Covering a distance of dozens of kilometers in under a minute, Lin Feng landed about three to four hundred meters from his home to avoid drawing attention. He picked up his bags, packed with everything he'd bought, and began walking leisurely toward his house.
But after only a few steps, he heard the rumbling of engines coming from the direction of his home.
"Excavators?" Lin Feng's face darkened.
From what he'd overheard in the conversation between his sister and Li Xiaoke, he had a feeling that the demolition situation was more complicated than he had initially thought. This likely meant that someone had come to forcibly tear down the house!
And with his sister and Li Xiaoke still inside…
At that moment, Lin Feng's expression turned terrifyingly cold. The killing intent radiating from him seemed to darken the skies over the area.
Perfect, he thought, his eyes flashing with fury. I haven't gone looking for you, yet you dare to show up at my doorstep?
For Lin Feng, his sister Xiao Yao was his reverse scale—the one thing no one could touch without facing deadly consequences.
…
Meanwhile, in front of the dilapidated cottage, two yellow excavators sat idling, their engines roaring.
A dozen burly men stood by the excavators, leering at the two young girls blocking their way and spewing crude, vulgar comments.
"Look at that—fresh and young, tiny waists and full chests, faces still plump with collagen. These girls are a catch!"
"Haha… Quality like this doesn't come for less than three or four thousand!"
"Three or four thousand? Keep dreaming! If they're untouched, the price starts at least from ten grand!"
"I heard one of them's a college student too. College life must be good, huh?"
Hearing the filthy words from these thugs, Lin Yunyao and Li Xiaoke's faces flushed with anger and disgust, yet they were powerless to do anything. They didn't even dare talk back, fearing it would provoke them further.
"Come on, little girls, just step aside! Otherwise, when the house comes down, and you two fragile little things get hurt, well… your big brother here would feel real sorry for you," sneered the leader, a middle-aged man with a tone dripping in mockery.
The man's gaze roamed over Lin Yunyao and Li Xiaoke with undisguised lust, like a starving wolf eyeing its prey.
"No way! The compensation hasn't been settled, so what you're doing here is illegal forced demolition! I've already called the police—just wait and see!" Li Xiaoke spread her arms protectively in front of Lin Yunyao, her voice shaking with both anger and determination.
"Oh no, the police? I'm so scared!" The middle-aged man clutched his chest dramatically, feigning terror. Then, with a mocking grin, he turned to his men behind him.
"Did you hear that? She says she's already called the police!"
"Hahaha…"
"Oh no, what will we do?" The men burst into laughter, their mocking expressions making their disdain and disregard all too clear.
"You… you all!" Li Xiaoke's voice trembled with frustration.
Li Xiaoke's face flushed as she struggled to find words, but what could she, a young girl, say that would make any difference against these thugs?
Just then, Lin Yunyao took a deep breath, her face pale, and said, "Xiaoke, this has nothing to do with you. Just go."
"No way! If I leave, what will you do here alone?" Li Xiaoke shook her head, her face filled with worry.
"Xiaoke, there's nothing you can do here. Staying will only put you in danger," Lin Yunyao said with a bitter smile.
Hearing this, Li Xiaoke clenched her teeth, a feeling of helplessness washing over her. She could sense that these men were well-prepared; they clearly had connections and had paved the way for their actions here.
Li Xiaoke could hardly believe it—forced demolitions were something she'd only ever seen in the news, yet here she was, facing it firsthand.
"I don't have time to waste on you two. Move aside, now!" The lead man glanced at his watch, clearly out of patience, his tone icy.
"This is my home. I won't let you touch it!" Lin Yunyao's voice was firm, but the slight tremor in her body betrayed her deep fear.
"Oh, really?" The middle-aged man sneered. "I've seen plenty like you who aren't afraid to die. But do you think that matters to me?"
With a cold chuckle, he waved his hand, gesturing to his men.
"A few of you, get these girls out of the way. And if they resist—don't hold back."
"Got it, Boss Ji!" his men replied eagerly, moving forward with menacing smiles.
Two of the thugs stepped forward with malicious grins, rubbing their hands together as they approached Lin Yunyao and Li Xiaoke. They clearly intended to take advantage of the situation, hoping for a chance to touch and grope under the guise of "moving them out of the way."
Seeing this, Li Xiaoke took a fearful step back, while Lin Yunyao's face filled with despair, her body growing cold. She desperately wished for a hero to appear, someone who could save her from this nightmare.
Strangely, an image of her brother Lin Feng flashed in her mind. *If he were here, would he step forward to protect me?*
*Probably not,* she thought bitterly. There were too many of them here; even if he were around, he'd likely just stand by, scared to get involved. Besides, her brother wasn't exactly the noble type. If he were, he wouldn't have left her alone for ten years, all for another woman.
As the men drew closer, their leering smiles growing wider, Lin Yunyao bent down and picked up a brick from the ground, gripping it tightly. *If this was going to be the end, she'd defend her dignity with everything she had—even if it cost her life.*
At that moment, a voice colder than ice pierced the air.
"Take one more step, and you're dead!"
The voice was chilling, making everyone's skin crawl with goosebumps. Who was it?
Everyone turned in shock, only to see a young man with long, flowing hair, a scruffy beard, and a sorrowful expression approaching them.
"Bro… brother…" Lin Yunyao whispered, her gaze unfocused. She had just been wondering if her brother would stand up for her, and now, against all odds, he was here, walking toward her without a moment's hesitation.
"That… that guy who…" Li Xiaoke gasped, covering her mouth in disbelief as she looked at Lin Feng, who appeared almost like a god descending to save them.
The seven or eight thugs were momentarily stunned, but quickly snapped out of it, their faces flushed—not with fear, but anger. *Damn! Were we just intimidated by some random guy?* And he looked like some artsy type, with that long hair.
"Are you out of your mind? Get lost before I make you regret it!" one thug yelled angrily.
"Yeah, and what are you gonna do about it, you idiot?" another sneered.
The two thugs were just about to reach Lin Yunyao and Li Xiaoke, eager to put their hands all over them. Lin Feng's warning had almost made them freeze in fear, so now they felt a surge of anger bubbling up.
Seeing this, "Brother Ji" and his crew exchanged sneering grins, clearly enjoying the situation.
Lin Feng walked forward, expressionless, until he was standing right in front of the two thugs.
"What are you staring at, huh? Look at this wannabe hero," one of them sneered. "Move it, or you'll regret getting in the way of our fun."
But the next moment—
*Crack!*
Lin Feng's hands shot out, grabbing both men by their throats. Effortlessly, he lifted them off the ground, their bodies dangling like helpless chicks. No matter how they struggled, it was useless.
"This…"