Du Jinpeng's facial muscles twitched uncontrollably. Their family had collected thousands of items, all purchased with hard cash, precisely to appreciate in value.
It was the same principle of money begetting money; these antiques would continuously increase in worth over time.
Many of their collected treasures had been acquired at exorbitant prices. If they were taken now, other family members would surely resent him, believing he had succumbed to fear and agreed to unfair terms.
Yet, only he knew the true extent of the man before him and how he held their very lives in his grasp.
"Mr. Lin, it is indeed a bit..."
Before he could finish the word "much," he saw the smile on Lin Xiaotian's face slowly vanish, his eyes radiating a chilling coldness.
Lin Xiaotian said with a half-smile, "I also think it's a bit much. How about I just pick one or two to take with me?"
"After all, I'm not as precious as your Du family. My mental distress can be compensated with a few antiques. If I'm in a bad mood later, I'll come back to bother you."
Upon hearing this, Du Jinpeng felt utterly devastated, it was practically an outright robbery.
But the crucial point was that even if Lin Xiaotian resorted to force, they would be powerless. Moreover, they were in the wrong to begin with. Even if Lin Xiaotian eliminated them, the Special Operations Department wouldn't say much. They had schemed against Lin Xiaotian first, and Lin Xiaotian's subsequent thunderous strike was a reaction.
The Special Operations Department had already been trying to find ways to eradicate them. If someone else took the initiative, they would surely be pleased.
"Mr. Lin, I've been thinking carefully. Mere compensation for mental distress might not be enough. After all, it's intangible and easily exploited. I believe we should offer you a reward."
"As we discussed earlier, as long as you resolve the troubles within our family, you can choose any one item from the treasure vault."
"However, I feel that offering too little would not adequately reflect our respect for Mr. Lin. Therefore, I've decided to present all the antiques to Mr. Lin. I sincerely hope Mr. Lin will accept."
"How could I possibly accept such a generous offer?" Lin Xiaotian chuckled.
This brilliant smile made Du Jinpeng's entire being falter. This was the art of accepting benefits while feigning reluctance, enough to infuriate someone to death.
The critical issue was that he dared not resist Lin Xiaotian. Any misspoken word at this moment could lead to Lin Xiaotian striking him dead, and then someone else from their family would be appointed as the patriarch to seize the items.
This was the advantage of immense power. If he possessed such strength, he wouldn't be polite or speak such words; he would simply annihilate everyone and take what he wanted.
"Mr. Lin, if you refuse our gifts, it would be a sign of disrespect to the entire Du family. We would feel uneasy when sleeping at night, knowing that Mr. Lin has helped us so greatly, yet we haven't offered sufficient gratitude. It would make us seem utterly contemptible."
"Please, Mr. Lin, you must accept!"
"If you don't accept, I will kneel here and refuse to rise."
A brilliant smile appeared on Lin Xiaotian's face. "Since that is the case, I shall reluctantly accept. However, I must state clearly beforehand: even after accepting these items, you must still provide me with the information about the Medicine King Cauldron."
"I don't require you to retrieve the actual treasure, but I absolutely must receive the information."
Du Jinpeng felt a slight sense of relief. At least Lin Xiaotian had given him some leeway.
If he hadn't offered so many treasures, Lin Xiaotian would likely not have reasoned with them, and a single strike could have ended him.
Lin Xiaotian said with a half-smile, "Half an hour is too long to wait. Why don't we have people start moving things out now? I can call my wife and have her send a car."
Du Jinpeng's heart bled, but at this moment, he wouldn't let Lin Xiaotian make that call. He smiled and said, "I will personally arrange for people to deliver them, with experts providing full escort. Not a single item will be lost."
"We have no shortage of vehicles here. With one phone call, I can have all these treasures delivered to the Chu Group."
A look of satisfaction spread across Lin Xiaotian's face. "Good, good. You know how to conduct yourself. I'm becoming increasingly pleased with you."
"I've already taken a look. There are over two thousand seven hundred items in total. Remember, not one less. I'll stay here and admire them, and I'll leave after you've moved everything out."
He knew how petty people like Du Jinpeng could be. If he wasn't watching, Du Jinpeng would likely have a few antiques hidden away.
Now that he had set his sights on these items, they were his.
Du Jinpeng's lips twitched. He had indeed been thinking that, but fortunately, the truly precious items he had hidden away hadn't been discovered by Lin Xiaotian.
As he was contemplating this, Lin Xiaotian walked over to a display shelf, tapped it lightly, and revealed an expression of utter astonishment. "Old Du, your methods of hiding things are a bit crude."
"Just take everything out. Don't make me search for them one by one."
Du Jinpeng's heart truly bled. Those hidden treasures were the real gems; the ones displayed openly were merely ordinary antiques.
However, he was unaware of Lin Xiaotian's current cultivation realm, which allowed him to clearly sense different energies.
Upon sensing these energies, he could discern their approximate locations, which was why he had been watching so intently.
After all, they had already taken so many items. If he were to deal with Du Jinpeng as well, he would feel a bit sheepish. The thousands of antiques delivered to the company would bring in astonishing profits.
Even though his heart ached, Du Jinpeng could only obediently do as Lin Xiaotian instructed.
At this point, he no longer dared to hide anything. He didn't know how Lin Xiaotian had discovered the mechanisms, but if he could detect some, he could certainly detect all of them. Playing tricks on Lin Xiaotian was futile. It was better to hand over the items willingly; at least this way, he might gain Lin Xiaotian's favor.
"Mr. Lin, rest assured, I will present all items in full. I have already made the calls, and they will be bringing the vehicles over shortly."