Attacked

On the bustling streets of the Imperial Capital,

An Yi pushed a wheelchair, yawning boredly as he watched the crowds pass by.

Lin Chen wore his usual indifferent expression.

Xiao Ye had returned to the coffee shop to resume his shift.

Fang Jueming had requested three days off for Wu Tong and had already gone back to Jiangbei City.

Chen Bing visited the Tang Family, still scheming to marry into wealth.

Bai Xiu headed to the Jiang Family, claiming he had some minor business to settle, bringing Liu Dachao and Qin Shan along.

The little girl Ziyue stubbornly stayed in the hotel, glued to the TV watching cartoons.

Hongtian was free, but the sight of a dog pushing a wheelchair was downright eerie.

Left with no choice, An Yi reluctantly took it upon himself to wheel Lin Chen outside.

The man was severely injured, still recovering—he couldn’t just rot away in the hotel.

"Let’s head back if there’s nothing else," Lin Chen said flatly.

"You think I want to push you?" An Yi scoffed. "An hour outside every day—otherwise, I’m afraid you’ll get depressed cooped up in there."

"I’ve spent half a month lying in ambush during missions with Wolf Fang," Lin Chen replied coolly.

Recalling those days, he sighed faintly, as if they belonged to another lifetime.

Old Fei, Junzi, Boss… Unconsciously, four years had already passed.

Lin Chen’s expression turned somber as he stared blankly at the street.

He had made many guesses, but he never expected the ones who slaughtered the Wolf Fang mercenary group would be the Paradise Organization.

Even more unexpected—the trigger that led to his brothers’ deaths was himself.

He was the sinner.

This blood debt, he would repay it without fail.

Just as Lin Chen’s emotions threatened to overwhelm him, a hand clapped his shoulder. "We’re in public. Crying here would be embarrassing."

Lin Chen took a deep breath, his clenched fists slowly relaxing. "Hah, if only I could be as carefree as you."

Hearing this, An Yi’s lips curled into a smirk.

For a fleeting moment, he remembered the Night Gate members slaughtered by the gods.

That single night had completely upended his lazy, drifting life in the Ancient Continent.

And so, he crossed over to this world—just to idle away in a different place.

"Carve the hatred deep into your heart, but life moves forward. Don’t let the past shackle your future," An Yi said lightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Your priority now is to heal those injuries. The Paradise Organization isn’t going anywhere."

"Speaking of which, how come you’re unharmed?" Lin Chen asked suspiciously.

This had puzzled him for a while.

He distinctly remembered An Yi being gravely wounded, his arm severed by Chi Xiao.

Yet when he woke up, the man was perfectly fine—not even a scar the size of a bean.

An Yi grinned. "Truly handsome people don’t get hurt."

"Tch." Lin Chen rolled his eyes.

This guy was a walking enigma. Even now, Lin Chen couldn’t figure him out.

"Is this Asura Gate of yours for real?"

After a long silence, Lin Chen finally voiced the question.

At first, he’d thought it was just some childish bluff.

But its subsequent growth had defied all expectations.

Now, the Asura Gate had the potential to become the fifth major force in Xia—after the Divine Hall Alliance, the Dao League, the Law Enforcement Bureau, and the Heavenly Dragon Temple.

It was already the embryo of a behemoth. Further expansion would inevitably step on toes.

That was why, during the Martial Artists’ Assembly, factions that had never crossed paths with them had united against the Asura Gate.

The martial world of Xia had long maintained a delicate balance among its major powers, a framework refined over years.

Now, with the Asura Gate’s sudden rise, those established factions wouldn’t let it spread unchecked.

An Yi paused briefly, then smirked. "More or less. But my sights aren’t that narrow."

Claiming territory, striving for dominance in Xia?

That wasn’t his ambition.

If his goals lay beyond, why fight frogs in a well for their muddy little puddle?

"Guess I’m on a pirate ship now," Lin Chen said, his icy face cracking into a rare smile.

Just then, An Yi’s eyes flickered.

Lin Chen’s hand tightened on the wheelchair.

A faint, almost imperceptible killing intent drifted from behind.

"Don’t look back," Lin Chen warned in a low voice.

An Yi’s lips curved slightly. "Noticed it."

"Turn right."

Lin Chen directed calmly.

An Yi pushed the wheelchair at a leisurely pace—then abruptly accelerated, swerving across the street.

"Damn it! How’d they spot me?"

A sunglasses-wearing young man frowned, then sprinted after them.

"Slow—slow down!" Lin Chen gritted his teeth, gripping the armrests.

The oncoming wind whipped through his black hair.

The surroundings blurred into streaks as they raced past.

On the street, all anyone saw was a streak of flame darting by, leaving scorch marks in its wake.

Bystanders blinked in confusion.

What just happened?

With his Flame Steps activated, An Yi’s legs wreathed in fire, his speed terrifying.

In the blink of an eye, he had pushed Lin Chen miles away, arriving at a vast, deserted stretch of land.

"Old Lin, you might need to lie low for a while longer."

An Yi sighed and said, "Later, I’ll buy you a more expensive wheelchair."

Lin Chen: "?"

As he spoke, An Yi casually let go, and the sheer momentum sent Lin Chen flying forward—straight toward a garbage dump.

Lin Chen:

Clang!

The moment he hurled Lin Chen away, An Yi spun around, his ring transforming into a Dragon Fang dagger, which he swung back to block an incoming blade.

Sparks erupted from the violent impact!

Both men staggered back a step.

"Impressive. No wonder so many people fear you."

A tall, lanky young man wearing sunglasses and a backward snapback smirked arrogantly.

An Yi gripped the Dragon Fang in his right hand while pulling out a Soulreaver dagger from his storage space with his left, flipping it into a reverse grip.

This guy’s no joke.

Even with the speed boost from Flame Step, this opponent matched his pace effortlessly.

What An Yi didn’t know, however, was that the young man was even more shocked.

Speed was his specialty, yet this guy had been pushing a damn wheelchair and still outran him!

This can’t get out. I’d never live it down.

"Who are you?"

An Yi twirled his dagger, his tone indifferent.

The young man sneered. "Does it matter?"

"Fine. Don’t blame me for not holding back." An Yi grinned, his eyes glinting with menace.

"Oh, please don’t!"

The young man’s lips curled further. "Let’s see just how strong the legendary leader of the Asura Gate really is!"

Clang!

The clash of steel rang out as the two engaged once more.

Meanwhile, in the garbage heap—

The wheelchair had long since toppled over.

Lin Chen lay sprawled atop it, staring blankly at the azure sky, his already icy expression turning even colder.