C100 He Wanted to Help Lee Chen out

A middle-aged man in a suit descended the stairs from the second floor at a leisurely pace. Flanking him were five or six imposing figures.

As soon as he made his entrance, his eyes, sharp as an eagle's, fixed on Lin Chen with a piercing chill.

"That's Liu Junhao, the owner of the Junhao Hotel!"

"Word on the street is that Boss Liu's power is enigmatic, backed by a prominent family from the capital."

"With a heavyweight like him stepping in, this Lin Chen kid is about to hit hard times."

Murmurs spread through the crowd as they caught sight of the middle-aged man. Those who had previously egged Lee Chen on to take down Lin Chen breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Liu Junhao's presence signaled an end to Lin Chen's reign of intimidation!

"Lin Chen, you've got some nerve causing a scene on Boss Liu's turf. Get over there and apologize—maybe even grovel a little."

"If Boss Liu's feeling generous, he might just let you off with your life."

A pot-bellied man looked up and sneered at Lin Chen.

Lin Chen's lips curled into a faint smile. "If I'm not mistaken, you were the loudest of them all."

"Think you're untouchable with him in your corner?"

With a nonchalant glance at Liu Junhao, Lin Chen began to stride toward the man with the protruding belly.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm warning you, Boss Liu's connections are formidable, far beyond what the Sun family can muster!"

"Cross me, and Boss Liu won't let you off the hook!"

Panic flickered in the eyes of the man with the expansive waistline as Lin Chen approached.

"Ever wonder why the bad guys in TV dramas never make it past the third episode?"

"It's because they spout too much drivel!"

Lin Chen shook his head in mock disappointment.

Without further ado, he grabbed a chair and brought it crashing down on the man's head.

A thud echoed as the chair splintered, gashing a ten-centimeter wound across the man's forehead.

Blood, scalding and profuse, streamed down, drenching his face in a gruesome mask.

"Stop right there!"

Liu Junhao, observing from a short distance, noticed Lin Chen gearing up to strike the man with the protruding belly. His stern face darkened with displeasure.

How many times would Lin Chen blatantly cause trouble on his turf? Did he truly believe Liu Junhao was invisible?

"Uncle Liu, you're back at last."

"Lin Chen is way out of line."

"He got me roughed up at the antique market before, and now he's been insulting everyone left and right."

"You've got to stand up for us on this one!"

Lee Chen, who had been pricked by Lin Chen's silver needles, finally snapped out of it.

He hurried over to Liu Junhao, pleading his case through tears.

Witnessing Lee Chen's state, a shockwave ran through the onlookers.

Uncle Liu?

Could it be that the prestigious family from the capital backing Liu Junhao was the Lee family?

Why else would Lee Chen address him as Uncle Liu?

With this realization, the crowd's anticipation reignited.

Lin Chen's ferocity and audacity had instilled a deep-seated fear in them.

If someone could take him down, either by death or by crippling him, it would be the perfect resolution!

"Rest assured, Little Chen. Uncle Liu will see to it that justice is served!"

"The Lee family's honor is not to be taken lightly!"

Liu Junhao gave a nod to his bodyguard.

Together, they brought over a chair for Lee Chen to sit and began examining him.

"Young man, sever your own arm, and we can put this matter to rest," Liu Junhao commanded, lifting his head with an air of deadly seriousness.

"Hahaha, you little twerp, did you catch Boss Liu's drift?"

"If you don't amputate your own arm, Boss Liu won't just prevent you from stepping out of here—your family will pay the price too!"

"The women will be sold off to Emperor Bath City, and the men will be sent to sleep with the fishes!"

The big-bellied man, who had taken a chair to the forehead from Lin Chen, burst into maniacal laughter upon hearing Liu Junhao's words.

What did it matter if his head was split open?

Crossing Liu Junhao meant Lin Chen's fate would be a hundred times more miserable!

"Is this a threat?"

Lin Chen lifted his eyelids, confronting Liu Junhao without a trace of fear.

"Sorry, this is not a threat—it's an order," Liu Junhao stated, his face devoid of emotion.

"Quite the 'order' indeed!"

"Now, let me ask you once more. Are his words fact or fiction?"

Lin Chen smiled as he posed his question to Liu Junhao.

If Liu Junhao merely wanted to target him, Lin Chen would have been content to teach him a lesson and leave it at that.

But if Liu Junhao had designs on his family as well, the response would be far more than a simple lesson.

"I've made it clear before—the Lee family will not stand for insults."

"Some mistakes inevitably come with a price."

Liu Junhao spoke with a tinge of regret in his tone.

Had Lin Chen not made a move against Lee Chen, Liu Junhao might have considered bringing him into his fold, given his nature.

Alas, as the Lee family's spokesperson in A City, Lee Chen had been humiliated to such a degree that Liu Junhao owed his family some form of redress.

With Liu Junhao's affirmation, Lin Chen simply nodded, foregoing any superfluous words.

He delivered a kick to the knee of the potbellied man.

"Crack!"

The sound of bones shattering echoed twice in quick succession, but Lin Chen spared not a second glance.

Lifting his foot, he then stamped down on the man's arms, the crisp sound sending a shiver through everyone present.

"You're digging your own grave!"

A fierce killing intent flared in Liu Junhao's eyes.

His words had been clear, yet Lin Chen brazenly broke the limbs of the man, a blatant challenge to his authority.

"Boss, there's an issue with the silver needles inside Young Master Lee," the two muscular men at Liu Junhao's side reported with grim faces.

Liu Junhao's brow creased slightly as he fought to keep his anger at bay.

"If we remove these silver needles hastily, Young Master Lee might not survive beyond a couple of hours."

"And if we don't remove them, he may not last the day!"

The burly man, feeling Liu Junhao's gaze upon him, reluctantly continued.

He had once read about this needle technique, known as the Soul Return Needle, in an ancient text.

Anyone capable of such a technique was, without a doubt, a medical practitioner of extraordinary, almost supernatural skill.

"Soul Return Needle?"

"Could it be he wasn't deceiving me earlier?"

Upon hearing this, Lee Chen shuddered, fear creeping into his eyes once more.

When he initially felt no ill effects, he assumed Lin Chen's mention of the Soul Return Needle was merely a scare tactic.

But now...

"Uncle Liu, please, you must save me."

"I don't want to die!"

Lee Chen turned, grasping Liu Junhao's arms with both hands, his pleas relentless.

Liu Junhao's brow furrowed, his eyes betraying annoyance.

The Lee family, a prominent household even in the capital, had somehow produced a failure like Lee Chen.

"Save Young Master Lee, and your family will remain unharmed."

Liu Junhao inhaled deeply, his gaze settling on Lin Chen.

He was well aware that threatening Lin Chen was the only leverage he had to coerce him into saving Lee Chen.

"My family will be unharmed?"

"Boss Liu, you're quite bold with your words!"

Lin Chen couldn't suppress a laugh.

He was genuinely curious as to who had emboldened Liu Junhao to make such a statement.

"Obstinate fool."

"Old Wang, tell Brother Dog to take this kid's family to Emperor Bath City."

"And the man? Dump him in the river."

Liu Junhao didn't respond to Lin Chen; instead, he commanded his bodyguard.

"No need for that."

"Old Dog Wang is dead, and I'm now in charge of Emperor Bath City!"

Just then, an ethereal voice echoed from the second-floor staircase, startling everyone present.

Old Dog Wang was dead?

That was shocking news indeed!

After all, Old Dog Wang was the Underground Emperor of A City, backed by the Southern Barbarian King himself.

Liu Junhao's rapid rise in A City was largely due to his alliance with Old Dog Wang!

Eyes followed the voice to see Sun Qing'er in a flowing black gown, gracefully descending to the hall's center.

Several middle-aged men, known as Old Dog Wang's most trusted lieutenants, stood behind her.

Liu Junhao's face paled slightly upon seeing them.

Clearly, they were now aligned with Sun Qing'er, which meant her earlier declaration was no bluff.