Chapter 625 - 360: A High-Stakes Gamble

Chapter 625: Chapter 360: A High-Stakes Gamble

The atmosphere inside the bus grew tense at Lin Chu’s words.

The attendants in both the front and back rows turned to look.

Jin Bingzou slammed his hand on the table with a loud BANG. He shot to his feet, his eyes fixed on Lin Chu in a furious glare.

This was a high-profile visit.

They were scheduled to meet with influential local figures, who had yet to make an appearance.

Besides, he was accompanying Mr. Liszt, a man whose status was naturally much higher than his own.

Security should have been the last thing they needed to worry about.

He just never imagined that right after their plane landed, while still on the bus, this young man would have already cornered him so embarrassingly.

Seeing him slam the table and stand up, Lin Chu whipped around and slapped him across the face.

The move was lightning-fast.

After all the time he’d spent training, there was no way a businessman in his forties with no combat experience could possibly block it.

Jin Bingzou stumbled from the blow, letting out a pained cry as he staggered back.

The crisp, loud SMACK made even Liszt look up in surprise, his brow furrowing slightly.

Such an act was far too extreme.

But he couldn’t fathom Lin Chu’s motive for doing so.

Seeing Lin Chu attack, Jin Bingzou scrambled backward. The security guards from the rear rushed forward—one team of four surrounded Lin Chu while another formed a protective detail around their boss.

A conflict like this was truly beyond anyone’s expectations.

Due to security measures, there was no chance anyone was carrying a firearm; no one present was armed.

Here, in the bustling downtown of a first-tier city in China, was an absolute no-go zone for firearms. No one was even carrying a regulated knife.

Casually flexing his wrist, Lin Chu looked at Liszt, his eyes calm and tinged with a smile.

"I’ve arranged for ten dump trucks to be positioned at various intersections throughout this district. I have a GPS tracker on me. And although I’m on this bus too, I’m betting I’m tougher than you are."

"When the vehicles collide, deadly shrapnel will rain down on everyone indiscriminately, like the momentary burst of a firework."

"Care to make a bet?"

"Mr. Liszt, I’ve never been one for games of chance, but this time, I’m making an earth-shattering wager."

"With my life, and yours, as the stakes."

This plan had crossed Lin Chu’s mind before. It was one of his opening gambits.

After all, he held the home-field advantage here on Yang City’s turf.

For someone willing to throw his own life into the pot, someone who didn’t fear death, all the rules of this world were meaningless.

’Of course I don’t want to die.’

But Lin Chu was betting that this old man wanted to die even less.

Even if he already had one foot in the grave.

Liszt understood what Lin Chu was saying.

Everyone present understood, and the color drained from their faces as their expressions shifted.

The driver in the front seat couldn’t stop himself from shouting, "Hey man, don’t be rash! I’m not part of this! I’m just the fucking driver! I drive for the boss!"

Lin Chu glanced at him. "Just drive the bus! You have insurance, right?"

Hearing this, the driver gritted his teeth and suddenly slammed on the brakes. With swift movements, he steered the bus onto the shoulder, threw open the door, and in one fluid motion, leaped out. He vaulted over the highway guardrail. Below was a slope, but he managed to tumble and scramble his way down.

Everyone else on the bus: ???

They were once again stunned by this turn of events.

Even Lin Chu couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation. ’Holy shit, that guy reacts fast!’

He shrugged.

Lin Chu spread his hands.

"You had a good driver."

"Congratulations."

"He escaped disaster."

"But just as there are countless roads in Yang City, this wager can take countless forms. The stakes, however, will not change. I just want to ask, Mr. Li, do you want to bet against me?"

Lin Chu once again made his resolve clear.

At these words, Liszt fell silent.

After a dozen seconds of silence, he turned to look at Li Jingxian.

The two shared a clear, unspoken understanding. With a single glance, Li Jingxian understood his boss’s intent. He walked directly to the driver’s seat, restarted the bus, and merged back into the flow of traffic, driving on steadily.

Liszt scratched his chin with his index finger, the nail rasping against his stubble. "Sit," he said slowly.

"Then let us wait and see."

"Champagne!"

he said with a laugh.

The staff in the back looked at the two of them as if they were madmen, but someone still opened a bottle of champagne and poured everyone a glass.

The pale yellow, bubbling liquid swirled gently in the glasses.

’Heh.’

At that moment, Lin Chu felt a flicker of admiration.

’The old man has real composure.’

’Incredible composure.’

"I’ve quit drinking," Lin Chu said with a smile. "If we’re about to meet God together, I suppose this will be my last one."

Liszt glanced at him and began to speak slowly.

"I’ve previously studied the global human gene pool. The genes of the Chinese people, in a colloquial sense, can be called the ’berserker gene.’ The MAOA gene mutation, also known as the ’warrior gene,’ is present in roughly seventy-seven percent of the population—the highest in the world. In Europe and America, it’s about one-third."

"The gene’s original function is to produce monoamine oxidase, which breaks down excess dopamine in the body. But in those with the ’berserker’ mutation, this degradation ability is significantly weakened. The resulting excess dopamine can lead to impulsiveness, but it also strengthens one’s ability to handle stress, making it easier to make wiser choices under high-pressure situations."