Lin Feng charged into the alley, his mind still looping that fake "Kobe's" name, grinding his teeth:
"Dammit! Strutting around with a legend's ID to con people, and now trying to steal my girl? Does he really think my 'Taylor Swift's Exclusive Boyfriend' title is just for show?!"
He was muttering when his ears suddenly caught a series of pig-slaughter-like screams!
"Argh——!"
Lin Feng froze, eyebrows knotting:
"What the hell? They filming a live-action B-movie in this neighborhood?"
He quickened his steps toward the sound, craning his neck to peek—and holy cow!
A few burly thugs, who looked like trouble from a mile away, were surrounding a trembling small fellow huddled in the corner, raining kicks and punches down on him!
The poor thing clutched his head, like a chick caught in a storm.
Seeing injustice? He had to roar!
"Hey! You blind idiots! Stop it right now!"
Lin Feng's shout exploded in the alley like a clap of thunder.
The thugs spun around in unison. The tattooed leader squinted at him for a moment, then grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth:
"Well, well! Look who it is! It's Rutgers University's 'Protector of the Weak'—Lin Feng, the great philanthropist!"
His tone dripped with sarcasm, maxing out the mockery.
A green-haired lackey beside him cackled:
"Protector? More like a human punching bag! Hahaha!"
Lin Feng's eyes narrowed, his fists clenching instantly, knuckles cracking.
Son of a bitch! Those words hit a nerve dead on!
Why?
In his past life (or rather, before time-travel), Lin Feng was a VIP graduate of the "School Bullying Experience Camp"!
Back then, he was small in stature, often cornered and used as a human sandbag for others to practice punching.
But this guy had a tough backbone—even when beaten black and blue like a paint palette, he never cowered or knelt to beg for mercy!
Precisely because of this blood-soaked history, he hated these scumbags who bullied the weak in groups more than anything!
Every time he saw such a scene, he felt the urge to give them a physical reckoning!
So—this "Protector" nickname wasn't just empty talk!
It was a medal earned through fights!
Because of this straightforward (stubborn) nature of "roaring at injustice and swinging fists right after", Lin Feng had practically become a key "target" in the local gangster circle.
He knew their cheap trick of picking on the weak and fearing the strong all too well!
Daring to lay hands on an innocent person right under his nose?
Damn it! Did they really think his fists were made of dough?!
A cold smile curled at the corner of Lin Feng's mouth. He rolled his neck, making a cringe-inducing "crackle" sound:
"Good, you recognize your grandpa? Perfect! Saves you the trouble of checking into the school hospital after getting beaten! Today's 'protection fee', grandpa will collect it personally! All you can take!"
The air in the alley instantly turned thick with the smell of gunpowder!
Thug A looked at Lin Feng, who was alone, then glanced at his three "elite soldiers" beside him, a malicious curve forming on his lips:
"Heh, Mr. Goody Two-Shoes, wanna play hero? Fine, I'll give you a chance!"
He nodded at a muscular, fierce-looking strong man (Thug B) beside him,
"Go test our 'Protector's' mettle! Take it easy, don't break him—we've got 'entertainment' later!"
Thug B (grinning menacingly + confidence MAX):
"No worries! Look at that lanky fool! Just a dum..."
(The word "ass" never made it out)
Before he could finish!
Lin Feng moved! Fast as a ghost!
Thug B only saw a blur— a huge shadow with terrifying pressure was already in front of him! He didn't even see how the other lifted his leg!
Boom——!!!
A dull, heart-clenching thud!
Lin Feng's foot, as sturdy as a sneaker, acted like a fully-charged battering ram— aferociously powerful front kick, slamming hard into the green-haired thug's unguarded chest and abdomen!
"Ugh—blargh!!!"
Thug B's eyes bulged, spitting out a rainbow-colored spray of stomach acid and saliva. His entire body lifted half a meter off the ground, like a tattered sack kicked with force,
Bang! Crashing heavily into the opposite wall!
Then he slid down softly, collapsing into a heap of mud. Not only could he not curse, he didn't even have the strength to groan—only managing faint, ragged breaths.
(Physical KO!)
Thug A and the remaining Thug C nearly popped their eyes out!
Their tough second-in-command, who'd been so aggressive a second ago, was taken down in one move?!
As easily as squashing an ant?!
Gulp...
Thug C swallowed hard, his face draining white, feet inching back unconsciously.
"Sh... shit!"
Thug A was also shocked, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead, but he forced a calm front, barking fiercely to hide his fear:
"Wha... what're you scared of! He's alone! He just got lucky earlier!"
He grabbed Thug C, who was trying to bolt:
"We go in together! Flank him! He can't cover both sides! Two on one—we've got the advantage!"
Thug A yelled, trying to pump himself and his partner up, as if louder shouts could somehow embolden them.
Lin Feng watched their cowardly act, hooking a finger in disdain:
"Enough chatter! Weren't you 'inviting' me? Come at me together—save me the trouble of dealing with you one by one. I'm in a hurry!"
"Dammit! Take him down!"
Infuriated by Lin Feng's disdain, Thug A and Thug C were pushed into a frenzy.
They exchanged a glance, then roared and lunged from both sides!
Thug A swung a fist at Lin Feng's face, while Thug C sneakily aimed a kick at Lin Feng's legs—hoping to pin him in a pincer attack.
"Perfect!"
A flash of coldness sparked in Lin Feng's eyes!
Facing the pincer attack, he advanced instead of retreating!
Left fist like a cannon!
Lin Feng's left arm muscles tensed instantly, a lightning-fast straight punch striking first, slamming unceremoniously into the blond thug's nose!
Crack!
"Argh——!"
Amid a clear sound of bone breaking, Thug A saw the world turn crimson!
Agony made him spew tears, snot, and blood, screaming as he clutched his face and stumbled backward!
Right foot like a whip!
Almost simultaneously, Lin Feng's right leg—blurred with speed—swept precise into the bone of Thug C's kicking calf!
Crack! Thud!
"Ow—my leg!"
Thug C felt searing pain in his calf, as if hit by an iron rod! He howled, clutching his broken leg and collapsing, completely incapacitated.
From Thug A and Thug C's sudden attack to their crumpled forms—one wailing over his face, the other rolling with a broken leg—the entire sequence lasted less than three seconds!
Only a groan of pain and the metallic tang of blood remained in the alley.
Lin Feng shook his wrist, as if he'd just swatted away two buzzing flies.
He glanced at the three "human trash" on the ground, each in a sorry state, and curled his lip in disgust:
"Tsk, three of you can't even scrounge up half a spine. This is the stuff of protection rackets? Go back to your mom and get remade. Pathetic losers!"
After a long while, Thug A—the "human trash" on the ground—finally managed to squirm, his eyelids swollen like walnuts, barely prying open a slit.
He struggled to prop himself up, every inch of his body screaming in pain.
Fear still lingered in his gaze when he looked at Lin Feng, but that stubborn gangster pride—desperate to save face—bubbled up again.
He sucked in a sharp breath, gritting his teeth to snarl, his voice trembling:
"Li... Lin Feng! You... you wait! Tomorrow... tomorrow afternoon! At... at the neighborhood basketball court nearby! Show up alone if you've got the balls!"
Lin Feng dug in his ear, wearing a "what nonsense are you spouting" expression, scoffing:
"Hmph, picking a spot for a fight? Fine, grandpa's in. Doesn't matter if it's afternoon—even a midnight graveyard rave works for me!"
He took a step forward, his tall frame radiating an invisible pressure,
"As for numbers? Bring as many as you want. It'll just give me a workout—like a post-dinner stroll."
Thug A was choked by his unbridled arrogance, sticking his neck out, bluffing to name-drop:
"Y... you're just talking big! Stop acting tough! Tomorrow... tomorrow our boss will be there in person! Our boss is... is..."
He strained to hype up his "boss," but after some time,couldn't squeeze out a decent adjective.
"But he's your dad!"
Lin Feng cut him off, his gaze turning sharp in an instant. He cracked his knuckles, a series of crisp crack sounds echoing, a "kind" smile playing on his lips,
"What? Got an itch after that beating? Want grandpa to loosen your bones right now? Free service—guaranteed to send you to heaven happy?"
Thump!
Thug A's heart skipped a beat. The horrifying memories of being pummeled like a sandbag, of nearly choking to death with a hand around his neck, flashed before his eyes in HD!
That icy sense of suffocation and searing pain felt like it was happening all over again!
Hiss——!
He sucked in a sharp breath, his face draining white as a sheet, looking like he'd seen a ghost! Not a single peep dared escape his mouth now!
Saving face didn't matter anymore. He scrambled to his feet, grabbed one unconscious goon in each hand, and hauled them away—like a vengeful spirit was nipping at his heels!
"Run! Fucking run!"
Thug A's voice had gone shrill with terror. The three stumbled and scrambled, practically crawling to vanish at the alley's end—moving a thousand times faster than they'd arrived!
Afraid that if they slowed down even a step, Lin Feng—the god of death—would really "keep" them for that "free bone-loosening session"!
Only a few muddy footprints remained in the alley.
Lin Feng watched their craven, fleeing forms, sneering in disdain:
"Tsk! This is the stuff of gangsters? Go home and drink milk!"
The thin figure in the corner finally stood up, trembling, and dusted off his clothes.
Taking a deep breath, he suddenly bowed at a ninety-degree angle, his head nearly touching the ground—so precise it looked like a scene from a Japanese drama:
"I am deeply grateful for your life-saving kindness! Words cannot express my thanks! 本当にありがとうございます!(Thank you very much indeed!)"
His voice held the excited of survival and a distinct... Japanese-English accent.
Lin Feng finally got a good look at him. He wasn't actually that short—probably around 170cm—but next to Lin Feng's 201cm "human signal tower," he did look like an undergrown bean sprout.
"Small matter, small matter! Just a lift a finger!"
Lin Feng waved it off, amused by the overly formal gesture, and asked casually,
"Your English... has quite a kick to it. From Japan?"
The little bean sprout (scratch that)... the little guy suddenly looked up, eyes widening with admiration that screamed "すごい!(Amazing!)":
"Your insight is sharp! That's correct! I am Kentaro Watanabe, having immigrated to America three years ago! You are truly a god among men!"
With that, he bowed another perfect ninety degrees, as if anything less wouldn't suffice to show his respect.
"Ha ha ha, I see!"
Lin Feng was amused by his earnest manner, patting him on the shoulder (it felt like the guy nearly shrank three centimeters from the tap),
"But buddy, take my advice—this neighborhood's safety level is on par with a Gotham villain recruitment drive. From now on, stick to main roads, don't cut through alleys. It's way too life-consuming!"
At Lin Feng's words, Kentaro Watanabe instantly stiffened, like a recruit receiving orders from a superior. He bowed another fierce, deep bow (Lin Feng half-worried he'd wrench his back), barking out in a firm voice:
"Hai! Your words are golden, every syllable a pearl! I shall engrave them in my heart, never setting foot in an alley again! This is a life-or-death iron rule!"
His solemnity made it sound like he was reciting a samurai's death oath.
Watching this scene that felt like a 2D character wandering into the wrong set, Lin Feng's lips twitched. Internally:
Whoa, that bowing frequency... is his waist rented and due back soon? The neon golden spirit of chūnibyō is truly legendary!
A little embarrassed by all the bowing, Lin Feng scratched his head:
"Hey, really, no need to be so formal! Oh right, buddy, you seem like a polite guy. Which school... uh, which university are you from?"
Hearing this, the small fellow Kentaro Watanabe immediately straightened his back (though he still only reached Lin Feng's chest), his face glowing with pride:
"Hai! I am Kentaro Watanabe, point guard of the Claremont University basketball team!"
Pfft——cough cough!
Lin Feng couldn't hold back, nearly choking on his own saliva!
Basket... basketball team?!
He subconsciously raised his hand, gesturing between his own chin and Watanabe's head,his eyes screaming "dude, are you serious?".
Kentaro Watanabe instantly turned bright red, hurrying to explain:
"Y-Your Excellency! Point guards don't need to be that tall! Agility is king! Though my height is somewhat lacking, my dribbling, passing, and court vision are all professional level! More than enough!"
He quickly changed the subject, his eyes lighting up like searchlights as he looked at Lin Feng's 201cm "walking turret" physique:
"With such a majestic stature, could you be an elite from the neighboring Rutgers University basketball team?"
At this, the little awkwardness Lin Feng felt vanished into thin air, and his tail (if he had one) would've shot straight to the sky!
He tossed his head proudly (as if accompanied by slow-mo and sparkling effects), pointing a cocky thumb at himself:
"Hahaha! You've got good eyes, kid! That's right! This genius is the future star of the Rutgers University basketball team! The sole designated candidate for the next captain! In short——the next captain is me!"
"すごい (Amazing)!!!"
Kentaro Watanabe gasped, his eyes instantly shooting out laser beams of admiration, nodding like a chick pecking at rice:
"Next captain?! You're so young yet entrusted with such a important task?!Incredible! Truly worthy of America's basketball palace!With a genius leader like you on board, Rutgers University is bound for greatness this year!"
Lin Feng felt warm all over from the flattery, as if his bones had lightened by two ounces. He waved his hand heroically:
"Of course! With this genius—Rutgers' anchor—joining the team this year, it's not just 'bound for greatness'? It's straight-up takeoff!"
Kentaro nodded frantically, admiration maxed out!
He keen ly latched onto the key phrase:
"Joined this year... a freshman?"
Combined with the giant's absurd height (rare even among freshmen)...
A bolt of lightning struck his mind!
There's only one truth!
He smacked his thigh hard (nearly tripping himself), his voice cracking with excitement:
"Sou ka! I get it! Your Excellency! You... you must be that legendary super freshman! Rutgers' future ace! The one praised by countless basketball legends——Mr. Kobe Bryant?!!! I've heard so much about you! To meet you today is a blessing of three lifetimes! Please teach me a lot!!!"
"Ga——?!"
The triumphant smile on Lin Feng's face froze instantly, turning into a Siberian permafrost that had lasted ten thousand years! His lips twitched frantically, as if he'd come down with Parkinson's!
The bullet chat in his mind was instantly flooded with the blood-red characters "Kobe"!
Fuck! Shit! Dammit!
Why won't this ghost go away?!
Why is he everywhere?! Even this Japanese friend has been brainwashed by him?!
My name is Lin Feng! Lin Feng! Lin Feng!!!
(Shouting the important things three times!)
The air suddenly fell silent.
In the alley, there was only the roar of ten thousand grass-mud horses galloping through Lin Feng's heart, and the little one's devout expectation of "I guessed right, praise me quickly".
Lin Feng felt a mouthful of old blood stuck in his chest, almost performing a "handsome guy spitting blood.JPG" on the spot.