Chapter 83: The Coming Storm

This solitary old man was Zhou Qishan.

Many years ago, he had been a renowned and influential figure, but he had since faded from the public eye.

In reality, however, his influence had only grown.

Many major projects couldn't move forward without his approval.

A past that seemed tumultuous to outsiders was, in Zhou Qishan's eyes, nothing more than a storm in a teacup—hardly worth mentioning.

But after he'd spent so long as this uncrowned king, many had grown secretly dissatisfied.

Assassination attempts against Zhou Qishan began back when he was still a mover and shaker, and they had never ceased, continuing to this day.

The methods grew increasingly vicious, and the assassins, progressively stronger.

This was a clear sign that the mastermind behind it all was growing more desperate.

The last attempt had been shockingly audacious. They'd actually used a high-level master as a decoy while another team of assassins infiltrated for a surprise attack.

If Chen Jingyun hadn't sensed that something was amiss and immediately turned back to intercept them, Zhou Qishan would likely be six feet under. He had fought desperately, trading blow for blow and paying a heavy price to eliminate every last assassin.

The incident had infuriated Zhou Qianfan, who had even wanted to replace the entire security team, but Zhou Qishan stopped him.

The old man, however, was clear-headed. If Chen Jingyun couldn't stop them, it was unlikely anyone in the world could.

This gesture made Chen Jingyun deeply grateful, and he swore to protect the old man's safety, even at the cost of his own life.

He walked into the inner room and saw an old man sitting upright under a dim, yellowish light, a classic tome held in his hands.

"Oh, Xiaochen," the old man said. "We'll be counting on you today!"

Chen Jingyun said, "Elder Zhou, please feel free to go to sleep. Leave everything to me."

"How could I possibly do that? You all will be out front fighting for your lives while I sleep soundly in the back? I could never do such a thing!"

Chen Jingyun knew the old man was stubborn; once his mind was made up, there was no changing it. So, he didn't press the matter.

"I'll take my leave, sir!"

The old man suddenly said, "Xiaochen…"

Chen Jingyun's body went rigid. He slowly turned to face Zhou Qishan. "Elder Zhou, are there any other instructions?"

"I'm an old man. If the worst should happen, don't blame yourself. I know you've done an excellent job!"

Chen Jingyun was deeply moved. But that was as far as the feeling went.

'If Zhou Qishan died,' he thought, 'even if the old man himself wouldn't blame him, the Zhou Family would skin him alive before their own downfall.'

"Elder Zhou, you speak too gravely."

With that, Chen Jingyun gave a slight bow and cautiously backed out of Elder Zhou's room. He then ordered his men to secure the perimeter around the room.

He had done all that was humanly possible; the rest was up to fate.

A low, morose rumble of thunder echoed from the horizon, heralding an approaching downpour.

A heavy gloom settled over everything.

In the darkness surrounding the Zhou Family villa, several shadows flitted about.

A guard on the second-floor balcony vigilantly sensed something was wrong. Just as he was about to raise the alarm, a dagger flew up from below, embedding itself deep in his neck.

It not only sent blood gushing but also severed his spinal cord.

An instant kill!

As he fell, he knocked over a nearby flowerpot, creating a clatter.

Chen Jingyun, who was coordinating the defense, was instantly on alert. 'That's not right,' he thought. 'Elder Zhou is reading. He wouldn't make that kind of noise.'

'The enemy is here!'

A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. 'This time, I swear I'll wipe them all out. I can't let a single one get away.'

"Everyone, on your toes! They're here! Hit the lights!"

The searchlights positioned around the villa all blazed to life, instantly bathing the area in light as bright as day.

The figures were caught in the powerful glare, their forms completely exposed.

Unfortunately, they were all clad in black night-prowler gear, their faces obscured and their identities impossible to discern.

"You want to see Elder Zhou? You'll have to get through us first!"

"Now that you're here, you're not leaving!"

The guards roared, clashing with the assassins in a chaotic melee.

THUD! THUD! THUD! Blows were exchanged in a brutal, back-and-forth struggle.

In no time, an assassin found an opening in one guard's defense, burying a dagger in his side and killing him on the spot.

Chen Jingyun had a bad feeling. 'They're much stronger than the last group of experts.'

'At this rate, the entire security team will be wiped out soon.'

'I have to get Elder Zhou out of here. Move him somewhere safer.'

'As for where exactly was safer, Chen Jingyun had no idea himself. Anywhere was better than here!'

"You few, get Elder Zhou out of here! Run, and don't look back! I'll hold them off!"

Elder Zhou had shown him great favor, and he was determined to lay down his life to protect him.

The guards were battle-hardened veterans. They knew this was no time for hesitation and immediately rushed inside the villa.

The forces at the side door seemed weaker; they still had a chance to break through there.

With a furious roar, Chen Jingyun threw himself into the fray. In moments, he was covered in wounds.

The battle at the side door was just as fierce. When the assassins saw Elder Zhou being carried out, they went into a frenzy, lunging toward him with reckless abandon.

'What kind of deep-seated hatred is this?!'

The guards worked together to fend them off, urging Elder Zhou to stay perfectly still to avoid injury.

Having weathered countless storms in his life, Elder Zhou remained remarkably calm, possessing the tranquility of one who has seen past life and death.

"I'll take you all on!"

A guard charged at the attackers, pinning several of them to one side of the door and creating an opening.

"Go! Now!"

The other guards rushed forward to block the attackers in his place, leaving only the last guard to cradle Elder Zhou in his arms and sprint forward with all his might.

Elder Zhou was old and didn't weigh much, but in the desperate urgency of the moment, running was agony.

Behind him, the guards holding the line were falling, one by one.

Until the very last one.

"Damn it, they're persistent! After them! Don't let that old bastard get away alive!"

Mu Lin had just finished his shower and was cleaning the bathroom when he suddenly heard a loud CLANG from the yard.

Mu Lin went out to look. The strong wind had blown over a flower stand. It was a good thing he'd already moved all the plants inside, or this could have been a real mess.

Mu Lin walked over, cleaned up the shards of the empty flowerpots the stand had knocked over, and then left the stand lying on the ground, deciding to deal with it after the storm passed.

Once he was done, Mu Lin looked up and was surprised to see, a few hundred meters away in the darkness, a man in a security guard's uniform carrying an old man in pajamas.

Behind them were several figures dressed in black, their identities unclear.

Mu Lin recalled what Elder Li had said before. 'District One really is in turmoil.'

'But what are you doing causing a ruckus all the way over here in our District Three?'

'When you were all-powerful, calling the shots and looking down on the common folk, you never gave a thought to us little people in District Three. Now that you're about to cash in your chips, you think you can come running to our district to save your skin?'

"This is an emergency! A Jianghu crisis! If you can shelter Elder Zhou for one night, you will be handsomely rewarded in the future!"

The guard shouted toward the villas.

But everyone kept their doors shut, unwilling to get involved.

'Of course, everyone coveted a favor from Elder Zhou, but to risk their lives for it? No one had that kind of courage.'

'The bodyguards from District One are famously formidable, the stuff of legends. So how come they're so pathetic now?'

'If even you guys are getting beaten so badly you have to flee for your lives, how are we supposed to help? We'd be insta-killed by your pursuers!'

Mu Lin figured it was best not to get involved. He turned to close his door and avoid the disaster.

But unexpectedly, the guard saw him. He immediately changed direction and ran straight for Mu Lin.

'As long as there's a person, there's a way!'

'I'll use Elder Zhou's name to pressure you. You wouldn't dare refuse us entry, would you?'

In truth, the guard wasn't focused on Mu Lin, but on the open door to his house.

Once inside, he would be able to free up his hands to fend off the pursuers' attacks.

He ran to the fence, and with a powerful leap, he cleared the 1.3-meter-high barrier, landing lightly inside the yard.

"Thank you for taking us in! We will reward you handsomely for this!" the guard said excitedly.

Elder Zhou, in his arms, was very weak. The violent jostling had taken its toll on him.

Elder Zhou struggled for a moment, then said to Mu Lin, "Young man, I must thank you! Once we get through this ordeal, I'll have to show you my…"

Mu Lin was furious. 'I never said you could come in!'

"Who the hell are you? Barging into someone's house like this? Aren't you a little old to be so shameless?"

The guard cursed, "Insolence! This is the Patriarch of the Zhou Family, one of the three great families! Zhou Qishan! His status is beyond the comprehension of a small fry like you!"

Mu Lin chuckled. "What the hell does that have to do with me? I don't care if he's Zhou Qishan or Yueqi Mountain, breaking and entering is still illegal!"

Elder Zhou gestured to the guard. "Is cursing all you know how to do? Be polite to people!"

Elder Zhou turned to Mu Lin. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you. I'll just find another place!"