"Son of a...! I'll kill you!" Goon #2 growled. Unlike his bumbling partner whose nose was currently painting the pavement red, this guy was built like a tank and kept his head. He shoved Goon #1 back toward the shadows. "Watch the girl! Don't let her run. I'll handle this brat myself."
Goon #2 bounced on his toes, cracking his knuckles with a professional rhythmic pop-pop. His stance was wide, shoulders relaxed—the classic posture of a trained boxer.
Austin's expression hardened. He realized this wasn't just some random street punk. This guy was likely an old teammate of Jin Gang's from the sports academy, maybe even a club-level fighter. Austin couldn't afford to be careless anymore.
The lanky goon lunged, throwing a lightning-fast jab toward Austin's temple. Austin ducked, but it was a feint—the punk immediately retracted and drove a heavy hook into Austin's midsection.
Oof! The air left Austin's lungs in a sharp hiss. It hurt—bad—but Austin didn't make a sound. Is that all? he thought, a cold smirk forming on his face. Back in his 'Mad Dog' days, he'd been beaten with iron pipes and still stood up to break the leader's ribs. This guy's fist felt like a tickle compared to a steel bar.
"Professional boxer, huh? Your form is okay, but you punch like a middle schooler," Austin mocked, ignoring the dull ache in his gut. "No wonder you had to quit and start robbing people for spare change."
Goon #2 stared in disbelief. That punch should have had the kid vomiting his lunch. "How are you still standing?"
"My turn," Austin said.
He didn't use a standard punch. Instead, he channeled every bit of his street-fighting experience into a move he'd practiced hundreds of times—the Yang Special Kick. He sprinted forward and leaped into the air, both feet leaving the ground. Goon #2 leaned back to avoid the first foot, thinking it was a high kick, but Austin's momentum shifted in mid-air. The second foot swung like a pendulum, connecting squarely with Goon #2's groin.
CRUNCH.
The sound was sickening. Austin landed hard on his butt—the only downside of the move—but the fight was over. Goon #2 collapsed like a folding chair, clutching himself and making high-pitched wheezing sounds.
"Boss Jin! Save us! He's a monster!" Goon #1 screamed from the shadows, blood still streaming from his face.
Dammit! Jin Gang, hiding behind the trash bins, cursed under his breath. He had intended to wait until Austin was being beaten to a pulp before stepping out to play the hero. But now? His two "pros" were sobbing in the dirt. If he stepped out now, he'd have to explain why the robbers were calling him 'Boss.'
I'll get you next time, kid, Jin Gang thought, retreating deeper into the darkness.
Austin glanced toward the trash bins, seeing the thermal silhouette of the PE teacher scurrying away. He let out a cold snort and turned to Ms. Zhao. "Ms. Zhao, let's get out of here before more of their 'friends' show up."
"Shouldn't we call the police?" Ms. Zhao asked, her hand still trembling as she gripped Austin's sleeve.
"By the time they get here, these guys will be gone. Let's just get you home safely," Austin said, not wanting to spend three hours at a police station giving statements. He wanted more time alone with the beautiful woman next to him.
They reached the faculty apartment building. The hallways were dimly lit, smelling of old wax and floor cleaner.
"I'm fine now, Austin. You can head back," Ms. Zhao said at the entrance.
"No way. What if there's a fourth guy hiding in the stairs?" Austin lied effortlessly. He wanted to see her apartment. "I'm seeing you all the way to your door."
Ms. Zhao looked at the dark stairwell and shivered. "Alright. Thank you, Austin."
As they climbed the stairs to the second floor, the silence between them felt different. It wasn't the silence of a teacher and a student; it was the charged atmosphere of two people who had just survived a crisis together. Austin could smell the faint scent of her sweat mixed with perfume—a heady, intoxicating aroma.
"We're here," she said, stopping at 2B.
Austin waited for the invitation, but Chloe just turned the key. Desperate, he blurted out, "Ms. Zhao! Do you have a restroom? I've been holding it since the alley... the adrenaline, you know?"
"Oh! Of course. Come in, quickly."
Austin didn't wait. He bolted inside, heading straight for the light in the hallway. He found the bathroom door unlocked and burst in, quickly unzipping to relieve himself.
The water was flowing loudly when suddenly, the frosted glass door of the walk-in shower swung open.
"Man, Zhao, you were out there forever... did you have a date or what?" A girl with wet, messy hair and a stunningly athletic figure poked her head out of the shower.
She froze. Austin froze.
The girl stared at the stranger standing there, mid-stream. Austin stared back, too shocked to even turn away. "Who... who are you?" she whispered, before realizing the situation and letting out a scream that could have shattered the mirrors.
"Austin!" Ms. Zhao burst into the room at the same time. "I forgot to tell you—!"
She stopped. She didn't look away either. For what felt like an eternity, Ms. Zhao's eyes were locked on Austin... specifically, on the part of him he was currently holding.
"Ah! Get out! Get out now!" Ms. Zhao finally screamed, shoving Austin toward the door.
"Ms. Zhao! You're the one who walked in! I'm the one being traumatized here!" Austin yelled back, frantically trying to zip up while dodging her shoves. "Are you trying to peek or something?"
"In your dreams!" she hissed, her face burning like a furnace as she slammed the bathroom door shut.
Austin stood in the small living room, his heart hammering. He'd just been seen by two women in the span of thirty seconds. One was his teacher, and the other... well, she was a total stranger, but she was definitely a '10'.
Inside the bathroom, Ms. Zhao leaned against the door, her heart racing. She was mortified, but a traitorous part of her brain kept replaying the image of what she'd just seen. She'd never had a boyfriend, never seen a man... like that. And Austin was... well, he certainly wasn't a boy anymore.
"Is he gone?" a voice whispered from behind the shower glass. This was Summer (王笑嫣), the mysterious roommate.
"Stay in there, Summer! He's... he's just a student. It's a misunderstanding!" Ms. Zhao called out.
She walked out into the living room, her face still flushed. Austin was standing there, looking like a guilty puppy. "Austin... I am so sorry. That was my roommate, Summer. She's... very private."
"It's okay, Ms. Zhao. I think I'm the one who owes the apology," Austin said, his voice dropping into a low, playful tone. "But you know... the way you were staring... if I didn't know better, I'd say you were impressed."
"Shut up!" Ms. Zhao snapped, but there was no real heat in it. The boundary between them had officially dissolved. "Go into my bedroom. Now. Summer needs to come out and get dressed, and I don't want you catching another 'accidental' look."
"Your bedroom?" Austin's eyebrows shot up. "Ms. Zhao, I knew you liked me, but isn't this moving a bit fast?"
"It's for protection, you brat! Just get in there!" She shoved him into her room and slammed the door.
Austin sat on the edge of her bed. The room smelled like her—sweet, floral, and warm. His heart was still thumping. He'd been seen twice, but he hadn't seen anything through that frosted glass.
Wait, he thought, hitting his palm against his forehead. I have the God-Eye! Why am I being a gentleman?
He closed his eyes, focused on the door, and activated the system. X-Ray: 50%. Target: Living room silhoutte.
The wooden door faded into a ghostly frame. Austin's breath hitched as he saw through the wall...