"Ugh…"
The man crumpled like a sack of potatoes.
Doug Feng froze for a second, his hand still stiff in midair. He hadn't expected that single karate-chop motion to be so… effective. His palm stung from the impact, and he could swear he'd heard something crack. A cold chill shot up his spine.
Crap, did I kill him?
The sound of the man hitting the floor snapped the attention of his partner—the bald thug they called "Old Four." He spun around, wide-eyed. "Old Eight? What—who the hell are you?!"
Doug didn't hesitate. His reflexes, now sharpened by the system's Basic Body Enhancement, picked up the movement instantly—Old Four's hand had gone to his waist. Something glinted beneath his jacket.
A gun?!
Adrenaline surged. Doug dove forward like a coiled spring, slamming a fist upward into Old Four's jaw before the man could draw the weapon.
Crack!
The punch landed so hard, it was almost cartoonish. The bald man's head jerked back with an audible pop, and his body followed suit, slumping backward in a heap.
Doug stood over them, panting slightly, his heart thudding so hard it echoed in his ears. His eyes flicked to the pistol now lying on the floor beside Old Four's twitching hand.
"If I hadn't enhanced my body… if I'd hesitated for even a second…"
That realization sobered him. These guys weren't street punks—they carried guns. What kind of shady business was going down in this hotel?
But before he could overthink it, Doug's eyes drifted to the unconscious woman in the corner—the one they'd dragged in like some discarded object.
She looked to be in her early thirties, dressed in a rose-colored silk blouse and a black leather skirt that hugged her legs, which were clad in sheer black stockings. The red high heels completed a picture that was both elegant and vulnerable. Her cheeks were flushed, and her head lolled slightly, obviously drugged.
"Hey… wake up." Doug knelt beside her and gently shook her shoulder.
The woman didn't respond. Instead, she groaned softly and shifted, her body language laced with unconscious discomfort. Doug panicked for a second. "C'mon, c'mon…"
Then he noticed a crate of bottled water stacked in the corner. Without thinking twice, he grabbed a bottle, twisted off the cap, and splashed the icy liquid onto her face.
She gasped, jolting awake with a start.
"Wha—cough—what…?"
Her hands fumbled against the floor, her bleary eyes struggling to focus. She looked around, confused, then spotted the two men sprawled on the ground—and Doug.
"You… who are you?"
Her voice was soft but laced with steel. As her senses slowly returned, she seemed to piece together what had just happened. Her eyes flicked from Doug to the unconscious thugs, and something fierce kindled in her gaze.
"They really tried it," she muttered, her tone seething with rage. "I knew they were desperate, but this…"
"You're okay now," Doug said quickly, keeping his voice low. "But we have to move. They said their boss is sending people soon—and they've got more guns."
The woman staggered to her feet, still clearly woozy, but carried herself with surprising composure. Her soaked blouse clung to her like a second skin, making Doug avert his gaze quickly, cheeks burning. His eyes refused to behave, though—they kept drifting downward against his will.
"Little student," she said suddenly, flashing him a knowing smile. "You saved me, didn't you? You're quite brave for someone so young… and strong, too. These two were no pushovers."
"Uh, I… yeah, I guess…" Doug stammered, trying to look anywhere but her blouse. She stood in front of him now, brushing a few strands of hair out of her face, fixing her skirt.
"What's your name? Which high school are you from? You don't look like the usual kind of hero that pops out of nowhere." Her voice was teasing but grateful, with just a touch of flirtation.
"I'm a senior at Zhicheng No. 1 High. Name's Doug Feng," he replied quickly. "But seriously, we should get out of here. Fast."
"Oh? Zhicheng's top school, huh?" she mused, chuckling lightly. "Alright, Doug Feng. Thank you for saving this old lady."
"You're not old!" Doug blurted, then mentally kicked himself.
She laughed. "You're cute. But don't worry—I won't forget this. You're going to be seeing me again soon."
Before he could respond, she pulled out her phone and made a quick call. Her tone was all business now: "Send a team to Jin Yang Hotel. Now."
"Uh… I've really gotta go," Doug said, already halfway out the door.
"Take care, little hero." Her voice followed him as he dashed into the hallway. "And tell your teacher Ms. Fang she's lucky to have you."
He paused for half a second, just long enough to glance back—and spotted something above her head.
A glowing red "+1" floated there, fading slowly.
Doug blinked. Did I just… gain a Favor Point from her?
He could feel his face flushing again. Maybe she noticed the way he stared at her earlier. Maybe she didn't mind. Maybe she liked it?
"Pull it together, man," he muttered, shaking his head to chase away the lingering perfume of her scent from his imagination. "Now's not the time for fantasies."
But deep down, a smug grin tugged at the corners of his lips. A real-life mature goddess had smiled at him and flirted a little. That had to count for something, right?
Anyway, he had more important things to focus on now—like saving Ms. Qing Fang.
Doug located the stairwell and scanned the floor map posted next to it. Jin Yang Hotel's layout was pretty straightforward. Third floor housed regular banquet rooms. Fifth floor? That was VIP territory.
Luxury private rooms—Tian, Di, Xuan, and Huang. Only four, but each was the size of a small suite. Rumor had it they even had personal hot springs inside.
Doug narrowed his eyes. "No doubt that sleazeball Liu Chengyan would take Ms. Fang to one of those."
And sure enough, his instincts told him she was up there—trapped in some gilded cage, surrounded by snakes.
"I'm coming, Ms. Fang," he whispered, clenching his fists. "Hold on just a little longer."
Taking the stairs three at a time, Doug bounded up to the fifth floor.
Time was running out.