I agreed to be a kept man, but I'm still being punished by the system.

Lin Yang strode out of the elevator lobby on the first floor of Building 11, his hurried figure reflected in the marble floor.

Without pausing, he skillfully navigated the well-maintained community paths and headed towards the pedestrian exit of Tianheng Garden.

The evening breeze, carrying the dampness of the river, dispersed the faint fragrance lingering on him from Su Man's home, and also eased his tense nerves.

My back doesn't ache anymore.

My legs aren't weak anymore.

He took out his phone, found the number from earlier, and dialed it back.

The call was answered almost instantly.

"Hey, Wei-ge, you fat otaku, what made you think of calling me?" Lin Yang's voice carried the relief of someone who had just escaped a disaster.

"You're the fat otaku! You haven't called me in ages, I was afraid you'd disappeared. You still owe me 2000 yuan." Zhang Wei's loud and boisterous voice came through the phone as always.

Lin Yang chuckled and continued walking.

"You're still thinking about that 2000 yuan? We've been friends since childhood, how can you have the nerve to ask me to pay it back?"

"Don't be embarrassed, friendship is friendship, and money is money."

"Oh, you're even showing off your English now, like everyone's passed the CET-4." Lin Yang teased, already walking out of the gate of Tianheng Garden and merging into the crowd on the night street.

"Let's not talk about that. How have you been lately? Have you found a job yet? Aunt Chen called to ask me the other day."

Just as Lin Yang stepped out of the gate, the ambient lighting inside a black Mercedes-Benz G-Class parked on the opposite side of the road suddenly turned on.

The blond-haired man in the back seat shoved the woman next to him aside and stared intently at the familiar figure.

it's him!

He would recognize that suit, that way of walking, even if it turned to ashes!

"Damn it!" he growled, patting the back of the driver's seat.

"You get out of the car and follow them; I'll drive."

"Alright, Sixth Brother!"

The skinny guy nicknamed "Hemp Stick" was the first one Lin Yang took down in Shipai Village.

His eyes held resentment and a hint of fear, but he still deftly pushed open the car door and, like a rat in a ditch, silently disappeared into the night, hanging far behind Lin Yang.

Lin Yang was chatting with Zhang Wei, completely unaware that he had become the prey.

No, he sensed it.

Just as he stepped out of the residential compound, the black Mercedes-Benz G-Class parked across the road came into his view.

Having exchanged for the basic combat technique, his senses became much sharper.

He didn't turn around, but only glanced at the shop windows out of the corner of his eye.

A tall, thin figure, wearing a dark jacket, followed furtively about a hundred meters away.

He was one of the thugs that day.

Instead of feeling nervous, Lin Yang felt a chill run down his spine.

They even dared to come knocking on our door.

His expression remained unchanged as he continued into the phone, "My mom called me yesterday. I found a job, and I've been very busy since I started. I've been busy for a month now."

"That's good. Are you still living in Shipai Village? Do you want to stay with me? Your place is too far away, and it's inconvenient for you to get to work." Zhang Wei's voice was full of genuine concern.

Lin Yang felt a warmth in his heart, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up.

"No need, I have somewhere to stay."

He glanced at the tall, thin figure behind him out of the corner of his eye, then changed the subject.

"You have a single room, yet you have the nerve to ask me to squeeze in with a fat guy like you. You might as well come stay with me; my boss covers the room."

"Huh? Really?" Zhang Wei's voice rose an octave. "Is that a good idea? I'll move in with you. Does your boss agree?"

"It's nothing, I'm in charge," Lin Yang said casually, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

He quickened his pace and headed towards the brightly lit subway station entrance.

"I'll send you photos of the house later, and you can move in sometime."

"Let me check first, I'm afraid of disturbing your work." Zhang Wei's voice on the other end of the phone sounded somewhat incredulous.

"Okay, I'm getting ready to get on the subway, I'll hang up now."

"Um."

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Wei turned around and looked around at his shared single room.

The room was dark; the only light came from the computer screen.

On the screen, a battle scene from a popular anime is reaching its climax, with dazzling lights and shadows casting flickering light and shadow on his slightly chubby face.

The air was filled with a slightly decadent smell, a mixture of instant noodles and takeout food.

He shifted his position, finding a more comfortable one, and his gaze was once again firmly drawn to the anime world on the screen.

On the other side, Lin Yang swiped his card and entered the subway station.

He followed the flow of people down the escalator without looking back, but the sound of the person behind him—their footsteps and breathing—was clearly audible in his mind.

Basic combat techniques offer more than just fighting skills; they also provide a three-dimensional perception of the surrounding environment.

He was like an eagle circling overhead, looking down at the field mouse on the ground that thought it was hiding well.

The train on Metro Line 2 roared in.

The car door opened, and Lin Yang squeezed in, finding a spot near the door to stand.

The skinny guy called "Hemp Stick" hesitated for a moment, then boarded the adjacent carriage through another door. He observed Lin Yang through the glass connecting the carriages, thinking he was being discreet.

At the same time, he took out his phone and quickly tapped the screen, sharing his real-time location with Huang Mao.

As the subway started moving, the lights outside the window stretched into flowing, colorful lines.

Lin Yang leaned against the cold handrail, looking at the blurry figure in the carriage behind him reflected in the window, his heart at peace.

He even had the leisure to analyze the other party.

His breathing was rapid, his eyes were unfocused, and his posture was stiff.

A typical lackey.

Even ten of these wouldn't be enough to fight them.

His only question now is: how did they find him?

Is it Suman's license plate number? Or something else?

It seems that the blond guy has some influence behind him.

But so what?

Five stops, twenty minutes—it all passed in the blink of an eye.

The train arrival announcement sounded.

Lin Yang followed the flow of people out of the carriage, and Magan immediately followed, always keeping a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

After exiting the subway station and walking for a while, the outline of an upscale residential area came into view.

Tianyue Huafu.

Lin Yang swiped his access card and calmly walked into the community gate.

Ma Gan followed them to the door, but was stopped by the security guard.

He could only watch helplessly as Lin Yang's figure disappeared into the depths of the community's greenery, then hurriedly retreated to the roadside and called Huang Mao.

Lin Yang did not go straight back to his apartment upstairs.

After entering the residential area, he turned a corner and slipped into a central garden next door.

The garden is stylishly designed, but to ensure the privacy of the residents, most of the area is shrouded in heavy shadows, except for a few dim ground lights.

The night wind blew, and the leaves rustled, like countless people whispering.

Lin Yang didn't go far; he stood under a huge camphor tree, his body blending perfectly into the darkness.

He adjusted his breathing, and his muscles slowly transitioned from a relaxed state to a critical point where they could explode at any moment.

Like a cheetah lurking in the grass, concealing all its presence, waiting for its prey to step into the trap.

He knew they would come in.

That guy called "Ma Gan" was just a scout; the real main force should already be on their way in that conspicuous Mercedes G-Class.

well.

That way he won't have to go looking for them again.

Tonight, right here, we will teach them a lesson they will never forget.