At the same time.
Outside Ning Lang's grand residence, a line of four cars was parked, all domestic Hongqi sedans.
They were not luxurious, but they exuded an aura of nobility, discretion, and steadfastness.
Four plainclothes guards armed with guns stood at the gate of the residence, their postures erect, showing no hint of laxity.
Around the grand residence, a plainclothes officer was stationed every five meters, effectively sealing off the entire Ning estate.
The double-studded, ringed gate was tightly shut.
The maids, gardeners, and other staff inside the residence had already retreated to their rooms.
In the third courtyard, Lin Ying and Ning Lang sat on one side of a stone table, facing a middle-aged man with a calm expression, his hair slicked back, and dressed in plain cloth.
Their expressions were solemn, and their breathing rates were significantly lower than usual.
Jiang Yuxin accompanied Zheng Xiumei, staying in the room with the door locked.
"Young Ning, I'm here on behalf of the elder to see you. Tell me the details," the middle-aged man said, holding a teacup and using his mouth to brush away the green leaves floating on top.
"Tell me?"
These two words alone made Ning Lang's heart tremble.
He swallowed hard.
He himself was a formidable figure; otherwise, who would call him Brother Wolf or Lord Wolf?
But before this man, he was nothing more than a docile, obedient pet dog.
And this Master Zhou was, at best, a falcon before that elder.
Since they had come all this way, he still wanted him to elaborate.
Ning Lang had no choice but to brace himself and say, "Master Zhou, I did this."
"I endured for so many years, and in the end, I couldn't hold back. I..."
He was a man of the martial world, and loyalty was paramount.
Li Chonglou had eliminated Old Ghost for him and avenged his father's death, making him his great benefactor. Now, it was time for him to repay that kindness.
"Hold it!" Zhou interrupted him before he could finish.
He gently placed the teacup back on the stone table and said expressionlessly, "I want to hear the truth."
"It doesn't matter if you lie to me, but I'm here on behalf of the elder to ask you. Think about the consequences if you deceive him."
"That would be utter disrespect!"
His tone was plain and even, without the slightest fluctuation.
Yet, it struck Ning Lang's heart like a heavy hammer, exploding with thunderous force.
He was so startled that his blood surged, his fists clenched, and his hands began to tremble.
It wasn't that he was timid, but the overwhelming aura emanating from Zhou far surpassed his own status as the so-called underground magnate of Yong'an.
They were not on the same level at all.
Cold sweat broke out on Ning Lang's back, and his mind was a chaotic mess.
He did not want to betray Li Chonglou, for that would make him ungrateful. However, he no longer had the courage to fabricate anything before Zhou.
For a moment, he was at a loss, his lips sealed tight.
He could only stall for time.
"Master Zhou, don't trouble Brother Ning. I killed Old Ghost," Lin Ying said with a smile at this moment.
She could see that Zhou exerted a near-bloodline-level deterrence over Ning Lang.
But it had no effect on her.
This wasn't to say Ning Lang was too cowardly, but rather she didn't understand this man named Zhou at all.
She could only tell from his appearance that he held a high position and wielded life-and-death authority, which was indeed intimidating to a certain extent.
But who was she?
She was Lin Ying. Revered as Empress of Heaven and Earth, she feared no one among all living beings.
Li Chonglou was her junior brother, her father's successor, and the only hope for the Lin family; he could not afford to be harmed.
Ning Lang had known beforehand that this man named Zhou would come today, so she had sent Li Chonglou away two hours earlier.
She had stayed to face this ordeal.
As expected, the moment he arrived, all signals were blocked. Phones couldn't get through, and not even a fly could escape.
In this situation, she had to bear the burden alone.
"You killed him?"
Upon hearing this, Master Zhou glanced at Lin Ying, his eyes sharp and piercing, "Why did you kill him?"
"Didn't Little Ning tell you that he couldn't die?"
"Of course, he did. But so what? If he wanted to kill me, couldn't I fight back?" Lin Ying replied calmly and respectfully, not yielding an inch. She then asked, "Besides, what was special about Old Ghost?"
"People like him living in this world are an insult to the law in themselves."
"You should know very well that his own son killed him. I merely incited the evil within his son's heart."
She was well aware of the entire incident, so fabricating a story was effortless.
Master Zhou nodded repeatedly as he listened, breaking his usual impassive demeanor. To everyone's surprise, he revealed a hint of a smile, "Such courage."
"A woman who is no less capable than a man."
"Unfortunately, I heard you weren't present that day. The person who ordered the killing was a young man named Li Chonglou."
"Where is he?"
Ning Lang and Lin Ying's hearts jolted simultaneously, and they exchanged a glance.
So, this man named Zhou had already found out everything and came here to question them.
Wasn't this a blatant act of intimidation?
But Lin Ying was born without the knowledge of fear and continued her fabrication, "He is my subordinate. You can inquire further and find out. All his actions were instructed by me, just as you are a subordinate of that elder."
"You still haven't answered me, what was so special about Old Ghost?"
"You are quite curious. I will satisfy you," Master Zhou chuckled. "Many years ago, when he was in his prime, he single-handedly pursued foreign spies to Yong'an."
"Unexpectedly, the spies had laid an ambush. He killed seven of them with his own strength and narrowly escaped. That's when he met Old Ghost."
"At that time, Old Ghost was nothing more than a street hoodlum."
"But he saved the elder's life and took him to the hospital. This kindness cannot be left unreturned!"
"You people of the martial world emphasize repaying gratitude and grievances, and so do we."
"If you had killed someone else, we wouldn't interfere; the law would deal with you. But you shouldn't have killed Old Ghost."
"Give him an explanation."
Within that casually spoken tone, a hint of killing intent was concealed.
The implication was that if Lin Ying paid with her life, he would take his men and leave, and the matter would be closed.
Otherwise, today, Ning Manor would likely be annihilated.
This killing intent pierced directly into Lin Ying's heart.
At this moment, she understood why Ning Lang was so terrified of this man named Zhou.
Such pure killing intent could only be forged on the battlefield. The number of souls this man named Zhou had taken was immeasurable.
Killing was as simple and natural to him as eating and drinking.
Human lives were like mere grass and ants in his eyes.
Seeing Zhou's true nature, Lin Ying still showed no panic, speaking calmly, "You've come to demand an explanation from me. Very well."
"Old Ghost oppressed the people for personal gain and had more than one life on his hands."
"Those whom he killed, who will demand an explanation from them?"
A righteous aura emanated from Lin Ying, startling Zhou.
He had fought on battlefields his entire life and killed countless people.
Yet, he had never encountered a woman who was so heroic and valiant.
Not only did she not yield to him, but her words were sharp and cut to the core.
An ordinary person would absolutely not possess such an aura.
It seemed this woman possessed extraordinary skills.
Zhou's eyes gleamed, and he said calmly, "It seems you are unwilling to provide an explanation."
"That depends on whether you are qualified!" Lin Ying retorted.
The armed guards outside were not able to escape her notice.
A total of twelve men had arrived, surrounding Ning Manor.
If she wanted to escape, no one could stop her, but she couldn't. Zheng Xiumei and Jiang Yuxin were there, and they were ordinary people.
If even a single hair on their heads were harmed, how could she explain it to her junior brother?
Yet, even so, she had no intention of backing down, because the strong always looked down upon the cowardly and weak.
Without demonstrating her abilities, how could she gain Master Zhou's attention?
He thought she was a pushover.
Ning Lang's eyes widened as he looked at Lin Ying, wondering why she was so defiant.
In the past few days, Lin Ying had displayed such elegance at home that even he had begun to be moved.
But now, she seemed like a completely different person, radiating killing intent and appearing ready for battle.
This...
Wasn't she courting death?
Even with all her capabilities, confronting Master Zhou and that elder was like a tiny ant.
"Courting death!" Upon hearing this, Zhou's calm expression finally broke. He slammed a palm down onto the stone table.
With a "crack,"
The hard marble tabletop instantly cracked under the palm strike.
Web-like patterns spread across it. The teacups on top leaped up and shattered on the floor.
Jiang Yuxin and Zheng Xiumei in the room were startled by the commotion.
"Mom, don't move. I'll see what's happening," Jiang Yuxin crept to the door and peered out through the crack.
Although the stone table was cracked, it hadn't completely collapsed.
Lin Ying and Zhou locked eyes.
Suddenly, a fierce glint flashed in Zhou's eyes. With lightning speed, he struck out, his palm like a cleaver aimed at Lin Ying's delicate, fair neck.
His first move was a killing blow.
This palm strike was the best method for close combat on the battlefield, and he had used it to kill no less than ten enemies.
Using it against a woman like Lin Ying was already the utmost respect.
He didn't dislike Lin Ying; in fact, he rather liked her. But orders were orders, and he had to obey.
His elder had instructed him to seek justice for Old Ghost.
This was an order!
Even a woman he felt a kindred spirit with had to provide an explanation.
Therefore, this palm strike was delivered with full force.
Once it connected, Lin Ying's delicate neck would instantly fracture, she would lose the ability to breathe and think, and her life would quickly fade.
Seeing this, Ning Lang's eyes bulged, his eyes almost bursting. He wanted to push Lin Ying away.
But his movements were as slow as a snail compared to Zhou's; they were utterly insignificant.
Before he could even react, the palm strike reached Lin Ying.
"I'll send you on your way!" Zhou's voice was low and deadly.
*Bang!*
As soon as his voice fell, a hand, white and delicate as jade, appeared out of nowhere, intercepting the palm strike at her chin and firmly stopping it.
Then, two slender jade fingers extended, gently grasping Zhou's palm and the back of his hand.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't advance even an inch.
"How is this possible? Let go!" Zhou struggled a few times but couldn't break free. His face changed drastically, and he roared.
Lin Ying let go. The immense force of her hand pulling away, now unhindered, acted upon him.
His body instantly lost balance, and he stumbled backward.
*Stumble, stumble, stumble...*
Fortunately, Zhou was a veteran of many battles and was experienced. He quickly lowered his body and retreated five steps, preventing himself from falling flat.
But his normally calm face was now flushed red.
He gritted his teeth and roared, "Guards, arrest her!"
*Crash!*
As soon as his words fell, the gate of the third courtyard was kicked open.
A somewhat slender figure, covered in blood, strode in.
His clothes were torn in several places, and his wounds, clearly inflicted by a tri-edge bayonet, were still bleeding profusely.
It was Li Chonglou, who had rushed back from Woman Street.
He raised a hand, pointing at Zhou, his face like a demon, his voice like a vengeful ghost, "Dare to touch my senior sister, I will annihilate your entire clan!"