Fame and Fortune?

"Dart throwing in real combat?"

"It's almost like a competition, and the skill proficiency increases so much!" Chen Jue was momentarily taken aback by the new notification.

He realized he might have discovered another way to improve his dart-throwing skill. Compared to aiming at a stationary target, the challenge of hitting a moving one was evidently much greater. The higher the difficulty, the faster his proficiency grew.

Earlier, when he threw the dart at the dog, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision—he was afraid the pit bull might go berserk and attack someone else.

As for why he didn’t intervene while the dog was still biting the boy, it was because Chen Jue worried about his own lack of skill; if he failed to take down the pit bull, he might accidentally injure the child.

Although the darts he bought weren’t sharpened, their tips were extremely penetrating. He’d seen demonstrations online where an expert could easily drive the unsharpened dart straight through tree bark, sinking deep into the wood.

With that kind of penetration, one throw was enough to pierce the throat of a thick-skinned, muscular pit bull.

If he missed and hit the little boy, Chen Jue himself would probably be the one sitting in the holding cell right now.

...

As he was pondering, a pleasant female voice sounded behind him. "Hello!"

Turning around, he saw the beautiful instructor who practiced rope darts had just finished giving her statement and walked out as well.

"Let’s get acquainted. My name is Wu Fang."

"I saw your dart-throwing in the park earlier—it was amazing! Are you an athlete from a sports school, or is it some family tradition?" Wu Fang’s curious gaze rested on Chen Jue.

He was a little surprised. He’d been thinking of using a roundabout approach to get closer to her, but after showing just a little of his skill, she had taken the initiative to speak to him.

"I taught myself to throw darts. My skills are average, really—there are many people much better than me." Chen Jue scratched his head shyly.

Looking at her strong features and athletic figure, this reserved young man felt a stir in his heart.

"Self-taught, and you can take down a dog with one dart?" Wu Fang was astonished.

She herself practiced rope darts, and while the technique was different, she knew enough about regular darts to appreciate their difficulty.

To do what Chen Jue had done—piercing the throat of a rabid dog from five meters away—required not just skill, but also a steady mind, immense courage, and keen judgment.

Lacking any one of these, it would be hard to hit a dog’s throat, let alone kill it with a single throw.

"I graduated from a sports college and know several classmates who practice darts. Even they probably couldn’t have pulled off what you did today," Wu Fang remarked with admiration.

She asked for his name and took out her phone, clearly wanting to add him on WeChat.

Obviously, this beautiful practitioner of traditional martial arts had taken an interest in Chen Jue.

But as they chatted, a commotion erupted inside the police station behind them.

"Sounds like a fight broke out!"

"Grandpa Liu really shouldn’t be getting into fights at his age," Wu Fang explained with a sigh.

As it turned out, she knew the old man from the park—they were from the same neighborhood. While she was giving her statement, she saw the old man’s family rushing to the station to demand justice.

Their elder had been pushed down and sent to the hospital, suffering several broken bones. Of course the family was furious; causing a scene was only natural.

These were all locals from Hangzhou, most of them from families that had become wealthy after their houses were demolished for redevelopment—everyone was worth millions at least. They had money and connections and weren’t afraid to show it.

Causing trouble for the dog owner’s family was just a way to vent their anger.

As for the boy’s family, they were probably still at the hospital. When both sides met later to discuss compensation, it would likely end in another brawl.

"What a mess," Chen Jue said. "If you want to keep a dog, why not do it in the countryside?"

In the city, surrounded by concrete and steel, everyone lived in crowded apartment buildings. Homes were much smaller than in the country. Keeping a dog without proper ventilation and cleanliness would fill the place with an unbearable stench.

As someone from a rural background, Chen Jue couldn’t understand the logic behind keeping dogs in the city.

...

After chatting with Wu Fang and adding each other on WeChat, they’d become acquainted.

Though they had shared interests, Chen Jue knew his current appearance left much to be desired. Unless he improved his image, it would be hard to attract someone considered so discerning by all the old men at the park.

He watched her get into a taxi and leave, then checked the time on his phone.

Seeing it was nearly dinnertime, he found a Chinese restaurant on a nearby commercial street and enjoyed a good meal.

Back at his apartment, he meant to rest early—he’d spent the whole afternoon running around and was quite drained. But just then, his phone rang.

It was a strange number. When he answered, he discovered it was the father of the boy who’d been bitten.

The man had gotten Chen Jue’s number from the police and called specifically to thank him.

Moreover, he said that once his son’s condition improved and he was out of intensive care, he hoped to thank Chen Jue in person. He asked for Chen Jue’s address so the family could visit and express their gratitude.

Chen Jue politely refused. His part in saving the boy was just the finishing blow—the decisive action had been Wu Fang’s rope dart, which struck the dog first.

So, after some modest refusal on the phone, Chen Jue hung up.

Soon after, he noticed a friend request from the same number on WeChat. Thinking it would be rude to refuse, he accepted.

The boy’s father was probably still at the hospital; after a brief message of thanks and an emoji, there was no further conversation.

"A sensible father—may the boy recover soon," Chen Jue prayed silently.

He was just about to order a new set of darts online for practice when his phone rang again.

Chen Jue was puzzled. He’d had this number for over ten years, and since graduating from college, it was like a firecracker left to go damp—apart from delivery calls and the occasional advertisement, hardly anyone phoned him.

Most people who knew him just messaged on WeChat rather than calling.

The number looked vaguely familiar. When he answered, it wasn’t the boy’s father, but Zhu Hongbin, whom he’d bumped into twice at Jingtang Club!

Somehow, word had gotten out: a member of the club had done something heroic that afternoon—killing a fierce dog with a single dart and saving a young boy.

Reporters from 1818 Golden Eye had already contacted the club, requesting an interview. They planned to cover the story as a headline, giving the darts club some well-deserved recognition.

With the city in the middle of a sports festival, Zhu Hongbin, as the club owner, was naturally delighted at such positive publicity.

After some inquiries, he discovered that this heroic member was none other than Chen Jue, the talented recruit he’d just brought into the club.

What a coincidence!

"Chen Jue, my friend, you’re about to become famous!" Zhu Hongbin exclaimed.

"But don’t worry, our club is a reputable organization. Anything that should remain confidential will be kept private."

"I’ll let Director Wang at the TV station know and have 1818 Golden Eye write a great press release. I’ll also get some media influencers to promote you—guaranteed fame and fortune await!"