Chapter 124: A Bunch of Trash

The fat man stared blankly at the fist Ling Tian had extended, unable to comprehend why this kid wasn’t playing by the usual rules. Was there something wrong with this boy’s head, daring to threaten him right here at the Heavenly Realm Club? What else could this be besides sheer nonsense? The fat man found himself unable to gauge Ling Tian’s true strength—what confidence did he have to speak so boldly?

To become the manager of the Heavenly Realm Club was no small feat; the fat man was calm and composed, his gaze fixed on Ling Tian, hoping to glean some clue. He sized Ling Tian up from head to toe, then glanced at Zhao Ming and the others. Their clothing was ordinary, not that of wealthy heirs. And even if they came from influential families, such people wouldn’t allow their kin to work here. To be certain, the fat man signaled the receptionist, who promptly handed over detailed profiles on Zhao Min and the other three girls.

These files, provided by Jiang Yang, were exhaustively detailed—listing the number of family members, their names, occupations, everything crystal clear. After reviewing them, the fat man sneered coldly. With such backgrounds, they surely lacked powerful connections; otherwise, they wouldn’t have needed to drop out of school and come here to work.

To confirm his suspicions, the fat man pulled the receptionist aside and quietly asked, “Has this person been here before?”

Receptionists at the Heavenly Realm Club had remarkable memories; while not quite photographic, they could recall nearly every socialite who had ever visited. Though their impressions might not be deep, they could certainly recognize faces when seen again.

The receptionist looked over Ling Tian and his group, then shook her head firmly. “This is their first visit. I’ve never seen them before—I can say that with certainty.”

The fat man nodded thoughtfully. “I haven’t seen them either. I know some of the socialites in Yunhai City, but this person is new to me. Alright, you’re dismissed—I have what I need.” After sending the receptionist away, the fat man approached Ling Tian.

This time, the smile vanished from the fat man’s face, replaced by a dark expression. He had already concluded that Ling Tian was a reckless youth, relying on his fighting skills and foolishly coming to the Heavenly Realm Club to stir trouble. Was this place even meant for a poor kid like him?

“You brat, you’ve got some nerve, causing a ruckus in the Heavenly Realm Club. That’s somewhat admirable—it shows you have guts. But did you bother to find out where you’re stepping into? Do you think you’ll walk away from here unscathed?” The fat man’s voice was low and menacing, his eyes glinting with ruthless intent.

The staff gathered around as the fat man’s anger flared. Several security guards readied to move in; this was a prime opportunity to rough up some penniless scrubs and curry favor on the streets—an opportunity not to be missed. Some even looked forward to having a bit of fun with the girls.

“General Manager, leave this to me. Handling a few punks like these is a breeze,” volunteered a burly man, flexing his biceps to impress the onlookers.

“I’ll take care of it. I’m quite skilled at dealing with these lowlifes,” another chimed in.

Within a minute, eight men had stepped forward, each eager to claim credit, oblivious that they were courting death—this was no less than a suicide mission.

Ling Tian watched coldly, curious to see how many would come forward. Zhao Ming and Zhang Ding, having witnessed Ling Tian’s prowess before, remained calm—one played on his phone, the other leisurely trimmed his nails. They knew Ling Tian could handle this easily; they could just sit back and enjoy the show.

Zhao Min and the three girls who had narrowly escaped danger were terribly anxious. Having stayed here awhile, they understood the deep-rooted power behind the Heavenly Realm Club—it was no place to tussle lightly. The overwhelming numbers made them nervous; even Ling Tian’s skill might not be enough against so many.

“Brother, you guys go first. I’ll stay behind,” Zhao Min suddenly stood, her voice trembling. Though she lacked some courage, for a girl to step forward at a crucial moment was impressive—something the other three girls couldn’t manage.

Ling Tian looked at Zhao Min with genuine admiration. This girl was no ordinary one; with proper nurturing, she could achieve great things. Her courage alone set her apart.

“Haha, how amusing! So loud and proud just now, and now you’re suddenly quiet, leaning on a woman to save face?” The fat man laughed heartily. “Bring them in and make sure they understand this isn’t a place for paupers like them.” He plopped down on a chair, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

Ling Tian said to Zhao Min, “Sit down. This is a matter for men; you don’t need to get involved.”

Zhao Min retorted stubbornly, “What do you mean, men and women? In ancient times, Hua Mulan fought as a soldier and wasn’t any less than men. Even if I can’t beat them, I’ll scratch their faces up.” She then made cat claw gestures with her small hands, her innocent, cute expression utterly endearing.

The would-be attackers drooled, their eyes fixed on Zhao Min with lust. One even shouted, “This girl’s mine! Anyone else can forget it!”

“What the hell, why’s she yours? I called dibs!” another growled.

“Cut the crap. I spotted her first; the other three are yours,” a third added.

“Enough squabbling. This girl’s reserved for our General Manager,” someone declared.

The fat man grinned wickedly. “Whoever wins her, she’s theirs.”

That phrase was like a shot of adrenaline. The eight men’s eyes gleamed green with excitement, itching to rush forward and claim Zhao Min on the spot.

“Is that all you’ve got, trash like this?” Ling Tian slowly stood, looking disdainfully at the approaching eight men.

Zhao Ming and Zhang Ding didn’t move to help but instead began placing bets, much to Zhao Min’s frustration.

“I bet 100 yuan that the boss can handle these eight trash in under a minute,” Zhang Ding said, slamming a hundred yuan onto the table. He had seen Ling Tian’s might before, though not as often as Zhao Ming.

Zhao Ming scoffed at him, “I bet 200 yuan Ling Tian can finish them in ten seconds—no, five seconds.”

Based on Zhao Ming’s observations, Ling Tian’s speed when dealing with Scar and the fat man was lightning-fast, so handling eight men would be even easier.

“You guys… you’re killing me! Ling Ge is about to fight, and instead of helping, you’re betting? I’ll scratch you all to death!” Zhao Min huffed, clearly the angry kitten about to bare her teeth.

Ling Tian smiled. “Hey, why don’t you join in? I think you’ll bet three seconds. That way, you might win some pocket money. Your brother’s been making some cash lately—he’s not short.”

After scanning the opponents with his spiritual awareness, he added, “Taking down this bunch of trash won’t take three seconds—not even one second.”

Zhao Min thought she misheard. Ling Tian was actually asking her to bet and claiming Zhao Ming wasn’t short of money.

“Dumb girl, stop daydreaming and place your bet or you won’t win anything,” Ling Tian urged, just as the eight men closed in, ready to fight.

Reluctantly, Zhao Min nodded, accepting 200 yuan from Ling Tian to join this game.

The fat man was nearly bursting with anger; this was sheer arrogance—betting openly in front of so many people, wagering on how long it would take to take down eight men. Even if those men just stood there, it would take at least a minute. He barked, “Too cocky! Beat him mercilessly! Kill him!”

The eight men lunged forward without any strategy, fighting like street thugs. Ling Tian snorted disdainfully and surged forward like a phantom, delivering eight punches with astonishing speed—in less than a second. To outsiders, it looked as if Ling Tian had eight arms, his fists leaving afterimages.

At first glance, one might think he was some eight-armed deity, awe-inspiring in every way.

He stood toe-to-toe with eight men, punch for punch—was he out of his mind? But when the fat man saw Ling Tian’s simultaneous eight punches, he was dumbfounded. The eight men, eager to take advantage, didn’t even have time to scream before they were knocked unconscious by Ling Tian’s heavy blows.

The sounds of ribs cracking were sharp and chilling.

Just like that, it was over?

The fat man only believed what he saw when he witnessed the eight men sprawled unconscious on the ground.

Zhao Min was so shocked she almost gasped aloud, hastily covering her mouth and staring at Ling Tian in disbelief. That was over in the blink of an eye? Too fast!

“I won! Pay up!” Zhao Min quickly urged.

Zhao Ming and Zhang Ding begrudgingly handed the money to Zhao Min, grumbling, “This isn’t fair.”

“I call it insider information. If you had it, you’d win too,” Zhao Min said happily, tucking the bills into her pocket. Then, with a longing look at Ling Tian, she said, “Brother Ling, don’t forget your little sister when there’s a chance to make some money.”

Ling Tian laughed. “You’re quite the money lover.”

Zhao Min playfully stuck out her tongue, grinning. “Poor kids learn early to manage. I just don’t have money, so I won’t miss any chance to get rich.”

Seeing Zhao Min return to her lively self, Ling Tian and the others finally relaxed. Luckily, they had arrived in time; otherwise, the others would have left a psychological scar on Zhao Min.