Chapter 30: Threat

When Lin Fan saw who it was, he clearly froze for a moment, obviously not expecting her to find him here. The person was Zhao Ying, who had just shared hotpot with Lin Fan earlier. After discovering Lin Fan had vanished, Zhao Ying felt uneasy—she couldn’t reach him by phone, so instead of going home, she started searching the area. It was already late at night when she noticed movement nearby, rushed over, and happened to witness Lin Fan killing the woman, only to be discovered herself immediately.

The assassins, of course, recognized Zhao Ying as the woman who had just dined with Lin Fan. Originally, they planned to capture her to threaten Lin Fan, but his sudden departure forced them to abandon the idea. Besides, with so many people at the restaurant in broad daylight, snatching her would have been difficult. So they simply followed Lin Fan. Now, with Zhao Ying’s unexpected appearance, their confidence was bolstered.

“Hand over what we want, or I’ll send her to hell first,” threatened the leader. He had just acknowledged Lin Fan’s impressive skills, but now realized that the infamous ‘Death God’—the leader of Dragon Soul—was not so remarkable after all. In truth, he knew little about Lin Fan, having only reviewed information on Dragon Soul and its commander. To him, Lin Fan was just the head of a mercenary group.

As he spoke, the man gripping Zhao Ying’s neck tightened his hold. Zhao Ying’s complexion changed noticeably, but she remained silent, gazing calmly at Lin Fan. After all, she was a police officer, and her psychological resilience was considerable.

“I detest threats. She’s nothing to me—just a police officer. If you want to kill her, go ahead; there’s no need to ask me.” Lin Fan’s face betrayed no emotion, cold as a man devoid of feeling, making it clear that using Zhao Ying as leverage against him was a poor choice.

The two men opposite were visibly stunned, clearly not expecting Lin Fan’s response. Their information described the Dragon Soul leader—the ‘Death God’—as a man of iron and compassion, loyal and righteous. Lin Fan’s actions left them at a loss: should they kill, or not?

Their data was quite accurate, but Lin Fan’s improvisation was exceptional. Suddenly, they found themselves disoriented by his behavior. As Lin Fan approached, step by step, they tried to read something in his expression. Yet the sharp glint in his phoenix eyes, half-shielded by his bangs, betrayed nothing of his thoughts.

“What’s wrong, afraid? Let me help you,” Lin Fan’s eyes flashed coldly as he spoke, moving steadily toward them. Of course Lin Fan cared about Zhao Ying—she had come searching for him out of concern. He could never disregard her fate. But he dared not show it. If their enemies realized how much he cared for her, both he and Zhao Ying would be at a severe disadvantage. Moreover, the deadly aura around these two men was not something ordinary people possessed. Lin Fan could not guarantee he could subdue them, especially the leader, in an instant. His only option now was to delay, waiting for someone else to make a move.

The man holding Zhao Ying hesitated. Lin Fan had just dispatched one of their own with a swift strike, leaving him lacking confidence. Instinctively, he stepped back, keeping Zhao Ying as a shield, wary that Lin Fan might launch another hidden weapon as before.

As Lin Fan drew nearer, Zhao Ying maintained outward composure, but inwardly she kept asking herself, “Is he truly so heartless? Does he really not care if I live or die? Does he feel nothing for me?” No, he wasn’t that kind of person—not at all. Somehow, Zhao Ying was certain Lin Fan would not abandon her. With that conviction, she gazed at him with resolute eyes.

“Don’t hesitate—he’s bluffing. Hurry, do it,” the leader urged after seeing his companion’s uncertainty. Though he couldn’t decipher Lin Fan’s intentions, he needed to reassure his partner. His comrade looked at Lin Fan instinctively, squeezing Zhao Ying’s neck tighter. Her complexion worsened, her breathing grew labored...

“Is that so?” A hint of disdain curled Lin Fan’s lips, as if threatening him with Zhao Ying was a foolish move.

As he finished his sentence, a flash of silver appeared under the dim streetlamp—a silver needle pierced the temple of the man holding Zhao Ying. The man collapsed, staring at Lin Fan in disbelief—not at the speed of the attack, but at the revelation that Lin Fan had an accomplice nearby, someone he had never detected. In fact, it was only because Lin Fan had captured his attention that he was so easily struck by the needle. As an assassin, his reflexes were far superior to ordinary people; elite killers could often dodge vital attacks or avoid projectiles altogether. This was commonplace in their world.

“Are you alright?” As the man fell, Lin Fan darted forward and caught Zhao Ying, looking at her with concern.

Zhao Ying said nothing, biting her lip and gazing at Lin Fan with a complicated expression, for she suddenly understood something in the face of life and death.

“So, you have an accomplice,” the leader said, having kept Lin Fan under close watch and therefore knowing Lin Fan had no opportunity to launch a hidden weapon himself. The sudden assassination of his companion could only mean someone skilled in stealth and projectiles was nearby—undoubtedly Lin Fan’s ally.

Seeing Lin Fan remain silent, the leader radiated a powerful killing intent. “Hand over the Purple Sword and Blood Jade, or you die tonight.” This was the aura of someone accustomed to living on the edge of death, a person who had long abandoned fear of mortality. Lin Fan quietly thought, “An expert—this man’s skills are not low.” But he was facing the leader of Dragon Soul, renowned as the Death God.

This reminded Lin Fan of a mysterious assassin organization—Infernal Angels, one of the world’s two most secretive groups, rivaling Blood Night. It was said Infernal Angels were legendary among assassins, never failing a mission. A year ago, when Dragon Soul had just destroyed the Snow Leopard—a group once hailed as king of mercenaries—and claimed dominance in the international mercenary world, a mysterious force launched a siege against Dragon Soul. If not for Lin Fan, Dragon Soul would have ceased to exist, never attaining its current status. Afterwards, Dragon Soul devoted all efforts to uncovering the identity of this force, only recently discovering its connection to Infernal Angels.

Yet, even with Dragon Soul’s vast resources, they still couldn’t locate the headquarters of either organization. Blood Night was at least known to be led by a young man in his twenties, but Infernal Angels remained a complete mystery—their leader had never been seen.

“Stay over there and don’t come any closer,” Lin Fan instructed Zhao Ying.