Chapter 12: Tail Pursuit

Lin Yu hummed a tune, stepping briskly as he walked out of the Police Bureau.

"From today on, I'm a free man!" he stretched lazily, looking at the bustling streets of Shen City, feeling especially refreshed.

Without the constraints of being a patrol officer, the sky is the limit for birds, the sea for fish. In this vast Shen City, there will always be a place for him.

He retrieved the commission letter from the system space, admiring it with relish. The Fourth Bureau is far more interesting than the Police Bureau.

"That Japanese dwarf last night gave me plenty of loot," Lin Yu calculated, a faint cold smile curling his lips.

A whole night of torment—beatings, water dousing, forced squats, sleeplessness—left Yamamoto Ichiro battered to the brink of death. For that, the system awarded a full 80 points of toughness!

【Current toughness: 280 points】

"Not bad, not bad," Lin Yu thought with satisfaction, "once I'm at the Fourth Bureau, I can do another draw. I wonder what good stuff I'll get this time......"

He glanced at the few sneaky Japanese in the tea house across, a knowing cold smile tugging his lips.

The Health Union Association people? Ha, perfect timing!

Since he's already offended them, he'll see it through. After all, he's heading to the Fourth Bureau soon and was just looking for a chance to boost his toughness again.

Lin Yu sauntered forward at ease. The sunshine today is wonderful, and this vast Shen City is waiting for him to make his mark!

The Health Union Association is a Japanese gangster organization entrenched in Shen City, outwardly running legitimate businesses like trading firms and restaurants, but secretly involved in smuggling, casinos, opium, and other illegal activities.

Founded ten years ago as a tiny gang of a few Japanese ronin, the group grew as Japanese influence in Shen City expanded. It is now one of the largest Japanese gangster organizations in the French Concession of Shen City.

The Health Union Association's headquarters sit in a Western-style building on Xiafei Road, officially named "Health Union Trading Firm" but actually their stronghold. President Fujita Masakazu wields great power in Shen City's Japanese circles, even the Japanese consulate gives him a thin courtesy.

Their specialty is violent extortion and retaliation. In the French Concession, any shop run by Japanese must pay tribute to the Health Union Association. Many Chinese merchants are also extorted; those who resist either have their legs broken or their shops smashed.

The Police House often turns a blind eye—partly due to pressure from the Japanese consulate, partly because the Health Union Association regularly slips money to officials up and down the chain.

Consequently, the Health Union Association runs rampant in the French Concession, lawless and unchecked. Even local gangs dare not provoke them lightly.

This whole night of Lin Yu torturing Yamamoto Ichiro is a grave humiliation for the Health Union Association. They've operated in Shen City for years, and no one has ever dared treat their people like this!

Therefore, they will never settle for anything less than revenge.

In the tea house, six Health Union Association swordsmen stare at Lin Yu's departing back.

"That bastard walks away so leisurely," the leader Wu Tian snarled.

"Wu Tian‑san, strike now?" a young man with a samurai topknot asks.

"Idiot!" Wu Tian lowered his voice, "this is a busy street; acting now would alert everyone."

"Then what do we do?"

"Follow him," Wu Tian squinted, "wait until he reaches a secluded spot before we act. The kid just got dismissed, he'll surely pack up and head home, and then......"

He mimed a throat‑slashing motion.

The other five nodded in understanding, a flash of ruthlessness in their eyes.

"Remember," Wu Tian reminded, "don't get too close or he'll notice. This madman even dared to torture Yamamoto that way; he might do something unexpected."

The six set down their tea cups, rose one after another, and lingered far behind Lin Yu.

They are elite enforcers of the Health Union Association, each bearing a katana at the waist. In Shen City, no one has ever dared to challenge the Association's authority like this. This clueless brat will soon pay for his arrogance!

Lin Yu sauntered forward, a faint smile playing at his lips.

"Six of them?" he mused, "they look like elite Health Union Association enforcers, each with a katana—must really value me, the 'Lin Madman'."

He deliberately turned into a less crowded alley, his pace still unhurried.

"Perfect," Lin Yu thought, "the hundred Axe Head Gang thugs the system rewarded me haven't been used yet. These Japanese give me an excellent chance."

That was his first draw reward—a summon of one hundred Axe Head Gang thugs equipped with axes. According to the system prompt, as long as he's in a sparsely populated area, he can summon them within a two‑kilometer radius.

"You all follow me," Lin Yu sneered inwardly, "once we reach a suitable spot, I'll see whether your katanas or my Axe Head Gang brothers are stronger!"

He had already planned: when these Japanese make a move, he'll show them what "using their own method against them" means.

Since the Health Union Association loves bloodshed, he'll unleash a hundred Axe Head Gang thugs to let these arrogant Japanese taste a group beating!

"Stay close," Lin Yu thought to the tail behind him, "don't disappoint me......"

The narrow alley off Changyang Road was deep and secluded, flanked by weathered brick walls, with hardly any pedestrians.

Lin Yu reached the alley's depths, halted, and silently whispered, "System, deploy the Axe Head Gang thugs here!"

Behind him, the six swordsmen saw him stop, a flash of ruthlessness in their eyes.

"Clack, clack......"

The sound of wooden clogs striking the ground grew nearer.

"Yo," Lin Yu turned, hands in his pockets, looking at the six Japanese, "aren't these the Health Union Association's Japanese dwarfs? How's the leg, feeling sore?"

"Baka!" the leader Wu Tian drew his katana, "kid, do you know the consequences of crossing the Health Union Association?"

"Consequences?" Lin Yu scoffed, "I want to ask you, do you know the consequences of crossing me?"

"Arrogant!" another swordsman shouted, "we'll make you understand that the Health Union Association's authority isn't something a petty character like you can defy!"

"The Association's authority?" Lin Yu mocked, "just you few Japanese dwarfs?"

"Bastard!" the six swordsmen simultaneously drew their katanas, cold steel flashing.

"Come on," Lin Yu said unafraid, smiling even more sarcastically, "let me see how capable these Japanese dogs are!"

"Kill him!" Wu Tian ordered.