dashed toward the scene, pushing past two of the goons and grabbing the knife-wielder's wrist.
"Tom, what are you doing?" Lip's voice was steady and calm as he met the little man's gaze directly.
With a swift motion, Lip applied pressure, causing the butterfly knife to clatter to the ground.
"Tom, besides tutoring you in schoolwork, I can also teach you how to properly handle knives. As long as the tuition's paid, I guarantee you'll learn something!" Lip said with a teasing grin.
He picked up the knife with his right hand, performed a few flawless flourishes, then snapped it shut and tucked it into his hip bag.
Turning to Karen, Lip offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I've got this."
Karen, feeling the tension lift, cautiously hid behind Lip, gripping the corner of his shirt.
"Li... Lip?" Tom winced in pain, withdrawing his arm as his eyes widened in recognition. A wave of fear washed over him.
"Tom, if you still want to pass your midterms, you'd better take your crew and get out of here." Lip's voice remained cool and composed.
"Shut up, brat!" the large man, who had been watching, shouted angrily, his voice booming. "Tom is my little brother's little brother! Do you think I'll listen to you?!" His posture was as if he were preparing to start a song or dance performance.
"And what's your relationship with Karen, huh?" he sneered. "Who the hell are you?"
"Boy, I'm Pete, the top dog of grade 10! And who the hell are you, huh?" The large man's grin was cruel, and he pointed at Lip, his eyes narrowing in hostility.
"Top dog? Your nickname's unique, but I've never heard of you," Lip responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "As for Karen—she's my girlfriend. You'd better apologize to her right now, or—"
"Hahaha!" Pete burst into laughter, as if Lip had just told the funniest joke. His lackeys followed suit, laughing until they were nearly rolling on the ground.
Lip turned to Karen, raising an eyebrow. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No!" Karen replied firmly.
"Then why are they laughing?" Lip asked, gesturing to the others.
Pete's face twisted in rage. "Boy, people apologize to me, not the other way around!"
The situation grew tense as Pete glared at Lip, a wicked smile creeping up his face. "You haven't even heard of me, huh? Well, I'll make sure you remember me after today!"
Pete raised his hand, signaling his goons to surround Lip and Karen. One of them even pulled out a switchblade from his pants, flicking it open with a satisfying "snick."
"You've got one last chance. Kneel down, call me grandpa, and get out of here. Otherwise..." the thug growled, his knife gleaming in the sunlight.
"Nigga, you talk too much!" Lip's words were sharp and cutting, his patience running thin.
"Kill him!" Pete screamed, his voice full of fury.
Lip was ready to leap into action, but he knew that rushing in might leave Karen vulnerable. He decided to block her from harm, preparing for a defensive counterattack.
Suddenly, a tall man with a brown afro lunged at him from the left, aiming a powerful kick.
Lip dodged it effortlessly, his expression calm and confident. He glanced at Karen and gave her a reassuring smile.
Karen, still trembling, felt a sense of relief wash over her, bolstered by Lip's steady presence.
But Pete and his crew weren't as calm. Watching Lip's calm reaction to the attack only fueled Pete's rage.
"Is he some kind of martial arts expert?" Pete muttered under his breath, trying to make sense of the situation.
One of the goons, still furious, made another move. "You think you can dodge me? Now let's see how you handle this!"
The afro-wearing thug advanced again, swinging a vicious whip kick at Lip.
Lip, judging his opponent's strength but slow speed, stepped back to avoid the kick. In a swift motion, he closed the distance and launched his own counterattack, delivering a fast and powerful whip kick.
Before the thug could react, Lip's foot connected with his head, sending the man flying back several meters to the ground.
The thug groaned in pain, clutching his abdomen, unable to move.
Lip wiped his nose with a thumb and looked around. "What are you all looking at? Don't tell me you've never seen a fight before."
Pete, now trembling with rage, ordered his men to attack.
One of Pete's lackeys, Cun Tou, who had been holding a switchblade, lunged at Lip from the right. With lightning reflexes, Lip delivered a swift kick to Cun Tou's wrist.
There was a sharp "crack" sound, and Cun Tou's wrist bent at an unnatural angle. He screamed in agony and collapsed to the ground, clutching his broken arm.
"Bruce Lee!" someone from the crowd whispered, wide-eyed. "He's the descendant of Bruce Lee!"
Before Pete and his remaining goons could regroup, Lip shouted, "Ah, hit!" and launched into a rapid series of strikes, knocking each of them to the ground in quick succession.
Turning his attention back to Pete, who was still trying to rise, Lip grinned.
"My idol, Brother Xiaolong, could punch nine times and kick six times in a second. I can only manage three punches and two kicks, but that's enough for you."
He looked at Pete with disdain. "I'm targeting your acupuncture points. If you get up, you'll be in for a real mess."
Karen's eyes sparkled with admiration as she watched Lip effortlessly take down Pete and his gang. She rushed into his arms, overwhelmed with love and gratitude.
"You're amazing, Lip!" Karen exclaimed, her voice full of affection as she kissed him.
Lip kissed her back, proud to show his affection in front of everyone.
Pete and his lackeys were left in shock, their faces a mix of fear and awe as they looked at Lip, who seemed almost godlike in their eyes.
Lip felt a sense of triumph, both physical and emotional. He had protected Karen, and in doing so, he had gained a sense of heroism and satisfaction.
But as the adrenaline began to fade, Lip's mind shifted. He had a plan. He was going to use this victory to his advantage, making a profit from these thugs as a stepping stone for his future business ventures.