The bone-chilling cold wind blew from the surface of the frozen sea, leaving many Fire-Stealers with their hearts half-cold.
Ever since boarding the ship, the Law Enforcers automatically separated into small groups scattered across the deck. Number 8 originally thought of avoiding the crowd from Aurora City to prevent any variables, but he hadn't expected the other party to still fixate on them.
Meanwhile, Lu Xuanming and Pu Wen off to the side also turned to look over here.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Chen Ling finally took a step and walked slowly toward Yan Xicai, who was surrounded by a multitude of Aurora City Law Enforcers.
"Is something the matter?" he spoke faintly.
"What's your name?"
"District Three Law Enforcer, Chen Ling."
Yan Xicai looked him up and down. "Your overcoat isn't bad. Take it off and give it to me."
"On what grounds?" Chen Ling retorted.
'Give him the clothes, give him the clothes, don't cause trouble... we're about to enter the Ancient Vault, whatever you do, don't cause trouble...'
The hearts of many Fire-Stealers leapt into their throats as they prayed silently.
Yan Xicai casually held out his hand to the side. A Law Enforcer behind him immediately pulled out a thick stack of Silver Coins and placed it in his hand. He casually threw it.
Clatter——
Dozens of Silver Coins were scattered by him, falling all over Chen Ling before dropping to the deck like garbage.
"Is that enough?" Yan Xicai blew lightly on his nails and spoke leisurely. "If it's not enough, I'll add one of your legs. How about..."
Before he could even say the word "that," an ice-cold muzzle was pressed against his forehead.
Yan Xicai froze.
"Not enough." Chen Ling held the gun with one hand, his eyes narrowed into a dangerous arc. A crisp click sounded as a bullet was chambered.
"Add your life, how about that?"
The Fire-Stealers crowd: ????
【Audience Expectation Value +5】
【Current Expectation Value: 71%】
A bone-chilling wind swept across the deck. The next moment, the spectating crowd finally jolted awake from their shock!!
The dozen or so Law Enforcers standing behind Yan Xicai paled in fright and simultaneously drew their guns!
Countless muzzles were aimed at Chen Ling. As long as he dared to fire, he would definitely be shot into a hornet's nest. At the same time, surprise surfaced in the eyes of Lu Xuanming and Pu Wen standing in the distance.
It wasn't that they hadn't considered Chen Ling resisting; after all, not everyone was a Pushover. But they absolutely never expected that after Yan Xicai only said two sentences, the other party would draw a gun without hesitation!
Surrounded by so many Aurora City Law Enforcers, he actually drew a gun and threatened the life of the Third Young Master of the Stars Chamber of Commerce?
Was he a madman?!
At this moment, Number 8 felt his heart almost stop.
He rushed forward without hesitation, pushed down the gun in Chen Ling's hand, and shot him a fierce glare.
Chen Ling remained expressionless.
"You, you, you, you..." Yan Xicai's face was deathly pale. In all his life, this was his first time being threatened so cleanly and ruthlessly. "Do you know who I am?! You dare point a gun at me?"
Number 8 took a deep breath, lowered his posture, and spoke to Yan Xicai apologetically:
"I'm truly sorry. Chen Ling has just Advanced to Law Enforcer and is too young. He might not know your identity..."
"Chen Ling! This is the Third Young Master of the Stars Chamber of Commerce in Aurora City. You should know of the Stars Chamber of Commerce; they control ninety percent of the resource channels in the Seven Great Districts, and sixty percent of the shops within Aurora City belong to their family.
In addition to that, they are the largest sponsors of the Law Enforcer Headquarters in the Aurora Domain. They are the ones who pay the salaries of Law Enforcers and even Enforcers... Do you understand what I mean?"
Number 8 glared at Chen Ling, practically speaking this sentence through gritted teeth, especially the latter half.
The Stars Chamber of Commerce was the moneybag for all Enforcers, including those three Aurora City Enforcers escorting the crowd. They possessed the authority to interrupt the journey at any time... If you dare to hurt half a hair on Yan Xicai here, everyone in District Three will lose their qualification to enter the Ancient Vault!
Hearing Number 8's flattery, Yan Xicai's expression finally eased up a little... District Three was a rural place after all. It was normal for a minor Law Enforcer not to understand the weight of his identity. The more ignorant, the more reckless and vulgar.
Yan Xicai was just about to say something when that muzzle was raised once more.
"Yan Xicai, right." Chen Ling spoke calmly. "Was it this hand that threw money at me just now?"
Under the horrified gazes of everyone, Chen Ling pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Bang——
Unlike last time, Chen Ling moved too fast this time, and there was no warning whatsoever. Everyone thought that after knowing Yan Xicai's identity, he would pale in fright and then give up resisting... But who would have thought he actually still dared to fire??
"Ah!!"
Yan Xicai watched helplessly as the muzzle aimed at his eyeball, followed closely by the sound of the trigger being pulled. He let out a terrified scream, lost his balance entirely, and fell flat on his back!
A bone-chilling cold wind swept across the deck, scaring half the soul out of Yan Xicai...
He stared blankly at the unresponsive muzzle. He was dazed for a full few seconds before regaining his senses.
There were no bullets in the chamber at all.
The dark brown overcoat swayed lightly in the wind. Chen Ling slowly lowered the gun, a hint of mockery surfacing in his gaze toward the miserable Yan Xicai on the ground.
"Chen Ling!! What are you doing??!" Number 8 looked at Chen Ling in disbelief.
"This group of people from Aurora City just have good lives. They're all just a bunch of good-for-nothings who reincarnated well... Officer Jiang Qin, wasn't this what you told me?" Chen Ling spoke leisurely.
Number 8 froze.
He stared fixedly at Chen Ling's face. After an unknown amount of time, he finally spoke hoarsely:
"Are you trying to rebel? No, you're not..."
Number 8 didn't say the latter half of the sentence.
But all the Fire-Stealers hiding in the dark seemed to realize something, their gazes toward Chen Ling flickering with hesitation and shock.
"Officer Jiang Qin, are you going to punish me?" Chen Ling met Number 8's gaze frankly, his eyes narrowing into a subtle arc. "On this ship?"
Number 8 blanked.
To outsiders, this conversation was undoubtedly a conflict arising between District Three Law Enforcers.
Only the Fire-Stealers could see something different from it... Either Number 13 wanted to rebel, though this possibility was miniscule; or the man before them wasn't Number 13 at all...
But rather Chen Ling himself.
On that train, everyone thought Number 13 would definitely be able to kill Chen Ling. After all, one was a Second-Tier powerhouse of the Path of the Thief, and the other was just an Ordinary Person who had just become a Law Enforcer.
An Ordinary Person could counter-kill Number 13, and moreover, actually dare to use the other party's "name" and play along with their double identities the whole way??
No matter how they thought about it, this was impossible!
But as it happened... this situation occurred.
Chen Ling calmly looked at Number 8 in front of him, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly... He naturally knew his identity had been exposed among the Fire-Stealers, but he didn't care.
This was a ship heading to the Ancient Vault of the Military Path. There were countless Law Enforcers and three Enforcers on board. Even if the Fire-Stealers and the others knew his identity, they absolutely wouldn't dare make a move, let alone expose it.
Continuously hiding his identity, hiding in the team of Fire-Stealers, safely entering the Ancient Vault of the Military Path, and maintaining his disguise until the last moment to counter-kill everyone... was undeniably a good choice, but to Chen Ling, it wasn't that attractive.
Since this was a "performance," he had to raise the Audience Expectation Value as much as possible and design more interesting points of conflict.
Chen Ling had an even crazier plan!