The mocking gesture of the thief completely enraged Mo Lin. The thief squinted his eyes, grinning widely in a manner that made Mo Lin feel disgusted, especially when he began to casually swing the stolen ten thousand Hell Coins around, as though flaunting them to everyone nearby.
Without hesitation, Mo Lin prepared to charge forward.
Two men in black shirts stepped up to block his path.
"What are you doing, kid?" one of them demanded, glaring at Mo Lin.
Mo Lin pointed toward the thief inside and slowly spoke, "The thief inside stole my Hell Coins."
A simple statement, so ordinary it could hardly be more mundane, yet it stirred immediate hostility in the men.
"Who's the thief?" The man shoved Mo Lin and shouted angrily, "You'd better watch your mouth, don't you dare speak nonsense."
"We are decent people here. There's no thief."
Another man joined in, scolding, "Kid, don't accuse others wrongly. There's a price for false accusations."
As their words echoed, more than twenty people in the hall rushed over. If glares could kill, Mo Lin would have been long dead, countless times over. It was obvious they were using their numbers to bully him, and judging by the situation, it was not the first time such an act had occurred.
At that moment, Feng Mingyu caught up from behind. Seeing Mo Lin facing off against a crowd, she was terrified.
She quickly stepped forward, forcing a smile, and addressed the crowd, "Sorry, there's been a misunderstanding."
"Is this your friend?" one of the men turned to ask Feng Mingyu.
"Yes, my friend is new to the black market and doesn't understand the rules. Please, brothers, don't take it out on him." Feng Mingyu explained with a polite smile.
"Since he's your friend, couldn't you have watched him more closely? This is Old Master Sun's territory. Do you know the consequences of offending him?" The young man threatened, his attitude dripping with arrogance, completely dismissing Mo Lin.
"I understand, my apologies. I'll take my friend and leave now." Feng Mingyu said, reaching for Mo Lin's hand, signaling for him to leave.
"Leave just like that?" Mo Lin's expression darkened. "It's not possible."
He wasn't afraid of these people, and there was no reason for him to walk away.
Feng Mingyu, whispering urgently, warned, "This is Old Master Sun's territory, don't stir up trouble. Let's go quickly."
She was well-acquainted with many people in the black market, and she knew the power dynamics here. Old Master Sun was a Fourth-tier Ghost Officer, and he had considerable backing. Even someone like Li Bingyan would not dare cause trouble here.
"I'm not leaving." Mo Lin replied firmly.
Feng Mingyu, flustered, wasn't sure if Mo Lin truly had the strength to back up his words, or if he was simply bluffing. It was their first time meeting, and she didn't know Mo Lin well enough to assess his true capabilities.
If Mo Lin didn't have any real power, and still insisted on making a scene, it would be incredibly foolish.
"Kid, are you looking to die?" The young man sneered, pointing directly at Mo Lin's face. "If you don't leave now, I'll make sure you won't walk out of here alive."
With that, the young man summoned his contract ghost. He was a Second-tier Ghost Officer.
At the same time, everyone else in the hall also summoned their contract ghosts, creating a terrifying atmosphere that began to spread. The air thickened with hostility, the scent of violence palpable.
Mo Lin, though initially reluctant to lose his temper, found himself irritated by the insolence of these people. They were nothing more than a group of bullies, using their numbers to intimidate him. He had no intention of indulging them.
"Return my Hell Coins," Mo Lin said coldly, his voice unwavering. "Or else, there will be consequences."
The young man laughed as though he'd heard the most absurd thing in his life.
"Consequences? What a joke."
"Your Hell Coins? We stole them, and we're not giving them back."
"Kid, don't think too highly of yourself."
The group began to mock Mo Lin, their voices growing louder and more derisive. They were emboldened by their numbers, taunting him mercilessly.
"A stray dog dares to bark here? Ridiculous," the young man jeered.
Mo Lin's anger flared, the rage surging through him like a wildfire. His blood boiled at the insults, and the weight of his fury pressed down on him.
"Forget it, they're too many..." Feng Mingyu whispered, noticing how furious Mo Lin had become. She softly tried to dissuade him, but she herself was upset. What could she do? There were over twenty people here, including seven Second-tier Ghost Officers and even two Third-tier Ghost Officers. If a fight broke out, it would be Mo Lin who suffered.
"Don't interfere," Mo Lin said, his voice calm but resolute. "Within ten minutes, I'll resolve this matter."
Without waiting for her response, he pushed Feng Mingyu aside.
Her eyes widened as she watched Mo Lin's determined stance. She was completely stunned by his readiness to fight.
She quickly pulled out her phone and sent a message to the group chat.
"Help... Mo Lin's in trouble in the black market."
Yun Ling: "What trouble? What happened?"
Feng Mingyu: "He had ten thousand Hell Coins stolen by Old Master Sun's men, and Mo Lin wants to fight them. Hurry, someone come... I'm afraid he might die here."
Yun Ling: "What? Isn't Old Master Sun a Fourth-tier Ghost Officer? You need to stop Mo Lin from being reckless."
Lin Xi: "He's tangled with Old Master Sun? This is bad. I'll be there soon."
Yun Ling: "Lin Xi, you know Old Master Sun. Hurry and smooth things over with him."
Feng Mingyu: "o(╥﹏╥)o Please hurry... If you're late, I may have to collect Mo Lin's body."
Seeing Mo Lin's determination, the young man grew more enraged.
"Kid, don't you know when to stop?"
"This is the black market. I can kill you here without a second thought." The young man sneered, threatening Mo Lin with deadly intent.
Mo Lin couldn't contain his disdain. A faint smile tugged at his lips, his eyes gleaming with cold resolve.
"Three seconds. Either give me my Hell Coins, or face the consequences," Mo Lin said, his patience wearing thin.
It was clear that the young man hadn't taken Mo Lin's words seriously. No one in the room had.
"Since you want to die, I'll help you along," the young man muttered, his tone venomous.
His contract ghost lunged at Mo Lin, and as if on cue, the other ghosts followed suit, all charging toward him in a coordinated assault.
Despite their reckless arrogance, these individuals were meticulous in their actions. Over twenty Ghost Officers were now attacking Mo Lin simultaneously, ensuring there would be no room for error.
Even a Third-tier Ghost Officer might have been seriously wounded in such an ambush, and here, there were all kinds of ghosts—Fierce-level and ordinary-level—far too many to count.
Mo Lin was instantly surrounded, the attack overwhelming him from all sides.
Feng Mingyu, seeing this unfold, panicked.
She couldn't stand idly by while Mo Lin faced certain death.
Grimacing, she steeled herself, preparing to pull him away forcefully.
But just as she moved, something unexpected happened.