Chapter 16 — Fake Lover Turns Out to Be Fiancee

A week after that fateful morning in the garden, the lives of Bach Dang and Gia Khue temporarily passed in rare peace, although both implicitly understood that it was just the calm before the storm. Bach Dang still maintains strict training every morning, mentally preparing for the confrontation with Ta Vo Tam that he knows will come at any time.

Friday evening, when Gia Khue and Bach Dang had just left a company's new product launch party at a five-star hotel in the city center and walked out to the deserted underground parking lot, the atmosphere suddenly became unusually cold.

"Careful." Bach Dang said softly, pulling Gia Khue back behind him with one hand, his eyes quickly scanning the dark parking space only lit by a few weak neon lights.

From the darkness between the rows of parked cars, more than a dozen silhouettes appeared one after another, surrounding the two people in a closed circle. Leading the way was Ta Vo Tam, his cold face filled with murderous intent. Behind him were the Black Wind Gang masters in jet black clothes, each carrying weapons on their person.

"Bach Dang, the time has come." Ta Vo Tam spoke up, his voice echoing throughout the empty parking lot. "I've given you enough time to prepare, now it's time to settle the old grudges between the two sects."

"You said you wouldn't touch innocent people, but you brought a whole group of people around Gia Khue like this?" Bach Dang asked, his voice was sharp, his body slightly lowered into a defensive position.

"I only brought them here to make sure you don't intend to run away or ask outsiders to intervene." Ta Vo Tam replied, waving his hand to signal his companions to move back a certain distance. "In this battle, only you and I will face each other head-on. The others will not interfere. That is the last code of honor left in the Black Wind Gang."

Gia Khue held Bach Dang's hand tightly, her voice trembled but she still tried to stay calm. "Dude, I'll call hotel security right away."

"Do not." Bach Dang shook his head slightly, his eyes still not leaving Ta Vo Tam. "If more outsiders intervene, it will only make the situation more complicated and dangerous for those who don't know martial arts. You step back, stand behind that car, and let me handle it."

Gia Khue hesitated, but looking at Bach Dang's steady eyes, she finally nodded, retreated behind a truck parked nearby, her heart pounding anxiously following every move of her lover.

Ta Vo Tam took off his coat, revealing a neat exercise outfit inside, and pulled out a shiny short knife. "Let's start, Bach Dang. Show me how strong Tieu Dao Coc's only disciple is."

Bach Dang took a deep breath, pouring all the internal energy accumulated over twenty-five years of practice into every muscle and tendon, his eyes became unusually sharp. "Please teach me."

Ta Vo Tam rushed forward, his short sword swung out a lightning-fast slash aimed straight at the opponent's throat. Bach Dang leaned forward to narrowly avoid it, and at the same time counterattacked with a horizontal kick aimed at his opponent's wrist holding the knife. Ta Vo Tam retracted his sword, turned around to avoid it, the two immediately entered into a fierce fight, the sound of clashing between fists, kicks and weapons echoed loudly throughout the underground parking lot.

The Black Wind Gang experts stood on the outside observing, no one intervened, but their eyes all showed surprise at the speed and power of Bach Dang's moves, completely different from what they had imagined for a sect that had been lost for decades.

The battle lasted, Ta Vo Tam truly deserved the title of leader of the Black Wind Gang, his moves were vicious and cruel, aiming straight at the vital weak points of the opponent's body. At one point, the blade of the short knife grazed Bach Dang's shoulder, leaving a long bloody cut, but he still did not flinch, the more he fought, the more clearly he demonstrated his mastery of the skill that his master had devoted all his effort to teaching.

Gia Khue stood hiding behind the truck, her hands clasped together until they turned white, her heart seemed to jump out of her chest every time she saw Bach Dang suffer a dangerous attack. She wanted to rush out to help, but knew she could only make the situation more confusing, so she gritted her teeth and watched, silently praying for him.

In the thirtieth episode of the match, Bach Dang noticed a small flaw in Ta Vo Tam's technique, a fleeting moment when he swung his sword too far, exposing his entire unprotected flank. Not missing the opportunity, Bach Dang put all his internal energy into a final move that his master only taught him during the most arduous training sessions, unleashing a powerful palm strike straight into the opponent's flank.

Ta Vo Tam jumped backwards, hitting a car parked nearby, the short knife fell from his hand, and let out a painful cry. He forced himself to stand up, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes remained unyielding.

"You... are truly worthy of being Tieu Dao Coc's heir." He said, his voice was both painful and somewhat respectful. "But don't think this is over. The Black Wind Gang has many other ways to get justice."

"If you have lost in a fair fight, I hope you will keep your honorable promise and not drag innocent people into this matter again." Bach Dang said, his voice still calm even though his body was tired after the long battle.

Ta Vo Tam was silent for a moment, then signaled his accomplices to retreat. His eyes before leaving still shone with a trace of unresolved hatred. "This time I lost, but the resentment between the two sects cannot be considered to end with just one match."

The Black Phong Bang group quietly retreated into the darkness, leaving the underground car park empty with only Bach Dang panting and Gia Khue hastily running to his side, tears in her eyes due to worry.

"Are you okay? Your shoulder is bleeding!" She panicked and examined the wound on his shoulder.

"It's okay, it's just a scratch." Bach Dang reassured her, even though the pain was still dull in the cut. "We won, at least this one."

Gia Khue hugged him, not caring that her clothes might be stained with blood, simply wanting to feel that he was still there, safe next to her. "I'm so scared, really scared to stand and watch you fight like that."

"I'm sorry for making you witness this." Bach Dang hugged her, his voice gentle. "But I promise, I will always protect you, no matter what the cost."

The two stood hugging each other in the middle of the quiet underground parking lot, the weak neon light falling on the two entwined figures, a rare moment of peace after the storm that had just passed, although both understood that Ta Vo Tam's final warning showed that this was only the beginning of a series of even more difficult challenges waiting ahead.

Returning to the villa, Gia Khue insisted on bandaging the wound on Bach Dang's shoulder himself, even though he repeatedly reassured him that he could treat it himself with some familiar herbs. She sat next to him in the living room, her hands trembling as she applied antiseptic to the cut, her eyes still filled with fear from the battle she had just witnessed.

"I really didn't expect the match to be so fierce." She said, her voice still shaking. "Looking at you injured, I felt incredibly helpless. I could only stand and watch without being able to help anything."

"You've helped me a lot." Bach Dang replied, holding her shaking hand. "Just knowing that you are safe, standing there waiting for me, is the biggest source of motivation that helps me put all my strength into fighting to the end."

Mr. Duong Khac Nguyen, hearing the news from the housekeeper, quickly ran down to the living room, his face full of worry when he saw the wound on Bach Dang's shoulder. "Do I need to call a doctor? Is this wound very deep?"

"Thank you, it's just a light scratch, I can handle it myself." Bach Dang replied, trying to smile reassuringly. "Don't worry too much."

Mr. Khac Nguyen sat down, sighed and looked at the two people, his eyes full of thought. "I heard Gia Khue briefly tell you about the Black Wind Gang. I will contact Huyen Van brothers again to see if we need any further assistance. This matter cannot be left to you to shoulder forever."

"Thank you for your concern, but I think this is still something I need to solve myself first." Bach Dang replied, his voice determined. "I don't want to drag anyone else into this danger."

That night, after everyone had fallen asleep, Gia Khue still lingered next to Bach Dang in the living room, her fingers gently smoothing the hastily wrapped bandage on his shoulder, the two sat quietly together without needing to say another word. No one in the living room that night knew that, somewhere on the phone of a passerby in the hotel parking lot, the video recording the recent battle was quietly being uploaded online, just waiting for dawn to pull them both into a completely different storm.