044 :The Hunter Becomes the Hunted.

That night, Lin Tian waited. He knew Zhou Minghai's people would react soon. They had to.

Sure enough—his phone buzzed.

Unknown Number: You should have listened.

Lin Tian leaned back in his chair, amused.

Lin Tian: Should I be scared?

Unknown Number: You will be. Soon.

Lin Tian's golden eyes gleamed.

Lin Tian: Then don't keep me waiting.

A few moments later, another message came.

Unknown Number: Meet me at the old docks. Midnight.

Lin Tian's smirk widened. They thought they were luring him into a trap.

But what they didn't know—was that he was the one setting the trap.

Midnight. The old docks.

Lin Tian stood beneath the dim glow of a streetlamp, the cold night air brushing against his skin. The place was quiet, abandoned, the scent of saltwater lingering in the breeze.

Then—footsteps.

A group of men emerged from the shadows, their presence heavy, dangerous. They weren't ordinary thugs. They were professionals.

And in the center of them—Zhou Jianhong.

The man who had warned Lin Tian before.

Zhou Jianhong stepped forward, hands in his pockets. "You should have left this alone, Lin Tian."

Lin Tian smirked. "And you should have known better than to threaten me."

Zhou Jianhong sighed. "You really think you can win this?"

Lin Tian's golden eyes burned. "I don't think. I know."

The air grew heavier. The men around Zhou Jianhong tensed.

And then—the real game began.

The night air was thick with salt, the scent of the ocean lingering over the abandoned docks. Lin Tian stood beneath the dim glow of a flickering streetlamp, his hands casually in his pockets. His golden eyes gleamed in the darkness as he watched Zhou Jianhong and his men surround him.

Six of them. Professionals. Their movements were calculated, their breathing controlled. These weren't ordinary street thugs—they were trained.

But Lin Tian?

He was something else entirely.

Zhou Jianhong took a slow step forward, his polished shoes clicking against the damp concrete. "Lin Tian, I'll ask one last time. Walk away from this. You don't know what you're getting into."

Lin Tian smirked. "You say that like it's a warning. But I see it for what it really is—fear."

Zhou Jianhong's jaw tightened. "You're making a mistake."

Lin Tian chuckled. "Funny. That's exactly what I was going to say to you."

Zhou Jianhong exhaled, his patience wearing thin. He turned to his men and gave a slight nod.

The order was silent but clear.

Take him down.

The men moved in—fast.

But Lin Tian was faster.

The first man lunged, aiming straight for Lin Tian's ribs with a powerful strike. A precise move, meant to disable him quickly.

Lin Tian sidestepped effortlessly, his body flowing like water. Before the man could react, Lin Tian's elbow drove into his stomach—hard.

A choked gasp.

The man collapsed to his knees, breathless.

The second and third moved together, one aiming for Lin Tian's legs while the other swung for his head. A coordinated attack—one meant to overwhelm an opponent.

But Lin Tian wasn't an opponent.

He was a force of nature.

He jumped, twisting mid-air, letting their strikes hit empty space. As he landed, his leg swept out in a brutal arc, catching one of them in the ribs. The sound of bone cracking echoed in the night.

The man fell. Out.

The fourth hesitated for just a second—a mistake.

Lin Tian was already moving. He grabbed the man's wrist, twisting it sharply—too fast for him to react. A single, precise strike to the pressure point in his neck—and he dropped.

The remaining two backed up, tense.

They weren't expecting this.

Zhou Jianhong's expression darkened. "You were supposed to be a high school student."

Lin Tian smirked. "And you were supposed to be smart."

For the first time, Zhou Jianhong looked uncertain.

Lin Tian stepped forward, his golden eyes glowing in the darkness. "You came here thinking I was prey." His voice was calm, almost amused. "But now you realize—you were the ones being hunted."

Zhou Jianhong's fingers twitched slightly. The last two men were still standing, but Lin Tian could see it in their eyes.

Fear.

They were trained fighters.

But Lin Tian was a warrior.

And there was a difference.

A big one.

Zhou Jianhong exhaled sharply. "Enough."

He raised a hand—and the two men hesitated.

Then, slowly, they stepped back.

Lin Tian tilted his head. "Done already?"

Zhou Jianhong's jaw clenched. "I see now. You're not normal."

Lin Tian chuckled. "Took you long enough."

Zhou Jianhong's gaze turned cold. "But you still don't understand who you're dealing with. Zhou Minghai doesn't just erase problems. He erases everything."

Lin Tian's smirk didn't fade. "Then he's welcome to try."

The air between them grew heavy, the tension thick enough to cut.

Finally, Zhou Jianhong let out a slow breath. "You think you've won this round?"

Lin Tian shrugged. "I know I have."

Zhou Jianhong studied him for another long moment. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away.

The two remaining men hesitated, glancing between Lin Tian and their retreating boss. Then, reluctantly, they followed.

Within seconds—Lin Tian was alone.

The old docks were silent once more.

Lin Tian exhaled, rolling his shoulders. Easy.

But this wasn't over.

Not even close.

Lin Tian leaned against the rusted railing by the water, watching the city lights reflect off the ocean.

Zhou Jianhong had retreated, but that didn't mean he had given up.

No.

It just meant that the real game was about to begin.

Zhou Minghai was still out there, controlling everything from the shadows.

And Su Yun?

She was still at the center of it all.

Lin Tian clenched his fists.

"I need to finish this before she gets caught in it."

The only way to protect Su Yun was to destroy the entire web of lies around her.

Which meant—Zhou Minghai had to fall.

But this wasn't a battlefield where he could simply crush his enemies with raw strength.

No, this was a war of power, influence, and secrets.

And Lin Tian was going to turn the entire system against itself.

The next morning, Lin Tian walked into school as if nothing had happened.

As he entered the classroom, he saw Su Yun at her desk, reading quietly.

She looked up as he approached, smiling softly. "Morning, Lin Tian."

Lin Tian gave a small smirk. "Morning."

She studied him for a moment, then tilted her head. "You look… different."

Lin Tian chuckled. "Good different or bad different?"

Su Yun laughed lightly. "I don't know. Just… different."

Lin Tian exhaled. She still didn't know.

Didn't know about the people watching her.

Didn't know that her real father had ordered her mother to be erased.

Didn't know that Lin Tian had just taken the first step in tearing down an empire.

She didn't know—and he wanted to keep it that way.

At least until the moment was right.

For now—he would protect her from the shadows.

But soon…

She would learn the truth.

And when she did—

Zhou Minghai's reign would end.

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