The movie ended well past midnight. The city had slipped into half-sleep—empty streets, lights blinking like tired eyes, and a thin wind whispering through the alleys.
A rideshare dropped them off by the campus gate. The air smelled of wet asphalt and leftover street food, the kind that clung to your jacket long after you'd left. It felt like the world was holding its breath before the next scene.
"That was insane," Xiao Yu said, still high on adrenaline. He punched the air, voice echoing off the quiet buildings. "The villain just explodes into space—man, I felt that in my chest."
Lin Feng yawned, stretching until his joints popped. "Yeah, yeah. Cool movie. But the dorm locks at one. If the night guard catches us, we're dead."
They cut through the side street toward the dorms, footsteps slapping against the damp pavement. The sound was too loud in the silence—every step echoing like a countdown. Then came the roar.
Motorcycles tore out of an alley. Headlights flared white-hot, engines screaming, exhaust bouncing off the brick walls. The smell of gasoline hit like a punch. In seconds, they were surrounded.
"What the—" Xiao Yu squinted against the glare. "Who the hell are they?"
Lin Feng froze, voice cracking. "Wen… those jackets—Tiger Gang."
The engines cut at once. Silence fell, thick and heavy. Five riders dismounted, all in black—helmets, boots, gloves. The leader stepped forward, tall and wiry, pale blond hair catching the light. A long scar ran down his cheek like a stitched smile.
"Well, well," he drawled, tone lazy, dangerous. "Li Wen, right? Zhao Yan says hi."
Li Wen's face didn't move. His voice was cold. "Figures. The coward still hiding behind others."
The blond smirked, slow and mean. "He's watching. We'll record everything." He swung a metal club from his shoulder, steel glinting under the streetlight. "Don't make this messy."
Xiao Yu's voice cracked. "Wen, let's go! They've got weapons—"
"No." Li Wen's voice cut through the panic—flat, steady. "Get behind me."
Lin Feng swallowed hard. "Wen, there's five of them—"
"I'm done running." His jaw set like iron. "I'm not the loser they used to push around."
One of the Tigers moved first. The club sliced through the air—Li Wen ducked, grabbed the man's wrist, twisted, and drove an elbow into his ribs. A crack. The man folded, gasping.
Another lunged. Li Wen pivoted, heel snapping out. The biker crashed hard, helmet skidding on the wet pavement. Li Wen's movements were precise, compact—like he'd done this before.
He ducked under a chain, swept a leg, flipped another body to the ground. Metal rang against asphalt. Shouts turned into grunts, then into silence.
"Since when can you fight like that?" Xiao Yu whispered, eyes wide.
Li Wen didn't answer. He just moved—fast, focused, not a wasted breath. He caught another wrist, twisted until bone popped, then slammed a shoulder into a chest. The leader hit the ground with a grunt.
And then—stillness. The street buzzed faintly under the lights. The others exchanged a look, then bolted. Engines roared to life and peeled away into the dark.
Xiao Yu and Lin Feng stood frozen, chests heaving, mouths half open.
"You just—beat five guys," Xiao Yu said softly. "By yourself."
Li Wen wiped sweat from his temple, breathing hard. "Doesn't mean they'll stop," he said. "But for tonight… it's enough."
Lin Feng swallowed. "Should we call the cops? Campus security?"
Li Wen stared down the street toward the city's dim glow, his face unreadable. "Not yet," he said quietly. "If they come back, I'll be ready."
The wind shifted, carrying the scent of rain. A phone screen blinked faintly from the sidewalk—someone had filmed everything.
Elsewhere, a small screen lit up.
"Boss, you need to see this." Wang San set a phone on the table. The video was shaky but clear—engines screaming, steel flashing, Li Wen dismantling the gang one by one.
"He took them all out," Chen Bo said, stunned.
Zhao Yan didn't move. Cigarette smoke curled lazily above him. When the clip ended, he let out a low, cold laugh.
"Impressive," he said. "Didn't think the nerd could fight."
Wang San hesitated. "You want us to finish him off?"
Zhao Yan turned toward the window. Orion's skyline burned faint in the distance. "No," he said softly. "Not yet. If we hit him now, the cops get curious. I want him broken—slowly."
"Slowly?" Chen Bo asked.
Zhao Yan flicked ash into the tray, eyes glinting. "A weak kid who suddenly fights like a monster… he's hiding something. I want to know what. Then I'll take it. Piece by piece."