Chapter 9
"There's a large manor forty miles to the north, owned by a man named Buck. He's powerful, with over a hundred people under his command. He's also the biggest slave merchant in the area—nobles come to him when they want to buy slaves."
The young man spoke quickly, trying to sound helpful as he looked at Lin Bai with a flattering smile.
"Forty miles… not too far." Lin Bai nodded, raising a hand.
The young man's heart leaped with relief. He thought Lin Bai was letting them go. As soon as he escaped, he'd rush to Buck and warn him. Let's see how this guy deals with that!
Lost in his plans, he barely registered the sharp pain that followed. The last thing he saw was his companions' heads twisting at an unnatural angle before everything went dark.
Lin Bai didn't spare them another glance. With a subtle application of telekinesis, he had snapped their necks in an instant—silent, clean, and without a drop of blood. He felt nothing.
By morning, their bodies would be found and dealt with. But by then, he'd already be long gone.
Under the cover of night, Lin Bai set off toward Buck's estate. He didn't know the exact location, but finding it wouldn't be difficult. A man who controlled over a hundred people needed supplies—food, water, resources. His base wouldn't be far from a major trade route or city.
Still, there was another concern.
"For a slave trader to operate so openly, he must have powerful backers among the nobility. I'll have to be careful."
Lin Bai opened the system's shop and searched for tools to erase his presence.
Quwei Pills, Trace-Breaking Powder, Hidden Pill…
He frowned at the prices but sighed in relief. "Good thing I sold that Bronze Mantis, or I wouldn't have enough."
Spending 30 gold soul coins, he purchased a set of three pills—one for internal use and two for external application. After memorizing the instructions, he pocketed them and continued his journey.
Instead of running, he hovered just above the ground using telekinesis. By forming an arc-shaped shield around himself, he expelled air resistance and increased his speed significantly.
Half an hour later, he arrived at Buck's estate.
The manor was massive, covering tens of thousands of square meters. Despite the late hour, lights illuminated the property. A slave trader like Buck clearly didn't struggle with expenses.
Lin Bai remained cautious. He didn't know if there were any soul masters inside.
Pulling out a black cloth he had bought earlier, he wrapped it around himself. With telekinesis, he adjusted its shape to make himself appear taller and more imposing. From a distance, it would be hard to judge his real size.
After making his final preparations, he floated over the walls like a ghost.
Keeping to the shadows, he moved towards the grandest building in the manor—the obvious residence of its owner.
On his way, he passed a patrol of guards. They were strong, but still ordinary men. He avoided them easily and slipped inside the three-story villa at the center of the estate.
The villa's lobby was spacious. A rough-looking, bearded man sat on a plush chair, pouring himself a drink. Nearby, two well-dressed soul masters sat alert, their eyes trained on Buck.
That's him.
Lin Bai assessed the guards. They didn't give off any real sense of threat. If they had been truly powerful, they wouldn't be wasting their time protecting a businessman.
With that confidence, Lin Bai made his move.
His telekinesis crushed down on the three men, pinning them in place.
"Who's there?!"
"I—I can't move!"
Buck and his guards panicked. A maid nearby shrieked and scrambled against the wall, sinking to her knees in fear.
Lin Bai deepened his voice using telekinetic vibrations. "Buck. I hear you've made quite a fortune. Be generous and lend me some of those gold coins, won't you?"
For a brief moment, Buck's expression shifted—from fear to something closer to relief. Just money? That was a small price to pay.
Over the years, he had made plenty of enemies. He had always feared that one day, someone would come seeking justice, determined to kill him.
But this man only wanted gold.
Desperate to survive, Buck whined incoherently, and Lin Bai loosened the force around his mouth.
"Sir! Please, spare me! I have money, plenty of it!" Buck blurted out. "There's a secret vault in my bedroom! Inside, you'll find fifty thousand gold soul coins in cash and three gold cards, each worth a hundred thousand. They're from the Tiandou Chamber of Commerce—anonymous and fully redeemable!"
Lin Bai tilted his head. "That's all? Let me remind you… you can always make more money. But you only have one life."
As his telekinesis pressed harder, Buck gritted his teeth, his forehead dripping with sweat. His entire body trembled as he stammered, "T-That's everything in the manor! The rest of my wealth is stored in the city, but I can send someone to retrieve it for you!"
His desperation was pathetic. Lin Bai considered it for a moment, then dismissed the idea. It wasn't worth the risk.
"No need. Take me to the vault."
The telekinetic hold around Buck vanished. His legs wobbled as he stood, his once-powerful body offering no sense of security. He staggered toward the stairs, his heart pounding in his chest.
Lin Bai followed.
As Buck stepped onto the second floor, Lin Bai flicked his fingers. The two soul master bodyguards downstairs collapsed, their bodies jerking before falling still.
This time, he didn't just snap their necks. He conjured a dagger with his telekinesis—an invisible blade that pierced their hearts, silencing them before they could even cry out.
Buck remained oblivious, secretly hoping someone would come to his rescue. He had spent over a decade amassing his fortune. If he had known this would happen, he would have spent an extra thirty thousand gold to hire a Soul King for protection.
But regret was meaningless now.
As soon as he opened the vault, Lin Bai's telekinetic dagger pierced his heart.
Buck collapsed to the ground, his life ending as quickly as it had been built.
Lin Bai didn't spare him a glance. Instead, he stepped into the vault.
Stacks of gleaming gold coins filled the space, along with finely crafted treasures studded with rare gemstones. A lifetime's worth of wealth hoarded in one room.
"System, can I recharge these directly?"
[Unlimited recharge available. Precious metals can be converted to system funds instantly. Exchange rate is determined by the system.]
The system's tone was as indifferent as ever. Lin Bai smirked. That meant the exchange rate would likely be unfair, but at least it saved him the trouble of selling them himself.
With a wave of his hand, the entire vault emptied in an instant.
[Recharge successful.]
A quick glance at his system balance showed the new total:
530,000 gold soul coins.
Buck had hidden more wealth than expected. If those gold artifacts had been auctioned properly, he could have made even more. But there was no use dwelling on it.
Pocketing his newfound fortune, Lin Bai silently floated out of the vault. He took out the deodorizing pills and used them according to the instructions, ensuring no scent or trace remained on him.
Then, without a sound, he left the manor and soared into the night—heading back to Notting City.