Lin En, the "That'll Cost Extra" Layman

The girl seemed to have noticed well in advance. She leaped suddenly, kicked off a tree trunk with both legs, and swiftly dodged the attack.

The attack grazed past her and struck the ground nearby. With a boom, it carved an enormous blade mark into the earth.

The aftershock hurled the girl away. By the time she rose again, more than a dozen people in black had surrounded her.

"Heh heh heh, Third Young Miss, you can't run now, can you?"

The people in black closed in rapidly, steadily shrinking the space around her as the girl hastily retreated.

What should I do? Is this the end for me?

Zhu Zhuqing clutched her injured right shoulder, her eyelids lowered. But a moment later, fighting spirit reignited in her eyes.

No, I absolutely cannot fall here!

Her icy gaze swept over the dozen or so people pursuing her. Sharp claws sprang out, and a long, slender cat's tail appeared as well.

Fate was born to be trampled beneath my feet...

The people in black pressed closer with every step. Just as Zhu Zhuqing prepared to fight to the death, a blade tore through the darkness and struck the ground in front of her, instantly forcing her pursuers back several steps.

Their leader looked around, his tone vicious:

"Who's there? Get out here!"

Zhu Zhuqing froze in surprise too. Someone had saved her. Who was it?

Just then, in the dark forest, the slanting moonlight finally allowed the people in black to see who had attacked them.

A pair of scarlet eyes emerged from the bushes, like a hunter in the night, locked firmly onto its prey.

"Wh... what kind of monster is that?"

The people in black backed away repeatedly in fright, their bodies shrinking back and trembling.

"Saa-"

Sageross tore through the bushes, revealing his enormous body, his blades raised high.

Just then, Lin En appeared on Sageross's back. Looking at both sides as their gazes landed on him in unison, he curled his lips into a strange smile:

"I planted this mountain, and I opened this tree."

"And now you dare snatch things on my turf? Tired of living, are you?"

"Where did this little brat come from? Get the hell out of here, or don't blame me for dealing with you too!"

The leader in black looked momentarily stunned, then burned with pent-up anger.

Damn brat, he actually dares rob me! He really doesn't know how high the heavens are or how deep the earth is.

Seeing this, Lin En sneered. It looked like he would have to give them a taste of suffering first.

"Sageross!"

Lin En gave the order coldly.

"Saa-"

Sageross raised his blades. A powerful blade aura slashed through the air and struck one of the people in black, cutting him into a mist of blood in an instant.

"What? You..."

The leader in black paled in horror, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Lin En looked at the dozen or so people in black. The strongest was merely a three-ring Soul Elder, while the rest were only Two-Ring Soul Grandmasters. They were nothing to fear.

He had cut down Soul Ancestors before. Why would he fear these few small fry?

"Now, I make the rules. Anyone who dares disobey will end up just like him."

Lin En folded his arms, his gaze chilling as he looked at the dozen or so people in black and Zhu Zhuqing, an unsettlingly charming smile curling his lips.

"Just who are you?"

The leader in black was deeply wary. Where on earth had this cocky bastard come from?

"Too noisy. Sageross!"

Seeing that someone still dared defy him, Lin En ordered Sageross to attack again.

With a horizontal slash of his blade, the three-ring Soul Elder leading them was instantly gravely wounded and spat blood.

"All right, each of you will pay ten thousand Gold Soul Coins first. That's the price of your lives. If you don't pay, you know how you'll end up."

Lin En grinned, but to the people in black and Zhu Zhuqing, that smile seemed particularly cold.

Zhu Zhuqing pressed her lips together and acted first, taking a golden card from her Storage Ring.

"There are fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins in here. Let me leave safely!"

Zhu Zhuqing brushed aside her damp hair, revealing her fair, delicate face.

Lin En reached out to take it, his smile exceptionally bright:

"Of course, no problem, beautiful miss. You can go now!"

Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing instantly felt relieved. She glanced back at the people in black, then flashed away and swiftly vanished into the darkness.

One of them still wanted to pursue her, but the instant he moved, Sageross struck swiftly and slashed him into a mist of blood.

"Now, who else wants to leave?" Lin En sneered.

Damn it! To think that I, an imperial guard of the Star Luo Empire, would fall so low as to be extorted by a little brat!

The leader in black seethed inwardly, but to get away, he still had no choice but to pay.

Ten thousand per person. Nine of his brothers remained now, so he only needed to pay exactly one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins.

He stepped forward and handed over a black card with an ingratiating smile.

"Sir, there are one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins in here. Consider it our humble tribute. Can you let us pass now?"

Lin En accepted it. After confirming that the amount was correct, he immediately smiled:

"Of course... not!"

"What? Sir, didn't we agree on this earlier?"

The leader in black was dumbfounded, his fists clenching behind his back. If he could have beaten him, he would have given him a vicious thrashing.

"You haven't paid for those three yet..."

Lin En pointed at the three people in black who had become blood mist and looked at him with a smile.

"Sir, they're already dead. Surely they shouldn't count?"

The leader in black felt utterly aggrieved.

"What, I said ten thousand per person. Even dead, aren't they still your people? Don't even think about leaving until you've paid in full!"

Lin En folded his arms and looked at the leader in black with a cold sneer.

"Fine, I'll pay!"

Forcing down his fury, the leader in black paid another thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins in humiliation.

He had scraped together the remaining money from the others.

"Go on!"

After receiving the rest of the money, Lin En counted it rapidly like a money-grubber and raised a hand to wave them off.

"Let's go..."

The leader in black shot him an angry glare. He fumed for a moment, but dared do nothing and slunk away.

"I've made a killing! Hahahaha..."

Lin En began tallying his gains. Zhu Zhuqing had given him fifty thousand, and the people in black had contributed one hundred thirty thousand.

This trip had netted him one hundred eighty thousand Gold Soul Coins, even more than he had made through months of sting operations in Star Dou.

Sure enough, I need to rob the rich to help the poor more often. Damn, people from major powers really are dripping with wealth!

Lin En had already guessed long ago that the girl was Zhu Zhuqing.

Who else could have appeared here while being pursued?

"Hehehe, put it away, put it away. If I chase after them now, I can reap another harvest."

"Nice!"

Lin En happily stowed it in his Soul Tool, then directed Sageross to chase after them.

Half an hour later.

When Zhu Zhuqing was caught again, Lin En descended from the sky.

"Hehe, this is a robbery!"

"Why is it you again?"

The leader in black flew into a rage and hurled abuse at Lin En. Every time things reached the crucial moment, he showed up to ruin everything!

"Still ten thousand Gold Soul Coins, right? I'll pay!"

The leader in black gritted his teeth.

"No, no, no. This is the second time I've run into you, so..."

"That'll cost extra!"

A devilish smile appeared on Lin En's face.

Zhu Zhuqing said nothing, and the people in black fell silent. At that moment, all of them had become lambs for the slaughter.