C27 Acting

Dead silence enveloped the scene.

Everyone's eyes were wide with disbelief as they watched Lin Sheng. No one had anticipated his combat prowess to be so overwhelming.

Wang Chao's muscular henchmen crumpled like paper dolls in Lin Sheng's grip, utterly devoid of any resistance.

In mere moments, they were all subdued, writhing in agony on the ground, unable to rise again.

Su Lan, in particular, stared at Lin Sheng with her mouth agape, as if she were beholding a creature from another world.

Was he even human?

It was as though a scene from a movie was playing out before their eyes.

Who was this unassuming man, and what secrets did he hold?

"Kid, do you know who I am? Don't think you can oppose me just because you've got a few fighting moves up your sleeve!"

Wang Chao's gaze fell upon Lin Sheng, his earlier bravado now replaced by a flicker of fear deep in his eyes.

Lin Sheng's abilities had surpassed his wildest expectations.

A smart man knows better than to fight a losing battle. His best move now was to find a way to slip away and later seek out a master to reclaim his lost ground.

His own men had fallen effortlessly to Lin Sheng's strikes, and he knew he would fare no better.

If Lin Sheng humiliated him today, even if Lin Sheng were to vanish from the world thereafter, he would forever be Huacheng's joke.

Lin Sheng spoke with an icy tone, "I don't care who you are. I simply can't stand by and watch a group like yours bully a woman."

Lin Sheng had always despised evil. He had spent time in Hua's combat divisions, where countless soldiers had fought and bled for the peace they now enjoyed. It was unthinkable to him that such corruption festered within Hua, and he could not turn a blind eye.

"Kid, mark my words, you're going to regret this!"

Seeing Lin Sheng's unwavering stance, as if he feared neither heaven nor earth, Wang Chao spat out a harsh threat before fleeing the scene.

With Wang Chao gone, his subordinates also made a hasty and clumsy retreat through the crowd.

Lin Sheng had struck terror into their hearts, and they couldn't bear to linger a moment longer.

"Miss Su, are you alright?" Lin Sheng approached Su Lan with concern.

"I'm fine." Su Lan's face was still flushed from her earlier nerves, making her look even more radiant. "Thank you for your help. What's your name?"

Previously, Su Lan had been eager to see Lin Sheng embarrass himself, but the recent events had completely dissolved her ill feelings towards him, replaced by a deep sense of gratitude.

"It's no big deal. I'm Lin Sheng. Just be more careful when you're out on your own. I have to go now." With that, Lin Sheng turned and walked away.

His departure left everyone around, including Su Lan, astonished. Su Lan was well-known in Huacheng as a stunning beauty from a wealthy family. Countless people had tried to strike up a conversation with her to no avail. Lin Sheng had the perfect opportunity to get to know Su Lan better, yet he walked away. Could it be that he was indifferent to her charms?

Watching Lin Sheng's retreating figure, Su Lan stamped her foot in frustration before heading back to her family's antique shop.

Lin Sheng leisurely browsed the stalls. Just as he was about to delve deeper into the market, he stumbled upon an unremarkable raw stone. It was about the size of a basketball, covered in mud as if it had been recently dredged from a river. Lin Sheng sensed a strong surge of spiritual energy emanating from within the stone. Such a presence usually indicated something of value was hidden inside, and judging by the intensity of the energy, it was likely to be quite valuable.

"Boss, how much for this raw stone?" Lin Sheng inquired.

"This one?" The vendor, a middle-aged man with a crafty look and a small goatee, seemed to appraise Lin Sheng. "Young man, you've got quite the eye. This raw stone is something special."

The stall owner eyed Lin Sheng and continued, "This stone has quite the history. If you're seriously interested, I'll give you a good price." He then extended his hand, mysteriously revealing five fingers to Lin Sheng.

The stall area was always a place for casual entertainment, where most people were content with just browsing rather than buying.

Typically, those who purchased raw stones at the stalls were either novices or individuals lacking confidence, hoping to strike it lucky.

As Lin Sheng struck up a conversation with the stall owner, a crowd quickly gathered around them.

Lin Sheng frowned and asked, "Five hundred?"

The stall owner shook his head and replied, "For such a fine raw stone, five hundred won't cut it. I'll give it to you for five thousand, and that's a bargain!"

Lin Sheng's frown deepened. He was no sucker; he had made his way up from sorting through piles of raw stones himself. Based on the stone's appearance, it was worth no more than five hundred yuan at best.

The value in the stone was due to his keen eye and good fortune, not a justification for the owner's exorbitant price.

Clearly, the owner was trying to fleece him.

The onlookers remained silent, curious to see if Lin Sheng would make the purchase. Here, the unspoken rule was that even if you spotted a scam, you didn't call it out.

This was particularly true among the stall owners, who sometimes even backed each other up. After all, they were all in the same business, and the real goal was to prosper together.

If they started undermining one another, they wouldn't last in the business and would be shunned by their colleagues.

"Five thousand is steep. Make it more affordable," Lin Sheng countered.

He might have had the means, but he wasn't one to waste money carelessly.

"Five thousand still too much? If you find a piece of imperial green jade in there, you'll be rich instantly!" the stall owner said, his tone growing more dramatic. "Don't underestimate this raw stone. Who knows what treasures it holds? For five thousand, you could turn a profit tenfold, even a hundredfold, if luck is on your side!"

"Brother, you're haggling over just five thousand? Seems like you're not too confident in your own judgment," the stall owner teased, trying to bait Lin Sheng with a mix of flattery and challenge. An average person might have caved just to save face.

But Lin Sheng remained cool and unmoved.

"I've got a good feeling about this raw stone; I'm certain there's something in it. If I pass it up, I might end up kicking myself later."

Another vendor chimed in.

"Absolutely, young man. You've got to be bold. If you keep wavering like this, you might have trouble finding a spouse someday."

A subtle smile played at the corners of Lin Sheng's mouth. Were all these people born performers?

"Fine."

Lin Sheng spread his hands and proposed, "But I have one condition. I'll take this stone for ten thousand yuan. If it turns out to be empty, I'll just walk away. However, if we find something good inside, you'll give me the stone for free. How does that sound?"

The crowd was taken aback, and the vendor stared at Lin Sheng in astonishment.

What kind of condition was that?

Why was he doing it backward?

Usually, people want their money back if they don't find anything, but Lin Sheng was offering ten thousand if he found nothing and wanted the stone for free if he did find something valuable.

Was Lin Sheng really that confident in this stone?