Old Man Xu roared, “Enemies have infiltrated! No place is to be spared. Search thoroughly. Kill any intruders on sight!”
They had truly been discovered, but how exactly did Old Man Xu find out?
With no time to ponder, Ye Fan and Shen Bao exchanged a swift glance, then simultaneously raised their staves.
Better to strike proactively than wait to be slaughtered.
Several men in black, armed with clubs, cautiously advanced. As their footsteps drew nearer, Ye Fan and Shen Bao brought their staves down together.
"Bang."
The leading man in black, before even grasping what was happening, met his end.
"Kill them!"
Old Man Xu bellowed, rage contorting his face, pointing at Ye Fan and Shen Bao.
The remaining few men charged forward.
"I'll deal with them. You go capture that beast."
Ye Fan said coldly. Shen Bao had not fully recovered from his injuries, and facing multiple opponents might overwhelm him.
Shen Bao nodded vigorously, shoving aside a black-clad man and slipping along the wall.
"Your opponents are me."
Seeing the men in black pursuing Shen Bao, Ye Fan swiftly maneuvered behind them, blocking their path.
"Seeking death."
With an angry snort, the black-clad men swung their clubs down at Ye Fan.
Observing this, Ye Fan remained unperturbed, a cold smile curving his lips.
Simultaneously, his staff swept out, instantly hooking the neck of a black-clad man and yanking him forward.
Ye Fan then threw a punch, striking the man directly on the cheek.
Blood gushed forth. The black-clad man felt an excruciating pain in his head, stars flashing before his eyes as he collapsed.
Ye Fan retracted his fist, narrowing his eyes at the remaining men. "You aid and abet evil, and still show no remorse?"
The black-clad men ignored him, swinging their clubs down again.
"Since you wish to die, I shall oblige."
Like a winding dragon, he weaved swiftly between them, his staff swinging, sending another man to the ground.
However, one cannot fight multiple opponents alone. Though he had downed another attacker, he was ambushed from behind, taking two hits.
Despite the searing pain, Ye Fan endured, not letting out a sound.
Turning, his eyes grew increasingly cold as they fixed on the black-clad man before him.
"Damn it."
Just two words, yet they carried a surge of fierce anger.
Instantly, Ye Fan charged forward, like a fierce tiger descending a mountain.
He grew stronger against stronger foes, his rage igniting his potential.
His staff seemed alive in his hands, striking repeatedly.
Giving them no quarter, screams erupted.
Within a dozen breaths, the remaining black-clad men lay on the ground, twitching and screaming, utterly defeated.
Ye Fan cast them a cold glance, the rage in his eyes gradually subsiding.
He had, perhaps, been too merciful, sparing their lives.
Meanwhile, Shen Bao's situation had become critical. Seeing Shen Bao charging at him, Old Man Xu made a decisive choice to flee.
Despite his advanced age, his speed in escaping was remarkable.
He retreated into the factory and immediately rallied his men, encircling Shen Bao.
By the time Ye Fan arrived, Shen Bao bore significant injuries, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Yet, his fighting spirit remained defiant.
"Leave the rest to me."
Rushing in, Ye Fan pulled Shen Bao back, his gaze, laced with cold intent, fixing on Old Man Xu as he spoke in a deep voice.
A chilling aura erupted from his body. Ye Fan was like a towering, sharp sword, daunting anyone who dared approach.
Even Old Man Xu was startled by Ye Fan's overwhelming presence, thinking to himself, "Who is this young man? How can he possess such a formidable aura?"
However, this alone was not enough to intimidate him.
"Take him down! Whoever captures him, I'll give them ten gold bars."
Seeing his subordinates faltering under Ye Fan's aura, Old Man Xu decisively issued the order.
With great reward, there will surely be brave men.
Hearing Old Man Xu's words, the black-clad men exchanged glances, greediness evident in their eyes.
Then, they charged wildly at Ye Fan.
Noticing their formidable momentum, Ye Fan frowned, his hatred for Old Man Xu deepening.
That old bastard was too insidious.
Pushing Shen Bao aside, he swiftly moved to meet them.
Several men attacked Ye Fan simultaneously, their clubs blocking all avenues of escape.
Ye Fan's staff swept out, gripping the handle, and then he slammed it forward with force.
"Bang."
As the clubs collided, the black-clad men felt a sharp pain in their palms, a numbing sensation causing their arms to tremble and nearly drop their weapons.
Ye Fan, too, was not unscathed. Forcing himself to ignore his tingling arm, he quickly closed in on a black-clad man, lowered his shoulder, and then forcefully thrust it upwards.
"Bang."
The black-clad man, caught off guard, was struck on the chin and sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground.
Frothing at the mouth, he lay there, unconscious.
Seeing this, the remaining black-clad men roared in anger.
"Noisy."
Ye Fan's movement did not cease. His staff swept out again, gripped firmly at the base, and swung horizontally towards the legs of a black-clad man.
The man never anticipated Ye Fan's unexpected move. Caught off guard, his legs were hooked, he lost his balance, and immediately fell to the ground.
Seizing the opportunity, Ye Fan stepped forward and stomped down forcefully on his chest.
"Crack."
Several ribs snapped.
Like an enraged leopard, Ye Fan's impact on them was immense.
The remaining two black-clad men trembled, retreating nervously, fearful of Ye Fan's next move.
"Useless! All useless!"
Old Man Xu roared, exasperated that the thugs he had invested heavily in were so incompetent.
So many men struggling against a single Ye Fan.
"Old Man Xu, today is your death day."
Shen Bao advanced slowly, dragging an injured leg, and said coldly to Old Man Xu.
Unexpectedly, Old Man Xu let out a cold laugh. "With just the two of you, you think you can touch me? Utterly laughable."
He said this with his hands clasped behind his back, his face devoid of fear.
"Dare to lay a hand on the old village chief, and I'll take your lives immediately."
A cold voice sounded from behind. Ye Fan and Shen Bao both froze for a moment, then slowly turned their heads. There stood Hu Zi at the doorway, a gun in his hand, its dark muzzle aimed at them.
"You?"
Ye Fan frowned deeply, surprised that Hu Zi had awakened and was now launching a surprise attack from behind while they were unprepared.
At this moment, Ye Fan's resentment intensified. He cursed his own leniency. Had he killed Hu Zi directly back then, they would not be in this predicament.
"Drop your weapons, or I'll shoot immediately."
Hu Zi commanded with a cold snort.
Ye Fan and Shen Bao exchanged glances, seeing helplessness in each other's eyes.
Dropping his staff at his feet, Ye Fan asked coldly, "You were the one who notified Old Man Xu that we were coming, weren't you?"
Hu Zi hobbled in, a disdainful, cold smile on his lips.
"That's right, it was me. Is it too late for you to find that out now?"