Chapter 459 - 458: What-if Storyline: Has the Big Shot Vied for Favor Today? 27

Chapter 459: Chapter 458: What-if Storyline: Has the Big Shot Vied for Favor Today? 27

"Let go! What kind of business resorts to strong-arming people like this?"

"Well now, pretty boy. With that delicate skin of yours, you must be here looking for trouble, huh?"

The two of them had originally wanted to keep a low profile and avoid trouble, but Yan Huoshui’s taunt instantly set them off.

They threw the first punch, and Yan Huoshui took a solid hit to the shoulder.

Zhang Chen and Xiao Li both cried out nervously, "Brother Yan!"

Shi Lan couldn’t help but let out a "meow" as well.

The two men gloated, "See that, pretty face? Scram. Don’t go around acting like a thug if you don’t have the muscle to back it up."

"Is that so?"

The smile on Yan Huoshui’s face widened. He glanced at the cat, whose eyes held a hint of worry. ’She’s finally not looking at me so fiercely anymore.’

He straightened up and brushed off his shoulder as if wiping away some dirt. Then, in a cheerful tone, he said, "You threw the first punch. In that case, this counts as self-defense."

With that, he clenched his fists and, with a few quick, precise, and ruthless moves, knocked them to the ground. They didn’t even have time to process what had just happened.

It wasn’t just the two thugs who were surprised; Zhang Chen and Xiao Li were stunned. Zhang Chen, in particular, had been with Brother Yan for a year and had no idea he was so skilled.

’Brother Yan, oh, Brother Yan, you’ve been hiding your talents too well!!’

It had been too long since he’d thrown a punch, and Yan Huoshui found himself missing it. The short fight wasn’t satisfying at all; these two were just too weak, going down so quickly.

He let out a disappointed "tsk" and walked directly to the back of the truck.

Just then, the two men scrambled back to their feet and charged at him again. Without even turning his head, he kicked each of them once more before quickly opening the truck’s cargo doors.

’Good.’ Inside was a truck full of cats, all lying limply and silently in their cages. They had probably been drugged.

Yan Huoshui immediately called the police. The two men, in a desperate struggle, tried to scare Yan Huoshui with a knife, hoping to use the opportunity to steal the truck and escape.

As long as they weren’t caught by the police, there was still a chance to get away.

The sharp blade flashed blindingly white under the lights. This time, Zhang Chen and Xiao Li’s faces turned pale with real fear. Though terrified, they still rushed forward to help.

However, before they could do anything, Yan Huoshui pulled a stun baton from his coat pocket and zapped each of them.

Before they could even react, they were swiftly knocked unconscious.

Zhang Chen and the others stared at him, their hearts still pounding. A glance at the knife on the ground sent a cold sweat down their backs.

In contrast, the man himself still had a smile playing on his lips. He elegantly and calmly straightened his disheveled clothes and took the cat from Zhang Chen’s arms with one hand.

Shi Lan looked up at him with relief. As if sensing the cat’s mood, he soothingly squeezed her little head. "Don’t be scared. I’m very capable,"

he stated calmly, a grin on his face.

A few minutes later, the police arrived.

When Zhang Chen saw that the police were involved, he knew this wouldn’t be easy to resolve, especially since his "little ancestor" wasn’t even wearing a mask now.

’So arrogant.’

Yan Huoshui was still holding a nearly-finished cigarette. He tossed the butt onto one of the men’s clothes.

The arriving officer glanced at him and said, "No littering."

Yan Huoshui laughed, his smile bold and unrestrained. "Ah, my apologies. I believe trash belongs with trash. I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong."

The officer was speechless. They arrested the two cat traffickers, rescued the cats, and took Yan Huoshui and his group in to give a statement.

After getting a clear account of the events and reviewing the surveillance footage, the police still didn’t let them go easily. The stun baton Yan Huoshui carried had instantly knocked the two men unconscious, indicating excessive power. They determined it wasn’t a tool an ordinary citizen should possess.

If not for the cat in his arms calming him down, Yan Huoshui probably would have lost his temper and started cursing in public.

As a public figure, he forced himself to mind his image, but his tone was still sharp. "They tried to kill me with a knife. Was I supposed to wait for that blade to hit me instead of tasing them?"

Nestled in his arms, Shi Lan deeply agreed.

’Exactly!’

’Right now, Yan Huoshui’s image in her mind was towering. Fearless in the face of danger, calm and composed, and incredibly bold—he was truly amazing.’

The police weren’t saying his self-defense was wrong. The real issue was that this type of stun baton wasn’t something an ordinary person should have. They had to investigate his background and determine the baton’s origin.

Just then, the director arrived.

The questioning officer stood up and offered a polite greeting, but the man only looked at Yan Huoshui, saying cheerfully, "Yan, you’re a rare sight! It’s not often we see you at the station. Did you get into some trouble?"

Yan Huoshui stood up, a look of innocence on his face. "Uncle Chen, it’s nothing. I was just doing a good deed. Please don’t tell my old man."

"Oh? Haven’t seen you in a while, and you’ve developed a kind heart?"

The two chatted familiarly. The director told the officer that the stun baton was a gift from Yan’s family.

Seeing that he knew the director and was on such good terms with him, everyone instantly guessed his background was extraordinary. No one had anything more to say.

Zhang Chen was stunned once again. ’Brother Yan’s family has a "red" background!’

’So freaking impressive!’

’He’s usually so low-key!’

’I always thought he was just a regular rich kid, but I never imagined his family was this powerful.’

Zhang Chen and Xiao Li were both dumbfounded.

After leaving the police station, the way the two looked at Yan Huoshui was different. It was a mix of admiration and confusion; they truly couldn’t understand why he would choose to suffer through the hardships of the entertainment industry.

Yan Huoshui couldn’t be bothered with them. He just held the cat with a grin. "Little one, you didn’t happen to escape from the cat traffickers, did you?"

"So clever!"

He praised the white cat. Grateful that he had saved the other cats, Shi Lan gave a rare, affectionate rub against his chest and meowed, as if silently praising him for being amazing, too.

For the first time, Yan Huoshui found doing a good deed to be interesting. He rubbed the cat’s head, in an excellent mood as he got into the car.

They had arrived in a police car, their own car still parked where they’d left it. For the ride back, Director Chen also arranged for someone to drive them. If he hadn’t been busy, he probably would have driven them himself.

Because Yan Huoshui was a public figure and wasn’t wearing a mask, someone managed to sneak a photo that night. The police department also reported on his good deed, thanking him for rescuing so many cats.

Afterward, the police interrogated the two traffickers and caught several of their accomplices. At their base in Z City, they found many more captured cats.

All in all, the incident blew up. The network behind it was extensive. In fact, after Director Chen learned that the two men had nearly injured Yan Huoshui, he personally led the arrests, inadvertently uncovering several more cat trafficker dens and rescuing a large number of stray and stolen house cats.

The story of Yan Huoshui’s good deed quickly spread online. Many owners whose cats had been stolen by traffickers expressed their gratitude, and in just a few days, he gained another ten million followers.

His fans all praised him for being "beautiful on the outside and kind on the inside," remarking that someone with such good character was truly worthy of being a star and an idol.

Zhang Chen stared at Yan Huoshui’s personal account every day, grinning from ear to ear. Looking at the white cat in his arms, he reverently pressed his palms together. "A Benefactor! The cat Benefactor truly did not deceive me!!"