After dealing with the African strongman, Zhao Rong and his group of five continued toward the third challenge.

Along the way, Lili recalled the so-called experts they had just dealt with in the first and second challenges and said with a laugh, "I don’t get why that villain Hong Ju and her son, Zhou Xiaoer, didn’t hire some real martial artists to protect them in Bada Hutong. Instead, they got a fortune teller and an African strongman. It’s hilarious..."

Yu Lan added with a relaxed expression, "I think Hong Ju and her son hired them because people like that are easy to find at the labor market. Plus, they could be tricked into showing off for very little money."

Xuelian voiced her own thoughts, "Have you guys noticed? The first challenge was simple, but the second was already harder. It looks like the challenges will get progressively more difficult as we go on."

The assistant, now fearless, confidently patted his chest. "Don’t be afraid," he said to Zhao Rong and the three women. "As long as I have my smart nunchucks, I’ll be unstoppable. I’ll knock every single one of these so-called experts in Bada Hutong to the ground!"

With that, the assistant chuckled to himself. Zhao Rong, you always get to be the star, making these three women admire you, have a crush on you, and look up to you... But now, the tables have turned. It’s my turn to show off and prove myself! Just you wait, Zhao Rong. I’ll slowly surpass you. Then I’ll be the one looking down on you!

But before the assistant could finish his train of thought, they saw the expert for the third challenge appear. To the surprise of Zhao Rong and his group, this so-called expert was a clown.

When the assistant saw that the clown was short, skinny, and looked as if a gust of wind could knock him over, he immediately rushed forward to challenge him. "You’re the expert for the third challenge?" he said. "Enough talk. Get in this little house with me, and watch how I deal with you."

With that, the assistant grabbed the clown’s clothes, dragged him into the small house, and prepared to give him a thorough beating.

When Zhao Rong and the three women saw the assistant drag the small, frail-looking clown into the house, they were all optimistic.

"The assistant loses his fights most of the time," Zhao Rong remarked, "but against a short, frail clown like this, he shouldn’t have any problem at all."

Lili was also supportive. "Let’s just wait for the assistant to take care of this clown on his own," she said. "Then we can keep moving."

Xuelian even sat down on a nearby stone bench and started cracking sunflower seeds. "We’re used to seeing the assistant looking weak and always getting beaten up," she commented, "but today is his day to shine." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Xuelian added confidently, "The assistant may be weak on his own, but he becomes strong when he’s with Zhao Rong. It seems the old saying is true: you become like the company you keep. After spending so much time with Zhao Rong, the once-weak assistant has slowly grown stronger and more capable under his influence."

However, just as everyone felt confident that the assistant would thrash the clown, something shocking happened. First, the clown emerged from the small, dark room, completely unharmed and neatly dressed. Then, the assistant crawled out after him, covered in blood and wailing for his parents.

Disbelieving that the frail-looking clown had actually defeated the assistant, Zhao Rong and the others rushed over. They helped the assistant up from the ground and asked with concern, "Assistant, don’t you have your incredible smart nunchucks? How could you lose to such a weak little clown?"

The assistant looked at the clown in terror. "Zhao Rong, Lili, Yu Lan, Xuelian, you don’t understand," he stammered. "This clown may look fragile, but he had a huge magnet hidden in his clothes! When I pulled out my smart nunchucks to hit him, he whipped out the magnet, tossed it aside, and it just sucked my nunchucks right out of my hands!"

Hearing that the assistant failed because the clown used a magnet to steal his weapon, the three women sighed in pity. Still, they asked in confusion, "But even without your smart nunchucks, you could have used your size and strength to overpower him. You’re so much bigger; you should have been able to flatten that clown!"

In agony, the assistant replied, "You don’t get it. He might look short, skinny, and frail, but in reality, he’s an incredibly built muscleman—a real powerhouse!"

Just then, right in front of them, the clown took off his shirt, revealing a body packed with muscle.

When Zhao Rong and the three women saw that the clown was a miniature muscleman, they gasped. They comforted the assistant, saying, "Don’t worry, Assistant. You just rest here. We’ll let Zhao Rong take care of this clown."

Zhao Rong stepped forward and pointed at the muscular clown. "Clown," he said, "you may have defeated our teammate, but I’m warning you. I’ll give you one last chance. Step aside now, and we’ll let this go. If you don’t, I’m about to show you what defeat tastes like."

The clown responded to Zhao Rong’s warning with pure arrogance. "In Bada Hutong, it doesn’t matter how tough someone is. After they pass the first two challenges, they all fall to my fists right here. You look like some college kid in his twenties. You dare act tough in front of me? I’m going to destroy you!"

With that, the clown charged at Zhao Rong. Seeing how full of himself the clown was, acting as if he were invincible, Zhao Rong met him with a flying kick. To Zhao Rong’s surprise, however, the clown deftly dodged the kick and flashed behind him.

After dodging the kick, the clown boasted arrogantly, "College kid, don’t think a few moves are enough to beat me. I’ll have you know that while I may be short, I’m incredibly fast. Normal people can’t even touch me."

While the clown was still bragging, Zhao Rong suddenly pulled a shotgun from his Magic Ring. He aimed it squarely at the clown and said, "You can be as fast as you want, and your dodging might be impressive, but I doubt you can dodge a blast from my shotgun."

When the arrogant clown saw the college student pull out a shotgun, he immediately cowered.