44: Chapter 44 Shaking off the tail, someone is hiding in the neighbor's house.

Just after settling the house purchase with the old man and stepping out the door, Lin Chen caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye of two dark, sturdy men standing at the base of the wall at the alley entrance. Their arms were crossed over their chests, and their gazes were glued straight onto him and Li Wei. That ill-intentioned vibe was impossible to hide.

No need to think about it, it must be David's men tailing them.

Lin Chen didn't stop, but his eyes darkened. He nudged Li Wei beside him with his elbow and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Don't turn around, there's a tail at the alley entrance, David's men."

Hearing this, the smile on Li Wei's face vanished instantly. He curled his lip and lowered his voice as well: "Brother Chen, should we just take care of them? These two guys don't look like they can fight."

"No need, don't create extra trouble." Lin Chen didn't even lift his head, his pace continuing toward the alley entrance. "Shake them off first. We still have important business to attend to. The old man said the neighbor wants to sell their house too; we can't miss this opportunity."

Li Wei nodded immediately and replied, "Good." The two of them pretended to be completely unaware and sauntered to the alley entrance. The two men immediately followed, their footsteps dragging, deliberately making noise. It was clearly a provocation, wanting them to know they were being tailed.

This area was a Slum District. The alleys were like a spiderweb, winding back and forth in every direction. Large chunks of wall plaster had fallen off, revealing the mottled red bricks underneath. The alleys were piled with old wooden crates, broken rattan chairs, and some household trash thrown by residents. A smell of mold mixed with rot drifted through the air.

Lin Chen, familiar with the route, pulled Li Wei into a narrower, deeper alley on the side. The alley was only wide enough for one person to walk through sideways, and the base of the walls was covered in moss, feeling slippery and slimy.

The two men following behind saw this and cursed, "Fuck," then hurriedly followed. But the alley wound around, and their line of sight was completely blocked. By the time they rushed to the other end of the alley, there was no sign of Lin Chen and Li Wei.

"Where are they? Where did they run off to?" one man scratched his head and shouted anxiously.

The other kicked a broken jar nearby, which shattered on the ground with a clatter. He cursed, "Damn it, they must have taken a detour. Hurry up and look! If we lose them, Brother David won't spare us!"

The two cursed and swore as they rushed off in another direction, never noticing that Lin Chen and Li Wei were pressed right behind the courtyard wall nearby. Only after they had run far away did they emerge from the shadows.

Li Wei looked in the direction where the two had disappeared and spat, "These two idiots, trying to play tailing games with us, they're too green." As he spoke, he patted his chest and let out a sigh of relief, "Brother Chen, they didn't follow us!"

Lin Chen brushed the dust off his body, his eyes returning to a calm state. He stepped toward the direction of the old man's neighbor's house: "Don't delay, let's go check the neighbor's house first. The old man said they also want to sell their house; this is a ready-made opportunity."

Li Wei followed immediately. After turning two corners, they arrived at the old man's neighbor's doorstep. This house was no better than the old man's. The wooden door had lost its paint, the door frame was crooked, and a broken enamel basin sat at the doorway, filled with rainwater and floating dead leaves.

Lin Chen raised his hand and knocked on the door three times. From inside came a woman's anxious voice: "Who is it?"

"Ma'am, we are here to buy a house. The old gentleman next door introduced us. He said you wanted to sell your house." Li Wei stepped forward, his tone polite and carrying a hint of sincerity.

The door paused for a moment before being pulled open. The person who opened the door was a middle-aged woman in her thirties, her hair tied up casually, her face weary, and her eyes filled with anxiety. She sized up Lin Chen and Li Wei, and after confirming they didn't look like bad people, she stepped aside to let them in: "Come in quickly. I was just worried no one would dare buy this house. David's men came by a couple of days ago, offered an absurdly low price, and even threatened to smash the house if I didn't sell."

As the woman spoke, she ushered them into the room. Lin Chen swept his gaze over the interior. It was even simpler than the old man's place: just a wooden table with a missing leg, two chairs, and several bulging snake-skin bags piled in the corner. It looked like the luggage had been packed for a while; it was clear she was in a hurry to leave.

"Ma'am, we are genuinely looking to buy a house. We don't play any crooked games. If the price is right, we sign the agreement on the spot and settle the payment on the spot. No dragging things out." Lin Chen went straight to the point without beating around the bush. This was his consistent style of doing things; there was no need to dilly-dally with people who were anxious to sell.

Upon hearing this, the woman's eyes instantly lit up, and her anxiety deepened. She grabbed Lin Chen's arm and walked into the room: "Really? That's wonderful! My husband had an accident out of town and I urgently need money. I have to go over there immediately. As long as this house can be sold, it's fine. I won't haggle over the price. 3800, and this house is yours!"

The woman's voice carried a sob; it was clear she was truly forced into a difficult situation. The price of 3800 was a few hundred lower than the AI's prediction. Lin Chen knew in his heart that this was a guaranteed profitable deal, and judging by the woman's demeanor, the property documentation should be in order.

"3800 is fine." Lin Chen nodded, his tone crisp. "However, I need to see the house first, confirm the layout and the property documents. If there are no problems, we can sign the agreement right now. I have cash on me, and we can settle it on the spot."

"No problem, no problem, the documents are all complete. I had them packed up a long time ago, they are right on the table." The woman replied busily and turned to get the documents on the table.

Just at this moment, Lin Chen's gaze swept over the door to the inner room. That door was left ajar. In the gap, a gaze was staring fixedly at them—to be precise, staring at Lin Chen's face. That gaze carried vigilance and scrutiny; it didn't look like some clutter in the room, but rather like a person.

Lin Chen's steps halted, his eyes instantly turning cold. He raised his hand to press down on the woman who was about to grab the documents. Li Wei also sensed that something was wrong; he immediately tensed his body, looked toward the direction of the inner room, and subconsciously clenched his fists, ready to act at any moment.

The woman was held by Lin Chen and paused, stunned. She followed his gaze toward the inner room, her expression changing slightly. She wanted to say something but swallowed it back.

The door to the inner room was gently pushed open a little from the inside. A strange man walked out. He wasn't tall, but he had a sturdy build. His face carried vigilance. His eyes swept over Lin Chen and Li Wei, finally landing on Li Wei. He stood still, blocking the woman.