DANDELIONS

Ch.10

"I heard a voice commanding, and we watched as the student immediately stood up.

"When an enemy is down, we do not stop."

"There is no mercy in this studio."

"There is no mercy in life."

"There is no mercy in competition."

The mentor's words filled the room, and I clenched my fist in response. I noticed Cheng looking at us, surprised that I was present.

Cheng locked eyes with me and Dre, while his instructor stood in front of him, clearly terrified.

"What are you looking at?" Cheng's instructor asked, and Cheng nervously gulped before turning to face Mr. Han. "Master, he was the one who attacked me," Cheng pointed at Mr. Han, prompting the mentor to gaze at us and everyone else in the room.

Sensing the tension, I held Dre's hand tightly. As the mentor approached us, I instinctively positioned myself in front of Dre, ready to shield him.

Cheng's Perspective:

I observed as our mentor descended from the stage, heading towards [Name] and the man we had been targeting.

To see [Name] here surprised me, and I assumed she was furious with me for hurting Dre"We are here to make peace," the man stated, and [Name] shielded herself from Dre. A sense of unease settled in the pit of my stomach.

I clicked my tongue in annoyance, glaring at Dre as I noticed their hands intertwined.

"No, no, I like Meiying. What's happening to me?" I wondered inwardly, attempting to shake off this feeling.

"Let your things, mind themselves," Master Li advised.

The mentor then questioned, "And who is this girl?" My fear intensified as [Name] turned her gaze towards me.

"I am God," [Name] nonchalantly responded, and I heard Liang snicker in response.

Suppressing a laugh, I glanced away. "I'm serious," Master Li insisted, but [Name] stared back at him with a blank expression.

"Well, hi Serious, I'm God," [Name] retorted, and I coughed, attempting to hide my amusement, while Liang nudged me playfully.

Master Li glared at [Name], and I noticed a smirk playing on her lips, as if she relished witnessing Master Li's irritation.

"Master Li, she's not part of the fight," the man interjected, shielding [Name] from any harm.

"I brought her here because she is the boy's friend and knows Chinese. She can translate for him," the man explained, clarifying the reason for [Name]'s presence.

"One-on-one is no problem, but one-against-six is too much for anyone," the man continued, emphasizing the unfairness of the situation.

"I see," Master Li nodded in acknowledgement. "Prepare for the match!" he exclaimed, and everyone except me took a seat.

I stepped into the center, glaring at Dre. "Woah, Mr. Han, does he want us to fight?" Dre questioned, bewildered by the sudden turn of events.

"We are not here to fight," the man assured, turning away and pulling [Name] with him while glaring at Master Li.

I stood there in astonishment, realizing that [Name] showed no fear towards Master Li and had ceased looking at him directly.

"You!" Master Li bellowed, his attention fixed on [Name]. "You attacked my student and disrespected my studio."

Nevertheless, Master Li followed [Name] and abruptly grabbed her arm, gripping it tightly.

I heard [Name] hiss, and an urge to defend her surged within me, compelling me to punch Master Li.

"You want to leave? Not so easy," Master Li taunted, his grip on [Name]'s arm tightening.

Concern for [Name] overwhelmed me as I feared she might have a bruise as a result of his tight grasp.

"Hey, old hag, could you please let go of me before I punch your face?" [Name] snapped, and everyone gasped in astonishment.

"Ah, you're the girl who called me an old hag?" Master Li sneered, glaring at [Name].

"Oh yes, it suits you very well," [Name] retorted, forcefully yanking her arm from Master Li's grip.

"Master Li, the girl is not involved in this," the man interjected, holding Master Li's wrist to prevent him from touching [Name].

Master Li glared at the man, who met his gaze unwaveringly. "You all came here together. Let one of you fight now," Master Li commanded, causing [Name] to suddenly shift her gaze towards me.

Stepping back in response to her intimidating glare, I tilted my head and smirked.

"Okay, sure," [Name] agreed, but the man intervened, saying, "No."

"The boy will fight here," the man stated, pointing towards the tarp nearby.

"We accept your challenge," Master Li declared, his gaze fixed on Dre, who smirked confidently at [Name].

"But tell your student to leave mine alone," the man insisted, causing me to roll my eyes in exasperation.

"ATTENTION! From now on, leave this boy alone," Master Li proclaimed, addressing everyone present, and we all agreed.

"But if the boy does not show up for the tournament, I will cause you all pain and take this girl," Master Li threatened, smirking as he directed his gaze towards [Name].

"What the fuck, old man? Are you a pedophile?" [Name] shouted, but Master Li ignored her outburst and approached us.

"Master, what will you do with the girl?" I questioned hesitantly, and he locked eyes with me. "I will put her in my class because I see no fear in her eyes," he responded, and I let out a sigh.

The situation had become even more complicated, and I couldn't help but worry about [Name]. However, amidst the chaos, I admired her fearlessness, which seemed to have caught Master Li's attention.