Kun Ge never dreamed that Yang Jian would strike first, launching a sudden attack. In his mind, these out-of-town imperial companies that came to his territory were all lambs to the slaughter, daring not to resist. He had used this method to swindle over a dozen imperial companies, always successfully, profiting hundreds of thousands.
What he didn't expect was that Yang Jian was clearly a skilled fighter, his movements fierce, clean, and precise. With a single move, he had taken down three of his brothers who were armed with knives, while another had fled outside.
What frustrated him the most was that the other two smaller guys had attacked him simultaneously. A collapsible baton struck his head, drawing blood instantly.
Another collapsible baton hit his right arm, breaking it on the spot.
The three of them cooperated with such默契 (mòqì - tacit understanding), as if they had rehearsed it beforehand.
At this moment, Yang Jian was like a god of slaughter. He quickly broke the arms of the two young men who had been behind him and were armed with knives. Then, he rushed to the door, intending to deal with the other young man, only to find that he had already vanished.
"Hao Ge, you take Old Wu and leave first."
Yang Jian turned and rushed to support Biao Biao and Liang Liang. They were being surrounded by eight burly men from inside. These men, like Kun Ge, had not prepared for a fight and therefore carried no weapons. However, stools were readily available. Seeing Kun Ge defeated, they all grabbed stools and swung them at the two.
Seeing Liang Liang take two hits and his head appear to be bleeding, Song Jianhao was also enraged. He grabbed a stool and joined the fray.
Old Wu, meanwhile, rushed to the doorway, picked up a cleaver, and guarded the entrance. Although he was old, he had learned a few moves from Yang Jian's father in his youth, and when cornered, he was not to be trifled with.
The room was narrow. Although the opponents were numerous, they could not maneuver effectively. Yang Jian charged forward and kicked one of them over.
"Hao Ge, Biao Biao, you guys retreat. I'll cover the rear."
Yang Jian was very calm. It was not advisable to get entangled here for too long; they had to withdraw immediately.
Song Jianhao hurled the stool he was holding forcefully at the opponent and turned to rush out.
Subsequently, Biao Biao and Liang Liang quickly retreated outside the room. Their combat effectiveness was no match for Yang Jian's. They fought purely on impulse and ferocity, lacking any technique, but they were very experienced.
Yang Jian, on the other hand, had trained in martial arts since childhood and endured beatings, making his reaction time and ability to withstand blows exceptionally strong. Taking a couple of stool hits was nothing to him.
At the same time, his strength was immense, especially his leg attacks. Anyone who took a kick from him was guaranteed to be knocked down.
He single-handedly held off all eight of the opponents.
"Jian Ge, let's go!"
Biao Biao did not leave. He shouted from the doorway. Yang Jian kicked over the man directly in front of him, then turned and rushed towards the door.
Biao Biao had already prepared to provide cover. The moment Yang Jian stepped out of the room, he immediately slammed the door shut, hearing the sound of stools hitting the door.
Without any hesitation, the two of them sprinted downstairs at full speed. They ran thirty meters before reaching the parking spot.
Old Wu, Song Jianhao, and Liang Liang were already waiting by the car. Fortunately, no one was blocking the way downstairs.
Opening the car door, Yang Jian jumped in and started the engine. Before Song Jianhao and the others could settle in, he floored the accelerator, and the car shot out.
"Liang Liang, how are you? Do you need to go to the hospital now?"
Once the car was on the main road, Yang Jian saw the bloodstain on Liang Liang's forehead in the rearview mirror.
Liang Liang touched his head, "I'm fine, just a scratch."
Before he finished speaking, Song Jianhao, sitting in the passenger seat, suddenly experienced difficulty breathing. His throat spasmed like a bellows, emitting a rapid, hissing sound, and his face turned pale.
Yang Jian was startled, "Hao Ge, what's wrong? What's happening?"
Song Jianhao clearly couldn't speak, clutching his neck in extreme pain.
Biao Biao, understanding the situation, said, "Jian Ge, hurry to the nearest hospital. Hao Ge's old condition has flared up."
With no time to inquire about any "old condition," Yang Jian accelerated again, simultaneously scanning the sides of the street for a hospital.
After running two red lights, they finally spotted the sign for Qingjiang District People's Hospital five minutes later. He drove the car directly to the entrance of the emergency department.
A traffic policeman on a motorcycle soon arrived. When he saw that the person getting out of the car needed emergency treatment, he immediately stepped forward to help.
Yang Jian didn't even have time to close the car door before he was carrying Song Jianhao on his back and rushing into the emergency room.
"Who is the driver?"
After Song Jianhao was wheeled into the operating room, the traffic policeman immediately asked Yang Jian and the others.
Yang Jian raised his hand, "I am, officer. I ran a red light just now. Saving a life was urgent. You can punish me however you see fit; I accept it."
"Please show me your driver's license and vehicle registration."
Yang Jian had his driver's license on him, so he had to go back to the car to find the registration.
The traffic policeman examined both documents and then returned them to him, "Given that you were rushing an emergency patient, I will let it go this time. Your license will not be suspended, nor will you be fined. Please obey traffic rules next time."
"Thank you, thank you. I will definitely obey traffic rules from now on and never run a red light."
The traffic policeman waved his hand and rode away on his motorcycle.
"Liang Liang, you should get your wound bandaged too and get a tetanus shot."
Yang Jian put his driver's license away and nudged Liang Liang. Since they were already at the hospital, there was no need to play tough.
Liang Liang chuckled and turned to find a doctor.
"Biao Biao, what is Hao Ge's old condition? It was quite frightening."
Only now did Yang Jian have the time to inquire about Song Jianhao's situation.
"Hao Ge served time in prison when he was young. For some reason, he developed a chronic asthma condition while inside. He's been taking medication for years, and it's cost a lot of money."
"Asthma? That situation just now really looked like it. Why would it suddenly act up?"
"He can't engage in strenuous activity. It was probably caused by the fight just now and then the rush. I heard Hao Ge used to be a tough guy, but after getting this strange illness, he's become very low-key and doesn't easily get into conflicts."
Hearing this, Yang Jian suddenly understood. He had always wondered why Song Jianhao, who was involved in the underworld, lacked any assertiveness and instead acted so smoothly, navigating relationships with everyone.
It turned out it wasn't that he wasn't tough enough, but that his body wouldn't allow him to clash with others. This also explained why he always wanted to keep Yang Jian close.
This also explained why he rarely stayed in casinos for long. He was probably afraid that if the police showed up, he wouldn't be able to escape.
"Biao Biao, will Xiao Song be alright this time?" Old Wu asked with some concern.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine. I've experienced this situation several times. He should be out in about half an hour."
"Why doesn't he get hospitalized for treatment and cure it once and for all?"
"His condition cannot be treated through surgery. To treat this illness, he has traveled to many places inside and outside the province, visited numerous major hospitals, and tried countless folk remedies, but none have been effective. This is also a significant reason why he has never married."
This statement hit the nail on the head. What woman would dare to marry him in this condition? She would be terrified if he had an attack.