Chapter 133: The Young Man’s Hidden Depths

The moment these words were spoken, the crowd erupted. No one had expected that the two men who had just been pretending to be the good guys were actually the masterminds behind everything!

Ni Fangling and the others were stunned as well, scarcely able to believe their eyes. Only moments ago, they had thought Zhang Yang was admirable for daring to stand up to Xiangzi in order to protect Ji Xiaorui. Now it appeared that the entire thing had merely been an act. He was utterly hypocritical!

Just because Lin Le had had a few minor disagreements with them, they had tried to smear him and even devised such a sinister scheme to harm him. It was truly despicable!

Worse still, in order to save their own lives, they had willingly betrayed Xiangzi, the very man who had helped them. Their behavior was so vile and contemptible that it made everyone sick.

Ni Fangling and the others held Zhang Yang and Ding Jun in the utmost disdain, bitterly regretting ever having known such shameless scoundrels.

Ji Xiaorui was also extremely surprised.

“So it was you two who framed my husband, Zhang Yang and Ding Jun! You’re absolutely shameless!” Ji Xiaorui shouted at them.

At that moment, Zhang Yang and Ding Jun had no concern for anything else. Saving their own lives was all that mattered.

Given how close Mr. Lin was to Fourth Master Gu, dealing with them would be incredibly easy. That was why, the instant Lin Le offered them a chance to live, they seized it without hesitation.

Losing face was a minor matter. Staying alive was what truly mattered!

Of everyone present, Xiangzi was undoubtedly the most shocked.

Earlier, Xiangzi had been prepared to stand firm to the very end and refuse to expose Ding Jun and Zhang Yang, out of loyalty. He had never imagined that he would instead become the greatest fool of all, only to be sold out by the two men he had protected!

“I’ll curse your ancestors for eighteen generations! I risked my life to protect you, and you turned around and betrayed me!” Xiangzi roared furiously. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Ding Jun and Zhang Yang, looking as though he wanted to tear them limb from limb.

Men like Xiangzi, who moved in the underworld and had committed every manner of wrongdoing, valued loyalty above all else. That was why he had been willing to die rather than expose Ding Jun and Zhang Yang.

But now, the very loyalty he treasured most had been shamelessly trampled upon by the two men. It was something he absolutely could not tolerate!

At that moment, Xiangzi’s hatred for Ding Jun and Zhang Yang far surpassed his hatred for Lin Le—by a thousand, even ten thousand times.

Seeing the fire blazing in Xiangzi’s eyes, Ding Jun and Zhang Yang felt a trace of fear. But compared with their fear of Lin Le, it was nothing.

“You can’t blame us! Every man for himself, and the heavens will destroy anyone who puts others first. Who told you to be such an idiot?” Ding Jun cursed at Xiangzi.

Ding Jun and Xiangzi had once enjoyed a fairly good relationship, but now, in order to save his own life, Ding Jun had cast all of that aside without a second thought.

“What did you say? I’m going to kill you!” Xiangzi shouted, lunging toward Ding Jun. Zhang Tianzong immediately seized him.

“Let me go! Let me kill them! I’m going to butcher them!” Xiangzi was like a mad dog, so frenzied that even Zhang Tianzong struggled to hold him back.

“You framed me and then shot at me. If I hadn’t been lucky, I would already be dead by your gun. I’m going to report you to the police later. Do you accept that?” Lin Le asked Xiangzi calmly.

“I accept! I accept!” Xiangzi snarled, though his eyes remained fixed on Ding Jun and Zhang Yang across from him.

“All right. You may leave now,” Lin Le said softly.

“What?”

Everyone froze, thinking they must have misheard him.

Even Zhang Tianzong stood there in stunned silence.

Beside him, Gu Hanliang frowned slightly, his face filled with confusion. He, too, seemed unable to understand Lin Le’s decision.

“You… you’re going to let me go?” Xiangzi stared at Lin Le in disbelief.

“I never said I was going to forgive you. I’m merely handing you over to the police. As for what you do before they catch you, that is none of my concern.” Lin Le smiled faintly.

Only then did the crowd begin to understand.

Lin Le had no intention of truly releasing Xiangzi. He merely wanted to use Xiangzi’s hands to deal with Ding Jun and Zhang Yang.

“Mr. Lin… you said that if we confessed willingly, you would let us live. You can’t go back on your word!” Ding Jun finally understood Lin Le’s meaning and began to panic.

Xiangzi was completely unhinged now. If he were released, how could they possibly survive?

“I haven’t said that I want you dead,” Lin Le replied innocently.

“I’m letting you go. You may leave as well.” Lin Le spoke with remarkable generosity.

“You…” Ding Jun and Zhang Yang felt as though ten thousand wild horses were stampeding through their minds.

Was this what he called letting them go? He was practically pushing them straight into a pit of fire!

But at that moment, they had no time to think about anything else. The moment they saw the murderous look in Xiangzi’s eyes, their hearts nearly stopped.

“Run!”

The next second, Ding Jun and Zhang Yang turned and fled like horses that had broken free of their reins.

At the same time, Zhang Tianzong released Xiangzi at precisely the right moment.

“Where do you think you’re going? I’m going to kill you!”

The instant Zhang Tianzong let go, Xiangzi charged after Ding Jun and Zhang Yang like a mad dog.

Driven by fury, Xiangzi moved with astonishing speed. Ding Jun and Zhang Yang had barely taken a few steps before he caught up with them.

Xiangzi leaped into the air and viciously kicked Zhang Yang in the leg from behind.

With a sharp crack, Zhang Yang’s leg was broken by the blow. He collapsed heavily to the ground and could no longer even crawl, sprawled there like a lump of mud and screaming in agony.

Ding Jun had no time to care whether Zhang Yang lived or died. He simply ran for his life.

But before he had taken two steps, Xiangzi caught up with him as well.

With a savage expression, Xiangzi let out a furious roar and tackled Ding Jun from behind, pinning him to the ground. His arm clamped tightly around Ding Jun’s neck.

“Xiangzi… brother… please, spare me…” Ding Jun forced the words from his throat and begged for mercy.

His plea only enraged Xiangzi further.

“Brother? Brother, my ass!”

With that, Xiangzi opened his mouth wide and sank his teeth into Ding Jun’s ear. In his madness, he bit the entire ear off, leaving blood pouring everywhere.

“Ah!”

Ding Jun released a heart-rending scream.

The onlookers felt a chill run through them at the sight. Yet when they remembered that all three men were despicable scoundrels and worthless trash, not one of them deserving sympathy, they felt somewhat relieved.

When dogs turned on each other, they had only themselves to blame!

Ni Fangling and the others frowned as they watched Zhang Yang and Ding Jun suffer. Like everyone else, they felt that the two men had brought their fate upon themselves.

At the same time, however, they could not help feeling a trace of fear toward Lin Le’s methods.

With nothing more than a small stratagem, Lin Le had turned Ding Jun and Xiangzi—once allies—into mortal enemies. Then he had simply stood aside and watched them tear each other apart.

His methods were truly formidable!

Even Ji Xiaorui could not stop herself from grinning as she looked at Lin Le.

“Master, I never knew you had such a devious side,” Ji Xiaorui whispered.

“Not at all. They’re simply too stupid,” Lin Le replied indifferently.

At that moment, Fourth Master Gu, who had been enjoying the spectacle from the side, walked over while applauding.

“Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! What a masterful use of borrowed force to kill! Mr. Lin, your methods have truly opened my eyes!” Gu Hanliang’s praise came from the bottom of his heart.

For a mere youth of seventeen or eighteen to possess such profound cunning and strategic skill was utterly beyond Gu Hanliang’s imagination.

“You flatter me, Fourth Master Gu. It’s too noisy here. We should leave first.”

After bidding farewell to Ni Fangling and the others, Lin Le, Gu Hanliang, and the rest left the scene without another word. As for whether Xiangzi, Ding Jun, and Zhang Yang lived or died, it was no longer any concern of theirs.