CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER 41: AN EYE FOR AN EYE

The crowd surged into the security team’s office. They quickly surrounded Lin Xiao, looking like they were ready to attack without a word.

Xue Long looked down on Lin Xiao with arrogance. "Stinking beggar, tell me, how do you plan to resolve this?"

Lin Xiao ignored the piece of trash. His gaze was captured by a young man on the security team. The young man was about twenty-four or twenty-five and was engrossed in a book, reading with relish. Not only had this guy not joined their scheme, but he was also able to read so intently amidst the chaos. He was certainly an oddball.

After just a glance, Lin Xiao withdrew his gaze. He slowly scanned the faces of those who had cornered him, his eyes finally resting on the two men who had been beaten black and blue.

"Does it hurt?" Lin Xiao asked with a smile.

The two men snorted contemptuously and said nothing.

Lin Xiao smiled. "Xue Long, that was a crafty move. Xue Dashan must have given you that idea, right?"

Xue Long let out a proud, cold laugh. His expression seemed to say, ’You think a stinking beggar like you can outsmart me?’

"None of your damn business. In any case, let’s just see how you’re going to get out of this today."

Lin Xiao asked, "So, what do you want?"

"First, kneel down and knock your head on the floor for me a few times. Then I’ll tell you what I want."

Lin Xiao looked at Xue Long with a smile. "You really have a death wish."

"Cut the damn crap," Xue Long said haughtily. "Kneel, admit you were wrong, and get the hell out of the security team."

"And what if I don’t want to kneel for you or leave the security team?"

Xue Long sneered. "Then you’re fucking daydreaming, you stinking beggar. Let me tell you something. If you don’t kneel, apologize, and get the hell out of here today, I’ll lead the team on a strike. Then you can just wait for Su Qingning to deal with your ass!"

Lin Xiao smiled.

He had to admit, Xue Long had played his hand well. He knew how important the bar was to Su Qingning, and that a strike would paralyze it instantly. To keep the bar running, Su Qingning would surely have to compromise and force him out of the security team. However, for all his calculations, Xue Long had made one fatal mistake: he truly believed Lin Xiao was just a stinking beggar.

Ignoring the rampant Xue Long, Lin Xiao looked at the men before him with a smile. "I know this wasn’t your idea. You were all coerced by Xue Long. In fact, I know this piece of trash treats you all poorly. Relying on his uncle, Xue Dashan, he runs amok in the security team, treating you all like dirt."

At this, Lin Xiao deliberately paused. Seeing that the hostility in the crowd’s eyes had faded, he smiled and was about to continue, but Xue Long scoffed contemptuously.

"Stinking beggar, do you think a few empty words will change the fact that you’re getting kicked out? You said I rely on my uncle to run wild? You’re right, I do run wild, so what? You think I give a damn about this bunch of trash? Your wife can’t run this place without my uncle, and this crappy bar relies on his protection. Tough luck. My uncle is a Martial Artist."

Xue Long was incredibly smug. His tone was arrogant, and his expression carried an unrivaled swagger.

Lin Xiao, however, paid no attention to his gloating. He was observing the security guards. At first, when they heard Xue Long call them trash, their expressions filled with rage. But the moment they heard his uncle was a Martial Artist, they all instantly deflated.

Lin Xiao knew the only reason they were cooperating with Xue Long’s charade was because his uncle was Xue Dashan. But he hadn’t expected them to be so afraid of Xue Dashan. Then again, he thought, these men were all ordinary people. Although Xue Dashan was only a Yellow Level Martial Artist, he was still a Martial Artist. To Lin Xiao, he was the lowest form of trash, but to these ordinary men, he was an insurmountable figure. It was only natural for them to be afraid.

Watching Xue Long gloat like the cat that got the cream, Lin Xiao knew it was time to end this farce.

He smiled at the men. "I actually had some good news to share, but I didn’t expect this mess. Never mind, I’ll say it anyway. Last night, I discussed something with Boss Su. We’ve decided to promote a deputy captain for the security team, with a monthly salary increase of ten thousand. Boss Su gave me the authority to choose the candidate myself."

At this, Lin Xiao deliberately paused again, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone present. The men who had just been laughing were now staring at him in utter shock. A few of them even gasped audibly.

Are you kidding me? An extra ten thousand a month? That’s one hundred twenty thousand a year! That was no small sum.

Xue Long, however, sneered menacingly. "Stinking beggar, are you out of your mind? You think these pieces of trash will believe your bullshit?"

Lin Xiao ignored him and continued, "Honestly, I’m having a hard time deciding. How about this: I know Xue Long has bullied you all plenty. Whoever beats the shit out of him for me today gets to be the deputy captain. I know you’re afraid of Xue Dashan, but this bar belongs to my wife. At the end of the day, Xue Dashan is just an employee she hired. If something were to happen, who do you think she would side with? Me, or Xue Dashan?"

As he finished, Xue Long sneered disdainfully. "Lin Xiao, you’re a fucking moron for trying a trick like this on me. You think this trash would dare to touch me? Besides, a pathetic loser like you thinks Boss Su would take your side? You must be fucking dreaming."

Yes, this was exactly the tactic Lin Xiao intended to use against trash like Xue Long. Of course, he could have handled it himself, but not only was this scumbag beneath him, he had also incited the others to strike. So, Lin Xiao had come up with this method to let the security team give him a good thrashing. It was an eye for an eye. He was sure someone would be brave enough for such a hefty reward.

Sure enough, the young man who had been reading suddenly set his book down. He stood up, walked over to Lin Xiao, and asked in a deep voice, "Will you keep your word?"

Lin Xiao glanced at him with a smile and said firmly, "Every word."

The young man nodded, his gaze falling on Xue Long.

Xue Long scoffed. "Pei Donglai, what? You actually want to take a swing at me?"

Pei Donglai nodded.

Xue Long laughed with even more scorn, pointing to his own head. "A piece of trash like you dares to hit me? Go on, right here," he taunted. "If you don’t do it today, you’re a fucking coward!"

The words were barely out of his mouth when Pei Donglai whipped a vicious backhand slap across his face.