"This…"

The three people on the boat pointed at the man in the center of the river, speechless for a long moment. They exchanged glances, each seeing the shock in the others' eyes. The most shocked of all was the one who had spoken first. He watched the figure draw closer and closer, his body trembling uncontrollably as immense fear filled his eyes.

"Cousin Qin Ming, it was so hard for you to return. Why are you in such a rush to leave?"

The man on the river spoke. As his voice carried out, the rolling river waters instantly grew still, without a single ripple. The surface became as smooth as a mirror.

Celestial Emperor's Mighty Power! To calm the river and seas with a single word!

He moved lightly, his feet treading upon the water's surface. Though his steps didn't seem fast, he arrived before them in the blink of an eye. With his hands clasped behind his back, a faint smile played on his lips, but an irrepressible aura that seemed to dwarf even heaven and earth emanated from him.

BOOM! BOOM!

In the sky above, dark clouds roiled and thunderbolts gathered, signaling an imminent storm.

"What's the hurry?" Lin Mu suddenly said, glancing up at the sky. "Wait until I'm finished here."

To the onlookers' utter astonishment, the turbulent sky instantly calmed. The thunder vanished, and even the oppressive dark clouds seemed to scatter in flight.

The three men on the boat swallowed hard, a profound weakness spreading through their limbs, leaving them unable to sit or stand steadily.

"What is it? I came personally to see Cousin Qin Ming off, yet you seem rather displeased," Lin Mu said, his gaze fixed on the leader of the group on the boat.

With a long sigh, the man slowly stood up and removed his hat, revealing a handsome face.

This person was none other than Qin Ming—the son of Qin Hongshu, the cousin of Qin Luoli, and a member of the Qin Family's Young Generation.

Qin Ming's face was a deathly white as he stared at Lin Mu on the river, his eyes filled with thick fear. "How did you know I would be leaving from here?" he asked, a bitter smile on his face. "I had someone disguise themselves as me and leave by plane."

Lin Mu smiled faintly. "It's a rare occasion for Cousin Qin Ming to return, and you even promised Luo Li you would visit. I took that to heart. If you really left, wouldn't Luo Li be terribly disappointed?"

The two locked gazes across the water, their expressions complex.

After a moment of silence, Qin Ming suddenly said, "Lin Mu, let me go, and I will never return."

He was confident Lin Mu would agree. After all, Qin Luoli was a woman; she couldn't possibly run the Qin Family forever. As for the younger generation, with Qin Hao already expelled and the others still too young, they posed no threat to her. He, Qin Ming, was the only exception. The implication was clear: if Lin Mu let him leave, he would abandon any future claim to the Qin Family's leadership.

Lin Mu slowly shook his head. "Cousin Qin Ming, don't you think you're overestimating yourself? So what if you stayed with the Qin Family? Do you really think you could contend with me?"

His tone was heavy with disdain. With his current power, who would dare to touch Qin Luoli? Not Qin Hongbo. Not the Chen Family. And certainly not Qin Ming.

"Lin Mu, must you force my hand?" Qin Ming's sharp features twisted. "I know your strength and methods. Did you really think I'd plan my escape without leaving a contingency? By now, my people have probably already stormed your home to make their move on Qin Luoli."

Qin Ming had come well-prepared. But when he realized he was no match for Lin Mu, he had immediately withdrawn, though not without leaving several countermeasures in place.

Lin Mu chuckled. "If you hadn't made a move against Luo Li, perhaps I wouldn't have shown up. But it's a pity you decided to seek your own death. Knowing Luo Li is my Ni Lin, yet you still chose to touch her!"

As he finished speaking, Lin Mu waved his hand. Countless severed heads materialized behind him and flew toward Qin Ming.

THUD! THUD!

Head after head landed on the deck, rolling to a stop at Qin Ming's feet. Each face was a mask of horror and despair, as if they had endured unimaginable torture before their death.

Qin Ming's entire body shuddered, and he staggered back several steps.

These were the very assassins he had sent after Qin Luoli. Lin Mu had even found and killed his deepest sleeper agents, leaving no one alive!

"Is this your contingency plan, Cousin Qin Ming?" Lin Mu stated expressionlessly. "You truly underestimate me." His voice was laced with killing intent. This man had dared to send assassins after Qin Luoli. That alone was enough to earn him a thousand deaths.

"Lin Mu, you…" Qin Ming was genuinely terrified. He knew Lin Mu held immense power in River City, but his men had been hidden there for years. They shouldn't have been found so easily. With this single move, Lin Mu had not only foiled his plan but had also unearthed every one of his organization's secret operatives. Qin Ming knew that even if he managed to escape with his life, he would face the organization's harshest punishment upon his return.

"What? Are you scared?" Lin Mu laughed. "The famous 'Doctor' from the Blood Rat Mercenary Corps can feel fear?"

"You…" Qin Ming trembled violently. "You know my identity?"

"I don't just know your identity. I know the identities of those other two as well," Lin Mu said, casting a scornful glance at the two men sitting on the deck.

Qin Ming was indeed a member of the Blood Rat Mercenary Corps, codenamed 'Doctor.' This was information Cheng Bugui had uncovered. He was the one who had cured Qin Hao of his idiocy, and he had then used Qin Hao as a pawn to target Lin Mu and Qin Luoli, all with the aim of completely ruining her. As for Lin Mu himself... at the time, Qin Ming hadn't paid him any mind. He had prepared far too many schemes for this trip. But after learning Lin Mu's true identity, Qin Ming knew that all those schemes were useless.

"Doctor, why are you wasting breath on him?" one of the men suddenly shouted, leaping to his feet with a powerful aura. "Instead of blathering on, let's just kill him and be done with it!"

"Die, boy!" the man roared. An imposing air exploded from him as he stomped on the deck and launched a ferocious punch at Lin Mu. This man was also a Martial Artist!

Qin Ming retreated two steps, a look of anticipation in his eyes. The next moment, however, his expression changed completely.

Just as the attacker reached Lin Mu, his fist was caught in mid-air by a single hand.

"The Blood Rat Mercenary Corps sent a few wastes like you to kill me?" Grasping the man's fist, Lin Mu shook his head in disappointment. "It seems Jack has really gotten old."

The man's pupils contracted. Jack was the name of the leader of the Blood Rat Mercenary Corps.

"You're courting death!" the man bellowed, trying to yank his fist back, but it was held in an unbreakable grip. While he was still reeling in shock, an immense force slammed into his chest.

He was sent flying backward, landing with a sickening thud on the deck.

THUD!

A loud crash echoed as the entire boat shook violently. The man twitched twice, then fell silent.

Lin Mu took a step forward, landing on the deck and fixing his gaze on Qin Ming.

Terrified, Qin Ming stumbled backward before collapsing to his knees.

"Lin Mu, I was wrong," he pleaded, his face a mask of pure terror. "Please, for the sake of us being family, spare me. I'm begging you, just this once…"

The infamous 'Doctor' from the Blood Rat Mercenary Corps, a man whose name inspired dread, was now kneeling and begging for his life.

The third man, his face hidden behind a mask, could only stare in utter disbelief.

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