Bai Yang hesitated for a moment. “As the saying goes, it is better to mind one’s own business than to invite trouble.”
When Yan Xun heard this, he was instantly dumbfounded. “Brother…”
Bai Yang saw right through his thoughts. “What? Are you disappointed that I do not want to meddle?”
Yan Xun shook his head. “Disappointed is not quite the word. I just feel it is a bit unlike you.”
In Yan Xun’s eyes, Bai Yang had always been mature, steady, and capable of handling tough situations. Therefore, Bai Yang’s choice was different from what he had anticipated, making him inevitably somewhat surprised.
Still, Yan Xun was no woman, nor did he care to put on any kind of saintly act. When it came down to it, avoiding harm and pursuing benefit was human nature.
They walked all the way toward a quieter area precisely to avoid affecting anyone else.
Seeing that it was almost time, Yan Xun suggested heading back.
Bai Yang naturally had no objections and immediately tugged on the dog leashes.
To their surprise, the dogs were still in the middle of playing excitedly. When Bai Yang pulled forcefully, it only managed to anger them. The dogs instantly bared their fierce expressions at Bai Yang and barked incessantly.
Yan Xun felt his heart skip a beat. If he had not known beforehand, it would be one thing, but now that he knew what breed these dogs were, his heart began to panic.
“Brother, I will help you.”
As Yan Xun spoke, he hurried over to help Bai Yang grab the leashes. However, before he could even get close, one of the dogs turned around and lunged, slamming directly into Yan Xun.
Bai Yang was startled, but his reaction was extremely fast. A combat stance was assumed in a single second, and he kicked the dog squarely in the stomach.
He used his full strength, sending the dog crashing to the ground with its limbs twitching, completely incapacitated.
However, the moment Bai Yang lashed out, the leashes of the other three dogs slipped from his grip. Losing control, the three dogs bared their sharp teeth and opened their jaws to lunge at him.
Even though Bai Yang was skilled in combat, these three were, after all, professionally trained fighting dogs specifically bred for hunting and fighting. Dealing with them proved quite strenuous even for him.
“Brother!”
Watching one of them lunge toward Bai Yang’s neck, he realized that if that bite connected, it would not just be an injury; his life would be in grave danger.
Terrified to the point of a splitting panic, Yan Xun’s mind went completely blank for a second.
Without the slightest hesitation, he threw himself in front of Bai Yang and instinctively raised his arm to block.
Trading an arm for a life should be a fair deal.
At that moment, only that single thought remained in Yan Xun’s mind.
The pain spreading through his arm was clear and sharp, reminding him vividly that his hand had been bitten.
As a sports education major, he did not dare to imagine how he would get through the rest of his life if his hand became crippled.
Well, whatever. A human life was always more important than a hand. At worst, he would just live a little more miserably.
With his thoughts in complete disarray, Yan Xun was fully prepared for the worst, but he still could not stop his nose from stinging.
His glorious life, before it had even truly begun, was about to go downhill like this?
He was not resigned to it!
After a short while, the surroundings quieted down, leaving only the sound of rapid breathing echoing in the air.
Following that came Bai Yang’s gentle voice. “It is just a small injury. Why are you crying?”
Yan Xun was startled. Only then did he reopen his eyes, immediately meeting Bai Yang’s furrowed brows.
“Brother?”
He blinked, his gaze completely bewildered.
Bai Yang raised a hand to stroke his head, soothing him. “It is alright. Look, these beasts are all dead. Do not be afraid.”
As Bai Yang spoke, his hand moved down from Yan Xun’s hair, his fingertips brushing across his cheek to wipe away a few warm tears.
The tactile sensation on his cheek finally pulled Yan Xun’s chaotic thoughts back to reality.
“A small injury?” Only then did he look at his arm, instantly letting out a sigh of relief.
His sleeve was torn, and on the exposed skin, there was only a long red mark. It looked like the dog had been stopped just as its teeth were about to bite down.
Fortunately, the canine teeth had not pierced his skin, leaving behind only a red mark.
Yan Xun could imagine just how thrilling the situation had just been.
He wept tears of joy as his tears welled up again, choking out:
“Brother! You just saved my hanging-by-a-thread life!”
Bai Yang looked at him with an amused expression.
Such a literary phrasing was niche, yet very characteristic of a college student.
Yan Xun looked back at the fighting dogs on the ground. Just as Bai Yang had said, they were all lying dead in pools of blood.
Looking closely, he finally realized that all the dogs had been stabbed to death with a blade.
Yet, where had the knife come from?
Because he had been too nervous just now, he had only closed his eyes for a few seconds. How did he feel like he had missed the entire world?
Yan Xun asked, “Brother, do you carry a knife around with you?”
Bai Yang raised his left hand. Tucked between his fingers was a two-inch-long small blade, its edge gleaming coldly under the dim street lamp, looking extraordinary at first glance.
He only let Yan Xun catch a glimpse of it before squatting down and tucking the small blade back into the sole of his shoe.
“Just a little gadget for self defense when necessary. I have never used it before, but I did not expect it to come in handy this time.”
Yan Xun nodded repeatedly. “Mm, it came in extremely handy! Without this little knife, my life would have ended right here.”
Hearing this, Bai Yang also felt a lingering fear.
Heaven knew that when Yan Xun had rushed forward to block in front of him just a moment ago, he had been both shocked and furious. Yet after the shock and fury subsided, a sensation resembling morning sunlight seemed to wash over the depths of his heart, causing his soul to warm up with emotion.
Looking at Yan Xun again, he realized that the person who had just walked through the gates of hell was still wearing a carefree, cheeky smile.
Yan Xun was very curious about the mechanism on Bai Yang’s shoes, squatting right in front of him to peer at it closely.
“Brother, your shoes look like the Tang Sect mechanisms in martial arts novels. So amazing.”
His eyes shone brightly, so dazzlingly for a moment that it almost made Bai Yang unable to keep his eyes open.
Bai Yang swallowed hard, instinctively pausing his breath, while a growing fondness overflowed at the corners of his mouth.
“If you like them, I will have someone make a pair for you later.”
He continued in a calm voice, “Since we are in the country, private possession of firearms is not allowed, or else we would not have had to go to such great lengths. Someday when there is a chance, I will take you abroad and let you handle real guns.”
No passionate male college student could resist the temptation of a real firearm.
Yan Xun sprang up to his feet, excitedly declaring, “Brother! You keep your word!”
Bai Yang responded with a smile, and just as he was about to introduce a few newly released firearm models, Yan Xun’s phone began to ring.
Yan Xun took out his phone and saw that the call was from Li He.
As soon as he answered, Li He’s anxious voice immediately came through the receiver.
“Xun! Did something happen on your end? The employer just called through the ordering platform saying all of his dogs are dead!”
Li He paused for a moment before adding with worry, “The employer even said that whoever killed his dogs must pay with their life.”
Word spread that the dogs were dead already?
Yan Xun was somewhat surprised, then noticed that the collars on the fighting dogs were glowing.
Presumably, their collars were also high-tech and capable of monitoring the dogs’ vital signs.
Yan Xun irritably scratched his head. “Boss, these dogs are not ordinary dogs. I almost got bitten to death just now. I will fill you in on the details later. Let me handle this first.”