71: Chapter 71 Remnants Counterattack, Sweeped Away on the Spot

As the dark figure stepped into the shadows, Lin Chen had already noticed.

Inside the midnight Grocery Store, only an old incandescent bulb above the counter was lit, its dim yellow light spilling over the piles of goods, creating a patchwork of light and shadow. Outside, the cold wind howled, swirling withered leaves against the door with a faint pitter-patter; the entire street was terrifyingly silent.

Lin Chen sat behind the counter, his fingertips lightly tapping the tabletop. The AI's precise tracking prompt immediately came through his earpiece: "Target identity confirmed as a remnant of Marcus's gang. Moving alone toward the end of the alley, suspected to be contacting accomplices."

His expression remained calm without a ripple, his voice as steady as a deep pool: "Continue tracking, synchronize movements in real-time."

Li Wei, leaning against a shelf smoking, instantly crushed his cigarette butt and straightened up, his body tensing. His eyes were sharp: "Brother Chen, is it a loose end we didn't clean up last time?"

"Mm." Lin Chen glanced up at the door. "Marcus fell, and the trash under him isn't satisfied; they want to find us to settle the score."

The AI's warning tone sounded urgently again: "Alert! Target has met up with three others, totaling four people. Carrying steel pipes and wooden clubs, they are rushing toward the Grocery Store, less than five meters from the door!"

Li Wei cracked his knuckles, a disdainful sneer hanging on his face: "Perfect, targets delivered right to the door. Saves me the trouble of looking for them one by one."

"Mind your strength," Lin Chen instructed calmly. "Leave one alive; I have questions."

"Don't worry, Brother Chen!"

Before he could finish his sentence, there was a loud 'thud' as the wooden door of the Grocery Store was kicked open violently. The door frame shook intensely, and wood chips showered down.

Four men wrapped in black jackets filed in. The leader, Scarface, gripped a rusty steel pipe. As soon as he entered, he glared at Lin Chen behind the counter and roared at the top of his lungs: "Lin Chen! You dared to take down Brother Marcus and cut off our livelihood. Today, I'm going to kill you both!"

The three accomplices behind him also started shouting, waving their clubs as they lunged forward, looking as fierce as if they were about to tear the Grocery Store apart.

Li Wei stepped out, blocking Lin Chen. His stance was as steady as Mount Tai, his gaze icy: "Just you four pieces of trash? You dare act wild in front of Brother Chen? You're looking for death!"

Inside the Grocery Store, the shelves were dense and the space cramped. The dim yellow light blurred their shadows together, and the wind outside grew more shrill, becoming the most jarring background noise for this ambush.

Scarface gave a furious shout and swung the steel pipe at Li Wei. The other three also flanked him from both sides, trying to use their numbers to their advantage.

Li Wei's movements were extremely agile. Without dodging or retreating, he sidestepped the steel pipe while simultaneously reaching out to accurately grab the opponent's wrist, giving it a light twist.

"Ah—!"

Scarface let out a scream as the steel pipe fell from his hand. Li Wei followed through with a kick to his abdomen, sending him flying backward into a shelf, scattering snack cans all over the floor.

The remaining three were stunned. Before they could react, Li Wei had already stepped forward. His punches and kicks were clean and efficient, each strike hitting vital joints to disable them without being lethal.

In just under two minutes, the three attackers were all knocked to the ground, clutching their arms and legs while grimacing in pain, unable to get back up.

Scarface struggled to rise, but Li Wei stepped on his back, pinning him directly to the ground, unable to move.

Throughout the entire process, Lin Chen remained seated behind the counter. He hadn't even changed his posture, calmly controlling the scene without the slightest hint of panic.

He slowly stood up and walked over to Scarface, looking down at him from above.

Scarface was in pain and afraid, but he still held onto his pride, craning his neck to glare fiercely at Lin Chen: "I'm not saying anything! Don't think you'll get a word out of me. Do whatever you want with me!"

Lin Chen looked down at him, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth, his tone calm yet carrying an irresistible pressure: "I don't have the patience to waste words with you. You'd better honestly confess Marcus's whereabouts."

"In your dreams!" Scarface gritted his teeth. "I will never betray Brother!"

Li Wei applied a bit of pressure with the foot on his back, saying coldly: "Brother Chen is giving you a chance. Don't be ungrateful. If you really force us to take action, you won't even have a chance to beg for mercy."

Scarface trembled all over, clearly terrified, yet he still kept his mouth shut, refusing to speak for his life.

Lin Chen didn't press further, simply instructing through his earpiece: "Retrieve this person's recent movements and compare them with locations associated with Marcus's gang."

The AI instantly gave the results: "Completed. This person's nickname is Baldy. In the past three days, he has frequently entered and exited an Abandoned Warehouse in the West City Slum District. This location has no legal registration and fits the characteristics of a hideout."

Lin Chen's eyes darkened. He looked down at Baldy and said with certainty: "Marcus is hiding in the Abandoned Warehouse in the Slum District, right?"

Baldy's face instantly turned pale, his eyes darting around in panic. He could no longer maintain his tough act and blurted out: "You... how could you know?!"

He didn't need to say anything more; this reaction was the most direct answer.

Lin Chen didn't bother talking to him anymore and waved his hand: "Tie these three up tightly and leave them here. Notify someone to pick them up later."

"Understood!" Li Wei immediately took out some pre-prepared rope and quickly bound the other three remnants securely, tossing them into a corner.

Lin Chen reached out and grabbed Baldy's back collar, lifting him up effortlessly like a helpless chick.

Baldy struggled desperately, but he couldn't break free from Lin Chen's grip at all, leaving him no choice but to be dragged outside.

Lin Chen didn't linger, stepping out of the Grocery Store with firm strides.

Outside, the cold wind continued to howl. The dim streetlights cast their shadows long and thin. The entire street was silent, with only the sound of the wind whistling in their ears.

Carrying the constantly struggling captive, Lin Chen headed straight for that Abandoned Warehouse in the West City Slum District without any hesitation.