Lin Chen lifted his foot and kicked. Liang Zhu was sent flying several meters.
*THUD!*
He crashed into a table behind him, blood streaming from his forehead as he collapsed to the floor like a dead dog.
"Zhu'er!" A man's furious roar cut through the commotion. Liang Haoming, head of the Liang family, strode over with a squad of bodyguards just in time to see his son lying battered on the ground. "Who dares hurt my son?!" He swept a furious gaze across the crowd.
"Father! It was him! He's the one who attacked me!" Liang Zhu pointed a trembling finger at Lin Chen, his face twisted with pain and rage, tears mixing with the blood on his face.
Liang Haoming frowned, glaring at his son with disgust. "Look at your pathetic state! A Liang man makes others bleed and weep—he does not weep himself!" He turned his cold stare back to Lin Chen and snapped his fingers. "Men! Surround them!"
Liang family bodyguards surged forward, encircling Lin Chen and Murong Qingcheng.
Liang Haoming's eyes shifted to Long Mengyu, forcing a flattering smile onto his face. "Miss Long, we had an agreement. Changing your mind so suddenly… surely you owe me an explanation?" Though seething inside, he dared not show open hostility toward the Long family heiress.
Long Mengyu offered a light, dismissive smile. "I don't owe you one, but since your family facilitated this connection, I'll offer a path." Her voice turned icy. "If you want the Liang family to survive, make your son kneel before Mr. Lin and beg for forgiveness. He stays on his knees until Mr. Lin says otherwise—even if it means kneeling until death." She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in. "Then prepare lavish gifts, kneel at the Lin family gate, and accept whatever demand they make without question."
Her words were both a lifeline and a test. If the Liangs obeyed, they might not only survive but even gain Lin Chen's favor.
Liang Haoming's face darkened like scorched iron. Obeying would make the Liang family a laughingstock across Jiang City. Unable to vent his rage at Long Mengyu, he turned his fury onto Lin Chen.
"Hmph! Lin boy, out of respect for our families' past ties, kneel before my son and beg for his mercy. Do that, and I'll spare your life."
Lin Chen chuckled softly. "Liang Haoming… I remember now. Six years ago, your family lost a bidding war against the Lins for that prime plot of land. You muttered some sour words afterward…" He tapped his chin mockingly. "...and my father slapped you twice across the face. If I recall correctly, you showed up at our doorstep that very night, kowtowing and pleading with him not to tell anyone you'd come begging for forgiveness."
Liang Haoming's face flushed crimson, then paled to ash. That shame—being publicly slapped and then secretly groveling—was his deepest humiliation. Having it laid bare by Lin Chen ignited volcanic rage.
"You little bastard! SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" he bellowed. "What are you idiots waiting for?! I don't pay you to stand around! SLAP HIM! SLAP HIS MOUTH SHUT!"
"You want to touch my husband? Ask me first!"
Gu Ruohan's voice exploded like thunder. A blur of motion—
*THUD! THUD!*
Two bodyguards at the front were hurled backward, vomiting blood before hitting the ground unconscious. The remaining guards froze, then scrambled backward in terror. Facing the War God of the Northern Frontier? They wouldn't dare.
Liang Haoming finally registered Gu Ruohan's presence. He'd heard rumors of her defending the Lin family shrine, but facing her fury firsthand was different. Before he could speak, Long Mengyu's furious voice cut in.
"Liang Haoming! Dare to lay a hand on Mr. Lin, and you sign your family's death warrant!" She'd given them a chance. His stubbornness sealed their fate.
Liang Haoming wavered. Openly defying the Long family here would be disastrous, even on Liang turf. But backing down meant losing all face.
Seeing his father's hesitation, Liang Zhu snapped. He glared at Long Mengyu, spittle flying as he screamed.
"Miss Long! Are you really going to shield this trash?! He's a worthless ex-con! Is he worth turning against every powerful family in Jiang City?!" He turned his venomous gaze to Murong Qingcheng, his voice dripping with manic jealousy. "And you, Murong Qingcheng! Are you blind?! How could you choose a criminal?!"
Why? The question burned in his mind. Why did everything good always fall into Lin Chen's lap? Murong Qingcheng, Gu Ruohan, now even Long Mengyu—all shielding him. The injustice was maddening.
"Insult my benefactor? You're courting death!" Long Mengyu's chest heaved with fury.
Liang Haoming looked at his son's twisted face, then at the defiant trio shielding Lin Chen. If the Liang family showed weakness now, their reign in Jiang City was over. The Longs were formidable, but the Liangs weren't powerless prey.
"Miss Long," Liang Haoming declared, his voice cold and final. "Since you've made your choice, there's nothing left to discuss." He locked eyes with Lin Chen. "That trash dies tonight! Anyone who interferes is an enemy of the Liang family!"
Relief and triumph washed over Liang Zhu. If his father was committed, Lin Chen was dead. Not even the Long family or the War God could fully protect him here, on Liang territory!
"Hahaha! Lin Chen! You dug your own grave today! Not even the heavens can save you now!" He leered at Murong Qingcheng. "Qingcheng! Be a good girl, become my pet, and I might just spare you!"
The Liang family's resolve was clear: Lin Chen would die, Long family or not.
From the sidelines, Liu Ruyan watched, her pride warring with disbelief. These three women were stunning, yet they guarded a disgraced ex-convict she'd discarded. How? Why did even the Long heiress shield him? Had prison somehow transformed him? Impossible! Yet, a sliver of doubt crept in. Regardless, she thought coldly, he won't leave this banquet alive.
Everyone shared the grim certainty. Against the Liang family's full wrath here, on their ground, not even the Longs and the War God could guarantee Lin Chen's safety.
"With me, the War God, here!" Gu Ruohan took a thunderous step forward, her aura erupting like a physical wave, forcing the crowd back. "I dare anyone to take one step closer!"
Liang Haoming staggered under the pressure but steadied himself, teeth grinding. "SHOOT THEM! KILL THEM ALL!" he roared.
Two bodyguards flanking Liang Haoming instantly drew pistols, aiming squarely at Gu Ruohan.
"Martial arts mean nothing against bullets!" Liang Haoming sneered, snatching a pistol from one guard and leveling it menacingly. "You think you're faster than this?"
"YOU WOULDN'T DARE!" Long Mengyu stepped directly in front of Lin Chen. She was the Long family's Third Miss. She dared him to pull the trigger on her.
Liang Haoming wouldn't shoot her—not openly. But Lin Chen? That was another matter. "Miss Long," he hissed, finger tightening on the trigger, the barrel wavering between her and Lin Chen. "Obstruct me again, and I won't be responsible for the consequences!"
At that moment, Lin Chen's hand shot out, pulling Long Mengya back firmly. "Step back," he said, his voice calm but edged with steel. "Leave this to me."