Chapter 71: Do You Think I Dare to Kill You?

“So, if someone offered you the right price, would you even be willing to sever your relationship with Leng Ningxue?” At this moment, Lin Li sat with his legs crossed, leaning back on the sofa, his eyes narrowed as he looked toward Leng Tianyi.

Leng Tianyi was taken aback, then barked loudly, “You brat, I’ve already shown you enough respect. Don’t push your luck.”

Seeing how displeased he was, Lin Li only continued to smile. He always seemed so calm, as though everything was firmly within his grasp.

“So, Mr. Leng, you do know how to get angry. Are my words out of line?” Lin Li’s tone remained light. “But when you spoke to me earlier, did you ever once consider your daughter’s opinion?”

Faced with this man’s furious expression, Lin Li paid him no mind at all. Leng Tianyi tried every means to threaten him, but he’d forgotten one key thing—Lin Li was never someone to be intimidated so easily. Lin Li had already anticipated what Leng Tianyi might do, and now he had no intention of giving them any opportunity.

“Do you really think Ye Aotian’s attention is still on your daughter?” Lin Li said quietly. “Let me tell you the truth: Ye Aotian is now making every effort to win over the Ning family.”

Leng Tianyi was completely unaware of this. Hearing it now, his expression changed drastically. “Impossible! Mr. Ye just spoke with me yesterday. How could he change his mind so quickly?” Leng Tianyi shook his head, immediately dismissing the idea.

“Think about it. If Ye Aotian keeps pursuing Leng Ningxue, he’s just setting himself up for humiliation. But what if he goes after the Ning family’s young lady? She’s much cuter than Leng Ningxue, and much easier to win over, don’t you think? In fact, she’s even more attractive, isn’t she?”

The more Leng Tianyi listened, the more uncomfortable he felt. Was he about to lose such a promising son-in-law just like that? He couldn’t accept it—he simply wouldn’t allow it. Leng Tianyi turned a cold gaze on Lin Li.

“You brat, I’ve made myself perfectly clear today. I advise you to behave yourself. If you dare get close to Leng Ningxue again, don’t blame me for what happens next. Our family has ways of making you vanish from the world without a trace.”

The moment Leng Tianyi finished speaking, Lin Li’s figure vanished from before his eyes. A mechanical chime sounded in Lin Li’s mind: [Ding! Host has committed a villainous act. Villain points: +1000.]

Leng Tianyi stared in disbelief as Lin Li reappeared in front of him. This man actually dared to make a move against him. At that moment, a knife was pressed to his throat, and Lin Li’s eyes were icy cold.

“To be honest, I truly dislike your arrogance,” Lin Li said softly, “You act as if you’re some big shot from the Leng family. So what? Even standing here today, do you really dare harm a single hair on my head?”

Without any hesitation, Lin Li gave Leng Tianyi no face at all, acting with utter disregard for any consequences. Leng Tianyi, who had felt confident just moments before, now felt a chill run through him as Lin Li stood so close.

“Some people need a reminder of their place. Do you really think your family’s influence is enough to threaten me? Even Ye Aotian can’t do anything to me; he still has to tread carefully around me.”

As he spoke, Lin Li lightly tapped Leng Tianyi’s cheek, grinning in triumph at his father-in-law’s ashen face. The murderous air that had surrounded Lin Li a moment ago vanished, and he returned to his casual, careless manner. He wiped his knife clean with his sleeve, then put it away at his leisure, grinning cheekily at Leng Tianyi.

“Mr. Leng, you’d better focus on preparing a dowry for your daughter. As for any other ideas, I suggest you put them out of your mind. Of course, if you think your men are capable of killing me, you’re welcome to try. But if I catch you in the act, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

A villainous smile played across Lin Li’s lips. Leng Tianyi trembled with rage, but there was nothing he could do. The boy before him was simply too formidable; compared to Lin Li, he was nothing more than a joke.

“You dare threaten me like this?” Leng Tianyi clenched his fists tightly. “Fine, we’ll see who has the last laugh.”

Seething with anger, Leng Tianyi stormed out.

He had never, in all his life, been taught such a lesson. Lin Li’s knife had been right at his throat; he could have been sent to the afterlife at any moment. Even after leaving the private room, Leng Tianyi still felt a chill down his spine. It was terrifying—he’d almost died there and then. Judging by the look in Lin Li’s eyes, Leng Tianyi couldn’t doubt for a moment that the young man would actually kill him. After all, his life had been in another’s hands. If Lin Li really was a madman, what then?

From that moment on, Leng Tianyi was certain: whenever he met Lin Li in the future, he must bring formidable bodyguards with him—or he’d be courting serious trouble.

Meanwhile, having finished with all of this, Lin Li returned to his seat as though nothing had happened and began sampling the dishes on the table.

Before long, a young man entered the room. “Brother Lin, our people have confirmed it. Ye Aotian is indeed making contact with the Ning family. Strangely, though, the Ning family’s young miss isn’t resisting. She even seems willing to cooperate with him.”

Lin Li was not surprised by this report. If Ning Yurou had chosen to resist, that would have been unexpected. Clearly, this was a carefully considered decision on her part—to draw Ye Aotian in, let his guard down, and then, after obtaining the secret manual, cut ties with him completely. It was a sound strategy.

“I understand. This is no trivial matter. Keep a close watch and report any developments to me immediately. Understood?”

The young man nodded.

With Qin Guosheng’s death, Lin Li had gained control over every aspect of the organization, and had built an intelligence network of his own. Although the four great families of River City had been relatively quiet, Ye Aotian’s arrival meant Lin Li had to stay one step ahead of his every move.

“At this stage, it’s time to move on to the next task,” Lin Li murmured to himself, then finished his meal at a leisurely pace.

As for Ning Yurou’s situation, it was unfolding just as Lin Li had anticipated, so there was little cause for concern. There would be plenty of time to settle scores with Ye Aotian later.