36: Chapter 36: Stealing the Protagonist's Heroic Rescue

Han Ming paused his steps, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

What kind of situation is this?

He had clearly gone out of his way to avoid her, yet he still ended up being seen by Su Wanning.

"Han Ming, come and help me quickly!"

Su Wanning's voice was filled with both urgency and anger; she was clearly having a hard time dealing with those thugs.

Han Ming sighed and turned around.

At the entrance of the alley, Su Wanning was cornered by three men.

The leader was a bald man with a black Dragon tattooed on his neck, his eyes lecherous as he looked at Su Wanning with ill intent.

Behind him, his two lackeys—one fat and one thin—blocked the path with smirks on their Faces.

Dressed in a white martial arts uniform, Su Wanning's Face was flushed red with anger and anxiety. Seeing Han Ming turn around, she waved hurriedly.

The bald man followed her gaze, and upon seeing a teenager in a school uniform, he sneered.

"Yo, called for backup? And it's just a brat who hasn't even grown his hair out yet?"

The two lackeys chimed in, shouting, "Kid, don't meddle in other people's business, get lost!"

Han Ming walked over, stood in front of Su Wanning, and said indifferently, "Gentlemen, she is my classmate. Give me some Face and let it go."

"Face?"

The bald man looked Han Ming up and down, showing a disdainful expression, and said, "Who do you think you are? Why should I give you any Face?"

Su Wanning hid behind Han Ming and whispered, "They won't let me leave; they said they want to invite me for a drink..."

Han Ming frowned. He didn't want to resort to violence and expose his strength, and he also knew the background of these thugs. "Gentlemen, she is the daughter of the master of the Su Family Martial Arts Hall in the south of the city. Isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to do this?"

"Su Family Martial Arts Hall?"

The bald man paused for a moment, then laughed disdainfully, "I was wondering who it was! What is the Su Family Martial Arts Hall worth? Don't they still have to pay protection fees to our Black Water Gang every month?"

Han Ming's eyes narrowed slightly.

Black Water Gang!

It was just as described in the original novel.

The Black Water Gang was a top-tier second-rate Gang in Jiangbei, and its leader, Gang Leader Liu Heishui, was a powerhouse at the Martial Ancestor level.

The Gang also had four Protectors and eight Vajras, all of whom were experts at the Great Martial Master level.

However, in the end, they all became experience points for Lin Fan.

Seeing that Han Ming didn't speak, the bald man thought he was scared and became even more smug. "Kid, if you know you're scared, then get lost. We brothers are inviting Young Miss Su for a drink today, which is giving her Face. Don't be ungrateful."

The thin man behind him leaned in and added triumphantly, "Do you know who our big brother is? Zhao the Vajra, one of the eight Vajras of the Black Water Gang, is his own brother! If you know what's good for you, get lost!"

Han Ming glanced at the bald man.

The younger brother of one of the eight Vajras, no wonder he was so arrogant.

Su Wanning's Face turned pale, and she tugged on Han Ming's sleeve, whispering, "Han Ming, why don't you leave first? I... I'll call my dad..."

"Leave?" The bald man laughed heartily. "Call? If you don't accompany us brothers for a drink today, you aren't going anywhere!"

He reached out to grab Su Wanning's wrist.

Han Ming raised his hand and grabbed the bald man's wrist.

The bald man was stunned, then his Face darkened. "Kid, are you looking for death?"

Han Ming didn't let go, his tone calm. "She said she isn't going. Didn't you hear her?"

"Let go!" The bald man tried to pull his wrist back with force, only to find that Han Ming's hand was like an iron clamp, completely immovable.

His expression changed.

He was, after all, a Two-Star Martial Artist; how could he not break free from a student's grip?

"Kid, do you know who you're talking to?" The bald man gritted his teeth. "If you offend the Black Water Gang, your whole family won't be able to survive in Jiangbei!"

"That's right! Let go immediately, or you'll regret it!" The two lackeys also crowded around.

Han Ming sighed.

He hadn't wanted to resort to violence. Although these thugs were annoying, they were still members of the Black Water Gang, and offending them was quite troublesome.

But these guys were talking too much trash.

And...

Han Ming looked at Su Wanning's pale Face, and his heart softened; the simp-like emotions of the original owner welled up in his heart again.

Han Ming had to use a lot of effort to suppress it. Damn it, simps never end well.

Forget it, let's help her one last time!

Han Ming sighed helplessly, looked at the bald thug, and said coldly, "One last time, get lost."

The bald man rubbed his reddened wrist, feeling humiliated and angry. "Damn it, you don't know what's good for you! Brothers, beat him up!"

The two lackeys rushed forward.

The fat one punched at Han Ming's Face, and the thin one kicked at Han Ming's waist. Both were One-Star Martial Artists, and their coordination was seamless; clearly, this wasn't their first time doing such things.

Han Ming didn't even use his Wind Shadow Step; he just blocked casually.

"Bang! Bang!"

With two muffled sounds, the fat one and the thin one were sent flying backward simultaneously, crashing to the ground and screaming in pain.

The bald man's expression changed drastically. "You...!"

Before he could finish, Han Ming had already appeared in front of him.

He casually slapped the bald man on the chest, not needing any Martial Skill, and he even held back his strength, fearing he might kill him with one strike.

"Crack!"

The sound of bone breaking was crisp and piercing. The bald man screamed, flew backward, and slammed heavily against the wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

The three thugs lay on the ground, wailing incessantly.

Su Wanning covered her mouth with her small hand in shock, her beautiful eyes wide open.

"This... this... how is this possible??"

She knew that all of them were at least Martial Artists; how could they have been defeated so easily by Han Ming?

"You... how did you become so strong?"

Su Wanning looked at Han Ming with an expression of disbelief, her voice trembling as she asked.

Han Ming didn't answer; he just looked at the bald man on the ground and said indifferently, "Still want to invite me for a drink?"

The bald man clutched his chest, his Face pale, a flash of resentment in his eyes. He never imagined that a high school student could beat him into such a state with one palm.

"Kid, just you wait! You will regret this!"

The bald thug was helped up by his two underlings, glared viciously at Han Ming, left a harsh threat, and limped away.

Watching their retreating figures, Han Ming frowned deeply. What kind of situation is this!

He had just helped his family overcome a crisis, and now he had provoked the Black Water Gang.

He knew that the bald thug wasn't just making empty threats.

In the original novel, Lin Fan was frequently hunted down by the Black Water Gang.

It was only because Lin Fan was the protagonist that the Black Water Gang eventually became experience points for him.

But he wasn't the protagonist! Damn it, he hoped this wouldn't drag his family into it.

He really wanted to finish off these thugs, but looking at the surroundings, he had to put that thought aside.

Forget it, when soldiers come, block them with soldiers; when water comes, cover it with earth.

Su Wanning stood beside Han Ming, watching his handsome profile and the way he frowned while deep in thought, and her heartbeat inexplicably accelerated.

She suddenly realized that Han Ming seemed to have changed.

He was no longer the playboy who would only pester her; she hadn't seen Han Ming even look at her properly for some time.

Could it be that he had really given up on pursuing her and liked Li Xuewei from Class 6?

And when did his strength become so great?

None of the three Martial Artists were a match for him in a single exchange, and she felt a spark of curiosity about Han Ming.

"Han Ming, thank you." Su Wanning stepped forward, her voice soft.

"I offended the Black Water Gang for your sake, and that's it with a simple thank you?"

Han Ming collected his thoughts, turned back to look at Su Wanning, and said with ill intent.

"Then... then what do you want?"

Su Wanning felt a chill down her spine from Han Ming's gaze, instinctively took a step back, held her hands in front of her chest, and asked vigilantly.

"What are you thinking? I'm not interested in you!"

Han Ming rolled his eyes at her in annoyance. "I mean, I offended the Black Water Gang for you, aren't you going to show some appreciation?"

Han Ming said, rubbing his two fingers together, making a gesture asking for a reward.

Su Wanning was stunned, her Face fluctuating between red and white.

She bit her lip, feeling inexplicably aggrieved.

In the past, Han Ming couldn't wait to stick to her every day, but now he said he was "not interested in her"?

And he acted like he was desperate for money.

"Hmph, fine! There is one million in this card, consider it a thank you for helping me this time. We are even."

Su Wanning snorted coldly with an ugly expression, threw a bank card at Han Ming, and after saying that, turned and walked away without looking back.

Tears welled up in her eyes inexplicably, and she cursed inwardly, this damn Han Ming, he only cares about money.

"Phew, finally got rid of this woman. The way she looked at me just now, I thought she had fallen for me! I should do less of this hero-saving-beauty stuff in the future."

Han Ming watched the furious Su Wanning leave, feeling a sense of relief.

"Lin Fan?"

Just as Han Ming was about to leave, he happened to see Lin Fan walking over from the school side. He glanced at Han Ming, said nothing, nodded, and left.

"Damn it, it really was a scene of a hero saving a beauty that the author arranged for Lin Fan, but I beat him to it. And I offended the Black Water Gang, what kind of situation is this!"

Watching Lin Fan's retreating figure, Han Ming cursed inwardly.

PS: I hope the darlings who have read up to this point will move your wealth-bringing fingers and click the 'urge update' button. Thank you!