Whoosh!
Su Yang and the strange young man crashed to the ground in a tangle. The young man snarled and gnashed his teeth, opening his maw wide to sink his teeth into Su Yang's neck.
Su Yang swiftly jerked his head aside. Grappling the young man, he used his momentum to roll over, pinning the other beneath him.
He then threaded his arms under the young man's neck and locked them in a tight rear-naked choke.
The young man's pale eyes bulged wide. He opened his mouth in a howl, his hands clawing desperately to pry Su Yang's arms loose.
However, once a rear-naked choke is fully locked in, it's nearly impossible to break—unless the person being choked possesses overwhelming strength. Otherwise, prying it open is extremely difficult.
But Su Yang knew this kid had tough skin and considerable strength. He didn't dare slack off, increasing the pressure with his arms, squeezing relentlessly.
After about ten seconds, the young man's gurgling, choking sounds gradually ceased. He could hold on no longer; his hands went limp, falling to the ground as he completely lost consciousness.
Seeing this, Su Yang released his hold. "Phew! Damn, thought I couldn't handle you?"
He stood up, hoisted the young man onto his shoulder, and began walking out of the woods.
Just then, Little Lin and Hong, who had been running after him, finally caught up. Seeing Su Yang carrying the young man towards them, their faces registered both shock and admiration.
"Whoa, dude, you caught him?"
"Isn't he right here on my shoulder?"
"Holy crap, that's insane! Did you knock him out?"
"Yeah. Let's get out of here first. Oh, by the way, do you guys have any rope?"
"Rope? We do, but we don't have it on us. Manager Wu outside has it."
"Then let's hurry out and tie him up first."
"Right, right, let's go."
The three of them quickened their pace, heading out of the woods.
[Ding. Detected host has gained significant combat experience from the battle with Ge Hai. Reward: 2 million. Combat power increased to A-rank 84. Physique increased by one point. Current physique: 94.]
—Oh ho? Not bad. Looks like if I want to improve my physique and combat power, I need to get into more fights.
—Who would've thought playing an escape room would lead to running into someone like this. An unexpected bonus, I guess.
Soon, they emerged from the woods onto a path.
Seeing Ge Hai slung over Su Yang's shoulder, Manager Wu, who had earlier assigned the tasks, immediately stepped forward. "Sir, you... you really caught him?"
"Yeah, this guy is amazing. That kid ran in first, but he still managed to catch him."
"Oh, right, Manager Wu, hurry up and get the rope out so we can tie him up."
"Oh, oh, right."
Manager Wu said, tossing the iron rod in his hand to the ground and pulling a hemp rope from his bag.
Seeing this, Su Yang spoke up, "You're Manager Wu, right? Give me the rope, I'll tie him up."
"Uh, yeah, sure."
Manager Wu handed the rope to Su Yang, who took it, set Ge Hai down from his shoulder, and proceeded to truss him up tightly with a hogtie.
"Alright, done~"
Looking at the unconscious, strange young man on the ground, the others gulped.
Manager Wu turned to Su Yang, speaking apologetically, "I'm really sorry about this, sir. There was a lapse in our security, allowing an outsider to get in."
"It's fine. But you really need to tighten security around the perimeter of the back hill. Someone this dangerous getting in could easily hurt other people. In a serious case, it might even lead to fatalities!"
"Yes, yes, absolutely. We'll definitely strengthen management of the back hill from now on. Nothing like this will happen again."
"Got a smoke?" Su Yang asked Manager Wu with a smile.
"Yes, yes, here." Manager Wu said, taking out a pack of cigarettes, opening it, and offering one to Su Yang.
Su Yang lit it, took a drag, and said, "Lucky it was me who ran into him today. If it were someone else, things could have gotten messy."
"Did you call the police?"
"We already did."
"Good."
As he spoke, the faint sound of police sirens could be heard in the distance.
"They're here. Let's go, hand this kid over to the police."
"Right, take him away." Manager Wu turned and called out.
"Got it!" Little Lin and Hong, one at the front and one at the back, lifted Ge Ha and carried him. Everyone hurried towards the mountain entrance.
Su Yang asked Manager Wu, "By the way, Manager Wu, how did you get the news that an outsider had come in here?"
"We have surveillance cameras all over the escape room area on the back hill. Just now, while monitoring, we happened to see you fighting with this person on screen. I zoomed in for a closer look and realized he wasn't one of our staff, so I immediately brought people over."
"Alright. Let's hand him over to the police first."
After walking a bit further, four or five police officers in uniform hurried up to inquire.
Su Yang recounted the entire incident truthfully. Finally, he followed them to the monitoring room inside the factory to review the footage of the event.
......
Meanwhile, Meng Wenzhou and the others had already changed back into their own clothes and were waiting in the first-floor lounge.
After Ren Lingxi explained the situation to everyone, Liu Bo laughed, "Haha, that guy picking a fight with my bro Yang was just asking for trouble."
"By the way, is Bro Yang okay?"
Ren Lingxi shook her head, "That person was no match for Brother Su Yang, but he ran into the woods, and Brother Su Yang chased after him..."
Seeing the worry on Ren Lingxi's face, Liu Bo smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, Lingxi. Bro Yang's skills are not something an average person can match. Let's just wait here peacefully."
"Mhm, okay."
"Shame I missed such an exciting scene. I should've gone with you guys earlier," Ji Bo said regretfully.
"Damn, how did a stranger just wander in like that? Ruined our game before we could even finish," Ji Bo complained.
"In a situation like this, who cares about the game? It's good enough that no one got hurt."
......
Half an hour later, Su Yang, having also changed, arrived in the lobby with several police officers and the escape room manager. Seeing them, Meng Wenzhou and the others immediately stood up and went over. "Old Su, you alright?"
"All good~"
"What about that guy?"
"Handed over to the officers."
"Nice, nice! That's our Bro Yang for you!!"
Su Yang nodded with a smile at Liu Bo, then looked at Ren Lingxi. "Lingxi, you were also at the scene earlier. You'll need to come with me to the police station to give a statement."
Ren Lingxi nodded, "No problem."
Su Yang took out his car keys and looked at Chu Qiunan. "Old Chu, you drive my car later. You guys head back to the old town first."
"Got it!" Chu Qiunan reached out and took the keys.
Over ten minutes later, after the police and the escape room manager finished gathering information, they announced a temporary suspension of operations.
Su Yang and Ren Lingxi got into a police car and left. The others also got in their cars and drove back to the old town first.
......
2 AM. Su Yang and Ren Lingxi walked out of Licheng Police Station.
"Phew~ Damn, second time."
"What second time?" Ren Lingxi turned to ask Su Yang.
"Coming to a police station. This is the second time. Before, in Lucheng, at a bar, I ran into some troublemakers. Things got physical and I ended up at the station giving a statement then too."
"Oh, I see. But Brother Su Yang, this counts as self-defense. You're just cooperating with the officers."
"True. Let's go."
"Alright. Brother Su Yang, I had no idea you were so skilled. If you hadn't been there earlier, I don't even dare think what might have happened."
"Yeah, thinking about it gives me chills. That Yang Xiaoling went into the back mountain alone on a task before. It's a good thing she didn't run into that guy from earlier, or the consequences would have been unthinkable."
"Right. The management of the back mountain near their shop is too lax. I'm not going there anymore."
"Mhm, let's go."
"Okay~"
As they spoke, the two walked out of the police station, hailed a taxi by the roadside, and headed towards the ancient city.
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
m back to his original world. In the end, he realized he had overthought things. [Hey, why is Shen Manni, the female lead, acting strange? Shouldn't she be fawning over the male lead at this point?] [Zhou Qiaoqiao, are you sick? Weren't you supposed to break off your engagement today?] [Damn it! An Youyi, please do your job as an undercover agent and sell my information to the protagonist, you idiot!] ... At this moment, Xu Mo himself didn't know that these female leads had already heard his inner thoughts. Then they decided not to play by the rules. Xu Mo: Please respect my profession as the big villain!
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
