28: Chapter 28 Money Makes a Difficult Fight! Marcus, blinded by greed, tries to rob someone.

Lin Chen watched the dark mass of figures surging from a distance, a cold smirk curling at the corner of his mouth. Marcus was acting out of desperation, trying to use superior numbers to extort one last sum.

"Brother Chen, there are too many of them!" Li Wei clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white as his eyes remained fixed on the alley entrance.

Uncle Zhao was also anxious: "Xiao Chen, don't be reckless! I'll call for backup right away!"

"No need." Lin Chen's voice was steady as he raised a hand to stop him. "All he wants is money. Give it to him and buy some peace." He took out his phone to quickly check his futures account balance, his gaze firm. "Uncle Zhao, there's an ATM nearby. Li Wei, come with me to withdraw some cash."

"Brother Chen, I'll protect you!" Li Wei said without hesitation.

The three of them slipped quietly out of the Grocery Store's back door, avoiding the main street and ducking into a narrower alley. A few minutes later, inside an ATM booth, Lin Chen operated the machine, and a stack of crisp hundred-dollar bills was spat out. Exactly ten thousand dollars. He weighed it in his hand before stuffing it into his old canvas bag.

"Brother Chen, are you really giving it to him?" Li Wei looked at the bulging bag, feeling somewhat unwilling.

"Yes." Lin Chen zipped up the bag and patted it. "Paying to avert disaster will also make him give up for good. Let's go."

They headed back toward the main entrance of Chinatown. The closer they got, the louder the clamor became. Marcus stood arrogantly in the middle of the road with five lackeys, clubs in hand and faces full of hostility. The bruises on his face from being beaten by the Mexicans earlier that afternoon added to his menacing appearance. Pedestrians gave them a wide berth, stopping to peer from a distance and whispering among themselves.

"Yo, the coward finally dares to show his face?" Upon seeing Lin Chen, Marcus immediately spoke with a sarcastic tone, the gold chain around his neck swaying. "What, realized you can't hide and came out to beg for mercy?"

Li Wei was about to charge forward instantly but was stopped by Lin Chen's outstretched hand.

Lin Chen took a step forward, his calm gaze sweeping over Marcus and the varied expressions of the thugs behind him, finally settling on Marcus's face. Ignoring the other's shouting, he pulled the thick stack of cash directly from his canvas bag and slapped it onto a dusty stone pillar beside him with a loud "thud."

The crisp dollar bills were exceptionally eye-catching in the evening light.

All the noise stopped abruptly at that moment. Marcus's eyes widened instantly, and the breathing of the punks behind him became noticeably heavy. The neighbors watching from a distance let out a low collective gasp.

"Li Wei owes you five thousand," Lin Chen spoke, his voice clear and devoid of emotion. "Here is ten thousand. The debt is settled, and the other five thousand is for your medical bills. Take the money, take your people, and get out of Chinatown. Don't show your face here again."

Marcus's Adam's apple bobbed as his greedy gaze stayed glued to the bills, almost glowing with envy. The muscles in his face twitched, clearly indicating an internal struggle. Ten thousand dollars was enough for him to catch his breath, or even try his luck at the gambling table again. But... this kid's futures account likely held far more than that.

A Yellow-haired punk beside him couldn't help but tug at Marcus's sleeve, whispering with ill-concealed urgency, "Boss, ten thousand isn't a small amount! Take it first, then later we can..."

Marcus swung his arm violently, shaking off his subordinate. A hypocritical, twisted smile forced its way onto his face as his gaze moved from the money to Lin Chen, his tone becoming "softened." "Lin Chen, you kid... you know how things work. Fine, since you're being sensible, today's matter..."

He paced forward as he spoke, his right hand reaching seemingly casually toward the stack of money on the stone pillar. His eyes, however, were glancing at Lin Chen's reaction while his feet quietly adjusted his angle.

Lin Chen stood his ground, motionless, but his gaze grew a few degrees colder. Li Wei's muscles were tensed, like a leopard ready to pounce.

At the very instant Marcus's fingers were about to touch the edge of the bills—

Every bit of his feigned "softness" suddenly tore away, replaced by utter ferocity and madness! Instead of taking the stack of money, he lunged forward with open arms, making a move to grab all the cash on the stone pillar along with the canvas bag, letting out a hoarse roar:

"It's all mine! Even what's in your bag, leave it the fuck behind for me!"

Almost at the same moment, the five punks behind him seemed to receive a signal. Waving their clubs, they lunged ferociously at Lin Chen and Li Wei!

The crowd watching at the street entrance let out a burst of gasps.

The true robbery began at this moment, as greed completely consumed reason.