Supremely Talented Tyrant
Chapter 918 - 917: What Are You All Doing Gathered Around Here?!

"What? Trying to fake an injury to win my sympathy?"

A faint Qi Force flowed out from Hao Jian's palm, spreading through the young man's meridians—this was the reason behind the young man's sudden change.

Upon hearing this, the young man's previously pale face flashed with a trace of venomous resentment. He forced himself to endure the pain in his body, his trembling legs trying hard to stay upright as he glared furiously at Hao Jian and roared, "You punk, you're going to regret this!"

"You'll remember... my name... Sun Hongyuan!"

"Oh?"

Hao Jian was a bit surprised to see that Sun Hongyuan could even stand after enduring his attack. However, he hadn't used much force this time; anyone with strong enough willpower could still rise. What caught him off guard was the unexpected level of determination this man exhibited.

"You'll definitely regret this! Mark my words!"

Sun Hongyuan locked his gaze onto Hao Jian, revealing his sinister white teeth in a cruel, vicious grin. Suddenly, his expression shifted to one of utter terror, and he screamed up at the sky: "This guy's trying to steal my phone!"

"Help! Robbery!"

His outburst left the crowd of onlookers dumbfounded. Wasn't this young man just saying the other stole his phone? So now it's the other way around? What's going on?

This...

Everyone had seen oddball situations before, but nothing quite like this. Hao Jian finally understood why Sun Hongyuan claimed he'd make him regret it. That "theft accusation" reversal was truly something. Hao Jian was starting to regret not gagging this guy's mouth at the very beginning.

He regretted not outright disabling or knocking this man unconscious earlier to retrieve the phone. Now things had taken a turn—this kid had flipped the narrative to shout "thief catching thief."

Those gathered around were clueless about the true circumstances between them. They'd been far enough away that they couldn't clearly hear their conversation. What's more, it seemed that Sun Hongyuan was on the losing end now; his shouted claim lent him a certain credibility in the eyes of outsiders.

As for Hao Jian's side, although he was accompanied by two women, the crowd considered that it might just be a cover-up.

Still, no one among the onlookers wanted to interfere, following the usual mentality of sticking to their own business and watching from a distance. Instead, they wore expressions of curiosity, eager to see how the situation would develop, like spectators enjoying a spectacle.

"Hao Jian, how could someone behave like this?!" Shu Ya stomped her foot in frustration, visibly angry.

After all, she was the CEO of Shu Ya Group. Rarely did she ever experience something as mundane as grocery shopping, let alone encounter situations like this.

Normally, when she went out, she had a driver take her everywhere. Walking around places like this was a rarity, and when she did go out, it was typically to well-known tourist destinations. Even then, she always had bodyguards sent by Spice Ginger for protection.

Any potential thieves wouldn't even dare come near her, much less engage in anything else! Seeing Sun Hongyuan's shameless accusations left her utterly flabbergasted.

Hearing her words, Hao Jian laughed softly, patting Shu Ya's head as he reassured her in a gentle tone, "Don't worry. No matter who he is, I'll make him kneel in front of you and apologize…"

As his words trailed off, the smile on Hao Jian's face faded away. A faint anger began to emanate around him. On his turf, there were still people who didn't know who he was?! Clearly, Spice Ginger's underlings hadn't done a thorough job...

If Spice Ginger learned of Hao Jian's frustration, he'd surely feel aggrieved. After all, he'd only instructed some minor ringleaders to recognize Hao Jian, not bothered handling small-scale independent thieves like Sun Hongyuan.

In a place like Hua City, there were far too many petty crooks to count—even Spice Ginger, the local boss, couldn't possibly keep track of them all. It was inevitable that some would slip through the cracks.

But unfortunately for these clueless individuals, if they offended Hao Jian, their fates would likely be easy to predict.

"Hey! Hey! What's with the crowd here?!" Just as Hao Jian was about to deal with Sun Hongyuan, an angry shout startled everyone nearby. Immediately, the onlookers dispersed, as if they feared the speaker.

"This is a marketplace! Stop blocking others from doing their shopping!"

Soon enough, a burly man with a brutish face swaggered over. He wore a security guard uniform and appeared to be around thirty-five years old. His presence quickly came into Hao Jian's group's view.

Though he sported a security guard uniform, the air of thuggery around him was undeniable. From a distance, Hao Jian could sense the aura of rogue behavior emanating off this man. Compared to him, Sun Hongyuan resembled nothing more than a newborn baby.

Feng Jin? Brother Jin?

The petty thief, initially pale-faced, lit up with excitement upon seeing the security guard arrive. That familiar face—one he'd seen countless times in the past—suddenly seemed so endearing.

Immediately, Sun Hongyuan began gesturing wildly at Feng Jin, shouting, "Brother Jin, help! This guy's stolen my phone and is now trying to beat me up! Please come quickly!"

"Huh? Hongyuan?"

Feng Jin had initially come to clear the crowd out, but his gaze quickly fell on Sun Hongyuan. Seeing him trapped in Hao Jian's grip, half kneeling on the ground, a flash of anger flickered across his eyes.

Then, shifting his gaze to Hao Jian, he sized him up—his skinny build, the second-rate clothes on his body—and Feng Jin's lips curled slightly. Unless this guy had an incredibly high status, Feng Jin reckoned he could definitely rescue Sun Hongyuan.

Feng Jin was well-acquainted with Sun Hongyuan's tricks—using Feng Jin as a backup to cover for his petty thefts in the marketplace. In return, Sun Hongyuan handed over a portion of his spoils to Feng Jin.

If not for that arrangement, Feng Jin would've kicked him out long ago.

But seeing that Sun Hongyuan had slipped up this time, Feng Jin cursed him inwardly for being useless. However, now wasn't the time to dwell on the matter—he had to focus on saving him.

As Feng Jin pondered his next move, his gaze shifted toward Shu Ya and Wen Lan. His originally dull eyes abruptly shone with an unmistakable glint, quickly masked again. Yet, Hao Jian caught this fleeting moment of interest. His lips twisted slightly; this guy needed dealing with, too.

"What stunning ladies!"

Swallowing back a wave of saliva, Feng Jin's mind was racing with ideas. Judging by Hao Jian's unimpressive attire, he didn't seem to be someone of decent status. Feng Jin saw no reason to be intimidated.

After all, wasn't there a saying: A strong dragon cannot crush a snake in its lair? Although Feng Jin wasn't exactly a kingpin, he considered himself the dominant local figure compared to outsiders like Hao Jian.

If they'd come to his turf, they shouldn't blame him for cashing in!

His eyes fixed on Shu Ya and Wen Lan, Feng Jin moved right up to Hao Jian and the others. He looked down at Sun Hongyuan, still pinned to the ground, before glaring at Hao Jian angrily: "Let him go already! Or do you really want me to step in?"

"Heh, who're you supposed to be?" Shrugging, Hao Jian showed not the slightest concern over Feng Jin's tone. Even Shu Ya and Wen Lan paid him no attention, instead revealing faint disdain. A mere marketplace security guard daring to bark orders at them?

Not only Hao Jian; even Shu Ya's company's security guards could easily put this guy in his place. Their wages alone would probably dwarf both his salary and his ill-gotten gains combined.

Someone like this didn't inspire fear or concern in the least. Earlier, Shu Ya and Wen Lan had been rattled by Sun Hongyuan's antics, but thanks to Hao Jian's reassurance, they were back in form. And frankly, Shu Ya and Wen Lan were formidable women themselves...

"I'm the security guard for this marketplace! Name's Feng Jin—remember it, thief!" Feng Jin sneered at Hao Jian, grimly introducing himself. Then, narrowing his eyes at Hao Jian, he taunted, "Stealing someone's phone and beating them up? I really haven't encountered such a brazen thief before!"

"And bringing two women along as accomplices, huh..."

"You're calling me a thief with no evidence at all?" Hao Jian's tone turned icy as he locked a deadpan glare on Feng Jin. From the moment Feng Jin had leered at Shu Ya and Wen Lan, Hao Jian had mentally marked him as a target. With contempt in his voice, he rebuked, "You call yourself a security guard, yet you can't even analyze the situation properly!"

"Which eye of yours saw me stealing his phone?!"

"You weren't stealing—you were robbing!"

Sun Hongyuan snorted coldly at Hao Jian's words, echoing Feng Jin's accusations. From certain angles, the two were in cahoots—Feng Jin handled the fence work and cover, while Sun Hongyuan carried out the thefts with his nimble skills.

"Let him go already!"

Feng Jin was growing impatient and didn't want to waste time on chatter. Seeing Hao Jian's hand gripping Sun Hongyuan's shoulder, he raised a wooden stick, ready to strike.

"Ah!"

But just as he swung the stick, Hao Jian's hand suddenly disappeared from Sun Hongyuan's shoulder. Without time to register what was happening, the stick landed squarely on Sun Hongyuan's shoulder instead...

The marketplace instantly buzzed as Sun Hongyuan's scream echoed loudly, catching the attention of curious onlookers who turned to see what had happened...