chapter 16 The roots of troubles

"Leave this matter to me. I'll go back with them and handle it." At this moment, Tyler Luo stood up directly. Such matters could indeed be troublesome if you don't know the right people. Letting Avery Xu deal with it would only be a waste of time. Perhaps she was indeed talented in business, but when it came to such matters, ten Avery Xus couldn't compare to half a Tyler Luo. "Can you handle it alone? Those people are not to be trifled with!" Avery Xu wasn't distrusting Tyler Luo, but she didn't know him well either. If something unexpected happened, she would be the one to blame. To this, Tyler Luo responded with a smile: "Don't worry. Remember, I've served in the military. I've tackled far more dangerous missions than this. These guys are no big deal, I can handle them myself. Maybe I'll even bring back some criminal evidence against Brian Qin." "How is that possible!" Avery Xu rolled her eyes in disbelief. Tyler Luo continued: "Well, if I manage it, you owe me a kiss." As soon as he said this, he regretted it. After all, Avery Xu was his current boss, and such flirtatious remarks were generally not well received by women. However, Avery Xu was no ordinary woman. She glared at Tyler Luo with annoyance. Despite being exasperated by his ability to joke at such a time, she nodded in agreement: "Just be careful, and don't be a hero. Your safety is the most important." "Of course. You better think about how to deal with Brian Qin, I'm leaving." Tyler Luo saw the thugs getting up and, without hesitation, grabbed the leader and left the construction site under Avery Xu's worried gaze. Avery Xu and the others were left looking at each other in bewilderment. Who was this man? He was certainly bold. The thugs might not have been powerful or influential, but they were certainly not the kind to be provoked lightly. But they didn't try to stop him either. After leaving the construction site, Tyler Luo let go of the leader. The relaxed expression he had while talking to Avery Xu disappeared instantly, but the aura of danger he emitted made those around him dare not breathe heavily. This intangible pressure was overwhelming, leaving them inexplicably affected, as if they were instinctively afraid. They reached a van parked on a rural village road beside a five-story building that seemed to be a modest villa. "Our boss is inside," the leader said, not daring to refuse. Despite wanting to run away, something told them that it would end badly if they did. Tyler Luo didn't need to explain this. Over the years, too many had died at his hands, and his murderous aura had grown stronger. Sometimes, he didn't even have to do anything for ordinary people to feel uneasy around him, let alone when he glared murderously. "You lead the way. The rest of you stay here. If I come out and find someone missing, I'll hunt you down, and trust me, you'd rather die than suffer at my hands," Tyler Luo said coldly, his gaze sweeping over them before pushing the leader inside. The villa was not heavily guarded, just a closed stainless steel security door. "Open the door," Tyler Luo ordered. The leader trembled, "I... I don't have the keys." "Hmm?" Tyler Luo raised an eyebrow. The leader quickly stepped back, almost kneeling: "I really don't have the keys. The boss usually doesn't lock the door when he's home." "Not locked?" Tyler Luo tried the handle, and sure enough, the door was unlocked. "Wait here." He didn't let the leader enter, indicating that Tyler Luo wasn't concerned about these underlings. He entered the villa and was impressed by the luxurious interior, contrasting with the modest exterior. The owner clearly had a lot of ill-gotten wealth. Tyler Luo smirked, scanning the area. No one was downstairs, so he headed to the second floor. Before reaching the top, he heard a grating laugh: "Haha, Mr. Qin, don't worry. We'll make them bleed this time. Heh, I'll keep harassing them, delaying their construction. Then you can step in." "Yes, I've received the money. As for the two million from Avery Xu's side, if they don't pay, I'll send more people to harass them." The speaker, a middle-aged man with a bandaged head and a potbelly, seemed unremarkable. But underestimating him would be a mistake. Known as Smiling Tiger, he hated this nickname and would unleash his fury on anyone who dared mention it in his presence. Suddenly, Smiling Tiger heard clapping and turned to see a young man he didn't recognize walking up the stairs. "Who are you?" Smiling Tiger, whose real name was seldom known, was feared for his devious and ruthless demeanor. No one dared to provoke him in this area, so he rarely locked his doors. "Smiling Tiger, right?" Tyler Luo pointed at him without saying more, walking up nonchalantly and sitting down in front of him. "I hear you like to be called Brother Kyle. Nice name." "Who are you?!" Smiling Tiger asked again, his tone filled with anger but restrained. "Did Brian Qin instruct you to cause trouble at Baihua Technology's construction site?" Tyler Luo asked directly, his gaze piercing. Smiling Tiger's expression changed, and he subtly moved back. Tyler Luo seemed oblivious, "So, you extort money, huh? Here's the deal: pay me two million, and we'll call it even." "Pay you two million?" Smiling Tiger's mouth twitched, "Who do you think you are, coming here and acting tough?" His sixth sense told him that this young man was dangerous, but Smiling Tiger wasn't afraid, especially with a handgun nearby. In a flash, he drew the gun from under a table, his face twisting viciously: "You're so arrogant, huh?" "It's better not to point a gun at me," Tyler Luo said, his smile fading, his eyes like a leopard's. "I don't believe you're faster than a bullet!" Although Smiling Tiger was somewhat out of shape, his ruthlessness remained. He aimed at Tyler Luo, ready to fire. But as he fired, Tyler Luo sprang from the sofa in a blur, dodging the bullet which hit the sofa instead. He lunged forward, reaching Smiling Tiger before he could fire again. Tyler Luo grabbed his wrist, delivered a shoulder throw, and took the gun. "Oof!" Smiling Tiger hit the ground hard, the gun now pointed at his temple by Tyler Luo. "I told you not to point a gun at me," Tyler Luo said, stepping back, "Get up." Smiling Tiger couldn't believe his reaction time was so poor. Or was this young man just too fast? Suppressing his shock, Smiling Tiger slowly stood up, sitting opposite Tyler Luo under his watchful eye. "What did Brian Qin offer you?" Tyler Luo wasn't one to waste time on negotiations, but he had to consider Avery Xu's situation. It was a classic case of a woman causing trouble, all because Brian Qin was after her. "Not talking?" Tyler Luo put away the gun, his smile now dangerous. Smiling Tiger felt a chilling sensation. This seemingly gentle young man was unnervingly frightening. Who exactly was this person?