Chapter 19: Simple and Brutal

Jiang Feng turned, his gaze settling on Li Yuanjue. The blank stare sent a jolt through Li Yuanjue’s heart, sparking a fleeting urge to bolt.

“Ma Lianhao, how did he treat you?” Jiang Feng asked calmly.

“Uh…” Ma Lianhao swallowed hard, glancing between Jiang Feng and Li Yuanjue, at a loss for words.

“Li Yuanjue, you tell me,” Jiang Feng said, addressing him directly.

He knew Ma Lianhao feared Li Yuanjue but had no intention of letting Li Yuanjue off. Threatening him through Ma Lianhao today meant Li Yuanjue might escalate tomorrow. Endless trouble wasn’t Jiang Feng’s game. He’d rather crush Li Yuanjue now—make him too scared to cross him again.

Li Yuanjue sensed Jiang Feng’s tone, his face flickering, speechless.

Jiang Feng smirked coldly, his eyes sharpening. “Li Yuanjue, remember what I told you?”

“W-what?” Li Yuanjue stammered.

At that moment, an inexplicable chill gripped him. He stared at Jiang Feng with fear and unfamiliarity. He’d planned meticulously to lure Jiang Feng here with Ma Lianhao, aiming to humiliate him and show off his own cunning. But this outcome blindsided him.

He recalled rumors about Jiang Feng fighting Guo Conghu. Though not widely spread, Li Yuanjue’s connections let him dig up such details. He’d laughed it off—Guo Conghu’s strength was no joke; Li Yuanjue himself had suffered at Guo Conghu’s hands. He figured Guo Conghu could crush Jiang Feng effortlessly.

Now, reality stared him down, undeniable.

The more he thought, the worse he felt. When had the Jiang family’s least-favored fool become this formidable?

“I said I’d beat you every time I see you. Seems you didn’t take it seriously,” Jiang Feng said mockingly. Before anyone could track his move, slap—a sharp crack rang out as his hand struck Li Yuanjue’s face.

Li Yuanjue’s head jerked, his feet stumbling, nearly collapsing. Jiang Feng didn’t care, turning to Ma Lianhao. “Watch closely.”

“Watch what?” Ma Lianhao mumbled, dazed.

“Next time someone bullies you, hit back like this,” Jiang Feng said coldly.

With that, he swung again.

Slap!

Over a dozen slaps left Li Yuanjue reeling, wishing he could knock himself out. Ma Lianhao’s forehead dripped with sweat.

Too bold. Too shocking.

Li Yuanjue, pampered his whole life, had never faced such a beating, powerless to retaliate. Beneath his fear, his eyes glinted with venom. If Jiang Feng’s racetrack beating had shamed him, this was worse—trampling his dignity, stripping his ability to face the world.

He swore to repay this a hundredfold, to make Jiang Feng beg for death.

Jiang Feng saw the hatred but smiled faintly. “Did you catch that, Ma Lianhao?”

“Uh… yeah?” Ma Lianhao stuttered.

“Then come have some fun with Young Master Li,” Jiang Feng said, grinning.

“I-I can’t!” Ma Lianhao shrank back. Forget Li Yuanjue’s status—Ma Lianhao wasn’t built for this.

“Can’t? Looks like Young Master Li’s got quite the reputation,” Jiang Feng drawled, his expression darkening.

Ma Lianhao didn’t know how to respond. Li Yuanjue’s humiliation thrilled him, but the Li family’s shadow loomed. He wanted Jiang Feng to stop—Ma Lianhao hadn’t suffered much—but couldn’t say it. Tonight, Jiang Feng felt alien, terrifying.

Jiang Feng knew Ma Lianhao’s fear of Li Yuanjue ran deep and didn’t push. Grabbing Li Yuanjue’s collar, he yanked him close. “Fun game, Young Master Li?”

Li Yuanjue froze. Say it wasn’t fun, and Jiang Feng might not stop. Say it was, and he’d still be screwed. Cold sweat drenched him, dread pooling.

He regretted it—regretted crossing Jiang Feng. This wasn’t a man; this was a demon, a fiend from hell.

Seeing Li Yuanjue nearly faint from fear, Jiang Feng frowned in disgust, ready to toss him aside. Just then, bang—the door was kicked open.

“Police!” a sharp female voice barked as officers stormed in.

Jiang Feng turned, first noticing not her face but her chest, then her features—strikingly spirited yet soft. Her exaggerated curves strained her uniform, drawing eyes like headlights. Both her face and voice were familiar; he’d clashed with her plenty, and her fierce hatred of evil had cost him before.

Seeing Xia Dongxue now, Jiang Feng felt a strange tremor, a testament to how deeply Young Master Jiang’s past run-ins with her lingered.

Xia Dongxue had responded to a call, leading her team to the scene. Spotting Jiang Feng as the culprit soured her mood. His gaze on her chest made her breath catch with indignation.

“Jiang Feng, what are you doing? Let him go!” Xia Dongxue demanded coldly.

Jiang Feng grinned. “Captain Xia, always so direct. Is this your idea of handling a case? Pretty crude.”

Xia Dongxue bristled at his tone. “I don’t need you teaching me how to do my job. Let go, or I won’t be polite.”

Li Yuanjue, still in Jiang Feng’s grip, was terrified Jiang Feng might finish him off. Hearing Xia Dongxue, he found his voice, shrieking, “Officers, perfect timing—arrest him!”

Desperate, Li Yuanjue forgot his status. Like Jiang Feng, he was no stranger to trouble or police stations. The officers knew him well, and his pathetic state sparked wry amusement. The mighty Young Master Li, reduced to this?

Xia Dongxue secretly relished it. She’d longed to teach Li Yuanjue a lesson, but his family’s influence was beyond her reach. Seeing him at Jiang Feng’s mercy felt like poetic justice—two dogs fighting, both rotten.

Duty, however, demanded she intervene.

Li Yuanjue regretted his outburst instantly—too undignified, sure to fuel gossip—but he had no choice. Jiang Feng’s dominance chilled him. He’d rather face a cell than stay with this lunatic, where safety wasn’t guaranteed.

Xia Dongxue glared at Li Yuanjue, then faced Jiang Feng sternly. “Jiang Feng, cooperate and come with us for questioning.”

Knowing Xia Dongxue’s fearless nature, Jiang Feng chuckled. “I’ll cooperate, but why should I go? Captain Xia, arresting people this casually—bit reckless, no?”

Xia Dongxue had always disdained Jiang Feng. In past encounters, he’d been spineless, lacking any elite family’s pride, earning her contempt. His defiance now surprised her, but her tone stayed icy. “Don’t worry. We’ll investigate thoroughly. The police don’t let bad guys slip or wrong the innocent.”

“Sounds nice, but why should I trust you?” Jiang Feng said, impatient.

Xia Dongxue’s patience snapped. “Jiang Feng, resisting arrest? I saw everything—still denying it?”

“You sure you saw clearly?” Jiang Feng teased.

Xia Dongxue snorted, silent. Jiang Feng grinned. “No answer means you didn’t, right? Let me make it clearer.”

He flashed Li Yuanjue a smile—chillingly sinister. Before Li Yuanjue could react, Jiang Feng’s foot lashed out. Crack—Li Yuanjue’s right leg snapped at the knee. He collapsed, howling like a slaughtered pig, writhing in agony.

Jiang Feng didn’t care about Li Yuanjue’s fate or Xia Dongxue’s blazing glare. “There. Clear now? Let’s go.”

His tone was casual, like he was heading to a friend’s house, not a police station.

Xia Dongxue inhaled sharply, her gaze on Jiang Feng heavy with new weight. Raising a hand slowly, she ordered, “Take him away!”