American comic book: I, with my abundant martial virtue, love to do good to others.

Chapter 220 Debt Issues

The boss looked up at her, then glanced at Lynn. His gaze lingered on Lynn for a moment, as if he had noticed something unusual, but he didn't show much emotion.

"I'm sorry, miss, we don't offer free consultations here." The shopkeeper continued wiping the glasses.

There was a hint of unease in his tone.

Kate wasn't intimidated by his attitude. Instead, she placed her hand on the bar and moved closer. "We're here to ask about Lisa. She works here, right?"

The boss paused for a moment, then revealed a malicious smile. "Lisa? You mean that pretty blonde girl? She does work here, but I don't think her affairs have anything to do with you."

"Stop talking nonsense." Kate's voice suddenly turned cold, her eyes flashing with a dangerous sharpness. "I know her situation is inextricably linked to your bar. She owes money, right? Did you act as a middleman, introducing her to those creditors?"

The bartender's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He put down his glass, placed his hands on the bar counter, and said in a low voice, "Young lady, do you know what you're saying? I'm just a bartender, trying to make a living. As for who Lisa owes money to, that's her own business."

Kate was about to retort when Lynn stopped her with a gesture. Lynn stepped forward, her tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority, "You know about Lisa's debt problems, and you also know that she's been threatened because of them. I don't care what role you played in this, but if you continue to hide it, I guarantee you'll be in more trouble."

The shopkeeper's gaze met Lynn's, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared. He narrowed his eyes, trying to see through Lynn's identity, but in the end, he just snorted coldly and leaned back.

"Alright, what do you want to know?" he finally spoke, his tone revealing a hint of impatience.

"Who's pressuring Lisa?" Lynn's voice was low and cold. "Who does she owe money to?"

The boss hesitated for a moment, clearly reluctant to speak, but under Lynn's suffocating gaze, he finally opened his mouth: "The Kavanagh Group. She owes them money, and those people are no pushovers."

"How did you get involved?" Kate pressed on, her eyes filled with anger. "Don't tell me you're completely innocent."

The boss sighed, spreading his hands. "She came to me saying she needed money and asked if I could help her. I just offered her an 'opportunity' to work here and earn some extra cash. She's an adult; it was her own choice, so don't blame me."

Kate clenched her fists, her tone growing colder, "You knew she had no other choice, and you took advantage of her."

Lynn reached out and placed a hand on Kate's shoulder, signaling her to calm down. Then he turned to the boss, his tone still cold, "When will these people come knocking?"

The shop owner hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "In the last two days, I guess. They've been pressing me hard lately, saying they'll take action if I don't pay back the money soon."

Lynn nodded, then said coldly, "Fine. I hope you remember, if they come here again, you must tell me immediately."

The boss snorted, seemingly reluctant, but still nodded. "Alright, I'll keep an eye on it."

.

Kate glanced at the boss's expression; his anger hadn't subsided, but Lynn's composure prevented her from retaliating. She took a deep breath, pulled Lynn along, and turned to leave the bar.

Once outside, Kate finally couldn't hold back any longer and said, "Lynn, we can't just sit here and wait to die. Those people really will go after Lisa."

Lynn's gaze remained calm and composed. He said in a low voice, "I know. So, we must find a more effective way before they make their move."

Kate looked him in the eyes, and after a moment nodded. "I believe you. But we can't fail, Lynn. Lisa's safety depends on us."

Lynn's lips pursed slightly, and she said nothing more.

As night fell, Lynn and Kate stood outside an abandoned warehouse. The dim neon lights reflected on the damp ground, creating an atmosphere of danger. This was the creditor—the Kavanagh Group.

The chosen transaction location. Lynn stood with his hands in his trench coat pockets, his gaze cold and sharp. Beside him, Kate held her bag strap, her face seemingly calm, but Lynn knew that anxiety and anger were burning within her.

"Are you sure this will solve the problem?" Kate asked in a low voice, her tone tinged with doubt and unease. "These people aren't the type to reason with each other."

"There are many ways to solve a problem." Lynn's voice was low and steady, with his usual calmness. "But first, we need to know their bottom line and what tricks they are playing."

Kate nodded, but her fingertips were slightly white with nervousness. She had witnessed Lynn's calmness and decisiveness before, but this situation was different—this was not an ordinary case, but the predicament her best friend was deeply embroiled in.

A few minutes later, a man in a dark suit emerged from the warehouse, followed by two tall bodyguards. A fake smile played on his lips, and his professional indifference immediately revealed his dangerous nature.

"You're here to pay off Lisa's debts?" the man asked with a hint of mockery, his eyes scanning Lynn and Kate up and down.

"Yes." Lynn's voice was calm and firm. He took a file folder from his trench coat and handed it to the other person. "Here is $25,000, in full. I hope you will let her go after you take the money."

The man didn't rush to take the file bag. Instead, he sneered, "Twenty-five thousand dollars? That's indeed the amount Lisa owes, but things aren't that simple, my friend. We've extended the deadline for her several times and gone to great lengths to 'remind' her. I think the debt is now worth far more than twenty-five thousand."

Kate's eyes widened, her voice laced with suppressed anger. "What did you say? You know her situation perfectly well, yet you still tried to raise the price?"

The man turned to look at Kate, a malicious smile playing on his lips. "Business is business, sweetheart. Do you think we're running a charity?"

"Don't waste your breath on her," Lynn interrupted him, her voice as cold as ice. "How much money do you want?"

The man's expression instantly turned greedy, a glint of cunning flashing in his eyes. "Fifty thousand."

"Fifty thousand?" Kate shouted, almost losing control. "Are you crazy? This is extortion!"

The man shrugged, feigning innocence. "Say what you will, fifty thousand is the current price. If you don't want to pay it back, then let Lisa continue 'working,' maybe she can earn something else for us."

Kate turned pale with anger and was about to rush forward to argue when Lynn raised his hand to stop her. His movement was small, but it carried an undeniable force.

"We won't give you 50,000." Lynn's tone remained calm, but his voice was low, like suppressed thunder. "You've already taken enough. If you don't accept 25,000, we won't give you a single penny."

The man's smile vanished. He narrowed his eyes and stared coldly at Lynn. "Are you threatening me, friend? Do you know who you're talking to?"

"I know." Lynn met his gaze without flinching, her eyes as cold as a blade. "I also know that you people never intended to let Lisa leave. Even if we gave her 50,000, you would find other excuses to continue harassing her."

The man's expression changed; he clearly hadn't expected Lynn to see through him so clearly. His grip slowly tightened.

He then gestured for his bodyguards to step forward.

"Friend, I don't like your attitude." The man's voice turned low and dangerous. "We have rules, but if you insist on causing trouble, we won't be polite."

The bodyguard took a step closer to Lynn, his tall figure casting a shadow over him. But Lynn didn't even blink; his hand had already silently moved towards his waist.

Seeing this, Kate immediately realized the atmosphere had become extremely tense. Her heart raced, and she forced herself to calm down. "Wait! Don't do it!"

She stood next to Lynn, trying to ease the tension. "We can talk—25,000 is all we can raise. If you raise the price further, it will only complicate things. We're not here to cause trouble; we just want to resolve the issue."

The man glanced at Kate, seemingly admiring her posture, but his tone remained threatening. "Sweetheart, no one in this world gets something for nothing. You must pay the price."

"The price?" Lynn sneered, his voice low and chilling. "Then why not test what price you can afford?"

His hand was already firmly on the gun handle, his gaze chillingly cold. The two bodyguards clearly noticed Lynn's movements; they exchanged a glance, as if confirming their next move.

The atmosphere instantly became oppressive, with a tense sense of danger permeating the air.

The man was silent for a few seconds, then finally gave a stiff smile. "Alright, friend, looks like you've got guts. But you'd better remember, we don't live by scaring people."

He waved for the bodyguards to leave, then took the file folder from Lynn, opened it, and glanced at it. "Twenty-five thousand—you're lucky. We'll take the money, and from now on, our debt with Lisa is settled."

"You'd better remember your words." Lynn's tone remained suffocatingly cold. "If I hear of you causing trouble for Lisa again, I'll make you regret your decision today."

The man's smile faded, and he stared at Lynn with a somber gaze, but ultimately said nothing. He turned and walked into the warehouse, followed closely by two bodyguards who slammed the door shut behind him.

Kate stood still, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. She turned to look at Lynn and found his expression still calm, but his eyes held an undeniable resolve.

"Lynn—" Kate said softly, "Thank you. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Lynn glanced at her, his tone calm. "This isn't over yet. Lisa is safe now, but I don't believe these people will stop here."

Kate nodded, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. "In any case, I'm grateful that you're willing to help. Lisa's fate shouldn't be ruined by these people."

Lynn did not answer, but only took a deep look in the direction of the warehouse before turning and leaving.

Late at night, Lynn and Kate finally returned to the hotel. The lobby was dimly lit, with only the receptionist yawning, while the corridors were deserted and unusually quiet. Kate walked silently beside Lynn, her face showing a mixture of exhaustion and complex emotions, making her appear somewhat unsettled.

"Are you alright?" Lynn asked softly, breaking the silence. He glanced at Kate, his tone unusually gentle.

Kate stopped, leaned against the wall in the hallway, and took a deep breath. "I don't know. Those people were complete bastards. I can't believe Lisa faced all that alone for so long. How much pressure did she have to endure? Lynn? I can't even imagine."

Lynn looked at her, a complex emotion in his eyes. "Lisa has certainly endured a lot, but she's safe now. That's the most important thing."

Kate nodded, a tear welling in her eye. "I just—I just feel like I've missed out on so much. She's my best friend, but I didn't know anything about her. She's been through so much, and I only just realized it now. Lynn, it makes me feel like such a bad friend."

"You've done everything you can." Lynn's voice was low and firm, as if trying to calm her down. "Sometimes, people don't talk about it because they don't want others to see their vulnerability. You're not a bad friend, Kate. Lisa needs time; she needs to know that someone supports her."

Kate pursed her lips and sniffed. "You're right. I can't let her continue like this."

She needs change, she needs a fresh start.

Lynn didn't say anything more, she just nodded. The two continued walking towards the room.

When they returned to Lisa's room, the door was ajar, and light shone from inside. Kate knocked, pushed the door open, and went in, Lynn following behind. The air in the room was somewhat heavy. Lisa sat by the window, hugging her knees, looking down at the floor. She seemed not to have heard them come in.

"Lisa," Kate called softly, walked over to her, and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Lisa looked up, her eyes red-rimmed, clearly having just cried. She forced a smile, but it looked incredibly strained. "You're back."

"We've resolved your debt problem," Kate said directly, her tone firm and unwavering. "You no longer need to worry about those people causing you trouble."

Lisa's eyes widened for a moment, then she lowered her head and muttered, "You shouldn't have interfered—this isn't your business, I was going to handle it myself."

"You can't handle this, Lisa." Kate's tone suddenly became intense, a mixture of anger and heartache. "You're going to face these bastards all by yourself? With your body, with your dignity?"

Do you know how far these people will push you? You'll have no chance at all!