Chapter Three: Rescue

“I don’t know her. Your threat means nothing to me, just like a pile of nonsense,” Zhang Ye replied, unimpressed by the criminal’s intimidation, and stepped forward unhurriedly.

Behind him, Wang Xiuyu and another tall man broke out in cold sweat, terrified the thug might do something drastic to the woman because of Zhang Ye’s words.

The woman, held hostage, appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight. She was beautiful, her face filled with the charm and allure of a mature woman. She glanced at Zhang Ye, whose calm and confident demeanor unexpectedly eased her fears, and the panic on her face faded. Her mind began to work quickly.

“Brother, please don’t get agitated. I know you’re in a tough spot, but if anyone gets hurt, things will turn much worse. So please, stay calm,” Yuan Yuqing tried to speak, steadying her breath.

It was a hot summer day, and sweat soaked the clothes on her back as she pressed against the criminal. The discomfort was intense, but she dared not make any sudden moves.

“I’m not a policeman. I don’t need to risk myself to save a hostage,” Zhang Ye glanced at Yuan Yuqing, then fixed his eyes on the criminal, his steps unwavering.

One step. Two steps. Three steps…

Zhang Ye’s measured stride was like the tolling of a bell before death, unsettling the thug. He knew Zhang Ye’s prowess—he still felt the pain from that earlier kick. Now, watching Zhang Ye approach, he began to sweat profusely.

“Don’t come any closer! If you do, I’ll really do it. Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing—you’re trying to distract me. If you’re so tough, why don’t you just rush me?”

The criminal, having nowhere left to retreat, pressed himself into the farthest corner of the bus. He screamed frantically, his arm gripping the knife unconsciously closer, leaving a bloody mark on the woman’s neck.

The sweat had glued Yuan Yuqing’s hair to her face, giving her an unusual allure. She frowned, her face pale from the cut on her neck, but she remained composed, displaying impressive poise.

She carefully edged away from the blade and spoke, “Brother, I know you need money. How about this—I have some savings in my bank. If you let me go, I’ll transfer the money to you right away.”

“Shut up!” the criminal roared, tightening his arm around her neck.

Seizing the moment as the criminal’s attention wavered, Zhang Ye took another small step forward. Now only three or four feet separated him from the thug, close enough to act. Still, he waited for the perfect opportunity.

Zhang Ye’s subtle movement did not escape the criminal, who turned pale and shifted the knife away from Yuan Yuqing’s neck, aiming it at Zhang Ye, ready to order him back.

At that moment, Zhang Ye’s expression changed. He stared intently at the window to the left of the criminal.

Sure enough, the criminal, always watching Zhang Ye, was immediately distracted and turned his head quickly.

“Now!” Zhang Dong’s heart leapt. He sprang forward, crossing the three or four feet in a flash, and kicked the criminal’s wrist with lightning speed.

Zhang Ye practiced a style known as Zhang’s Leg Method, not famous but a branch of Tan Tui, emphasizing speed, precision, and ferocity. At an advanced level, one could deliver several kicks in a second.

In his past life, Zhang Ye had trained diligently, reaching the point where he could deliver three kicks in a second—less than his master’s five, but still remarkable among students. These kicks weren’t simply about moving the legs; they required balance, speed, and force. If a kick didn’t make the opponent stagger, it meant nothing.

Though his current body hadn’t been trained to the same degree, the familiar technique was still impressive.

The onlookers saw only a blur before Zhang Ye’s kick struck the criminal’s wrist, knocking the knife to the ground without harming the woman—showing extraordinary control.

Without stopping, Zhang Ye’s leg flashed again, landing squarely on the thug’s forehead and sending him flying, rescuing the hostage in one fluid motion.

Behind, Wang Xiuyu and the others, witnessing this, quickly seized the opportunity. Almost instantly, as Zhang Ye kicked, they reacted and charged the criminal, subduing him in the blink of an eye.

On the other side, though Yuan Yuqing had kept calm and distracted the criminal to give Zhang Ye his chance, she was still a woman. The intense danger left her weak and nearly collapsing.

Quick to react, Zhang Ye rushed forward to help her up, but he didn’t expect that, while his past life’s leg technique was formidable, in this life his untrained body betrayed him. His leg, exhausted from the exertion, suddenly went numb and weak. Stepping forward, his knee gave way and he fell even faster toward Yuan Yuqing.

In an instant, he landed right in her embrace.

“So soft, so fragrant,” Zhang Ye’s face found itself pressed against Yuan Yuqing’s ample chest, and he was enveloped by a unique warmth and softness.

Yuan Yuqing’s face, which had been pale from the ordeal, suddenly bloomed with a blush. The July heat meant she wore little, and her sweat had soaked her clothes. Now, with Zhang Ye pressed against her, there was barely any barrier, and she felt a surge of shyness.

“Get up, quickly,” Yuan Yuqing rolled her eyes, her ears burning red.

“Oh, right,” Zhang Ye replied awkwardly, struggling to rise.

But the pain in his leg hadn’t faded; he had no strength, and after a few attempts, he fell again—this time landing fully against Yuan Yuqing’s chest, his lips brushing her nipple.

A soft moan escaped her lips.

A strange current seemed to surge through Yuan Yuqing, leaving her body tingling and her blush deepening.

A humming sensation.

Zhang Ye, just eighteen, was in the prime of youth. He could hardly bear it; his face flushed, and heat surged through his lower body like fire.

“So our little hero has such an adorable side,” Yuan Yuqing teased, masking her blush and casting a coy glance downward.

Zhang Ye’s earlier display had genuinely surprised her. So young, yet skilled and calm under pressure, he controlled the situation with remarkable composure, radiating a reassuring presence.

Her own calm during the crisis owed much to Zhang Ye. Now, seeing him in this state, she was amused—he was still, after all, just a young man, unable to withstand the charms of a mature woman.

Hearing her words, Zhang Ye managed a bitter smile.

…