Accidentally invincible!-Chapter 61 - 0: Get Out of Here...

Serpent Gang Headquarters.

"I deeply appreciate Lord Wang and Master Zhao gracing us with your presence. I am truly grateful. Once Lord Lin arrives, we can begin." The Second-in-Command said with a smile, not mentioning anything about recent events.

Although Wang Zhou didn’t have a favorable impression of the Serpent Gang, he knew what kind of person the Second-in-Command was, so he didn’t show any sour expressions.

The Boss didn’t attend this banquet, and the seven Hall Masters sat there in silence.

They were furious inside, but the Second Master had warned them: tonight is a banquet. Whoever tries to steal the limelight will face severe punishment afterward.

Therefore.

They could only glare with their eyes.

Using their gaze to vent their dissatisfaction internally, they tried to make it clear—what the government has been doing lately greatly angered us, the Serpent Gang.

Wang Zhou and Zhao Desheng, of course, noticed the subtle glares from these fellows.

But they didn’t take it seriously.

Not at all.

The Second-in-Command squinted at the seven Hall Masters. "If you keep glaring at the two Lords like that, I’ll send you straight to the dungeon!"

The seven Hall Masters internally felt aggrieved.

Second Master.

This isn’t fair.

We are your people, not those two government guys!

But grievance, even if they felt it, had nowhere to be expressed.

At this moment, a voice came from outside.

"Lord Lin, please step inside."

It was the voice of one of the Serpent Gang members. Normally, they wouldn’t treat Lin Fan so politely, but the Second Master had ordered them to handle greeting duties nicely, so they had to make an effort.

Lin Fan entered the room, already full of people. The exquisite dishes on the table remained untouched, as everyone was waiting for him alone.

"Pardon me, everyone. There have been a lot of prisoners in the dungeon lately, and the interrogations ran late. I hope you haven’t been waiting long," Lin Fan said with a smile.

The Hall Masters frowned at his words.

Listen to that—do those even sound like words a human would say?

Showing up late is one thing, but blatantly taunting us? He truly has no regard for the Serpent Gang. Utter audacity!

Wang Zhou sighed silently. "Since you’re here, quickly take a seat. Everyone’s been waiting for quite some time."

Lin Fan took the seat next to Wang Zhou. Regarding the Serpent Gang’s invitation to this banquet, he had his opinions.

As for the specifics, it depended on the Serpent Gang’s intentions.

"Lin Fan, this gentleman here is the Second-in-Command of the Serpent Gang," Wang Zhou introduced Lin Fan, not missing out on the other Hall Masters.

Lin Fan glanced at Gao Yixiong and smiled. "It’s been a long time since we last met."

Gao Yixiong returned the smile. "Indeed, it’s been several days since we last saw each other."

He had revised his earlier judgment of Lin Fan, initially thinking the man was just a greedy and unscrupulous individual.

But after everything that had happened.

He realized Lin Fan wasn’t merely greedy; he was an arrogant young fool entirely oblivious to the dangers of the world—a complete madman.

"Now that everyone is here, let’s begin." The Second-in-Command beckoned for someone to pour wine, then raised his cup. "Thank you all for honoring me with your presence. First, allow me to drink to show my respect."

His orchid-shaped fingertip curved daintily.

"Hold on," Lin Fan interrupted. "Before we drink, let someone try the food and wine first. I’m worried your Serpent Gang might have poisoned it."

The Second-in-Command froze in shock. "Lord Lin, what are you saying? Could it be that you don’t trust me?"

"To be honest? No, I don’t trust you. And if I were to lie, I still wouldn’t trust you." Lin Fan replied. Dealing with the Serpent Gang naturally required extreme caution—you never knew what sinister tricks they might pull.

The Boss’s absence from this banquet indicated some dissatisfaction within the gang.

While the invitation came from the Second-in-Command, if the Boss orchestrated something behind the scenes—even if the Second-in-Command was unaware—he likely wouldn’t be able to intervene afterward.

"Don’t push it, kid! The Second Master humbled himself to host you, and here you are acting like a fool," a Hall Master stood up and yelled angrily, accusing Lin Fan of questioning them about poisoning.

Who does he think he’s humiliating?

"Sit down," the Second-in-Command reprimanded, then chuckled. "It’s fine. When away from home, one must indeed be cautious. Bring someone over to test the food and wine."

It wasn’t something Wang Zhou could conveniently address.

He also worried about such matters.

Now that Lin Fan had raised the concern, there was naturally no problem anymore.

In Wang Zhou’s view, Lin Fan was undoubtedly talented. What the government lacked was someone like him—someone audacious yet strategic. To put it bluntly: shameless, though a more refined term would be "cautious."

He hoped for Lin Fan to take over his position someday and maintain Jiangdu City’s stability.

However, someone of Lin Fan’s caliber shouldn’t stay confined to this small place; he should venture into broader realms and witness the grandeur that ordinary folks could never dream of.

Soon, the tester verified that the food and wine were harmless and departed.

Thus, the banquet began.

During the gathering.

The Second-in-Command placed down his wine cup and spoke slowly. "The Serpent Gang isn’t a criminal organization or a lawless band of thugs but a group sanctioned by royal authority. Whether a Hall Master or the Boss violates the law, the government can apprehend them—I have no objections. Such acts are their own doing."

"We and the government complement each other, working together to maintain peace in Jiangdu City. It was so in the past and remains so now. In this regard, what do Lord Wang, Lord Lin, and Master Zhao think?"

He didn’t demand the release of their captured gang members but shifted the topic to peace.

Poof!

Lin Fan, sipping his soup, couldn’t help but sputter some out. He quickly waved his hand dismissively, sporting a playful grin. "Please continue, continue. I’m all ears."

The Second-in-Command frowned briefly, then smoothed his expression. "Lord Lin, your smile carries a hint of mockery. If Lord Lin has any thoughts, why not share them for all to hear?"

"No, no, please go on, Second Master. Please continue." Lin Fan couldn’t suppress his amusement. Did all the Serpent Gang heads have a knack for lying through their teeth?

What kind of delusion were they under?

The Second-in-Command said, "Lord Lin seems to have words in his heart but chooses not to speak. That must mean something is amiss with what I’ve said. If that’s the case, it would be foolish to continue speaking and invite further ridicule."

Then, as if on instinct, he adjusted the tuft of hair atop his head.

Middle-age truly was cruel; all he had left were these few strands of hair.

Lin Fan stopped evading the issue and directly said, "Fine. Since that’s the case, let’s talk about it. You said the Serpent Gang and the government work together to maintain peace in Jiangdu City. I think that’s outright nonsense."

"Go out and ask around; see just how infamous you Serpent Gang people truly are. Your notoriety has reached the point of public outrage."

At this moment.

Xiang Wu couldn’t hold back anymore. He stood up, slammed the table, and shouted, "Utter slander! You’re defaming our Serpent Gang!"

Pow!

The Second-in-Command grabbed a dish of chicken and smashed it against Xiang Wu’s head.

"Xiao Wu, you’ve pushed me too far. Get out!"

Xiang Wu protested helplessly, "Second Master, this guy is spewing nonsense!" ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

"Out!" The Second-in-Command pointed to the door.

"Second Master..."

"Out."

Sigh!

Xiang Wu shot Lin Fan a furious glare, seething with helplessness as he stormed out.

Lin Fan said, "Second Master, no need to lose your temper. The truth is clear to you, to me, and to everyone here, so there’s no need for such insincere words."

"To put it plainly: the people in the dungeon can be released. But if they commit offenses again, I’ll still catch them."

Then he turned to Wang Zhou. "Lord Wang, do you think there’s anything wrong with what I’ve said?"

"Nothing wrong," Wang Zhou said calmly, silently praising Lin Fan. Well done—that’s exactly how it’s done. Of course, if he had said such things himself, it would undoubtedly have been inappropriate.

But Lin Fan saying it? No problem whatsoever.

"Second Master, judging by your incredulous expression, you seem unaware. What do you usually busy yourself with?" Lin Fan asked.

The Second Master replied, "Playing mahjong, sipping tea, singing opera... Naturally, I’ll investigate the matters you’ve mentioned. If they are as you say, I will impose severe punishment. But rest assured, the Serpent Gang absolutely does not oppose the government. That’s precisely why the Serpent Gang has endured for so long."

Lin Fan squinted at him. Was the guy bluffing, or was he truly oblivious?

But that didn’t seem plausible.

Someone who had risen to Second-in-Command should surely know about issues that could be verified with mere inquiries.

At this moment, Wang Zhou stood up and said, "Second Master, rest assured. We’ll release those we’ve detained. It’s getting late, so we won’t intrude further. Tonight’s banquet was genuinely excellent—thank you for your generous hospitality."

"Let’s go."

"Farewell."