At Gary's command, the Iron Fist Gang members immediately charged toward Chen Lun.
The lackeys in the courtyard had been silent, mostly already killed by this man.
He squinted, pondering.
He casually took out a cigar from the box, cut it, and lit it up.
"Aside from the big shots in the Inner City District, no one dares to talk to me ..."
"Since you're so eager to seek death, I'll grant you your wish!"
Gary spoke slowly, puffing out smoke, looking unfazed.
He had faced men seeking revenge before, but those men had long since merged with the sewage in the drainage ditches.
Two gunshots rang out.
The two Iron Fist Gang members who were in front fell to the ground.
The rest of the gang members were startled, halting their advance.
"A repeating firearm!?"
Gary's finger paused, fixating on the flintlock gun in Chen Lun's hand.
"Are you an Investigator from the Shelter?"
He rose slowly, his expression grave.
Gary was not just a simple gang leader; he had connections with many prominent figures in the Inner City District.
Many shady and dirty tasks were entrusted to him, through which he gained relationships and assistance from those figures.
It was these intricate connections that allowed him to become the King of the Sewage Beach in the Outer City District.
Naturally, Gary had heard some secrets about the Mystic Realm.
"What about an Investigator? Kill him!"
Gary's eyes glinted with ruthlessness.
If that was the case, he couldn't let this man leave alive!
There were secrets hidden here, and if the Investigator found out, the big figures behind him would surely make him regret it.
The Sewage Beach wasn't lacking others who could take Gary's place as boss.
As for the possibility of offending the Shelter by killing an Investigator, Gary believed someone would help him smooth over the trouble.
On hearing their boss Gary's order, the lackeys pulled out their Iron Gloves and blunderbusses.
They then surrounded and attacked Chen Lun.
Bang bang bang bang...!!
Shotgun pellets and glass shards burst from the barrels, crackling like fireworks, showering towards Chen Lun.
Chen Lun, already on guard, didn't take the hits like before.
The moment these men pulled out their weapons, he leaped forcefully, grabbing one to use as a human shield.
A burst of muffled thuds followed, and the Iron Fist Gang member used as a meat shield was riddled with holes on the spot.
Covered in blood, he was as good as dead.
Holding the body with one hand, Chen Lun leaned out to counterattack. Bang bang, several gunshots, the lead bullets accurately hit the enemies' heads, bursting into blossoms of blood.
Seeing the blunderbuss couldn't harm Chen Lun, the remaining few leather jacket men decided to tighten their Iron Fists and charged for hand-to-hand combat.
The body, riddled with shards of metal and glass, flew out, crashing into one man, knocking him down.
Chen Lun followed immediately, landing a punch on another Iron Fist Gang member's face!
The punch, driven by 24 points of Strength, was an immense pressure that a regular person couldn't withstand. The man's skull shattered instantly, and he flew backward, spitting out blood and broken teeth.
"Enough! A bunch of useless trash!"
Gary dropped his cigar and leaped forward, kicking straight down from above.
His burly body fell down, his kick chopping like a battle axe.
Chen Lun turned and raised his hand to block, staunchly catching the kick.
Gary's pupils shrank, taken aback.
He was very clear about his own strength.
Due to regularly injecting the "high-concentration nectar" provided by the butler Fedman, he had developed physical abilities far beyond those of an ordinary person.
His kick that could penetrate a steel plate was blocked by this "Investigator" with one hand!?
"Haven't you eaten, sir?"
Chen Lun's face appeared from behind his arm, with a polite smile.
"You don't have the strength to hit people, and you call yourself a gang member?"
He leaped into the air, and as he twisted his body, another foot shot out like a cannonball.
In the process, the bulging of his muscles even tore the leg of his suit pants.
The leather shoe hammered mercilessly into Chen Lun's palm.
But the next instant, the rebounding force caused Gary's leg to go numb! The other's handprint didn't budge at all, and he himself felt as if he had stepped on an iron wall.
"The strength is decent, but it is still far from that old fellow at the Red Apple Church,"
Chen Lun said softly.
Gary's heart tightened, knowing that he had encountered a formidable enemy.
He took a leap back to create distance, catching sight of the dark golden scales slowly retracting on the back of Chen Lun's hand.
His heart pounded wildly!
Sweat poured down like rain, and he felt as if he had hit rock bottom.
Why did he have to provoke a Transcendent!?
"Who exactly are you?
If I have offended you in any way, I sincerely apologize to you!"
He was someone who knew the score; facing an opponent he could not contend with, he immediately chose to bow down.
The other was most likely not an Investigator; the Transcendents of the Shelter were all the big shots with group leader's status. Although Iron Fist Gang was rampant in the Outer City District, it was not significant enough to attract such attention.
Seeing this, the other members of Iron Fist Gang looked at each other, a sense of fear growing within them.
Even boss Gary was softening up?
How terrifying was this man!?
"Haven't you been looking for me?"
Chen Lun moved closer step by step.
"And even planning to capture my sister?"
Gary quivered violently, his body freezing in place.
He instantly understood the identity of the man before him; this was the out-of-towner his men and Kent had been talking about!
Damn it, an out-of-towner!?
This was not a little lamb with no background or status.
But rather, a bloodthirsty python! A terrifying beast!
Gary no longer had time to vent his anger on his subordinates and that idiot Kent; now he only wanted to save his life.
Gary Bent, the leader of Iron Fist Gang, knelt before this young man.
His burly, strong body could not withstand the fear at this moment.
"I, Gary Bent, apologize to you!
I am willing to pay any price, only begging for your forgiveness and to spare my life!"
Gary lowered his head, speaking in a slightly hoarse voice.
The members of Iron Fist Gang who were lucky enough to survive could hardly believe their eyes at this scene.
Their boss Gary, who was decisive in killing and has a heart of stone, was actually kneeling!
He was begging that dark-haired youth for mercy!
A man in a leather jacket swallowed, not daring to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead for fear of drawing attention.
Chen Lun looked helplessly at the spineless guy in front of him.
Can't you show a bit of backbone? Rise in rebellion, rush at me in a fit of hysteria, let me slaughter you effortlessly, no?
You're making this difficult for me.
Suddenly, Chen Lun seemed to think of something, a contemplative look flashing in his eyes.
"You said, any price is acceptable?"
He slowly walked to the sofa and sat down, picking up the documents Gary had been looking at earlier.
They contained some financial reports, funds from the Sewage Beach and the Outer City District industries, as well as certain expenditures that were not specified.
"Yes, sir, any price,"
Gary said through clenched teeth.
He had already prepared himself for a significant loss, but as long as he could survive, nothing else mattered.
"Since that's the case."
Chen Lun tossed the documents in his hand away.
"From now on, this place answers to me."