Chapter 3: Right Hand

Is it the right hand

The old steward has lived in Qianfan City for decades, so how could he be unaware of the kind of people Fario has brought this time? They are all ruthless villains, especially this Jimmy, who hails from the underground force known as the Red Scorpion. In recent years, he has been engaging in usury in Qianfan City and has at least a dozen lives on his hands

Then, he casually walked up to Lin Yun and said, "You must be the kid named Marfa Merlin, right?"

"Stop joking around, Uncle Fario. I have no time to harm you; I am very busy..." Lin Yun smiled, walked straight past Fario, helped the old butler who had fallen to the ground, carefully checked him over, and confirmed that he only had some abrasions on his arm. He then turned back to Fario and said, "Come to collect the money in three days."

"Are you really going to pay back the money?" This response took Fario somewhat by surprise. After asking in astonishment, he felt even more perplexed. The entire Qianfan City knew that ever since the shipwreck, the accounts of the Shanjin Chamber of Commerce had been filled with red ink. Even the house left behind by Rog Merin had been completely emptied by the families of the victims. Now, even mice would hesitate to enter; where would they find the money?

Not too much, not too little, just perfectly medium rare

Fario now seems to have a bit of a "throwing caution to the wind" attitude, completely ignoring how Lin Yun mocks him, and directly shamelessly pressing on with the question: "So that means I have to pay back the money?"

Following that, there was a scream of agony

Fario was instantly relieved, stumbling out the door, and on the way, he did not forget to turn back and say a few formal and scripted words: "Very well, very well, you have indeed grown up now, even disregarding me, your uncle. I will come to collect the money in three days; let us see what you will use to repay me then"

Enough with the nonsense! Jimmy is in the loan sharking business, and he has encountered countless debtors over the years. By now, Jimmy knows that collecting debts requires a ruthless approach; money is like milk, if you squeeze it, there will always be some to extract

However, the contract must never be handed over to the Chamber of Commerce Alliance, as credibility is the foundation upon which a chamber survives. Once the Chamber of Commerce Alliance makes a ruling, the situation could escalate significantly

What?

Perhaps it was because he was momentarily taken aback by Lin Yun's question at the beginning, Jimmy felt a bit embarrassed, so he went up and slapped him with his right hand.

"Alright, kid, stop pretending to care about anything. Let's get down to business!" Even with a thick skin, Liao couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed and angry after being mocked by Lin Yun: "You have already seen the contract. Your father took a total of 8,000 gold coins from me. I will give you two options: one is to repay the money now, and the other is to use the house as collateral. I have business to attend to and don't have time to waste on you."

But what is going on today ... ...

Releasing the charred right hand, Lin Yun seemed to ignore the piercing screams, maintaining a smile as he looked towards Fario

Fali Ao cleared his throat twice, making an effort to appear a bit more composed: "That's great, you are willing to repay the money, this... this is certainly the best outcome. A total of 8,000 gold coins, please hand them over."

This is not right, this is impossible

With Fario's shout, several fierce-looking strong men rushed in from outside, among them the leader, a bald man with a long scar across his face, his eyes filled with a fierce light

Shouldn't Jimmy have walked in and given that kid a good beating, forcing him to hand over the property deed? How did it end up like this? The confident Jimmy, who was so sure of himself, is now lying on the ground like a dead dog, howling and clutching his burned right hand, while the nephew, who should have been crying and handing over the deed, is now standing there as if nothing happened, continuing to look at him with that strange smile... The confident Jimmy, who was so sure of himself, is now lying on the ground like a dead dog, howling and clutching his burned right hand, while the nephew, who should have been crying and handing over the deed, is now standing there as if nothing happened, continuing to look at him with that strange smile...

"Fario!" Seeing this group of people rush in, the old butler's expression changed dramatically. Forgetting his age, he immediately stepped in front of the group and said, "Fario, you have gone too far. How did the master treat you when he was alive? Now, for 8,000 gold coins, you have actually brought these people here!"

Are you joking with me? Upon hearing this, Fario's expression immediately darkened. He glared at Lin Yun for a moment and, using his croaky voice, shouted towards the door: "Jimmy, Jimmy, damn it, come in here quickly!"

Lin Yun remained as relaxed as ever, as if he had not heard Fario's malicious threats. He even had the presence of mind to share a joke with the old butler: "I told you, Uncle Fario is very concerned about us. Look, he has already started worrying that no one will do business with us."

This time is no different

Fario stood there in a daze, his eyes wide open, mouth agape, and his chubby face was filled with an expression of disbelief. This... this... how is this so different from what I imagined?

"I mean, the hand you just used to push the old butler away was your right hand, right?" Lin Yun patiently explained to him

"The house is definitely not acceptable; your price is too fair, and I worry that you might suffer a loss." The house, which was purchased for 100,000 gold coins back then, is being used to settle a debt of 8,000 gold coins, which indeed seems excessively fair.

A strong smell of burning flesh suddenly filled the air, permeating the entire room with the scent of charred meat. As everyone looked on in horror, they discovered that Jimmy's right hand, which had been seized by someone, had suddenly caught fire. Enveloped in fierce flames, it was instantly cooked.

It is truly unfortunate that he encountered Lin Yun, a being capable of forming a vortex of magical power within ten minutes, rivaling even the top-tier mages. Although Lin Yun is merely a Level 1 Mage, when it comes to actual combat, even ten Jimmys would be insufficient. This represents a gap of millions of years, one that cannot be bridged by mere levels.

Upon hearing these words, even the old butler's expression changed slightly

The smile... wait a moment, that kid was looking at Jimmy with the same smile just now. As Fario thought of this, he couldn't help but shiver, stepping back several paces: "Y-y-you... what do you want to do, are you trying to harm me? I tell you, I-I-I... I am your uncle. If you dare to hurt me, I will..."

What is it...?

"Young master, you jest..." The old butler's smile was more unsightly than a cry

Lin Yun did not even use any incantations; with a mere instantaneous conjuration of a hand of flames, he completely incapacitated the infamous scoundrel of Qianfan City

Farlio's move is indeed quite vicious. Although the Shanjin Merchant Association currently finds itself in dire straits, even facing the possibility of losing its properties to settle debts, the old steward knows that this is only temporary. The connections and reputation that the master has built over decades cannot be taken away by a single maritime disaster. As long as the Shanjin Merchant Association is given a little time, it can completely emerge from this predicament. Even if it cannot regain its former glory, ensuring that the young master is well-provided for is certainly not a problem. Moreover, it may even allow him to continue his studies in magic, and perhaps one day he could truly become a mage.

After Fario contemptuously spat, he couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled. Here he was, holding the contract and demanding repayment, and that kid not only failed to come forward and speak nicely but also sat there nonchalantly, responding to him. Moreover, the way he looked at Fario seemed a bit strange.

Jimmy's strength is not to be underestimated. Back in the days with the Red Scorpions, he even personally eliminated a mage. Otherwise, he would not have been able to thrive for so many years in the chaotic environment of Qianfan City while engaging in usury.

Repaying the money is definitely not a problem, but Uncle Farlio, I have only just returned a few days ago. You must give me some time to clarify the situation, right? Otherwise, based on mere speculation, how can I know if someone is trying to deceive our family? Oh, I apologize, Uncle Farlio, I did not mean to imply that you are a fraud...

The old steward's face gradually turned pale, and the right hand gripping Fario's sleeve also began to tremble slightly

Fario wanted to say a few harsh words to threaten the young man, making him once again a pitiful creature begging for his mercy. However, for some reason, the words stuck in his throat and he could not bring himself to say them. What was even more troubling was that Fario suddenly realized that, in front of this nephew whom he usually looked down upon, he had to clear his throat several times to muster the courage to speak.

Lin Yun smiled slightly and did not say much. In his heart, he held a certain respect for this old butler. Being able to remain during the desperate times of the Shanjin Chamber of Commerce and to do everything possible to protect Marfa Merlin had already far exceeded what a butler should do

Lin Yun did not even raise an eyelid; he directly seized the right hand that was thrust towards him, while politely inquiring, "How do you like it at medium rare?"

Be careful about what you don't need to worry about. In any case, I have just one thing to say: either you repay the money today, or you use the house to settle the debt. Otherwise, I will hand this contract over to the Qianfan City Chamber of Commerce Alliance and see who will dare to do business with your Shanjin Chamber of Commerce in the future

"Get lost, old man!" Jimmy, who was heavily hired by Fario, would not take an old man seriously. Upon entering, he raised his hand and pushed the old butler to the ground.

Repaying the money is not out of the question

The kind of scrutinizing gaze does not resemble that of a creditor at the door, but rather resembles that of someone looking at a ridiculous clown