Chapter 068: The Slayer of Jin Gang

That night, Tang Nianchen was not the only one who found sleep elusive.

Within a villa in Shengshi Huating, Ji Guihua, her son Zhao Hu, and the family patriarch Zhao Mingyi were seated together in the living room, deep in conversation.

“What? You’re telling me that boy from the Lin family is the reason you lost your job?” Zhao Mingyi’s eyes blazed with anger.

Though Ji Guihua’s position as dean did not offer much in the way of personal gain, it was an important tool for the Zhao family to curry favor and build connections, as many business partners sought to have their children admitted to Haizhou No. 1 High School. This had opened many doors for Zhao Mingyi. Yet today, Ji Guihua had come home to announce that she had lost her job!

“And that’s not all. Just a few days ago, he even beat up Xiaohu! In front of the entire school, no less! He didn’t just slap Xiaohu’s face—he humiliated the entire Zhao family!” Ji Guihua added fuel to the fire.

“What!” Zhao Mingyi was even more furious.

“It’s true, Dad, you don’t know how arrogant that Lin Le has become since he came back. He immediately started causing me trouble—first he stole my girlfriend, and then he hit me in front of the whole school! Called me a dog, right to my face! Dad, you have to stand up for me!” Zhao Hu stoked the flames.

Zhao Hu knew that his father, Zhao Mingyi, had done quite well in Haizhou’s upper circles in recent years; both the authorities and the underworld showed him respect. That was why he encouraged his father to use whatever means necessary to seek revenge on his behalf.

Every time Zhao Hu remembered being publicly humiliated twice by Lin Le, he wished he could skin the man alive.

“Damn it! It’s always been me pushing others around. When did it become their turn to step on me?” Zhao Mingyi had become much bolder and brasher in recent years.

“And it’s just those two paupers from the Lin family!” The mere thought of the Lins made Zhao Mingyi’s teeth itch with hatred.

Three years ago, his business and influence were far from what they were now, so he’d been forced to grovel, especially to the Lin family, which was then crucial to his company’s expansion.

Everyone had witnessed his sycophancy towards the Lins, and that had become an indelible stain on his past. In the years after his business took off, people still joked about how he’d shined Lin Tenghui’s shoes in public and called Lin Le “Brother Lin.” Only after his business truly flourished did such mockery gradually fade.

Yet those memories of humiliation with the Lin family remained vivid, which was why he now opposed them at every turn—trying to rewrite history, even taking over their house by force, just to show everyone that the Lin family had finally been trampled underfoot.

“Husband, I think that boy from the Lin family has come back for revenge—first Xiaohu, then me, and soon he’ll be coming for you. He even said he’d take back everything we owe them, including this house. Isn’t that a declaration of war against our family?” Ji Guihua rattled off Lin Le’s offenses non-stop.

“Arrogant, isn’t he! Does he think Haizhou is the same as three years ago? I want to see how high the Lins can climb now!” Zhao Mingyi’s face twisted with menace.

“But, husband, something’s different this time. That Lin Le seems to have gotten lucky—he’s made connections with the Gu family, and even Guan Tianxiong seems to show him respect,” Ji Guihua added.

“The Gu family? Hmph, what about them?” Zhao Mingyi, now flush with self-importance, clearly felt invincible.

“If we can’t beat them openly, we’ll do it from the shadows!” he said angrily.

Over the years, Zhao Mingyi had used every trick in the book to survive in business. He didn’t even take the Gu family seriously.

“So what are you planning to do? Should I call a few connections from the underworld...?” Ji Guihua immediately thought of her old associates.

“No, Mom. Lin Le apparently trained in the military—ordinary thugs won’t be able to handle him. And I’ve already checked: even Guan Tianxiong lost to him!” After the incident with Fire Ox, Zhao Hu had been depressed, puzzled as to how Lin Le was connected to the Tianxiong Gang.

Earlier today, he spent some money to get information from a low-ranking member of the gang and learned that Lin Le had single-handedly taken on the entire Tianxiong Gang and even defeated Guan Tianxiong.

Now, Zhao Hu realized just how formidable Lin Le had become.

“Is that so?” Zhao Mingyi was somewhat surprised. In his mind, the young Lin was just a playboy who drank and chased women, too weak even to fight himself. He hadn’t expected Lin Le to develop such skills, even besting the supposedly Shaolin-trained Guan Tianxiong.

Ordinary people clearly wouldn’t suffice to deal with him.

Then, a sly smile appeared on Zhao Mingyi’s lips. “I’ve got it. I know someone who can handle that Lin brat.”

“Oh? Who?” Ji Guihua and Zhao Hu were both curious.

“It’s Tuo Manjiang.”

“Tuo Manjiang?!” At that name, Ji Guihua’s eyes lit up. “Him!”

“Mom, who’s Tuo Manjiang?” Zhao Hu didn’t recognize the name.

“Tuo Manjiang used to be the underworld king of all Haizhou! A true martial arts master!” Ji Guihua’s eyes gleamed.

“The underworld king? But isn’t Haizhou now dominated by Wu Sanxing and Guan Tianxiong?” Zhao Hu, half a foot in the underworld himself, was fascinated by such tales.

“That’s only because, at his peak, Tuo Manjiang’s nemesis killed his entire family. In a fit of rage, he wiped out the enemy family, was sentenced to life in prison, but the Qu family pulled strings and got him out after over a decade. After that, he wanted to retire and serve as the Qu family’s bodyguard. Otherwise, do you think there would be any place for the likes of Wu Sanxing and Guan Tianxiong in Haizhou?”

As she spoke, Ji Guihua’s face radiated excitement. In her younger days, she’d heard countless tales of Tuo Manjiang’s exploits.

“Wait, Mom, is this Tuo Manjiang the same as Tuo King Kong?” Zhao Hu’s memory was triggered by the stories.

“That’s right, it’s him,” Ji Guihua confirmed.

“Tuo King Kong!” Zhao Hu was astounded.

Every young punk in the underworld had heard of Tuo King Kong. His martial prowess was said to be superhuman—some even claimed he could withstand bullets with his bare body.

When he was arrested, he’d been shot a dozen times, yet the bullets lodged in his muscles without reaching his organs. The story of Tuo King Kong wiping out an entire family had become the stuff of legends in Haizhou—so much so, even the old men walking their birds in the park could tell a tale or two about him.

“If Tuo King Kong makes a move, dealing with Lin Le will be as easy as crushing an ant!” Zhao Hu was elated.

“That would be ideal, but...” Ji Guihua looked at Zhao Mingyi. “Tuo King Kong belongs to the Qu family and answers only to them. Are you sure you can get him to act?”

“Of course! With my current relationship with the Qu family, I’m sure they’ll do me this favor. For Tuo King Kong, dealing with Lin Le is nothing. Besides...” Zhao Mingyi’s lips curled into a cold smile.

“Don’t forget—the Qu family lost face because of the Lins back then!” he said with a sinister grin.

Ji Guihua’s eyes widened in realization. “That’s right! How could I forget? Back at the Qu family head’s birthday, they publicly proposed marriage with the Tang family, but Lin Tenghui announced that the Tang heiress was already engaged to his son, shaming the Qu family in front of Haizhou’s elite. I recall the Lin family’s bankruptcy had something to do with the Qu family, and the Qu and Gu families never got along...”

At this, Ji Guihua’s face lit with wild joy. “If we inform the Qu family that the Lins are trying to rise again with the Gu family’s backing, we won’t even need to say much—the Qu family will never let that Lin brat off!”