Chapter 164: Intercept and Kill

Mu Lin's expression was grim.

'Looks like the lesson wasn't painful enough,' he thought. 'I'll have to keep reinforcing it.'

"Qi Shengyang, didn't you promise you wouldn't bother us again? Are you not a man of your word?"

"History is written by the victors. As long as you two disappear, no one will ever bring up that incident again."

Qi Shengyang strode over to the front of Zhao Ling'er's Polo.

He went right to the driver's side door and yanked it open.

"Get out! Or I'll flip this car over!"

Qi Shengyang's face was a mask of cold authority.

Zhao Ling'er looked up at Qi Shengyang's condescending expression, her heart pounding in panic.

Mu Lin reached out and held Zhao Ling'er back. "Ignore this dog. It's a waste of time."

Hearing Mu Lin call him a dog, Qi Shengyang's expression turned even fouler.

Mu Lin's previous trick had caused him excruciating pain and public humiliation in front of countless people.

Now, he finally had a chance for revenge.

"You're the dog!" Qi Shengyang said coldly. "Master Zhang, I'll trouble you to break both his legs. Let's see him crawl on the ground!"

"You got it!"

The reply was devoid of any emotion, as casual and effortless as wringing a chicken's neck.

Master Zhang was clearly a man who worked for money and had no interest in the grudge between Mu Lin and Qi Shengyang.

Master Zhang walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and reached in to grab his target.

"Young Master Qi, this is the guy? He's so scrawny. Do you really need me for this? You're not trying to stiff me on the payment, are you?"

Qi Shengyang's face was stern. "Who's trying to stiff you? This guy is tougher than he looks! I wouldn't have paid so much to hire you otherwise. Your fee has already been transferred in full. So go all out!"

Master Zhang gave a slight smile and said to Mu Lin, "Kid, I'm normally a peaceful, God-fearing man. I don't like to kill, and I certainly don't like to bully the weak. If you get on your knees and apologize to Young Master Qi, you can spare yourself a beating."

Mu Lin got out of the car. Qi Shengyang pointed smugly at the ground in front of him.

"Go on, kneel. Once you kneel, this will all be over. Stay away from Ling'Er from now on. She's my woman! Don't you ever see her again!"

Zhao Ling'Er erupted in anger. "Qi Shengyang, you're shameless! When was I ever your woman?"

She couldn't stand the humiliation any longer.

Shi Huiguang gesticulated excitedly, yelling to Master Zhang, "Hit him! Beat him senseless!"

Master Zhang tilted his head. "Divine Doctor Shi, this skinny monkey is the one who humiliated you?"

Shi Huiguang replied, "That's right! This kid uses strange, dirty tricks. You have to be on your guard!"

Master Zhang spat into his palm. "Right then. This isn't my first day in the Jianghu. What strange trick haven't I seen? You all just watch! If I don't peel a layer of skin off him, I'll give back every penny!"

"Fine. Bring it on," Mu Lin said. He was still full of morning grumpiness and was looking for a way to vent.

'Beating this Master Zhang to a pulp would be the perfect outlet.'

"Come on. I'll give you one chance."

Just as the two sides were about to clash, a figure suddenly emerged from the deep woods.

"Finally found you. You really made me work for it. Did you really think this piece-of-junk car could get you that far?"

Master Zhang suddenly fell back several steps, completely forgetting about his fight with Mu Lin.

'What's going on?' Mu Lin thought. He had just gotten into his stance, ready for a good fight, and now he felt a pang of disappointment.

A surge of nameless anger, anxious and impatient, roiled within him with nowhere to go.

But no one paid any attention to him. All eyes were fixed on the newcomer.

"Qiu Qianhe!" Shi Huiguang suddenly blurted out. "Grandmaster Qiu! You are usually so elusive. What brings you out here?"

Qiu Qianhe was a Martial Arts Grandmaster renowned throughout Nanjiang Province. He had been famous for a long time and was known as a top-tier enforcer who solved problems for powerful families.

His appearance meant at least one person here was about to meet a terrible fate.

As a doctor whose skills weren't necessarily top-tier, Shi Huiguang's entire livelihood depended on cozying up to and earning the trust of powerful people.

And Qiu Qianhe was a figure he had always dreamed of connecting with!

The man was a fighter, an incredible fighter, with countless lives on his hands.

Qiu Qianhe shoved Shi Huiguang aside and said coldly, "Get lost. You're an eyesore."

The shove sent Shi Huiguang stumbling, rolling away like a ball.

Qiu Qianhe walked straight toward Mu Lin. "Surrender without a fight and hand over the Vermilion Fruit. Do that, and I'll let Zhao Yang and Zhao Ling'er go."

Now everyone understood. Qiu Qianhe was here for Mu Lin.

Mu Lin narrowed his eyes. "And who are you?"

"Mu Lin, don't be rude!" Zhao Yang said hastily. "This is Grandmaster Qiu Qianhe!"

Mu Lin looked the man up and down, unimpressed.

'Can any Tom, Dick, or Harry be called a Grandmaster these days? He seems no different from that Chen Zhengyang fellow.'

'Whatever.'

"Grandmaster Qiu, might there be some misunderstanding? Why are you targeting Mu Lin?" Zhao Yang stepped in front of Mu Lin, bowing respectfully to Qiu Qianhe.

He hoped that by being exceptionally polite, he might open up some room for negotiation with the Grandmaster.

Qiu Qianhe said, "There is no misunderstanding. Someone has tasked me with taking the Vermilion Fruit and his life. The instructions were very clear."

Qi Shengyang's eyes lit up when he heard this. He never would have dreamed that Grandmaster Qiu Qianhe himself would show up right now.

With Master Zhang on one side and Qiu Qianhe on the other, wasn't this a double guarantee?

'Spending a passionate night with Zhao Ling'er is practically a sure thing!'

Qi Shengyang rubbed his hands together, his lecherous gaze sweeping back and forth over Zhao Ling'er's body.

He had already formed a very clear and complete picture of where he would start and where he would go next.

He couldn't help but tug at the hem of his shirt.

The moment Master Zhang saw Qiu Qianhe, he had hastily retreated to avoid his intimidating presence.

When he heard Qiu Qianhe's target was Mu Lin, he couldn't help but feel a sense of glee. It looked like he was about to get paid for doing absolutely nothing.

'This bastard Mu Lin is really something else,' he thought. 'To think he could draw out such a major figure.'

Zhao Yang said, "But that Vermilion Fruit is urgently needed to save a life! I beg you, Grandmaster Qiu, please be merciful and let us pass..."

Qiu Qianhe shot Zhao Yang a cold glance.

"This doesn't concern you. My client specified that you are not to be killed. But if you don't know what's good for you, I'll have no problem crushing you to death along with him."

"You're a renowned doctor, more or less. Save your life and use it to treat patients. But if you really think you're somebody important here, you're dead wrong. In my eyes, you're less useful than a dog."

Zhao Yang's expression was grim. He never had much confidence in his own influence to begin with; speaking up had been a desperate act.

Now that he had failed, there was nothing more he could do.

Mu Lin stepped up beside Zhao Yang, pulling him back and shielding him with his own body.

"If you want to touch him, you'll have to go through me first!"

Qiu Qianhe said, "Don't be so impatient. I'll be sending you on your way soon enough."

Mu Lin chuckled. "That's what they all say. They all have that same tone. But you know what? They're all dead now."

Shi Huiguang popped back out, standing a safe three meters away from Mu Lin and Qiu Qianhe. He pointed at Mu Lin and shouted:

"How dare you speak to a Grandmaster like that, you brat? He might have left you an intact corpse, but now you're completely screwed, you know that? You'll be lucky if they even find a body to bury!"

Qiu Qianhe waved his hand through the empty air. A blast of force shot out, sending Shi Huiguang flying once again.

"Noisy fool. Who are you to comment on my affairs? Annoy me again, and I'll kill you."

Shi Huiguang scrambled to his feet, thoroughly terrified, and scurried to the back.

Mu Lin said, "I'm not giving up the Vermilion Fruit. I won it fair and square at the auction. The person who hired you, on the other hand, is a despicable coward who'd rather resort to robbery than bid for it himself."

Qiu Qianhe sneered. "Kid, you're too naive in the ways of the Jianghu. Doesn't everyone know the real money at an auction is made after the bidding is over?"

"Those who know what's good for them choose safety and willingly give up their prize. Those who don't lose everything... after paying with their lives."

"And you, you're overestimating yourself and provoking a superior right before your death. It seems you think your ancestors blessed you with too much good fortune and you're trying to find a new way to squander it."

With that, Qiu Qianhe tapped the tip of his foot, and his entire body seemed to glide horizontally toward Mu Lin.

Master Zhang gasped in amazement. "So this is the power of a Grandmaster! What an eye-opener!"

"To be able to condense one's aura to such a degree... it's truly unimaginable!"

Qi Shengyang clenched his fists. "With a Grandmaster on the move, how can that bastard possibly survive? Hahaha!"

Shi Huiguang got to his feet again. Seeing Qiu Qianhe's movement, he was overcome with excitement.

He had learned his lesson this time and didn't dare try to flatter him again.

'Once that Mu Lin is dead,' he thought, 'I can take my time dealing with Zhao Yang in my own way.'