C81 Attack First!

The elevator doors slid open to reveal an empty chamber.

The man dressed in black froze, his gaze locked on the vacant lift.

He was certain that the young man he was after had ascended in this very elevator.

Where could he have gone?

Lost in thought, a sudden chill crept up the man's spine, his body hair standing on end as if preyed upon by some ferocious beast.

A force struck his back like a sledgehammer, propelling him against the wall with such force that his bones shattered.

Coughing up blood, his face etched with terror, he saw the young man emerge from the shadows. "How did you get out of the elevator? Who are you?"

"Who am I?" Lin Yin let out a cold laugh. "Weren't you searching for me?"

"You're Qi Yin, the Qi Family's castaway?" The man in black was horrified, realizing the target he was assigned to eliminate was the same one expelled from the Qi Family over a decade ago. His ferocity and skill were beyond expectation!

Lin Yin strode forward, knocking the man out with a swift punch, and retrieved a photo and an encrypted phone from his person.

Staring at the photo of Qi Hetu, Lin Yin's expression grew even more severe. He dragged the unconscious man into the 26th-floor meeting room before swiftly heading to the power supply room of the Qingyun Hotel.

He had come prepared, having familiarized himself with the hotel's layout.

The Wen Family's henchmen were lying in wait for him to retrieve his possessions in the 26th-floor meeting room.

He decided to exploit their ignorance of his true identity.

Lin Yin had pressed the button for the 26th floor, but by the time the elevator reached the 23rd, he had already escaped through the top and swiftly circled around to the meeting room from the outside. This move was both a test and a confirmation, and it couldn't have been more secure. He had managed to ambush his pursuer from behind.

Lin Yin entered the power supply room and shut the door with a resounding thud.

Ten seconds later, the bright lights of the expansive Qingyun Hotel flickered out, plunging the building into darkness.

"What's happening? Did the power go out?"

The sudden loss of light turned the lobby pitch black, startling the two front desk employees.

Just then, a searchlight flicked on. A menacing, tall man in black strode through the hotel entrance, flanked by three well-built men in black suits.

"Everyone's shift is over. Go home now!" the man in black commanded, his voice icy as he ordered the front desk staff to leave.

The front desk manager had been hastily recruited by them, and now the entire Qingyun Hotel was under their control.

"Mr. Wen Bao, you've arrived! Mr. Lang had me watch the hotel entrance and told me to call you. I had no idea what was happening, and then the power suddenly went out. I suspect there's something fishy going on," She reported earnestly.

"What could possibly be amiss? In little Qingyun City, who could dare make waves in front of us?" Wen Bao scoffed with disdain, his arrogance palpable.

"Let's head to the surveillance room and see what's going on. I have no clue what Lang is plotting."

With that, the five men in black dashed toward the staircase, moving with incredible speed.

Wen Bao took the lead, and the group swiftly ascended to the ninth floor, expecting to reach the surveillance room within three minutes.

In the enveloping darkness, a dull thud echoed, followed by the whisper of the wind.

Before Wen Bao could react, his four companions let out screams and tumbled down the stairs into the abyss.

"Who's there?" Wen Bao felt one of his fallen men, his expression turning to one of terror.

Silently, his man had died.

Surrounded by impenetrable darkness, sweat beaded on Wen Bao's forehead as he realized he was facing a formidable opponent.

"I don't know who you are. Perhaps my brothers inadvertently offended you, but the Wen Family from Imperial City does not take kindly to threats," Wen Bao warned, his voice steady but cautious.

"The Wen Family, indeed."

A youthful voice responded.

Wen Bao spun around, only to be met with a forceful blow to the face. His world went black as he lost consciousness.

Three minutes later, atop the highest rooftop of the Qingyun Hotel, a biting wind whistled through the air.

Lin Yin stood by the railing, his demeanor icy, his trench coat fluttering in the gusts. He was surrounded by the glittering skyline of towering buildings.

Snuffing out the cigarette in his hand, he spun around and sent an iron bucket clattering to the ground. A deluge of icy water drenched Wen Bao, who snapped awake with a gasp.

"Who are you? How dare you harm me?" Wen Bao raged, glaring at the enigmatic man before him.

He attempted to rise, ready to fight to the death, but Lin Yin's swift kick sent him reeling, coughing up blood, his bones cracking audibly as he collapsed, utterly unable to retaliate.

"You thought you could travel thousands of miles from Imperial City to hunt me down?" Lin Yin seized Wen Bao by the neck, hoisting him into the air, his voice a frigid sneer. "Spill everything you know about the Wen Family, and I might grant you a quick death."

Fear etched into Wen Bao's features as he stared in disbelief at the formidable man before him, who exuded a palpable intent to kill.

He was the head of an assassin group within the Wen Family, renowned for his martial prowess in Imperial City's underworld. Yet, here he was, utterly defeated in Qingyun City, his bones shattered by a single kick, powerless even to twitch a finger.

"The Wen Family? You're asking about the Wen Family?" A sudden realization dawned on Wen Bao, terror flooding his eyes. "Could it be that you're the long-lost Qi Yin, the Qi Family's forsaken son who's been hiding in Qingyun City for over a decade?"

"You've guessed correctly, although I go by Lin Yin now," Lin Yin replied with a chilling smirk.

"Impossible!" Wen Bao's face was a mask of disbelief. "How could you possess such fearsome skills? And to think you'd boldly confront us on your own..."

Wen Bao was in utter shock. The very target they had relentlessly tracked was this formidable adversary. He had never imagined that this cast-off of the Qi Family, upon learning of their pursuit, would not only refrain from fleeing but would audaciously seek them out to settle scores.

Their group had only been in Qingyun City for a couple of days! They hadn't even had the chance to disperse their forces to look into Qi Yin's identity within the city, yet they found themselves on the receiving end of a surprise attack by Qi Yin himself?

"Was it Lee Pu who tipped you off? Is it possible that the Qi Family has been cultivating you in secret?" Wen Bao asked, his face etched with astonishment.

Setting everything else aside, Lin Yin's ability to make quick, decisive actions was evident. After cutting the power at the Qingyun Hotel, he laid in wait at the staircase, striking first with his impressive martial arts skills.

His tactics and bravery marked him as a hero.

Such a young and talented individual was a rarity, even among the elite circles of the Imperial City! How could the Qi Family have cast him out so prematurely?

Lin Yin merely sneered, offering no explanation. He lunged forward, seizing Wen Bao by the throat, severing the tendons and muscles in his jaw, and paralyzing the nerves in his teeth to prevent him from biting his tongue to commit suicide. Then, he produced a pair of black wooden chopsticks he had picked up at the hotel.

"What do you intend to do?" Wen Bao's voice trembled with fear as he stared into Lin Yin's icy gaze, feeling a chill that seemed to freeze him to the core.