Chapter Eighteen: Ah Hu

On the other side, Meng Gui and Ah Hu, who had jumped down from the upper bunk, were face to face, nearly pressing against each other. The tension was palpable, and it seemed as if a fight was about to break out.

Meng Gui’s two henchmen immediately rushed over to back him up. "Ah Hu, you damn bastard, what do you think you're doing?!"

With the three of them closing in, the atmosphere inside the cell grew even tenser.

But Ah Hu showed no sign of fear. His robust physique was evident as he tugged at the collar of his prison uniform, his face twisted into a low, threatening warning: "You’d better not act recklessly. Otherwise, I’ll beat you to death!"

Meng Gui, provoked multiple times already, was on the edge of losing his temper. In all this time, he had yet to truly assert the dominant presence of a gang leader in front of Song Ren and Qiu Gang’ao.

This time, he was determined to establish his authority over Ah Hu from the Vietnamese gang.

After all, being addressed as "Ghost Brother" by Ah Ren and Ah Ao, Meng Gui took pride in himself.

Yet, before any blows were exchanged, someone intervened.

"Ghost Brother, it’s time to sleep."

Song Ren tossed a large piece of chocolate towards Meng Gui with a teasing scold: "Why bother with that idiot? He’s brainless."

Among the three brothers of the Vietnamese gang, the youngest, Ah Hu, gave off the impression of being all brawn and little brain — a portrayal that proved true in their story.

So Song Ren’s remark was not without reason.

Meng Gui glanced at the chocolate wrapped in foil in his hand, eyes lighting up immediately. "Ah Ren, where did you get this?"

Though many inmates in Stanley Prison dealt in cigarettes and the like on the side, something like this—a whole bar of chocolate tossed about so casually—was almost unheard of.

The chocolate bar was quite large and definitely a coveted item within the prison.

Even Baldy Rong and the others were drooling at the sight.

This treat had been procured by Song Ren during his few days in the infirmary, thanks to the help of a kind nurse.

He then stored it in his personal storage space, avoiding the need to hide it like other inmates, thus keeping it intact and safe from prison guards’ searches.

Ah Hu swallowed hard; having been inside for over two days, his mouth had nearly gone dry.

But his gaze quickly shifted from the chocolate to Song Ren, his expression gradually turning more ferocious.

"Damn it, I hate it the most when people say I’m brainless."

---

"From what Meng Gui says, you seem pretty tough. Come down here and have a go with me."

"If you can beat me, I won’t hold this grudge against you."

"If you can’t, then you’re in for it."

By the end, Ah Hu’s sinister grin was laden with menace.

He had always been extremely confident in his fighting skills, bowing only to his second brother, Tony.

Before Song Ren could speak, Qiu Gang’ao on the lower bunk sat up and patted the upper bunk’s bed frame.

"Ren, Ghost Brother, leave the new guy to me. I’ll handle him."

Song Ren intended to refuse but, seeing the eager spark in Qiu Gang’ao’s eyes, he said nothing further.

Since it was a straightforward contest, the atmosphere in the cell was less stiff.

They moved the iron beds around, clearing a slightly larger space in the middle.

Baldy Rong stood guard by the door, listening to the commotion outside, while the others sat on their bunks, eager to watch the show.

Qiu Gang’ao displayed impressive skill in the fight.

Though slightly smaller and less powerful, his agility and technique far outmatched Ah Hu’s.

Ah Hu’s brawling style relied on brute force, lacking the finesse of his elder brother.

After several exchanges, Ah Hu quickly found himself at a disadvantage.

However, Ah Hu’s advantage lay in his solid build, granting him strong resilience.

Qiu Gang’ao moved nimbly, wielding a butterfly knife with flair.

Had weapons been involved, Ah Hu’s physical strength would have been nullified, and he wouldn’t have lasted more than a couple of rounds.

But barehanded, Qiu Gang’ao’s physical disadvantage was more apparent.

His strength was somewhat lacking.

After over a hundred exchanges, Qiu Gang’ao finally managed to pin Ah Hu down.

Yet Ah Hu remained defiant, even as Qiu Gang’ao held his hands beneath him.

He shouted, "You little bastard, why are you dodging? Or is that all you know?"

"If you’ve got guts, come and fight me head-on! Damn it, are you even a man?"

Qiu Gang’ao ignored him; the difference in physique dictated their fighting styles.

Only barehanded could Ah Hu hold out this long.

If weapons were involved, Qiu Gang’ao was confident he could take down this muscular fool within two minutes.

The others mocked Ah Hu’s overconfidence, but he kept shouting.

Irritated, Song Ren jumped down from his bunk, beckoning: "Ah Ao, let him go."

Qiu Gang’ao obeyed and released Ah Hu.

Ah Hu scrambled to his feet, ready to continue the fight with Qiu Gang’ao.

But without a word, Song Ren suddenly surged forward, delivering a powerful airborne back kick.

The strength from his waist and hips, combined with the heat from the “Hoof Seal” technique, made the strike fierce.

Ah Hu’s reaction was half a beat late; he hastily raised both arms to shield his chest.

Yet Song Ren’s swift and precise kick shattered his defense.

Thud!

A muffled sound.

Ah Hu’s chest caved in, his back arching high as he lost all strength and was flung backward.

He slammed against the wall behind with a heavy thud.

Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth; his body curled in pain like a shrimp, coughing harshly.

Despite several attempts, Ah Hu couldn’t get back up.

His face pale, he looked at Song Ren on the floor and, enduring the swelling pain in his chest, hoarsely admitted, "I lost."

Not a single kick landed on Song Ren—there was no denying that.

It was the first time Ah Hu had witnessed such terrifying dominance in a fighter other than his second brother Tony.

Though just one kick, he felt the gap between them.

This guy was truly something.

Song Ren expected Ah Hu to put up a fight, but he surrendered on the spot, leaving no room for further thoughts.

He laughed and scolded the others still watching: "What are you all staring at? Pack up and move back to your bunks. I’m tired even though you’re not."

...

That night, Ah Hu lay on his bunk, staring at the empty ceiling, his heart swirling with complicated feelings.

He never expected that, upon entering Stanley Prison, he would meet two formidable men.

Though he loudly resented Qiu Gang’ao, in truth, he had undoubtedly lost to him.

Only his bruised pride made him verbally defiant.

As for Song Ren, with just that single kick, he had to admit his skill was inferior.

He even compared him to his second brother Tony in his heart, feeling that Tony’s strength wasn’t quite as overwhelming, which left him a bit incredulous.

All his life, he had never seen anyone whose skills surpassed Tony’s.

This time, it seemed he had.