Chapter 115: Scum

In the dining hall, a group of patrons sighed with emotion, admiration, or envy. They were full of longing for this suddenly emerged "Grandmaster Hong."

Tang Mubai stood at the entrance of the corridor, the corners of his mouth twitching as he listened. Some of what these people were saying was true, while other parts were false. He could tolerate the truth, but he had no idea where those ridiculously exaggerated lies had originated.

Just as he was about to shake his head and leave, an acquaintance, a regular patron, waved him over. "Commander Xiao Bai, come have a drink with us."

"No thanks, Uncle Huang. You go ahead and enjoy yourself; I have things to take care of," Tang Mubai responded with a polite smile.

"Hey, you kid, you aren't as cute as you used to be," Uncle Huang said, shaking his head and waving his hand. "Go on, go on, tend to your business. I was actually going to ask you about 'Grandmaster Hong.' Do you happen to know where he lives? Does he take on apprentices?"

He muttered the last part to himself. Tang Mubai heard it clearly and quickened his pace. Apprentices? Even if he were to take on apprentices, he wouldn't pick someone that old!

However, Uncle Huang's words served as a reminder, and he felt fortunate that "Grandmaster Hong" was merely a persona. It was true that almost any high-profile Grandmaster-level expert was constantly hounded by people seeking to become their disciples—especially those who hadn't established their own sects or martial arts schools. While a Grandmaster could refuse, they couldn't stop the crazy lengths some people would go to: kneeling at their doorstep every day, tracking their movements to stage "chance encounters," or desperately digging up information on the Grandmaster's friends and family to bribe or plead with them. They would do anything they could think of. In short, it was incredibly annoying.

While feeling relieved, Tang Mubai suddenly wondered if Liu Tianxiu and his group were behind this propaganda. They didn't know where he lived, so they were mobilizing the masses to find him. During the conversation in the dining hall earlier, someone had let slip a rumor: the "Grandmaster Hong" who saved Red Leaf City from disaster might be living in the Eastern District!

This single detail made Tang Mubai grow vigilant. He became increasingly convinced that the rapid spread of "Grandmaster Hong's" exploits from last night was the work of Liu Tianxiu and his cohorts behind the scenes.

With this in mind, Tang Mubai decided to shelve the "Grandmaster Hong" persona for a while. There was no need to reveal it unless absolutely necessary. Dealing with Lin Jinliang, for instance, was something Tang Mubai could handle on his own. Luo Lianxin had described Lin Jinliang as a psychopathic killer, and Tang Mubai had taken a moment earlier to search for information about him online.

Judging by his public image, Lin Jinliang was a winner in life. He was tall, handsome, wore a warm smile, and sported gold-rimmed glasses that gave him an air of suave, refined elegance. At only twenty-eight, he was already a Tier 2 professional martial artist. The Yaoyang Cultural Co., Ltd. he founded ranked in the top ten of Red Leaf City’s publishing and literary industry. Born into an ordinary family, he hadn't just gotten into a prestigious martial arts university; in the seven years since graduation, he had earned titles like renowned scholar, famous author, and one of Red Leaf City's Top Ten Youth. He frequently attended high-end events and appeared on television.

In short, his combination of literary and martial prowess won him the admiration of business leaders, gym owners, and professors alike, while making him the prince charming in the eyes of many young women in Red Leaf City. To deal with him, Tang Mubai would have to strike from the shadows. Daylight was inappropriate; night was the best time for a resolution.

Of course, before taking action, he needed to acquire the materials for accessing the safe: Lin Jinliang’s authorization letter, the locker plate, and the safe key. Once he had those three items, plus the third key to the black crystal iron box, taking Lin Jinliang out would be simple.

After leaving the restaurant, Tang Mubai skipped lunch and went straight to the Yaoyang Cultural Company. After scouting the perimeter and confirming that no one was inside, he destroyed the hallway surveillance cameras, forced the front door open, and entered. He sat at an unsecured computer, printed out an authorization form, and then slipped into Lin Jinliang’s office. He disabled the cameras there as well, then used Lin Jinliang’s own pen to forge his signature on the document. With Tang Mubai’s current peak physique and willpower, imitating handwriting was effortless. It wasn't one hundred percent identical, but ninety percent was more than enough. After signing, he found a personal seal on the desk and stamped it. The authorization letter was ready.

As for the locker plate and key, Tang Mubai pushed his sixth sense to the limit, scouring the office for a long time, but there were no hints or sensory feedback. He immediately realized that Lin Jinliang hadn't kept those items at the office, but at his home or another secret hideout.

Tang Mubai retreated from the office, planning to visit Lin Jinliang’s home that night. Being a celebrity had its perks, but it also had drawbacks—Lin Jinliang’s address was public knowledge online. Though the residential complex had security and cameras, these meant nothing to Tang Mubai.

When night fell, Tang Mubai entered the complex like a ghost. He avoided the surveillance cameras scattered around or destroyed those he couldn't bypass. In less than two minutes, he was on the balcony of Lin Jinliang’s apartment. He sensed the room and, confirming it was empty, slipped inside.

He pushed his sixth sense to the limit as he moved through the house. Soon, he detected the items he was looking for inside a partition wall in the study. He found the mechanism to open the wall and retrieved a wooden box. The bank safe's number plate and key were indeed inside. Along with them were several numbered discs.

Curious, Tang Mubai tried to use the computer in the study to check the contents of the discs, but it was password-protected. He gave up, took the discs, the plate, and the key, cleaned up, and wiped away any traces of his presence. He left via the balcony, climbed up the wall to the roof, and drifted away into the night.

Back home, he inserted one of the discs into his computer. The images that appeared left Tang Mubai stunned, and then, his rage flared. The disc contained videos of Lin Jinliang in a basement, torturing and killing women!

Luo Lianxin was right; this guy was a total psychopath and a beast! He presented himself as refined and gentle in public, but in private, he was a sadistic serial killer. He hadn't just committed these acts; he had filmed and cataloged them.

After watching for a few minutes, Tang Mubai couldn't take it anymore and shut off the video. He ejected the disc and let out a long breath. Killing such human scum, such a degenerate beast, would be letting him off too easily. Only by ruining his reputation and making him the object of public hatred could he secure justice for the women he had murdered. With this in mind, Tang Mubai began to scheme, and an idea took shape.