72: Chapter 72 Capturing the Enemy in the Warehouse, Subduing Marcus on the Spot

Lin Chen led his men to the warehouse and kicked the door open.

With a loud "clash," the dilapidated sheet metal door was kicked inward, slamming heavily against the wall and shaking dust loose.

Before them was the scene of an abandoned warehouse—dark, damp, and filled with moldy wooden crates, rusted iron racks, and discarded cardboard boxes. Piles of junk cluttered the corners. The air was thick with the smell of mildew and dust, with only a few faint rays of light filtering through the high, broken windows to illuminate a small area.

Lin Chen walked in front, carrying the captive Baldy, while Li Wei followed closely behind, his eyes alertly scanning every corner of the warehouse.

Marcus, huddled in the darkest corner at the very back, trembled at the sudden commotion and jerked his head up.

His hair was a mess, his face was covered in grease and terror, and his clothes were filthy and wrinkled. He no longer looked like the arrogant local tyrant he once was; he looked just like a stray dog.

Upon seeing that it was Lin Chen and Li Wei, panic flashed in Marcus's eyes. Still, he tried to muster one last bit of defiance, reaching for a rusted iron bar by his feet to resist.

"Still want to fight?"

Li Wei sneered. With a quick shift of his feet, he lunged in front of Marcus almost instantly.

Marcus had just grabbed the iron bar but hadn't even had time to lift it before Li Wei firmly locked his wrist.

With a soft "crack" followed by a surge of intense pain, Marcus let out a miserable scream. The iron bar fell to the ground with a "clash," and he was pinned face-down onto the damp floor by Li Wei, unable to move.

The entire process was clean and efficient, without a second wasted.

Lin Chen walked slowly to Marcus and let go of Baldy, allowing him to slump onto the ground. He looked down at the pinned Marcus from above.

"Marcus, you've been hiding for so many days; you certainly know how to pick a spot." Lin Chen's voice was calm, yet it carried a suffocating pressure.

Marcus lay on the ground, his face pressed against the cold, damp floor. He was shaking all over, his previous thoughts of resistance long gone, replaced by the cowardice of someone terrified of death.

He stammered, his voice tearful, "Brother Chen, Brother Chen, I was wrong! I was really wrong! Please spare my life, I'll never dare to cross you again!"

Lin Chen leaned down and pulled a stack of prepared papers from his pocket, tossing them casually in front of Marcus. The papers scattered, revealing dense records written on them.

"These are the records of your debt collections, territory seizures, and how you ruined families over the years. Every single incident is documented clearly." Lin Chen's tone was indifferent, but every word struck Marcus's heart.

At the warehouse entrance, several nearby paupers attracted by the noise poked their heads in to look, pointing and whispering at Marcus on the ground.

Most of these people had been bullied by Marcus. Seeing him in such a wretched state, their faces showed expressions of relief and satisfaction.

Looking at the evidence before him, Marcus's face turned as pale as paper. His psychological defenses completely collapsed, and he could no longer hold on, desperately kowtowing.

"Brother Chen, please spare my life! I'll hand everything over—money, territory, I don't want anything anymore! Just please let me go!" His head thudded against the ground as he spoke, showing absolutely no backbone.

Lin Chen watched his cowardly display without the slightest ripple in his eyes.

"When you were blocking people's doors with a knife to collect debts, beating them until they were bloody, why didn't you think about giving them a way out?" Lin Chen asked coldly.

Marcus trembled all over and cried even harder. "I was foolish! I was possessed! Brother Chen, I'll never do it again. Please, just give me one chance!"

"Don't waste your breath on him." Li Wei pressed his foot harder onto Marcus's back. "Do as Brother Chen says. Tie him up first. We'll settle his accounts one by one."

Marcus was scared out of his wits and didn't dare resist. He submissively let Li Wei take out a rope and tie him up securely.

Lin Chen glanced at Baldy on the ground and then at the bound Marcus, his eyes devoid of any pity.

He had always had principles: he wouldn't provoke others unless provoked, but once someone crossed him, he would never be soft-hearted.

Having cleared out Marcus, this last major threat, the previous hidden dangers were finally completely uprooted.

The crowd at the warehouse entrance grew larger, mostly locals who had been oppressed by Marcus. Seeing him subdued, they discussed in low voices, their faces filled with relief and satisfaction.

Yet, no one noticed a man at the very edge of the crowd wearing a plain jacket and a peaked cap.

He kept his head down, appearing to watch the spectacle, but his sinister gaze remained fixed on Lin Chen, hiding a subtle scrutiny and coldness.

This man was an informant planted in this area by the Sophia Family.

Lin Chen's actions in dealing with Marcus were too fast and too ruthless; he had completely caught their attention.

Lin Chen turned, preparing to have Li Wei take Marcus and Baldy away. His gaze inadvertently swept across the crowd.

Just then, an icy, piercing gaze from within the crowd locked directly onto him.