Chapter 0044: What Is There to Fear, No Matter How Many People Come

Night fell, the moonless night was accompanied by a chilling wind. In the southern district of Jinghai City stood the Moonlit Paradise KTV, a colossal entertainment complex. Its first two floors, sprawling over more than two thousand square meters, housed countless private rooms, while the third floor was a casino, bustling with people and adorned by young women weaving through the crowd.

It was, without question, the largest KTV in Jinghai City, with daily takings reaching several million. The man behind it all was Master Long of the Longteng Group.

Zhang Xiaofan had received word that tonight, the very Master Long who wanted him dead had arrived at Moonlit Paradise.

As he reached the entrance, a handsome attendant who looked to be about the same age as Zhang Xiaofan guided him inside. On either side, seven or eight beautiful women bowed and greeted him, dressed in low-cut black camisoles, their pale skin almost translucent, leaving little to the imagination.

“Sir, welcome to Moonlit Paradise. May I ask if you've reserved a private room with any of our ladies?”

Soon, a woman who appeared to be a supervisor approached. She wore a bright red cheongsam, revealing her long legs and graceful figure. Her makeup was subtle; she looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight and was known as Sister Hong.

“No,” Zhang Xiaofan replied, his gaze sweeping brazenly over her. There was something uniquely alluring about her.

Instead of taking offense, she sashayed closer and hooked her arm through his. “Are you here alone, handsome? Looking to sing? Would you like me to arrange a lady for you?” As she spoke, she pressed her soft, full figure against his arm, smiling sweetly.

“All right…” Zhang Xiaofan nodded instinctively.

“Very well, follow me,” the cheongsam-clad woman laughed lightly, leading him in.

Zhang Xiaofan withdrew his arm, then wrapped it around her waist, giving her shapely bottom a playful squeeze. It was smooth, soft, and resilient.

Rather than getting angry, she threw him a flirtatious glance. “You’re naughty, aren’t you, handsome…” Her voice was low and sultry. “Let our girls take good care of you later.”

“Oh… okay.” Zhang Xiaofan nodded, but then recalled he wasn’t here to sing or pick up women.

“Actually… I’m not here to sing,” Zhang Xiaofan said.

“Then what brings you here, sir? Want to try your luck at a few games?” She was clearly referring to the casino.

“Not that either,” Zhang Xiaofan replied.

“Then what are you here for?” Her tone shifted, suspicion creeping in. She thought, could he be here to stir up trouble?

“I’m here to see your boss, Master Long.”

She scoffed, her voice turning cold, “Our boss isn’t someone just anyone can meet.”

“But I insist on seeing him,” Zhang Xiaofan’s voice grew cold as well.

“So you’re here to cause trouble, are you?” Her expression changed, anger flickering in her eyes.

She immediately shouted, “Security, Area A, we’ve got a troublemaker!”

A Bluetooth earpiece was tucked in her ear, and as her voice fell, several burly men rushed over within twenty seconds, their faces twisted with aggression.

“Throw him out! And break his filthy hands for daring to touch me!” she said fiercely.

Two muscular men in sunglasses lunged at Zhang Xiaofan.

“Why must you force my hand? Wouldn’t it be simpler to just take me upstairs? Spare yourselves the pain…” Zhang Xiaofan didn’t bother to dodge. With a calm voice, he threw a punch straight at the man to his left.

Clearly, they now believed this young man was here to make trouble.

“You’re courting death!” the burly man growled, surprised that Zhang Xiaofan dared fight back. Everyone who came to Moonlit Paradise knew it was Master Long’s turf. To cause trouble here was madness.

He was curious to see what kind of drugs this frail-looking youth was on, daring to throw punches at him—a man trained by professional combat coaches.

But as their fists met, there was a sharp crack. Zhang Xiaofan’s punch dislocated the man’s arm bone.

Simultaneously, the second man’s fist came at him from the right. Zhang Xiaofan grabbed the first man’s head and slammed it into the incoming fist.

With a loud sound, blood splattered; the man’s nose was likely shattered.

At that moment, Zhang Xiaofan stepped forward and delivered a kick. The second man, caught off guard, was sent airborne before collapsing to his knees.

Such immense power, such explosive force—what level of strength was needed for such results?

The cheongsam woman and the other security guards were stunned. Was this frail youth really such a formidable fighter?

“You’d best stay put, or I’ll start killing…” Zhang Xiaofan said coldly. Indeed, if these guards didn’t know their place, he wouldn’t bother holding back. Against them, it would be one punch for each.

“Who are you?” the cheongsam woman demanded.

“You don’t need to know. Call your boss, Master Long. Otherwise, I’ll go up myself,” Zhang Xiaofan replied calmly, his words carrying weight.

He hardly regarded the security force of a KTV, or he wouldn’t have come alone.

“Arrogant!” the cheongsam woman spat, coldly, then fiddled with her earpiece, clearly switching channels.

“Brother Dao, come over, someone’s making trouble.”

Zhang Xiaofan’s expression chilled; it looked like they didn’t take his words seriously.

“Kid, this isn’t a place for you to act wild. We were just going to throw you out, but now we won’t let you off. Those who cause trouble here lose either their hands or their legs. Pray for yourself,” the cheongsam woman said coldly.

“Is that so…? Then how about I cripple you first?” Zhang Xiaofan sneered. He wouldn’t show mercy just because she was a woman. If she was so vicious, he could be even more ruthless.

His eyes were icy. For the first time, the cheongsam woman felt fear as she met Zhang Xiaofan’s gaze. She’d worked here for years, seen all sorts of troublemakers and tough guys, but had never encountered such a chilling look.

She stepped back, tense, watching Zhang Xiaofan. “Don’t come any closer.”

Crack—

Zhang Xiaofan was already before her, grabbing her arm, then pulling and twisting—breaking it cleanly.

The cheongsam woman dropped to the floor, crying out in pain.

Truthfully, Zhang Xiaofan had held back. Otherwise, it would have been far worse than a simple bone break… After all, he’d just groped her earlier.

“How dare you cause trouble here!” At that moment, a fierce shout rang out, accompanied by the sound of a blade slicing through the air, aimed directly at Zhang Xiaofan’s forehead—a deadly strike.

It was a good attempt, but reality was harsh.

Zhang Xiaofan didn’t move his body. He simply brought his two fingers together and caught the flying knife with supernatural precision as it reached him.

Without pause, he flicked it back. It moved like lightning, so fast that the man who’d thrown it was still stunned that his blade had been caught bare-handed.

His own knife grew larger in his vision; his expression changed drastically. He raised his arms to block, unable to move his body.

Thud—

The knife stabbed into his arm, burying itself so deeply the blade protruded from the other side. The force behind Zhang Xiaofan’s throw was immense.

“On Nobody Street, I spared your life. Looks like that was a mistake,” Zhang Xiaofan stepped forward, speaking coldly. The man was none other than Master Long’s executioner, known as Little Knife. Zhang Xiaofan had spared him once before on Nobody Street.

“It’s you! You actually came!” Little Knife endured the pain, nervously watching Zhang Xiaofan. He had opposed Master Long’s plan to kill Zhang Xiaofan, because on Nobody Street he’d sensed Zhang Xiaofan’s terrifying power.

That aura, that strength—Master Long could never hope to kill him.

“Yes, I’m here. Take me to Master Long, and I’ll spare your life, though I’d very much like to kill you,” Zhang Xiaofan said.

“You came alone to kill Master Long? Are you really that confident in your strength?” Little Knife asked.

“No matter how many there are, they’re nothing but a rabble. Why should I fear them?” Zhang Xiaofan stepped forward, his eyes calm yet icy. “Last chance—will you take me or not?”

Little Knife hesitated.

“Fine, I understand…” Zhang Xiaofan said coldly, suddenly grabbing Little Knife’s wounded arm and pressing it against his throat.

No matter how Little Knife struggled, Zhang Xiaofan’s overwhelming strength held him fast.

The blade sliced across his throat, and he died by his own knife. Blood soaked his body as he collapsed.

He killed him!

The cheongsam woman screamed in terror. It was the first time she’d witnessed murder—so bloody she began to vomit.

The other security guards who had just gathered were dumbstruck, fear gripping them. They could act tough, but faced with real killing, they were nothing.

Was this man a lunatic? One moment of disagreement and he took a life?

And his strength was frightening—Brother Dao couldn’t even match him.

They all retreated, none daring to block Zhang Xiaofan any longer.

“You, come here. Take me to Master Long,” Zhang Xiaofan pointed at one of them, his voice icy.

“Yes, yes… I’ll take you.” The man dared not refuse and immediately led the way.

“If you’d cooperated earlier, none of this would’ve been necessary. Why force me to kill?” Zhang Xiaofan shrugged helplessly.

…

Meanwhile, in a luxurious room on the third floor.

“Master Long, he’s here.”

The speaker was a middle-aged man around forty, his aura strong, with impressive inner strength.

“Just as well. Saves me the trouble of looking for him,” Master Long—otherwise known as Long San—replied. Few ever called him by his given name.

His eyes flashed with sharp light. For the first time in decades, his expression grew serious.

“Tiger, are you confident?” The middle-aged man was Long San’s trusted aide, hastily summoned, a martial arts expert known as Brother Tiger.

“We won’t know until we fight. But anyone who dares come here alone is no ordinary person,” Tiger said in a low voice, his eyes equally grave.