The alley was dark, damp, and reeked of filth, but Lin Feng didn't care. His focus was entirely on the man standing before him—Zhou Hao, an intermediate mage, a true power in Bo City's underworld.
'A mage like him could kill me with a flick of his fingers. I'm just a powerless mortal. But… as long as I play my cards right, I'll be able to profit a lot from it.'
Lin Feng kept his head slightly lowered, his expression respectful yet calculated. He had spent years dealing with crime lords, warlords, and scum who thrived on power trips. He knew men like Zhou Hao—they fed on loyalty, on submission laced with just the right amount of admiration. Playing along was second nature.
"I survived as a hitman long enough to know—if you want to stay in the good graces of a powerful man, you feed his ego. Make him think you're his most valuable asset. Make him believe you're the only one who truly understands him."
Zhou Hao smirked, looking down at Lin Feng like a king gazing at an ant. "You said you're willing to do anything for money right boy? But saying something and doing it are two completely opposite things. Are you really prepared to prove it?"
Lin Feng's eyes flickered to the barely conscious woman on the ground. He suppressed the urge to sigh. 'Another power move. A test. He wants to see if I'll break under pressure.'
Instead of hesitating, Lin Feng smiled and took a small step forward. "Boss Zhou, you're an influential man. Your time is valuable. If you wanted her dead, you'd have already done it. That means you're looking for something else. A show of loyalty? Proof of worth?"
Zhou Hao chuckled. "Smart. I like that."
Lin Feng tilted his head, his voice steady. "That said, killing her here is a waste. Sloppy, too. If she disappears properly, no one will come looking. A body dumped in the wrong place might bring trouble, but a person sold to the right place?" He let the words hang in the air, then smiled. "Now that's just business."
Luo Shun gave Lin Feng a side glance, a flicker of amusement in his tired eyes. 'He's good. Real good. Knows how to spin things just right.'
Zhou Hao rubbed his chin, looking intrigued. "You think like a businessman."
Lin Feng immediately nodded. "Boss Zhou, you're a rising force. A man of your level doesn't need to get his hands dirty over something this minor. You make decisions. You give orders. I just want to be someone who can handle the details for you."
Zhou Hao smirked, clearly enjoying the flattery. "You talk well. But talk alone doesn't earn money."
Lin Feng chuckled. "That's true. But talk opens doors. And once those doors are open, I can make sure wealth flows in the right direction—toward you, Boss Zhou."
Luo Shun exhaled, shaking his head slightly. 'This kid's shameless. But it works.'
Zhou Hao crossed his arms, watching Lin Feng with amusement. "Fine. Tell me, what would you do in my position?"
Lin Feng's eyes gleamed. This was the moment.
"Simple," he said. "Expand the network. You have power, resources, and connections. But every empire needs a financial backbone. I can help with that. I know how to move money, shift numbers, and clean up transactions so that nothing ever comes back to you."
Zhou Hao's interest deepened. "Oh? And what makes you so sure you can do all that?"
Lin Feng spread his hands, looking modest. "Boss Zhou, I worked in finance before. Not the legal kind, but close enough. If you let me, I can show you just how much more money can be made if handled properly."
Zhou Hao laughed, clapping Lin Feng on the shoulder. "I like you, kid. You might actually be useful."
Lin Feng smiled, but inside, his mind was already working. 'Step one—get him to see me as an asset. Step two—find an opportunity to rise higher. In this world, bootlickers are disposable… unless they make themselves indispensable.'
And Lin Feng had every intention of becoming indispensable.
Lin Feng had seen plenty of cruelty in his life. But what Zhou Hao did next? It wasn't just cruelty. It was enjoyment.
Zhou Hao chuckled, his smirk widening as he dragged the woman closer with a casual yank of his foot. Her weak body barely resisted, but the sheer force of her trembling made it clear—she understood what was coming.
"You talk well, kid," Zhou Hao said, looking at Lin Feng with amusement. "But let's see if you're really as useful as you claim to be."
Lin Feng kept his expression neutral, but his mind sharpened. 'Here it comes. A test. A real one. What would he make me do? I need to do it flawlessly.'
Zhou Hao crouched slightly, gripping the woman's chin between his fingers, forcing her face up. She was barely conscious, her lips cracked, her cheeks hollow. Her eyes, once empty, now flickered with something stronger.
Fear.
Zhou Hao grinned. "Torture her. Break her and then finally kill her."
Lin Feng remained still.
Zhou Hao chuckled. "Clean. Dispose of the body properly. If I wanted her dead, I could've burned her to ash with a single thought. No proof, no evidence. But I like watching them die slowly. I like hearing their screams as they realize there's no way out. But I don't like doing it myself so make sure that she screams enough or else you too will die"
'And here goes another girl down the drain' Luo Shun said as he looked at the women with a little regret. 'Tch. She had a nice figure I could have sold her as a good merchandise or better if I used her for person purpose' Luo Shun thought as he looked at her again but this time with a hint of something darker making the women shiver.
The woman's breath hitched, her dazed state snapping into full awareness at Zhou Hao's words. Tears welled in her bloodshot eyes, and her lips parted to ask for some mercy—but no sound came out—just silent horror was felt by her as he looked at the three men.
Lin Feng tilted his head, keeping his breathing even.
'So that's the kind of man he is. Not just power-hungry. He enjoys it. He likes watching people break.'
Zhou Hao smiled and pressed firmly on the woman's jaw, opening her mouth. "You said you would do anything, right? Then torture her for me. I want to hear her scream until she runs out of voice."
The woman's lips quivered, and then she began to sob loudly and brokenly, the kind of sob that could only come from knowing begging for mercy would change nothing.
Lin Feng watched her tears fall.
'Not my problem.'
Just as Lin Feng was about to speak, Luo Shun stepped in, clearing his throat.
"Boss Zhou," Luo Shun said smoothly, "we have a room for you at the motel just around the corner. No notice, no records. And most of all it has noice cancellation in it. You can enjoy yourself however you want there."
Zhou Hao blinked, then snorted, standing up. "Tsk. Always so damn efficient, Luo Shun." He stretched his arms lazily, cracking his neck. "Fine. Watching her squirm in a comfortable room sounds better than some filthy alley."
Lin Feng lowered his eyes slightly, masking his thoughts.
The woman, still on the ground, turned her eyes toward Lin Feng, her last hope—her silent plea.
But there was no hope here.
Not for her