Chapter 31: Do You Really Think You’ll Have a Next Time?

Following Old Hei’s cry of alarm, his henchmen began to shriek in agony.

The lime powder had blinded them, and because lime reacts exothermically with moisture, it was highly corrosive. If they instinctively rubbed their eyes, the irritation would only worsen, leading to even more dire consequences. Consequently, the room erupted into a chorus of wails, with Old Hei’s men descending into total chaos.

Chen Xuewen and his group, however, had long been prepared. The moment Lai Hou pulled down the tarp, they had all donned protective goggles. While the glasses could not block every speck of lime, they shielded most of it. Moreover, they had closed their eyes in time, preventing any powder from entering.

Even so, they had taken further precautions. Chen Xuewen had provided everyone with two bags of oil. Once the lime fell, they immediately opened a bag to rinse their eyes. As a result, all four of them were able to open their eyes quickly and survey the room clearly.

Chen Xuewen pulled a pair of brass knuckles from his pocket, strapped them on, and charged into the crowd to strike. Old Hei’s men were merely small-time thugs who bullied the weak and feared the strong. While they were accustomed to throwing their weight around and using their numbers to intimidate people on the streets, they lacked any real experience in actual combat, paling in comparison to the bodyguards Fifth Master Hou had assigned to Zhou Wancheng.

Dealing with them proved effortless. Blinded and lacking any instinct for self-defense, they did nothing but scream for help, not even knowing how to dodge. Drawing on knowledge from the "Eight Extraordinary Meridians," Chen Xuewen knew exactly where the human body was most vulnerable. He struck those precise points with his brass knuckles. The force of the weapon, combined with his targeting, meant that everyone he hit was instantly incapacitated.

Lai Hou and Li Tiezhu joined the fray, helping to beat down Old Hei’s subordinates. Before long, more than half of them were sprawled on the floor. The remaining few, unable to see but sensing the danger, scrambled to flee. However, they had locked the door themselves, and in their blinded state, they couldn't figure out how to open it. Chen Xuewen rushed forward, knocking them all to the ground as well.

Finally, only Old Hei remained. Chen Xuewen landed a punch square on his chest. Reinforced by the brass knuckles, the blow was devastating, shattering two of Old Hei’s ribs. With a pained scream, Old Hei collapsed, stripped of any ability to resist.

Only after everyone was incapacitated did Chen Xuewen stop. He had Lai Hou bring over a jug of oil to help wash out their eyes so they could finally see again.

Seeing the state of the room, the expressions of Old Hei and his men shifted. They could never have imagined that so many of them would be taken down by so few. Old Hei, in particular, clutched his chest as he struggled to stand, trembling with rage. He was used to ganging up on others and had never encountered such a situation, nor had he ever suffered such a humiliating defeat.

Gritting his teeth, he glared at Chen Xuewen and roared, "You son of a bitch, that was dirty! Setting a trap in the room to ambush us... you're nothing but a low-life!"

Chen Xuewen offered a disdainful smile. "A low-life? Hmph, you brought over twenty people to swarm the four of us—is that supposed to be noble? Let me tell you something: all is fair in war. When you're out on the streets, numbers mean nothing. It’s your brain that matters most."

Old Hei’s face turned leaden. He hissed through clenched teeth, "Don't get cocky, Chen. I won't forget this!"