42: Chapter 42 An Eye for an Eye

Betrayal!

When this thought sprouted in Tang Chen's mind,

all the deductions seemed so reasonable.

The first time, when plotting to severely injure Shen Xingchen before the college entrance examination, Lin Hu was there.

The second time, when conspiring to humiliate Shen Xingchen during the Six Academies Grand Competition through Sun Zhe's connections, Lin Hu was there too.

The third time was this assassination attempt.

The appearance of Principal Chen Lingjun clearly indicated the fact that the plan had been exposed.

Only Lin Hu, Sun Zhe, and himself knew about it, yet their plan was still exposed.

It turned out to be Lin Hu!

To think I trusted you so much!

Tang Chen suddenly felt a strong sense of loss, and he glanced at Lin Hu with dim eyes.

Lin Hu shrank his neck backward with an unnatural expression.

A rift appeared for the first time between this boss and underling who had always had an extremely good relationship.

On the other side, Principal Chen Lingjun smiled and asked, "Old Tang, is anything really acceptable?"

He felt that this scene was really familiar.

Because just two nights ago, it was also Shen Xingchen, and he was also being assassinated...

This S-rank really doesn't let people have peace!

Shen Xingchen sneered, "Let's go through the judicial process. Every time an assassination happens, it's settled with cultivation resources? What do you take me for!?"

Principal Chen Lingjun was also stunned, but then felt that what Shen Xingchen said made a lot of sense.

Jiang Qingyao also walked over angrily, "You only know about compensation. Those people just now wanted to kill both of us!"

She was truly angry as well.

If it weren't for Shen Xingchen's strength far exceeding everyone's imagination, they probably would have really died here today.

During every move Shen Xingchen made just now, Jiang Qingyao's heart had been tightly clenched, fearing that a major problem would occur.

Patriarch Tang Qiming said in surprise, "Lass Jiang, why are you here too? Could it be that my household servant didn't even spare you?"

Shen Xingchen keenly noticed that Patriarch Tang Qiming was steering the center of the matter toward his family's servants.

As expected.

Patriarch Tang Qiming reached out and grabbed. Under a powerful suction force, a peak second-order assassin in black was gripped in his palm, and his neck was crushed instantly!

!!!

Everyone was shocked.

Patriarch Tang Qiming's face was covered in blood, but he smiled and said, "Lass Jiang, look at how much my little Tang likes you. There's no way he would ever assassinate you. This matter is just a misunderstanding; my servants don't know any better."

"And Student Shen, it's all just a misunderstanding. You and little Tang are classmates after all!"

"I will kill these servants right now to vent your anger!"

As he spoke, Patriarch Tang Qiming used his fifth-order strength to forcefully kill the remaining four peak second-order assassins, leaving only one loyal Steward Li.

Those four peak second-order assassins were filled with terror on their faces, but they didn't even have the courage to resist.

Jiang Qingyao's little face was pale; such a bloody scene had happened right in front of her.

Shen Xingchen frowned.

Now, as long as that Steward Li bit the bullet and refused to confess, this matter would have nothing to do with Tang Chen.

Then everyone saw that steward walk over and kneel before Patriarch Tang Qiming: "Master, please examine the facts. This matter has nothing to do with the Young Master; it was all this old servant acting on his own accord!"

Patriarch Tang Qiming said coldly, "Go turn yourself in, understand?"

Steward Li said humbly, "This old servant understands!"

Killing the rest was to cut off the possibility of someone letting slip the truth, and leaving only Steward Li allowed him to provide false testimony.

Shen Xingchen: "Patriarch Tang Qiming has quite the methods!"

Now there was only one living assassin, avoiding game theory scenarios like the 'Prisoner's Dilemma'.

Even if they really reached the detention room, no clues could be extracted.

Patriarch Tang Qiming looked at Shen Xingchen with a smile again, "Student Shen, I have an extra spatial bracelet here worth around 500 million. I find you very pleasing to the eye, so I'll give it to you. How about that?"

As he spoke, he removed the exquisite bracelet from his left wrist.

That was a gilded bracelet engraved with intricate patterns. On the inner side of the bracelet, nine magnificent jade stones emitted a faint starlight, looking extremely expensive at a glance.

The bracelet was taken directly from his hand, so it was naturally an item frequently used by the owner.

Yet Patriarch Tang Qiming claimed it was an idle item, and without avoiding the crowd, his meaning was already self-evident.

A thunderbolt seemed to flash across Tang Chen's mind, and his eyes widened.

He truly knew about this 'Starlight gilded bracelet'; this was his father's favorite possession, and usually even asking to touch it required begging his father.

Now it was being given away just like that?

Shen Xingchen showed a thoughtful expression.

This Patriarch Tang Qiming used a big stick on his own people with one hand, and then offered a sweet date to himself with the other. He truly was full of scheming tactics.

Now he was faced with a choice.

Either quit while he was ahead and get a priceless spatial bracelet for free,

or go through the judicial process, where the ultimate result would most likely still fail to punish Tang Chen, because he truly hadn't made a physical move...

He had to admit that Shen Xingchen was persuaded.

Shen Xingchen ultimately took the gilded bracelet and said, "I can agree to a private settlement, but besides the gilded bracelet, I have one more condition!"

If he didn't vent this anger, he wouldn't feel comfortable inside!

"State it!" Patriarch Tang Qiming said.

Shen Xingchen grinned broadly, "Let Tang Chen stand there without moving and let me punch him, just one punch!"

Patriarch Tang Qiming was slightly startled.

His perception was very keen, so he had seen the battle here from far away.

Shen Xingchen's strength truly far exceeded ordinary people's understanding; with his second-order level six cultivation, he could actually fight against third-order opponents.

If Tang Chen took a punch, he would probably drop dead on the spot!

However, there was also a way to resolve this; all that was needed was a high-grade magical treasure to block this single strike.

Therefore, Patriarch Tang Qiming still nodded, "It is indeed right to let Student Shen vent his anger!"

Now the situation forced their hand; if Director Li Tianshuo rushed over in person, the final result would likely be even worse.

Tang Chen looked at his father with a face full of disbelief.

Taking a punch from Shen Xingchen, how was that any different from walking to his death?

"Dad, I don't want to die!" He burst into tears, seemingly already sensing the aura of death.

Patriarch Tang Qiming gave his son a kick in frustration, but 'accidentally' let a badge slip down.

Tang Chen caught it, and his body trembled slightly.

A Defensive Badge?

A grade-three spiritual item capable of defending against the full-power strike of a third-order martial artist!

Tang Chen instantly felt like he had come back to life.

On the other side, Shen Xingchen had already taken his stance and smiled, "Are you ready?"

Tang Chen awaited in full battle array as ripples from the Defensive Badge spread out, defending with all his might.

Shen Xingchen took a step forward, and cyan-gold spiritual energy gushed out from all the bones and meridians across his body.

He threw a punch filled with divine intent!

Rays of dragon roars echoed out, and the earth shook.

Bang—

The fist qi slammed into the defensive ripples of the Defensive Badge, stirring up a wave of ripples.

However, this punch was ultimately blocked.

Patriarch Tang Qiming praised inwardly; as expected of someone valued even by a seventh-order martial artist like the bureau chief.

With such strength, below the third-order, there was no match for him anymore!

However, all of this was finally over.

Tang Chen was also secretly rejoicing over having escaped this catastrophe.

Just at this moment,

an arc flashed across the corner of Shen Xingchen's mouth, and without hesitation, he threw out a second punch.

There was another bang.

This time, the Defensive Badge only held out for an inch before it could no longer resist, and the water-wave barrier shattered like a mirror.

The fierce and swift punch instantly destroyed everything around it, including Tang Chen's body.

On Tang Chen's abdomen, an eye-catching indentation was embedded there; that was a fist print.

His meridians seemed to be completely shattered, leaving only a single breath gasping weakly.

Shen Xingchen immediately withdrew his fist and said to Patriarch Tang Qiming, "Sorry about that, Uncle Tang. I was really getting into the flow of my fist technique just now and couldn't hold back my punch."

Patriarch Tang Qiming's face turned dark instantly.

Shen Xingchen feigned an annoyed look: "Uncle Tang, I have 500,000 in this card. How about taking this as an apology?"