This sudden scene made everyone around's brains go completely blank.
Ever since the lights extinguished, everything happening before their eyes had been impacting their cognition. So much so that at this moment, their brains were basically in a state of downtime. And as the "drumbeat" accompaniment of the violin smashing and cracking the skull sounded, they finally barely recovered their senses. The most primitive and intense terror surged into their hearts!
"Madman... it's a madman from the Dusk Society!!"
"The prosecutor has already been possessed by [Six of Spades]!! Run quickly!!"
"I don't want to die... I don't want to die!!!"
"..."
The terrified screams frightened Old Man Ding into a full-body jolt. Several reporters around him all braced themselves and scrambled up, directly charging towards the direction of the main doors. But he wanted to move his body, yet couldn't muster up any strength no matter what. A warm current flowed from between his legs; he had been frightened into incontinence on the spot.
It was also at this time that Old Man Ding saw that demon-like figure holding the violin disappear again. Like a phantom, he caught up to the fleeing crowd one by one, smashing them all down to the ground.
Consecutive explosive sounds rang out. Within a short few seconds, Old Man Ding had already become the only person maintaining consciousness within the hall.
Creak—— Creak——
That person propped the mostly shattered blood-colored violin under his chin. The long bow once again sounded out a bizarre and chaotic musical movement. With every step he took, a reporter's hand bones were crushed, emitting sharp and painful wails.
Among the flying fire butterflies and blood-colored reflections, primitive violent aesthetics intertwined with bizarre playing acoustics at this moment, sublimating to the extreme.
After half a musical piece, the hands of all the reporters present were crushed into uselessness. For the rest of their lives, they would be unable to lift a pen to write even half a word. The severe pain made them all faint... In Old Man Ding's terrified gaze, that figure elegantly playing the violin had already crossed the hall and arrived in front of him.
Buzz——!
As a violin string snapped and emitted an ear-piercing buzz, this bizarre track abruptly stopped!
The embers of the fire butterflies dissipated in the pools of blood. The bright hall once again slowly plunged into dimness. Old Man Ding witnessed with his own eyes that face gradually sinking into the shadows, issuing a questioning that seemed to come from the netherworld:
"...Did I perform well?"
Old Man Ding couldn't speak half a word out. His teeth were chattering madly. The people around all seemed to have been stomped to death. He knew the next one would definitely be him...
Perhaps it was an explosion of potential between life and death. Old Man Ding gave a miserable scream. Not knowing where the strength came from, he scrambled up from the ground, and without looking back, he charged towards the direction of the corridor.
This time, Chen Ling didn't block him.
He watched Old Man Ding's departing back, a playful smile hooking up at the corner of his mouth. He wouldn't let Old Man Ding be free so easily, because the other party still had a trace of utilization value.
Chen Ling tore off "Fang Lichang's" face skin. He unhurriedly crossed the deathly still pool of blood, walked beside the main doors, and picked up the camera on the table. He casually pointed it at the hall behind him and the blood-colored [Six of Spades] covering the ground, and pressed the shutter.
Click——
The bright light of the flashbulb exploded, illuminating the dark hall for a moment.
Chen Ling subsequently dragged all the unconscious people inside the room to outside, loading them into the pushcarts used for transporting dishes. He swept a glance at the completely empty hall, and elegantly and lightly closed the main doors for them.
...
Meili Hotel, side door.
A crowd of local ruffians squatted and guarded in the cold wind, shivering.
"Boss, calling us here to wait in the middle of the night, is there some job?"
"Yeah... at this hour, even the dogs are asleep!"
"Isn't this a high-class hotel? The person we're gonna beat up this time, won't be some big shot right?"
"..."
Several local ruffians asked in confusion while rubbing their hands that were frozen red. The ruffian boss squatted on a large rock, a cigarette dangling in his mouth, similarly looking at the dark hotel before his eyes with furrowed brows.
"Just wait honestly, we're not beating anyone up today!"
"Not beating anyone up, then what are we here for?"
Just as the ruffian boss was about to say something, a figure wearing a waiter's uniform slowly pushed a cart out from the side door... He blinked and looked hard, discovering it was precisely that reporter Lin Yan. His whole person instantly became energetic.
"Boss, I called everyone here like you said!" The ruffian boss walked up to him and said.
"En." Chen Ling spoke indifferently. "Take the people inside these few carts back, find a place to tie them up. When you see anyone about to wake up, just smash them unconscious with a stick. Wait until seven o'clock the next morning, and then release them on time, understand?"
The ruffian boss was startled for a moment. Having worked in this line of business for so long, this was the first time he had encountered a kidnapping with so many requirements... Even the release time was calculated well?
Chen Ling casually took out several silver notes from his embrace and handed them in front of the ruffian boss. "The reward for finding people last time, and the reward for this time are all here. Take it. Tell the people under your command to keep their mouths tight."
Seeing the amount on the silver notes, the ruffian boss's eyes instantly widened perfectly round. He immediately spoke:
"B-boss, these two small jobs don't use this much money..."
"Keep the change."
Chen Ling waved his hand. His gaze glanced towards the direction Old Man Ding left, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Get to work, I still have matters to handle..."
His figure gradually disappeared at the end of the street.
Watching Chen Ling's departing back, right now inside the ruffian boss's brain there were only the words "Made a huge profit" left. The underling at the side stepped forward and saw the silver note amount, also widening his eyes in disbelief.
"Boss, this boss is too generous with his hands right... Can we take this money?"
"Take it! Why wouldn't we take it?"
"Didn't you say that mixing in the Jianghu requires talking about integrity, and we shouldn't take what we shouldn't over-take..."
"That's when we're demanding reward from other people's bodies. This time it's the boss voluntarily giving more as a tip. Can it be the same??"
The ruffian leader solemnly tucked the silver notes into his embrace. His gaze looked towards those few pushcarts. He stepped forward and removed the tablecloth covering them... Seeing the ten figures squeezed together inside with miserable appearances, his heart slightly jumped.
"My goodness, what background is this boss from previously? Striking out so ruthlessly?" The underling at the side had a face full of astonishment.
"Inquire less about things you shouldn't inquire about." The ruffian leader swung a slap up.
"All of you get to work for me! This time all of you handle the matter more beautifully for me. The boss said they can't wake up, then not a single one can wake up! Don't sleep tonight, all of you wait holding clubs and sticks for me. Seeing whoever has signs of waking up, give them two strikes first, understand?"
"Understood!!"