Aftermath and Trifles

In one corner of the barbecue stall, screams, pleas for mercy, the dull thud of baseball bats hitting flesh, and the sounds of plastic tables and chairs shattering mingled together, like a chaotic symphony. The air was filled with the aroma of charred meat, the malty scent of beer, and a faint, almost imperceptible smell of blood.

Lin Feng ignored the chaos and wailing, as if he were in another world. He picked up a beer bottle from the table, its cool surface still touching, and calmly refilled Zhou Wenyuan's empty glass. The golden liquid poured into the glass, creating delicate bubbles that contrasted sharply with the brawl unfolding not far away.

He put down the bottle, his gaze sweeping over Lawyer Zhou's face, still streaked with tears but etched with astonishment. He spoke calmly, as if asking if the other party wanted another skewer of grilled chives:

"How about it? Want to go over and kick it a couple of times to get rid of this pent-up frustration?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Wenyuan subconsciously turned his head to look at the field. He saw that the group of arrogant young men who had been so domineering just minutes before were now running away with their heads in their hands, or being knocked to the ground and being "served" by those burly men with baseball bats, letting out pig-like screams. The muscles on his face twitched, and a complex and inscrutable expression flashed in his eyes, a mixture of disgust, pleasure, and a trace of pity.

He withdrew his gaze, looked at Lin Feng, shook his head with a wry smile, his voice still hoarse from crying:

"Forget it. A civilized person like me, who can't even kill a chicken, might end up hurting myself instead of venting my anger. That would be a real loss."

After listening, Lin Feng stopped trying to dissuade him. He knew Lawyer Zhou's personality; such direct violence wasn't his way of venting his emotions. So, he stopped paying attention to what was happening, picked up a freshly grilled, sizzling lamb skewer, and leisurely leaned back on the plastic stool, watching the one-sided "educational" action unfold beside him while enjoying his meal. His calm and composed demeanor made it seem as if he were watching a street performance that had nothing to do with him.

Several burly men who were engaged in the fight noticed that someone was calmly eating and drinking. One of them was about to glare and reprimand them, but was stopped by a stern look from the Scar Man leader. He shook his head slightly at his men, signaling them not to cause any trouble.

Lin Feng leisurely ate a few more skewers of grilled meat and finished the remaining beer in his glass. He checked the time, then glanced at Lawyer Zhou, who still seemed somewhat lost in thought, and decided it was about time. He took out a few bills from his wallet and placed them under the beer bottle; enough to cover their table's expenses with some left over.

"Let's go, Lawyer Zhou, it's getting late. I'll take you home." Lin Feng stood up.

Zhou Wenyuan suddenly realized what was happening and quickly stood up, his steps still a little unsteady. The two walked around the messy, desolate "battlefield" and, under the silent gaze of the burly men, reached the side of the street and hailed a taxi.

Lin Feng first dropped Lawyer Zhou off at the entrance of his residential complex. After watching him stagger into the building, Lin Feng told the driver to turn around and head to his own place.

Sitting in the speeding ride-hailing car, with the city lights shimmering outside the window, Lin Feng closed his eyes, seemingly dozing, but his consciousness had already sunk into his mind, establishing contact with the assassin Li Jun, whom he had just summoned.

"Li Jun, is everything alright over there?" Lin Feng transmitted his thoughts.

Almost instantly, Li Jun's respectful and composed response rang in his mind:

"Master, no problem. Don't worry. The men I brought are all veterans. They may look ruthless, but they know their limits and avoid vital organs. Those punks will only get some superficial injuries; their bones are fine. They'll be back to normal after a few days in bed. Besides, I know these kinds of people too well. They bully the weak and fear the strong. They're not clean themselves, so they definitely won't dare call the police. Beating them would be pointless."

"Okay, that's good. Contact me anytime if anything comes up."

"Yes, Master."

After the communication ended, Lin Feng reopened his eyes, his gaze clear again. At that moment, the car had just stopped at the entrance of his residential compound.

He paid the fare, got out of the car, walked into the apartment building, and took the elevator upstairs. When he arrived at his own door, he took out his Key and inserted it into the lock as usual.

Um?

Instead of the expected sound of the Key turning, there was a feeling of stiff resistance. The Key went in only a little bit before it couldn't be inserted any further.

Lin Feng frowned slightly and pulled out the Key. Using the dim light from the motion-activated lights in the hallway, he took out his phone, turned on the flashlight, and carefully shone it on the keyhole.

The inside of the keyhole was completely sealed with a nearly transparent super glue, and the surface still had a slight sheen from the recent solidification.

Lin Feng straightened up, calmly scanning the quiet corridor around him, then looked up at the ceiling. He didn't even need to use assassins to investigate; he already had the answer in his mind.

Anyone with a brain knows who did this. It's none other than Sun Qiang, the bald, burly man who got humiliated at his door last night and made those threats. This kind of despicable and disgusting tactic is very much in line with the style of a scoundrel who bullies the weak and fears the Sun Qiang, and only knows how to do dirty tricks behind people's backs.

Instead of showing anger, Lin Feng's lips curled slightly upwards, revealing a faint, enigmatic smile. He shook his head, showing no intention of going upstairs to confront the other party right now.

Engaging directly with this kind of person will only dirty your hands and lower your own standards.

Anyway, Lü Yi should be released from the mental hospital's "compulsory treatment" tomorrow.

Thinking of this, Lin Feng's last bit of annoyance from the blocked keyhole dissipated. He took out his phone and, without hesitation, found the phone number of a nearby 24-hour locksmith company in a search engine.

He dialed the number, briefly explained the situation, and agreed on a price. After hanging up, he leaned against the cold security door, hands in his pockets, quietly waiting for the locksmith to arrive. The motion-activated lights in the hallway went out, shrouding him in darkness; only the faint light from his phone screen illuminated his calm, expressionless face.