CHAPTER 277: CHAPTER 277 THE MAFIA OF CITY B 2(5)_1

"Yes, yes, Miss. Mingyang and I are completely swamped. Let’s reschedule, please."

"Miss, come on, let’s have a match! It’s been a long time since I sparred with you."

Everyone was thinking of excuses to decline; only Li Lan excitedly spoke up, eager to spar with Shangguan You.

"Mm." A faint smile touched Shangguan You’s lips. Her cool gaze swept over the men, causing them to shudder involuntarily. Li Lan, that traitor! they cursed inwardly. When the Miss sparred with her, she always held back significantly, but with them, she would beat them half to death. Who would dare to spar with the Miss? And today, they had even been watching the Miss’s predicament for entertainment. This time, even if we don’t die, we’ll be crippled for sure.

With tense faces, they entered the gym. All the original fitness equipment had been removed; it was now their dedicated sparring room.

"Lan, you wait to the side for now." Shangguan You limbered up her arms and legs, gave Li Lan a gentle smile, then her icy gaze swept over the four men before her.

"All of you, come at me together!" Shangguan You’s cold voice rang out. In a flash, she launched an attack on the four men. A series of THUDS, and then each of them received a punch squarely on one eye.

"Miss, please be merciful!"

"Ah, Miss, please go easy on us!"

"Argh, how will I show my face tomorrow, Miss?"

"Miss, this is terrible for your image! Please, no!"

Their screams continued. Then came another series of THUDS, and their other eyes were similarly struck. The four of them now truly sported panda eyes.

"Miss, well done!" Li Lan applauded and shouted loudly. Seeing the men thrashed so badly they couldn’t even fight back filled her with immense satisfaction. Watching the Miss’s white-clad figure, her mood brightened even more. Just seeing the Miss always made her bad mood vanish. This is the Miss’s unique charm!

With four more THUDS, the four large men were sent sprawling stiffly to the ground. Only then did Shangguan You pat her hands, looking down at them. They’re too weak, she thought. If they encountered a truly strong opponent, how would they cope?

"Zhong Mingyang, Chu Yi, Long Hua, Li Qing," Shangguan You began, her voice like ice as she looked at the four men on the ground. "You’ve been taking Jade Dew Pills daily. Your bodies are stronger than before. So why is it that when you fight me, you don’t even have a chance to retaliate?"

"Miss," one of them stammered, "it’s because you’re too strong."

"How much do you truly understand about this world? In your eyes, I am very strong. But this world is full of wonders, and there are many people far stronger than I am. Right now, I have the ability to protect you. But what if, one day, I can’t even protect myself, and those people decide to target you? What will you do then?"

The petite Shangguan You stood among them, her questions cold and sharp. Perhaps I, too, once thought I was the strongest. But after encountering Ye Sanshao and the people from the Zhuge Family, I realized my own weakness. If they don’t strive to improve, their futures will be doomed.

"Miss is the strongest we’ve ever seen!"

"That’s right! How could there possibly be anyone stronger than the Miss?"

"Wrong. I’m not the strongest. Do you remember Ye Sanshao from that time? He is a terrifyingly powerful existence, stronger than me. Currently, Ye Sanshao has no conflict of interest with us, so for now, he’s a friend. But what if one day Ye Sanshao becomes our enemy? How would you confront him then? What could you possibly use to stand against him?"

Shangguan You’s questions were stern. This was just an analogy she was making, to make Long Hua and Chu Yi recall Ye Sanshao’s uncanny skills and formidable strength from that night. However, in the not-too-distant future, when Ye Sanshao truly stood on the side of the enemy, when that day actually arrived, her heart would ache with such pain. She had never imagined that a casual remark could come true.

"Miss, we understand our mistake. We shouldn’t be complacent. We will strive to improve ourselves."

Shangguan You nodded and handed out a few more bottles of Jade Dew Pills and health pills to the five of them before her figure vanished once again into the night.

Watching Shangguan You’s uncanny disappearing technique and recalling her words—about existences even stronger than her, against whom even she couldn’t guarantee her own safety—caused the men’s brows to furrow deeply. The Miss’s enemies were their enemies. So, to keep pace with the Miss, they too would strive harder.

From the darkness, a figure watched everything, his star-like eyes flashing with a brilliant light. She truly is the girl I’ve set my sights on, he mused. She has such a knack for everything, whether it’s hitting, thrashing, or lecturing people. She’s beautiful no matter how I look at her. But becoming enemies with that girl? That’s utterly impossible.

Ye Sanshao shook his head. The girl is worrying needlessly, he thought. I’d protect her if I had the chance; how could I possibly oppose her? At this moment, neither Ye Sanshao nor Shangguan You could have imagined that such a day would truly arrive, and moreover...

In the pitch-black night, a white figure swept through the sky like a whirlwind and swiftly melted into the darkness. Feeling the cold wind in the sky and the somber aura trailing her, Shangguan You’s figure flickered, quickly slipping into the void.

Just as her figure disappeared, two silhouettes quickly appeared where she had been. They halted simultaneously, their brows deeply furrowed. The figure was clearly right before their eyes a moment ago. How could she vanish without a trace in an instant?

"Are you sure that was the person we are looking for?" an old voice rang out. He stood observing the area for a long moment. There was no trace of an aura. It seems this person is very strong, he thought.

"Positive. That was her. I’d recognize her even if she were turned to ash," the other replied, his voice gloomy, his eyes emitting a venomous glint, like a viper’s. "The Water Spirit Bead is on her; there’s no mistake. If it weren’t for the Water Spirit Bead, how could my Inferno Sect have been usurped by her?" This person was precisely Zhuge Ao.

"What’s this person’s relationship with the Shangguan Family in Beijing? If she’s with the Shangguan Family, we should consult with the Master before planning our next step," said the first man. He was grave, dressed in an old-fashioned Tang suit, his face so wrinkled it resembled a chrysanthemum. This man was Shen Po, the master of the mysterious villa on the outskirts of Beijing, and also the old man Shen Cheng called "Grandpa."