Chapter 113: So what?

Impudent!

Lu Xiao slammed his wine cup onto the floor, the sharp shattering sound breaking the banquet hall's silence. He strode three steps in two to Lin Yu's face, his cheeks flushed red with anger.

"What are you? Just a watchdog sent by the court, and you dare to speak wildly here?"

The hall erupted in uproar. Even Sun Lingyun and Liu Wen changed expression, never expecting Lu Xiao to say such a thing.

Lin Yu, however, seemed not to have heard, maintaining his nonchalant posture. This attitude of ignoring him only further enraged Lu Xiao.

"You..." Lu Xiao gritted his teeth, "Who do you think you are? Just relying on your inspector's title to show off here? I tell you, in Shen City you don't have the qualifications!"

Before his words finished, Lin Yu suddenly turned his head.

That single turning motion made Lu Xiao stagger back a step. Lin Yu's gaze was icy and terrifying, like a midwinter wind, instantly freezing all of Lu Xiao's arrogance.

Those eyes held no anger, no contempt, only a suffocating pressure—like a beast looking down on a foolish prey.

"I..." Lu Xiao's voice suddenly turned hoarse.

Lin Yu merely stared at him silently, yet Lu Xiao felt an unprecedented fear, as if an invisible blade rested on his neck, ready to take his life at any moment.

Cold sweat trickled down Lu Xiao's forehead. He wanted to say something, but found his voice seemed frozen in his throat. All his earlier clamor and anger turned to fear in that instant.

The banquet hall fell dead silent. Everyone was stunned by this scene; no one expected that a single glance could make the usually unruly Lu Xiao so timid.

Lu Xiao could no longer bear the pressure, stumbling back a few steps, nearly falling. His face shifted from angry crimson to ashen pale, cold sweat beading ever more on his forehead.

"Inspector Lin," Liu Wen stepped forward at the right moment, placing himself between Lu Xiao and Lin Yu, "Brother Lu has had too much to drink; his words are inevitably rash. Please show leniency, sir."

His tone was gentle and courteous, his bearing proper, as if he were merely mediating for a friend. Yet his eyes, slightly smiling, secretly observed every subtle expression of Lin Yu.

"Yeah, we're all on the same side; why get so worked up?" Sun Lingyun also stepped forward, "Why don't we sit down and talk properly?"

Lin Yu withdrew his gaze, whereupon Lu Xiao slumped into his chair as if a great weight had been lifted.

"Inspector Lin," Liu Wen continued, "We're all doing this for Shen City's sake. Since you've come, why not share your thoughts? That way we'll know what to do."

His words were flawless, showing respect while hinting at willingness to cooperate. But whether Lin Yu would accept this overture? Liu Wen had no confidence in his heart.

Qin Chang'an poured Lin Yu a cup of wine, "We're all thinking of Shen City; why make things so stiff?"

The banquet hall's atmosphere eased slightly. Liu Wen noticed that although Lin Yu's gaze remained icy, the suffocating pressure had lessened a bit—a good omen.

"Inspector Lin," Liu Wen stepped forward again, his voice more sincere, "I know you might have misunderstandings about us. But Shen City now truly needs all forces to work together..."

As he spoke, his eyes never left Lin Yu's face. He wanted to see how this inspector would react to the notion of 'working together.'

The scene fell into silence. Liu Wen knew that at such a moment, one must avoid rushing. He wanted to give Lin Yu ample time and space to decide whether to accept this overture.

At the same time, he was buying thinking time for the others. After all, Lin Yu's performance tonight had far exceeded their expectations.

Lin Yu didn't even glance at Liu Wen, casually picking up the wine bottle beside him.

No one realized what he intended. By the time everyone saw him stride toward Lu Xiao, it was already too late.

"Bang!"

The wine bottle smashed heavily onto Lu Xiao's head, shattering glass and splashing wine everywhere. Before he could cry out, a second bottle struck down.

"You dare...!" Lu Xiao began to struggle up, but a third bottle shattered his head, blood pouring, and he collapsed flat on the ground.

The whole affair took less than three seconds. The banquet hall fell dead silent; everyone was stunned by this sudden violence. No one expected Lin Yu to strike directly in such a setting.

"You... do you know who I am?" Lu Xiao clutched his bleeding head, voice trembling. He wanted to appear tough, but the fear could no longer be concealed.

Lin Yu looked down at him, his gaze icy and terrifying: "I know. So what?"

He said it lightly, yet it sent a chill through everyone present. This was no inspector—clearly a madman who regards no one.

Lu Xiao curled up on the floor, his former arrogance gone. He wanted to call for help, but found his voice shaking. The lackeys who usually flocked to him now dared not step forward.

"Lin Yu!" Sun Lingyun finally couldn't hold back, stepping forward, "You've gone too far!"

Before his words finished, Lin Yu suddenly turned and kicked Sun Lingyun flying. The kick was swift and vicious, slamming Sun Lingyun into the wall, blood trickling from his mouth.

"Too much?" Lin Yu snorted, drawing his sidearm from his waist, "Have you gotten something wrong?"

The gun barrel gleamed coldly in the light; everyone held their breath. Even the gang's enforcers dared not act rashly.

"I advise you to get straight," Lin Yu said calmly, "who's in charge of this place."

Sun Lingyun wiped the blood from his lip, gritted his teeth, and said, "Inspector Lin, don't go too—"

"Not too what?" Lin Yu cut him off, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, "You think I'm joking? With a single sentence I could see that no one here leaves alive tonight."

He said it lightly, yet the temperature in the banquet hall plummeted. Everyone heard in his tone the resolve to kill.

Lu Xiao lay on the floor, gritting his teeth and staring at Lin Yu, but dared not utter a word. Liu Wen's face darkened, while Qin Chang'an clenched his fists. When have the Four Young Masters ever suffered such humiliation?

Lin Yu holstered his sidearm, took out a cigarette from his pocket, and lit it. Amid the curling smoke, his expression grew ever more mocking.

"Remember tonight's lesson," he exhaled a smoke ring at Lu Xiao on the floor, "Next time I hear the word 'watchdog,' it won't be as simple as breaking your head."

Having said that, he turned and walked toward the door, his back relaxed and casual. It seemed as if all that had just happened were merely an impromptu performance on his part.