Chapter 26: The Ceiling? I'm in the Atmosphere!

"Listen here, kid, don't try to lecture me. In this neck of the woods, I am the law; I am the ceiling. You get it?"

Zhao Qiang looked incredibly arrogant. Beside him, Du Yu was busy checking his system.

{Level 2 System}
[Host: Du Yu]
[Luck: 550]
[Skill Points (Level 2 System):
1. Menacing Aura (0/5): Causes creatures within a 100-meter radius to feel fear and retreat!
Note: +50% effectiveness against aquatic creatures.
2. Combat Mastery (0/5): Focuses on combat techniques, including enhanced dynamic vision and weakness detection, ensuring an invincible advantage in brawls!
Note: +50% effectiveness against aquatic creatures.
3. Stamina (3/5): Current stamina and concentration have been merged.
Note: When the host is underwater, stamina receives an additional +50% boost.
4. Fishing Mastery (3/5): Increases fishing success rate and enhances techniques.
Current Skill Points: 8
Note: The maximum skill level for a Level 2 system is 5.]

Du Yu’s eyes lit up, and the anxiety in his heart eased slightly.

"Hey, you little brat, are you pretending I don't exist? Hahahaha! Tell you what—just relax, let Boss Han and that other girl spend the night with me, and then you kowtow to me, and maybe I’ll consider letting you go. How about that?"

Zhao Qiang laughed insolently. One of his lackeys reached out to grab the two women.

"Ding. [Menacing Aura] has been successfully upgraded to (3/5). [Combat Mastery] has been successfully upgraded to (5/5)."
"Remaining Skill Points: 0."

Two streams of warmth surged into Du Yu’s body. He smiled faintly.
"Welcome to my home turf."

Han Xinyi’s face was dark, her heart sinking, while Ma Yue retreated in fear.

"Touch either of them, and see what happens."

At the critical moment, an incredibly chilling voice cut through the air.

The words felt almost tangible, echoing in everyone’s ears. The thugs faltered, as if the tall, lanky Du Yu standing before them had vanished, replaced by a baring-fanged shark, jaws wide, sneering at them.

***

Zhao Qiang’s lackey froze in place, and the rest of the thugs were stunned. What kind of aura was this? It was terrifying!

Zhao Qiang was clearly shaken, but upon realizing he had been intimidated by this young punk, he grew furious with embarrassment.

"Humph, who do you think you are? You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit! Beat him! Five thousand for every arm broken! If he dies, I’ll take the fall!"

A dozen thugs charged forward with clubs.

Han Xinyi was the first to react. She ran to Du Yu’s side and said urgently, "Du Yu, run! I’ve called security and the police; they’ll be here soon!"

Du Yu shook his head slightly. Under the circumstances, run? Where to?
It was the perfect time to test [Combat Mastery (5/5)].
It was just a pity they weren't fish; he couldn't unleash the full effect.

Du Yu stepped forward, his combat mastery engaged. Suddenly, the thugs’ movements slowed to a crawl, and their raised clubs were riddled with openings.

Ma Yue’s eyes turned red. She bit her lip hard, wanting to rush forward, but Han Xinyi held her back. She had secretly called her family and Director Li, but she wasn't sure if Du Yu could hold out until they arrived.

Under the watchful eyes of all, Du Yu knocked down the first thug with a single punch.

???

The dozen thugs hesitated. The man Du Yu had just downed was the second-strongest fighter among them. The most baffling part was that his fighting stance looked exactly like the technique used for landing a fish.

How did this rural kid know how to fight? Did the fish Du Yu caught back home fight back so fiercely that he had to wrestle them to land them?

In reality, the system’s [Combat Mastery] was designed for the host to deal with ferocious aquatic predators, such as tiger sharks. Regardless, the gang dared not move.

"You bunch of useless freeloaders! Don't you dare stop! Are you really afraid of one guy? You could drown him just by spitting on him! I’ll break the legs of anyone who doesn't attack!" Zhao Qiang shrieked.

The thugs hesitated no longer, rushing at Du Yu from all sides with their clubs.

Five minutes later, Zhao Qiang watched his dozen subordinates groaning on the ground, his mouth twitching.
Are you kidding me? Are you Ip Man? Can you really take on ten men? This kind of thing only happens in novels, right? How is this happening to me?

Zhao Qiang’s face turned ash-gray as he backed away.

***

Director Li arrived just in time. He scanned the scene with a stern gaze before his eyes settled on Du Yu.

"Old Li, you’re here! Sorry to trouble you with such a small matter, having you come all this way," Du Yu said with a cheerful greeting.

"This is ridiculous! Never mind how you handle all these injured people; there were so many of them—what if you’d been hurt? How would I explain that to Old Shi?" Director Li scolded.

Ma Yue stepped forward, smiling. "Hello, Grandpa Li!"

Han Xinyi was secretly stunned. She hadn't expected these two young people to actually be able to summon Director Li!

After the pleasantries, they turned their attention to Zhao Qiang to discuss the situation.

"Old Li, what do you suggest we do with Zhao Qiang?" Du Yu asked calmly, keeping his emotions in check.

"Actually, it’s not easy to handle," Old Li said, shaking his head slightly.

Du Yu was a bit surprised. Given Old Li’s position, such a statement meant Zhao Qiang was truly a thorny issue.

"A mere Zhao Qiang is nothing to fear. If it were just him, I could have him arrested right now!" Old Li scoffed. "But his father is Zhao San. That man is a shark, with deep connections in both the underworld and the establishment. He runs a massive business, especially in seafood, which brings in huge profits! I suspect he targeted you because of that."

Du Yu nodded in agreement.

"And above this Zhao San is a man named Lu. This Lu is on the same level as Old Shi!" Old Li added. "And unlike Old Shi, this man is still in office!"

Du Yu had an epiphany. Old Shi might have influence, but he had retired. This man surnamed Lu could suppress Old Shi. No wonder they were so reckless.

In the distance, a dozen cars slowly approached. Seeing the lead vehicle, Old Li’s expression shifted.

"That’s Zhao San’s car."