Chapter 13: The Battle at the Clubhouse

"Little bunny, be good..."
At that moment, Brother Long's phone rang. Lin Yuan pulled the phone out of his pocket; the caller was Jiang Shang.
He pressed answer.
Jiang Shang's voice came from the other end, "How did things go?"
"Not great. He's already dead," Lin Yuan replied.
"It's you!" Jiang Shang immediately recognized Lin Yuan's voice. After a moment's silence, he said,
"I have to admit, I underestimated you."
"But did you really think I wouldn't have a backup plan?"
"Accept the video call."
With that, the phone screen shifted to a video invitation.
Lin Yuan clicked accept.
On the screen, a stunning beauty dressed in a black skirt and a white T-shirt appeared. Her hands and feet were bound, and she sat slumped on the floor, struggling desperately.
Her snow-white legs shone with a lustrous sheen under the lights, more tempting than ice cream, inviting one to savor them slowly.
Were it not for the safety shorts beneath, her sitting posture would surely have revealed far more than intended.
"Lin Yuan, don't worry about me. He..."
Han Ling hadn't finished speaking before her mouth was stuffed with a towel.
"Kid, I have to say, you're quite something. This woman, worried about you, actually came to my club alone. I admit, when it comes to picking up women, I can't compare to you."
"But there's nothing I want that I can't get!"
Jiang Shang spoke coldly.
"You must be looking for death!" Lin Yuan's face was grim, his anger fully ignited.
"Hahaha, that's right, I'm courting death! Come hit me then, you idiot!"
"You're nothing!"
With a contemptuous snort, Jiang Shang hung up.
Lin Yuan took out his phone and called Lin Shanshan.
Once connected, he asked in a deep voice,
"Where is your boyfriend?"
"What are you planning?"
"Tell me!" Lin Yuan roared.
"Why are you so fierce? Did I do something to you?" Lin Shanshan protested.
"Tell me!" Lin Yuan's patience wore thin.
"He's at the Night Beauty Club," Lin Shanshan replied. "Now can you tell me what you're planning?"
Lin Yuan had no time to answer her. He hung up, transformed into a fleeting shadow, and sped out of the suburban forest.
...
The club.
"Miss Han, my people have already subdued Lin Yuan. You wouldn't want anything to happen to him, would you?"
Jiang Shang sat on the sofa across from her, the corners of his mouth curled into a sinister smile.
As expected, worry flashed in Han Ling's eyes.
"Serve me once and I'll let you both go. How about it?"
Jiang Shang sat with his legs spread, master of the room, awaiting service—his meaning obvious.
One of his men yanked the towel from Han Ling's mouth.
"You... Have your men release him first," Han Ling retorted, no fool, unwilling to trust him based on mere words.
"You have no right to bargain with me. Either you serve me, or tomorrow you'll be collecting his corpse!"
Jiang Shang threatened coldly.
"No!" Hearing she might have to collect Lin Yuan's corpse, Han Ling cried out, unable to accept such a fate.
"Then come here and serve me obediently!" Jiang Shang gloated, "On your knees, crawl over slowly while I make a call."
He half-reclined on the sofa, dialed out, "It's ready. Prepare the backup plan."
He tossed the phone aside, waiting to be served.
Han Ling bit her lower lip, hesitated for a long while, then slowly bent forward, preparing to crawl.
Downstairs.
"Stop!"
Lin Yuan, about to enter, was blocked by security.
"Get out!" Lin Yuan's fist whistled through the air, wrapped in powerful internal energy, striking and sending the guard flying.
"Ugh..."
The guard cried out in pain.
"Stop him!" Several men in black, armed, rushed forward.
"You're courting death!" Lin Yuan charged, dispatching them one by one.
Bang! Bang! Bang...
"Ah!"
"Ugh..."
"Thud!"
A group of burly men in black were sent flying like cannonballs into the club's lobby; guests scattered in panic.
"What's with this guy?" In a corner, a couple was drinking, annoyed by the disturbance.
"Leave it, don't worry. Young Master Jiang will handle it," the woman said.
Had Lin Yuan glanced their way, he'd be surprised—they were Han Ling's boyfriend.
Upstairs.
"Damn, he got here so fast!"
Hearing the commotion below, Jiang Shang was startled—only three minutes had passed!
"Hurry up and crawl over to serve me!"
Seeing Han Ling pause, he barked angrily.
Boom!
With a loud crash, the private room door was kicked open.
Lin Yuan stood at the threshold, his back to the hall's incandescent lights, contrasting sharply with the dim, ambiguous lighting inside. He appeared a hero descending on rainbow clouds.
Han Ling stared, enchanted.
"Lin Yuan!" she cried, tears streaming, all her grievances flooding forth.
"Kid, you really dared to come!" Jiang Shang sneered. "All of you, attack him—cripple him! Don't worry, this kid is weak. You can take him easily."
"Yes, Young Master!" More than ten muscular men in the room charged at Lin Yuan.
"You guys hold him off, I'm going to the restroom," Jiang Shang said, then quickly dashed off.
In the restroom, he climbed directly onto the ventilation duct, reached the third floor, then hurried to the rooftop.
A small helicopter awaited up top.
"Go!" Jiang Shang ordered, climbing aboard.
"Yes, Young Master." The pilot immediately started up.
...
Lin Yuan moved, met the attackers, and within seconds all the men lay defeated.
Hearing the helicopter above, Lin Yuan's expression changed; he rushed out to the rooftop.
The helicopter was already airborne.
"Kid, I'll admit you're impressive, but next time you won't be so lucky!"
Jiang Shang looked down at Lin Yuan with a vicious glare, unexpectedly foiled in his scheme.
He had to admit, Lin Yuan had real skill.
"Trying to escape?" Lin Yuan pinched a golden needle, its brilliance dazzling in the sunlight.
He infused his energy into the needle, making it tremble.
"Die!" Lin Yuan flicked his wrist, shooting the needle.
Whoosh!
A faint sound as the needle pierced through the helicopter’s steel bottom, embedding itself into the copilot's seat, slicing through a lychee-sized object.
"Ahh!"
Jiang Shang's eyes bulged, a cry of agony escaping him.
"Did I hit him?"
The helicopter was already ascending, but Lin Yuan still heard that scream.
His target was Jiang Shang's perineum; the needle, infused with violent energy, would disrupt the balance between yin and yang, ensuring Jiang Shang's death within seven days.
"If only my strength were greater, I'd be able to perform the legendary flight technique. Just one step away!"
Zi Cong had broken through to the peak of the earth rank; Lin Yuan himself hadn't advanced in a long time.
Returning to the private room.
"Lin Yuan, sob..." Han Ling threw herself at him, hugging him tightly in distress.
"It's over," Lin Yuan comforted her softly, suddenly curious,
"How did you end up here?"
"After you were taken away, more people came. They said you were brought to the club, and if I wanted to save you, I had to go with them. So I was brought here..."
"I'm sorry, I was just worried about you..."
She was ashamed, feeling foolish for falling for the trap, knowing full well Lin Yuan was formidable.
"It was my fault. I wanted to deal with those people, but I didn't want to cause trouble for your milk tea shop, so..."
Lin Yuan hadn't expected Jiang Shang's plan to be so deep, and even had escape tools ready.
"So that's what you were thinking."
Han Ling felt sweetness in her heart; he always put her first, always so good to her.
"Let's go downstairs and wreck the club," Lin Yuan said.
"What? But... I don't dare..."
Han Ling was startled, shaking her head in resistance. Destroying someone else's property was against the law, after all.