335: Chapter 335 A Three-Way Siege! I Had an Insider Stab Me in the Back

Tie Niu and Cobra's attack was chosen for the dead of night in the Novice Village.

At three in the morning, players were at their most exhausted. In Lin Chen’s bar, the members had long since dispersed, leaving only a few Ghost Soldiers on patrol. The bar's lights were dim, and through the window, Lin Chen could be seen sitting behind the counter, seemingly dozing off.

Tie Niu crouched on the rooftop opposite the bar, staring at the door with eyes burning with rage.

"Now."

He gave the order in a low voice.

Behind him, over thirty players stood up simultaneously. These were all people incensed by Lin Chen’s exorbitant membership fees—some were paupers who couldn't afford them, others were non-members discriminated against by members, and a few were "righteous individuals" who simply couldn't stand Lin Chen’s monopoly.

Cobra stood beside Tie Niu and pushed up his glasses.

"Is Silent ready on her end?"

Tie Niu nodded.

"She said she’ll start a fire at the bar's back door to draw the Ghost Soldiers' attention. We’ll charge in through the front and seize Lin Chen directly. As long as he signs over the assets, we win."

Cobra frowned.

"Could it be going too smoothly?"

Tie Niu sneered.

"Smoothly? He’s monopolized fourteen assets, and we’ve endured it for three days. You call that smooth?"

He stood up and waved his hand.

"Go!"

Over thirty players leaped off the roof at once and charged toward the bar.

Before the two Ghost Soldiers at the front door could react, they were knocked unconscious. Tie Niu kicked open the bar door and rushed inside.

Then, he froze.

The bar was empty.

Behind the counter, there was no sign of Lin Chen. There was only a flickering light and a gramophone playing a recording.

From the recording, Lin Chen’s voice drifted out leisurely:

"Brother Tie Niu, visiting so late at night—forgive me for not being here to welcome you. Unfortunately, I’m out. Remember to make an appointment next time."

Tie Niu’s face instantly flushed red.

"It’s a trap!"

He turned to run, but it was already too late.

The bar's windows suddenly shattered as countless Ghost Soldiers swarmed in from all directions. Holding sharp blades and expressionless, they instantly surrounded the thirty-plus players.

At the same time, a scream came from the bar's back door.

Tie Niu rushed out to see Silent being pinned to the ground by two Ghost Soldiers, unable to move.

Silent looked up at him, her eyes filled with "fury":

"Tie Niu! You fucking screwed me! Didn't you say it was foolproof?!"

Before Tie Niu could speak, Lin Chen’s voice came from the darkness:

"Foolproof? It certainly is—for you, not a single one will escape."

He slowly stepped out of the shadows, followed by Zhang Hao and several fully armed Ghost Soldiers.

Zhang Hao looked at the surrounded players, grinning from ear to ear.

"Boss, how many did we catch this time? Thirty-seven? That’s enough to mine for a lifetime."

Lin Chen ignored him and walked straight up to Tie Niu.

Tie Niu glared at him, gritting his teeth.

"Lin Chen, how the fuck did you know we were coming?"

Lin Chen smiled.

He pointed at Silent on the ground.

"Ask her."

Silent kept her head down, not saying a word.

Tie Niu was stunned, then his expression changed drastically.

"Silent?! You’re the fucking mole?!"

Silent looked up at him with a complex gaze.

"Tie Niu, I’m sorry. Lin Chen’s offer was too high."

"High? How high?!"

Silent was Silent for a second.

"5,000 Game Coins, plus 100% equity in the Pawnshop."

Tie Niu was completely dumbfounded.

Beside him, Cobra’s face turned ashen.

"So... you’ve been lying to us this whole time?"

Silent nodded.

"From the very first day, I’ve been Lin Chen’s person."

The entire place fell into a deathly silence.

The surrounded players looked at each other; some began to curse under their breath, while others tried to flee only to be pinned back down by the Ghost Soldiers.

Tie Niu took a deep breath and stared at Lin Chen.

"Fine. I admit defeat. What do you want?"

Lin Chen looked at him and smiled.

"What do I want? You brought people to trash my shop in the middle of the night, and you’re asking me what I want?"

He waved his hand.

"Zhang Hao, settle the accounts."

Zhang Hao scurried over eagerly, opened the system, and began tallying.

"Tie Niu, for leading a riot, damaging public property, and threatening the safety of others—a fine of 3,000 Game Coins. If you can't pay, the Stable will be seized as debt repayment."

"Cobra, accomplice—a fine of 2,000 Game Coins. If you can't pay, the Mine will be seized as debt repayment."

"For the others, a fine of 500 Game Coins each. Those who cannot pay will go to the Mine to work until the debt is cleared."

Wails of despair filled the room.

Tie Niu’s face turned green.

"3,000?! My entire net worth is only 2,000!"

Lin Chen shrugged.

"Then the Stable will be used for debt repayment."

Tie Niu grit his teeth.

"If the Stable is gone, what about me?"

Lin Chen looked at him.

"What about you? You’ll work for me."

He opened the system and pulled up a contract.

【Labor Contract】

Party A: Lin Chen

Party B: Tie Niu

Position: Stable Administrator

Salary: 100 Game Coins/day

Term: 1,000 days

Remarks: Salary will be used to offset the fine until it is fully paid.

Tie Niu looked at the contract, his face turning green.

"1,000 days?! Three years?!"

Lin Chen nodded.

"Too long? Then let's make it 2,000 days."

Tie Niu fell Silent.

Three seconds later, he grit his teeth and signed.

Cobra also signed a 1,000-day miner contract.

Other players either signed 500-day mining contracts or paid the fine on the spot and fled dejectedly.

Having dealt with them, Lin Chen walked over to Silent.

Silent had been released by the Ghost Soldiers and stood there with a complex expression.

Lin Chen looked at her.

"Good job."

Silent gave a bitter smile.

"Chairman Lin, will I still be able to make a living in the Novice Village?"

Lin Chen smiled.

"Why not? You helped me catch thirty-seven troublemakers; you’ve performed a great service."

He opened the system and pulled up a new contract.

【Labor Contract】

Party A: Lin Chen

Party B: Silent

Position: Intelligence Director

Salary: 500 Game Coins/day

Term: Permanent

Remarks: Outstanding performers can become regular employees and enjoy year-end bonuses.

Silent looked at the contract, stunned.

"This... this is..."

Lin Chen looked at her.

"What? You don't want the job?"

Silent shook her head.

"No. I just didn't expect..."

Lin Chen interrupted her.

"You didn't expect me to keep you? Or you didn't expect me to give you such good treatment?"

Silent remained quiet.

Lin Chen continued.

"You’re a smart person. And smart people deserve a smart person's position."

"Those fools can only mine. You, however, can sit in an office."

Silent was Silent for three seconds.

Then, she smiled.

In that smile, there was relief and also gratitude.

"Chairman Lin, I'll do it."

She signed the contract.

Zhang Hao watched from the side, dumbstruck.

"Boss, you... you just recruited her like that?"

Lin Chen looked at him.

"Otherwise? Kill her?"

Zhang Hao shook his head.

Lin Chen patted his shoulder.

"Remember, the game of capital isn't about killing people; it's about recruiting them."

"People are the most valuable resource."

Zhang Hao looked thoughtful.

In the distance, the players being escorted to the Mine were slowly disappearing into the night under the Ghost Soldiers' guard.

Tie Niu looked back at the bar's lights, his gaze complex.

But he knew that from now on, he was no longer a player.

He was a miner.

Meanwhile, Silent stood beside Lin Chen, watching her former companions with mixed emotions.

But she didn't regret it.

Because she knew she had made the right choice.