C5 Hell's Devil

The night was thick around the Zhou Mansion.

At the main gate, eight bodyguards tensed up as Lin Chen appeared out of nowhere, clad in nocturnal clothing. One of the bodyguards, a burly man with a square face, barked, "Halt! What's your business here? You can't just waltz in!"

Lin Chen offered no reply. With a light tap of his toe on the ground, he darted towards the bodyguards like an arrow piercing the night. In a heartbeat, he was among them.

The bodyguards, caught off guard, clutched their riot batons. But before they could draw them, Lin Chen's fists struck. The sound of snapping echoed through the air, as if their bones were splintering under the impact.

To a distant observer, Lin Chen might have seemed to soar, his speed defying gravity itself. His feet and fists pummeled their heads, wrists, chests, and bellies with precision.

In the blink of an eye, all eight were sprawled on the ground, clutching their injuries, their faces contorted in agony as they howled in pain.

The square-faced man who had spoken earlier felt his hand bones might shatter. Overwhelmed by Lin Chen's prowess, he lost all desire to resist. Sweating profusely, he fumbled for his mini walkie-talkie to alert the mansion's inhabitants.

But another brutal kick sent him reeling, blood gushing from his nose and mouth. After a brief struggle, he succumbed to unconsciousness.

The remaining seven bodyguards inhaled sharply at the sight of their leader's plight, fear gripping their hearts. They realized the young man before them possessed a terrifying power.

If devils from hell walked the earth, surely their smiles would resemble the cold smirk on Lin Chen's face.

Now too frightened to even consider calling for help, the seven bodyguards stood frozen, silent and sweating, not daring to make a move.

Lin Chen surveyed the scene with satisfaction. These men were part of the criminal underworld; he could dispatch them without a twinge of conscience. Yet he had no intention of killing tonight. He addressed them calmly, "I'm looking for Zhou Cheng. Which room is he in?"

His words were as casual as if he were simply asking for directions, his tone light and easy. Yet to the seven people listening, it felt like a death threat, a summons from the Grim Reaper himself.

With no choice, the seven divulged Zhou Cheng's exact whereabouts. Lin Chen nodded contentedly, knocked them out cold, and left them by the roadside. They wouldn't be waking up anytime soon, not until he had finished his task.

Moving in silence, Lin Chen's sharp senses and keen nose kept vigilant watch over his surroundings. He slipped in swiftly, his presence melting into the night, becoming one with the shadows.

He scaled the balcony of the second floor, incapacitating the four Zhou Mansion staff members. Then, like a specter, he advanced towards the elders. It was now ten o'clock at night, and a room on the third floor was still ablaze with light.

Lin Chen stepped onto the balcony and peered into the opulent bedroom. There he saw the familiar figure of Zhou Cheng.

But Zhou Cheng was oblivious to the Netherlord-like figure standing at the balcony's glass door. Inside, he was engaged in an activity that would set the average person's blood on fire.

The glass door on the balcony clattered open with a loud crash.

"Who's there!?" Zhou Cheng spun around, his eyes wide with alarm. The sight of the face entering through the glass door nearly made him scream in terror.

"It's me. Have you forgotten about me already, after just half a day?" Lin Chen said, his lips curling into a sinister, icy smile.

He pulled out his phone, activated the recording function, and slipped it back into his pocket, as if he were there to gather evidence.

Zhou Cheng stared at Lin Chen, whip in hand, his body shaking with fear. "You... Weren't you at the police station? How did you get here?"

Lin Chen's eyes flickered with mockery as he glanced at the 'little bug' below Zhou Cheng's belly, his laugh cold and scornful. "Surprised I didn't die in the ICU, are you?"

"Impossible! They told me you were hospitalized, that my men had broken your legs. How can you be standing here, unharmed?" Zhou Cheng's voice trembled as he shook his head in disbelief. If he weren't in his own room, he might have thought he was seeing a ghost.

"Good, you're admitting that it was you who arranged for someone to attack me in the ICU!" Lin Chen's eyes briefly glanced at the beauty on the bed, who mistakenly thought she was being rescued, whimpering for help.

Zhou Cheng let out a cold laugh. "And what if I did? I had someone ready to take you down. How did you manage to get out unscathed? Did that guy fail to hit you?"

"Surprised, aren't you?" Lin Chen lit a cigarette and sauntered over to Zhou Cheng.

"What are you going to do? If you lay a finger on me, my guys won't hesitate to riddle you with bullets!" Zhou Cheng was defiant, anger flaring. "Hmph, you, an abandoned son of the Lin family, think you can compete with me over a woman?"

"I'd say you're the one who's not worthy, especially since you're about to be less of a man!" In a flash, Lin Chen was in front of Zhou Cheng, delivering a powerful slap that sent him crashing to the ground.

The slap left Zhou Cheng stunned. How had Lin Chen moved so quickly, and with such force, that he was now sprawled on the floor?

In a mix of confusion and pain, Zhou Cheng scrambled to a corner, pointing at Lin Chen as he shouted, "Stay back! Don't come any closer, or I'll call for help. My father's men are armed. You won't get away with this!"

Lin Chen was unfazed, flicking his cigarette butt and spitting on Zhou Cheng's face, then stared down at him with a blank expression. Terrified, Zhou Cheng shrank into himself, realizing he was no match for Lin Chen.

"Tell me, was it you who set me up on drug charges?" Lin Chen demanded icily.

"Yes, it was me... I had someone frame you..." Zhou Cheng stammered.

Before he could finish, Lin Chen's foot lashed out, striking him viciously between the legs, and blood sprayed.

"Ah!"