"You think you're hot shit now, huh?"
Song Dongyang, sitting across from me, saw that negotiations had fallen through. Without hesitation, he grabbed the wine bottle from under the table and swung it straight at my forehead.
Luckily, I'd been practicing the Eight Gates Cannon Fist in my spare time these past few days and had made some progress. My reflexes were sharp—I raised my hand and caught the bottle mid-swing.
"You—!"
Song Dongyang stared at me, shocked and furious. I twisted my wrist, and the bottle slipped from his grip, smashing onto the floor with a loud crash.
Almost simultaneously, Zheng Zhantao's crew jumped to their feet, itching to jump me. Bucky and the Luo brothers quickly closed ranks around me, their faces pale. "Brother Tao, let's talk this out," Bucky stammered nervously.
Zheng Zhantao remained seated, his expression cold as he studied me. "Andrew, you're really set on making an enemy out of me?"
A lot had happened recently, and my courage had grown day by day. Training in Cannon Fist had not only strengthened my body but also my confidence. I met his gaze calmly. "Like I said, I'm not here to join any gang. I just want to study."
*BANG!*
Zheng Zhantao slammed his fist onto the table, rattling the dishes and cups. He stood up—tall and imposing at 178 cm and 80 kg—and pointed at Song Dongyang. "Then how are you going to settle the score for beating up my brother Turkey?"
After the last "peace banquet" fiasco, where Zheng Zhantao had done little to help me but cost me a fortune and left me bloodied, I'd been holding a grudge. Now, seeing him side with Song Dongyang, I decided to lay it all out.
"How do you even call yourself a boss?" I sneered. "Your little brother was harassing Ni Ba's sister. If I hadn't taught him a lesson, Ni Ba's crew would've broken his arms and legs by now. I did him—and you—a favor by avoiding a fight with Ni Ba. If you had half a brain, you'd be thanking me instead of acting like an idiot with your lackey. Got it?"
Zheng Zhantao clearly hadn't expected a freshman like me to talk back like this. His face twisted with rage, the veins on his temple throbbing. Song Dongyang, meanwhile, grabbed a chair and roared, "You dare disrespect Brother Tao? I'll fucking end you!"
Bucky and the Luo brothers, though reluctant to cross Zheng Zhantao, stood firmly by my side. "Back off!" they shouted in unison.
Last week, after our brawl in Ni Ba's dorm, we'd all been given disciplinary notices. With the school cracking down on fights, even Zheng Zhantao hesitated to escalate things. He held up a hand to stop Song Dongyang. "Turkey, stand down."
Song Dongyang fumed. "Brother Tao, we're just gonna let this punk walk all over us?"
Zheng Zhantao ignored him, turning back to me with a sinister smile. "You've got guts. At the start of the term, you were a spineless coward. But after tangling with John, you've grown a pair, huh? Did you really think I wanted you as a brother? I just saw you as a useful dog—someone to sic on John. But you actually thought you were something special?"
His words hit me like a punch to the gut. Suddenly, everything made sense.
At No. 2 High, the senior gang leaders kept a low profile as graduation approached. But the sophomores—like Ni Ba and Zheng Zhantao—were the most aggressive, locked in a stalemate. With the new term, they'd turned their attention to recruiting freshmen.
Ni Ba had backed John as the leader of Class 163. Zheng Zhantao, seeing me hold my own against John, had tried to recruit me—hoping I'd take John down and become the new leader. That way, he'd gain strength while weakening Ni Ba. A perfect two-for-one.
But he hadn't expected me to refuse, even after John beat me down. And now, thanks to Song Dongyang, our fragile alliance had shattered completely.
Anger and relief warred inside me. At least I hadn't fallen into his trap—being used as a pawn and discarded.
"I never thought I was special," I said coldly. "But I didn't bow to John, and I won't bow to you either. Bring it on. Bucky, Big Luo, Little Luo—let's go."
I turned to leave, half-expecting Zheng Zhantao to stop us. But instead, he just said one chilling sentence:
"One month."
I paused, frowning. "What?"
Zheng Zhantao lit a cigarette, the flame casting sharp shadows across his face. He exhaled slowly, his eyes glinting like a drawn blade. "If you last another month at No. 2 High, it'll mean I've failed."
The threat hung in the air. He was declaring war—vowing to drive me out within a month.
My jaw clenched. "We'll see."
---
The cafeteria was nearly empty by the time we arrived. We grabbed our trays and sat at a corner table, the mood heavy. No one spoke. No one had much appetite.
"Hey, why are you guys just eating now?"
A cheerful voice broke the silence. We looked up to see Nikki, the transfer student. Dressed in a white fitted T-shirt, denim shorts, and Adidas sneakers, with her wine-red hair cascading over her shoulders, she looked like she'd stepped out of an anime.
She plopped down beside me, snatching my chopsticks to poke at my food. "Wow, this looks sad. No wonder you're not eating."
Big Luo glowered. "This is your fault."
Nikki blinked. "Huh?"
Bucky quickly filled her in on what had happened with Zheng Zhantao. To my surprise, Nikki just laughed and slapped my shoulder. "That's it? Don't worry, I've got your back. That Turkey guy won't touch you."
I couldn't help but chuckle. "You?"
She puffed out her chest indignantly. "What, you don't think I can protect you? Fine, if it's too much, I'll get my brother to help. He dotes on me—Zheng Zhantao won't dare mess with you then."
For a second, I considered it. But Ni Ba and Zheng Zhantao were rivals—neither feared the other. And given my history with Ni Ba, I'd be lucky if he didn't come after me himself.
Nikki huffed when she saw our skepticism. "Just wait and see!"
We brushed it off as a joke, but her antics lightened the mood. We finally started eating, Nikki chatting and laughing beside me. To an outsider, we might've looked like a couple.
Just then, a familiar figure walked past—a stunning woman in a professional skirt suit, carrying a lunch tray. Her sharp eyes locked onto Nikki and me, her brows knitting slightly.
"Andrew."
I nearly choked. *Linda.*
She smiled politely at the others but fixed me with a look that made my stomach drop. "Come with me. We need to talk."
As I stood, one thought raced through my mind: *Oh shit. Does she think there's something going on with Nikki?*