Chapter 28: Forced Demolition
At the intersection, just as Chu Qiang’s BMW arrived, Fang Hongxin, the local street director, trotted over to open the car door for him personally.
Although Chu Qiang was merely a low-level servant in the Chu Family, he was a favored subordinate of Chu Weilong. Within the Chu estate, he might be a nobody who could be ordered around, but out in the world, he was not someone to be trifled with. Especially now that the Chu Family had purchased this land to build a hotel over these shantytowns, they were the "big spenders," and even less to be offended.
"What a shithole. My brand-new leather shoes are already covered in mud." As soon as he stepped out, Chu Qiang’s polished shoes were splattered, and he looked on with disgust.
"Haha, this place is just like that. How have you been lately, Young Master Chu?"
Chu Qiang took out a white handkerchief to wipe his shoes, then gave a cold snort. "Forget about that. Young Master Chu has given the order: this area must be cleared today. Construction starts tomorrow."
"What? So soon? That’s going to be... difficult," Fang Hongxin said, his face clouding with hesitation.
"What? You dare to defy Young Master Chu's wishes?"
"I wouldn't dare! It's just that there are a few households that refuse to move. They say the compensation is too low to live on, so..."
"Fang Hongxin, I’m finding you increasingly tiresome. Do I need to teach you how to handle such a trivial matter?"
Fang Hongxin nodded repeatedly, rubbing his hands together. Suddenly, he spotted Lin Wan'er standing at the entrance and gestured for her. "Lin Wan'er, come over here and explain your family's situation."
Lin Wan'er’s lips trembled. She stared fixedly at the man named Chu Qiang, unable to ever forget what happened a year ago. Her mother had been returning from work when the man who owned this brute—that man named Chu Weilong—took a fancy to her and tried to drag her into his car. If she hadn't come home from school and screamed for help, attracting the attention of passersby, they would have succeeded. But the very next day, Chu Weilong had sent this lackey to their house, and he had broken her mother's leg! To avoid them, Xia Yu and her daughter had bought this dilapidated house.
Clenching her fists, Lin Wan'er walked toward Chu Qiang step by step. Chu Qiang was genuinely puzzled; who was this girl, and why did she look at him like he was the man who killed her father?
"Chu Qiang, you murderer! How dare you show your face here!" Lin Wan'er screamed viciously.
Chu Qiang squinted, suddenly remembering. "Damn, so it’s you, you little bitch. You actually bit me last time, and I haven’t even settled that score yet. So your family moved here!"
"I wish I could devour you alive! You animal! You broke my mother’s leg, and now you want to forcibly demolish our home? You’ll get what's coming to you!" Lin Wan'er gritted her teeth, looking like an enraged little tiger.
Chu Qiang’s mouth twitched in anger, and he laughed coldly. "Hah! Good, very good! A little brat who doesn't know when to die!"
Seeing this, Fang Hongxin hurried to smooth things over. "Brother Qiang, please calm down. Let me talk to her."
But Chu Qiang shoved Fang Hongxin aside. "Get the hell out of my way!"
He stepped in front of Lin Wan'er and swung his hand across her face. *Slap!*
"You cheap bitch, how dare you talk to me like that? You’re begging for death!"
Who was he? He was a member of the Chu Family, the head of the Four Great Families of Zhonghai. As for Lin Wan'er and Xia Yu, they were just orphans and widows at the bottom of society. Trying to stand up to him? They clearly didn't know how to write the word "death."
"You..." Lin Wan'er was furious, but before she could speak, Chu Qiang said with disdain, "Say one more word of nonsense, and I’ll have your house leveled right now. Believe it or not, I’ll have your crippled mother buried under the rubble."
Lin Wan'er froze. Ordinarily, she would never swallow such an insult, but at the thought of her mother, she gripped her fists tightly, unable to utter a single word.
"Hah, lowlifes are always lowlifes. You just have to endure it when you’re hit. Was that slap just now satisfying?"
Lin Wan'er’s body trembled with rage, but she was powerless to fight back. Even Fang Hongxin took a deep breath, his face ashen, but he had to force a smile.
"Brother Qiang, please don’t be angry. Let’s talk this through. These are just ordinary people; no need to lower yourself to their level." Even if he was angry, what could he do? The Chu Family had stood in Zhonghai for decades; with a flick of their finger, they could decide his fate. To ensure these residents could leave safely, he could only mediate and fight for the best outcome. He dared not resist, and instead had to play the sycophant to win their favor.
Chu Qiang pulled a smug smile. "Hmph, at least you know how to behave."
Fang Hongxin smiled fawningly. "Hehe, thank you for the compliment, Brother Qiang." He then winked at Lin Wan'er. "Why don't you thank Brother Qiang? He is a generous man and won't hold this against you. Go and tell your neighbors to move—it's for their own good so they don't get caught in the crossfire."
Lin Wan'er felt more stifled with every passing second. "Why should we move? Giving each family a few thousand? How are we supposed to live? I don't accept this!"
Just as Fang Hongxin was about to speak, Chu Qiang noticed a military-green jeep parked at Lin Wan'er’s door and seemed to realize something. "Oh? So you’ve got help, have you? You little bitch, I wasn't going to lower myself to your level, but since you’re so obstinate, don't blame me for being heartless. Damn it, send a bulldozer over here and flatten her house first!"
But at that moment, the wooden door opened, and Lin Ce slowly stepped out. He was surrounded by a faint, icy aura, as if he could freeze the very air around him.
"I’d like to see who dares to bulldoze it."
"Oh? You want to meddle in this?" Chu Qiang squinted, eyeing Lin Ce with a malicious look. Although Lin Ce’s powerful presence made him hesitate for a split second, he was a man of the Chu Family—he felt no fear.
"If you dare to lay a finger on her, it is no longer just meddling," Lin Ce said calmly.
When Lin Ce looked at Lin Wan'er’s face and saw the five vivid red fingerprint marks, a flash of icy killing intent crossed his eyes.
"Pfft!" Chu Qiang burst out laughing. "Not only do I dare touch her, I even dared to touch her mother, you idiot! It was me who broke her legs. What of it? You going to bite me?" Chu Qiang clamored arrogantly.
Lin Ce said nothing. Inside the house, Xia Yu had already told him about her crippled legs.
"You are from the Chu Family?" Lin Ce’s eyes narrowed.
"Hmph, so you have some sense. Now that you know I'm with the Chu Family, take my advice and get the hell out of here, or you won't be walking out of here today."
Lin Ce nodded with satisfaction. He placed a hand on Lin Wan'er’s trembling shoulder and comforted her. "Wan'er, what do you want to do about this?"
Lin Wan'er stared daggers at Chu Qiang, her delicate face twisted. "I want to kill him!"
It had been an outburst of anger, but Lin Ce nodded and said, word for word, "Very well. Then it shall be as you wish. In this world, no one will ever bully you again."
Chapter 29: No Mercy
"What an arrogant piece of trash!"
With a flash of cold light in his eyes, Chu Qiang lunged forward to teach Lin Ce a lesson. Even though he was just a dog for the Chu Family, he was strong enough to handle a dozen ordinary men.
However, just then, a two-meter-tall behemoth dropped from out of nowhere. Upon landing, a *thud* echoed, and the stone floor cracked beneath him. Before Chu Qiang could react, the man grabbed him by the head.
Bahu’s eyes were as sharp as blades as he laughed coldly. "A lowly cur daring to strike at the Lord? Forget about you; even the head of the Chu Family would have to kneel before him!"
"Who... who the hell are you? Daring to disrespect the head of the Chu Family?" Chu Qiang was terrified. He had prided himself on his strength, yet in front of this man, he was captured instantly, losing all courage to resist.
Lin Ce asked coldly, "Which hand hit her?"
Chu Qiang was trembling in fear but stayed silent.
"Fine. Since you won't say, we'll dispose of both arms."
As the words left Lin Ce’s lips, Bahu grabbed Chu Qiang’s arms and twisted them three hundred and sixty degrees.
*Crack! Crack!*
"AAAGH!" Chu Qiang screamed in agony, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.
"Bastard! Let Brother Qiang go, or the Chu Family won't let you off!" The men in suits behind him gathered round. The leader was a bald man with a savage scar across his eyebrow, known as the "Ferocious Wolf." This gang followed Chu Qiang, working for the Chu Family and handling all their dirty business. Seeing that Lin Ce was a stranger, they assumed he was just some insignificant nobody.
"Too noisy," Lin Ce said lightly.
Immediately, Bahu struck first. *Slap! Slap! Slap!* Several heavy blows were landed, and the men led by the Ferocious Wolf were sent flying by Bahu’s immense strength, rolling on the ground in a daze.
Lin Ce calmly walked up to Chu Qiang, hands behind his back, looking at him with indifference. "You love acting tough behind your master's shadow—did you ever think you'd end up like this?"
Chu Qiang’s breathing grew labored, his rage skyrocketing. He was a member of the Chu Family; for years in Zhonghai, no one had ever dared to treat him this way. Fang Hongxin, watching from the side, clenched his fists tightly—this was satisfying, truly satisfying. These people were always so arrogant, and finally, someone was teaching these scumbags a lesson! If he didn't have to worry about the consequences, he would have applauded.
But then, a glimmer of malice appeared in Chu Qiang’s eyes. "Damn you! Die!"
He suddenly lunged upward, unleashing a "deadly scissor kick" aimed at snapping Lin Ce’s neck. It was a move of immense power; if it landed, it could easily crush a man's windpipe.
Lin Ce’s eyes flashed with a surge of thunderous energy, his voice like a war drum. "KNEEL!"
*BOOM!*
Chu Qiang, still in mid-air, suddenly screamed and plummeted to the ground, his knees hitting the earth with an audible crack. Instantly, blood poured from his seven orifices, his kneecaps shattered. Chu Qiang remained kneeling perfectly straight, but his eyes had already gone vacant. He was dead—as dead as one could possibly be.
Even Bahu felt a tremor in his own body; he knew the Dragon Head was truly angry. The others, including the Ferocious Wolf, stared in sheer terror.
*Holy shit! Chu Qiang was killed... by a shout!* What kind of person could do such a thing? What kind of power was this?
Until his dying breath, Chu Qiang never understood what kind of terrifying existence he had provoked.
"I, Lin Ce, have guarded the borders and held back the enemy for eight years, bathing in blood and bile."
"Yet, here in Huaxia, such parasites exist, bullying the innocent and trampling the people. It is truly hateful!"
Lin Ce waved his hand, the dust settling. He looked at the group and said, word for word, "The Chu Family will pay for this."
Lin Ce turned his gaze toward the Ferocious Wolf. "Call your master. Tell him there is an issue here, and he must come personally to explain."
The Ferocious Wolf felt his heart skip a beat. *Holy crap, he wants him to call Chu Weilong?* This was a death wish. If anything happened to the Young Master because of this monster, his time in Zhonghai would be over.
"Boy, if you want to live, tell your master to come here obediently!" Bahu grabbed the Ferocious Wolf by the collar and said coldly.
"Fine, I... I'll make the call." Regardless of anything else, he had to survive this. Chu Qiang was dead, and if he wanted to live, he had to play the traitor.
"What... what should I say?" the Ferocious Wolf asked with a bitter expression.
"Hehe, those who want to live always find a way." Bahu’s lips curled, and he licked them with a crimson tongue.
The Ferocious Wolf gulped, terrified that Bahu might slap him again—he wouldn't be able to take it.
"Hello? Young Master, it’s... it's me, Wolf."
"Wolf? Why the hell are you calling me? How is the job going?" The voice on the other end sounded impatient.
"Young Master, there’s been a complication. You... you have to back us up here."
Chu Weilong was clearly displeased. "You can’t even handle a small task like this? What the hell is going on? Speak clearly!"
The Ferocious Wolf whimpered, "Young Master, we arrived at the site, but someone is interfering, refusing to let us demolish, and saying they want you to come discuss it." He spoke as vaguely as possible, hoping the Young Master would catch his drift.
"What about Chu Qiang? Didn't he handle it?"
"Brother Qiang... he was knocked unconscious."
"Good. Very good. With the weight of my Chu Family in Zhonghai, someone actually dares to cause trouble? You wait for me; I'm coming right now!" The Chu Family had handed the eastern district project to Chu Weilong, and he was ready to make a big splash. He hadn't expected to meet someone so obstinate right at the start.
The Ferocious Wolf hung up the phone and knelt honestly by the side of the road with his brothers. Lin Ce nodded with satisfaction. Chu Weilong not only forced the demolition of the shantytown, he had also ordered the breaking of Xia Yu’s legs—he would certainly resolve this matter.
Meanwhile, Lin Wan'er and Xia Yu felt as if the scene before them was unreal. Especially Lin Wan'er; she had just met this "brother," and had even scoffed at his promises earlier. But now, she saw a side of him that was utterly domineering. He was invincible, majestic beyond compare! Even facing the number one family in Zhonghai, he showed no fear, killing a man without a second thought! Young as she was, the girl was quite bold. She wasn't terrified by the death, a testament to the blood of the Lin Family running in her veins.
"Wan'er, tell me the truth—who exactly is Mr. Lin?" If Xia Yu still thought Lin Ce was just a teacher, she would be a fool.
Chapter 30: Coming to Collect the Bodies
Lin Wan'er looked at Lin Ce with a complex expression and said to Xia Yu, "Mom, he... he is from the Lin Family."
Although she told her mother Lin Ce’s identity, she didn't mention the destruction of the Lin Family. She knew that all these years, her mother had harbored feelings for that man and couldn't let go of the past. If she knew the truth about the Lin Family, she feared her mother wouldn't be able to handle it.
Upon hearing this, Xia Yu quickly said, "Lin Ce, you have to leave quickly! You’ve provoked the Chu Family; they won’t let you go. Leave this to us."
"The Chu Family—no one in Zhonghai can afford to offend them. If something happens to you, the souls of the Lin Family will never rest in peace." Xia Yu’s tears couldn't be held back, and she wept bitterly.
Lin Ce and Lin Wan'er were stunned. Lin Wan'er looked at her mother in surprise. "Mom, you... you knew?"
"You silly child, how could I not know about something so big? I didn't tell you because I was afraid you’d be hurt."
"Mom!" Lin Wan'er threw herself into Xia Yu’s arms. "Mom, I have no father anymore. I’ll never have a father again, boo-hoo..."
Although Lin Wan'er had resented the Lin Family, they were her blood; how could she not feel the loss? Watching the mother and daughter sobbing, Lin Ce was deeply moved. The culprits behind all of this were the Four Great Families of Zhonghai and the dark forces pulling the strings! He swore that he would get to the bottom of this and slaughter every person involved to comfort the spirits of his foster parents and his eldest brother.
"What are you howling about? I arrive at this shithole and the first thing I hear is crying. How unlucky." Chu Weilong stepped out of his Rolls-Royce and strolled over.
"Wolf, why are you kneeling? Who told you to kneel? Get up!" Chu Weilong’s first sight was the Ferocious Wolf and his men kneeling, with Chu Qiang nearby. "Chu Qiang, why the hell are you kneeling too? I'm talking to you!"
Chu Weilong kicked Chu Qiang, and the man collapsed to the ground. Seeing Chu Qiang’s face covered in blood from his seven orifices, Chu Weilong jumped in shock. Only then did he realize the atmosphere was wrong. The Ferocious Wolf and the others were kneeling on the ground, not even daring to raise their heads. A man nearly two meters tall stood there like a tank. And not far away sat a young man with a mother and daughter.
"Boy, did you cause this? Do you know who I am?"
"I am the eldest son of the Chu Family, the number one family in Zhonghai! Chu Xinyi is my sister!"
"Is that so? Such great prestige. Don't you want to know who I am?"
Chu Weilong scrutinized Lin Ce. He looked like a stranger; there was no one by that name in Zhonghai. "Who are you?"
Lin Ce revealed a harmless smile. "Lin Ce."
Hearing that name, Chu Weilong’s expression changed instantly. Lin Ce? He was the adopted son of the Lin Family! The Lin Ce who took down Zhao Hongguang to seize the Lin Corporation building, and the one who made his sister and Huang Xiaotian look like fools at the auction!
"You... how are you here?" Chu Weilong’s body shuddered, and he instinctively looked for his followers. But he realized he hadn't brought anyone with him. He wanted to slap himself. He had thought that because he was in Zhonghai, no one would dare ignore him. But he never dreamed he would run into Lin Ce!
"Originally, I intended to give you a month to surrender and sweep the graves of the Lin Family. I never expected you to come here to die yourself."