Chapter 379: Touch Her and I’ll Slaughter Your Entire Clan!
「River City.」
「The Qin Family.」
In the grand hall, Qin Hongshu’s face was deathly pale, his eyes betraying a hint of terror. "Qin Luoli, have you still not made contact with Lin Mu?"
"Hmph, contact? It’s been this long without a single piece of news. That bastard Lin Mu probably got wind of what was happening and took off!" Lady Xue, Qin Hongshu’s wife, couldn’t stop herself from speaking, pacing back and forth anxiously. "The Fang Family meant what they said. If we don’t hand over Lin Mu, they’ll destroy our Qin Corporation. And now, the Qin Corporation is gone."
The others looked on with disheartened expressions, fear etched on their faces.
The Qin Corporation of today was a shadow of its former self. Not only had their business partners defected, but even those who had once remained neutral had now joined the Luo and Chen Families in targeting them. In an effort to help, Boheng Pharma was also suppressed, suffering an even more tragic fate. Most of the company’s senior executives had either fled or run away, and many had betrayed them. Now, the once-great Boheng Pharma, much like the Qin Corporation, was being kept afloat by a desperate few.
The most critical point was that, beyond the Fang Family’s economic assault, a mysterious group of Martial Artists had given the Qin Family an ultimatum: hand over Lin Mu in three days, or they would annihilate the entire family.
Today was the third day.
"This is all Lin Mu’s fault!" Lady Xue said bitterly. "If he hadn’t killed someone from the Fang Family and that Young Sect Master from the Fire Cloud Sect, would they have come after us? Look at us now! The Qin Corporation is finished. All those people who used to kneel before Lin Mu, claiming they were atoning for their mistakes, are either hiding at home too scared to come out or have betrayed us outright. Now it’s our family’s turn."
"Mom, what are you saying?" Qin Yan said, displeased. "How can you blame this on Lin Mu?"
"How can I not?" Lady Xue retorted, her voice rising. "He’s the one who drove Chen Xinlan away, isn’t he? He’s the one who beat Luo Jinping, right? He’s the one who brought down the Fang Family, wasn’t he? They’re specifically looking for him now, so what does any of this have to do with our Qin Family!"
Qin Yan fell silent.
Qin Hongshu spoke with a grim tone, "Luoli, if Lin Mu doesn’t show up today, don’t blame me, your second uncle, for being heartless!"
Qin Luoli sat in her chair, her face pale and etched with exhaustion. She was so tired. Lin Mu, if you don’t come back soon, I won’t be able to hold on much longer.
BANG!
A deafening crash startled everyone in the Qin household.
"Oh no, they must be here!" Lady Xue shrieked, scrambling to hide behind Qin Hongshu.
With a grave expression, Qin Hongshu said, "Let’s go. We’ll see what’s happening outside."
Qin Luoli and the others hurried out as well.
"Sister Qin, don’t be afraid. I’m here. I won’t let anyone hurt you!" Shi Potian followed resolutely behind Qin Luoli. His face was just as pale, and his body was wrapped in numerous bandages that were faintly soaked with fresh blood. It was clear he was severely injured.
"Xiao Tian, your injuries..." Qin Luoli looked at him with concern. Shi Potian had been badly hurt while protecting her and had yet to fully recover.
"I’m fine, Sister Qin!" A look of grief and fury crossed Shi Potian’s face. Those bastards... How dare they team up to ambush me. If it weren’t for protecting Sister Qin, I would have slaughtered every last one of them!
"Qin Luoli, your three days are up. Hand over Lin Mu, now!"
As they stepped out of the hall, the Qin Family saw several of their security guards lying motionless on the ground, their conditions unknown. Chen Xinlan stood at the doorway with a triumphant smirk, accompanied by Chen Wen, Luo Jinping, and their entourage. Besides them stood a Dwarf, two burly men, and two old men. These five individuals exuded a powerful aura, especially the two elders. Their presence was steady, their gazes restrained, and their temples bulged—the unmistakable sign of Martial Artists with profound Cultivation Levels. The two burly men, meanwhile, radiated a scorching energy, their vital force like a furnace that could roast a person alive.
The moment he saw those five, a murderous glint appeared in Shi Potian’s eyes. It was these scoundrels who had ambushed him in an attempt to kidnap Sister Qin. If he hadn’t fought to the death, killing two of them before desperately escaping with Qin Luoli, the situation would be even worse.
"Hand over Lin Mu, or I’ll have Master Zhu and his men annihilate your Qin Family!" Luo Jinping, sitting in a wheelchair with one hand missing and both legs crippled, glared venomously at Shi Potian. He added coldly, "And this little bastard must be handed over to me for punishment!"
"You wish!" Qin Luoli replied frostily. "Chen Family, Luo Family, well done. I admit I wasn’t skilled enough to prevent the Qin Corporation’s fall. But for you to collude with Martial Artists and attack my Qin Family... aren’t you afraid of being sanctioned by the Martial Alliance?"
Having been exposed to the Martial Arts World for some time, Qin Luoli knew that Martial Artists were forbidden from acting against ordinary people at will.
"Sanctioned by the Martial Alliance?" Chen Xinlan sneered. "These gentlemen are masters from the Fire Cloud Sect. They are only here to maintain order; they haven’t attacked you. But if someone doesn’t know what’s good for them, don’t blame me for forgetting our old ties!"
As Chen Xinlan looked upon the members of the Qin Family—their faces a mixture of shock, terror, and regret—a wave of satisfaction washed over her. "Did any of you think of today when you drove me out of the Qin Family?" she sneered, pointing a finger at Qin Luoli. "You little slut, hand over that little beast Lin Mu, or today will be the day the Qin Family is annihilated!"
"Sister-in-law, how can you do this? We’re family, after all," Lady Xue pleaded, trembling with fear.
"Family?" Chen Xinlan’s face twisted with rage and hatred. "From the day I left the Qin Family, we were no longer family! The day my father died, I swore an oath: if I don’t destroy the Qin Family, I, Chen Xinlan, am not fit to be called human!"
Hatred had warped her very soul.
"But this has nothing to do with us! It’s all because of Lin Mu. If you want someone, go find him," Lady Xue stammered, shaking uncontrollably.
"Mom!" Qin Yan grabbed her mother’s hand, her face flushed with anger.
"Foolish girl, why are you still defending them? The only thing that matters now is saving our own lives!" Lady Xue said, tapping Qin Yan’s forehead reproachfully.
Listening to the exchange, Qin Luoli’s eyes filled with pain. Was this the Qin Family she had always protected? But no matter what, she could not give up!
Taking a deep breath, her gaze hardened with resolve. "The Qin Family has nothing to do with this," she declared. "I will go with you."
"Luoli!" Qin Yan and the others cried out in alarm, but Qin Luoli had already made her decision and started to walk forward.
"Sister Qin!" Shi Potian grabbed her arm, shaking his head. "I told you, as long as I’m here, no one will hurt you!"
He then stepped forward, and with each movement, more blood seeped from beneath his bandages.
"Master Zhu, this boy is all yours," Chen Xinlan said, taking a step back, her face a mask of malice.
"My pleasure!" the Dwarf roared with laughter. He shot forward like a bolt of lightning, smashing a fist into Shi Potian’s chest.
"Urk!"
Already gravely injured, Shi Potian had no time to react. The punch hit him squarely, sending him flying backward. The Dwarf was even faster, charging after him with a cackle. "Boy, you escaped last time. Let’s see where you run to now!"
He landed another brutal punch on Shi Potian’s waist, sending him flying again. The Dwarf then turned his leering gaze to Qin Luoli. "What a pretty little thing. You can come back with me to the Fire Cloud Sect and stand vigil over our Young Sect Master’s memorial for three years!"
As he spoke, he lunged to grab her.
Just as everyone watched in horror, a voice like a great, resounding bell boomed from the heavens, filled with a furious, killing intent!
"If you dare touch her, I will exterminate your entire Fire Cloud Sect!"