Chapter 77: A Major Consumer of Adult Films

“No need to look for me, I’m right here.” Ling Tian happened to overhear the man’s words. He hadn’t expected the other party to be on the verge of seeking him out as well, with such nerve. Discovered abducting girls, and instead of fleeing, they intended to demand her back? This could only mean these people were either fools or had powerful backing. Ling Tian guessed the latter was more likely, but regardless of how influential they were, he felt no fear.

“You’ve got guts, damn it, sticking your nose in my business. Today, I’ll cripple you!” The wiry man called Da Hai strode forward as he spoke.

He paused when he saw Ling Tian had brought so many people, but quickly realized they were just a bunch of young men, all holding sticks. He sneered inwardly, certain these were nothing more than petty street punks, not worth worrying about.

“Hmph! Brothers, let’s get them!” Ling Tian gave a cold laugh, ordering the attack.

Since the man hadn’t even bothered to ask who Ling Tian was, it meant this thin fellow truly didn’t see him as a threat. Ling Tian felt a pang of being underestimated.

At his command, Zhang Yue and the others behind Ling Tian charged forward with their clubs. Da Hai’s men retaliated, and chaos erupted. Da Hai himself didn’t engage Ling Tian directly, feeling his own men were more than enough. He retreated to sit with the elderly man, while the four men he had just scolded surrounded Ling Tian.

“Da Hai, that’s quite a crowd on their side. Can your men handle them, or should I lend you a hand? My two men are top-notch fighters,” the old man offered, indicating with a gesture the two unsmiling men in black behind him. Though not physically imposing, both carried a chilling, lethal aura—a kind of deathly calm in their eyes rather than mere menace.

“They’re just a bunch of kids—how much trouble could they possibly cause? Let’s just sit here and enjoy our tea. My men will clear them out in no time,” Da Hai said, pouring himself a cup and sipping slowly.

It had to be said, Da Hai’s men were indeed quite formidable; they were true elites, not common thugs. Even with iron clubs, Zhang Yue and company were quickly overwhelmed, some even having their weapons snatched and used against them.

“Damn! I underestimated you. Looks like I’ll have to use my hidden weapons,” Ling Tian muttered. Seeing his side losing ground, he loosed a hail of silver needles, targeting vital acupoints. This time, he didn’t use folded bills—silver needles were simply more effective and there weren’t that many foes; his supply would suffice.

Besides, these opponents were far more skilled than those under the bald man he’d faced before. Using cash as a weapon would only wound flesh, hardly enough to bring them down. Precise needle strikes to the acupoints were far more decisive.

Cries of pain erupted—some barely had time to shout before they collapsed. Even the four men encircling Ling Tian each fell to a single needle.

A practitioner of both medicine and martial arts is unstoppable. Since dual-cultivating with Li Youran, Ling Tian’s strength had grown immensely; the force behind his thrown needles was now incomparable to before, entirely unlike the last time he’d protected Lin Youya.

“Hmph, lacking real skills yet dabbling in the underworld—you deserved this beating. I thought as much: Black Dragon Gang? Never heard of them. Turns out it’s just a rabble,” Ling Tian sneered at the fallen men.

“Hahaha, yeah, they’re pathetic!” Zhang Yue and the others chimed in from behind.

Before coming in, Ling Tian had reassured them that the police would arrive soon, so there was no need to hold back or worry. Still, they hadn’t expected the opposition to be so strong and had suffered for it. Fortunately, Ling Tian’s intervention had turned the tide, though they couldn’t quite see what weapon he’d used. Only after the enemies fell did Zhang Yue and the others breathe a sigh of relief.

Now the burly Da Hai could no longer sit calmly. All his men were down—this was beyond anything he’d anticipated. He glared coldly at Ling Tian. “Who the hell are you?”

“Only now you ask who I am? Very well, let me tell you: I am Ling Tian. Ling, as in soaring ambition; Tian, as in the greatest under heaven,” Ling Tian finally felt properly acknowledged and introduced himself ceremoniously.

“Ling Tian?” The man frowned; the name meant nothing to him. But after witnessing so many of his men felled at once, he dared not underestimate this youth. He discreetly signaled to the old man.

The old man’s two bodyguards readied themselves but were halted by his gesture. Instead, the old man regarded Ling Tian with the gaze of one appraising a rare gem.

Ling Tian, for his part, studied the two men behind the old man. The thirty-something Da Hai didn’t concern him, but the two bodyguards seemed genuinely dangerous—more like professional killers. He wasn’t worried for himself, but Zhang Yue and the others might be at risk. He grew more alert, knowing these two might be able to evade his needles. After all, he wasn’t invincible; there are always greater powers in the world.

“Well! A true hero in youth! Young man, which gang do you belong to?” the old man finally spoke.

He was clearly interested in Ling Tian. Despite the youth’s formidable abilities, he was still inexperienced in the underworld. If he could be recruited, it would be a real coup.

“I’m not part of any gang. These are just my brothers, but I am considering joining one,” Ling Tian replied. In truth, he was planning to join Song Ziyue’s Violet Moon Gang—or rather, once he won her over, he would naturally be counted among their ranks.

“You should consider the Black Dragon Gang. We’re quite a force,” the old man said, clearly trying to recruit him.

“If this is what you call strength, then I’m not impressed—they’re all lying on the ground,” Ling Tian retorted with open disdain.

“Haha, this is nowhere near the full strength of the Black Dragon Society,” the old man laughed, though his smile seemed lecherous, as did his whole appearance.

“So, you’re a leader in the Black Dragon Society?” Ling Tian scrutinized the old man, finding him somewhat mysterious and hard to read.

“I’m not actually a member; I just have some business with them,” the old man replied, assuming an air of superiority.

“Then who are you, and why are you trafficking these girls?” Ling Tian glanced at the three little girls in the corner, recalling the one in his own room that had so touched his heart. He wanted to understand exactly what these men were doing.

“I am Muto Kimura, executive director of Inukai Corporation of the Eastern Empire. These girls are to be brought back to the East with me. However, if you join the Black Dragon Society or help Inukai Corporation, I can give you the girl in your room as a gift,” the old man said after a moment’s thought, making his offer.

“Take them to the East? To sell them? They’re just children, how can you be so heartless?” Ling Tian pointed at the youngest girl.

He was shocked. He had thought he was dealing with a simple child-trafficking ring, but now realized they were collaborating with foreigners—truly despicable!

“These are the best prospects. It would be a waste to simply sell them. Our Inukai Corporation is the largest AV production group in the entire East. We launched many famous actresses—from Ai Iijima in the early days, to Sora Aoi, Riko Tachibana, Maria Ozawa, and now the hottest, Yui Hatano—they all rose to fame with our support,” the old man boasted about his company. Whether it was true or not was anyone’s guess; weren’t those stars from different companies?

Damn! Ling Tian cursed inwardly. He enjoyed watching those films and admired those women, but this kind of company disgusted him—especially when it involved trafficking Chinese girls to the East. Bastards!

“You want these little girls to star in AVs?” Ling Tian’s eyes blazed with fury. He recalled seeing some films with underage girls—damn it, watching them was one thing, but if Chinese girls were being forced into such roles, he’d tear the entire company apart.

“They wouldn’t film right away. We have a juvenile actress training center. The girls are trained according to our standards in diet and lifestyle. Eventually, they’ll become the world’s top actresses,” the old man explained in detail.

“Top actresses, my ass! Bastard!” Ling Tian could bear it no longer and threw a punch at the old man.

To his surprise, the old man dodged nimbly and even caught his fist, chuckling, “Young man, don’t be so hot-headed. Without our company, where would you get all those great films to watch? China is a major consumer of adult films, you know—global number one in online downloads.”

“Damn it! I always thought those women were all from your own country or the West!” Ling Tian was livid. He’d never imagined Chinese girls were being trafficked to star in those films.

Yet this old man’s ability to catch his punch was also unexpected. Then again, if he didn’t have some skill, he wouldn’t dare come to China with just two bodyguards to kidnap girls. Still, Ling Tian was confident he could deal with him, especially if he used the Yin-Yang techniques. That last punch had been thrown in a moment of rage, without thought.

“Young man, you know too much now. Only two choices remain: either join the Black Dragon Society and work for us—or leave your life here,” the old man said calmly, releasing Ling Tian’s hand.

Clearly, he had laid out all the cards to force Ling Tian’s decision. A young man like Ling Tian, if allowed to grow, could become dangerous. Better to recruit if possible; if not, eliminate.