Chapter Forty-Four: Just Showing Off!

“I can’t quite figure it out. Facing the barrel of a gun, aren’t you afraid at all? Do you think this gun has no bullets, or is it simply a fake?”
Zou Linsen struggled to resist the urge to pull the trigger, his brows furrowed as he voiced his doubt—a question that had unsettled him from the start. Earlier, while chatting with his adversary, he had genuinely wanted to exchange words with this stranger who was now his nemesis, but he also hoped to see if the man had any hidden cards to play.

“Whether I’m afraid or not hardly matters. What I want to say is: once you fire this shot, there’s no turning back,” Lan Tian replied—not directly answering, but instead offering a warning.

“Heh, do I even have a way out now?” Zou Linsen laughed, his grip tightening on the gun, his finger curling around the trigger. “Let me see if you can stay so calm after taking a bullet!”

“I truly despise your composure!”

Bang!

The gunshot rang out...

Yet, there was no scream, no grunt—only a voice as steady as ever.

“As you wish.” Lan Tian’s expression remained unchanged; he withdrew the subtle power from his hand and opened his palm.

Ding.

The sound of metal falling to the ground was crisp and pleasant, but to Zou Linsen’s ears, it was as deafening as thunder.

“How... how is this possible...” Zou Linsen sprang up, eyes wide, pupils unfocused, lips quivering as he pointed at Lan Tian, incapable of uttering a complete sentence.

Inconceivable—utterly inconceivable!

What had he seen?

He saw the other man catch the bullet.

So casually, as if grabbing a piece of candy, he caught a bullet...

A bullet fired at close range, from the large-caliber Desert Eagle...

For a moment, countless phrases flashed through his mind: Iron Body? Immortal? Alien?

“I told you: once you fire this shot, there’s no turning back.” Lan Tian rose to his feet, the deadly aura honed from countless virtual game hunts beginning to fill the air.

“Who... what exactly are you?!” Zou Linsen stammered, retreating step by step, his body drenched in cold sweat from the chilling murderous intent.

“Relax, I won’t kill you.” Lan Tian sneered, advancing on Zou Lintao. When he reached him, he slapped him across the face—so hard that Zou Linsen spun twice, teeth flying from his mouth.

Then came a punch to his shoulder. Instantly, Zou Linsen’s gun-wielding arm went limp, clearly broken.

“You... you said...” Zou Linsen collapsed to the ground, staring in terror at Lan Tian, his voice trembling.

“I said I wouldn’t kill you—not that I wouldn’t beat you.” Lan Tian’s sneer deepened. For someone who had tried to take his life, he felt no need for courtesy.

Yet he wouldn’t lose his head and commit murder, not for the sake of venting anger—not for someone destined to spend the rest of his days in prison. Lan Tian was satisfied with his current life; he had no intention of becoming a murderer.

At the very least, such a public figure couldn’t be killed.

Yet, his abilities had been exposed. That was a real problem.

He’d enjoyed pretending, especially seeing Zou Linsen’s terrified eyes when the bullet hit the floor—pure satisfaction. But now, how to clean up the mess? That was the dilemma.

He couldn’t kill him, but letting him go was risky—if word spread, things could get complicated. He didn’t want his secret revealed so soon.

Although, he doubted anyone would believe Zou Linsen.

“If only I hadn’t insisted on showing off. I should’ve just taken him down from the start. Now I’ve created a huge headache for myself...” Lan Tian regretted bitterly.

It was just like that saying: acting cool feels great for a moment, but then comes the disaster...

“You never came to my house today. That slap on your face, you did it yourself. The shoulder? You tripped and fell.” Lan Tian stared at Zou Linsen with icy menace, speaking slowly, “I won’t touch Zou Tao’s shares, but if I hear even a whisper about me catching a bullet, I’ll not only kill you, but your wife, your son, everyone connected to you—I won’t spare a single soul. Believe me—I can do it.”

Zou Linsen’s mouth quivered; he seemed about to speak. But then he thought of his wife, and his only son, Zou Tao. In the end, he said nothing, nodded, and struggled to his feet, staggering out in defeat.

He knew—when faced with such a monstrous existence, he had lost utterly, completely.

Even if he told anyone, no one would believe him; even if someone did, it wouldn’t necessarily affect Lan Tian. He wouldn’t risk it. He hadn’t reached the point of sacrificing his family for revenge. The man before him was beyond reason; he wouldn’t gamble the lives of his loved ones on so many unknowns.

Phew... Luckily, I was quick-witted. I’ll never show off again—almost exposed myself to the public. If word got out, I’d never have peace again, Lan Tian thought, breathing a sigh of relief as he saw the look Zou Lintao gave him before leaving.

Idiot. You pretended to be a mysterious master, but in the end, it was just a threat that solved the problem. Why didn’t you do that from the start? Bai’s voice rang in his ear.

Lan Tian: “...”

“Is it so wrong to show off now and then? I’m so powerful, yet no one knows—the pain, the frustration! Now I understand why Spider-Man and the others wear those ridiculous suits to save the world. It’s not about justice, not about some lofty ideals—nonsense! It’s because they can’t resist the urge to stand out! It’s pure vanity! They want everyone to know they’re special, that they have power!”

Bai: “....”

After venting, Lan Tian reflected on the confrontation. Though he had spoken confidently, some of Zou Linsen’s points were not without merit—they deserved reconsideration.

Had he truly done wrong?

He had single-handedly brought Zou Linsen to ruin, his family nearly destroyed. Was this evil?

From his own perspective, using Zou Linsen’s dirty secrets against him was justified—it was revenge, and he had every right to strike hard when the opportunity arose.

But from Zou Linsen’s perspective, he wasn’t wrong either. It was his personal matter, nothing to do with Lan Tian. Forget about justice and righteousness—Lan Tian had never thought in those terms. He simply wanted to use the scandal to defeat him. So, from Zou Linsen’s angle, Lan Tian had indeed acted heartlessly, and seeking revenge was only natural.

“My son offended you just a little, and you destroyed me completely. Is that reasonable? If I don’t seek revenge, who will?” That was Zou Linsen’s central argument tonight, and it was flawless.