The Imperial Luxury Villas.Lin Chen had arrived in Qian Siyu's car, but when it was time to leave, no one from the Qian family offered him a ride.Not because they forgot—he simply turned and walked off before anyone could react.
He could've called for a car.He didn't.Sometimes, walking was better.
"No car… fine. I was going to pay the Liang family a visit anyway," he murmured, a faint smile tugging at his lips.As for the company? He had He Ling there—capable, meticulous, and surprisingly ruthless when needed.
A car engine purred behind him."Qian family's?" His eyes narrowed, but his steps never faltered.
A moment later, his brow furrowed."…No. This isn't them."
The faint scent of danger threaded the air.He quickened his pace, the puzzle already solved in his head.They'd come for him.
"Well, since you're here, why hide? Come out."
He deliberately exposed openings—turns where his back was bare, pauses that begged for a strike.Nothing.
"Not taking the shot? Fine. Follow me then," Lin Chen chuckled, heading off the bustling street and down a rural road.
The path was boxed in by two mountains—beyond it lay Liang territory.Perfect for an ambush.
The moment his foot crossed the midpoint, he felt it.Killing intent.
A flash of white—then a deafening bang!Not a bomb. A flash grenade.
From the treeline on both sides, camouflaged figures rose, submachine guns in hand, and poured fire into his position.
Dada-dada-dada!
The leader's hand snapped up—ceasefire.Clips dropped. New ones slammed home.
Smoke curled upward, the air reeking of gunpowder.No movement in the kill zone.
A silent gesture—close in.They spread, blocking every possible escape route, eyes fixed on the smoke ahead.
And then…
"Oi. No hello? That's kinda rude, don't you think?"
The voice came from behind them.
They spun—Lin Chen was perched on a branch above, casually swinging his legs, several grenade pins twirling in his fingers.
Their leader's eyes went wide."…Shit—"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The road erupted. Dirt, steel, and bone rained down.The ones carrying grenades didn't even have time to scream.
The leader lived—barely. His grenade pin was still in place, but shrapnel had shredded his leg, leaving a mess of blood and torn muscle.
Lin Chen dropped lightly to the ground and walked over."Talk. Who sent you? Give me a name, and you keep your life."
The man's eyes were wild with desperation."Don't—don't kill me! I don't know who—just a job, just money—"
"Then you're useless."
One kick sent him into darkness.
Lin Chen didn't bother looking back at the corpses.From the moment he'd left the Qian estate, someone had been on his tail.To set an ambush here? That meant only one thing—the Qians were moving against him.
He hadn't planned on stepping into their mess.But if they wanted him dead…
"Fine," he murmured, a cold smile curving his lips. "You asked for this."
A car in the distance caught his eye.It braked hard, reversing away the moment its occupants realized he'd seen them.
"Qian family's people?" he wondered aloud, before turning toward the treeline on his left."Come out. Your breathing's a mess—you're no Grandmaster. Hiding won't help."
A man emerged from the shadows, pulling back his hood."Well, you've got some skill. But knowing it's a trap and still walking in?" His smile was sharp."Had you run, you might've lived. Staying here? You've delivered your own head."
"Just you?" Lin Chen's tone was pure disdain.
The man's grin widened."No. You're already surrounded."
Shapes shifted in the undergrowth—more than a dozen armed fighters, all martial artists.Then another figure vaulted into view—a bald man with a leering skull tattoo across his scalp.Grandmaster. Sixth Heaven.
Lin Chen's gaze lingered on him."Grandmaster… must've cost a fortune to get you here. How much?"
The bald man's smile was all teeth."Money? We're not pampered family pets—we fought our way up, scraping for every scrap of cultivation resource we have. You either serve someone or live with blood on your hands."
His voice dropped to a growl."Five hundred million for your life."
Lin Chen tilted his head."Five hundred million… not bad. But before coming, did you bother finding out what I can do?"
A faint, almost bored smile."I slapped a Seventh Heaven Grandmaster into the dirt once. What makes you so confident you can kill me?"
"Confident?" The bald man's laugh was ugly."You're no Grandmaster. I don't know where you get the guts to run your mouth."
His aura surged—ground cracking underfoot.One step, and his fist, the size of a casserole pot, was a hair's breadth from Lin Chen's face.
Five hundred million, one punch—easy money.With the right resources, he could hit Seventh Heaven himself.
"Soft," Lin Chen said lazily, eyes locking on him like a drawn blade.
The bald man froze. His fist refused to move forward—as if bound by an invisible chain.
"This… is your confidence?"
Lin Chen smiled, then drove a kick into his chest.
The impact sent him flying, the road collapsing into a crater where he landed.