"Wait a moment..."
Qi Xia frowned, as if he had thought of something.
"We have to resist the enemy, and also protect our own people?"
This sounded like a very familiar situation. I've got it... this time, there's really a way. Qi Xia ran to the side of the iron plate, lifted the heavy object up, and slowly rolled it on the ground, as if verifying the feasibility of his plan.
"Hey! Qiao Jiajin!"
Qi Xia called out.
"I've found the 'answer'! Come over here!"
"I've been waiting for you to say that for a long time," Qiao Jiajin said slowly.
"Wait for me, I'll be right there."
The black bear faintly sensed that the "prey" before it wanted to escape, so it stood up on its hind legs again, increasing its attack range. But Qiao Jiajin had no intention of running away at all. He was seen suddenly taking a leaping step forward, his feet apart in a wide stance.
His shoulders followed the movement of his waist, and his left fist swung out in a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree arc toward the black bear's cheek.
Bang!
With a loud crash, the punch landed solidly on the black bear's face, actually knocking it back a step and a half. The black bear paused for a moment, its nostrils constantly puffing out hot air. Then it shook its head, seemingly dazed by the sudden blow.
It had never imagined that the "prey" who had been running away all this time could have such terrifying explosive power. Qiao Jiajin also shook his own arm, which was aching from the impact, and cursed, "You stupid oaf, you're really tough..."
The black bear came to its senses, opened its mouth, and roared a few times, then swung down again in shame and anger. Qiao Jiajin watched his opponent's movements carefully. He took a small step back with his left foot, then immediately shifted his weight between his right and left feet.
Not only did he dodge the attack, but he also made the black bear lose its balance and almost fall over. Taking advantage of this opening, he ducked slightly and threw an uppercut from below, viciously striking the black bear's jaw. A strange wail sounded out as the black bear took another punch.
Although this kind of damage posed no threat to its thick skin and flesh, it had indeed become a bit wary of the man before it.
"Damn, my hand's about to break, and you're still not knocked out?"
Qiao Jiajin spat on the ground, then did a forward roll and slipped away from the black bear's side. Qi Xia, who witnessed this scene, was also a little stunned. He thought Qiao Jiajin was just an ordinary street punk, but it seemed his fighting ability was extremely formidable.
His every move and form didn't resemble street brawling; it was more like mixed martial arts. Qiao Jiajin came to Qi Xia's side, shaking his left hand as he asked, "What should we do?"
"You, come here!"
Qi Xia snapped back to reality and waved at Qiao Jiajin.
"You hold this iron plate up to block the black bear's attacks."
"Just like that?"
Qiao Jiajin was a bit confused.
"Con man, have you lost your mind? I thought you'd have a better idea!"
"No, this is the best idea!"
Qi Xia pulled Qiao Jiajin in front of him and had him hold the iron plate. But this iron plate was round, after all. Placed on the ground, it wasn't stable and was extremely easy to roll.
Qiao Jiajin could only lower his body and brace the tabletop with his shoulder, trying to make it as steady as possible.
"This thing is really heavy..."
Qiao Jiajin gritted his teeth.
"I can't lift it..."
"You don't need to lift it," Qi Xia explained.
"You just need to roll it on the ground!"
"Damn, I get that, but this way I can't see that beast," Qiao Jiajin said.
"This big iron plate is blocking my view. I have no idea where it is, how am I supposed to block its attacks?"
At this moment, the black bear was growing more and more furious, walking cautiously toward Qiao Jiajin.
"I'll be your eyes," Qi Xia said, standing behind Qiao Jiajin.
"You?"
"That's right. I'll pull on your clothes from behind," Qi Xia said.
"If I pull to the left, you roll the iron plate to the left. If I pull to the right, you roll it to the right."
"Alright..."
Qiao Jiajin nodded and began to adjust the direction of the iron plate, aiming it at the black bear as much as possible.
"Thinking about it this way, the two of us probably won't die... I just don't know if that bunch of bastards will come and try to snatch the iron plate."
"They won't come to snatch it," Qi Xia said.
"Because I'm going to save everyone here."
"What are you saying?"
Qiao Jiajin was taken aback.
"You're going to use this iron plate to protect everyone?!"
"Hey!"
Qi Xia turned his head and shouted at the group of people fighting amongst themselves.
"If you keep fighting, you're all really going to die. If you don't want to die, get behind me."
Hearing Qi Xia's words, everyone came to their senses and looked at him, and also at the iron plate in Qiao Jiajin's hands. The middle-aged man was the first to stand up, wiping his face which had been scratched by someone in the brawl.
"You two idiots, put that iron plate down for me!"
He staggered toward Qiao Jiajin, seemingly wanting to snatch the iron plate back. But Qiao Jiajin couldn't let go at this moment and could only glare at the middle-aged man. Qi Xia, however, took a step forward, blocking the space between the two men.
"Hey! Move!" the middle-aged man roared.
"Little glasses! Come and help!"
Qi Xia's mind raced, and a voice echoed in his head: "The 80/20 rule. The power of decision is often held in the hands of only twenty percent of the people. To control a group, you only need to control the minority within it..."
Before the middle-aged man could call for help, Qi Xia suddenly reached out and grabbed his neck tightly. The man had never thought that this refined-looking man before him could be so ruthless, and he was momentarily stunned.
"Stop messing around," Qi Xia said.
"If you want to live, listen to me."
"Listen to you?!"
The middle-aged man's eyes were filled with fury.
"Who the hell do you think you are? Why should I listen to you?"
Qi Xia's left hand squeezed harder, clamping down tightly on the man's throat.
"I'm not negotiating with you."
Seeing Qi Xia's actions, Qiao Jiajin couldn't help but frown slightly. He had previously only thought Qi Xia was very smart and that following him might offer a chance of survival. He never expected the other man to have such a fierce side.
"Cough, cough... you... let go..."
The middle-aged man looked like he was about to suffocate, raising his hands to beat on Qi Xia's arm.
"Are you a madman..."
"Either I strangle you to death here, or you obediently stand in the back," Qi Xia's eyes were icy cold, as if devoid of all emotion.
"Pick one of these two options."
Seeing this, little glasses hurried over, his voice pleading.
"Big Bro... it doesn't have to be like this, it really doesn't... Let Old Lu go first..."
Though he said this, he was constantly adjusting his posture, moving to Qi Xia's side and getting closer step by step. Qi Xia quickly sized this person up and noticed that one side of his glasses had been smashed by someone during the fight, making him look rather disheveled.
"The law of the hunt..."
Qi Xia's eyes were fixed on the two men as he muttered inwardly, "The hunter must be fiercer than the prey. Even the most cunning prey has its weak spots and vital points..."
"Big Bro, just let him go first... or else..."
Little glasses edged closer and closer to Qi Xia, seemingly with other plans. Qi Xia's expression turned cold. He immediately shot out his other hand.
This time, he didn't grab the man's neck. Instead, he pinched his cheek, pressing one thumb onto the shattered lens.
"What the hell!" little glasses exclaimed, then squeezed his eyes shut.
"If you want to cause trouble too, I'll rub the glass shards into your eye."
"Don't, don't, don't...!" little glasses waved his hands in a panic.
He was now half-crouching, his head tilted back, not daring to move an inch.
"I was wrong, wrong, Big Bro. We'll listen to whatever you say."