Chapter 8 – Blood and Money
Neon Crown returned to life with forced enthusiasm.
Music surged back into the speakers. Lights resumed their hypnotic rhythm. Staff rushed to clear broken glass and overturned tables with professional speed—too fast for a normal club, too practiced for a clean one.
Lin Mo stood calmly amid the chaos.
Around him, the men who had tried to make a point lay scattered on the floor, groaning, clutching ribs or arms bent at unnatural angles. None of them were unconscious. He hadn't needed to go that far.
A message hovered in his vision.
[Urban Combat Proficiency: Mastery 12% → 18%]
[Efficiency Rating: High]
Across from him, Bai Yue hadn't moved.
Her fingers still rested on the arm of the booth, manicured nails gleaming under the lights. Her breathing was steady now, but her eyes—sharp, predatory, beautiful—were locked on Lin Mo.
Not fear.
Assessment.
"You didn't hesitate," she said quietly.
Lin Mo glanced at the men on the ground. "They made a poor decision."
Most people who said things like that were bluffing.
He wasn't.
Bai Yue waved a hand. Two security staff appeared instantly, dragging the injured men away without questions.
"Tell your boss," she said coolly to one of them, "that Neon Crown doesn't appreciate unsolicited visits."
The man nodded frantically and disappeared.
Silence settled again in the booth.
Bai Yue leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on her knees. The angle brought her closer—close enough that Lin Mo could see the faint scar at the edge of her collarbone.
"You just crossed a line," she said.
Lin Mo met her gaze calmly. "So did they."
She laughed softly.
"Do you know how many people in this city would kill to sit where you're sitting?" she asked.
"I know how many would die trying," Lin Mo replied.
The system chimed.
[Danger Affinity Detected]
[Target Interest: Bai Yue – High]
Bai Yue tilted her head, studying him like a puzzle she wanted to break apart slowly.
"Come with me," she said abruptly, standing. "We shouldn't talk business here."
She didn't wait for an answer.
Lin Mo followed.
The private room upstairs was insulated from sound, the bass reduced to a distant heartbeat. Soft amber lights cast long shadows across leather couches and glass tables.
Bai Yue poured two drinks, sliding one toward him.
"To recklessness," she said.
Lin Mo lifted the glass but didn't drink immediately. "To survival."
She smirked and drank.
"So," she said, crossing her legs, "you're either incredibly confident or incredibly stupid."
"Confidence requires data," Lin Mo said. "I collect it."
She laughed again, this time genuinely amused.
"Do you know what I do, Lin Mo?" she asked, saying his name as if testing its weight.
"You sell access," he replied. "Information. Protection. Silence."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You did your homework."
"I like knowing where my money goes."
The system pulsed faintly.
[Potential Investment Node Detected: Underground Network]
Bai Yue leaned back.
"Those men tonight?" she said. "They belong to a local syndicate. Small, but vicious. They won't forget this."
Lin Mo nodded. "Good."
She raised an eyebrow. "Good?"
"I don't invest in things that don't react."
Silence followed.
Then Bai Yue smiled slowly.
"You're dangerous," she said. "Not because you fight—but because you don't flinch."
She stood and walked closer, stopping just within arm's reach.
"Tell me," she said softly, "what do you want?"
Lin Mo didn't look away.
"A city that runs efficiently," he replied. "And people who know who they answer to."
Her breath caught—just slightly.
[Emotional Spike Detected]
[Sponsorship Opportunity: Bai Yue – Confirm?]
Lin Mo confirmed.
The system chimed.
[Sponsor Contract Established: Bai Yue]
[Cashback Multiplier Updated: x7]
His phone vibrated violently.
+7,800,000 yuan
Bai Yue felt it—not the money, but the shift. The invisible line that now bound her to him.
She stepped back, eyes dark.
"You've just made enemies," she said quietly.
Lin Mo smiled faintly.
"I've been poor," he replied. "Everything else is manageable."