12: Let's talk about it in three days.

Forty kilograms of force.

Multiplied by two hundred and fifty-six times.

That's... an impact force of over ten thousand kilograms.

Ten thousand kilograms, ten tons.

It's equivalent to a small pickup truck, fully loaded with heavy objects, concentrating all its kinetic energy at an extremely high speed onto a point the size of a fist.

Even if Lin Yu's punch was very weak, after a 256-fold increase, it had a terrifying expressive power!

The dust slowly dispersed.

Lin Yu withdrew his fist, his arm naturally dropping.

He didn't even look at the three debt collectors who were stunned speechless; he simply walked past their stiff bodies.

Only a mess remained there.

The originally solid granite stone pier was now a broken main body, with debris scattered everywhere. The largest fragments were no bigger than a palm, and more were fine stone dust, swirling in the night wind.

Brother Wang stood still, unmoving.

His two subordinates behind him were in the same posture, as if under a freezing spell.

Three people, three statues, together forming an absurd scene.

Lin Yu didn't look back.

Step by step, he walked on the uneven dirt road of the scrapyard, his figure stretched long by the dim yellow streetlights.

He appeared calm on the surface, but only he knew the feelings within.

Ouch! Holy crap, that hurts!!!

A burning, stinging pain came from the surface of his fist.

Although it wasn't enough to break bones or tendons, the feeling of that impact reverberating back still made him grimace.

This was the cost of Card Transformation attacks.

Converting one's attack action into an instant-effect [Attack Card] is an advanced application of the Card Master profession.

The benefit is that the professional trait provides a layer of energy protection, offsetting most of the recoil, and can also trigger various card effects.

Otherwise, with his current physical condition, let alone smashing granite, his own arm bones would shatter inch by inch the moment his fist touched the stone.

Ten tons of impact force is no joke.

Even with professional protection, the residual shock still made his arm numb, and the surface of his fist was rubbed raw and red.

It seems that improving physical fitness must also be put on the agenda.

Having world-destroying power but no vessel capable of withstanding it is ultimately a castle in the air.

Lin Yu shook his slightly numb right hand, casting the discomfort aside, and continued to walk forward.

Behind him, the deathly silence was finally broken.

"Brother... Brother Wang..."

The lanky subordinate stammered, pointing a finger at Lin Yu's receding back, then at the scattered rubble on the ground.

"Wh-what... what was that just now?"

Brother Wang didn't answer.

His mind was blank, his ears filled with a buzzing roar.

That punch just now was thrown almost brushing his body.

He clearly felt the terrifying power of it.

His Level 17 [Berserker] profession, even when enraged, could punch a hole in a concrete wall.

But that was child's play compared to what he had just witnessed.

"D-did he use some kind of movie prop?"

The short, stocky subordinate also came to his senses; his face was pale, but his mind was racing.

The lanky one heard this and thought it made sense, the fear on his face receding somewhat, replaced by an expression of sudden realization.

"That's right! It must be! Damn it, you scared me to death!"

"Exactly! Playing tricks!"

The short, stocky subordinate seemed to be trying to embolden himself; he walked to the pile of rubble, looking at the only relatively intact part, which was originally the base of the stone pier.

He spat.

"What kind of power, trying to scare me with props? I'll try it!"

Saying that, he mimicked Lin Yu's previous stance, gathering all his strength into his right fist.

"Watch me smash this too!"

"Ha!"

He let out a roar, using all his might, and slammed his fist fiercely onto the remaining main body of the stone pier!

"Crack!"

A bone-chilling sound of bone cracking rang out.

But it wasn't from the stone.

"Ah—!!!"

A shrill scream instantly pierced the night sky of the abandoned scrapyard.

The short, stocky subordinate clutched his right hand, writhing in pain on the ground.

His entire fist was twisted and deformed at a grotesque angle, blood gushing from between his fingers, quickly staining his palm red.

There was also a pool of blood on the stone pier.

The air fell silent once more.

The lanky subordinate stared dumbfounded at his companion, then at the remnants of the stone pier, which, despite his full-strength blow, hadn't gained even a single new crack.

Brother Wang also snapped back to reality.

He looked at his subordinate, who was rolling on the ground, as if he were an idiot.

This idiot, he actually dared to hit it!

Not holding back any strength?

Seriously!

At this moment, all the hope and speculation were shattered.

That wasn't a prop.

That was real, genuine power belonging to Lin Yu himself.

Brother Wang's heart was a mix of emotions at this moment.

He recalled the past few years, how he had brought people to Lin Yu's door again and again.

They had smashed his things, spray-painted his walls, and verbally abused him with the most vicious words.

And Lin Yu had always been submissive, never resisting, never explaining.

Brother Wang had always thought that was the cowardice of a good-for-nothing.

But now... if Lin Yu had always possessed such power... then his previous actions, that stance of letting them bully him... could it be that he was going easy on them?

Why? What did he want to do?

Was he some kind of informant, playing the long game to catch a big fish?

Was his goal to take down the people behind himself??

He felt his back instantly drenched in cold sweat.

A strong man who could shatter granite with one punch, disguised as a defenseless good-for-nothing, silently endured their harassment and humiliation for years.

What was this person after?

What was he planning?

Brother Wang dared not think further.

He only felt that he and his two subordinates had been jumping around under the nose of a monster for years, and they hadn't even realized it.

"Brother Wang! Brother Wang! My hand! My hand is broken!!!"

On the ground, the short, stocky subordinate's cries pulled Brother Wang back from his fearful thoughts.

He looked at his good-for-nothing subordinate, a surge of irritation in his heart.

"Shut your damn mouth!"

Brother Wang walked over and kicked him in the butt.

"Go, go, go! To the hospital! Get you bandaged up!"

He didn't want to stay in this godforsaken place for another second.

The lanky subordinate quickly stepped forward and helped up his still wailing companion.

"Brother Wang, what about... what about Lin Yu? Are we still going to deal with him?"

Brother Wang's steps paused.

Deal with him?

With what?

With our heads?

Are your heads as hard as several stone piers?

"Didn't he say he'd pay it back in three days?"

Brother Wang suppressed the fear in his heart, feigning composure as he dropped a sentence.

"Let's talk about it in three days..."