Zhao Xing lowered his head, staring at Evan Lin sitting there.
The boy before him felt a bit odd—he looked totally ordinary, and from just now until now, he didn't seem to have any intention of speaking.
Zane Zhao lowered his head, staring at Evan Lin sitting there.
That feeling made Zane Zhao really uncomfortable.
"Are you talking to me?"
Evan Lin's gaze was calm as he looked at Zane Zhao.
"Of course. Who else here is blocking my way?"
Zane Zhao was startled by Evan Lin's look. If it were anywhere else, maybe he'd just quietly walk around, but seeing Bella Bai watching him—and with everyone else staring his way—Zane refused to back down.
Evan Lin shook his head, his voice icy. The words he spoke chilled everyone present to the core.
Zane Zhao exclaimed in a low voice, and instantly everyone's gaze toward Evan Lin changed, full of greed and excitement.
There are two sides to the table you can walk around.
"I'm kind of lazy, so I like taking shortcuts. If this brother doesn't mind, he could get up, walk around the table, and sit over there."
Zane Zhao looked at Bella Bai, flashing what he thought was a suave smile, then turned back to Evan Lin: "What, I'm talking to you—do you not understand what I'm saying?"
And by the way, don't think I won't tell you—in this Zhan Family, I actually have some say. Someone like you, with no real status, if you try to mess with me here, believe it or not, I'll have you thrown out right now?
Zhao Xing sneered. He'd just chatted briefly with the muscle guy and glasses guy, and had pretty much figured out the backgrounds of everyone at this table.
He figured they were all from Oceanport, and even if their families had some connections, it was only back in Oceanport. Here in Harborview, it's far from the center—so even if this kid really came from some powerful clan, he wasn't worried.
After all, the Zhan Family would soon have the ancient-martial Ma Family backing them, which meant Zane Zhao could also rely on the Ma Family as his shield.
Evan Lin flicked his finger.
"Young Master Zhao is talking to you—can't you hear him, bro?" The muscle guy saw Evan Lin wasn't moving and noticed Zane Zhao's expression turning impatient. He was worried Evan Lin would ruin his chance to get close to the Zhan Family.
The muscle guy stepped forward, reaching out to grab Evan Lin's arm.
"Sorry, bro, but I think it's more reliable for Young Master Zhao to sit here."
The muscle guy gave a cold laugh.
The glasses guy raised his eyebrows, and everyone else watched with a look of anticipation, waiting for drama.
The cold, aloof youth sitting across from Evan Lin looked on with disdain, waiting to see Evan Lin get yanked to the ground by the muscle guy.
"Don't touch him!"
Bai Qianyu cried out, about to stand up and intervene.
But the muscle guy moved fast, not giving Bai Qianyu any chance to stop him.
Just as his palm landed on Evan Lin's shoulder and he was about to exert force, everyone saw his expression suddenly change.
He started with a cold sneer, then his smile froze, and finally his eyes widened and his mouth opened, as if trying to say something, but all that came out was a series of hoarse whimpers.
"What's wrong with you?" The glasses guy saw the muscle guy's hand on Evan Lin's shoulder, but he suddenly stopped moving, and was confused.
"Go on, do it! Don't bother saving face. This kid is just refusing to take the easy way—what are you hesitating for?" The cold youth spoke harshly, glancing at the muscle guy.
But that glance made him freeze.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
Zane Zhao was getting impatient. He reached out and patted the muscle guy beside him, still hoping this guy would help him save face and make the stubborn kid give up his seat.
But as soon as he patted him, the muscle guy collapsed onto the floor with a thud.
Zane Zhao jumped in shock.
When everyone looked at the muscle guy on the ground, they saw his mouth open, white steam pouring out, and waves of heat rolling from his mouth. The boiling steam startled the people closest to him.
"So hot?"
"What's wrong with him?"
"Why does it look like he's cooked?"
The others cried out in shock, staring at the muscle guy on the floor—his face twisted in pain, unable to say a word, just spewing hot steam from his mouth. Everyone was terrified.
"It's nothing serious. He won't die—he'll just suffer a bit."
The boy's indifferent voice drifted into everyone's ears, and all at once they turned to look at Evan Lin.
"You did something to him!"
The cold youth glared furiously: "What did you do to him?"
He shouted angrily, full of indignation.
"Just a bit of punishment. If you want to try it, step up."
Evan Lin looked at him calmly. As soon as he spoke, the cold youth who was just acting tough bit his lip and didn't dare make another sound.
"You've got a magic artifact!"
Zane Zhao exclaimed in a low voice, and instantly everyone's gaze toward Evan Lin changed, full of greed and excitement.
Magic artifact.
The value of something like that was simply immeasurable.
And this seemingly ordinary boy in front of them—he clearly hadn't done anything just now, but somehow made the muscle guy collapse in an instant.
Probably only a magic artifact with mysterious powers could do something like that.
At once, the greed and unease in their eyes grew even stronger.
"I've got plenty of magic artifacts on me, actually."
Evan Lin didn't bother hiding it. He glanced at Zane Zhao, and with a slight squeeze of his fingers, the teacup in his hand shattered into tiny porcelain shards.
Evan Lin flicked his finger.
The porcelain shards shot toward Zane Zhao, slicing through the air.
"Ah!"
Zane Zhao's face changed dramatically, and he turned to run.
But the porcelain shards were so fast, they instantly pierced into his body.
Bang!
A dull thud echoed.
Zane Zhao crashed to the ground, curling up in a ball, his face drenched in cold sweat from the pain.
"I'm not taking your life—just giving you a little punishment."
Evan Lin glanced indifferently at Zane Zhao on the floor: "These porcelain shards will stay in your body for eighty-one years. During those eighty-one years, you'll be in constant pain."
"If you're still alive after eighty-one years, you can enjoy a peaceful old age."
Evan Lin shook his head, his voice icy. The words he spoke chilled everyone present to the core.
"Just wait... You just... wait!"
Zane Zhao rolled on the floor in pain. The sensation wasn't overwhelming, but waves of torment surged through his body without pause, leaving him pale and trembling all over.