Ling Yun stared intently at him, and Qin Zhengwei glared back without flinching. He was already captured, so what was there to be afraid of? At worst, he'd just die. The youthful passion in Qin Zhengwei's veins was gradually boiling. If he could, Qin Zhengwei really wanted to shout, "A head lost is just a scar the size of a bowl; twenty years later, I'll be a hero again!"
“I won’t offend others unless they offend me. I never intended to be your enemy,” Ling Yun said slowly. “It was you who have been plotting to kill me all along. I was just trying to protect myself.”
"Heh, self-preservation?" Qin Zhengwei gave a bitter laugh. "The tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease. Since you've already gotten involved in this, why are you saying you won't offend others unless they offend you? Even if you're thinking of not caring about anything, I'm not a mind reader, how would I know what you're thinking? From the day you entered dormitory 308 and refused to leave, it was destined that we were enemies, it was either you or me. If you had left a day earlier, would I have ended up in this situation!"
Ling Yun remained silent. Although Qin Zhengwei's words were extreme, they were not without reason. Although he didn't want to meddle in other people's affairs, he had already stepped into the fray. Even for safety reasons, others would try to get rid of him. It wasn't that he didn't want trouble, but trouble always seemed to find him.
"I only want to ask you one thing," Ling Yun sighed, but still managed to ask the last question, "Did you find Old Demon?"
A sarcastic smile crept across Qin Zhengwei's lips. "I will never tell you anything, Ling Yun. Sooner or later, you will suffer a worse fate than me."
Ling Yun shook his head. It seemed that he could no longer communicate with Qin Zhengwei, and he would have to go and have a proper talk with this mysterious old demon himself.
"Take them away!" The burly campus police officer waved his hand arrogantly, directing several officers to carry the unconscious Fang Xiaoming and Lü Xing out of the dormitory. The remaining officers, carrying batons, escorted the sneering Qin Zhengwei and the dazed Xiaoqian out of the dormitory.
"Lingyun, I'm really sorry about earlier." As he was leaving, the burly campus police officer seemed to remember something and gave Lingyun a shy smile. "Don't forget to send us a copy of the evidence when you have time. We'll need it when we hand it over to the city's anti-drug police team."
“Cooperating with the police is our duty,” Ling Yun replied with a standard smile. He then shook hands firmly with the burly campus police officer, gave a signal, and the officers left.
"Ling Yun, what exactly is your identity?" The dean, who hadn't spoken for a while, narrowed his eyes and looked at Ling Yun. "Don't tell me you're just an ordinary student. How could an ordinary student get their hands on something like this?" He pointed to the camera disguised as a clothes hook. "And you seem to have received special training? You're quite skilled. You're not an undercover police officer, are you? Like the others, posing as a student and infiltrating the school."
Ling Yun pursed his lips, thinking to himself that this old man had quite an imagination. He smiled slightly and said, "Dean, if I said I was an agent of the National Security Bureau, would you believe me?"
The dean gave him a disapproving look. "Let's go!" The old man beckoned to the department heads and counselors, who were standing silently and following him like mummies. "No one is allowed to say a word about what happened today. Then you all come with me to see the principal."
Several people filed out of dormitory 308.
"Ling Yun." The dean was the last to step out the door, one foot already outside, but his gaze was still fixed on Ling Yun.
"Here, what are your orders, sir?" Ling Yun replied immediately.
"Study hard." The dean suddenly smiled, then turned and left without looking back, the dormitory door slamming shut again.
"This world is finally peaceful," Ling Yun murmured to himself.
Chapter 131 The Bar in the City That Never Sleeps
As dusk settles, the neon signs under the bright lights of the bar street flash endlessly with excitement, a scene of extravagance that remains unchanged at night. Crowds throng the area, and undercurrents surge within. Even though the late autumn season is somewhat chilly, it cannot stop people from coming here to drink to their hearts' content or to unleash their passion.
The young bunny girls outside the bar were still diligently soliciting every passerby. It was their job; each customer they brought in earned them a substantial commission. Any girl working in this extravagant den of iniquity, as long as she possessed a certain level of physical attractiveness and was willing to sacrifice herself, could easily earn hundreds of thousands a year.
The problem is that real girls don't demean themselves. In this world, no one is immune to temptation when faced with self-interest, but most people are still kind-hearted and full of a desire for a positive life. Even those at the bottom of society still want to strive for a peaceful and fulfilling life.
The desire for a better life is a deep-seated wish in everyone's heart, and also an instinct; no one truly wants to fall into depravity. Or even if one does fall into depravity, one will still get used to looking up at heaven from hell.
Ling Yun walked along with the crowd and came to this familiar yet unfamiliar place again. He couldn't help but feel a sense of disorientation, as if he were in a dream. It was here last time that he encountered a gang fight, met Su Bingyan, and learned her true identity. That cold and beautiful girl, full of hope, seemed to have deep feelings for him as well.
Ling Yun sighed somewhat forlornly. He wasn't a virtuous man who could remain unmoved even with a woman in his lap, nor was he a high-ranking monk discussing Buddhist teachings. Although he possessed power that shocked the world, at his core, he was still just an eighteen-year-old youth. Naturally, he had desires and emotions. However, since gaining his supernatural abilities, he had encountered a constant stream of extraordinary events and troubles, one unexpected incident after another leaving the young man feeling overwhelmed. It wasn't that he didn't want to consider matters of the heart, but rather that he had no time to think about them.
For some reason, Ling Yun was always filled with an extremely vague sense of unease, as if a terrible apocalypse was about to happen in the not-too-distant future. This kind of premonition, which was more like a Mayan prophecy, should not exist in the mind of a superhuman. In fact, after having a stable mental field, any superhuman's senses can be clearly controlled by themselves, unless they are attacked or subjected to other irresistible influences. Superhumans like Ling Yun who have such unusual senses are extremely rare. At least Gu Xiaorou and Xia Zhen have very clear senses about themselves.
After learning that Ling Yun was troubled in this regard, Gu Xiaorou was very shocked. This meant that Ling Yun might have some kind of very special ability. Either he was extremely sensitive to things in the future, or he was a crazy person who was thinking wildly. In either case, the former was more likely.
This similar feeling also prompted Lingyun to spend more time considering the future, while putting her feelings aside.
But if he had to feel something, then perhaps only one girl could occupy that sensitive corner of his heart—that peerless beauty who had been lonely since childhood. Whenever he thought of that beautiful little girl in his memory, enduring the pain as her mother's whirlwind struck her, Ling Yun couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow. He longed to hold the girl's hand and tell her that he would never suffer such pain again.
Because, with me, Ling Yun, standing in your way, as long as you're willing, my promise to protect you will always be valid. Ling Yun thought silently, recalling Gu Xiaorou's unparalleled beauty, and couldn't help but feel a stirring in his heart.
Suddenly, Ling Yun stopped in his tracks. A familiar name caught his eye. To his right was the bar with the unusually familiar decor. However, in just about a month, the name of Nightfall Bar had been changed. In addition to the dark and heavy decor, even the girls serving customers had changed.
"Hello sir, please come in if you'd like a drink." The hostess, still wearing denim shorts that showed off her hot figure, greeted Ling Yun warmly as he approached.
"I'd like to ask, wasn't this bar originally called Nightfall Bar? Why did it change its name to Sunset Bar?" Ling Yun asked, pointing to the newly renovated sign.
The hostess smiled sweetly and said, "I'm sorry, sir, I don't know much about this place either. I'm new here and don't know what Sunset Bar was called before, but I heard that our boss did buy this bar not long ago."
"Oh?" Ling Yun looked thoughtful. It seemed that the last fight had indeed dealt a heavy blow to Nightfall Bar. Although it was a matter of the underworld, he hadn't inquired about it. However, the information that Su Bingyan had inadvertently revealed was still faithfully stored in his brain by his permanent memory ability. Apparently, the original owner of Nightfall Bar was surnamed Lin, but Ling Yun didn't know his exact name. Su Bingyan and that young master Fan only called him Boss Lin.
It seems that this Boss Lin is not a law-abiding businessman. You can tell from his underground world: prostitution, underground boxing rings, drug trafficking—none of them seem to be legal. It's just a pity that Ling Yun didn't even get to meet Boss Lin before this powerful guy died in a surprise attack by Su Binglong and his sister.
Ling Yun wondered how Manager Fang was doing. He was unaware that shortly after he left, Manager Fang had been strangled to death by an unknown superhuman. However, Su Bingyan had once said that businesses like Boss Lin's, involving the underworld, would quickly be cracked by the police once the leader was gone and the protective umbrella disappeared. Then, the underlings would either die or flee, each to their own fate. After that, they would be swallowed up by a larger force, becoming a money-making treasure trove for the new behind-the-scenes boss.
Clearly, whether it's Night Bar or Sunset Bar, they're essentially the same. Although Ling Yun was deeply impressed by the debauched underworld, he had no interest in experiencing it a second time.
Moreover, he wasn't here for enjoyment, but to investigate the whereabouts of the Old Demon once again. Su Bingyan had clearly told him that the Old Demon frequently appeared in another bar. Therefore, Ling Yun had no need to go to the newly renamed Sunset Bar.
The identities of Qin Zhengwei and his two companions had always been a thorn in Ling Yun's side. Although that thorn had now been removed, it was clear to everyone that Qin Zhengwei and his group were merely low-level operatives in a drug cartel. Real drug lords wouldn't disguise themselves as students on campus, and highly trained narcotics officers would be extremely vigilant. Unless absolutely necessary, drug lords wouldn't reveal their true identities. It's like the mastermind behind the scenes never appearing in the limelight; those in the spotlight are never the ones with the most authority.
Intuitively, Ling Yun felt that Lao Yao and Qin Zhengwei and the other two should be connected. Drug trafficking was something the three had in common. He just didn't know if Qin Zhengwei had really contacted Lao Yao or if he was just making a fuss. It was possible that he was just a middleman for a drug cartel, but if he was dealing with a seasoned hitman and broker like Lao Yao, Ling Yun felt that Qin Zhengwei was still a bit lacking. After all, he was young. Although he had a very deep personality and was quite shrewd in handling things, he was far from qualified.
After thinking for a moment, Ling Yun turned and left the Nightfall Bar, which had been renamed Sunset Bar. He then walked towards the end of the bar street, where there was a larger and more magnificent bar. According to Su Bingyan, the Old Demon was very likely to appear in this bar.
Regardless of whether he could meet the old demon or not, Ling Yun decided to try his luck, and his luck had always seemed pretty good.
One minute later.
The Never-Sleeping City Bar! That was the name of the bar Lingyun first noticed. Its exterior, with its strong Russian influence, made the Never-Sleeping City Bar seem more like a place to entertain international guests. Even the two girls greeting guests under the pink neon lights were blonde, blue-eyed Russian beauties, giving it a refreshing feel from its appearance and overall design.
Two stunning Russian beauties, with wasp waists, slender legs, large breasts, and shapely hips, wore miniskirts that barely covered their thighs, revealing their long, smooth legs characteristic of the Caucasian race. With just a slight sway of their alluring hips, the view beneath the short skirts was fully exposed. The two foreign girls seemed oblivious to the lustful gazes of the men on the street, enthusiastically calling out in broken Chinese, "Sir, please come inside and have some fun! We have Russian girls like us to keep you company with drinks!"
Under such enticement, passersby could hardly resist the growing desire within them. They flirted with the two hostesses as they entered the bar. Even the noise and frenzied dancing coming from the entrance revealed just how wild the bar had become. Clearly, this was yet another extravagant den of iniquity.
A dozen meters away from the two beautiful Russian women stood two burly men with stern expressions, each wearing sunglasses. They stood like statues on either side of a tightly closed black door next to the main entrance. The black door appeared to be locked, and no one seemed to be going in or out, yet the two burly men remained steadfastly on either side, like two gatekeepers. Many passersby stared at them in surprise, because no one would wear sunglasses in the dark unless they were blind. Even though the neon lights illuminated the bar street brightly, neon lights are not lighting fixtures, and under the colorful lights, wearing sunglasses would actually make it even harder to see anything.
Chapter 132 The Hall Where Ambiguity Breeds
However, the two burly men gave the impression of being intimidating. Even the drunkards seemed to be aware of the chilling atmosphere. As for whether to enter the passionate bar, which was like a burning fire, with the warm hospitality of the two beautiful girls, or to invite trouble by chatting with the two cold and aloof men, was there even a question?