Chapter 55: Image Ambassador 2

Ji Yuenian was in a foul mood. 

When Su Tian told him how the gangsters he had once beaten off had been extorting and bullying their classmates during his month-long absence-especially upon hearing the phrase “Ji Yuenian is a coward”—his temper flared instantly.

His gaze swept over the trembling but defiant gangsters, and Ji Yuenian snorted coldly.

“Same old rules. Either kneel down right now and call me ‘daddy,’ and I’ll let you off, or I’ll beat you until you’re picking your teeth off the ground before you kneel and call me ‘daddy’!”

“Y-you… don’t get too cocky! There are s-s-six of us!” one of the thugs from Long Qiang’s side blustered, though his voice lacked conviction. 

“That’s right, six of us!”

“Six against one—we’ve got the advantage!”

“No matter how strong he is, he can’t take all of us down before he runs out of stamina!”

“Let’s rush him together and cripple this punk!”

“Cripple him!”

“We’re minors—even if we kill him, the cops won’t do anything to us!”

The gangsters shouted threats, but none dared to actually charge forward.

Just as tensions between the two sides reached a boiling point, a figure in white suddenly stepped between them.

Jiang Chi turned to face Ji Yuenian.

“Ji Yuenian, I want to ask you something.”

Ji Yuenian frowned. 

“Whatever it is, save it for later. Can’t you see I’m busy? Get out of here before the fight starts-I won’t have time to protect you.”

“Hey, you! Stay right there! Don’t even think about calling the cops!” one of the gangsters immediately barked.

“Yeah! No calling the cops!”

“Block him-he’s trying to get backup!”

The gangsters grew agitated, convinced Ji Yuenian was stalling so this guy could fetch reinforcements. 

They brandished their pipes and clubs, glaring at Jiang Chi as if they wanted to tear him apart.

But the next moment, all the shouting stopped abruptly, as if their throats had been squeezed shut.

The six gangsters paled, staring at the blue-eyed boy like they’d seen a ghost.

In Jiang Chi’s hand was an object-cold, black, with a deep, ominous barrel and a flawless design, exuding a chilling aura under the moonlight.

Humanity’s most perfect invention, the great equalizer, the life-eraser—also known as a gun.

It was common knowledge that the Huayuan Federation didn’t ban guns.

But the Huayuan Federation prohibited carrying firearms in public-only allowing gun owners to keep them indoors.

A bead of cold sweat rolled down Long Qiang’s forehead.

“Easy, easy, buddy… You’re so young. Don’t throw your life away over a crime,” he stammered, drenched in sweat, terrified Jiang Chi might accidentally pull the trigger and send him to the afterlife.

After all, he was just a petty thug who preyed on the weak-he’d never faced anything like this.

Jiang Chi raised the barrel slightly and gestured toward a nearby alley. “Go.”

“Y-yes! We’re leaving right now!”

Only after the six gangsters had fled in panic, vanishing completely from sight, did Jiang Chi tuck the gun back into his satchel.

Ji Yuenian: “…”

Damn it! 

Why did it feel like his moment had been stolen?

He was supposed to be the one fighting six gangsters in a bloody battle!

Ji Yuenian stepped up to Jiang Chi and peered suspiciously into his bag. “Real gun?”

“BB gun.”

Jiang Chi answered casually while zipping up his satchel. 

After finishing, he turned back to Ji Yuenian. 

“There’s something I want to ask you. About Ji Qingchan, she-“

“Correct, I gave her your address,” Ji Yuenian admitted frankly.

Getting the expected answer, Jiang Chi nodded and turned to leave without another word. 

But suddenly, Ji Yuenian called out from behind.

“By the way, Jiang Chi, was it you behind my sudden fame a month ago?”

“You’re clever,” Jiang Chi replied without directly answering, though his attitude said it all.

Damn! So it really was him!

Ji Yuenian had only asked casually, not expecting to actually fish out the truth with a single question.

“Why?” he frowned.

Though they had some disagreements, it wasn’t to the point of sabotaging each other.

After all, public opinion was a double-edged sword. If mishandled, rumors could spiral out of control-three people spreading lies could make them seem true.

Jiang Chi turned around, his deep blue eyes reflecting Ji Yuenian’s figure clearly. 

“I don’t want to compete with you.”

“What rightfully belongs to you, I’ll return one by one.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“You didn’t have to go to such extremes,” Ji Yuenian grumbled. 

“Besides, I don’t need this fake reputation-all hype, each claim more ridiculous than the last. Whatever, what’s done is done. No point dwelling on it. I’ve got things to do, so I’m off.”

“Where to?”

“Gonna take a few more rounds.” 

Ji Yuenian pulled out a steel pipe from somewhere and shook the bell at his waist, its crisp chime ringing sharply.

“While I was gone this past month, they all came to our school for a ‘free meal.’ This time, if I don’t give them a beating, they won’t understand why flowers are red.”

“Oh, and try to avoid this street if you can. I’ll probably be cleaning up for a week or two.”

With that, he vanished into the darkness, leaving only the faint glint of gold at his waist lingering in the gloom.

That bell must be Ji Yuenian’s favorite thing. 

Jiang Chi never understood why he cherished it so much.

Perhaps back in school, whenever he wore it-walking through alleys, passing crowds-the sound of the bell meant one thing.

Everyone knew.

Ji Yuenian had arrived.

“Ji Yuenian,” Jiang Chi suddenly called out.

“You live up to your reputation!”

*   *   *   *   *   *

“Brother Long, it was terrifying! That guy had a gun!”

“Yeah, yeah! We were just trying to collect some protection money-who knew it’d turn out like this? Scary stuff.”

“Collecting protection money these days is so hard. In movies, gangsters make it look so easy. I kinda wanna go back to school now!” 

“Keep talking like that, and Brother Long will make an example outta you!”

“……”

Amid the gang’s noisy chatter, none noticed that in a dim alley not far behind them, their leader, Long Qiang, was receiving a “loving lesson” in paternal discipline.

“So you’re the one extorting our schoolmates, huh?”

“So you’re the one calling me a coward, huh?”

“So you’re the one acting tough because you’re a minor, huh?”

Ji Yuenian pressed Long Qiang’s head forward, smashing it into the crumbling wall. The pain made him whimper.

“Owwww~ I was wrong, Brother Ji! I was wrong! I’ll never do it again~”

“Please be merciful and let me off this once.”

“Wrong? What exactly did you do wrong?” 

Ji Yuenian tightened his grip on Long Qiang’s cheek, making him yelp in pain.

“Aren’t you a minor? The law can’t touch you, yet you keep harassing students outside school. Did you really think I wouldn’t know about your dirty little secrets? I have connections at No. 3 High too.”

“Spreading slander, running nude loan scams, and even getting a female classmate pregnant-impressive, really.”

Seeing the terror on Long Qiang’s face, Ji Yuenian leaned in closer, the corners of his lips curling upward as if savoring the other’s fear.

“You know what? I’m also a minor. Not just a minor, but a rich second-generation heir with considerable family assets. Even if I actually committed a crime, I could still get bailed out.”

“For example…”

Ji Yuenian brutally shoved the end of a steel pipe into Long Qiang’s mouth, not letting go until Long Qiang writhed in agony, convulsing on the ground. 

Only then did he release his grip, satisfied.

By now, Long Qiang was a sobbing, broken mess, whimpering and trembling. 

“I was wrong, I know I was wrong, I’ll never do it again.”

Ji Yuenian shook his head. “You don’t know you were wrong-you’re just scared.”

“But hey, don’t be so tense.”

“I’m in a great mood right now, a very, very good mood-“

He pressed his hands against the corners of Long Qiang’s mouth and forced them upward, stretching them into a grotesque, nearly shattered smile. 

The sight was chilling, like a demon freshly escaped from hell.

“Be good-Smile for me~’

In that dimly lit alley, the once tall and reassuring figure now seemed terrifying beyond measure.