"Chief Lin, please enjoy your meal at your leisure."
Luo Tuo said with a cheerful smile, "We're leaving now, so we won't disturb you."
Lin Qing wiped his mouth and said, "Wait, I've just finished eating too, let's go together."
Luo Tuo raised his eyebrows slightly and then smiled, "Alright, we'll escort you."
"I'll get the bill." Lin Qing leisurely picked up his phone, opened the restaurant's order, and looked at the man in the suit, saying, "Boss Ji, isn't there a discount promotion today? Can I get a coupon with a good review?"
A large group of Blue Scarf Gang members were waiting nearby, and the man in the suit forced a smile, saying, "Chief Lin, this meal is on me."
"I don't do dine and dash." Lin Qing frowned slightly, "Charge me whatever it is."
"Clap clap clap."
Luo Tuo clapped his hands beside him and praised insincerely, "Truly worthy of the Patrol Department's officer, so fair, having a patrol like you on Iron Stone Street is our fortune."
All the gangsters followed with applause, while the towering burly man coldly fixed his gaze on Lin Qing.
After Lin Qing slowly finished paying, he stood up and said, "Let's go."
The Blue Scarf Gang members had long lost their patience, but since boss Luo Tuo hadn't spoken, no one dared to say much.
"Alright, we'll see you off." Luo Tuo politely stepped aside with a smile.
As Lin Qing was surrounded by the Blue Scarf Gang members and walked out of the restaurant, reaching the street, Luo Tuo immediately smiled and said, "We have some business to attend to, Chief Lin, see you next time."
"Hold on," Lin Qing spoke, "I happen to have a search task today, why not walk around with you all?"
The smile on Luo Tuo's face froze suddenly.
The towering burly man squinted his eyes.
"Chief Lin must be joking." Luo Tuo smiled again and said, "Chief Lin wants to join us?"
Lin Qing said calmly, "I just got promoted to the Patrol Department, and the daily patrol duties on Iron Stone Street are mine—is there a problem?"
Luo Tuo stared at Lin Qing and said, "Is Chief Lin planning to go against us today?"
"It's just work."
Lin Qing said indifferently, "Aren't you doing business? Are you afraid of me seeing it? In that case, I must take a look, as a patrol, I can't just turn a blind eye, right?"
The air seemed to freeze, and silence descended suddenly.
Luo Tuo squinted his eyes slightly.
The towering burly man glared fiercely at Lin Qing, slowly clenching his fists until his knuckles cracked audibly.
The members of the Blue Scarf Gang also glared maliciously at Lin Qing, ready to pounce as soon as their leader gave the order.
The atmosphere gradually grew tense, as if ready to erupt at any moment.
Even the passersby dared not approach, for fear of being caught up in the situation.
Lin Qing remained calm, as if unaffected by the tension.
"...Fine."
Luo Tuo suddenly laughed and said, "Since it's Chief Lin's duty, we as good citizens must cooperate well. Today I'll give you this face, and we'll leave."
"Luo Tuo," the towering burly man frowned tightly, unable to restrain himself any longer, "just a Patrol Department officer, I don't believe..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Luo Tuo waived to stop him, still keeping his eyes on Lin Qing, and smiled, "However, face is mutual. This time we give Chief Lin face; we hope Chief Lin will be generous and show us some courtesy next time."
"Your face must be quite significant," Lin Qing looked at Luo Tuo with a hint of mockery.
Luo Tuo suddenly stepped closer and whispered, "Chief Lin, we respect your Patrol Department skin; you're quite a figure. But isn't it true that even the Patrol Department faces unexpected incidents?"
Lin Qing slightly raised an eyebrow.
"Once a person is dead, nothing matters anymore."
Luo Tuo said in a low voice, "A monthly salary of just seven thousand dollars—I imagine there's no need to risk your life for it, is there?"
At that moment, the towering burly man behind Luo Tuo suddenly punched the iron railing beside them, making a loud clang. The iron railing caved in deeply, while he continued to stare at Lin Qing with a deadly gaze.
This terrifying brute force startled the gangsters around, who instinctively stepped back in a circle.
No one dared to imagine the consequences of such a heavy and frightening punch landing on them—probably instant death?
[Order Level decreased by 0.2]
Bright red text, like blood, appeared before Lin Qing's eyes.
Lin Qing couldn't help but glance at the burly man.
Was it clear he really had murderous intent?
"I've said all I needed to."
At this moment, Luo Tuo chuckled, stepped back two paces, and said, "Let's head back. Today we'll give Chief Lin face; I think Chief Lin understands now."
The Blue Scarf Gang quickly departed.
Lin Qing stood quietly where he was, suddenly flipping his hand to reveal a black electronic access card.
This is what he had taken from Luo Tuo when he leaned in.
The access card to Iron Stone Bar's back door.
...
Iron Stone Bar.
"Luo Tuo, this Lin fellow seems troublesome."
The towering burly man grabbed a bottle of liquor, broke off the thick neck with his hands, took a big gulp, then exhaled the alcohol, speaking with a vicious tone, "You know his home address, right? Tell me, I'll take care of him."
"Tie Wuluo." Luo Tuo frowned slightly.
Tie Wuluo drained the bottle in one go, then crushed it into shards, snorting coldly, "Don't you trust my strength? For a fledgling with little experience, just practicing the four-six version of the Practice Method newly, three punches would be enough to kill him!"
Luo Tuo shook his head and said, "Get a hold of yourself."
"You think I can't do it?"
Tie Wuluo frowned, "Do you mean he's learned Combat Skill?"
"According to the information from the BOSS, this Lin Qing has indeed learned Combat Skill," Luo Tuo said, "but he's only a beginner and still mastering it."
"Isn't that even more reason?"
Tie Wuluo stared at Luo Tuo, "Then it's better to deal with him now! Otherwise, once he masters Combat Skill, it will be hard to handle him."
"It's not at that stage yet." Luo Tuo frowned, "Do you realize how much trouble it is to kill a Patrol Department officer? Unless absolutely necessary, we cannot take that step."
Tie Wuluo couldn't hold back and said, "Only if it can't be traced back to us..."
"Tie Wuluo!"
Luo Tuo shouted in a low voice, "The BOSS has said before, right? You only need to follow my orders; have you forgotten?"
Tie Wuluo fell silent.
After a long time, he said in a low voice, "Alright, I'll listen to you; I'm just responsible for protecting you and killing."
"It's not that I don't trust you."
Luo Tuo shook his head slightly and patted Tie Wuluo's arm, "The fact that you survived the modification shows you're much stronger than I am. I believe that even the veteran chief inspectors of the Patrol Team might not be stronger than you, but we must consider the consequences of our actions."
"Think it over carefully."
He sighed, "Lin Qing is an eighteen-year-old young man, just promoted to the Patrol Department, in his prime. We openly collected protection fees in front of him; naturally, he felt embarrassed. At times like this, we take a step back and give him enough face in public, and he won't hold on to us."
Tie Wuluo frowned and asked, "What if he still won't let it go?"
"No worries."
Luo Tuo smiled, "We gave him face in public, so naturally, we should warn him privately. When he returns home, he'll understand."
"If he still doesn't understand, then we'll have no choice..."
He showed a cruel smile and made a gesture of cutting his throat.
...
...
Evening.
Lin Qing returned home and had just opened the security door with his fingerprint when his pupils suddenly contracted.
The piece of paper he had wedged in the door was gone.
Someone had been inside his house.
Yet, the lock was the new security lock he'd changed after coming over, specifically to deter burglars, a high-grade one.
Not even his cousin's family knew the code, nor had their fingerprints entered.
Had he encountered someone more professional?
The paper wedged in the door was a habit from his survival in the apocalypse, helping him several times before.
Lin Qing prepared to activate Combat Skill instantly, feeling a portable retractable knife from his pocket, with its shiny blade concealed up his sleeve, he then pretended nothing was wrong and entered his home.
But as soon as he stepped in, he frowned.
The living room table was smashed to pieces, the place a mess, with four blood-red characters spray-painted on the wall.
[Mind your own business]
"A warning?"
Lin Qing frowned tightly.
He naturally couldn't fail to guess it was the work of the Blue Scarf Gang, meant to warn him.
The front door hadn't been broken, and the password lock was intact, yet the Blue Scarf Gang could get inside?
This gave him a strong sense of crisis.
If they could open his security door, they could potentially ambush him inside; even if he wasn't afraid of the ambush, it was still a threat.
*The Blue Scarf Gang has this kind of skill... truly unusual, and they directly addressed me as chief in the restaurant today; their intelligence is indeed sharp...*
*Daring enough to threaten a Patrol Department officer like this, they really aren't afraid of me...*
*The Order Level dropped by another 0.3, not only because the Blue Scarf Gang regrouped but also because of that giant with immense power.*
*Should I report this to the bureau? Probably won't be of much help...*
Lin Qing took a deep breath and silently withdrew the blade of the retractable knife, "Forget it, hold back for now..."
...
"Swish!"
A cold gleam flashed frighteningly fast, slicing a horrific, nearly complete severing wound on Luo Tuo's neck, from which blood gushed out instantly.
In the noisy bar bathroom, Luo Tuo desperately clutched his nearly severed neck, staring unyieldingly at the mysterious man who suddenly appeared from the cubicle, staggering back a few steps.
"Lin... Lin..."
Luo Tuo's eyes were full of fear, reluctance, and disbelief, struggling to make a sound from his choking vocal cords.
Though the opponent wore a cap and mask, clad in a loose black coat, he recognized those eyes.
He couldn't believe that an official patrol officer could dare to kill him?
Wasn't there no real enmity, and hadn't he given enough face already; just a little warning, did he deserve to be killed for it?
He hadn't even instructed Tie Wuluo to kill!
And the other party, an official employee, weren't they supposed to act impartially and by the law?
How could they resort to murder??
Could this be recognized? Lin Qing raised his eyebrows slightly.
He initially wanted to report to the bureau, but he held back since it was too troublesome—killing was simpler.
Otherwise, why did he practice Combat Skill?