Chen Yan slammed the door to Wu Tian's dingy hideout, huffing heavily. The shallow cut on his arm oozed blood, but it was the real ache in his ribs that stung. He sank into the nearest chair and glared at the bright blue screen before him.

"This… is… insane," he panted, his voice hoarse.

"Insane? You did great!" the System chimed. "Sure, you took a few hits, but hey, you walked out alive, didn't you? That's what I call a win."

Chen Yan growled, clutching his side. "A win? I almost got stabbed—again. This isn't a fucking game, you lunatic!"

The System chuckled darkly. "Oh, but it is a game, champ. You're just mad because you don't like the difficulty setting."

Before Chen Yan could yell at the screen, Wu Tian sauntered in, his hand holding a laptop and an oblique grin marking his face. "Well, well, look who's still breathing. I was beginning to think you'd gotten yourself killed."

"Almost did," Chen Yan growled out, leaning back with a wince. "Tell me it was worth it."

Wu Tian plopped into the chair opposite him and turned his laptop around. "Oh, it was worth it, all right. That little stunt of yours cost Luo Ming's gambling den at least twenty grand in damages. And the best part? I managed to pull some juicy intel before their systems went dark."

Chen Yan sat up a little straight despite himself. "What kind of intel?"

"Names, transactions, and." Wu Tian tapped a file up onscreen. "Mentions of someone called 'The Broker.' Ever hear of them?"

Chen Yan shook his head, frowning.

"Oh, now this is interesting," the System interjected, its tone unusually serious. "The Broker’s not just some random thug. They’re the puppeteer pulling all the strings in this city’s underworld. If Luo Ming’s connected to them, you’re playing with fire."

"Great," Chen Yan muttered. "Because my life wasn't already complicated enough."

---

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

The next day, the repercussions from the gambling den attack made themselves abundantly clear.

Chen Yan was walking to class when he first noticed something was off. Students were huddled in small clusters, speaking nervously among themselves. He turned the corner onto campus plaza and saw the source of their anxiety.

Two of Luo Ming's men stood in the middle of the plaza, their leather jackets and menacing glares sticking out like wolves in a flock of sheep. One of them—a burly man with a scar running down his cheek—grabbed a random student by the collar.

"You know him?" the thug barked, shaking the terrified student. "Where's Chen Yan?"

Chen Yan dodged behind a nearby pillar, his heart racing.

"Looks like your fan club's here," the System quipped.

"Not funny," Chen Yan hissed.

He edged around the pillar, keeping out of sight as he watched the thugs intimidate another student. His fists clenched. He wanted to step in, but his ribs still ached from the fight at the gambling den. Charging into another brawl now would be suicidal.

Fortunately, someone else beat him to it.

"Hey! Leave them alone!"

Chen Yan's heart sank the moment Lin Xia strode into the plaza, her eyes flashing defiance.

The scar-faced thug whirled to her, curling his lips. "And who the hell are you?"

"None of your business," Lin Xia returned with an archness worthy of any girl in the boys' dormitory. "But if you're looking for Chen Yan, you won't find him here. Now get lost before I call security."

The thug laughed, a harsh, ugly sound. "Big talk for a little girl." He took a step toward her, but before he could get closer, a sharp whistle cut through the air.

"Alright, that's enough."

Chen Yan stepped into view, his hands shoved casually into his pockets. His heart was racing, but he kept his face calm, even cocky. "You wanted to find me? Here I am."

Lin Xia's eyes widened. "Chen, what are you doing?"

"Handling it," Chen Yan said with a reassuring nod before he faced the thugs again. "Now, what do you guys want? An autograph?"

Scarface growled, "You think you're funny, kid? Luo Ming's put a price on your head, and we're here to collect."

Chen Yan smirked, despite the unease creeping up his spine. “Well, if you’re going to try, you’d better bring more guys next time. Two’s not enough.”

The thug lunged, but Chen Yan was ready.

---

All seemed slow at that instant when the punch of the first thug came. Chen Yan began to develop his skill: Iron Fist. He should feel some familiar warmth crawling along his arms. Thus, sidestepping it, Chen Yan gave that thug a hard jab into the ribs. He stumbled back, panting for breath, but immediately out came the second.

Chen Yan dodged a swing and found himself moving with an ease he hadn't expected; he countered with a roundhouse that sent the thug sprawling.

The fight was quick and brutal, but the skill of Iron Fist made all the difference. In the blink of an eye, the two thugs were groaning on the ground, clutching their injuries.

Chen Yan stood over them, his breath ragged. “Tell Luo Ming this is his one warning. Stay out of my way.”

Scarface glared up at him, his voice a venomous growl. “You think you’re untouchable, kid? You’ve got no idea who you’re messing with.”

---

That night, back in Wu Tian’s hideout, the System dropped another bombshell.

[Task 4: Gain Leverage Over Luo Ming.]

Objective: Gather intelligence or leverage that can be used to negotiate with Luo Ming or further ground his operations.

"Serious?" Chen Yan groaned. "I just fought off his goons, and now you want me to dig deeper into this mess?"

"What can I say? I believe in you," the System said mockingly.

Wu Tian wrinkled an eyebrow. "What's with the muttering? You sound like a madman."

Chen Yan waved him off, engrossed in his work. "We must hurt Luo Ming where it pains him the most. Is there anything we could use?"

Wu Tian was taken aback and nodded after a while. "There's one thing, though: Luo Ming has a lieutenant, some man by the name of Jiang Li; he used to be quite loyal, but recently friction is building between them, and if we can make him flip. maybe we'll get him."

Chen Yan nodded, determination written on his face. "Then find him."