155: Chapter 155 Cutting Off My Source of Income! A Cold Sneer of Murderous Intent! Flipping the Table!

As soon as Lin Qi reached the family residential area, he heard Zhang Wei's heart-wrenching screams.

He frowned; his originally good mood instantly turned sour.

"What are you howling for?" Lin Qi walked over and kicked Zhang Wei, who was sprawled on the ground like a puddle of mud.

"We won. Hurry up, take the money and let's go get a good meal. While you're at it, redeem my equipment."

Lin Qi's tone was relaxed. Right now, he just wanted to get some money and buy some exotic beast meat to nourish his body.

That Mountain Crushing Force punch earlier had consumed a lot of his stamina; his stomach was now flat with hunger.

Zhang Wei looked up. His face was a mess from crying, covered in tears and snot.

When he saw Lin Qi, it was like seeing a literal lifesaver. He grabbed Lin Qi's thigh and wailed miserably, "Brother Qi! It's over! It's all over!"

"The money... the money is gone!"

Lin Qi's expression darkened as he took the communicator Zhang Wei handed him.

On the screen, a glaring red exclamation mark occupied the entire interface. Below it was a line of cold text:

[Warning: Error Code 404]

[Detected that this account is suspected of using unknown vulnerabilities to manipulate match results. Data flow anomaly.]

[According to Article 74 of the Tianji Pavilion 'Gambling Security Protocol', the highest-level risk control circuit breaker mechanism has been triggered.]

[All your funds have been forcibly frozen.]

[Please wait for manual review (Estimated review time: 15-30 working days).]

Beside it was an official statement released by the Tianji Pavilion. The wording was harsh, accusing Lin Qi of using "abnormal means" to win the match.

It claimed this severely disrupted the competitive order and stated they would conduct a "thorough investigation."

"Tianji Pavilion, what a fine Tianji Pavilion," Lin Qi thought. He knew the status of this organization within the Federation.

They monopolized almost all competitive gambling, and their power was great enough to influence the Federation's upper echelons.

He had long expected people to question his "Blank Slate" status. But he hadn't expected the other party to flip the table directly.

"Code 404, risk control circuit breaker?" Lin Qi sneered internally. This was nothing more than a fig leaf for the officials to welsh on their debt.

He wasn't some naive kid who hadn't seen the world. In his past life within the martial arts era, he had seen too many black-hearted bookmakers.

But those bookmakers, at least, followed some rules. A loss was a loss.

This Tianji Pavilion, however, was acting like a straight-up hoodlum.

The gazes of the surrounding contestants and staff members toward Lin Qi had already changed.

It was no longer the previous disdain; now, their eyes were a mix of shock, jealousy, and suspicion.

"Hacking."

"Cheating."

Low discussions and whispers broke out around Lin Qi.

"Data flow anomaly? What the hell is that?"

"He must have used some underhanded methods."

"Even the Tianji Pavilion issued a statement. This kid is finished."

These voices were like buzzing flies. Lin Qi turned a deaf ear to them.

Zhang Wei was sweating profusely from anxiety. He lowered his voice, his tone carrying a hint of a sob:

"Brother Qi, if we can't get this money back, we're completely bankrupt. The high-interest loans I took, the pharmacy I mortgaged... and your share, it's all gone!"

He looked at Lin Qi, his eyes filled with despair.

Zhang Wei shuddered as he looked at Lin Qi.

While Brother Qi was usually decisive and ruthless, he had never had this kind of look in his eyes. It wasn't anger; it was something far more terrifying than anger.

"Could Brother Qi be planning to..." Zhang Wei's heart trembled. He knew Lin Qi's strength. But that was the Tianji Pavilion!

He thought about how he had mortgaged his pharmacy and taken out high-interest loans for this money. If the money was truly gone, he wouldn't just be bankrupt. He might not even keep his life.

"Brother Qi, you have to think of something!" Zhang Wei wailed internally. He placed all his hopes on Lin Qi.

In the face of this sudden turn of events and the mud being slung at him, the expected anger or anxiety did not appear on Lin Qi's face.

He just quietly looked at the statement. A cold arc gradually formed at the corners of his mouth.

He laughed. The laughter was light, yet it gave Zhang Wei an inexplicable chill.

This money wasn't just a bet.

It was the "life-saving money" he had prepared for his subsequent Physical Body tempering to charge into a higher Realm.

"Golden Body Realm," Lin Qi murmured to himself.

That was a milestone in a Martial Artist's physical transformation. It required a massive amount of natural spiritual Materials for tempering. Every single material was worth a fortune.

Right now, he was only at the Bone Refining Realm. Between him and the Golden Body Realm, there were still three major Realms: Tendon Refining, Blood Exchange, and Organ Refining.

Every step required the support of vast resources.

Then there was Old Man Mo. That old guy had nearly bankrupted himself to research ancient martial arts. He had promised him that he would provide financial support.

This money was his path of Cultivation. It was his promise. And even more, it was the cornerstone for his return to the Peak.

In the Jianghu logic of Lin Qi's past life, cutting off someone's path to wealth—especially their path of Cultivation—was no different from killing their parents.

The Tianji Pavilion's actions had already crossed his bottom line as a Martial Saint.

The smile in his eyes slowly faded. It was replaced by a bottomless calm. Beneath that calm was a volcano about to erupt.

"Cutting off wealth is like killing parents," Lin Qi repeated this Jianghu proverb from his past life in his mind.

He was not a bloodthirsty person. But once his bottom line was touched, he would not hesitate to show his fangs.

Tianji Pavilion, you've gone too far.

He handed the communicator back to Zhang Wei. He patted his shoulder, signaling him to calm down.

"Don't panic."

Just then, a group of media reporters armed with cameras and microphones broke through the security barrier. They surrounded Lin Qi.

"Contestant Lin Qi, what do you have to say about the Tianji Pavilion's accusations that you used illegal means to manipulate the match?"

"Your strength data is only 5, yet you could heavily injure Xiao Kuangyun with one punch. How did you do it?"

"Does this involve illegal body modification?"

"Contestant Lin Qi, have you undergone genetic modification? Or used some kind of drug banned by the Federation?"

"There are rumors that you have improper dealings with Old Man Mo of Longya Academy. Is this true?"

"Do you believe your victory is an insult to all the contestants who follow the rules?"

Countless sharp questions smashed into him like artillery shells. Camera flashes went off one after another.

Lin Qi just looked at them. These people were blinded by data and the System. They couldn't understand that there was a type of power called pure martial arts.

He had no need to explain to them.

Explaining was the behavior of the weak.

The truly strong only speak through action.

Lin Qi ignored the reporters. His gaze pierced through the crowd, looking toward the VIP box at the top of the arena belonging to the tournament organizing committee and sponsors.

Facing one of the cameras hidden in the shadows, he said clearly, word by word:

"Give me the money within three days. Otherwise, I will beat you until you are bankrupt."