Chapter 35: Never Heard Such an Outrageous Demand

Unable to make sense of the situation, Zeng Shen decided to leave.

"It's almost noon. Let me treat you to a clam hotpot. The clams at this restaurant are supplied by our own farm, and they're delicious," Liu Miao suggested.

"Clam hotpot? I love it."

Zeng Shen nodded, driving the camper out of the port with Liu Miao.

Not long after they left the port, two vans blocked the camper, and seven or eight thuggish-looking men got out, wielding sticks.

At that moment, a prompt sounded in Zeng Shen's ear.

[The host is encountering a Tier 3 Water Deity and several Tier 1 and Tier 2 Water Deities. It is advised to use the vehicle to break through before they can surround you.]

"What kind of suggestion is that? I'm too young to be imprisoned," Zeng Shen mentally cursed the system.

The thugs shouted at the camper from a distance:

"Get out!"

"Looks like the security around here isn't great," Zeng Shen joked, preparing to get out.

Liu Miao furrowed her brows, stopping Zeng Shen by grabbing his hand on the car door. "Zeng Shen, they're local thugs. There might be a misunderstanding. Let me talk to them."

"Will you be safe going alone?"

"No problem. I've seen my grandfather deal with them before. They were respectful to him, and many of their relatives work as laborers at my dock. They shouldn't harm me."

"Alright, be careful."

Liu Miao nodded, stepping out of the car to approach the thugs.

A yellow-haired thug wearing sunglasses, evidently the leader, walked towards Liu Miao with his gang.

They stopped between the camper and the vans.

Zeng Shen didn't stay in the car, watching from the door instead.

The sunglass-wearing thug sized up Liu Miao, grinning. "Miss Liu, our brothers have some expenses lately. We'd like to borrow some money from you."

"My company is barely surviving. I don't have money to lend," Liu Miao refused.

"Miss Liu, we saw you leaving the bank with the manager seeing you out. I don't believe you're out of money. Are you trying to fool us?"

"And if I refuse?"

"Well, if you don't lend, maybe spend a few days entertaining us," the thug leader taunted.

"Yeah, haha."

Behind him, the thugs grinned lewdly, echoing his words.

"Miss Liu, entertain us for a few days, and we promise not to borrow money. We'll even pay you. Fair deal."

"Yeah, and we'll look out for you."

"As long as you satisfy us, we'll..."

"You..." Liu Miao was furious at their vulgarity. "Aren't you afraid my grandfather will find out?"

The thug leader sneered, "Don't try to scare us with your grandfather. We know he's been unconscious for two months and probably won't make it. If you don't lend us money today, your dock won't operate smoothly."

"Yeah, we're afraid of your grandfather, not you," another thug added.

"You..."

Liu Miao's grandfather was her bottom line, and their words enraged her. She raised her hand to slap the thug.

"Try hitting me."

The thug leader tilted his face, daring her arrogantly.

Startled, Liu Miao hesitated, regaining her composure and lowering her hand.

The thugs laughed.

"Boss, she chickened out."

Amidst their laughter, the thug leader's arrogance grew.

"What's wrong, little girl? Afraid to slap me now? Come on, hit me. I'll let you do it for free."

"Slap!"

A crisp slap landed on the thug leader's face.

The thugs' laughter halted, replaced by disbelief.

Liu Miao was equally shocked, staring at Zeng Shen, who had appeared beside her.

Zeng Shen rubbed his hand, muttering, "Never seen such an outrageous demand in my life."

Liu Miao couldn't help but laugh at his comment, her tension easing.

"What the hell!"

The thugs snapped out of it.

The thug leader, holding his slapped cheek, yelled, "Get him!"

The thugs, wielding sticks, rushed Zeng Shen.

"Ah!" Liu Miao was terrified, crouching and covering her head instinctively.

But Zeng Shen, unfazed, smirked, a hint of excitement in his eyes.

He had been training at the Li Huo Martial Arts Club, but lacked a chance to test his skills.

Now, the opportunity was here.

Using his double agility boost, Zeng Shen kicked a thug swinging a stick, then landed left and right hooks, quickly flooring all the thugs.

"What the..." The thug leader hesitated after seeing his men defeated in seconds, unsure whether to join the fight.

Zeng Shen beckoned with a finger. The thug leader glanced at his fallen men, hesitated, then charged, shouting to bolster his courage.

"Not bad, some guts."

Zeng Shen praised, then swiftly executed a shoulder throw, easily flooring him.

With all the thugs down, Zeng Shen turned to help Liu Miao.

"It's okay now, get up."

"Huh?" Liu Miao lowered her hands, looking around.

All the thugs lay on the ground, groaning.

She was utterly stunned.

"Did you...take them all down?"

"Who else?"

Zeng Shen grinned, turning to the thug leader feigning injury on the ground.

"If you ever extort Liu Miao again, I'll cripple you all. Move your vans, or I'll beat you again."

"Ah."

The thug leader scrambled up, leading his men to the vans, fleeing in embarrassment.

[The host has overpowered a Tier 3 Water Deity, gaining 2000 survival points.]

[The host has overpowered a Tier 1 Water Deity, gaining 2000 survival points.]

[The host has overpowered, gaining 2000...]

[The host has overpowered...]