A white car pulled up smoothly in front of a luxury hotel, slightly lower in category than the one where Ye Lan was staying. The driver, a dark-skinned man, quickly stepped out and opened the rear door of the car. From inside emerged a white-skinned man in an elegant suit.

  "Hmph! Too slow! If I’m te, you’ll see what happens" the white man snapped coldly, casting a disdainful gnce at the driver before heading into the hotel.

  As the white man disappeared into the building, the driver’s polite smile gradually faded, repced by a flicker of contempt in his eyes. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and leaned against the car, taking a slow drag.

  "You still think this is like the old days? Whites... Once our association unifies everything, you’ll be the ones finished. We bcks have the best physical qualities among humans, and our levels are far superior to yours. Very soon, America will be ours" the driver muttered with a smirk, exhaling a puff of smoke.

  To his left, a yellow-skinned man was carefully examining a map when he was enveloped in the cloud of smoke, triggering a loud cough as he waved his hand to clear the air.

  "Hey! Watch where you’re standing!" the driver barked, noticing it was an Asian man, and followed up with a sneering remark.

  In the United States, the subtle but pervasive chain of racial discrimination was unmistakable. Whites looked down on bcks, while bcks ridiculed Asians. To whites, Asians were cheap, convenient bor, to bcks, they were nothing more than a joke with no real combat prowess.

  Of course, this didn’t apply to 100% of cases, nor did it represent all the inhabitants of the United States, but it did reflect the predominant mindset of the majority.

  The Asian man, who had been scolded by the bck man, felt a strong sense of injustice. Clearly, it was the other man who had blown smoke in his direction! While he hadn’t been paying much attention as he walked, he certainly hadn’t bumped into him.

  "Isn’t it your fault?" he retorted, unable to hold back, pursing his lips in frustration.

  These words, rather than diffusing the situation, only fueled the bck man’s already foul mood, further agitated by the disdainful treatment he had just endured from the white man. Whites already trample on me, and now you dare provoke me?

  Without a second thought, the bck man reached out and lifted the Asian man as if he were no more than a chick, doing so with effortless strength.

  From a distance, the difference in their levels was unmistakable. The bck man was level 25, while the Asian man barely reached level 18. Moreover, the former’s attributes were slightly above average for his level. If it came to a fight, the Asian man wouldn’t stand a chance.

  But was the Asian man the type to back down? Despite his fear, he wasn’t willing to yield. Gripping the wrist that held him tightly, he gritted his teeth and stared straight at the bck man.

  "Put me down right now!"

  "Huh? Why should I listen to you?"

  The crowd surrounding them watched the scene unfold without intervening. After all, incidents of bck men initiating conflicts were all too common. In fact, among the three major human races, the percentage of crimes committed by them exceeded the combined total of those committed by Asians and whites.

  Moreover, bck men were notorious for their physical strength. In a real fight, aside from w enforcement, few would dare to step in.

  For the Asians present, although they were somewhat mentally prepared for these situations, they couldn’t help but feel baffled by the peculiarities of American society. This country… was just too strange!

  The bck man, now grinning, slowly raised his free hand, forming a clenched fist. Just as his punch was about to nd on the Asian man’s face, a childish voice suddenly interrupted.

  "Hey, hitting others isn’t right"

  Startled, the man froze mid-motion, confused. He turned his head, scanning the area. Standing at over 2 meters tall, he looked around but saw no one.

  "Where are you? Who said that?"

  "Down here, down here!"

  Blinking, the man looked down and finally noticed Ye Lan, a small girl with puffed cheeks, gring up at him.

  "Ha ha ha! A little girl! You want to defend this Asian? Don’t make me ugh. With those skinny arms and legs, I could take on a hundred like you"

  The man burst into ughter, openly mocking her.

  Ye Lan smiled at the bck man, raising her small fist deliberately.

  "Oh? Really...?"

  With a calm expression, she clenched her fist and swung it toward him. However, her punch was intentionally slow, almost ughably so. The bck man noticed and scoffed, making no attempt to dodge.

  "With an attack like that, even if I don’t move, I’m not going to... Ugh!"

  The instant her fist connected, it was as if a massive boulder had struck him. The man was hurled through the air, flying dozens of meters before crashing to the ground and rolling over ten times before coming to a stop.

  He y there motionless, foam spilling from his mouth, his eyes rolled back. His health bar had plummeted straight into the red zone.

  Ye Lan exhaled in relief. Thankfully, she had carefully controlled her strength, delivering a fatal blow by accident would have been troublesome.

  Meanwhile, the Asian man, still catching his breath, staggered to his feet. He alternated between staring at Ye Lan and the bck man sprawled on the ground, his face a mix of awe and disbelief. It was as if giant question marks hovered above his head.

  "Who are you...? How can you be so strong?" he asked, his voice trembling with shock.

  "I'm not strong. That guy is just too weak" Ye Lan replied with a gentle smile. "My name is Ye Lan. And you?"

  Indeed, she didn’t consider herself strong. Compared to the elite warriors and mages of the elven race, who could unleash devastating spells with hundreds or even thousands of magic points, her abilities were far behind. She even had to carefully manage her water skill to avoid wasting her limited magic reserves.

  The Asian man froze for a moment, then quickly gnced around. Sure enough, the nearby white onlookers were standing stiff, their expressions a mix of shock and fear.

  "It’s better if we get out of here first!"

  He hurriedly took Ye Lan’s hand and led her away from the scene, weaving through the streets until they entered a modest tavern.

  "My name is Chen Peng. I’m a foreign university student" he said, catching his breath. "I didn’t think this country would be even scarier than I imagined. Luckily, you were there to help me earlier"

  Ye Lan smiled and waved her hand dismissively. "It was nothing" she replied lightly. Truthfully, she detested discriminatory chains like the one she’d just witnessed. She herself had faced prejudice from humans not long ago.

  Chen Peng sat down at a corner table inside the tavern, silent for a moment as he composed himself. Then, he ordered two beers. While pulling out his wallet to pay, a few green and white bills slipped from his hand and fluttered to the floor.

  In an instant, the room’s atmosphere shifted. All eyes in the tavern turned toward them, sharp and hungry. Chen Peng quickly bent down, scooping up the money, but it was too te.

  "Well, well" a gruff voice cut through the tension. A group of rough-looking men sauntered over, their leader wearing a smirk that reeked of trouble.

  "Looks like you’ve got some cash there, kid. Judging by the way you look, I’d say this is your first time around here, huh? You know the rules, right? Newcomers treat everyone"

  Chen Peng’s face stiffened, the tension visibly rising in his body. Could he not catch a break today?

  Before Chen Peng could utter a word, Ye Lan stepped forward, her calm yet sharp voice breaking through the standoff. "And what if we say no?"

  "Say no? You dare?" The gangster's face darkened as he pulled a small knife from his pocket.

  Typical, thought Ye Lan with a faint smile. Professionals at causing trouble, just as expected from the so-called "nd of peace" Everyone armed, ready for a fight. Well, if that’s how it is...

  Still smiling, Ye Lan turned her head toward the owner of the establishment and shouted, "Hey, boss! They’re causing trouble here! Don’t you think you should step in?"

  The owner, who had been observing the scene with mild interest, frowned slightly. Smart girl, knows how to involve the right person, he mused as he calmly pulled a gun from beneath the counter and pointed it directly at the gangsters.

  "If you want to fight, go ahead, but not in my establishment. Got it?" the owner said, his tone cold and unwavering.

  The gangsters clicked their tongues in frustration, clearly annoyed. They shoved their hands back into their pockets and backed toward the door, their attitudes dripping with irritation.

  "We’ll be waiting for you outside!" one of them called out before they disappeared.

  Chen Peng, still sitting at the table, looked at Ye Lan with a mix of guilt and relief.

  "Sorry, I’ve dragged you into trouble" he said, his tone apologetic.

  "Trouble? They're just small-time thugs, nothing to worry about" Ye Lan said with a carefree smile. "More importantly, order more food! I'm starving!"

  Chen Peng, eager to show his gratitude, quickly nodded and grabbed the menu.

  "Boss! In addition to the three dishes I already ordered, bring one serving of everything else on the menu too!"

  Ye Lan's eyes widened as a soft gulp escaped her. Wow, you're really going all out... Amazing!

  Suvn