Chapter Three: Ambushed

Of all the source artifacts Lin Lei had "plundered" so far, only the high heel from the Nightwalker consumed more energy than this ravenous item. He arched his brows, opened the box, and found two things inside: a black bank card and a square jade stone.

Picking up the jade, he could immediately sense the source energy pulsing from its surface. Without hesitation, he placed it back in the box. With the wealth of the Gao family, it was no surprise they could obtain source artifacts. What caught him off guard was their willingness to offer one as a token of gratitude.

He looked at Gao Yue with a complicated expression. "Miss Gao Yue, you should know it wasn't just me who saved you. I merely happened to be in the right place at the right time and was the first to discover you. Such a precious gift—I dare not accept it."

Lin Lei felt his actions hardly warranted receiving a source artifact. He wasn't stubborn, but he understood what his role as an investigator meant, and the Gao family's offer of such a treasure might not be so simple.

Seeing him refuse, Gao Yue’s face flashed with panic, her eyes glistening, on the verge of tears. She turned helplessly to the short-haired woman beside her, who had been silent until now.

"Sister Ling..."

The short-haired woman sighed, stepped forward, and spoke to Lin Lei with utmost courtesy. "Mr. Lin, you have saved our young lady. We, the Gao family, have nothing else to offer but these worldly items. Please, you must accept them. The family head instructed me repeatedly—if you do not, I will face severe punishment upon return!"

"Also, rest assured—our family will never impose any additional demands upon you because of this gift."

Qi Fangyan, unsure of the details, chimed in, "Lei, just accept it. Learn to accept others’ kindness. If it bothers you, you can always send Miss Gao a gift in return someday!"

Qi Fangyan had no idea how valuable Gao Yue’s gift was, nor the complexity of the situation; otherwise, she might not have spoken so lightly.

Lin Lei raised his brow and finally nodded, "Then I’ll accept it. Thank you, Miss Gao Yue—and please thank your family head for me."

Gao Yue broke into a smile through tears, blushing as she said, "Lin Lei, could you stop calling me 'Miss'? Just call me by my name—or Ah Yue, if you like."

"Ahem, Gao Yue."

Lin Lei sensed clearly the unusual fervor Gao Yue felt for him. He guessed it likely stemmed from him having freed her from captivity, leaving a deep impression in her heart and fostering an extraordinary sense of dependence on her "benefactor."

"To have been entangled with a source energy user from the Independent Alliance—a villainous faction—so long, even an ordinary person’s mind could be affected, let alone someone who was once treated almost like a pet..."

They chatted a while longer.

A knock came at the door, and the burly man entered, polite as ever. "Miss, we should go. You have an appointment with Dr. Chen tonight."

Gao Yue cast a reluctant glance at Lin Lei. "Just a little longer—just a moment..."

The short-haired woman urged, "Miss, your health is most important. Once you’re well, you can visit Mr. Lin again."

"Yes, yes, health comes first," Qi Fangyan echoed, nodding.

Gao Yue looked at Lin Lei with tearful eyes. "Lin Lei..."

Lin Lei sighed, "There’s plenty of time. Once you’ve recovered, you can come by any time. We’ll have plenty of chances to meet."

Hearing this, Gao Yue finally nodded obediently. "Alright."

Qi Fangyan winked at Lin Lei, "Lei, why don’t you see Miss Gao off?"

Gao Yue’s eyes sparkled with renewed hope, gazing at Lin Lei expectantly.

Lin Lei cast Qi Fangyan a sidelong glance, then smiled and nodded. "Alright, I’ll walk Miss Gao Yue downstairs."

Gao Yue’s face flushed bright red. "Wonderful! That’s wonderful!"

Her enthusiasm was almost extravagant. Together with Gao Yue and her retinue, Lin Lei soon descended the stairs. Below, a black coupe was parked—Gao Yue’s vehicle.

The burly man took the driver’s seat and quickly started the car. Gao Yue leaned out from the back, waving goodbye to Lin Lei with palpable reluctance.

Lin Lei smiled and waved back. "Drive safe."

When the car had left the complex, darkness reclaimed the grounds. Only then did Lin Lei turn around. As he stepped into the residential building, a subtle expression crossed his face.

Rapid footsteps sounded nearby.

He turned, spotting a shadow rushing in from outside. The figure wore a blue demon mask, wielding a metal baseball bat, storming toward him aggressively.

Swish!

Without a word, the masked assailant swung the bat at Lin Lei, fierce and swift.

The wind howled as the bat sliced through the air.

Lin Lei squinted, facing the oncoming bat, and simply reached out to catch it.

Clang!

The metal bat struck his palm with a sharp metallic ring.

Lin Lei clenched his hand, trapping the bat in his grip.

The man was incredibly strong—even Lin Lei felt a sting in his palm, a sensation only someone far from ordinary could elicit.

Crack!

The hollow aluminum bat was crushed and twisted by Lin Lei’s grip, shattering apart.

Lin Lei tilted his neck and sneered at the masked man. "Why are you attacking me?"

The mask hid the attacker’s expression, but Lin Lei could sense a shudder run through his body.

The man released the broken bat, spun around, and bolted into the darkness.

Lin Lei let out a cold laugh.

In the night, a shadow nimbly vaulted the wall, fleeing swiftly through a dim alley, agile as a monkey. As he ran, he stripped off his mask and coat.

Suddenly, his steps halted.

He stared in bewilderment at the silhouette beneath the dull streetlight nearby.

"You... you’re..."

It was Lin Lei.

"Do you think you can escape?"

Lin Lei grinned menacingly and charged at him.

The man spun and tried to run, but before he could take more than a few steps, a terrifying force hurled him into the air, slamming him against the alley wall, then bouncing him to the ground.

"Ugh!" Blood splattered, and he struggled to roll over, staring in horror at the advancing shadow.

"No... please..."

Lin Lei stepped forward, grabbed him by the throat, lifted him off the ground, and slammed him against the wall. "Why did you target me?"

Bang!

"Ah!" The man screamed, spraying a mouthful of blood onto Lin Lei.

Lin Lei wiped the blood from his face with his free hand.

"Ready to talk?"

The man’s lips twitched, eyes filled with helplessness and fear. "I can’t say..."

"Won’t talk, huh?" Lin Lei raised his brow, lifted him again, and smashed him into the wall once more.

Bang!

"Will you talk?!"

Bang!

"Will you talk?!"

He slammed the man repeatedly into the wall until his body went limp and he couldn’t even cry out.

The attacker was probably only at the first realm. Even with Lin Lei holding back, he couldn’t withstand it.

As his breath grew weaker, Lin Lei dropped him to the ground, took out a Truth Serum, and forced it down his throat.

Since the attacker was a first-realm source energy user, the serum wouldn’t work unless he was gravely injured and barely conscious.

"I’ll ask one more time—who sent you?"

The man stared at Lin Lei with vacant eyes. "I am..."

He barely got the words out before his mouth froze, as if an invisible force had seized his throat, rendering him unable to speak further.

Lin Lei frowned deeply.

"It’s not that he won’t talk—he can’t..."

He realized some special power was preventing the man from revealing the truth.

"Best to take him back to the Bureau and let the specialists handle it..."

Lin Lei raised his brow. The Bureau had psychic source energy users and specialized artifacts; they might be able to get something out of him.

This man was only first realm, and his abilities didn’t seem remarkable. Lin Lei wasn’t urgently interested in "plundering" him.

He was more concerned to know who was targeting him.

He decisively hoisted the man over his shoulder, but before he could go far, the man began to cough violently, blood gushing from his mouth. Moments later, his body stiffened, and his pupils lost their light.