In the main courtyard of the Liang estate, Liang Wangba sat waiting for Lin Chen's arrival.The mercenaries could flee, but the Liang family's direct bloodline could not.He knew full well—he would not escape. None of the direct heirs would.
"Lin Chen," Liang Wangba's tone was cold but measured, "breaking into my house in the dead of night—isn't that going too far?"Then he waved his hand dismissively, as though granting mercy."Forget it. I won't hold a grudge against a junior. Leave now, and I'll pretend tonight never happened."He even straightened in his chair, speaking with the gravitas of a patriarch."As the head of the Liang family, I guarantee—we will never trouble you again."
Inside, he still clung to a desperate hope:if he could stall Lin Chen until Lord Zhong arrived, the situation might yet turn.He'd already made the call. All he needed was time.
Lin Chen dragged Liang Haotian forward and dumped him at Wangba's feet.The guards behind Wangba instinctively took a step back.
"If it was only Liang Haoming looking for death, I might have ended it there," Lin Chen's voice was flat."But your family—your big mistake—was getting involved in the Lin family's affairs.That sealed your fate long before tonight."
Liang Wangba's heart went cold.Lin Chen knew. That meant only one outcome: a fight to the death.And with the power Lin Chen now wielded, the Liang family's odds were grim.
Still, Wangba gritted his teeth."Lin Chen, since you walked free from prison, I'll give you some advice: stop now."His eyes hardened."I've already called Lord Zhong. He's on his way. When he arrives—you're finished."
He seized on the name like a lifeline."Lord Zhong is from the Zhenwu Pavilion—anyone in Longguo who dares break martial law answers to them!You killed the Public Security Division's men. You are now a certified criminal in the Pavilion's eyes!If you don't want to die, get on your knees and kowtow a hundred times. I might—"
Bang!
Before he could finish, Lin Chen vanished from where he stood, reappeared in front of Wangba, and drove a kick into his chest.The patriarch was launched backward like a kite with a cut string, smashing through his own chair before slamming into a tree.Several ribs snapped with an audible crack. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he collapsed to the ground.
Lin Chen towered over him, his voice like ice."I've always believed in balance: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth—and a hundredfold return for anyone who wrongs me."His gaze sharpened."And you? You do not represent Longguo."
"Even if this Lord Zhong comes—even if he's here to back you—he does not represent Longguo.""You power-drunk parasites mean nothing to me."
The last word had barely left his lips when the thrum of rotor blades rolled in from above, growing louder.A helicopter hovered into view, holding position a hundred meters above the Liang estate.
"Lord Zhong, night landing's tricky. Please hold for a moment,"came the voice of Shen Junfeng, a Zhenwu officer, speaking to an elderly man in a black overcoat.
Hands clasped behind his back, the man stepped forward.This was Zhong Yang—Deputy Pavilion Master of Yancheng's Zhenwu Pavilion.
Without a word, he shoved Junfeng aside and leapt from the helicopter.
Junfeng sucked in a sharp breath—a hundred-meter drop!But Zhong Yang landed in the courtyard with barely a bend of his knees, still with his hands folded calmly behind him.
"Lord Zhong! You're finally here!" Wangba coughed, forcing himself upright."This criminal stormed my estate, slaughtering my family. You must kill him—now!"
The helicopter descended lower, and Shen Junfeng dropped down with two more Zhenwu enforcers, all clad in the Pavilion's black combat coats.
"That's him?" Zhong Yang asked.
"Yes!" Wangba's voice cracked with urgency."He killed my people, wiped out the Public Security squad, and crippled two Tiger Might commanders!"
Zhong Yang's gaze lingered on Lin Chen."Young man… you've been busy."
Lin Chen met his eyes without flinching."Yes. I did it. And every last one of them deserved it."
Zhong Yang's voice cooled."Good. Very good. Since you admit it, I'll do my duty.""Take him."
The two enforcers stepped forward, hands reaching for Lin Chen's arms.He didn't move until their fingers were about to touch his shoulder—then his leg blurred.
Bang! Bang!
Both men flew backward, coughing blood, too broken to rise again.
Zhong Yang's brows lifted slightly."No wonder you're so arrogant. You do have skill.""But there are always higher mountains, boy. Let me teach you that lesson tonight."
He shrugged off his coat, revealing a body corded with dense muscle—the kind earned through decades of bone-shattering combat, not vanity training.A body-tempering martial artist. One punch from him could pulp a seventh-tier master;sixth-tier fighters would be obliterated outright.
"With your ability, you're worth my personal attention."He flexed his arms, joints crackling."This is your final chance: kill yourself now, and I'll leave you a whole corpse.""If I act, there will be nothing left to bury."
Lin Chen's lip curled."Spare me the speeches. Stop wasting my time."His eyes swept the group."Come at me—all of you."