Sun Peng sat in his room, reminiscing about the conversation he had just had with Yang Ling, his heart in turmoil. His head buzzed with confusion, his thoughts a jumble. Yang Ling's command hung over him like a sword of Damocles, making it hard to breathe.
Sun Peng's mind wandered back to the years he had spent with Tan Long. Tan Long wasn't just his boss; he was also his brother and mentor. Tan Long had taught him how to survive in the underworld, how to navigate through people, and even how to face danger. Countless times they had faced life and death together, forging a deep bond between them.
But Yang Ling's threat was so real, so urgent. Sun Peng knew Yang Ling wasn't joking. Three days' time, and if Tan Long was still alive, everyone in the Hero Association would be buried, including himself. Sun Peng felt an overwhelming sense of despair, his heart filled with fear.
His thoughts turned to the years he and Tan Long had shared, memories of standing side by side in the face of danger. Tan Long wasn't just his boss; he was his brother, his mentor. Sun Peng couldn't betray him. But Yang Ling's voice kept echoing in his ears: "Kill Tan Long, or I'll kill everyone in the Hero Association."
Sun Peng knew that whichever path he chose, it would lead to ruin. His heart was torn between conscience and reality, the conflict tormenting him. He didn't want to betray his brother, but he couldn't stand by and watch his comrades die.
As night fell, Sun Peng walked the empty streets like a lost soul, his heart still unable to find peace, as if weighed down by a boulder. Returning home, he found his wife and child already asleep. He quietly pushed open his child's door, gazing at the sleeping figure, his inner turmoil intensifying like a tangled mess. He couldn't bear to put his family in danger, but he also couldn't bring himself to do something against his conscience. As the three-day deadline approached, Sun Peng's inner turmoil grew, his heart burning as if on fire.
Finally, on the last day of the deadline, Sun Peng made up his mind. He couldn't let the entire Hero Association and his family suffer because of his hesitation. He decided to go and see Tan Long himself.
Standing in front of Tan Long's door, Sun Peng took a deep breath and knocked lightly. Tan Long opened the door, a smile on his face. "What's the matter, coming over so late?" he asked. Sun Peng nodded, his gaze wandering, his voice trembling slightly. "Brother, I have something to tell you." The two of them entered the house and sat down on the sofa. Sun Peng looked at Tan Long, his heart filled with conflicting emotions. He knew this was their last meeting. He didn't dare to meet Tan Long's gaze, afraid his thoughts would be seen through.
"What's on your mind, just say it, don't hold back," Tan Long said, patting Sun Peng's shoulder, smiling.
Sun Peng took a deep breath, took out the knife he had prepared long ago, and looked at Tan Long with determination mixed with pain. "Brother, I'm sorry." With that, he abruptly stabbed the knife towards Tan Long's chest.
Suddenly, a gunshot shattered the silence of the night. Sun Peng paused, looking down, only to see a black pistol aimed at his abdomen, blood gushing out. His eyes filled with confusion and pain, he stuttered, "W-why…"
Tan Long stood before him, coldly staring, "A few days ago, the Zhang family had trouble. Chen Fan had already anticipated that someone would come after me. I just didn't expect it to be you, Sun Peng." Tan Long's tone carried a hint of sadness and anger.
Sun Peng felt his strength ebbing away, struggling to ask again, "H-how?" His voice came out hoarse and weak.
Tan Long leaned down, looking at Sun Peng, his eyes cold, "Do you know why I can be the boss and you can only be the second? Because you trust others too easily, and I, I don't trust anyone, not even you, my brother who has fought alongside me through life and death."
Sun Peng's eyes widened, filled with disbelief and shock. He couldn't accept this fact, that his brother, his trusted comrade, would betray him. He wanted to say something more, but his throat could only produce a hoarse sob, his body trembling involuntarily.
Tan Long looked at Sun Peng lying on the ground, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions. They had once been so close, so inseparable. But now, they had reached this point...
Tan Long stared at Sun Peng's lifeless face, a sense of heaviness weighing on his heart. He sighed, his voice low, "Sun Peng, you brought this upon yourself." He put away the gun, made a phone call,
"Notify the brothers of the Hero Association, kill Sun Peng's followers and family." "But boss, isn't Sun your..." "I told you to go quickly!" "Yes, boss!" Tan Long finished the call, about to leave, when suddenly he heard a voice behind him.
"Well, Tan Long, you're quite ruthless, even willing to go after your own brother. Tsk tsk tsk..." Tan Long turned abruptly, his gaze meeting Yang Ling's, who leaned against the wall in a mocking posture, hands in pockets, as if scrutinizing a criminal. Yang Ling had anticipated Sun Peng's inevitable failure tonight, so he came to observe secretly.
"Who are you! How dare you barge into my home! Are you looking to test my strength?" Tan Long's eyes widened in anger, fists clenched, exuding a fierce warrior aura like a tiger.
"Warrior? You, the big boss of the underworld, indeed have quite the strength. It's a pity Sun Peng couldn't take you down," Yang Ling's voice faded as his figure vanished before Tan Long's eyes like a ghost. In an instant, Tan Long felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down in horror to see his heart being ripped out by Yang Ling, leaving a bloody cavity in his chest.
"Forget it, I'll kill you myself!" Yang Ling's voice sounded like a death knell behind Tan Long. Tan Long tried to speak, but his throat felt as if it were being strangled by an invisible hand, unable to utter a sound. His eyes filled with endless fear and despair, his body falling rigidly to the ground. Beside him lay the lifeless body of his once most trusted brother, Sun Peng.
Yang Ling stood beside Tan Long's corpse, coldly looking down at him, a hint of disdain hanging on his lips. He casually tossed Tan Long's heart to the ground, wiped the blood off his hands, as if he had just done something inconsequential.
"Ding dong, congratulations, Host, for successfully killing Chen Fan's right-hand man, stopping Chen Fan's influence from growing, Chen Fan's luck value -2000, congratulations, Host, for gaining +200 villain points!"
"How boring," Yang Ling snorted, then turned and left the bloody room as if nothing had happened. He didn't care whether Sun Peng succeeded tonight or not; even if Sun Peng had succeeded today, he would still kill Sun Peng and the Hero Association.
Yang Ling quickly drove to the headquarters of the Hero Association, a large abandoned factory that had been converted into a gathering place for gangs. After the car stopped, Yang Ling walked towards the gate, witnessing the chaotic scene inside. Sun Peng's confidants and Tan Long's men were engaged in fierce combat. The air was filled with a bloody atmosphere, fists, clubs, and blades intertwined, screams echoing, and the ground littered with blood and bodies.
Yang Ling took a deep breath, then forcefully pushed open the heavy door in front of him. With a creaking sound, the chaotic scene inside was revealed before him without reservation.
A faint smile appeared on his lips. Then, he stretched his muscles, feeling the power surging within his body, before charging straight into the center of the battlefield like an arrow leaving the bow.
Locking his gaze onto a burly man fiercely fighting with others, Yang Ling didn't hesitate to raise his right foot and fiercely kick the man's ribs. The impact was like thunder, unstoppable! With a muffled sound, the burly man flew out like a cannonball, crashing heavily into the crowded crowd behind him, knocking down a large number of people.
Seeing this scene, the other enemies were shocked, but they didn't retreat. Instead, they picked up various weapons and roared, charging towards Yang Ling.
A cold light flashed in Yang Ling's eyes as he darted through the crowd like the wind. His punches and kicks were like thunder, shattering bones and tendons of anyone who came near him. Dodging effortlessly, he easily knocked away weapons from the hands of his enemies. Several burly men surrounded him, but Yang Ling moved like a ghost, evading and counterattacking seamlessly. In just a few minutes, dozens of people were knocked to the ground, groaning in pain.
Just as Yang Ling was about to choke the last person's neck and raise him high, an angry voice came from outside the door: "Stop!" A figure flew towards Yang Ling like a gust of wind. Yang Ling paid no attention, directly pinching the man's neck and throwing the body towards the direction of the figure. The figure swiftly dodged, landing and slowly revealing his face.
Seeing this, Yang Ling felt no surprise, a sarcastic smile appearing on his lips. "Where there's excitement, there's your presence, the protagonist, Favored Child of Destiny ... Chen Fan."