Chapter 75: The Rumors Are Wrong

Lin Dong couldn’t help but glance at Liu Qingling. Judging from Zhou Jinchi’s behavior, he could almost be certain this man was indeed the young master of the Liu family. To his surprise, this young master didn’t seem as arrogant and domineering as the rumors suggested. Otherwise, Zhou Jinchi wouldn’t have been the one to speak up first about demanding someone’s life.
In the woodshed, Wang Liuzhi and the others clearly knew what was going on outside. They acted quickly and ruthlessly. In just the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the screams coming from inside had weakened to the point where they were barely audible.
“If it’s done, bring him out,” Lin Dong instructed, gesturing toward the thin man beside him.
The thin man rushed into the woodshed. After a sudden, piercing scream, Wang Liuzhi and Zhang Ye lifted Qiao Tianhao out, who no longer resembled a human being.
Liu Chuanxiang was delighted. He had wanted to take his time, but these people were too ruthless. If he had delayed any longer, it was uncertain whether they would even find a living person.
“Liu… Liu…”
Qiao Tianhao’s swollen face lifted slightly as he looked at Liu Chuanxiang with indescribable gratitude.
“Oh my, Manager Lin, you guys are really too harsh!”
Liu Chuanxiang exclaimed in shock, rushing to Qiao Tianhao’s side, filled with glee.
Hearing the title “Manager Lin,” Qiao Tianhao’s body convulsed violently. An inexplicable fear overshadowed even the intense pain throughout his body.
Lin Dong said coldly, “Take him back! This is just a minor punishment. Hopefully, there won’t be a next time.”
Liu Chuanxiang froze for a moment but said nothing more. He sent the two assistants away, then personally helped Qiao Tianhao up with concern, slinging him over his shoulder.
It was a bit heavy, but being able to hear Qiao Tianhao’s groans up close was worth it.
“I won’t see you off!” Lin Dong said indifferently.
“Wait!” Zhou Jinchi looked at Lin Dong and shouted, “What about the insults you hurled at me just now?”
Liu Chuanxiang felt anxious. Attacking someone in front of others was different from doing it behind their back. Although he had never been a manager before, he knew that the Maple Forest Restaurant had rules against exposing its dirty secrets.
Reluctantly, though he didn’t want to anger Zhou Jinchi, Liu Chuanxiang forced a smile and said, “Young master, I think it’s better to take him back to see a doctor first. Let’s drop it for today, okay?”
“If you want to see him, go ahead. But the matter of him insulting me isn’t over today.” Zhou Jinchi glanced at Liu Qingling’s expression and became convinced that he hadn’t made a mistake this time. He would insist on it—all for his cousin beside him.

Stay strong first, then deliberately take a beating. By then, the other party, feeling triumphant, will surely speak mockingly, and the eldest son of the Liu family will then take strong action… As for the foolish act of trying to show off before, if his cousin is happy, he won’t hold it against him later.
The only problem is that the other party already knows his identity; they probably won’t dare attack!
While Zhou Jinchi was thinking about how to provoke Lin Dong, Liu Chuanxiang had already made up his mind. Since he was told to leave, leaving was obviously the best choice. As for causing Liu Qingling discomfort—after all, the Lin’s Inn had already been destroyed, so why worry about him? If he could recover the situation, he would; if not, who would dare trouble the Maple Forest Restaurant?
“Well then…” Liu Chuanxiang looked at Liu Qingling with difficulty and said helplessly, “Should I take people to see a doctor first?”
Seeing that Lin Dong wasn’t looking his way, although dissatisfied with Liu Chuanxiang’s attitude, Liu Qingling nodded silently. In his eyes, Manager Lin, who was still sitting steadily on the stone bench, was more important.
Liu Chuanxiang gave a signal to the two assistants he brought, and with their help, he left the inn.
“Go, take him back to the restaurant.” Seeing Qiao Tianhao seemingly faint, Liu Chuanxiang tossed him on the ground and gave an order to an assistant. But he didn’t leave right away; instead, he crouched at the end of the street, planning to go back and write a report once the Lin’s Inn was destroyed.
Solving the problem within two days—such speed could be considered an achievement!
In the backyard, Zhou Jinchi was racking his brains over how to make Lin Dong not fear his identity when, with a creak, a door on the west side opened. Wen Wangzhong, who wanted some sunlight, came out carrying an ancient book.
“Uncle Wen?” Zhou Jinchi was stunned.
Wen Wangzhong was horrified, his face turning ashen. How had this plague come to the Lin’s Inn?
“Good boy, I remember you now. You’re the outsider who attacked me and knocked me out last time.”
Zhou Jinchi flew into a rage, suddenly drawing the sword at his waist. With a sharp sound, he stepped forward.
Liu Qingling coughed lightly—a soft sound, but enough for Zhou Jinchi to hear.
Zhou Jinchi snapped back to reality, secretly relieved. He had almost made another fool mistake. If he really showed off his strength and seriously injured the other party, he might feel satisfied now, but it would cause big trouble when he returned.
“Boss Wen, get ready. We can open the antique shop later!”
Lin Dong stood up. Since Zhou Jinchi had already met Wen Wangzhong, he might as well complete the hidden task of getting Wen Wangzhong back to the antique shop.
“Open it? You’ll have to ask if the sword in my hand agrees.” Zhou Jinchi was inexplicably excited. After thinking hard for a long time without finding a way to provoke the other party, help had fallen from the sky.

Lin Dong smiled indifferently, opened his right palm, and a brand-new bench appeared.
Zhou Jinchi and Liu Qingling were both slightly stunned. A storage spirit ring could only be crafted by a high-level spirit array master and a high-level alchemist working together, and even the smallest ones were extremely valuable. It was unexpected that a innkeeper would possess one.
Hopefully, they wouldn’t run into a skilled fighter who had come to Xilan City under a false name to live a peaceful life.
No, if it were really a skilled fighter seeking peace, they wouldn’t compete with Maple Forest Restaurant for business.
Considering Lin Dong’s age, the two felt relieved. They couldn’t believe such a person existed—someone who wanted a peaceful life already in their twenties.
“You brat, daring to wield a weapon? You’re seeking death!”
Fearing that Lin Dong might remember his identity and refrain from attacking, Zhou Jinchi immediately swung his sword, aiming straight at Lin Dong’s chest with a swift strike.
Lin Dong frowned. Though over a month had passed, he still vaguely remembered Zhou Jinchi’s strength. His attacks shouldn’t be that slow.
“Retreat! Hurry up and retreat!” Zhou Jinchi shouted inwardly. But Lin Dong stood firm as a mountain, forcing him to slow down further.
As the sword tip neared his chest, just as Zhou Jinchi was about to stop, everything blurred, and Lin Dong appeared beside him.
The next moment, with a loud thud, Zhou Jinchi felt a sharp pain in his shoulder and was flung aside.
Gritting his teeth in pain, Zhou Jinchi tried to push himself up using his elbow, but he couldn’t get up after a long time.
“How about we negotiate?” Lin Dong said cheerfully as he stepped forward.
Zhou Jinchi cursed himself for being too careless. According to his plan, he should have been tough first. Only then, after being defeated, could he let the opponent feel triumphant and arrogant.
“If you stay silent, it means you agree!”
Lin Dong didn’t bother to talk further. He suddenly raised the bench, infused it with spiritual energy, and smashed it down on Zhou Jinchi’s calf.
With a dull crack, Zhou Jinchi screamed like a pig being slaughtered. All thoughts of his plan to be tough first and then weak, or even Liu Qingling, vanished—there was only excruciating pain.
“Remember, this is a mild punishment. It’ll keep you unable to walk for a year or so. If you try to cause trouble for Boss Wen again… it’s better if you try to deal with me first. Otherwise, the consequences will be worse.”
Lin Dong took back the bench. Though he wasn’t sure of the exact requirements for completing the task, they surely didn’t involve killing Zhou Jinchi.
Without breaking through to the Spirit Mobility stage, killing someone would make it impossible to continue running the inn. This task didn’t seem particularly difficult, so the requirements couldn’t be that high.

Turning around, Lin Dong glanced at the nervous servants’ faces before looking at Liu Qingling, whose expression was unpredictable. He smiled calmly and said, “I have some personal grudges with him. No objection, right?”
“No…”
Liu Qingling swallowed hard, cutting off the man’s words without saying a word. Given Lin Dong’s attitude, he wanted to act forcefully, but the brutality of his actions and the man’s apparent strength, coupled with the fact that Lin Dong had quite a few companions, meant that if he and his servants couldn’t defeat them, even if he managed to break someone’s leg, the young master’s reputation wouldn’t improve much.
With such casual cruelty, Liu Qingling didn’t dare take the risk.
“Really no objection?” Lin Dong asked again.
Liu Qingling had never experienced such humiliation before. He wanted to explode in anger, but at the sight of Lin Dong’s calm gaze, he forced himself to hold back and shook his head repeatedly, saying, “Really no objection.”
Lin Dong asked, “If there’s no objection, can you carry him back?”
Feeling suffocated and anxious, fearing he might lose control of his anger, Liu Qingling quickly ordered the servants beside him to lift Zhou Jinchi, who was rolling on the ground and screaming.
Lin Dong watched them leave with a smile. Whether he truly had no objection or wanted to gather more people before returning, this young master of the Liu family was at least not arrogant or domineering. Rumors, after all, couldn’t always be trusted.
At the end of the street, Liu Chuanxiang was overjoyed when he saw Liu Qingling and the servants coming out. Not noticing Zhou Jinchi being carried in their midst, he rushed toward the Fenglin Restaurant.