Chapter 52: Private Room at Starlight Entertainment Club

However, Zhang Pu only selected those herbs currently useful for his cultivation, returning the rest to Liu Yingde. He was not a greedy man by nature, and now that Liu Yingde had become his subordinate, Zhang Pu knew he could not be too stingy if he hoped to win loyalty. Besides, in the future, he would have to reward the young followers of the Wu Gui Sect from time to time; only then would they remain willingly at his side.

After dinner, Zhang Pu intended to refine a pill to aid in breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage. But halfway through his work, he unexpectedly received a phone call. What surprised him most was that the caller was Gao Lixia!

It was unprecedented for Gao Lixia to call him. Yet upon answering, Zhang Pu discovered she'd already sent him several messages on WeChat. What was going on? Once he'd calmed down, Zhang Pu realized he shouldn’t be so surprised. After all, Gao Lixia had already acknowledged him as the top boss at school! She, once a school tyrant herself, had even paid him tribute. Who would have thought that one day Gao Lixia would become his subordinate?

But what was happening tonight? Gao Lixia and her crew had run into trouble at Starlight Entertainment Club! The matter was urgent—Gao Lixia insisted that Zhang Pu come to their rescue no matter what. Their opponents had too many skilled fighters, so she immediately thought of him.

Without hesitation, Zhang Pu put aside his work and called a car straight to Starlight Entertainment Club. According to Gao Lixia’s calls and messages, the situation hadn’t escalated to the point where the police had to be involved; for students like them, there was an unspoken rule to avoid involving the authorities whenever possible. But based on Gao Lixia’s intelligence, if Zhang Pu didn’t arrive soon, they would be utterly defeated and might even be forced to pay tribute to their rivals.

That simply would not do! Zhang Pu would never allow it. Gao Lixia’s group could only pay tribute to him; who else dared to take his money? It would be sheer audacity!

When Zhang Pu arrived at Starlight Entertainment Club, one of Gao Lixia’s underlings came out to meet him, reporting that Gao Lixia and several others were being held in a large private room and urging him to hurry. On the way, the underling briefed Zhang Pu on the situation: due to a previous conflict with students from another school, both factions had agreed to meet here to negotiate.

Negotiations had failed, and tensions worsened. The students from the other school had called in some underworld figures for backup. These men not only subdued Gao Lixia’s group but also demanded money from them. Naturally, Gao Lixia and her people refused.

There was a common understanding among all the various school gangs in Qingwu City: under no circumstances should the police be involved, for they were all up to no good themselves and would be ruined if the authorities stepped in. However, it was acceptable to call for help from those outside the law.

So, when faced with utter defeat, Gao Lixia steeled herself and called Zhang Pu for help. She knew well his prowess—she had once been utterly convinced by it. Gao Lixia hadn’t expected Zhang Pu to play the hero, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

As Zhang Pu and Gao Lixia’s underling approached the private room, they found not only the room itself but also the surrounding corridor heavily guarded—not just by students, but by hardened street toughs.

It wasn’t just that Gao Lixia had praised Zhang Pu’s abilities beforehand; even the underling, having heard of Zhang Pu’s reputation as a formidable fighter, was willing to brave the lion’s den with him.

Their opponents, feeling victory was already in their grasp, were unconcerned as long as the police weren’t involved. Whoever came to rescue Gao Lixia, they cared not.

When they saw Zhang Pu—a seemingly ordinary high schooler—arrive alone, they scoffed, convinced he was simply walking into their trap.

Some of the street toughs guarding the entrance jeered and boasted, but Zhang Pu ignored them.

Following the underling inside, Zhang Pu saw Gao Lixia and her group—eight in total, three girls and five boys—being held in the large private room by a mix of rival school bullies and several men from the underworld. Clearly, a fight had already taken place, leaving Gao Lixia’s side dejected and awaiting rescue.

Their captor was Lu Zhizhong, the top bully from Qingyuan High School, who was present in person. Lu Zhizhong, a senior as well, was a burly youth with a piggish face and brutish features. His nickname was “Aluminum Pot Lid,” though behind his back some called him “Pighead.”

Lu Zhizhong was without question the most feared figure at Qingyuan High. Gao Lixia’s group was no match for his faction. Zhang Pu had no idea how or why Gao Lixia’s people had provoked Lu Zhizhong’s, but seeing the way they were being extorted, he realized that fists would be the only way to resolve matters tonight.

At the sight of Zhang Pu, Gao Lixia and her friends’ spirits lifted at once.

However, Lu Zhizhong and his companion from outside the school—a tattooed young man known as “Crew Cut Bro”—blocked Zhang Pu’s way.

“So, you’re the one here to help that little tramp Gao Lixia?” Lu Zhizhong sneered.

Before Zhang Pu could reply, Gao Lixia, emboldened by his arrival, shot back, “Lu Zhizhong, you’re the tramp here! Your whole family are tramps!”

Before Lu Zhizhong could retort, Crew Cut Bro frowned and barked at Gao Lixia, “You little tramp, you must be itching for trouble. Just wait—Big Bro will satisfy you soon!” His words were filthy, and his lecherous gaze made the girls shudder with fear.

Zhang Pu could tell that Gao Lixia was genuinely frightened of this street punk.

“Let’s deal with that tramp later,” Lu Zhizhong said, his eyes sizing up Zhang Pu. Seeing nothing impressive about his physique, Lu Zhizhong sneered, “Let me knock this sickly-looking weakling down with a single punch…”

But before he could finish, there was a loud smack as his fleshy cheek was struck by a slap.

“Who are you calling a sick man of East Asia? That’s a slur used by foreign mongrels against our people—are you one of them?” Zhang Pu lectured him as if scolding a misbehaving child, all while delivering the blow.