"What's going on? Did you guys hear that noise just now?" someone asked uncertainly.
The others paused what they were doing and exchanged glances, suddenly realizing two girls were missing.
One was Yu Xin, the other Fang Yanan.
Everyone's expressions immediately darkened. "Something's wrong—let's go!"
Lin Bin and a group of boys quickly stood up, and Liu Yutong also hurried to her feet, ready to head out.
Earlier, Yu Xin and another classmate had gone to the restroom together, but they hadn’t returned. Combined with the faint screams they’d just heard from outside, there was no doubt something had happened.
And they didn’t need to guess who was behind it.
However, the moment they opened the private room door to investigate, they found seven or eight gangsters already waiting outside.
The thugs were wielding baseball bats, their faces twisted into malicious smirks as they blocked the exit.
One of them, a guy with bleached hair, swung his bat arrogantly and sneered, "I dare any of you to take one step out that door!"
Lin Bin and Guo Xiang, seeing the gangsters and their weapons, instantly sobered up.
Guo Xiang swallowed hard and said, "I know Brother Xiaohu—he works around here too."
Since they’d already offended Crazy Dog Brother, he didn’t dare drop his name and had to bring up someone else instead.
But it didn’t work.
The bleached-haired thug scoffed, twirling his bat. "Don’t bother name-dropping. He doesn’t have that kind of pull. I’m warning you—stay put and keep singing. Anyone who steps out gets hurt!"
The group could still hear faint cries from the neighboring room, making them even more anxious.
Lin Bin gritted his teeth and muttered to those around him, "We have to fight. If we back down now, we’ll never live this down!"
After all, this was a class reunion. If word got out that they couldn’t even protect their female classmates, they’d be mocked and scorned forever.
With Lin Bin’s shout, the group surged forward.
But they were drunk, unarmed, and inexperienced in fighting. Within moments, the boys were all beaten down, bloodied and groaning on the floor.
The door to the private room slammed shut.
The lead thug crouched in front of Lin Bin and slapped him across the face. "You the one yelling just now? Think you’re tough?"
Lin Bin clenched his teeth, trying to get up, but the thug kicked him in the stomach, forcing him to curl up in pain.
"You idiots really asked for it, messing with Crazy Dog Brother!" the thug snarled, grabbing a bottle from the table and smashing it over Lin Bin’s head.
CRACK!
The sound of shattering glass echoed sharply in the room.
Lin Bin’s vision blurred, his head spinning as darkness swallowed him. Blood streamed down his forehead, staining the floor red.
The thug stood up, brushing glass shards off his hands, and glared at the others. "Stay in line, or this is what happens!"
The brutal scene terrified everyone.
Aside from the injured boys moaning on the floor, the rest huddled in the corners, trembling.
Most of them regretted not leaving immediately after offending Crazy Dog Brother.
Liu Yutong stood to the side, fists clenched so tightly her nails nearly pierced her palms.
After beating the boys, the thugs began searching them, confiscating their phones and smashing them on the spot.
Then, their attention turned to the remaining girls.
"We’ve got some manners, so hand over your phones nicely. Or else."
Following Liu Yutong’s lead, the other girls reluctantly surrendered their phones.
The lead thug eyed Liu Yutong’s calm demeanor and licked his lips but didn’t dare touch her—Crazy Dog Brother had already claimed her.
Once she handed over her phone, Liu Yutong said, "Can I go check on the others now?"
The thug signaled to one of his men by the door. "Watch her."
The lackey trailed Liu Yutong until she entered Room 999, then shut the door behind her.
Inside, the room was in chaos.
Dim lighting, thick with cigarette smoke, mixed with the stench of alcohol.
Crazy Dog Brother was forcing Yu Xin and Fang Yanan to drink, flanked by two underlings.
When they refused, he grabbed a beer bottle and splashed it in their faces.
"Don’t you dare disrespect me!"
Just as he was about to get violent, Liu Yutong walked in.
Crazy Dog Brother paused, his eyes lighting up at the sight of her. "Well, well. Changed your mind, sweetheart? Come here, have a drink with me."
Liu Yutong said coldly, "Let them go."
"I will—if you stay with me instead." He raked his gaze over her hungrily.
To his surprise, Liu Yutong agreed without hesitation. "Fine."
"Yutong!" Yu Xin cried out in protest.
"Just go," Liu Yutong said firmly, then turned back to Crazy Dog Brother. "Let them leave, and I’ll play with you."
Not wanting an audience, Crazy Dog Brother ordered his men to take Yu Xin and Fang Yanan away.
Alone in the room, he didn’t see Liu Yutong—frail as she looked—as any threat.
The moment the door slammed shut, Crazy Dog Brother lunged at her, unable to hold back any longer.
Liu Yutong forced herself to stay calm, mentally scrambling for a man’s weakest spot.
As his alcohol-laced body crashed into her, his hands gripping her shoulders, her eyes turned sharp. She jerked her knee up with all her strength—straight into his groin.
Crazy Dog Brother doubled over like a shrimp, his face contorted in agony.
Liu Yutong snatched a bottle from the table and smashed it over his head with both hands.
THUD.
"AAAAAHHH!!!"
His scream was animalistic as he writhed on the floor in pain.
"I’ll fucking kill you today!" he howled. "Get in here—NOW!"
His men burst in, stunned to see him on the ground.
What the hell happened?
Once they realized he’d been attacked, their faces twisted with rage as they advanced on Liu Yutong.
She knew there was no escape now.
Grabbing two more bottles, she smashed them against the table, glass shards flying everywhere.
Then she gripped the jagged remains, raising them high as she snarled, "Come on then! Take another step and see what happens!"
Her eyes were filled with determination. Though she appeared delicate, her fierce demeanor made the two usually arrogant thugs hesitate, instinctively slowing their steps.
They hadn’t expected this seemingly fragile girl to be so ruthless.
But their hesitation lasted only a moment before they advanced again.
When they were just three steps away, one of the thugs suddenly lunged at her, reaching for the broken bottle in her hand.
Liu Yutong sidestepped swiftly, slashing the glass shard across his arm. A sharp thwack echoed as the blade split his skin, sending blood streaming down.
The lackey howled in pain, staggering back several steps.
Nearby, Crazy Dog Brother clutched his groin and shouted, "Useless! Both of you, take her down now!"
Spurred by his command, the two lackeys charged forward without hesitation.
Meanwhile, in the hallway outside the private room, a broad-shouldered man in a black suit and a close-cropped haircut strode forward, an earpiece in place.
Beside him walked a woman in her thirties—the floor manager.
As they moved, the manager briefed him: "Your daily duty is patrolling upstairs and downstairs, mainly keeping an eye out for troublemakers. If anything happens, step in before it escalates."
"The pay is 2,500 a month. Sound good?"
The man nodded. "No problem."
His name was Chu Yang, a recent military retiree. Today was his first day as a security guard at the KTV.
A hometown friend had recommended the job. While the pay wasn’t high, it was decent for this small county.
He’d taken the position mainly to be nearby for his younger sister, Chu Yue, who was about to start her final year of high school.
As they chatted, they reached the innermost room—VIP 999.
Suddenly, the manager seemed to remember something and tried to pull Chu Yang away.
But he stopped in his tracks. His sharp ears caught the sounds of a scuffle inside the room, and he immediately moved toward it.
It was his first day, but whether out of professional duty or the principles instilled in him during his service, he couldn’t ignore a fight breaking out.
Yet before he could reach the door, the manager blocked his path, pushing him back. "Leave it. Don’t get involved."
Chu Yang pointed at the room. "But inside—"
"That’s Crazy Dog Brother in there. He works under Niu Ben. This whole place belongs to Boss Niu. Just walk away—for your own good!"
Chu Yang was baffled. Moments ago, she’d told him to handle disturbances. Now she was warning him off?
What was going on?
The manager sighed. "Crazy Dog Brother is one of Boss Niu’s men. This KTV is his turf. Trust me, stay out of it."
But Chu Yang barely heard her. The sound of a woman’s voice from inside overrode everything, his sense of justice flaring.
Ignoring the manager’s protests, he barged into the room.
