69novels Chapter 349 Bloodbath on the High Seas
Chapter 349 Bloodbath on the High Seas
Lin Yi gently raised his hand.
In an instant, all the "sailors" around them drew their standard pistols from their waists and armpits, the dark muzzles pointed menacingly at everyone on deck. The faint sound of the metal firing pins being pulled sent chills down the spine on the deathly silent sea.
"Spare me!"
"Mr. Lin! This has nothing to do with us!"
"It was all instigated by Chen Qinghua and the Lan family!"
The fear of death instantly overwhelmed these tyrannical figures who usually swaggered around, and cries and pleas for mercy filled the air.
Stanley Ho was also terrified by the scene, but when he saw Lucina Laam lying limp and pale, and thought of his young children at home, he rushed to Lin Yi and almost pleaded, "Mr. Lin! Mr. Lin! Have mercy! Lucina...Lucina is the mother of my children! Please, for my sake and the sake of my children, let her go! I promise she will never dare to do it again!"
Just then, a mocking voice came from the shadows of the cabin:
"Mr. He, even at this point, you're still going to plead for her?"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Lin Yan slowly walking out of the shadows, the light illuminating his face. Everyone felt a chill; the true ruler had been watching coldly all along.
Lin Yan walked up to Stanley Ho, but his gaze fell on Lucina Laam, his sarcasm undisguised: "Mr. Ho, you can't be unaware that the recent mess at the Lisboa Casino is all thanks to your kind, compassionate wife stirring up trouble, can you?"
Stanley Ho, his face contorted with pain, persisted, bowing deeply to Lin Yan: "Young Master Lin! I know! I know everything! It's my fault for not disciplining them properly, I've let the Lin family down! But... but I can't let these children lose their mother! The children are innocent! I beg you!"
Lin Yan remained unmoved, his eyes sharp as knives: "If I let her go today, what if she harbors resentment towards my Lin family in the future and seeks revenge in secret? I have no time to constantly guard against a woman's revenge."
"No! Absolutely not!" Stanley Ho hurriedly assured him, almost swearing to the heavens, "I will immediately send her abroad and have her under guard, so she can live out the rest of her life in peace. She would never dare, nor would she have the ability, to retaliate against the Lin family again!"
Lin Yan stopped looking at Stanley Ho and slowly walked to the slumped-over Lucina Laam, looking down at her. A golden glint flashed in his eyes, and his voice was deep and seductive:
"Miss Lan, what do you say?"
"Tonight, your father and elder brother are doomed. If I kill them, will you hate me? Will you try everything to kill me?"
Lan Qiongying abruptly raised her head, her previous feigned fear and pitifulness instantly shattered, replaced by a chilling resentment and madness. Her eyes were bloodshot as she stared intently at Lin Yan, her voice shrill and distorted with extreme hatred:
"You surnamed Lin! As long as I live, I will find a way to kill you!!"
She abruptly turned to Stanley Ho, her eyes like poisoned arrows, "And you! Stanley Ho! You heartless man! You hypocrite! That bitch Clementina Leitao! I won't let her get away with this either! I'll haunt you even as a ghost!!!"
This hysterical curse completely severed all her chances of survival, making Stanley Ho's final pleas seem pale and laughable. On the deck, only the echoes of her frantic and desperate cries drifted in the sea breeze.
Lin Yan straightened up, his face showing no surprise, and simply glanced at the ashen-faced Stanley Ho, as if to say:
"Look, this is the person you're trying to protect."
Lin Yan gently raised his chin.
"Make your move." Lin Yi's voice struck everyone's hearts like a hammer.
bang bang bang-
Gunshots exploded like popping beans, instantly shattering the tranquility of the high seas. The cries for mercy that had been wailing and screaming moments before suddenly fell silent.
Those who were standing or kneeling were as if struck hard by an invisible stick; their bodies trembled violently, some collapsed, and others were thrown backward by the force of the bullets. All the cries, curses, and pleas were swallowed up by the gunfire and the crashing waves.
Some people went crazy with fear, screaming as they rushed toward the ship's side, trying to climb over the railing and jump into the sea to escape. Little did they know, these "sailors" were no ordinary people at all.
They simply took a step and precisely blocked the man's path as he jumped into the sea. With a single hand gripping his shoulder and a gentle press, the man went limp as if his bones had been removed, and then a final shot ended his struggle completely.
The entire execution was so fast that no one could react in time.
One by one, the figures on the deck fell down, until only Zhen Guolong, Xiang Huayan, and Chen Yaoxing remained sitting in their chairs, along with He Hongshen, who was trembling like a leaf.
The air was filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder mixed with the stench of blood, carried away by the sea breeze.
Lin Yan then slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping over the three pale faces before finally settling on Stanley Ho, who was barely able to stand.
"Mr. He, your problem is solved!"
"Mr. Zhen, I wonder if the three of you can keep your mouths shut?"
"Mr. Lin, stay home and sleep tonight."
"I'm playing mahjong!"
"I...I'm picking up girls!"
The three survivors, while trying to distance themselves from the situation, stared at the refined face before them as if they were the Grim Reaper, the king of hell, ready to claim their lives. Before absolute power, all talk of underworld status and followers was a joke. Lin Yan didn't need them to bow down; he only wanted them to etch the fear of tonight into their very bones and carry it back to Hong Kong.
Lin Yan's gaze swept lightly over Zhen Guolong and Xiang Huayan. "Mr. Zhen, Mr. Xiang, I have removed the backbone of 14K. From now on, my Lin family will not care about who eats more or less in those docks and nightclubs in Kowloon, whether it's Sun Yee On or Wo Shing Wo."
His gaze finally fell on Stanley Ho, but his words were addressed to the three survivors:
"I only have one small favor to ask. Regardless of who comes out on top in the end, could you please help out with Mr. Ho's business in Macau going forward?"
The deck was deathly silent, with only the sound of the waves.
Zhen Guolong, Xiang Huayan, and Chen Yaoxing nodded frantically, their necks almost breaking, and the forced smiles on their faces were more like cries.
"Definitely! Definitely!"
"Don't worry, Young Master Lin! Mr. He's affairs are our affairs!"
"Leave it to us!"
They knew in their hearts that this was not a discussion, but an order. From this day forward, Stanley Ho in Macau would no longer be just a casino owner; behind him stood this terrifying god of death who terrified them.
The cargo ship quietly returned to Hong Kong in the morning mist. Stanley Ho, barely having time to rest, immediately mobilized all his trusted men to properly arrange the remains of the three members of the Lan family, including father and son, as well as Lucina Laam King-ying. He found a secluded temporary burial site, planning to have a feng shui master assess the burial location later for a proper final burial. After completing all this, he was utterly exhausted, as if he had aged ten years overnight.
The next morning, the phone rang sharply. He answered it, and Lin Yi's voice came from the other end: "Mr. He, the young master requests your presence in Deep Water Bay."
Stanley Ho dared not delay and immediately drove there. Stepping into that familiar study again, he saw Lin Yan sitting at the coffee table, slowly rinsing the tea set.
"Young Master Lin," Stanley Ho's voice was hoarse and weary, "you can ask me any questions now." He knew it was time to fulfill his promise of "one question" from that night.
Lin Yan didn't look up, but pushed a freshly brewed cup of hot tea in front of him, the rising steam blurring his face.
"Mr. Ho," Lin Yan began, but the question he posed made Stanley Ho pause slightly, "I'd really like to hear how your feelings for Miss Lai Wan-wah and Miss Lam King-ying... gradually changed? Could you tell me in detail?"
A strange, inexplicable feeling welled up in Stanley Ho's heart. He had never imagined that this incredibly powerful young master of the Lin family, after going to such lengths, even allowing him to witness such a bloody purge, would ultimately want to ask about his personal love affairs? What kind of quirk was this?
But he dared not show any doubt. Now, he had no secrets or confidence left in front of the Lin family. He took a deep breath, sorted out his thoughts, and finally slowly recounted that past.
His voice was filled with reminiscence and complexity: "I... I actually loved Wanhua very much." He admitted, "She was beautiful, talented, a true lady of high society, and came from a good family. When I married her, I was sincere, thinking that I could grow old with her."
His tone gradually lowered: "But later, as my business grew bigger and bigger, I happened to choose the path of gambling. Wanhua's family... could only offer limited support in this regard." He paused, then mentioned the turning point, "It was at that time that the Lan family took the initiative to approach me and extended an olive branch. They said that as long as I was willing to marry Qiongying, the Lan family would do everything in their power to protect my business in Macau."
"Qiongying, she..." Stanley Ho carefully chose his words, "is indeed an ambitious woman. At only fourteen, she dared to follow me without any official status. People aren't plants or trees, how can they be without feelings? Over time, it's impossible not to have any feelings at all. Moreover, in business, she is more capable and open-minded than Wanhua, and can help me handle many things that Wanhua couldn't handle."
A bitter and self-deprecating smile appeared on his face, as if he were dissecting his former self: "An ambitious man, when it comes to feelings... it's often impossible for them to be too pure. There will always be interests, calculations, and weighing of options mixed in. I know I'm sorry to Wanhua, but in order to secure my position, I... I can only ignore her. Wanhua is a proud person at heart, with a kind of emotional purity. Ever since I married Qiongying, she... she's probably completely given up on me."
At this point, Stanley Ho fell silent, seemingly unwilling to discuss the details and pain any further.
Lin Yan listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously stroking the rim of the warm teacup, his face revealing neither satisfaction nor disappointment.
A moment later, he raised his eyes, waved gently at Stanley Ho, and his tone returned to its usual calm:
"That's enough, Mr. He. We're even now, you can go back."
After seeing off the distraught Stanley Ho, Lin Yi gently pushed open the study door and saw his young master staring blankly out the window.
"Young Master," Lin Yi approached and asked in a low voice, "did you get the answer you wanted from him?"
Lin Yan withdrew his gaze, turned around, and shook his head with a clear-headed expression after careful consideration: "I didn't get anything earth-shattering out of him. Rather than asking, I was more like... observing."
He walked to his desk, his fingertips tracing the smooth surface. "Observing Stanley Ho as a person, and also observing myself." He paused, as if organizing his thoughts, "When Stanley Ho first married Clementina Leitao, his 'original intention' was definitely sincere; he loved that person. But life is too long, and there are too many variables. Those so-called wise men always advise people to 'keep their original intentions,' but to me, that's pure nonsense."
Lin Yan's tone carried a hint of worldly-wise mockery: "The needs of each stage of life are fundamentally different. What partners need is to grow together. If one is striding forward while the other remains stagnant, a chasm will inevitably form between them. How can ordinary people possibly be bound together to the end with just a lighthearted 'original intention'?" He concluded, his eyes sharp. "Therefore, I believe in sincerity, but I also believe that sincerity can change in an instant."
Unable to contain his curiosity, Lin Yi cautiously probed, "Young Master, did you... have a romantic relationship in your past life?"
Lin Yan suddenly turned her head and glared at him, her ears turning red: "Why are you asking this? Are you trying to pry into my privacy?"
Lin Yi rarely showed a mischievous smile: "I'm just curious. Have you actually talked to anyone?"
Pressed by Lin Yi, Lin Yan became somewhat embarrassed and angry, and admitted irritably, "No! I've never been in a relationship in either of my two lifetimes! Okay, okay!" He finished speaking in a self-deprecating manner, and his tone suddenly became low, with a hint of confusion.
"I seem to... lack the ability to fall in love with others... I treat you all as family because I know you won't betray me. Other than that, I never trust anyone else; I only trust myself!" He looked up at his most trusted assistant, his eyes clear yet tinged with confusion. "Is this... a flaw?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Yi regained his usual composure and comforted him, "Young Master, we are cultivators. On the path to immortality, romantic love is not a required course. What we seek is the Great Dao and to prove our true nature."
Lin Yi teased, "Young Master, although you've never been in a relationship, you still know a thing or two!"
Lin Yan felt a little embarrassed and tried to defend himself, saying, "Hmph, haven't you seen pigs run even if you haven't eaten pork? I haven't talked about it because I didn't want to, okay?"
Seeing his young master's feigned maturity mixed with a hint of awkwardness, Lin Yi lowered his head, concealing the smile on his lips, and respectfully replied, "Yes, young master has seen a lot, so naturally you understand."