Chapter 466 465: Compromise

"That's right. This is the most I'm willing to offer. The Jade Pavilion District is rotten to the core; the fact that I'm even talking to you is a huge show of goodwill."

"If you keep hemming and hawing, I'll have to show you what I'm capable of."

Mu Lin's words were blunt, infuriating the Ran father and son.

"You've got some nerve! No one in Di Yang has ever dared to speak to me like this!"

Mu Lin said, "Then I'm honored to be the first. And Team Leader Jiang Long will be the second."

Bringing up Jiang Long again... 'This Mu Lin is just ruthless,' Ran Xiong thought.

Just as he was about to retort, Mu Lin snatched up his phone and spoke into it. "Team Leader Jiang, how are things on your end? Can you hear me?"

Ran Xiong narrowed his eyes. He hadn't seen Mu Lin actually dial a number. 'He must be bluffing.'

"Mr. Mu, I have to remind you, I wasn't born yesterday. A little pressure like this isn't enough to scare me!"

"Is that so?" Jiang Long's voice came through the phone.

Ran Xiong had dealt with Jiang Long before and instantly recognized his voice.

"Team Leader Jiang!" Ran Xiong exclaimed.

Jiang Long said, "Ran Xiong, be quiet. Let me ask Mu Lin what he needs me to do."

Mu Lin said, "I want you to investigate the Jade Pavilion District. Be thorough, dig deep, and if conditions are right, set up a special task force."

After hearing Mu Lin's request, Jiang Long was silent for a moment before he spoke.

"Mr. Mu, according to our procedures, setting up a special task force implies the Jade Pavilion District has done a lot of things wrong. What exactly would that be?"

Mu Lin said, "Yes. What would that be, indeed?"

It sounded like he was ready to dig up everything.

A wave of guilt washed over Ran Xiong. No matter what, his affairs couldn't withstand close scrutiny.

The slightest bit of focused attention would be enough to destroy the Jade Pavilion District in an instant.

"Stop, stop!" Ran Xiong cried. "I'll pay! I'll pay what you asked, not a single cent less!"

Mu Lin said, "Alright. Not even a dime less. Also, transfer the properties to Miss Lin's name. When it comes down to it, she's the one your Jade Pavilion District truly wronged."

"By properties, you mean the two villas?" Ran Xiong asked, daring to seek clarification. Mu Lin replied calmly, "What else?"

Ran Xiong didn't dare say more. Lin Shishi, who had followed them because she was worried, couldn't take it anymore when she heard this.

"Mr. Mu, this gift is far too valuable! I can't possibly accept it!"

Lin Shishi said earnestly. If she accepted Mu Lin's gift, her relationship with him would inevitably become warped.

She wanted a relationship of equals, not to be dominated by him. If Mu Lin could control every aspect of the Lin Family at any moment, their relationship would be truly tragic.

Mu Lin had noticed Lin Shishi a while ago. "Miss Lin, I think you're overthinking this... It's not like I expect the Lin Family to do my bidding just because you take these villas. I just can't be bothered with them. The annual property management fees are pretty expensive, and I was just trying to save some money..."

Lin Shishi's expression darkened. This wasn't her first day knowing Mu Lin; these words were clearly his honest thoughts.

But she was still stunned and furious, feeling utterly wronged. 'What kind of heartless person could say something so cold and shameless?'

Look at the mess this had become.

She immediately vented her anger on the Ran father and son, glaring at them.

The Ran father and son felt their skin tighten, a piercing pain that seemed to go straight to their bones.

With the relationship between Lin Shishi and Mu Lin on full display, they knew that offending her would be even worse.

Not daring to delay any longer, they hastily drafted a series of contracts according to Mu Lin's terms.

The contracts all boiled down to one thing: the properties went to Lin Shishi, and the money went to Mu Lin. Any shortfall would be covered by liquidating other assets, with the proceeds wired to Mu Lin.

They were truly selling everything they had. Even Mu Lin felt they were a bit pitiful, so he didn't push them any further.

Mu Lin said to Lin Shishi, "Miss Lin, let's go. I don't really understand why you followed me here."

Lin Shishi replied, "Grandpa said it's been too dangerous lately, so he wanted me to come and check on things."

Mu Lin looked at Lin Shishi, speechless. "So if something happened, I'd have to protect you instead?"

Lin Shishi said, "I could also report back to Grandpa! He would definitely find experts to come rescue us!"

Speechless again, Mu Lin saw Lin Shishi home and then said, "I'm leaving."

Lin Shishi asked, "You're leaving this late?"

Mu Lin said, "I have to watch over Miss Zhou for Uncle Zhou. As for what outsiders might say, let them talk. I don't care anyway."

This...

Lin Shishi was speechless. The fibs she'd told Mu Lin earlier had ended up having some rather undesirable effects.

A crack had finally appeared in their once-seamlessly-close relationship.

Mu Lin returned to Zhou Ying's residence, only to find she wasn't there.

After knocking for a while with no answer, Mu Lin used his spiritual sense to scan the area through the door.

The result was shocking.

There was no one there.

Now he started to panic.

Mu Lin hurriedly called Lin Jin. "Uncle Lin, I need to ask you for a favor!"

Lin Jin was in a foul mood. Mu Lin hadn't stayed at their house, which made him suspect that Mu Lin might not want anything to do with their family anymore.

'His heart is set on that little slip of a girl from the Zhou Family, so what else is there to say?'

He used protecting Zhou Ying as an excuse, but who knows what he's really thinking.

When he saw Mu Lin calling, his anger hadn't subsided much.

"Mu Lin, is there something else?"

"Uncle Lin, this is urgent! Zhou Ying is missing! Help me find out where she is!"

What? Lin Jin was instantly alert. Zhou Ying was a good girl, after all, and he couldn't bear the thought of her being in danger.

Besides, this proved that Mu Lin's bad feeling from before had been justified.

"Okay, I've got it! I'll look into it right away!"

He immediately called his old subordinates and quickly made some arrangements. They were very cooperative and reported back at once.

Lin Jin relayed the information to Mu Lin immediately.

"Her phone lost its signal at this location. It'll be very difficult to track her further."

Lin Jin added, "And the signal disappeared a while ago. Three or four hours is more than enough time to get out of Di Yang..."

Mu Lin pondered for a moment, then said, "What about Li Ba and his men? The local thugs of the underworld should be good at finding people, right?"

Lin Jin said, "That's true. Li Ba and his crew may be scoundrels, but when it comes to knowing Di Yang, they're the experts. However, I've arrested him several times in the past. I'd be lucky if he doesn't try to get revenge on me; there's no way he'd help me with anything."

Mu Lin said, "I'll contact him."

Lin Jin was genuinely surprised. 'When did Mu Lin get in contact with Li Ba? How come I didn't know?'

Although he was shocked, he didn't press the issue, not wanting Mu Lin to think he was being nosy. Time was of the essence, and any delay would be disastrous.

Mu Lin immediately got ahold of Li Ba. Li Ba answered, "Who is this?"

"It's Mu Lin."

Li Ba's legs went soft, and he was filled with terror. "Mr. Mu, hello!"

Li Ba's mind raced with suspicion. This was a sensitive time, and he had already done his best to keep his men in line.

'Did some idiot who can't see who he's dealing with offend Mu Lin again?'

If so, he would love nothing more than to grab that person and cripple them immediately.

Mu Lin said, "A friend of mine is missing. Help me find her."

Li Ba instantly felt his entire body relax and let out a long sigh of relief. "No problem! We know Di Yang like the back of our hands; we could get around with our eyes closed. Finding someone is a piece of cake. Just send the photo over, and I'll have my men start searching immediately. If we're fast, ten minutes should be enough!"

Mu Lin immediately sent the photo.

"It's this girl. Once you find her, protect her well. And be polite!"

Li Ba quickly replied, "Mr. Mu, you can trust my years of experience and skill in the Di Yang underworld. I won't let you down!"

Mu Lin paused but said nothing.

'If this kid is all talk,' he thought, 'I'll naturally have my ways of dealing with him.'

Of course, that would be a score to settle later.

Li Ba gritted his teeth, his entire demeanor changing in an instant.

He opened the photo and was taken aback. "What a beautiful girl," he muttered. 'Could this be Mr. Mu's girlfriend?'

Li Ba's heart began to pound—not because he was smitten, but because he knew his subordinates all too well.

It was entirely possible that one of them might get ideas upon seeing her beauty.

And if that happened, there was no telling what an enraged Mu Lin might do.