5: You fucking sloughed your vocal cords at home.

Long after the school bell rang, the campus was already empty.

Lin Fan carried his old backpack and walked out of the teaching building.

He didn't head toward the school gate.

Instead, he turned toward the small woods on the back hill.

That was the place where Xiao Zhan and his group often "hung out."

That's right.

Lin Fan decided to take the initiative today!

A few days ago, although he had strength, he didn't have a backer yet, letting Xiao Zhan enjoy himself for three days.

But now, he was appreciated by the military.

He had a backer!

It was time to settle some scores!

Meanwhile, in his mind, the System was chatteringly excited:

[Host! Take the initiative! This is the correct way to show off!]

[Passive counterattacks are satisfying, but proactive face-slapping is even more thrilling!]

[According to this System's calculations, there is an 87% probability that Xiao Zhan is currently in the back hill woods, bragging with his lackeys.]

[Host, go quickly! This System is ready to record the legendary scene!]

...The back hill woods.

Sure enough, someone was there.

Not just Xiao Zhan.

His three lackeys were also there: Zhang Biao, Li Meng, and Wang Hao.

The four of them sat around a stone table, which was laid out with several cans of Advanced Energy Drinks and an opened box of Body Tempering Pills.

"Brother Zhan, are we just going to let today's matter go?"

Zhang Biao grit his teeth:

"That Lin Fan must have used some kind of Evil Path technique!"

"Maybe the Strength Testing Tablet was already broken, and he just got lucky!"

Li Meng chimed in:

"Exactly! How could a 0.87 trash like him suddenly become so powerful?"

"I think it's just an illusion!"

Xiao Zhan didn't speak.

He squeezed the Energy Drink can, his fingers turning white with effort.

The can's body was already deformed.

Everything that happened today at the Martial Arts Hall replayed in his mind like a nightmare.

The golden light of that palm strike.

The loud crash of the Strength Testing Tablet shattering.

The way everyone looked at him changed from envy to pity.

And Lin Fan's final words.

"Instead of barking like a dog, you should have shattered it like I did during the test!"

Every word was like a slap to his face.

A burning pain.

"Brother Zhan?"

Wang Hao asked cautiously:

"Should we... mention this to the Family? Have your uncle send someone to investigate Lin Fan?"

Xiao Zhan suddenly looked up!

His gaze was sinister:

"Investigate?"

"Investigate what?"

"Investigate and find out he really has an Opportunity, and then have the Family recruit him?"

"And then watch as I'm forever stepped on by him?"

The three lackeys fell silent.

Xiao Zhan stood up and kicked over a stone stool:

"I don't care if he's truly powerful or just faking it."

"I must get this revenge!"

"Tomorrow... no, tonight! Tonight I'll find someone..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

A calm voice came from outside the woods:

"Find someone?"

"Looking for me?"

The four of them froze!

Simultaneously turning their heads!

At the entrance of the woods.

Lin Fan stood there.

The setting sun shone from behind him, casting a long shadow that extended to the foot of the stone table.

He carried his old backpack, and his school uniform was washed out.

His expression was as calm as if he were taking a stroll.

"Lin Fan!!"

Xiao Zhan's pupils constricted!

He subconsciously took half a step back!

But then, anger and humiliation surged!

He was actually scared back by this trash?!

"You've come at the perfect time!"

Xiao Zhan grinned savagely, cracking his wrists:

"I was just worried I wouldn't be able to find you!"

The three lackeys also snapped out of it, quickly spreading out to surround Lin Fan in a semi-circle.

Zhang Biao sneered:

"Lin Fan, you dare to come here alone?"

"Did you really think you were hot stuff just because you used some crooked methods to break a lousy tablet?"

Li Meng cracked his knuckles, making them pop:

"Today, we brothers will teach you what real strength is!"

Wang Hao didn't speak, but his gaze was cold.

Lin Fan looked at them.

His gaze swept across the faces of Zhang Biao, Li Meng, and Wang Hao.

Finally, it landed on Xiao Zhan.

"For three years, you guys have bullied me every other day."

He spoke, his voice very light:

"The four of you would corner me."

"Xiao Zhan, in those three years, you slapped me a total of 81 times."

"Zhang Biao, you kicked me a total of 36 times."

"Li Meng, you stole a total of nine months of my living expenses."

"Wang Hao, you recorded it every single time."

With every sentence, the expressions of the four men grew uglier.

"Originally, I didn't plan on coming for you so soon."

Lin Fan continued:

"With the Martial Arts Examination approaching, I didn't have time to bother with trash."

"But..."

He paused and looked at Xiao Zhan:

"I really didn't like the way you looked at me in the Martial Arts Hall today."

"You wanted to kill me then, didn't you?"

Xiao Zhan's face turned ashen:

"So what if I did?!"

"Lin Fan, let me tell you! Today, don't even think about..."

Before he could finish.

Lin Fan moved.

Not toward Xiao Zhan.

But... he took a step to the left!

This step was very light.

But the moment his foot touched the ground.

"Boom!!"

The ground shook slightly!

Fallen leaves scattered!

Zhang Biao only felt a blur before his eyes!

Lin Fan was already in front of him!

"So fast!"

The thought had just flashed through his mind.

A palm had already been lightly pressed against his chest.

No sound.

No Aura.

It was like a greeting between friends.

But in the next second.

"Bang!!!"

Zhang Biao's 180-pound body was hit as if by a charging rhino!

He flew backward!

Snapping a small tree the thickness of a bowl!

He rolled another seven or eight meters on the ground!

Before slumping to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and passing out.

[prestige value +100!]

The System notification rang in his mind.

Lin Fan didn't stop.

He took another step!

His figure appeared like a ghost on Li Meng's right side!

Li Meng's reaction was faster than Zhang Biao's. With a roar, his fist, carrying all his Vitality, smashed toward Lin Fan's face!

"Die for me!"

Lin Fan didn't dodge or evade.

He raised his hand, fingers spread.

"Clap."

A light sound.

Li Meng's full-strength punch was caught firmly in his palm.

It didn't budge an inch.

"What?!" Li Meng's eyes nearly popped out!

Lin Fan looked at him, his gaze indifferent.

His fingers... slowly tightened.

"Aaaaah!!!"

A shrill scream!

Li Meng felt like his fist was being crushed by a hydraulic press!

Phalanges, metacarpals, carpals... shattering inch by inch!

"Let go! Let go!!"

Lin Fan let go.

At the same time, he kicked him in the stomach.

"Blegh!"

Li Meng doubled over and knelt on the ground, vomiting bile, curling up like a shrimp.

[prestige value +100!]

Only Wang Hao was left.

Wang Hao was already scared witless.

He looked at Lin Fan as if he were looking at a monster.

"I... I didn't... didn't do anything! I just recorded it! I never hit you!"

He shouted while backing away:

"Lin Fan! Brother Fan! I was wrong! I was really wrong!"

Lin Fan looked at him.

He looked for three seconds.

Then, he raised his hand.

"Slap!"

A slap to the face.

It was very loud.

Wang Hao was slapped so hard he spun three times on the spot. Half of his face swelled up high, and two teeth flew out.

He slumped on the ground, clutching his face, tears and snot flowing together.

[prestige value +50!]

Finally.

Lin Fan turned and looked at Xiao Zhan.

From the moment Lin Fan struck to the moment he took down the three of them, the entire process... took less than ten seconds.

Xiao Zhan hadn't even had time to react.

By the time he came to his senses, his three lackeys were all lying on the ground.

"You... you..."

Xiao Zhan's throat felt dry, and his legs were shaking.

But he couldn't retreat!

He was the young master of the Xiao Family! He was a Genius! His Vitality was 1.94!

How could he be scared back by a piece of trash?!

"Lin Fan!! I'm not afraid of you!!!"

Xiao Zhan roared, his Vitality circulating frantically!

An abnormal flush appeared on the surface of his skin!

Family Martial Skill — Wind-Breaking Fist!

Yellow Rank High Grade! He had already practiced it to Minor Achievement!

"Die for me!!"

Xiao Zhan stepped forward and charged! The wind from his fist whistled! There was a faint sound of breaking air!

With this punch, he used all his strength!

He even performed beyond his usual level!

He was confident that even a true Martial Master wouldn't dare to take it head-on!

Lin Fan looked at the charging Xiao Zhan.

He looked at that imposing punch.

His gaze... was completely unfazed.

He didn't even move.

He just stood there.

Waiting.

"Go to hell!!!"

Xiao Zhan's fist reached him!

Lin Fan finally moved.

He simply... raised his right hand.

Fingers together.

Forming a palm.

Pushing forward flatly.

The movement was exactly the same as when he shattered the Strength Testing Tablet at the Martial Arts Hall today.

"That move again?!"

Xiao Zhan's pupils constricted!

But the arrow was on the string and had to be fired!

He grit his teeth, and his punch grew even more powerful!

Fist and palm collided.

There was no earth-shattering roar.

There was only a... slight muffled sound.

"Poof."

Like a balloon being popped.

All of Xiao Zhan's Aura, all his strength, all his Vitality... the moment they touched Lin Fan's palm... they collapsed.

They weren't crushed.

It was like snow meeting a scorching sun, naturally melting away.

"Wha—"

Xiao Zhan's expression froze on his face.

He felt an extremely hard and masculine power, vast as the sea, surging into his body through his fist!

Everywhere it passed, his Vitality fled frantically like a mouse seeing a cat!

His Meridians throbbed with pain!

His bones groaned!

"Argh!"

Xiao Zhan screamed and flew backward!

He flew even further than Zhang Biao!

He snapped two trees and finally slammed heavily into a giant boulder!

"Gah!"

A mouthful of blood sprayed out!

He struggled to get up, only to find... his bones felt like they were falling apart, and he couldn't muster a shred of strength.

He could only slump in the pile of rubble, watching in terror as Lin Fan approached step by step.

Lin Fan walked up to him.

He looked down at him.

The setting sun shone from behind Lin Fan. In the backlight, Lin Fan's face was hidden in shadow.

Only his eyes were frighteningly bright.

"Xiao Zhan."

Lin Fan spoke, his voice calm:

"Didn't you used to always say that this world is survival of the fittest?"

"Now, between us, who is strong and who is weak?"

Xiao Zhan forced a smile that looked more painful than crying and said, "Fan... Brother Fan, you are strong."

He had originally wanted to hold out and say some harsh words.

But as soon as he saw Lin Fan's eyes, he inexplicably lost his nerve again.

Although he didn't want to admit it, he had to.

Even if the other party killed him now, they wouldn't have to pay with their life... Seeing the way Xiao Zhan was wagging his tail and begging for mercy.

Lin Fan raised his hand.

"Slap!"

A slap to Xiao Zhan's left cheek.

"Did you leave your damn vocal cords at home? Louder!"