Volume 4: Hidden Struggles, Chapter 257: Thugs Call the Police

Chu Tianyu was stunned by the anxious tone and asked, “Le, Le’er? Is the ‘friend’ you mentioned just Le’er?”
“Yes, A Yu. I’ll explain the details later. It’s urgent to go in and save her first!” Hu Luda said anxiously as well.
In fact, Chu Tianyu was merely surprised to hear that the friend in question was Le’er; he didn’t think much of it. Zhou Jie, assuming Chu Tianyu had misunderstood, quickly explained, “A Yu, after getting completely drunk with you guys that time, I finally came to terms with it. Everyone makes their own choices—there’s no need to force others to do anything. So I parted ways with Le’er amicably. This happened suddenly; I just got the call. From her tone, it seems she’s being held captive by someone. She sounded very nervous and hung up after just a few words.”
“A Yu, Zhou Jie and Le’er really broke up. Now Le’er is in trouble. After all, she’s our classmate…” Hu Luda also hurried to explain.
Chu Tianyu was defeated by their sensitivity and laughed, “What are you two thinking? Leaving aside Zhou Jie’s relationship, she’s still my classmate! I’ve eaten plenty of snacks she brought me!” He winked at them, implying they were overthinking things.
Seeing Zhou Jie’s look of understanding, Chu Tianyu stopped smiling and said seriously, “And I trust Zhou Jie. Without mentioning things like ‘a good horse doesn’t eat its own grass,’ regardless of the reasons, Le’er at least watched us play every day, cheered for us, and spent those wonderful days in senior high with us. That alone means no further explanation is needed!”
Chu Tianyu’s words struck a chord with Zhou Jie and Hu Luda, filling them with an indescribable emotion. As Chu Tianyu said, after all, Le’er was still their classmate and friend!
For Zhou Jie and Hu Luda, seeing Chu Tianyu meant seeing a source of support and hope. Especially after witnessing his powerful kick earlier, their confidence soared. Considering Chu Tianyu’s impressive background—having won over two beauty queens from Peking University—everything became clear.
So in their minds, with Chu Tianyu involved, Le’er’s problem would surely be solved effortlessly, without any issues.

“Alright, enough talk. Let’s deal with those guys first. You know the address Le Er gave, right? We’ll go there right away,” Chu Tianyu said, turning to the security guards holding batons.

While they were talking, the guards had taken out their weapons, realizing that these suddenly appearing men were not to be trifled with and preparing in advance.

The man who had been kicked earlier was pale and weak, supported by two of his companions. Other than faint breathing, he had no strength to say anything.

If he could speak now, he would undoubtedly tell his men, “Flee!” without hesitation.

The residents of this villa complex were all wealthy or influential. Though he was only a security chief now, if his name were mentioned in the underworld, it would be well-known—even if it didn’t shake everyone, at least everyone knew of him as the second-in-command of the Bullet Knife Gang. That was why the residents were willing to pay heavily to have them as security. Moreover, beyond money, there were other factors in this area that even their boss feared, otherwise he wouldn’t have sent him here as the second-in-command.

But now, he had been knocked down with just one kick by a teenager, whose speed and precision were clearly beyond an ordinary person’s capabilities. Though he couldn’t yet determine the boy’s background, his intuition told him that this man was definitely not someone to mess with—even the entire Bullet Knife Gang might struggle against him.

Despite knowing this, he was helpless and panicked, causing the brother holding him to misunderstand, thinking he wanted his men to avenge him. He immediately made a call and, patting his chest, said arrogantly, “Second Boss, don’t worry. Though this kid is strong, we’ve already called for help. Our gang members will arrive soon. How dare he cause trouble in our Bullet Knife Gang’s territory? He’s really gone crazy!”

Hearing this, the second boss became furious, rolled his eyes, and fainted. As he lost consciousness, a faint thought crossed his mind: “You really have gone crazy…”

The other guards immediately cried out, “Second Boss! Second Boss! What’s wrong?”

The others standing in front heard the commotion behind and took this opportunity to quickly retreat, crying out the second master’s name with sorrowful faces. Yet in their hearts, they repeatedly recited “Amitabha” out of fear, for anyone could see how formidable the boy across from them was. With only a few of them and weak strength, not to mention fighting—just being glanced at by that boy made their hearts tremble. It was better to be cautious and wait for their gang members to arrive.

Chu Tianyu, observing their feigned bravery, said little. He simply waved at Zhou Jie and Hu Luda and calmly said, “It seems they’ve ‘agreed’ to let us in for now. Let’s go!”

With that, Chu Tianyu led the two of them inside. As he had said, several security guards were gathered around their unconscious second master. Not only did they fail to stop them, but not a single one even said a word to try.

Only after Chu Tianyu and the others walked away did the guards breathe a sigh of relief, cursing among themselves, “Damn, that kid is quite arrogant. When our guys arrive, you’ll see what happens to you!”

“Da Tian, aren’t you usually pretty arrogant too? You’re so strong, but you crumble at critical moments. Why weren’t you so angry just now?”

“I’m… I’m conserving my strength. And also, protecting the second master. What if I charge in and fall for their trick of luring us away, putting the second master’s safety at risk? Hey, you make it sound so good—don’t you usually swing your nunchaku with great skill? Why aren’t you showing it now? Look at your weak appearance—worse than mine!”

“Hehe, I’m… I’m also afraid of falling for their trick. Protecting the second master is more important…”

If the unconscious second master could hear their conversation at this moment, he really wouldn’t know whether to be happy or amused—speechless!

…

Chu Tianyu and the others quickly found the villa using the clues provided by Le Er. Looking at the magnificent three-story villa before them, an aura of luxury and opulence rushed at them instantly.

Chu Tianyu, however, wasn’t impressed. He had seen enough of such villas these past few days. His gaze was fixed on the locked courtyard gate, as he concentrated and sensed carefully. Suddenly, a familiar presence surged, shocking Chu Tianyu instantly. He blurted out, “Xue Ning’er!” His words also woke Zhou Jie and Hu Luda, who were stunned by the luxurious mansion.

“What… Xue Ning’er? A singer?” Hu Luda asked bluntly. Zhou Jie also looked at Chu Tianyu with confusion.

Chu Tianyu didn’t reply immediately. After calming down, he let his aura sweep through the room once more. Only after confirming something did he turn to answer, “It’s nothing. Let’s go in!”
Seeing that Chu Tianyu didn’t answer right away, the two stopped asking further. Hu Luda stepped forward eagerly and said, “Okay, I’ll go ring the doorbell right now.”
“No need!” With that, Chu Tianyu kicked the iron-cast European-style gate, which swung open immediately. Then, to Zhou Jie and Hu Luda’s surprised expressions, he strode in.
As they crossed the courtyard and reached the front door, it opened, and two people came out—clearly having come to check out the unusual noise outside.
“Miss Xue Ning’er, I’m so sorry. It’s usually very quiet here, but I don’t know what’s going on today—things keep going wrong. I’ll definitely complain to the property management about this. We pay such a high security fee every year, and I have no idea where it goes!” The first person to come out was a middle-aged man with long hair, who turned to explain apologetically to the person behind him as he walked.
As he spoke, the two groups met. An exclamation came from behind the middle-aged man: “Brother-in-law? Is that really you?”
Chu Tianyu’s expression remained unchanged. He had sensed this earlier, so he wasn’t surprised at all. He simply watched the two people calmly, first glancing at the man with long hair, feeling that he seemed somewhat familiar. Finally, he met Xue Ning’er’s gaze and, instead of answering, asked, “Ning’er, is this your friend?”
Xue Ning’er nodded and replied, “Yes. This is Teacher Chen. We met him at that bar last time. Don’t you remember?”
Hearing this, Chu Tianyu remembered a bit. It seemed he had arrived later, and Ning’er’s three famous friends had gone out of their way to make connections with him. He remembered Ning’er saying he was a really great screenwriter.
As for Teacher Chen, since he was Xue Ning’er’s brother-in-law, he immediately tried to establish a relationship with Xue Feifei. Ignoring the fact that their own gate had been kicked in, he quickly forced a smile and extended his hand, saying, “Pleasure to meet you. I’m Chen Zijian…”
Chu Tianyu glanced at Chen Zijian, saw his obsequious attitude, ignored him completely, and turned to ask Xue Ning’er again, “What brings you here?”

Xue Ning’er was stunned. Seeing her brother-in-law’s serious expression and the coldness in his eyes, she felt aggrieved. She hadn’t expected him to ask such a question, but she still answered honestly, “Last time, Teacher Chen said he would write a musical script with a natural rhythm for me. He invited me here today to check it out…” Before Xue Ning’er could finish, Chu Tianyu felt relieved. As long as it had nothing to do with her, it would be easy to handle. With that thought, he reached out, grabbed Xue Ning’er’s arm, pulled her closer, and said, “Ning’er, come here. Today, your brother-in-law has some questions to ask that wretched Teacher Chen.” Xue Ning’er was already confused by Chu Tianyu’s sudden appearance, and now, with her brother-in-law’s serious expression and accusatory tone, her feelings of grievance grew even stronger, and tears welled in her eyes. But when Chu Tianyu pulled her, she felt a wave of warmth surge into her heart, making her body feel weak. She leaned against him, and hearing his words—that there was nothing wrong with her—filled her heart with warmth, instantly dispelling all her grievances and confusion. At that moment, with her face flushed red, she leaned against Chu Tianyu, intoxicated by the aura emanating from him, ignoring completely Teacher Chen, who was standing nearby in shock. Meanwhile, Chu Tianyu stared at Chen Zijian and said, “So you’re that ‘wretched’ Chen?” “Yes, what is it?” Chen Zijian, pressured by Chu Tianyu’s presence, stepped back and replied. “I’ll give you one chance—let her go!” Chu Tianyu said coldly. “Her? Which her? I don’t even know what you’re talking about. Get your act together! This is my house. If it weren’t for Miss Ning’er, I would have called the police already—110—to report you for trespassing!” Faced with Chu Tianyu’s demands, Chen Zijian finally realized he was looking for trouble and shouted fiercely, though his unpredictable gaze revealed a hint of panic, which Chu Tianyu noticed clearly. “Since you don’t value this chance, then we…” Chu Tianyu paused, raised his eyebrows, and turned toward where they had come from.

Just as everyone was puzzled, a clamor was heard. In an instant, a large group of people appeared at the intersection. The first few in line were the security guards from earlier. Behind them were dozens of others, with a bald man in the middle—tall and muscular, looking fierce. Without a doubt, he must be the leader of this group.

As the situation took an unexpected turn, everyone’s expressions varied. Zhou Jie and Hu Luda immediately showed signs of tension. Though they knew Chu Tianyu was powerful, facing so many people at once was likely beyond what anyone could handle. They gritted their teeth, clenched their fists, and prepared to fight alongside Chu Tianyu.

Xue Ning’er, on the other hand, was caught off guard and looked confused. She glanced at her brother-in-law and then at the menacing crowd, unable to figure out what was going on.

Of course, Chen Zijian was the happiest of all. Realizing it was the security guards who had arrived, he tossed his long hair back with a smug expression. He glanced at Chu Tianyu with a look of contempt and said, “Since I don’t care about this opportunity, what do you plan to do?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Tianyu slapped him without even looking. Chen Zijian let out a painful scream as two of his front teeth flew out, and he was knocked to the ground by the blow.

Chu Tianyu hadn’t used much force. After falling, Chen Zijian covered his swollen cheek, his lips trembling, his eyes wide in disbelief. He never expected Chu Tianyu to be so brutal. In his memory, it was only he, Chen the Screenwriter, who ever hit others—he never thought he’d be the one to get beaten.

“Search him for the keys. Le’er is in the basement. You two go save her first; I’ll handle this,” Chu Tianyu said to Zhou Jie and Hu Luda after delivering the slap.

“This…” The two hesitated as they watched the approaching crowd.

“Saving her is priority!” Chu Tianyu said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Zhou Jie and Hu Luda exchanged a glance, realizing Chu Tianyu must have his reasons. Without further hesitation, they searched the woman on the ground and threw a few more punches at her, ignoring her struggles and cries. Once they found the keychain, they rushed inside to look for the entrance to the basement.

……

“Boss, it’s him! He’s the one who knocked Second Master out,” several security guards rushed forward, pointing at Chu Tianyu.

“Oh, so it’s you, kid?” The bald man who seemed to be the leader was indeed the boss. He slowly raised his eyes to take in Chu Tianyu from head to toe before asking. But soon, his gaze was drawn to Xue Ning’er beside Chu Tianyu. With a trembling voice, he spoke again, “Xue, Miss Xue Ning’er? Am I… am I not dreaming?” At that moment, Chen Zijian, the screenwriter, mustered some strength from nowhere, got up, and rushed forward, crawling toward the bald man. Out of breath, he stammered, “Hurry, help me take care of that kid…” It was only after this interruption that the bald man snapped out of his daze and remembered why he was there. He couldn’t afford to let this villa be ransacked, and even for his unconscious younger brother, he had to deal with that kid first. He then composed himself and said, “Kid, if you’ve got guts, come down! Don’t use women as shields!” As he spoke, he even puffed out his chest, posing as a hero saving a beauty in front of Xue Ning’er. Meanwhile, Chen Zijian took out his phone, glancing at Chu Tianyu with hatred as he dialed, “Hello, is this Director Zhang? Bring some people over. Someone beat the hell out of me right at my doorstep today. I want them to pay for it!” “What? You want to go through the proper legal process? You can’t handle it personally? Damn it, do you want me to call my uncle instead? It’s broad daylight, and I get beaten right at my own doorstep. What kind of shitty law enforcement is this? Do you even have any rules or laws?” Chen Zijian exploded in anger upon hearing the other party’s tone. After a brief silence, clearly considering the connections he mentioned, the other party reluctantly agreed after Chen Zijian cursed a few more times and mentioned things like contacting newspapers and the media for exposure. Now even more arrogant, Chen Zijian acted supremely proud. If it weren’t for his slightly breathless speech and empty front teeth, which made him look a bit comical, his demeanor could have been described as spirited. The bald boss, who originally had no good impression of this guy who started bluffing as soon as they met, had ignored him out of respect for his status as the head of the household. Otherwise, given the way he spoke to him, he would have slapped him long ago. But now, he realized just how powerful this man was—having managed to get a director on his side, not to mention an uncle who must be some high-ranking official!

It seems there are truly hidden talents here. After all, those who can live here must be extremely wealthy—even if they lack any background. Alright, we can’t afford to provoke them; we should just do our job as “security guards” and not risk losing this golden job while also offending powerful people.

Chu Tianyu watched Chen Zijian’s embarrassing behavior coldly. Xue Ning’er beside him also understood the situation, especially after hearing what the bald man said. She couldn’t help but laugh and continued to lean against Chu Tianyu, saying sweetly, “Sir, I’m sorry. I’m not a shield—I’m his sister!”

With a teasing smile, she looked at the bald boss who was about to save her.

The bald boss looked embarrassed. Facing his idol, he didn’t know what to do for a moment and glanced at Chen Zijian.

Chen Zijian also looked flustered. He had hired Xue Ning’er, and now such a situation had arisen, leaving him at a loss.

But no matter how charming Xue Ning’er was, her charm paled in comparison to the worries in his heart. So Chen Zijian gritted his teeth and said firmly, “Just pull Miss Ning’er away. We can’t worry about anything else. Deal with that kid first. Two guys have already broken into my house. If anything is stolen or damaged, you’ll be responsible!”

The bald boss cursed inwardly, “Damn you, what kind of thing are you?” But on the surface, he waved his hand, signaling his men to act. However, when a few of them rushed at Chu Tianyu with weapons, he suddenly noticed that the kid didn’t show any fear at all. Even Xue Ning’er beside him didn’t seem alarmed. Given her delicate status, she should have screamed in terror or at least looked pale at such a scene—not shown such an unusual expression.

With this thought, the bald boss suddenly felt a badpremonition. As he was puzzled, a clash ensued ahead, accompanied by muffled “bangs.” In an instant, all those burly men who rushed forward spat foam and collapsed unconscious. Chu Tianyu, on the other hand, stood there as if he hadn’t moved at all.

The bald boss immediately realized what had happened, and his doubts were resolved. It turned out this guy was extremely skilled—no wonder his second-in-command had been kicked aside by him. With such abilities, not to mention his subordinates, even if he went up himself, he’d likely end up lying down.

He hadn’t managed to reach where he was today just by relying on his muscular build and impressive skills. Without the ability to assess situations wisely, not only would it be impossible for him to become the boss, but his very life would be at risk. So, before figuring out the situation, he didn’t send more men in. Instead, with an uncertain expression on his face, he asked, “Who are you, guy? Can you tell me your name?”

“What name? Are you trying to build relationships? Don’t you always brag about how tough you are? Why do you act like a coward the moment you meet a kid like me… Ah…” Before Chen Zijian could finish speaking, the bald boss actually swung a punch. With a loud “slap,” two more bloody teeth landed on the ground.

“You… you…” Chen Zijian, with streams of blood flowing from his nose, covered his face with one hand and pointed at the bald boss. Whether from pain or shock at this unexpected turn of events, he could only stammer “you” and say nothing else.

“Get lost!” At that moment, Chu Tianyu, who had remained silent until then, looked at the enraged bald boss with an expressionless face and spoke calmly.

The word “get lost” wasn’t loud, but to everyone present, it sounded like thunder. Their hearts skipped a beat immediately; the timid ones turned pale, their hands trembling uncontrollably.

The bald boss was hit the hardest. Shaken by Chu Tianyu’s words, he stepped back several times, as if he really had to leave.

The bald boss knew well how bad things were. Not only did his chest feel chaotic, but his head also buzzed, giving him a dizzy sensation. He couldn’t speak for a long time. In fact, at this point, if he could speak immediately, he would undoubtedly order his men to retreat! But the pressure in his chest prevented him from saying a word. Besides the physical discomfort, the fear in his heart was even greater. That single act from Chu Tianyu suddenly reminded him of a legend he had heard by chance—legends about cultivators! He never expected to encounter such a person today. Judging from this person’s aura and age, the power behind him must be either a martial arts family or some mysterious sect. Even the leaders of the crime syndicates in the capital would likely retreat quickly in fear.

What bad luck! Facing someone like this—acting wasn’t an option, and staying silent was also unacceptable. Just as he was stuck in a dilemma, the sound of urgent police sirens grew louder. Before anyone could react, three police cars rushed over.

First, a few police officers got out of the car. Though not many, they were all fully armed and looked highly competent. The last to emerge was a man in his forties wearing casual clothes. Judging from his demeanor and the authority in his expression, it was easy to imagine that he might be Director Zhang, who had been extremely reluctant to come. However, when they saw the scene, they were shocked. Several officers quickly drew their pistols and aimed them at the members of the Bangdao Gang, shouting, “Don’t move! Drop your weapons! Raise your hands! We’re the police!” “Nonsense! It would be strange if you were someone else!” The gang members scoffed at these words, which they considered utterly ridiculous. But the bald boss, upon seeing the police, was overjoyed. From childhood onward, he had never imagined that one day he would find the police so endearing, so approachable, and so comforting! He quickly raised his hands high, trying to calm his agitated heart, and managed to say, “Police officers, we’re security guards. We were also called by the property owner, who said someone had broken into his house and was extremely violent. That’s why we brought extra people. Look, several of our brothers are lying on the ground, unconscious—we don’t know if they’re alive or dead. Please help us!” After the bald boss spoke, everyone was stunned, even his own gang members looked incredulous and ashamed. They never expected their usually domineering boss to think of calling the police first. Could a gang really need to call the police? It seemed utterly absurd! Another person who was delighted to see the police was Chen Zijian. His excitement, frustration, and sense of relief from finding organizational support were beyond description. He thought the police were truly adorable—more so than anything else! Unlike the gangsters, who not only lacked the ability but also only knew how to bully the weak and fear the strong, and even dared to attack him—it was simply outrageous! Immediately after the bald boss, Chen Zijian stepped forward, pointing at everyone present and shouting loudly, “Director Zhang, it’s me—Chen Zijian, the screenwriter! Don’t believe them! They’re not good people! Look how they beat me up! Arrest them all! Arrest them!”

Director Zhang glanced at Chen Zijian, who looked disheveled, the smirking boss of Guangda, the young couple on the steps, and the bodies scattered on the ground. How chaotic! Just as he was about to order them to explain everything from scratch, footsteps came from inside the room. Two young men with angry expressions were carrying a girl whose face was pale, she seemed weak, and her clothes were in disarray; she had merely thrown a bedsheet over herself.

When Chu Tianyu saw Zhou Jie and the others come out, he had already sensed Le Er’s condition. Though injured, it wasn’t serious. It was time to wrap things up, so he helped Xue Ning’er stand up straight, leaned in, and whispered in her ear, “Watch them for me.”

Then, with a calm expression, he walked forward leisurely. Only after being repeatedly stopped by the police officers did he halt. He smiled slightly at Director Zhang and said, “I suppose this is Director Zhang?”

Director Zhang frowned and asked, “That’s right. Who are you?”

Chu Tianyu didn’t answer that question. Instead, he glanced around at the people present before calmly saying, “Who I am can wait. Let’s first talk about what happened. I’m sure you’re very curious about that as well.”

Without giving Director Zhang a chance to speak, he continued, “It’s simple. This so-called ‘wicked editor’ used illegal methods to imprison one of my classmates and subjected her to inhumane abuse. I’m sure you can see that from what’s happening here.”

Pointing at the extremely exhausted Le Er, he added, “We reported this to the police in advance, but it seemed to do nothing, so we had to handle it ourselves. As for what you see now, let me explain. As for these so-called security guards, you should understand what kind of people they are without me saying anything. As for this Chen, who twists the truth and abuses his power, I slapped him. I wonder if that’s enough of a reason for detention. As for those lying on the ground, I acted in self-defense. Look, they had sticks and machetes, while I had empty hands!”

After saying that, Chu Tianyu spread his hands to show he was telling the truth, then looked at Director Zhang with an expression that said, “I’ve said everything I need to say. Now it’s up to you.”