The King of Urban Mercenaries
Chapter 88 - 88 88 The Cost of Stopping

88: Chapter 88 The Cost of Stopping 88: Chapter 88 The Cost of Stopping “Xue Mei, what’s with that look in your eyes?

Could it be that besides a striptease, you’ve prepared some other more thrilling entertainment?”

Lin Fei strode towards the living room, his mouth not forgetting to keep rubbing salt into Xue Mei’s “wound.”

Initially, Lin Fei had just suspected that Xue Mei might have set a Banquet Trap for him.

When he felt the almost imperceptible oppressive aura coming from the middle-aged man next to Xue Mei, his suspicions turned into a certainty.

Since Xue Mei had indeed set up a Banquet Trap, she clearly had malicious intentions, and naturally, Lin Fei would no longer be courteous to her.

“There are plenty of acts, I’m just afraid you won’t be around to see them!”

Lin Fei’s discourtesy successfully ignited Xue Mei’s anger.

The woman’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as she stared rigidly at Lin Fei, a surge of murderous intent swirling in her gaze.

“Cough cough, my young friend, as a guest from afar, please take a seat first.”

Seeing Lin Fei and Xue Mei drawing swords at first sight, the air thick with the smell of gunpowder, Elder Wei feigned a cough and interjected with the intention of easing the tension between them.

“Old geezer, I’m flirting with your chairman.

Is it your place to interrupt?”

Lin Fei did not appreciate the gesture much, as Elder Wei’s aura had been secretly locking onto him, his hostility obviously outweighing any good intentions.

For someone harboring hostility towards him, Lin Fei saw no need to be polite.

“Lin Fei, show some respect.

This is our Rose Manor’s Elder Wei.”

Elder Wei hadn’t even had the chance to react before Xue Mei couldn’t help but scold sharply.

It wasn’t just because of Lin Fei’s words about “flirting,” but more because of Xue Mei’s deep respect for Elder Wei.

If it weren’t for Elder Wei’s prior instruction to Xue Mei to test Lin Fei first before deciding on their stance, Xue Mei might have already lost her patience and struck at Lin Fei.

After all, the Rose Manor was Thorny Rose’s stronghold and, in Xue Mei’s view, even if Lin Fei truly possessed a strength comparable to Elder Wei’s prime, relying on the Rose Manor’s defense system and personnel, they could certainly wear Lin Fei down.

“Little Mei Mei, the old man hasn’t even spoken yet, what’s the rush?” Lin Fei seemed to ignore Xue Mei’s cold-as-ancient-ice face and continued to tease her, “Could it be you can’t wait to perform a striptease for me?

Don’t be in such a hurry.

We have all night.”

“I’ll kill you!”

Lin Fei’s blatantly lecherous gaze heated Xue Mei’s delicate body to the point where her fair skin, cloaked in a red bodysuit, felt as if it was being seen through under the sweep of his eyes.

What Xue Mei found most intolerable was Lin Fei’s constant references to a “striptease.” Every time he mentioned it, the scene of being stripped bare by Lin Fei at the poolside replayed in her mind.

In a mix of shame and anger, Xue Mei could no longer care for Elder Wei’s earlier instruction.

The only thought in her head was to tear Lin Fei’s mouth to shreds.

Of course, she couldn’t let those eyes off the hook either.

“Sit down!”

Just as Xue Mei had leaped to her feet, not yet having a chance to engage Lin Fei, Elder Wei stopped her with a sharp call.

“Elder Wei…”

“I said sit down!”

After all, Xue Mei had grown up under Elder Wei’s watchful eye.

Despite her extreme reluctance, she sat back down on the sofa as told.

Of course, her beautiful eyes didn’t forget to shoot Lin Fei a few hateful glares.

“My young friend, would you care to step outside with me for a walk?”

Elder Wei scolded Xue Mei and then turned to invite Lin Fei.

“The guest will follow the host’s lead.”

There was no reason for Lin Fei to refuse a challenge.

Though Elder Wei did give Lin Fei a sense of oppression, now that he was here, it was not his style to avoid a fight.

“Please have the chairman prepare two cups of hot tea for us.

After you, my young friend.”

Elder Wei stopped Xue Mei from following with a single sentence and motioned Lin Fei to follow him before taking the lead out of the villa.

“Little Mei Mei, make that tea I enjoyed last time by the pool.

It left quite an impression.”

Lin Fei laughed heartily, following Elder Wei out of the villa.

Bang!

The moment Lin Fei left the villa, a teacup shattered on the spot where he had been standing.

If not for Elder Wei’s caution, Xue Mei might have already been unable to hold back from chasing after Lin Fei in a fight to the death.

Elder Wei had raised Xue Mei and, while on the surface he was ordering her to make tea, it was actually a reminder for Xue Mei not to follow them outside.

Yet, Lin Fei treated her as if she were a teahouse waitress, and worse still, he ended his sentence with “quite an impression.” Clearly a double entendre, ostensibly referring to the tea but really to the person, how could Xue Mei possibly fail to catch that?

“Bastard, you’ll regret this later!”

With a frosty expression, Lin Fei’s repeated provocations had already aroused a fire in her.

She ached to subject him to all of Rose Manor’s harshest tortures.

However, Xue Mei was also aware that she was no match for Lin Fei.

For now, the woman could only pin her hopes on Elder Wei capturing Lin Fei for her to deal with.

…

“It seems like someone just went past, did you see anyone?”

A lookout from Rose Manor quietly asked his companion through a walkie-talkie.

“You must be seeing things.

I haven’t noticed anything.

If there really was someone, the surveillance room would have caught it.”

“Maybe you’re right.

I probably just saw things.”

The guard in black put away his pager, rubbed his eyes, and continued to stand his post.

During the brief conversation between the two guards, two dark figures, one after the other, left Rose Manor.

After leaving Rose Manor by more than a thousand meters, Elder Wei, who was ahead, suddenly turned and ferociously attacked Lin Fei following behind him.

“Old man, you’re asking for it!”

Lin Fei roared, halting his forward momentum and met Elder Wei head-on.

In the faint moonlight that spilled on the ground, Elder Wei’s dragon-headed cane whipped up gusts of wind, targeting Lin Fei’s vital points with each move – showing no signs of the frailty expected of an old man.

Bang!

Bang!

Faced with Elder Wei’s wide and powerful offensive, Lin Fei showed no fear and bravely met the cane’s assault with his bare hands.

His undaunted demeanor was even fiercer than Elder Wei, who had long intimidated the underworld of Zhonghai.

Elder Wei came from a background of underground boxing, making his debut and causing a stir when he was young, with almost a hundred fights over the decades.

After retiring, he began to practice Tai Chi, successfully blending toughness with gentleness.

During his discussion with Xue Mei, he had been modest.

In truth, though they nearly got caught by the guards when sneaking out of Rose Manor, they escaped without incident.

Elder Wei had thought that even if Lin Fei managed to infiltrate Rose Manor solely on his abilities, he had a good chance of capturing him.

However, once the real confrontation began, Elder Wei realized he was too confident.

In Elder Wei’s time, the streets respected the use of fists and knives, and there wasn’t much reliance on firearms.

When he was young, he was known in Zhonghai’s underworld for his readiness to fight.

In essence, the name Elder Wei was carved out with his own fists.

Though he had practiced Tai Chi for a few years in his old age, the bold and fierce spirit from his youth was ingrained in Elder Wei’s bones, and it naturally surfaced in a fight.

But, as the fight with Lin Fei unfolded, Elder Wei found his fearsome spirit, which once chilled the hearts of many gang members, had no effect on Lin Fei.

Because Lin Fei was even more ruthless!

Though it was Elder Wei who struck the first blow, the advantage did not last long.

After a few exchanges, Lin Fei turned the tide and forced Elder Wei onto the defensive.

Under Lin Fei’s relentless attacks, Elder Wei quickly fell behind.

If not for several years of Tai Chi practice, which kept his body somewhat flexible, Elder Wei believed he would have already been defeated.

As it was, Elder Wei felt increasingly overwhelmed, even with the advantage of his dragon-headed cane, his wrists began to numb.

If he were still young, Elder Wei would become more courageous as the fight dragged on, willing to endure severe injury just to prove himself against Lin Fei.

However, he was no longer young, and his physical quality in all areas had diminished from the past, naturally lacking the sharp edge of youth.

Elder Wei wanted to call for a timeout, his pride preventing him from speaking out, especially since he had been the aggressor.

Bang!

Lin Fei turned a palmed strike into a fist, landing a punch on Elder Wei’s chest, sending him reeling back more than three steps.

Taking advantage of the moment, Elder Wei quickly waved his hand at Lin Fei, signaling, “Enough, enough, I give up.”

“This isn’t up to you!”

It was Elder Wei who started and also Elder Wei who wanted to stop – the world didn’t work that easily.

Lin Fei had no intention of letting Elder Wei off that easily.

As soon as he spoke, he closed in again.

If this had taken place abroad, Elder Wei would likely have been shot to pieces by now by the members of Hell’s Judgement Organization.

Even domestically, as a key figure in Hell’s Judgement Organization, Lin Fei had his pride and would not stop simply because Elder Wei asked.

Had Lin Fei really stopped, he would not be the king of the Mercenary World, renowned worldwide.

Daring to attack him, Lin Fei, and expecting to walk away without consequences – life wasn’t that easy.

This was all because Elder Wei’s attack, though fierce, had no intention to kill Lin Fei.

If Elder Wei had harbored any desire to kill, Lin Fei would have ended it rather than engage in a drawn-out fight.

“Lin, I’ve already admitted defeat.

Aren’t you going to stop?

Do you really intend to take my old life?”

Elder Wei became somewhat flustered under Lin Fei’s assault, desperately defending himself while ceaselessly begging Lin Fei to stop.

Seeing that Lin Fei showed no sign of stopping, Elder Wei no longer cared about losing face and fled towards Rose Manor while defending against Lin Fei’s blows.

The journey there was easy, but the retreat was difficult.

It took Elder Wei more than ten minutes to make his way back to the vicinity of Rose Manor over a distance of a thousand meters.

“Lin, if you don’t stop now, I’m going to call for help.

Then, it’ll be you who’s running for your life.”

Elder Wei was unable to shake off Lin Fei over the thousand-meter distance, and several times, though he fought ferociously, he ended up vomiting blood from Lin Fei’s attacks.

Having dominated the underworld for decades, he now felt old, chased and beaten by a younger generation.

If it weren’t for the sake of preserving his reputation, Elder Wei would have called for help long ago.

“Old man, I’ll spare your life – on one condition.

When we go back in, you get little Mei Mei to do a striptease for me.

Nod, and I’ll stop immediately.

If you don’t agree, today, I will turn this manor into a river of blood!”

Xue Mei set a trap at the banquet, clearly intending to put Lin Fei in a difficult position.

Without making Xue Mei pay a price, Lin Fei was not willing to relent.