"....."

  Towards the tall boy's words, the 'boss' only has silence.

  "... You guys are just like dogs. When there's a treat, you guys acted all good and obedient, but if I stopped feeding you for a while, you guys would bared your fangs at me demanding for more" The boss spoke softly under his breath.

  After saying so, the 'boss' pulled his armed back with greater force. this caught the tall boy by surprise as he let go of the boss's arm. Then, without any hesitation, the 'boss' spun his body and kicked the tall boy right across his face. They tall boy swayed' but didn't lose his footing. He then threw out a punch with all his might, as fast as he can, but to no avail as the 'boss' disappeared from his sight.

  What he saw next was a punch right on his face as he fell down to the ground. The boss didn't stopped there as he attacked the boy in various places. Each time he did, the tall boy tried to counter attacked, but was unable to land a single hit on his opponent.

  He was hit by a fury of punches as he gradually lost his consciousness. The five boys on the side upon seeing their friend stopped moving, grew increasingly concern and nervous.

  The chubby boy felt like he should do something before its too late. So he called out:

  "B-boss, I think you should c-calm down..."

  The boss suddenly stopped his actions and looked at his remaining 'friends' as he got up and walked towards them.

  "Why, do you think you're stronger than me too?" The boss said when he was at an arm distance from the chubby boys.

  "T-that's not i-it boss. Of course you are the strongest here, we all knew that. Tan Qian was really full of himself to challenged you like that. We are just concern about your reputation, t-that's all. W-what if words get out and y-your grandfather heard of this, wouldn't that make him angry or even sad?" The chubby boy said nervously he was stuttering nonstop.

  "..."

  Upon seeing the boss remain silent, the chubby boy gained some confidence and continued speaking:

  "We know how much you care for your family boss, especially your grandfather and younger sister, we all. Right, guys?"

  Saying so, the chubby boy turned his head back to his friends to ask for support.

  They all seemed to have reach a tacit understanding and nod their head wildly with all their strength.

  "Please, can we just... go, together?" The chubby boy said with a pleading look it almost look like he's crying.

  "... Let's go." The boss said after a long pause as he walked past the other five boys.

  The remaining boy instantly move as they all went to wake up the unconscious boy and supported him while he walked.

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  "B-boss, what about the boy? Should we really leave him here?" One of the boys asked.

  "..."

  The other boys had a look of dread when met with the boss's silence, they all felt like they want to punch that friend of their in the face so bad. Why can't you just keep your mouth shut?

  "... Let's just leave him here, that kid is stronger than he looked." Said the boss as he tossed a small bottle made of low quality jade on the ground next to Shen Tian Yi and walked away without looking back.

  The boys all seems a bit relieved when they recognize the small jade bottle, some felt like this might not be enough but kept their mouth shut in fear angering the boss. They quickly walked away in the direction of the boss and quicken their pace.

  In truth, the boss has not calmed down as much as everyone has thought. He felt inferior, angry and pathetic for beating up a boy eight years younger than him. He also felt hurt and betrayed from the words that his friends spoke to him. He has always thought of them as true friends, but it seems they think otherwise.

  "Shen Jing, just you wait..." The boss said with blood-red eyes, through gritted teeth as he tried to suppress his anger.

  The group of boys gradually walked way from the 'mortal' village and disappeared in the distance.

  "Hmm, this is..."

  Out from a corner came Chen Yi as he approach Shen Tian Yi and inspected his condition.

  "So familiar..."

  Chen Yi could not explain the feeling in his heart. According to his brain this place was new and foreign, but his heart said otherwise.

  Or maybe neither of them were correct as technically he has no brain and no heart altogether at the moment.

  Chen Yi inspected his surrounding a bit more and came back to Shen Tian Yi who's still unconscious. He realize that he could do nothing beside wait for the boy to wake up, only then can he proceed to the next scene.

  Time passed slowly by as normal, from the cooling breeze of the after noon to cold wind of the evening as the sun slowly set on the west.

  "Urgh...."

  After a long while, Shen Tian Yi finally regained consciousness. Chen Yi who sat next to him stood up as he prepared to leave.

  "My head... Did I lost consciousness? How long was I out?" Shen Tian Yi asked himself, but found no answer.

  He stood up, but felt pain all over his body, the place that hurt the most were his arms and legs. He slowly remembered that when he tried to fight back the 'boss' with his arms and legs, the boss ruthlessly incapacitated him. He then punched Shen Tian Yi repeatedly in various places, causing pain all over his body until his mind couldn't take it anymore and lost consciousness.

  Shen Tian Yi gritted his teeth and bore through the pain as he slowly stood up and inspected his surrounding. He noticed that it was quite late in the evening and no one was around here. He also noticed the small jade bottle on the ground and picked it up for inspection. He soon realized that it was probably high grade medicine contained in a bottle.

  Shen Tian Yi however, did not consume the medicine as he has his suspicious and only keep it in his shirt pocket.

  he slowly made his way back to the village while thinking of various thing, most of them being the possible reason why those older boys approach him and beat him to a pulp without any reason.

  'No, at the end of the day, no matter what reason it will be, the fundamental problem is because my body is weak and frail, couple with my fortune, no wonder they want to rob me of some money.'

  Shen Tian Yi then closed his eyes and sign.

  'It's a good thing that I gave all the money and rewards to my adoptive-parents, otherwise it would not be just these little kids trying to get their hands on my money. Seeing as there are no attempts to rob me in the past few years, the adults must have know of this fact somehow.'

  'But the kids didn't...'

  'Well, there is some other way around this.'

  Shen Tian Yi began to plan his revenge, but was interrupted by the guards when he arrived at one of the clan's gate.

  The guard upon seeing the state he was in, asked with concern such as what was he doing here, where are his parents and the likes.

  They became shock and grew quite suspicious when Shen Tian Yi told them the names of his adoptive-parents. After all, what was the adoptive son of the rising hot-shot elder doing here so late, alone?

  Nevertheless, they still took him to his house and inquired if Shen Tian Yi is really their son or not. After they got their confirmation, the guards respectfully left.