Chapter One Hundred and Sixteen: Utter Chaos

Everyone's attention was focused inside the shop, drawn by Lin Guoshan and the young man with the crew cut.

"What are you—"

In that split second, Chen Huajiang lunged forward. With a swift stride, he delivered a kick that sent the middle-aged man flying face-first into the dirt.

He then reached out with his right hand, aiming for the woman's neck to subdue her.

But the woman reacted with lightning speed. Her expression shifted instantly as she stepped back, grabbed Chen Huajiang's right arm with both hands, and twisted it with immense force.

A look of disdainful mockery crossed Gao Yun's face. She had indeed been startled a moment ago, but trying to subdue her with a one-handed neck grab was the height of folly. It was practically handing her a victory, giving her the perfect opening to use her joint-locking techniques.

A sharp pain shot up Chen Huajiang's arm, making him grimace. He instantly realized he was in trouble. Knowing he had been too careless, he decided to throw caution to the wind. Gritting his teeth, he threw his entire body weight forward, lunging directly at Gao Yun.

Gao Yun's expression changed. She had not expected this man to be so shameless, abandoning all proper martial forms to engage in a crude, desperate scuffle like a street thug. Before she could devise a counter-move, Chen Huajiang had already wrapped his arms around her, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

"Let go of me!" Gao Yun shrieked in fury. By sheer coincidence, his left hand was resting squarely on her chest. She was convinced he was doing it on purpose.

Chen Huajiang had no intention of letting go. Instead, he wrapped his legs tightly around her waist, while his freed right arm hooked around her neck, locking her in a tight chokehold.

"You lose, lady," Chen Huajiang said with a smug grin. Though it wasn't a dignified victory, a win was a win.

"Wow... Brother Chen's move is wild!"

"Ahem, Boss Chen does have some skills. A chaotic brawler can sometimes beat a master."

"I didn't expect Brother Chen to actually subdue her."

Only then did the surrounding crowd snap out of their daze. They stared at Chen Huajiang with bizarre expressions, whispering among themselves.

"You despicable scoundrel! I'll kill you!" Livid with rage, Gao Yun thrashed violently. She managed to push herself up, intending to slam herself backward onto the ground to crush him.

"Oh no!"

"Watch out!"

The onlookers gasped, never expecting Gao Yun to be so fierce and reckless. She was leaping up and throwing her weight backward with full force. If Chen Huajiang took the brunt of that impact, he could easily end up crippled.

Chen Huajiang's heart sank. He had not expected this woman to be so unyielding. In this critical moment, he didn't dare hesitate. He bit down on her neck and, gripping her waist tightly, threw his weight to the side to roll them over.

With a dull thud, they hit the ground, but this time Gao Yun was on the bottom, with Chen Huajiang pinned on top of her.

The crowd stood utterly dumbfounded, their mouths hanging wide open.

"Pah, pah, pah."

Chen Huajiang spat repeatedly to clear his mouth. Looking down at the dazed and disoriented Gao Yun beneath him, he wiped his lips, feeling a wave of embarrassment. His bite earlier had been pure instinct, completely bypassing his brain. It was just like a street brawl where, in the heat of the moment, scratching, biting, and kicking were all fair game. Humans were animals at their core; when pushed to the brink, they relied on primal instinct rather than refined martial forms.

But now that the danger had passed, Chen Huajiang had to consider his dignity and reputation, which made the situation rather awkward.

"Junior Sister! Junior Sister!"

"Kid, I'm going to kill you!"

Seeing Gao Yun seemingly knocked unconscious, the middle-aged man whom Chen Huajiang