Chapter 357: The Hongmen Banquet

The next morning, after breakfast, Lin Xiao dropped Yuan Yu off at school before preparing to visit Chen’s Martial Arts Hall.

After completely crushing Golden Claw Gate, he was confident that no one would dare trouble the school, but since its current head, Chen Tianxing, had been injured, he figured he would check in on him. Besides, he also wanted to see his so-called apprentice, Chen Lingxin.

However, just as he was about to leave, Old Jin suddenly showed up at his door.

“What do you need from me?” Lin Xiao frowned slightly as he looked at Old Jin, who appeared uneasy.

Although his impression of Old Jin had slightly improved due to past events, he still had no interest in getting involved in the murky waters of the underground world.

Old Jin’s heart skipped a beat under Lin Xiao’s gaze, but knowing the weight of the matter, he steeled himself and said, “The bosses of the Scarlet Tiger Gang, the Mad Fang Gang, and the Green River Gang asked me to relay an invitation. They wish to treat you to a meal and hope you will do them the honor of attending.”

The moment he finished speaking, cold sweat drenched his back.

“You came just to tell me this?”

Lin Xiao’s voice remained calm, void of any emotion, but that only made Old Jin even more nervous.

As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as a harmless banquet. Three of Jiangnan’s underground powerhouses were joining forces to invite him to a meal—there was no question about their intent.

Old Jin was practically drowning in sweat, terrified of being misunderstood. He jumped to his feet, frantically explaining, “Boss Lin, you know I’ve washed my hands of this business. I don’t want anything to do with them, but they ordered me to pass on the message. I didn’t dare refuse.”

Lin Xiao remained indifferent to his explanation, neither confirming nor denying his stance.

Truthfully, he had been expecting this sooner or later.

During the underground tournament in Zhenjiang District, he had displayed overwhelming power, shocking every faction into submission. However, these crime syndicates weren’t made up of cowards. How could they simply accept his dominance without attempting to retaliate?

Lin Xiao could already imagine how those gang leaders had spent sleepless nights, restless and fearful after his warnings. It was only a matter of time before they devised a countermeasure.

If anything, he was surprised they had waited this long to act.

“Time? Location?” Lin Xiao asked plainly.

“You’re really going?” Old Jin blinked in disbelief, lowering his voice. “Boss Lin, forgive me for overstepping, but this is definitely a Hongmen Banquet. They must have something up their sleeves if they dared to go through with it even after witnessing your strength. You shouldn’t go!”

Lin Xiao chuckled softly, but his gaze remained calm, devoid of any ripples—an indifference that filled Old Jin with reverence.

“I know it’s a Hongmen Banquet.” He continued, “But it doesn’t matter. I’m not Liu Bang, and they’re not Xiang Yu.”

Lin Xiao didn’t want to entangle himself with these underground forces, but if he didn’t remove them as threats now, they might one day target the people around him. That would be far more troublesome.

Seeing Lin Xiao’s firm resolve, Old Jin knew there was no point in persuading him further. He had personally witnessed Lin Xiao’s power and didn’t believe that these three gangs could do anything to him. After all, even the Hundred Seat Society—an organization stronger than these three combined—had been wiped out by Lin Xiao alone.

“Boss Lin, they told me the location is a summer resort in the West City District. The meeting is scheduled for now. They’re already waiting for you.”

“Good. Let’s go.” Lin Xiao rose from his seat.

Old Jin’s facial muscles twitched. Every instinct in his body told him this was a bad idea.

The saying goes, When gods battle, mortals suffer. He had none of Lin Xiao’s abilities, so if a fight broke out, he would undoubtedly be caught in the crossfire.

However, after a brief moment of hesitation, Old Jin made his decision. He would accompany Lin Xiao. Not out of courage, but because if Lin Xiao were to fall, his own fate wouldn’t be much better.

Everything he had now was built upon Lin Xiao’s reputation. In the eyes of the underground world, he was already marked as Lin Xiao’s man.

Having made his choice, Old Jin’s demeanor shifted. He now wore the expression of a seasoned gambler, waving over a subordinate and whispering a few words.

The subordinate’s face hardened with determination before nodding and swiftly departing.

Lin Xiao, with his extraordinary hearing, caught every word. Hearing a mosquito flap its wings from two meters away was no challenge, so even though Old Jin had spoken in a hushed tone, he had heard it all.

This made Lin Xiao regard Old Jin in a new light.

‘So this guy isn’t as timid as he looks. He’s got some backbone after all.’

If Old Jin had known that Lin Xiao initially thought of him as cowardly, he would probably be in tears.

It was only in front of Lin Xiao that he appeared so meek. To others, he still carried the demeanor of a seasoned boss.

Meeting Lin Xiao’s gaze, Old Jin rubbed his shiny bald head awkwardly. “Since you’re attending a gang banquet, Boss Lin, you can’t go alone. I sent word for our guys to come with us.”

Lin Xiao’s expression remained unreadable, but he nodded slightly.

Even though he didn’t need anyone’s help, Old Jin’s willingness to follow him was a sign of loyalty. If Lin Xiao rejected it, it would only discourage the man.

Though he didn’t say it out loud, Lin Xiao had already acknowledged Old Jin as one of his own.

Old Jin was useful—not just as an extra set of eyes and ears in Jinghai, but also as a potential shield for those close to Lin Xiao whenever he was away.

“Boss Lin, please get in the car first. The others should be here soon.” Old Jin hurried to open the door of a sleek black sedan.

Lin Xiao took a seat in the back without hesitation. Even though he was about to walk into a trap, his demeanor remained composed, as steady as a mountain.

He closed his eyes, placing his hands on his knees as his bandaged fingers slowly flexed. His breathing was deep and rhythmic, and within moments, he had entered a meditative state.

Old Jin climbed into the driver’s seat after shooing away the assigned driver, personally taking the wheel.

The displaced driver pouted but dared not complain.

To these men, Lin Xiao was a mythical existence. They had witnessed his strength firsthand—the way he crushed metal with his bare hands. Their fear and reverence toward him were no less than what they felt for Old Jin.

Driving Lin Xiao wasn’t a chore. To them, it was an honor.

Before long, two vans arrived, pulling up beside the black sedan. Their doors swung open, revealing a group of men dressed in black suits, each with a noticeable bulge at their waists.

One of them stepped forward. His eyes were sharp, his hands calloused from years of handling weapons.

Old Jin beckoned him over. “Tiger, are all the guys here?”

Tiger bowed toward Lin Xiao first before replying in a hushed tone, “Boss, twenty men, fully armed. Even if this turns into a full-scale shootout, we’re ready.”

“What about Ding Hong?”

“He’s here too. Do you want me to bring him over?”

Old Jin glanced at the rearview mirror, catching sight of Lin Xiao resting in the backseat, then shook his head. “Leave him where he is. Don’t disturb Boss Lin.”

Tiger licked his lips, bloodlust flickering in his eyes. “Boss, are we going to war with the three major gangs? With Boss Lin here, we have nothing to fear.”

Old Jin took a deep breath, the presence of Lin Xiao filling him with a sense of invincibility. With a wave of his hand, he declared, “Let’s move out. Let’s see exactly what those bastards are plotting.”