Chapter 149: Shut Up

Rain poured down, striking the stone steps in front of the French consulate. A black sedan slowly pulled up in front of the consulate's plaza, its headlights cutting two piercing beams through the rain.

Zhou Wei quickly got out of the car, opened a black umbrella, and went to the rear door. He opened the car door and respectfully bent down: "Bureau Chief."

Lin Yu stepped out of the car calmly, Zhou Wei immediately draped a black overcoat over him to block the falling rain. Lin Yu took out a silver cigarette case from his pocket, drew a cigarette, and Zhou Wei instantly produced a lighter to light it for him.

Smoke curled in the rain, Lin Yu took a deep drag, his gaze fixed on that French-style building. The consulate's windows were lit, silhouettes faintly visible moving inside.

"It seems they've noticed us." Lin Yu chuckled lightly, exhaling a puff of smoke.

Zhou Wei nodded: "Yes, all the guards inside the consulate have assembled."

Lin Yu surveyed the surroundings. Feng An's German battalion had already encircled the entire consulate; the soldiers stood motionless in the rain, water running down their helmets but unable to shake their resolve. MG42 machine guns were positioned at strategic points, and the mortar crews were also in place, ready to fire.

The consulate's doors were shut tight; a few French guards stood under the porch, holding rifles, tense. One raised a megaphone and shouted in stiff Chinese: "This is the French consulate, French territory! You have no right to intrude! Withdraw immediately, or we will regard it as an armed invasion!"

Lin Yu ignored them, simply smoking quietly, rain soaking his shoulders.

"Bureau Chief, should we act now?" Zhou Wei asked.

Lin Yu shook his head: "Wait a bit longer."

Inside the consulate, Consul Lemeur shouted urgently into the phone: "Yes, Public Administration Bureau! I need you to immediately dispatch all available public order forces! The Fourth Bureau has surrounded the consulate! This is an overt challenge to French sovereignty!"

A hesitant voice came from the other end: "Mr. Lemeur, we need time to gather personnel..."

"No time left!" Lemeur roared, "Lin Yu has already brought a German-equipped unit to surround the consulate! If you don't act immediately, you'll bear the consequences!"

He hung up the phone and turned to Zhou Special Envoy: "The Public Administration Bureau says they need time, but I doubt they'll actually come."

Zhou Special Envoy gave a bitter smile: "They won't come. No one dares to oppose Lin Yu."

Outside the window, Lin Yu flicked ash from his cigarette; the rain instantly washed it away. He glanced at his watch—exactly ten minutes had passed.

"Time's up." Lin Yu said softly, "Feng An."

Feng An, standing nearby, immediately stepped forward and rendered a standard German military salute: "Bureau Chief."

"Begin."

Feng An turned and gave a signal to the communications soldier. The communications soldier immediately raised a flare gun; a red signal flare arced through the rain and burst in the night sky.

As the signal flare rose, the German battalion's soldiers sprang into action. The 1st Company swiftly advanced toward the consulate's main gate; the 2nd Company spread out to flank both sides; the 3rd Company held the rear, ensuring no one could escape.

The French guards in front of the consulate raised their rifles and shouted a warning: "Stop! Or we'll open fire!"

Lin Yu snorted, tossed his cigarette butt to the ground and stamped it out with his toe: "Zhou Wei, tell them that if they dare fire a single shot, I'll turn the entire consulate into ruins."

Zhou Wei nodded, picked up the megaphone, and conveyed Lin Yu's words in fluent French.

Inside the consulate, Lemeur heard the warning outside, his face turned ashen: "He's crazy! He really is crazy!"

Zhou Special Envoy stood by the window, watching the German-equipped troops outside, muttering: "I've said it before—he's a lunatic."

Outside the door, Feng An led the 1st Company's soldiers to the consulate's main gate. He raised his hand, signaling the troops to halt.

"Final ultimatum," Feng An shouted in Chinese with a German accent, "Hand over Zhou Special Envoy, or we will storm in!"

Inside the consulate, Lemeur gritted his teeth: "Absolutely impossible! This is French territory!"

Outside, Lin Yu glanced at his watch—another five minutes had passed. He nodded to Feng An.

Feng An immediately gave the order: "Storm the consulate!"

A squad of soldiers rushed forward, battering the door with a ram. After a few blows, the heavy oak door crashed open. The German battalion's soldiers surged in like a tide, quickly taking control of the first-floor hall.

The French guards inside the consulate tried to resist, but against the trained German-equipped troops they were no match. After a brief exchange of fire, all the guards were disarmed.

Only then did Lin Yu stride toward the consulate, Zhou Wei following closely, holding an umbrella over him. Rain behind them formed a water curtain, as if separating past from present.

"Bureau Chief, the first floor is clear; Zhou Special Envoy and the consul are in the second-floor reception room." Feng An came to report.

Lin Yu nodded and stepped onto the consulate's steps.

Footsteps echoed in the empty hall, like the beat of fate striking every heart.

"Let's go," Lin Yu said softly, "It's time to meet this envoy."

Lin Yu entered the reception room; rain dripped from his overcoat, leaving dark stains on the carpet.

Lemeur and Zhou Special Envoy stood in the center of the room, on high alert. Lemeur's face was full of anger; Zhou Special Envoy's expression was wary.

Lin Yu scanned the room, his gaze finally settling on Zhou Special Envoy, the corners of his mouth slightly turning up.

"Zhou Special Envoy, we finally meet. Have you been stirring up the recent turmoil in Shen City behind the scenes?"

Zhou Special Envoy did not answer, merely stepping back half a step, his gaze drifting toward Lemeur, as if seeking support.

Lemeur straightened his body: "This is French soil! Your actions are an overt challenge to French sovereignty!" He slammed the table, "I've already notified the Public Administration Bureau and the legation; you will pay for this!"

Lin Yu didn't even glance at him, continuing to stare at Zhou Special Envoy: "You sent people to assassinate me, incited Sun Lingyun to act against me, and even mobilized two brigades to encircle me. Where are your reinforcements now?"

Seeing Lin Yu ignore him, Lemeur grew even angrier: "Lin Yu! Did you hear me speaking? This is French territory! French people have sovereignty! You have no right to arrest anyone here!"

Lin Yu's gaze finally turned to Lemeur. He slowly drew his sidearm from his waist, the black muzzle pointing straight at Lemeur's forehead.

"You white-skinned pig, shut up. This is Great Dry, Great Dry's land. You have no right to shout here."

Lemeur's eyes widened: "You... you can't do this! I am a French diplomat!"

"A diplomat?" Lin Yu sneered, "A diplomat who harbors court agents and takes part in a murder plot?"

Lemeur's face turned ashen: "I don't know what you're talking about! I'm just..."

Bang!

A gunshot cut off his words. The bullet pierced his forehead, blood and brain matter splattering the wall behind him. Lemeur's body stiffened for an instant, then collapsed to the ground.

Zhou Special Envoy recoiled in terror a few steps, bumping into the bookshelf behind him; several books fell to the floor. His face twisted with fear.

Lin Yu holstered his gun, looking at Lemeur's corpse on the ground: "The French Concession has only one rule—my rule."

He turned to Zhou Special Envoy: "Now it's your turn, Zhou Special Envoy. Do you know why I didn't just kill you outright?"

Zhou Special Envoy swallowed: "Lin... Bureau Chief Lin, I was only following orders. The court bears no ill will toward you..."

Lin Yu cut him off: "No nonsense. Your reinforcements have been wiped out. The pieces you placed in Shen City, I will remove them one by one." He stepped forward, "But before that, I want you to watch Shen City become my territory with your own eyes."

Zhou Special Envoy's eyes flashed with a hint of ruthlessness: "Lin Yu, you killed the French consul—this is already an international incident. The court will not let you off."

Lin Yu laughed: "The court? What can that corrupt court do? Send more people to die?"

He turned and walked toward the window, looking at Shen City in the rain: "Tell your master behind you, Shen City is mine. Whoever wants to come seize it, prepare a coffin."

Zhou Special Envoy looked at Lin Yu's back, then glanced at the corpse of Le Meir on the ground, a complex light flickering in his eyes.

Lin Yu turned his head, saying to Zhou Wei standing at the door: "Take him away. I want all of Shen City to know that the court's envoy is in my hands."

Zhou Wei nodded, gesturing for two soldiers to step forward and escort the Zhou Special Envoy.

Before the Zhou Special Envoy was taken away, he gave Lin Yu one last look: "Lin Yu, you will regret this."

Lin Yu merely gave a cold snort. Outside the window, the rain fell harder and harder, as if foreshadowing the impending bloodbath.