Witch World Warlock - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Blackmail

Lei Lin had always avoided pointless conflicts. The satisfaction he derived from defeating an opponent was far outweighed by the progress he made through practice.

There was no animosity between him and Olin. In fact, Olin's actions had indirectly given Lei Lin a chance to be reborn by seriously injuring the previous version of himself.

For Lei Lin, practicality trumped honor. Though he might swear on family honor, the real issue lay with Olin's demand, which crossed a line.

"You... you can't do this! Lord Black Robe will not let you go!" Olin's voice trembled with urgency.

Lei Lin gripped the pouch tightly, feeling the weight of the situation.

"Haha... Do you really think the black robes care about us? Didn’t you notice no one came to help when I was nearly beaten to death last time?"

Olin’s knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists. "Hand over the magic stone, or I'll break your ribs one by one!"

As Olin loomed closer, Lei Lin was swallowed by his shadow. The location, far from the camp and with only Olin’s few followers as witnesses, felt increasingly isolating.

"Don’t bother watching; no one's coming to your rescue," Olin sneered.

"Really? Well, that’s just fine!" Lei Lin’s sudden grin was unsettling. In a blur, he was behind Olin. "I’m here for revenge!"

With a powerful kick, Lei Lin struck Olin’s side. The force propelled Olin into the air, and he crashed heavily to the ground, pain contorting his face.

"How dare you!" Olin roared, his eyes blazing with fury. "You’ll pay for this!"

Olin struggled to his feet, his gaze filled with vengeance. "I’m going to make sure you regret this!"

Seeing that his earlier attack seemed ineffective, Lei Lin's eyes narrowed. "So this is the advantage of a strong physique?"

Olin swung his fists wildly, his power evident as his blows dented a nearby tree. "Even with my physical prowess, I can’t take too many of those hits," Lei Lin thought, quickly assessing his options.

"Chip, simulate the best strategy for defeating Olin," Lei Lin instructed.

"Ding! Mission established. Auxiliary mode activated," came the chip’s response.

"Squat down!" the chip advised as Lei Lin ducked under Olin's attack.

"The enemy's defense has a flaw! Optimal attack direction: armpit," the chip continued.

Dodging another blow, Lei Lin moved in swiftly. "Your strength is impressive, but your body is too rigid. Is this the downside of your physique?"

The surrounding onlookers gasped in amazement as Lei Lin delivered a precise punch to Olin’s armpit. Olin fell again, unable to rise, his face contorted in pain.

Lei Lin, matching Olin’s power, pressed his advantage. "You’re not in a position to make threats anymore."

Olin's eyes were wide with fear as he realized the seriousness in Lei Lin’s gaze. "Mr. Lei Lin! You can’t do this! My family will be outraged if you kill me!"

"Do you admit your mistakes?" Lei Lin asked with a sardonic tone.

"I admit it! I’m sorry!" Olin, facing the threat of death, quickly capitulated.

"Good. I accept your apology. According to noble law, I’m entitled to compensation."

Olin’s apprehension grew. "Compensation? You can’t be serious!"

"Hand over the magic stone in your possession," Lei Lin stated, a satisfied smile on his face.

"No! You don’t understand how many sacrifices were made for these stones!" Olin pleaded, struggling.

"Sometimes, life presents simple choices. Now, decide: your life or the magic stone," Lei Lin said, stepping on Olin’s face and pressing him into the dirt.

After a few minutes, Lei Lin eased the pressure and asked, "Have you made your decision?"

Olin gasped for air, his face smeared with mud and footprints. Though it was a grim sight, none of the onlookers dared to laugh.

One boy tried to back away, but Lei Lin shot a pebble at his knee, bringing him to the ground.

"Olin, did you see that? Don’t wait for help. And don’t test my patience again!"

The surrounding teenagers lowered their heads, visibly trembling.

"Fine! I’ll give you the magic stone, but it’s in the carriage. You’ll have to come with me to get it!" Olin offered.

"You expect me to believe that? Why would you leave such important items behind?" Lei Lin said, seeing through Olin’s ploy.

"It seems you haven’t learned your lesson!" Lei Lin’s gaze hardened as he grabbed Olin’s arm and twisted it violently.

The sound of bones cracking was accompanied by Olin’s screams. "If you don’t tell the truth, I’ll break your other arm!"

"No! Please! The black robes will come after you!" Olin pleaded, writhing on the ground.

"Haha... The black robes don’t care about us. No one came to help me last time, remember?" Lei Lin retorted.

"Alright, alright! I’ll give you the magic stone, but you must swear not to retaliate!" Olin’s face was ashen with fear.

"Very well. I swear on the honor of the Farrell family," Lei Lin agreed.

Olin, struggling to sit up, retrieved a golden pouch from his coat and threw it to Lei Lin. "All my magic stones are here!"

Lei Lin examined the pouch, which was finely embroidered with an eagle and shield design. Inside, he found several small black crystals.

"Ding! Unknown energy source detected!" the chip announced.

"Can it be used?" Lei Lin inquired.

"Comparison database insufficient. No utilization method found," the chip responded.

"Warning! Unknown trace radiation detected. Enhance protection recommended!" the chip advised.

Lei Lin turned to Olin, "Which academy are you attending?"

"Wetland Garden," Olin replied reluctantly.

"Ah, Wetland Garden. I’ve heard the admission fee is ten magic stones," Lei Lin said.

"That’s right. How do you know?" Olin asked, surprised.

Lei Lin smiled mysteriously. "Just a lucky guess."

"Alright, here’s your payment!" Lei Lin took three magic stones from the pouch and tossed the rest back to Olin.

"These three are all I need for compensation," Lei Lin said. He left enough for Olin to attend the academy, avoiding any potential backlash from higher authorities.

"Thank you!" Olin looked visibly relieved, his situation improved somewhat.

"Don’t worry, I’m not keeping your magic stones," Lei Lin said, noticing other noble boys gathering and clenching their hands tightly.

"Thank you, Lord Lei Lin!" The boys expressed their gratitude, relieved.

"However, I’ll need other compensation," Lei Lin said, eyeing one of the boys who had tried to run away earlier.

"The cross sword on your waist is quite nice," Lei Lin pointed out.

The boy quickly handed over the sword, "Take it, please!"

"Haha! I’ll accept it then," Lei Lin said, inspecting the well-crafted weapon. The cross sword, adorned with intricate patterns and a shark skin scabbard, was of high quality.

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ongoing, stay tuned.