243: As long as you speak

The bus continued its aimless journey forward, the engine emitting a weak, listless hum.

The wheels rolled over the road with a slight bump, causing the potion bottles scattered on the floor to make a clattering, rolling sound.

Crisp and dense.

Yet, it felt somewhat terrifying.

Wang Teng still held Driver Uncle's mouth tightly, the muscles on his arms bulging from the exertion, his entire body tense to the limit.

He didn't dare let go.

He was afraid that if he let go, the driver would make some noise he shouldn't and disturb the Young Man in the back row.

Even more, he was afraid the driver would stop the bus and break this fragile equilibrium.

Right now, this moving bus was their only isolated island.

Wang Qingxuan sat in her seat, her hands unconsciously twisting together, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.

She tried her best to maintain her composure, but her rapid breathing betrayed her.

She told herself over and over that this was a good thing.

The more unfathomable her boss's strength was, the more correct her initial choice had been.

But logic was one thing; witnessing a living business legend be crushed into a puddle of mud before her eyes was quite another.

That kind of shock was enough to make anyone's soul tremble.

Li Mo still kept his head lowered, his face hidden in the shadows filled with fanaticism.

A fanaticism that bordered on religious faith.

So, this was his boss's trump card.

No, this wasn't even a trump card.

This was just a casual display, the tip of the iceberg.

How fortunate he was to follow such an existence.

All those years I spent keeping my head down in the Abyss Domain really weren't in vain!

In the cabin, the only one who was truly calm was Lin Yu.

He watched the neon lights of Linzhou's night flash by outside, looking utterly bored.

Everyone was waiting.

Waiting for Old Shi to stand up.

Or, waiting for Lin Yu to speak.

Someone had to break this bizarre stalemate.

However, the one who broke the deadlock was someone no one expected.

"Wu... wu wu wu..."

From the driver's seat came a suppressed, tearful sob.

It was Driver Uncle.

He was crying.

A burly man in his forties had been scared to tears.

Wang Teng felt a damp heat against the hand he used to cover the man's mouth.

He felt completely numb.

Big brother, why are you crying?!

We haven't even started crying yet!

"Wu... brother... big brother..."

Driver Uncle's voice squeezed through Wang Teng's fingers, muffled and indistinct, yet full of despair.

"Gas... we're low on gas..."

Wang Teng was stunned.

What?

"I said we're low on gas!!"

Driver Uncle, finding courage from who knows where, suddenly jerked his head to break free from Wang Teng's grip and roared out with a sob!

"If we keep driving, we're going to break down!"

He had truly broken down.

He didn't know who these people were, nor did he know what those colorful bottles on the floor were.

He only knew he had been hijacked.

Among the hijackers, there was an old man who could scare people insane, a burly man who could smother someone to death, and a Young Man who looked like he was watching a play from beginning to end.

This combination was too damn terrifying.

And now, the bus was almost out of gas.

If the bus stopped halfway, he felt he would be torn apart on the spot by this group of mentally unstable people.

Rather than that, it was better to shout it out now and let everyone die together quickly!

This roar was like a thunderclap, shattering the frozen air in the cabin.

Wang Teng froze in place, his hand raised, not knowing what to do.

President Shi also trembled, snapping out of his massive shock.

Most importantly, Old Shi.

The old man slumped on the floor, surrounded by countless treasures with hollow eyes, suddenly twitched.

His dilated pupils seemed to regain a bit of focus.

He moved.

He didn't look at anyone, but used his still violently trembling hands to push against the floor, trying to stand up.

The first time.

He failed.

His legs were weak; he couldn't find any strength.

The second time.

Still a failure.

"Grandpa!"

"Old Shi!"

President Shi and Wang Teng finally reacted and rushed over to support him.

This time, Old Shi didn't push them away.

He just stayed like that, letting his son and his strongest subordinate hoist him up from that mountain of "wealth."

He was helped back to his seat.

Throughout the process, he didn't say a word, his body as stiff as a puppet.

Only when his backside touched the cold seat again did he truly feel that he was still alive.

The cabin fell silent once more.

But the atmosphere had completely changed.

If before it was the vacuum after a nuclear explosion, then now it was the suffocating chaotic air rushing in after the vacuum was broken.

Old Shi sat there, panting heavily.

He didn't look at the potions and rings on the floor that were enough to drive the world mad.

He even forced himself not to think about that number.

Five trillion three hundred billion.

He was afraid that if he thought about it one more time, his barely gathered sanity would shatter again.

Slowly, very slowly, he raised his head.

His clouded eyes passed over his son, passed over Wang Teng, and finally landed on the Young Man in the back row.

Lin Yu happened to turn his head as well, meeting his gaze.

Calm.

Indifferent.

Even with a hint of... boredom?

Old Shi's heart sank abruptly.

He could see nothing in that young face.

No showing off, no arrogance, no joy of an impending total victory.

Nothing at all.

This was the most terrifying thing.

When a person holds power enough to overturn the world yet acts like he doesn't care at all.

This could only prove two things.

First, this bit of power meant nothing to him.

Second, what he schemed for far exceeded what this power could measure.

Whichever it was, for Old Shi, for the Four Major Companies, and for the entire Alliance, it was a cataclysmic disaster.

He had to know.

He had to know what this Young Man actually wanted!

Old Shi's dry lips moved, each word spoken with immense difficulty.

"Mr. Lin... Mr. Lin... You..."

He used a respectful title.

And it was a heartfelt, awe-filled title.

President Shi and Wang Teng were deeply shaken.

They had followed the old man for half their lives; when had they ever seen him use such a posture to speak to someone?

Lin Yu didn't respond, only tilting his head slightly, signaling him to continue.

Old Shi felt as if a lump of burning coal had been stuffed down his throat, searing with pain.

He took a deep breath, but it got stuck in his chest, nearly suffocating him.

He wanted to ask, "What exactly do you want?"

He wanted to ask, "What is your purpose in doing this?"

But with the words at the tip of his tongue, he couldn't ask a single thing.

He didn't dare.

He was afraid that the answer he'd get would be one he couldn't bear.

Under this extreme pressure, his brain, which had spent a lifetime strategizing, could only choose the most humble and indirect way.

"We... the Alliance..."

He paused, seemingly organizing his words.

"...can satisfy any requirement you have."

"As long as... as long as you speak."