The grand ballroom fell into a suffocating silence.
The elites of Zenith City watched with bated breath. On one side stood Blake Vane, the heir to a business empire, dressed in a tuxedo that cost more than a house. On the other stood Lin Feng, the "Dragon King" protagonist, dressed in rags but radiating a feral, murderous aura.
"You?" Lin Feng scoffed, wiping a smear of dirt from his cheek. His eyes burned with contempt. "Blake Vane, do not overestimate yourself. I admit you have money and power, but in the world of martial arts, you are nothing but a fragile glass vase."
Lin Feng cracked his neck. He was a cultivator who had trained in the mountains for ten years. In his eyes, these rich second-generations were weaklings who would cry if they broke a nail.
"I didn't want to use violence today," Lin Feng said self-righteously, clenching his fists. "But since you insist on courting death, I will cripple you on behalf of the heavens!"
Whoosh!
Lin Feng moved.
He was fast. To the ordinary guests, he was a blur. He lunged at Blake, his fist aiming directly for Blake's solar plexus. It was the Tiger Subduing Punch, a move capable of shattering a concrete block.
"Young Master!" The butler screamed in horror.
Chloe Han's eyes widened, her hand instinctively reaching out to pull Blake back.
But Blake didn't move. He didn't even blink.
[System Active.][Ability: Golden Pupils (Level 1) Engaged.]
"Time didn't just slow down; it froze. Through the Golden Pupils, Lin Feng looked like a statue. Blake could count the dust motes floating in the air. He could see the pathetic twitch of Lin Feng's muscle before the punch even launched."
Blake could see the flow of Qi in Lin Feng's arm. He could see the muscle fibers contracting. He could see the arrogant sneer slowly forming on Lin Feng's face.
'Too slow,' Blake thought.
He saw the opening. Lin Feng was overconfident. He had put all his weight into the attack, leaving his left side completely exposed.
Blake didn't dodge. He stepped into the attack.
He activated the [Void Step].
To the crowd, it looked like Blake teleported. One moment he was in front of Lin Feng's fist; the next, he was inside Lin Feng's guard, his body pressed against the protagonist's.
Blake's right hand shot out, his fingers curled into a claw.
[Combat Skill: Bone Crushing Palm (Mastery) Activated.]
He struck Lin Feng's extended arm at the elbow joint.
CRACK!
The sound was sickeningly loud, like a dry branch snapping in a winter storm.
"ARGHHH!"
Lin Feng's scream tore through the ballroom. His right arm bent at a horrific, unnatural angle. The force of Blake's palm didn't just break the bone; it shattered the meridian inside, crippling the arm permanently.
Blake didn't stop there.
With a fluid motion, he spun and drove his knee into Lin Feng's stomach.
Bang!
Lin Feng coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. The pain was blinding. He looked up at Blake, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
"You... you know martial arts?" Lin Feng wheezed. "Impossible... the intel said you were trash..."
Blake stood over him, adjusting his cufflinks. There wasn't a single wrinkle on his suit.
"Your intel is outdated," Blake said coldly. "And your martial arts? Mediocre."
The crowd erupted into whispers. "Did you see that? Young Master Blake took him down in one move!""He broke his arm like it was a twig!""Who said Blake was a waste? He's a hidden master!"
Blake leaned down, grabbing Lin Feng by his hair and forcing him to look up.
"I told you yesterday," Blake whispered, his voice dropping to a terrifying low. "If I saw you again, I would break your legs. I am a man of my word."
"No... dare you..." Lin Feng's eyes trembled with genuine fear for the first time.
Blake smiled. It was the smile of a true villain.
"Blake didn't hesitate. He didn't monologue. He just brought his heel down. Snap. The sound of the kneecap shattering echoed louder than the music."
"AAAAHHHH!"
Lin Feng rolled on the floor, clutching his shattered leg, wailing like a dying animal. The protagonist, who was supposed to shine and slap faces, was now rolling in the dust, crippled and humiliated.
[Ding!][Critical Hit!][Protagonist Lin Feng has been physically crippled.][Protagonist's Destiny Points -200.][Villain Points +1000.][Current Luck: 40 (Average)]
Blake turned to the security guards who were standing there, stunned.
"What are you waiting for?" Blake asked calmly. "Take the trash out. And send the bill for the carpet cleaning to his village."
Two guards rushed forward, dragging the screaming Lin Feng out of the ballroom by his good leg. A trail of blood was left on the marble floor.
Blake turned back to the guests. The fear and respect in their eyes were palpable. He had established his dominance not just with money, but with raw power.
He walked back to Chloe Han.
The icy female CEO was staring at him, her lips slightly parted. The fear of the "Violent Alpha" trope mixed with the awe of his strength created a potent cocktail of emotions in her eyes.
"You..." Chloe whispered. "You hid your strength this whole time?"
Blake reached out, taking a napkin from a passing waiter and wiping a speck of Lin Feng's blood from his hand.
"I told you, Chloe," Blake said, offering her his arm. "I will protect what is mine. And from tonight onwards... that includes you."
Chloe hesitated for a split second, then took his arm. She leaned into him, her body soft against his.
"Okay," she said softly.
[Ding!][Heroine Chloe Han's Submission Level: 30%.][System Reward: Business Management Halo (Intermediate).]
Blake grinned.
The engagement was secured. The protagonist was crippled. And now, he had the skills to take over the business world.
'Lin Feng, go heal in the sewers. By the time you crawl back, I'll own this entire city.'