Everything sounded so ridiculous in his ears as he continued listening to their conversation. Lu Chen wasnât interested in getting involved in crime or killing anyone.
His goals were to start his own company and repay his uncleâs and auntâs grace by giving them a good life. That was it.
Simple. Peaceful.
If what Old Yang said was true that he looked for him to repay his parentsâ grace(which he still doesnât know about), then if he was going to repay it this way, heâd rather not accept it. And even if he owes Old Yang because of his help in resolving the scandal about him, he will pay him back in a different way that is within the acceptable range of his morals and principles.
He can bring Old Yang to his parentsâ grave and let him give his respects, but he would not accept such a high-profile and scary position.
That was Lu Chenâs thoughts.
Old Yang was already expecting this kind of reaction, so he sent him back to his dorm in Tsinghua. Lu Chen thought everything was already over after that.
The next day, news about the rival student who set him up was expelled from the university. The school even released an official announcement that Lu Chen was innocent and he did not get involved in scandalous activities.
The entire school exploded because of the news and even though there were already clarifications, there is still half of the population who didnât believe Lu Chenâs innocence. Rather, they questioned him in his capability to make the school speak out for him further encouraging the rumors. So the students were split into three opinions: those who believe Lu Chen was only framed, the neutral party, and those who believe that Lu Chen was exploiting his authority.
Lu Chen stopped caring anymore. Eventually, the rumors died down so quickly since the school talked with those students who got too harsh, and also, the exams were fast approaching. Everything returned to normal as if that chaotic and eventful week didnât happen. Itâs quite normal for this kind of news to disappear so quickly in a university, especially in a prestigious university wherein most of the students are most often focused on preparing for their exams and earning credits. Gossiping is their only way of letting out their stress but they donât spend most of their energy on that kind of useless stuff.
So after Lu Chen cleared up his name, he didnât do anything anymore and continued with his part-time jobs and attending the lectures for credits.
Old Yang also didnât appear before him ever since he dropped him off back to the dorms. It was suspicious how he easily accepted his decision that he wonât be his heir, especially with how he directly revealed it to him carelessly.
Other people would normally report what theyâve witnessed and heard to the police. And Lu Chen was actually slightly worried that Old Yang or that other man would do something since he clearly heard their words and even became a witness as they abducted the three men from that night and how they took away that two dead bodies wrapped in vinyl.
But surprisingly, that Old Yang didnât worry about him being a blabbermouth.
Lu Chen only wondered about that for a short time and quickly shrugged off his thoughts.
A week later, his peace vanished like a bubble.
While he was throwing the trash outside the restaurant he was working in, Lu Chen was stopped by two men. The two stood behind him and he felt something pointed at his waist. The two menâs appearance looked like the gangsters hanging out in the street alleys, but he could clearly sense that these two people were not that kind of men.
Their actions were fast, and they didnât babble much. They were direct in pointing a gun at his waist and spoke briefly.
"Come with us or weâll shoot you."
But before they could do anything to him other than that, the man he saw last week suddenly appeared before him like a wind. He felt himself being pushed to the wall and his eyes widened as he watched the mysterious man fight against those two men.
No, not beat up.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
In less than two minutes, the two men were already drowning in their own blood after being stabbed in their skulls by that mysterious man. He looked so at ease as if he didnât just finish killing two people. After wrapping up the bloodied knife with cloth, he hid it somewhere in his body and turned to directly look at Lu Chen.
"What a waste. I still donât understand why that old man chose you to be the heir with you being such a wimp." That man commented with his hand on his chin as he scrutinized Lu Chen from head to toe.
Lu Chen stood with his back straight and even if he was truly slightly scared after seeing two men die before his eyes, his eyes remained still and didnât cower in fear.
A wimp?
No. He wasnât a wimp. He was just using his common sense.
How could he, a person who doesnât even have a piece of knowledge about self-defense, fight off with two people with a gun?
So rather than struggling, he would listen to them first, calmly strategize in his mind how he would escape without getting killed before putting it into action.
Like an experiment. Hypothesize, then execute.
"O-ho." the man reacted as soon as he saw Lu Chenâs gaze looking at him so directly. "I do commend that gaze."
Pulling out a cigarette from his pocket, the man leaned on the wall disregarding the two dead men lying down on the floor, and lit his cigarette so relaxedly.
"Finish your shift. Iâll take you with me after."
Lu Chen stood there for a moment at a loss before walking back inside the restaurant. His thoughts werenât focused on his work because of what happened. He was confused why that man suddenly appeared before him again and why are their people suddenly want to hurt him.
After his shift, that man pulled him in someplaceâs rooftop. No, not the rooftop. Lu Chen was currently sitting on someplaceâs roof.
He was baffled why this man suddenly brought him here but he stayed quiet. This man was full of mystery but most of all, he was oozing with danger. Heâd rather not offend this man and talk to him without being careful.
"Do you know how many people die from being involved in crimes?" The man lied down on the roof with his two arms behind his head.
"...No." He does watch the news though.
"Then do you have any idea the percentage of the crimes in this country is being contributed by criminal groups and underground organizations?"
"...No."
Why would he know about that?
"At least tell me one thing that you know. Are you stupid?" The man said in an annoyed tone as he glared at the person sitting beside him.
Lu Chen was taken aback but he still answered his question.
"I know... that youâre a killer." He carefully responded.
The man raised his eyebrow while looking at Lu Chen and laughed.
"Hahahaha! Yes, thatâs right. At least you know that."
"...."
"Yes, Iâm a killer. But they usually call me an assassin instead."
"...En."
"What do you think about assassins?"
Lu Chenâs forehead creased. He really couldnât follow through with their conversation. It didnât make any sense no matter how much he thinks about it but he still thought about what to answer him.
"People who are paid to kill someone." Or at least thatâs what he learned from watching his roommatesâ Hollywood movies.
"Mm... youâre somehow half-right. Not all assassins kill for money though."
"..."
"Just like how we work under that old man. He doesnât pay us nor do we get paid for our missions. We kill people for a united cause, and not all assassins kill innocent people."
They donât get money?
"What do you think about the old man?"
"....pardon?"
Why did the topic suddenly jump to Old Yang? He really couldnât understand the flow of this conversation.
"The old man who introduced you to me that night. Donât tell me you have forgotten?"
"....Of course not."
Does he think he has such a short-term memory or some kind of a stupid person? How can he forget that old man if he can remember this mysterious assassin man?
"He said he was the City Leader of the Underground City."
"And then?"
Lu Chen recalled how intimidating Old Yang was back in the chairmanâs office.
"...He seems to be reliable."
His aura was so scary that the chairman almost peed in his pants ah.