Chapter 60: The Police Station Becomes an Arena

One group from Lin Yang, one from the Leng family, and one from the police bureau—the office of the Tianchen District Police Bureau was like the scene of a gangland showdown, a three-way standoff. The most passive party, however, was undoubtedly the side led by Wang Ergou of the police bureau.

“My turf, my rules?” Sometimes, that saying simply doesn’t hold true.

Neither of the two groups before him was anyone a mere district police chief like Wang Ergou could afford to provoke.

“Brother Lin, you’re here.” Wang Ergou hurried forward, greeting Lin Yang with a forced, ingratiating smile that looked more like a grimace than a welcome.

“Your subordinate has already briefed me on the situation here. It’s been tough on you.” Lin Yang’s tone carried none of the arrogance one might expect; instead, he was unusually courteous, leaving Wang Ergou momentarily bewildered. Following Lin Yang’s gesture, he saw the young policeman who had earlier spoken with Lin Yang.

“Xue Qiang?” Wang Ergou blurted out the name, though it was unnecessary.

“Oh, so his name is Xue Qiang! Quite a good officer—sharp, and that’s rare.” Lin Yang smiled at Xue Qiang, openly praising him.

Wang Ergou wasn’t stupid; he caught the hint. He had to give face here, so he quietly agreed, “Indeed, I think so too. As it happens, we’re short a team leader at the bureau, and I think he’s the perfect fit.” With that, the matter was settled. Xue Qiang probably never imagined that his quick tongue would bring him such an unexpected reward.

“I heard your superiors put pressure on you,” Lin Yang asked in a low voice.

Wang Ergou didn’t bother to hide anything, pulling a wry face and shrugging helplessly. Rank above crushes those below—what could he do?

There was no time for more talk, as the Leng family’s group began to make a commotion again. But since the main battleground wasn’t in Jinhai, the Leng family didn’t dare get too out of hand. Otherwise, with their usual style, the police bureau would have been cleared out long ago.

This time, though, the Leng family had brought someone who could truly command the scene, and that was why Wang Ergou had no choice but to give deference. The military! Wang Ergou wasn’t about to make the fatal mistake of offending the army—those people didn’t hesitate to bring out planes and cannons. He certainly wasn’t tired of living.

Colonel Leng Tianhao of the Jiangning Military District’s Second Artillery, a brigade-level officer, had come in person to demand someone. It was indeed a thorny issue.

Following Wang Ergou’s subtle glance, Lin Yang turned to look. The yellow-green military uniform stood out sharply among the civilian clothes. No matter where such a man sat, he would draw attention instantly. Lin Yang had noticed him the moment he entered.

A robust physique, rugged features, a lean and upright posture, his back straight as a mountain—undeniably a top soldier. The two stars and three bars on his shoulders marked him as a full colonel, a rank impressive enough to make anyone sweat, especially considering he looked under forty. Achieving such a rank at his age was no small feat.

He seemed to notice Lin Yang’s gaze; his sharp eyes met Lin Yang’s without a hint of concession. Their first exchange of glances sparked a silent clash of lightning.

“Young man, was it you who hurt Qing’er?” The colonel’s question came with the force of authority, his tone as imperious as the earlier blustering Leng Lang.

Like uncle, like nephew, Lin Yang mused, assigning the man his place in his heart. Though he didn’t know the fellow personally, the family resemblance and the overbearing manner made it clear—another wild bird from the Leng family. Even without looking at him, his attitude gave him away.

“Qing’er? Who’s that?” Lin Yang feigned ignorance, playing the fool to perfection—a tactic he excelled at.

“Leng Qing, my brother! Don’t tell me you don’t know him, Lin Yang!” Leng Lang couldn’t stand it, stepping forward angrily, as if he wanted to kick Lin Yang.

“I don’t know him, honestly. I swear on your mother’s grave, I’ve never heard of this lazy bird, Leng Qing.” Lin Yang stood tall, raising his right hand in a mock-serious oath.

If not for that last provocative sentence, the onlookers might have believed him. But with that line, only a fool would be convinced.

Leng Lang exploded, his rage erupting like a volcanic flow. “Swear on my mother’s grave? Dammit, why not swear on yours?”

Lin Yang considered retorting but realized it was pointless; even if he explained, they wouldn’t understand. He simply shrugged it off, pulling out a cigarette, lighting it leisurely, and dragging over a chair. Crossing his legs, he settled in, utterly ignoring the raving uncle and nephew, puffing contentedly on his smoke.

“You brat, you’re courting death.” Leng Tianhao, used to commanding respect in the military, could not tolerate being ignored like this. Apart from the top brass, when had he ever suffered such disrespect? He was itching to teach Lin Yang a brutal lesson, regardless of Lin Yang’s powerful backing. Breaking the limbs of the nephew he cherished was something Leng Tianhao could not forgive, and that was why they were pressuring the police bureau instead of leaving with Leng Qing.

He’d even considered, recklessly, bringing troops down to wipe out both the police bureau and Lin Yang, disciplinary consequences be damned.

Without waiting for Lin Yang’s response, Leng Tianhao’s fist, the size of a sandbag, swung with savage force toward Lin Yang’s left shoulder—a deadly blow meant to leave Lin Yang crippled.

Lin Yang had no intention of meeting brute force with brute force; he was here to toy with the man, not fight head-on. With his current status, he simply wasn’t strong enough to go toe to toe with someone like Leng Tianhao.

If you can’t afford to fight, dodge! Lin Yang was quick-witted—he shifted his chair deftly to the right, and Leng Tianhao’s punch grazed his cheek by barely a centimeter.

It was a narrow escape, visible to all.

“Trying to match fists with my second uncle? Lin, this time you won’t get away unscathed.” Seeing his uncle take action, Leng Lang’s head rose in pride; he’d never doubted his uncle’s fighting skills—a ten-time hand-to-hand champion in the army. If he couldn’t deal with this punk, Leng Lang would never believe it.

Yet when Lin Yang dodged the attack, Leng Lang grumbled, “You got lucky this time, but let’s see how you dodge my uncle’s next move.”

Lin Yang shot Leng Lang a disdainful glance and even pulled a mocking face, keeping his composure as always. Each time, the blows narrowly missed him, but he remained safe.

Ten deadly moves in quick succession, and Leng Tianhao hadn’t landed a single one. His face was starting to show the strain—if this were the army, he’d be a laughingstock. Others might not see Lin Yang’s tactics, but Leng Tianhao did: it looked like he was on the offensive, but in fact, he was being led by the nose—no one liked being in that position.

He paused, intending to goad Lin Yang into a direct confrontation, but someone beat him to it.

“Ten-time hand-to-hand champion—were you competing against pigs?” Lin Yang’s sarcasm was unrestrained. “Oh, no, I misspoke. Not pigs—women, perhaps?”

The words were even sharper, even more cutting. Even the stone-hearted Leng Tianhao couldn’t help but twitch with anger. It’s an old truth: the hot-tempered are most easily provoked.

“You brat, you’re asking for death.” Leng Tianhao was furious, the consequences severe. If this were the army, the new recruits would be too frightened to breathe.

But this wasn’t the army; it wasn’t Leng Tianhao’s territory. This was the Tianchen District Police Bureau in Jinhai City.

With a hiss, a military dagger flashed coldly into Leng Tianhao’s hand, its icy edge sending shivers through everyone present. Things were about to get real. The Leng family members looked energized, as if injected with adrenaline, but the others grew uneasy.

Tiger was a practical sort. Seeing the weapon, he became almost eager for a fight, itching to leap forward for a grand showdown. But Lin Yang, quick as lightning, held him back.

“Tiger, you’re not his match,” Lin Yang warned in a low voice, cursing inwardly, “If you go up, you’re just a meat target. You wouldn’t last three rounds—then I’d feel guilty for life, owe you a lifetime’s debt.”

Reluctantly, Tiger sheathed his trusty wolf-tooth dagger, exchanging a cold glare with Leng Tianhao before sensibly stepping back, leaving the two enough room to fight. He thought to warn the others to retreat, but one glance told him it was unnecessary—everyone had already backed away, not wanting to become collateral damage.

The atmosphere in the office was heavy with silence, the impending fight making some eager for drama, others deeply worried—Wang Ergou among them. No matter which side caused trouble, he’d be in a bind.

The police bureau, meant for handling cases, had become an arena for beasts—a farce, but it wasn’t Wang Ergou’s fault. The problem was that both sides were too formidable.

“I won’t take your life,” Leng Tianhao ground out, “but I’ll return the favor in kind. Today you’ll be crippled, just like my nephew.” The military dagger in his hand gleamed with deadly intent under the dim light.

No one doubted that blade had ended many lives.

Thrust, slash, stab, hack—all executed in one fluid motion, without hesitation. This was the display of a trained soldier.

Lin Yang kept retreating, never foolish enough to meet force with force. It wasn’t that he was afraid—he’d never even considered it. He was waiting—waiting for the bastard who should have arrived by now, the one with the beastly codename whom he habitually cursed under his breath.

Another ten moves flashed by, and Leng Tianhao’s confidence was gone. Twenty killing strikes in all, yet he hadn’t so much as touched Lin Yang’s clothing. He’d never been so humiliated.

As Leng Tianhao, unwilling to accept defeat, prepared for another round, the office door was kicked open with a resounding bang.

Before the person appeared, her voice thundered in: “Who is it? Which bastard and scumbag dares lay a hand on my young master? I’ll kill you!”