Chapter 89: All Mere Child’s Play to Me

The video was short, and after everyone finished watching it, their expressions toward Lu Kuan changed completely. So it turned out that Lu Kuan had always been so low-key! Not only did he shine in the college entrance exams, but he was also outstanding in the game! Naturally, Lu Kuan became the center of conversation, surrounded by his classmates. Having experienced such scenes many times before, Lu Kuan handled it with ease, laughing and mingling with everyone.

Wang Tao sat at another table, his expression shifting as he pondered something.

Before long, the dishes were served. They ordered beer, and, caught up in the excitement, after a few drinks, the atmosphere in the room grew even livelier. The boys began to put their arms around each other’s shoulders, while the girls gathered to whisper and giggle.

Suddenly, with a bang, the private room door was flung open, and several stylishly dressed men strode in. Upon seeing the leader, Lu Kuan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Liu Xueliang entered with a cigarette dangling from his lips and both hands in his pockets, followed by several tall men in black, each with an intimidating presence.

Liu Xueliang swaggered in, surveying the room before finally fixing his gaze on Lu Kuan. “Well, isn’t this a lively gathering? A class reunion, is it? Haha, if it isn’t our top player, Lu Kuan! What a coincidence~” he said, feigning surprise as he walked over with a broad grin.

Lu Kuan kept a faint smile on his face and glanced sideways at Wang Tao. Noting Wang Tao’s forced composure and his unwillingness to meet his eyes, Lu Kuan sneered inwardly, instantly understanding the situation.

With this in mind, Lu Kuan stood up, looked at Liu Xueliang, and said, “This is a private gathering. If you’re not involved, you should leave.”

Liu Xueliang’s expression faltered, looking somewhat unnatural. “We’re all classmates here. No need to be so distant, is there?”

“Yeah, Xueliang used to be a student at our school too. Lu Kuan, you’re out of line saying that. Just because you scored well doesn’t mean you can look down on old friends,” Wang Tao chimed in, his righteous tone clearly laced with provocation.

The others in the room exchanged glances, not understanding what was happening. Everyone knew Liu Xueliang—he was the school’s notorious troublemaker, from a powerful family with a well-known reputation on campus.

But why did it seem like there was bad blood between Lu Kuan and Liu Xueliang?

Ignoring Wang Tao’s sarcastic remarks, Lu Kuan sat down again, crossed his legs leisurely, and looked at Liu Xueliang. “So you have an inside man. You really went to a lot of trouble. Cut to the chase—why are you looking for me?”

Since Lu Kuan had laid it bare, Liu Xueliang dropped the act as well. He gestured for the classmate next to Lu Kuan to make way. Glancing at the men in black, the classmate wisely stepped aside, allowing Liu Xueliang to sit down.

“I’ll be direct,” Liu Xueliang said, resting one hand on the table. He took a drag from his cigarette, exhaled with satisfaction, and continued smugly, “Five thousand. Have your family bring over the gaming helmet right now.”

Lu Kuan leaned in closer, staring at Liu Xueliang with a slight smile. “Have you lost your mind?”

Liu Xueliang stiffened, anger flickering across his face as he lowered his voice. “Lu Kuan, don’t push your luck. Do you really think you deserve to use my platinum helmet?”

“All I know is that someone lost a bet and the signed agreement is still in my possession,” Lu Kuan replied, eyeing Liu Xueliang with pity. He spoke slowly, “Whether I deserve it or not, it’s mine now. What are you going to do about it? By the way, sorry for killing you in the game last time. Did you lose a level?”

Lu Kuan’s words were calm, but his tone was infuriating. Provoked, Liu Xueliang forgot his original plan, and in a fit of rage, swung his fist straight at Lu Kuan’s nose.

With a dull thud, the others saw Liu Xueliang fly backward, crashing hard to the floor. If not for the men behind him catching him, he would have rolled a few more times.

Lu Kuan lowered his raised right foot and looked down at Liu Xueliang with contempt.

Dai Guang, sitting nearby, was dumbfounded. He hadn’t even reacted before Lu Kuan kicked out… Since when had this guy gotten so good at fighting?

“You son of a bitch!” Liu Xueliang sprang up in a frenzy and lunged at Lu Kuan. The burly men with him, faces grim, quickly surrounded Lu Kuan.

The girls screamed in fright, while the boys, wanting to intervene, found themselves blocked by the men.

“Bastard!” Dai Guang, sitting next to Lu Kuan, jumped up, snatching a stool to swing at the opposition.

But before he could act, Lu Kuan moved even faster. In a blur, he grabbed a beer bottle and smashed it against the table.

With the sound of shattering glass, shouts of anger and Dai Guang’s alarmed cry blended into a chaotic roar.

By the time everyone regained their senses, Lu Kuan already had one arm locked around Liu Xueliang’s neck. In his other hand, he held the broken beer bottle and, with deliberate calm, sat back down in his chair.

All the color had drained from Liu Xueliang’s face. The jagged glass hovered dangerously close to his cheek, and he was completely at a loss, shocked by Lu Kuan’s decisive and practiced response, which far exceeded his expectations.

“Don’t do anything rash!”
“Let him go!”
“This is a crime! Release Xueliang now—you don’t want to go to jail before starting university, do you?” The men with Liu Xueliang panicked, shouting warnings. They had never expected their young master’s classmate to be such a tough customer.

Lu Kuan wore a wicked smile. Perhaps emboldened by the alcohol, he felt a little dizzy. He tapped the broken bottle against Liu Xueliang’s face, then glanced at the men across from him.

“Go ahead, call the police. I’d be delighted,” Lu Kuan said, pointing at them one by one. “You’re Liu Gang, right? You work for Liu Xueliang’s father’s company. And you,” he said, turning to another, “they call you Brother Hui on the streets. Didn’t you just get out of jail for burglary?”

As Lu Kuan identified each of them, their faces grew more somber, their unease evident and not missed by Lu Kuan.

He let out a scornful laugh, shoved the terrified Liu Xueliang aside, and, taking out his phone, spoke again at a leisurely pace.

“So, just what are you all doing here, crashing our class reunion like this?”

“I recall Liu Xueliang’s uncle is a finance bureau official, isn’t he? Should I call the media and tip them off? ‘Official’s nephew teams up with gangsters to threaten a high school graduate—one of whom just scored 650 points on the college entrance exam.’ Yes, that would make quite a headline.”

With every word Lu Kuan spoke, Liu Xueliang’s heart sank deeper. By the end, his anger had evaporated, replaced by a creeping fear.

Especially when Lu Kuan raised his phone and snapped a photo of the group, the click of the shutter making their faces even more ashen.