A Sudden Detour

“Slam!”

Bai Chen flung his schoolbag onto the sofa with a resounding thud. Finally, school was over. ‘This damned school, nothing but tedious theorems, annoying teachers, and dreadful homework…’

“Xiao Chen? You’re back? Could you please pick up the package from the transfer station? Dinner will be ready when you get back…”

“Tch! What a pain…”

‘To be forced out again before even getting a chance to sit down and rest, it was utterly infuriating…’ Bai Chen pouted, then impatiently pulled open the door.

This district, while undeniably one of the most prosperous, was far from harmonious. Perhaps it was due to having grown up amidst constant flattery and envy, but the youths here possessed an overbearing desire for control. Brawls were a common occurrence, and the security guards rarely dared to intervene, knowing these were children from influential families—best to avoid provoking them.

Bai Chen ambled along the street, bored. Observing the surroundings, one couldn’t deny the pleasant scenery. Yet, Bai Chen found the entire place tiresome and uninteresting.

“Well, well! Young Master Bai, fancy seeing you out for a stroll today!”

A youth with a ‘Shamat’ hairstyle leaned against an ancient-style wall. His gaze was filled with provocation. Dressed head-to-toe in designer brands, behind him stood five or six other young men with a similar thuggish air. ‘Clearly bought off with money…’ A hint of mockery stirred within Bai Chen, though his face remained utterly expressionless. He stood loosely, an embodiment of indolence. This demeanor deeply irritated the Shamat youth, making him feel utterly disregarded, as if Bai Chen didn’t even acknowledge his presence.

“Tch! Let’s see how long you can keep up that arrogance! Get him!”

The Shamat youth dramatically bellowed. He emphatically pointed forward, then, with a self-satisfied flourish, he tossed his head.

‘Is he having a chuunibyou episode…?’

Bai Chen gazed at the youth before him with a mix of helplessness and pity. ‘Why abandon treatment…?’

While internally speechless, Bai Chen still tossed his small crossbody bag aside. He shook his head, loosening his joints. Then, with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm, he walked forward to meet them.

The approaching individuals were all seasoned thugs. Bai Chen’s guess was correct; they had indeed been bought off. The Shamat youth had offered five hundred per punch, a thousand per kick, and an additional five thousand if they taught him a good lesson. Who wouldn’t be excited by such sums? However, none of them had anticipated facing such a slender, delicate-looking boy, and one who seemed perpetually listless, as if ill. ‘Sigh, all that preparation was for naught…’

Bai Chen understood perfectly that with enough money, they would readily switch sides. But then, a peculiar smile finally crept onto Bai Chen’s usually expressionless face. ‘Wouldn’t that be dreadfully boring…?’

Bai Chen twitched his right hand. ‘You’ve worked hard, and now I need you again, even though I promised I wouldn’t fight anymore…’

“Bang!”

The youth who had charged forward first touched his throbbing face. He adjusted his nose. Reaching out again, he saw… his hand covered in blood. Staring at his hand in shock, he thought, ‘Is this my blood? How? Unbelievable! I was the one who attacked first. Could I have been knocked down by this seemingly frail kid?!’

“Swish!”

All he saw was a black blur, followed by a sudden, searing pain at the back of his head. After that, he knew nothing.

Bai Chen shook his hand. He slowly advanced towards the Shamat youth. Though he walked with an air of casual indifference, it exerted immense pressure on the Shamat youth. ‘Is it this guy’s inherent aura? I really should have listened. I shouldn’t have provoked this guy…’ The Shamat youth felt sweat trickling out, soaking his clothes. His legs felt weak. He kept backing away. His gaze towards Bai Chen was now filled with pure terror. All traces of his earlier provocation had vanished. ‘The fighters I called were all quite capable, some even champions in competitions, and they were all knocked out just like that? The entire process took less than two minutes… I can’t believe my eyes…’

“Thud!”

Bai Chen placed his hand on the Shamat youth’s shoulder. The Shamat youth involuntarily shuddered, cold sweat instantly breaking out.

“Crack…”

“Argh!”

Bai Chen applied a slight pressure. The Shamat youth felt as though the bones in his shoulder had shattered. The excruciating pain was akin to a thousand ants gnawing at him. Having lived a life of pampered ease, the Shamat youth had never experienced such agony. He immediately passed out. When Bai Chen released his grip, the Shamat youth collapsed heavily to the ground.

“Tch! Useless…”

With a hint of disdain, Bai Chen didn’t spare another glance for the fallen figures on the ground. ‘What a waste of time. I still need to hurry and pick up that package…’

****

“Huh…?”

Bai Chen stood dumbfounded at the mouth of a dark, eerie alleyway. He instinctively rubbed his head, ‘Lost? How can I be lost?! What’s wrong today? I must have walked this path a hundred times. But where exactly is this place…?’

The alley was overgrown with dark green vines. It was deep and eerily silent. Most unsettling was that there were no houses on either side, just plain walls. ‘What purpose could such an alley serve…?’ Even the usually fearless Bai Chen felt a chill creeping down his spine.

“CRACK!!!”

Faint, orange-red flames flickered deep within the alley.

“RUMBLE!!!”

In an instant, the entire stone-paved path shattered. Bai Chen swiftly retreated backward, but his speed wasn’t enough.

A colossal sea of fire rapidly engulfed him. Bai Chen felt a violent jolt from behind. His very soul seemed on the verge of being swallowed whole. He vaguely perceived himself being drawn into a massive, fiery-red vortex. Everything around him became unreal. ‘Could this… be what it feels like to die?’

Bai Chen closed his eyes in despair. He was not someone who wished to die. Yet, at this moment, he could only resign himself to fate.

“Ugh…”

After an unknown passage of time… Bai Chen slowly pushed himself up from the ground. Seeing his surroundings, he froze. ‘A forest?!’

‘Ugh… my chest feels so heavy… I can barely breathe…’ Bai Chen instinctively looked down… He looked… down… down…

“Pfft!”

Bai Chen instinctively clapped a hand over his gushing nose. ‘What the hell are these two mounds of flesh…? D-cup, by the looks of it…’