The corridor outside had not quieted after Liu Feng's departure. If anything, the atmosphere had grown heavier, more restless, as though something was building beneath the surface. The earlier hesitation was gone, replaced by something sharper—intent.
This time, when footsteps approached, they were steady and deliberate.
Not curious.
Not hesitant.
But purposeful.
Three figures stepped into view, pushing past the loose frame of the broken door without the slightest regard. Unlike the earlier onlookers, they did not pause to observe. Their gazes were already locked onto Lin Chen, cold and calculating.
At the center stood a broad-shouldered youth with a scar running across his jaw. His presence alone was enough to shift the atmosphere of the room. The two beside him remained silent, but the way they positioned themselves—slightly behind, slightly to the sides—made their role clear.
They were not here to watch.
They were here to act.
"So you're Lin Chen," the scarred youth said, his voice low but firm. "You've been causing quite a stir."
Lin Chen didn't move. His posture remained relaxed, though his attention had already sharpened.
"And you are?" he asked calmly.
A faint smirk appeared on the youth's face. "You don't need to know my name. Just understand this—what you did earlier… crossed a line."
Lin Chen's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Whose line?"
The smirk faded.
For a brief moment, the air seemed to tighten.
Then the youth stepped forward.
"Ours."
The word fell heavily.
At the same time, the other two shifted, closing off the remaining space. In an instant, the small room felt even smaller, the exits effectively sealed.
A coordinated move.
Not reckless like Zhao Kun.
Not probing like Liu Feng.
This was intentional.
Planned.
Lin Chen understood immediately.
They weren't here to test him.
They were here to suppress him.
"Hand over everything you took," the scarred youth continued, his tone no longer casual. "And kneel. Do that, and we might let this end without breaking your limbs."
The threat was clear.
The confidence behind it even clearer.
Lin Chen was silent for a moment.
Then he exhaled softly.
"I see."
There was no anger in his voice.
No frustration.
Only clarity.
They had made their choice.
So would he.
Without another word, the scarred youth moved.
Fast.
Faster than Liu Feng.
His attack came straight on, a heavy punch aimed to overwhelm rather than test. At the same time, the two others moved as well—one circling to the left, the other closing in from the right.
A three-sided assault.
Clean.
Efficient.
And dangerous.
But Lin Chen didn't retreat.
The moment they moved, his perception sharpened to its limit. Every detail became clear—the rhythm of their steps, the angles of their attacks, the slight delays between their movements.
He stepped back just enough to avoid the first strike, his body turning to reduce the impact range. At the same time, he raised his arm to block the second attacker's incoming strike, the force traveling through his bones in a controlled shock.
The third was already closing in.
No time to think.
Only to act.
Lin Chen shifted his weight forward instead of back.
Breaking the formation.
His shoulder drove into the second attacker, disrupting his balance, while his free hand lashed out toward the third.
The movement was sharp, decisive.
But—
It wasn't enough.
The scarred youth recovered faster than expected.
His second punch came from the side, heavier than before, catching Lin Chen partially off guard. The impact landed against his guard, forcing him back a step.
A dull pain spread through his arm.
Stronger.
Clearly stronger.
Lin Chen's expression remained calm, but his mind was already calculating.
Three opponents.
All stronger than Zhao Kun.
One of them… stronger than Liu Feng.
This was no longer a simple fight.
This was pressure.
Real pressure.
For a brief moment, the room filled with the sound of movement—footsteps, strikes, impacts. The three attackers pressed forward relentlessly, their coordination tightening with each exchange. They didn't rush. They didn't overextend.
They controlled the pace.
And gradually—
They began to push him back.
Another strike landed.
Then another.
Lin Chen blocked, redirected, evaded—but the pressure kept building.
A step backward.
Then another.
The wall was getting closer.
From the outside, it looked clear.
Lin Chen was being suppressed.
"Still think you can stand?" the scarred youth said coldly as he pressed forward. "You're nothing more than a lucky dog."
No response.
Lin Chen's breathing had grown slightly heavier, but his eyes remained steady.
Not panic.
Not fear.
Only focus.
Because in that pressure—
He felt it.
A familiar sensation.
The limits of his body.
The edge of what he could currently handle.
And beyond that—
The possibility of breaking through.
A thought surfaced instantly.
No hesitation.
He acted.
Inside, he reached for the system.
A silent command.
Upgrade.
The response came immediately.
A surge of heat erupted from within, spreading through his body in an instant. His muscles tightened, his bones grew denser, and the flow of energy around him became clearer, sharper, more responsive.
The change was not visible—
But it was absolute.
At that exact moment, another strike came.
Fast.
Heavy.
Decisive.
But this time—
Lin Chen didn't step back.
He stepped forward.
His arm rose, meeting the attack head-on.
The impact rang out—but the result was completely different.
The scarred youth's expression changed.
Because this time—
He was the one who felt the force.
Before he could react, Lin Chen's counterattack followed instantly. A short, direct strike to the center—no wasted motion, no hesitation.
The blow landed.
Solid.
The scarred youth's body shook as he was forced backward, his footing breaking for the first time.
Everything shifted.
The rhythm of the fight collapsed in an instant.
The other two froze for just a fraction of a second.
But that was enough.
Lin Chen moved.
Fast.
Faster than before.
He closed the distance in a single step, his movements now sharper, cleaner, more precise. His fist drove into one attacker's guard, breaking it apart, then followed with a second strike that sent him stumbling sideways.
He turned immediately.
No pause.
No wasted time.
The third attacker tried to retreat—but Lin Chen was already there.
One strike.
Clean.
Decisive.
The man was knocked back, crashing into the wall.
Silence.
Only one remained.
The scarred youth steadied himself, his breathing uneven now, his eyes filled not with confidence—but shock.
"What… did you do…?"
Lin Chen didn't answer.
He simply walked forward.
Step by step.
Each movement carried a weight that hadn't been there before.
"You wanted everything I have," Lin Chen said calmly.
Now, he stood directly in front of him.
"So show me—"
"Do you have the strength to take it?"
The scarred youth clenched his fists.
But this time—
He didn't move.
Because he already knew the answer.