C74 Zhao Family You Really Deserve to Die!!

In the presence of a crowd, Lin Chen gave Sun Qing'er a hard smack on the behind. Any flicker of gratitude she felt disappeared in an instant, leaving her face a mix of embarrassment and fury.

"You... you can't kill us!" they protested. "Our sect won't let you get away with it!"

Fear flashed in the eyes of the two Head Tamers as Sun Qing'er approached. "You think you can impress me with those insignificant tricks of your sect?" Lin Chen scoffed at them, his voice dripping with contempt.

Sun Qing'er, noticing Lin Chen's lack of concern, summoned the Ice Heart Spell from her memory and put it into action. Seizing the two men by their heads, she began siphoning their power into herself. It seamlessly blended with the innate spiritual energy within her dantian.

As the technique worked its magic, the stolen power, now infused with a strand of innate spiritual energy, became hers to wield. This was the chilling power of the Ice Heart Spell—no need for traditional cultivation; she could simply absorb the strength of others to fortify herself.

Over time, Sun Qing'er could refine both the innate spiritual energy and the power she took from others, steadily building her own might.

"Using the Ice Heart Spell from the evil sects?" they accused. "You'll be hunted down by all factions for this!"

The Head Tamers, feeling their energy drain away, glared at Lin Chen with splitting fury. But Lin Chen just sneered, "Righteous or evil, they mean nothing to me. Let them come; I'll make sure they regret it."

Sun Qing'er, overhearing this from a short distance, shuddered. She bit her lip, holding back her words. She understood that Lin Chen's primary reason for teaching her this spell was to refine the innate spiritual energy within her—lest it become her undoing.

Despite being fully aware that his actions would lead to trouble, Lin Chen proceeded without a second thought.

Minutes later, Sun Qing'er had drained all the power and vitality from the two Head Tamers. Even Chung Yu, a scion of a prestigious family from the capital, couldn't hide his fear as he watched her, stepping back repeatedly.

"Snap!"

Lin Chen gave Sun Qing'er's behind another smack.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked coolly.

"Thinking the Ice Heart Spell gives you free rein?" he continued. "You need to refine that absorbed power more, or it'll backlash against you eventually."

Sun Qing'er, humiliated by the public spanking, protested, "Can you please not hit my butt? I am a girl, after all!"

Yet, despite Chung Yu's shocked reaction to her practice of the Ice Heart Spell, Lin Chen remained unphased, which oddly enough, moved her. But his disregard for her dignity was something she couldn't just brush off.

"You're my servant; it's my right to discipline you," Lin Chen retorted. "And you should count yourself lucky I haven't asked you to warm my bed."

With a dismissive pout, Lin Chen turned away from Sun Qing'er to face Chairman Lee and Sun Hao.

"Lin Chen... don't be reckless," Chairman Lee warned, his voice quivering. "I'm the chairman of Ann's Group!"

But Lin Chen was not one for idle talk. He landed a heavy punch on Chairman Lee's forehead, leaving the man dazed and drooling.

"Master, did you just turn him into an idiot?" Sun Qing'er asked, noting Chairman Lee's stupefied state.

"Why keep him around? Should I wait for the New Year?" Lin Chen replied, unfazed.

"But Master, aren't you short on cash?" Sun Qing'er gently reminded him.

Lin Chen's face twisted in realization, and he cursed under his breath.

"Snap!"

"Sun Qing'er, as my servant, you should have reminded me sooner!" he snapped, his frustration evident as he gave her another slap.

"I!"

Sun Qing'er's mouth fell open, her frustration palpable.

Yet, inwardly, she was practically blooming with glee. She had tolerated this guy smacking her backside for no good reason, and now? Now he was getting his comeuppance.

The money she'd effortlessly gained had been knocked right out of her hands by Lin Chen's punch. He totally deserved it!

"Lin Chen, are you in need of money?"

"I can provide it!"

"Just don't leave me brain-damaged or dead, and I'll agree to any sum you name!"

A short distance away, Sun Hao spoke to Lin Chen, his voice laced with fear.

He had no desire to end up like the Head Tamers or Chairman Lee.

"Just loan me a hundred billion, and I swear I won't kill you or turn you into an idiot!"

Lin Chen nodded, his statement blunt and to the point.

A hundred billion?

Are you out of your mind?

The entire market cap of Prosperous Group didn't even reach a hundred billion!

"Lin Chen, I... at most, I can only free up ten billion in liquid assets for you!"

Sun Hao was inwardly cursing up a storm, but externally, he could only shakily respond to Lin Chen.

"Do you really think ten billion is enough to save your life?"

Lin Chen's eyebrows shot up, his expression suddenly turning grim.

He had been counting on a hundred billion, but Sun Hao was offering only a tenth of that—the gap was enormous.

"I honestly can't come up with more money."

"Lin Chen, no, Big Brother Lin, Grandpa Lin, I'm begging you, please spare my miserable life."

"Besides, everything that happened today was Chairman Lee's doing, it had nothing to do with me."

Having said his piece, Sun Hao dropped to his knees before Lin Chen, pleading loudly for mercy.

"If money's not enough, then your life will have to make up the difference!"

"Qing'er, finish him off!"

Lin Chen commanded without so much as a glance, his eyes remaining unfocused.

As Sun Qing'er advanced towards him, step by step, the terror in Sun Hao's eyes intensified.

"Wait, Grandpa Lin, I... I have a secret!"

"If you promise to spare me, I assure you this secret won't leave you at a loss!"

Sun Hao looked up, his voice urgent.

He knew that divulging this secret might get him killed, but if he kept silent now, death would come even swifter.

"A secret?"

"Interesting, go on."

"If your secret holds enough value, I might just spare you."

Lin Chen's eyes narrowed.

This guy, waiting until his final moments to spill the beans, clearly had a secret that was far from ordinary.

"Remember when Chairman Lee suggested I had a powerful backer?"

"Well, that power is none other than the Zhao family, led by Zhao Feng!"

"The debt I owed to Ann's Group? That was at the Zhao family's behest."

"Their aim? To have me undermine Ann's Group and then swoop in to acquire it."

Without a moment's hesitation, Sun Hao laid bare the Zhao family's dealings.

"Zhao Feng, the Zhao family?"

A glint of ice shot through Lin Chen's gaze.

He had not anticipated that Zhao Feng would dare target Ann's Group!

"Yes, the Zhao family!"

"Just a few days ago, while I was in the hospital, Zhao Feng himself called, pressing me to act quickly after my discharge to take control of Ann's Group!"

Sun Hao nodded vigorously at Lin Chen, like a chick pecking at grains.

"If this had happened before, perhaps I would have let it slide."

"But now, knowing full well that I'm with Ann's Group, they still plot to take it over."

"The Zhao family has quite the audacity!"

A thick aura of murderous intent radiated from Lin Chen.

He had once shared the fist position with Zhao Feng in the park and even offered a healing method for him and Zhao Xue'er.

And this is how they repay his generosity—with betrayal?