Chapter 86: Battle of Wits 

Without hesitation, Xiao Yu retreated. 

Even though he had the Fighting Expert ability and terrifying combat power, he couldn’t act at this moment. He couldn’t hurt the eight crazed students charging at him. 

Looking at their young faces, eighteen or nineteen years old, he knew they were innocent. Zhuang Shi, the university professor, being with them made sense, but the students were victims.

Faced with the roaring sound waves from the young people’s fury, Xiao Yu could see how violent and irrational they had become.

As he retreated, Xiao Yu’s mind raced. 

When did he hypnotize these eight students? Did he also use drugs? On the way here? No, there was no trace of the students’ scent in the sewers.

Xiao Yu suddenly stopped. 

Just because he couldn’t hurt them didn’t mean he couldn’t stun them.

At that moment, Xiao Yu moved. Like a cheetah, he sprang forward, swift as lightning. He appeared before one of the hypnotized students, raised his hand, and struck across.

A palm strike hit the student on the back of the head. The student’s body wavered and then collapsed to the ground.

At the same time, a multitude of hands and flashing white teeth came at Xiao Yu from all sides. He was surrounded and couldn’t resort to violence.

What to do?

In an instant, Xiao Yu leaned down, his hands touching the ground. Like a hunting leopard, he stretched his limbs and sprang away, leaping out of the crowd. His speed was so fast that, to onlookers, he appeared as a passing shadow.

Xiao Yu, having escaped the encirclement, didn’t need a run-up. His body soared into the air, his leg swinging.

Bang! His thigh struck a girl on the chin. If he had used his full strength, her neck would likely have snapped.

Xiao Yu only used a fraction of his strength, combining skill and precision in his attack. The furious girl rolled her eyes and collapsed to the ground.

Next, Xiao Yu moved fluidly, delivering precise punches and kicks.

Eight students fell to the ground, immobilized. It took him no more than ten seconds to subdue them.

Xiao Yu broke into a cold sweat. It was even more exhausting than taking down those muscle-bound men. Because he wasn’t facing criminals, but a group of brainwashed students. Too many concerns.

Clap! Clap! Clap! Applause rang out.

Xiao Yu’s expression turned cold and stern as he looked at Zhang Shi, who was walking out of the elevator, applauding as if watching a show.

“Wonderful.” Zhang Shi raised his hand, giving Xiao Yu a thumbs up, “Impressive.”

“Why didn’t you run?” Xiao Yu said, his face grim.

“Why should I run?” Zhang Shi retorted.

The eyes behind the glasses narrowed with a smile.

Xiao Yu felt his intelligence was being insulted.

When something seems off, there’s usually a reason. What could it be?

“Do you think I have a back-up plan?” Zhang Shi pushed up his glasses as if he could read Xiao Yu’s thoughts. “Don’t guess. They were just meant to exhaust your physical energy. After that fight, you’ve likely used up at least a third of your stamina. Plus, chasing me through the sewer for forty minutes would have drained another third. When a person’s stamina is about 60% depleted, they enter a state of fatigue.”

“What are you trying to say?” Xiao Yu asked cautiously.

“Do you know psychology?” Zhang Shi’s smile didn’t reach his eyes, which gleamed like those of a poisonous snake. “As physical energy depletes, so does mental energy. This is the best time to hypnotize someone.”

“Oh, really?” Xiao Yu smiled coldly. “To hypnotize someone, you need them to be in a state where their mind is unguarded. How do you plan to hypnotize me?”

“Hey, no wonder He Yu was caught so quickly. In my plan, she should have delayed you for two days. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be in such a mess.” Zhang Shi stopped smiling and looked at Xiao Yu coldly. “From the first moment I saw you, I had the thought to kill you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t feel at ease. This is the first time I’ve ever felt so threatened by someone. I didn’t expect it would be you who ruined my plan!”

Xiao Yu remained silent.

“Are you stalling for time?” Zhang Shi sneered.

“Aren’t you?” Xiao Yu retorted with a sneer.

They were both observing each other’s expressions, analyzing each other’s psychology.

Why didn’t Xiao Yu just rush over and arrest him? Why waste time talking?

Because that was exactly what the other party was expecting. 

Using himself as bait, waiting for Xiao Yu to make a move.

Xiao Yu couldn’t figure out what Zhang Shi’s back-up plan was, but his instincts warned him: Don’t go, or you’ll regret it.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes… Suddenly, Zhang Shi raised his hand.

Xiao Yu’s body tensed instantly, on high alert.

“It’s almost time.”

Zhang Shi glanced at his watch, lowered his arm, and gave Xiao Yu a sinister smile.

A sudden sense of life-and-death crisis surged within Xiao Yu. He felt a chilling déjà vu, as if he were back in his previous life just before he died.

He couldn’t recall it, that was a shadow in his life.

Snap!

A coin bounced from Zhang Shi’s hand and flew into the air.

‘Don’t look, must not look,’ Xiao Yu’s heart screamed, but his eyes couldn’t help but fall on the coin flying into the air.

Xiao Yu’s body swayed as dizziness struck him. 

How could this happen? When was he hypnotized? How did he do it?

Xiao Yu didn’t even have a chance to change his expression. His pupils dilated, and he stood there with a dull look. He looked exactly the same as when he was hypnotized by He Yu in the interrogation room.

“No matter how powerful you are, how can you avoid the methods of a master hypnotist?”

Amidst the ridicule, Zhang Shi walked toward Xiao Yu. As he moved, there were several bright spots on his clothes. They were sequins, smaller than a fingernail, arranged in a strange and regular pattern on Zhang Shi’s chest.

Xiao Yu could prevent being hypnotized by words. He could also guard against being hypnotized by actions. But he wasn’t prepared for a hypnotic tool. 

Who would notice some sequins on a person’s clothes?

As long as Xiao Yu looked at Zhang Shi, these sequins would inevitably appear in his line of sight.

Because if you didn’t pay attention, you wouldn’t notice the changes in the sequins with Zhang Shi’s subtle body movements.

This was why delaying was crucial. 

So, what was it that made Xiao Yu sense danger and hesitate to rush in?

Zhang Shi approached the hypnotized Xiao Yu. He bent down, lifted his foot, and removed the leather shoe from his right foot.

“Did you really find out?” 

Zhang Shi looked at his leather shoe, puzzled. The sole was very thick, more than one and a half fingers thick. At the front of the sole was a small black hole, gleaming darkly.

“These shoes cost me 100,000 yuan. Each shoe is like a gun. As long as you turn off the safety, stomp hard, and control the direction, it can shoot bullets. Unfortunately, the effective range is only five meters.”

He bent down and put his leather shoe back on, looking at the dazed Xiao Yu, his eyes full of confusion. 

“It’s strange. You didn’t step into this shooting range. How did you find out?”

Suddenly, Xiao Yu’s empty, dull eyes shifted, staring at the dramatically changed expression on Zhang Shi’s face, and grinned.

“I found it with an eight-power scope!”