Systemless Villain

Chapter 199 Burning Sorrows

Long Tian and Lin Yan occupied adjacent seats in the rear, with Ling Han at the wheel.

The car raced forward, underscoring the urgency of their situation.

The nighttime ambiance, fortunately, translated to sparse traffic, facilitating a swift and composed journey.

Bolstered by Ling Han's driving prowess and the heightened perception of a peak golden core cultivator, the risk of mishap remained minimal.

Lin Yan's countenance bore the weight of worry; she had been away from home for over three hours, anxiously pondering her father's well-being.

Long Tian, unable to contain his curiosity any longer, inquired, "Where did that slap mark come from? Were those loan sharks behind it?"

Lin Yan shook her head, "No, it's not. I got caught pickpocketing, and I was slapped. I'm certain it would have escalated if I hadn't managed to escape," she explained.

Long Tian nodded empathetically. Now, he genuinely felt compassion for Lin Yan. At such a tender age, she confronted the harsh reality of leaving school to make ends meet.

His gentle touch on Lin Yan's hair served as a comforting reassurance.

"For now, let go of your worries; let's head to your home first," Long Tian said, his tone imbued with assurance.

Lin Yan nodded, finding solace in Long Tian's words.

Ling Han, privy to their conversation, promptly increased the car's speed.

----------

Over 20 minutes had elapsed; the night deepened, a starless expanse veiled in darkness, accompanied by the distant rumble of thunder.

In this moment, Long Tian, Ling Han, and Lin Yan had departed the urban landscape and ventured into a rural setting.

The ambiance exuded tranquility, with sparse lights and an abundance of trees. However, the houses were closely situated, posing a challenge for Ling Han to navigate the sports car. Moreover, the uneven terrain impeded the sleek vehicle's progress.

At this juncture, Ling Han brought the car to a halt. "Young master, continuing seems unfeasible; the road is narrow and uneven," he informed.

"Alright, no issue. Let's disembark here. We're close, correct?" Long Tian inquired, his attention directed at Lin Yan.

"Yes, we can walk from here to my house," Lin Yan affirmed with a nod.

"Okay, let's alight," Long Tian decided.

Ling Han acknowledged, and the trio stepped out of the car.

They couldn't help but hasten their pace as Lin Yan led the way. Her expression conveyed deep concern.

Passing by numerous houses, the majority simple wooden structures predominated by those less fortunate. The atmosphere hung quiet, with few individuals venturing outside their dwellings.

After a brief sprint, the trio halted before a wooden house swallowed by flames. Six thugs stood in front of the burning structure.

Lin Yan appeared frozen, her eyes widening in disbelief. Tears streamed down her face as she screamed, "Father!"

Her cry reverberated loudly, and she dashed towards the engulfed house.

Long Tian and Ling Han followed suit, reaching what seemed to be Lin Yan's residence.

Simultaneously, some thugs, spotting Lin Yan, promptly blocked her path to the house.

"Hey hey, where do you think you're going?" one of them taunted, a mocking tone accompanying his grasp on Lin Yan's hand.

Lin Yan struggled vehemently to break free. "You're so cruel! Let me go!" she shouted.

"Not until you settle your debt. You know, 100,000 Yuan isn't enough. There's still 200,000 Yuan unpaid, and today is the deadline," the man declared, his grin lingering.

Lin Yan's expression intensified with panic, not due to the debt but the relentless fire consuming her home.

"I know, please let me go; my father is still inside!" she pleaded.

"Oh, still making excuses? That won't work," the man retorted.

Lin Yan's tears flowed even more, her face a canvas of worry and fear.

In a sudden twist, she managed to break free from the man's grip. Her eyes widened as she witnessed the man's hand severed from his body.

The man himself was shocked, blood flowing from the severed hand.

His five friends stood in stunned silence.

"Aaaaaaagh!" he bellowed, writhing in pain.

Abruptly, his scream ceased, and he levitated into the air. It was evident that Ling Han had taken control of his body.

Ling Han clenched his fist, compressing the air, and the man crumpled with a sickening "Crack!" signifying his departure from human form.

The sudden turn of events left everyone in immediate silence and shock. However, Lin Yan swiftly turned and ran straight into her house.

Her footsteps deftly avoided the flames spreading on the ground.

Crack! The sound of splintering wood echoed as it fell directly onto her body, causing her to collapse to the ground, the wooden beam toppling over.

Despite the pain, she writhed and managed to push away the beam. Without hesitation, she ran and entered a room.

Her eyes scanned the surroundings, immediately locking onto a man lying on the ground.

"Father!" Lin Yan's anguished scream echoed through the chaos as she rushed to her father, frantically checking his condition.

Her heart raced, gripped by panic and profound fear as she faced the dire reality unfolding before her.

On the other side, Lin Kun weakly opened his eyes and tenderly stroked Lin Yan's tear-streaked cheek.

"Father, thank goodness you're still conscious; let's escape from this nightmare!" Lin Yan exclaimed, straining to lift her father's body.

Yet, despite her desperate efforts, her father's form remained ominously still. "Come on, father, you can do it," she pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

Lin Kun appeared devastatingly weak, his body refusing to respond.

"Yan'er, listen to me," he uttered, his voice a fragile whisper.

Lin Yan locked eyes with her father, his gentle caress on her cheek a poignant moment of connection.

"Forgive me for not bringing you happiness," he confessed, his tone heavy with remorse, tears cascading from his eyes.

"Don't say that, father, let's escape this place together," Lin Yan implored.

However, Lin Kun shook his head, "I have endured suffering for too long, Yan'er," he confessed, his voice fading.

"Please, father, don't surrender," Lin Yan pleaded. But met with silence from her father, she strained to lift his weakened body.

Lin Kun seemed resigned, bravely enduring the agony within his battered and burnt frame.

"I'm sorry, my daughter," he whispered.

And in the next moment, he succumbed to the engulfing darkness, his eyes closing, marking the poignant end of his journey.

Lin Yan's visage remained vacant, yet her heart hammered violently. Hastily, she checked her father's pulse, but there was nothing.

Disbelief etched across her face, "Father..." her voice faded as tears streamed down relentlessly.

Unable to contain her grief any longer, she wailed, embracing her father's lifeless form, her cries resonating amid the roaring inferno.

The echoes of her sorrow mingled with vivid recollections of her father's robust days, toiling tirelessly from dawn till dusk. Sometimes, a boiled sweet potato and a glass of water constituted his meager sustenance.

Regardless, her love for her father ran deep. But now, he had departed, leaving an irreparable void.

In an unexpected turn, the house levitated, suspended in midair. Subsequently, a gust of wind, cloaked in a soothing blue aura, materialized and promptly quelled the voracious flames.

Long Tian hastened towards Lin Yan, discovering her amidst poignant tears, cradling a lifeless figure.

His countenance shifted to one of mourning as he sat beside Lin Yan, gently stroking her hair. A swift appraisal allowed him to comprehend the somber reality.

"I'm sorry for your father," he offered his condolences.

Lin Yan's lamentations intensified. However, she rose, countenance aflame with anger.

Without awaiting Long Tian's response, she marched towards Ling Han, stationed before five supplicating men, rendered powerless.

Ling Han, discerning Lin Yan's approach, promptly stated, "Don't worry, I've incapacitated them. Given their transgressions, death appears insufficient for them."

The faces of the five men contorted with instant panic.

Meanwhile, Lin Yan, still aflame with anger, sported red eyes from her tear-stained face.

"I will kill them myself!" she proclaimed.

Hearing this, Ling Han was taken aback. Abruptly, Lin Yan seized one of the men by the neck.

The man stood petrified, eyes wide with disbelief and agony. Lin Yan's grasp, despite her petite hands, exerted formidable strength.

Unyielding in her wrath and thirst for vengeance, Lin Yan continued to mercilessly strangle the man.

In the next moment, a sickening "Crack!" resonated, signaling the snapping of the man's neck.

He crumpled to the ground, his eyes slowly shutting with his final breath.

The shocking scene left everyone, including Long Tian, in disbelief. They hadn't anticipated Lin Yan, devoid of a cultivation base, would take a life, let alone a young girl committing such an act.

Yet, Lin Yan's countenance remained far from content. She retrieved a stone from the ground and advanced toward the remaining four men.

Increasingly frantic, the four men wore expressions of horror, silenced by Ling Han's paralyzing grip.

"I will kill each of you!" Lin Yan exclaimed.

With those words, she struck each of them with the stone repeatedly, blood staining the ground beneath.

The disconcerting sounds of cracking and the impact of the stone against flesh filled the air. Long Tian and Ling Han, witnessing Lin Yan's actions, were rendered speechless.

As the relentless strikes persisted, a final, devastating blow crushed the last man's skull, blood spilling onto the ground.

Lin Yan's appearance now bore the marks of terror, her clothes stained with the blood of those she had killed.

The stone slipped from her hand, hitting the ground. Her expression once again shrouded in sorrow, she sobbed on the ground.

Long Tian and Ling Han approached immediately, offering gestures of comfort. It was heart-wrenching to witness a little girl, who should have known only joy, endure such a profound trial.