The taste of shawarma and extra garlic sauce was still lingering in Yuan Lin's mouth when he returned to his apartment that night. It was the taste of a small victory, the taste of power used to fulfill a trivial desire. This feeling of control was intoxicating. For the first time, he didn't feel like a victim of his circumstances, but like a player who was beginning to understand the rules of the game.
This new and dangerous confidence pushed him to do something he would not have dared to do before. The next day, after work, he didn't go straight back to his apartment. Instead, he headed to the public park, the same park where he had seen the old man.
He wasn't going to relax; he was going to observe. He felt like a scientist studying a rare specimen, or a wolf watching potential prey. He wanted to see that "harmony" in the old man's energy threads again, and to understand it.
He found him in the same spot, under the willow tree, practicing his slow, fluid movements. Yuan Lin activated his `[Perception]` skill and sat on a distant bench, watching him. Once again, he saw that pure, sky-blue flow of energy, circulating within the old man's body in a perfect cycle. It was a mesmerizing and peaceful sight.
But the peace didn't last long.
A group of four young men entered the park. They wore matching tracksuits, and on the backs of their jackets was the logo of a fierce tiger. They walked with an air of arrogance, and volatile red threads of energy, full of aggression and recklessness, swirled around them.
They headed directly for the old man and stopped in front of him, forming a semicircle.
"Old Man Chen," said the young man who appeared to be the leader, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Still practicing these slow dances? Didn't we tell you to practice somewhere else? This park is the training ground for the 'Black Tiger Hall'."
The old man slowly opened his eyes. They were as calm as a deep well. "This park is for everyone, Xiao Li."
The young man laughed. "Not anymore." Then he pointed to Yuan Lin, who was sitting on the bench. "Looks like you have a spectator today. How embarrassing."
At first, Yuan Lin had planned to just watch. It was none of his business. It was a conflict between local "practitioners." But when the young man pointed at him, he felt a prick of annoyance.
"You!" one of Xiao Li's followers shouted, pointing at Yuan Lin. "What are you staring at? Get lost!"
Yuan Lin didn't move. A part of him, the arrogant "Lord" part that was growing inside him, felt insulted. How dare this lowly subordinate address him in such a way?
The young man got up and walked toward Yuan Lin with threatening steps. "Are you deaf? I told you to get lost!"
Yuan Lin stood up slowly. "I'm just sitting on a public bench," he said calmly, trying to test his `[Leadership Aura]`.
But these young men were not a tired shawarma vendor. Their wills were strong, backed by years of combat training. The young man laughed loudly. "Public bench? I'll show you what we do with trespassers."
He reached out to shove Yuan Lin in the chest.
In that moment, Yuan Lin moved. Thanks to his `[Body Fortification]`, his reaction was slightly faster. He blocked the shove, but the young man's strength was greater. He was pushed back a few steps.
The memory of the alley came rushing back, the memory of humiliation and weakness. He felt the blood boil in his veins.
"You made a big mistake," the young man said with a wicked smile, preparing to throw a punch.
In that split second, Yuan Lin screamed in his mind. "System! I need power! Now!"
`[Emergency situation detected. Chaos Points can be used to forcibly and temporarily boost current skills. Warning: This process is violent and will cause severe cellular stress and subsequent pain. Do you wish to proceed?]`
"Yes! Do it! Use 50 points!"
`[Confirmation. Initiating forced boost...]`
Yuan Lin felt as if a lightning bolt had struck his body. An immense, painful, and cold energy flooded his veins. He gritted his teeth to keep from screaming.
When the young man threw his punch, the world seemed to slow down in Yuan Lin's eyes. He saw the red energy thread of the punch coming toward him. He dodged it easily and grabbed the young man's arm.
He didn't use any fighting technique. He didn't know any. All he did was use his boosted `[Chaos Grip]` and `[Body Fortification]` and push.
It was a simple push, but it was saturated with an unnatural power.
The young man flew through the air as if hit by a truck, slammed into a nearby tree, and fell to the ground, unconscious.
A dead silence fell over the park. The other three young men, and the old man, were staring at the scene with their mouths open in shock.
Yuan Lin straightened up, brushing the dust off his clothes. He looked at the remaining young men not as a young man who had been attacked, but as a transcendent being looking at annoying insects. The arrogance he felt was real and tangible.
"Get out of my sight," he said, his voice cold and quiet, but the words carried an unbearable weight thanks to his boosted aura. "This park is under new management now."
The young men looked at their unconscious friend, then at Yuan Lin, pure terror in their eyes. They didn't dare say a word. They quickly picked up their friend and fled the park like frightened rabbits.
Yuan Lin and Old Man Chen were left alone. The old man looked at him, his gaze a complex mixture of gratitude, awe, and suspicion. He had seen that Yuan Lin's power was not a normal "internal force." It was something else. Something older and more chaotic.
Neither of them said anything. Yuan Lin gave a slow nod, then turned and walked away, leaving the old man with his questions.
Yuan Lin walked home, the adrenaline and power still flowing through his body. He felt invincible. He had defeated a real fighter. He had imposed his will. He had acted like a true lord. An arrogant, satisfied smile was plastered on his face.
He reached his apartment, closed the door behind him, and leaned against it.
The smile was still on his face.
Then, it began.
A wave of unimaginable pain. It wasn't muscular pain. It was deeper. It was a pain in every cell, in every nerve. He felt as if his body was punishing him for the power he had forced it to use. As if his cells were screaming in protest against the demonic energy that had passed through them.
He collapsed to the floor, the smile turning into a grimace of agony. He curled into a ball, trembling and hurting in silence, as the darkness consumed him.
He had tasted real power, and now, he was paying the price in full.