These people weren’t invaders. If they were, even a minute’s delay to kill them would be too long!
“Pfft!” Nathan couldn’t help but burst into laughter at this.
The others found it equally absurd. This had to be the most ridiculous person they’d ever encountered.
Surrounded by thousands, yet still spouting such bravado – where did his confidence come from? Not a soul present believed one man could take on thousands, let alone an armed mob.
The leader of the North Goose Hall, Eagle, couldn’t contain himself and taunted, “Mr. Atkinson, this guy seems to be imitating you! Talking about bloodbath, huh.”
Iron Ox, the leader of the West Goose Hall, chimed in, “Big words, but can he withstand actual punches?”
Black Tiger, the leader of the East Goose Hall, stepped forward, puffing out his chest, and volunteered, “Bro, let me be the first to test him!”
Kayden’s gaze fell on Black Tiger. The man was burly, about the same height as Kayden, with skin as dark as coal. Two prominent scars on his face, seemingly cut by a knife, gave him an especially fierce appearance.
Black Tiger stepped forward, pounding his chest violently, then raised his hand to stroke the scars on his face, his gesture full of provocation.
Kayden, however, didn’t even dignify this clown with his full attention. His voice remained level, his demeanor cool. “Your minute’s up. Since you’ve chosen to stay, so be it. As for you,” Kayden’s eyes flicked to Black Tiger, “you’re not worth my time. If you want a fight, bring everyone. Don’t waste my time. In ten minutes, this place will be a living hell!”
With that, Kayden took a step forward.
“Arrogant bastard!” Black Tiger roared, charging like an enraged bull. “Let’s see who dares help you now!”
No sooner had he spoken than the three leaders surged forward. Inassea’s trio of young masters, ready to strike as one.
Nathan raised a hand to halt them. “Wait!”
Cutting them off, Nathan stepped forward, scrutinizing Kayden. From his clothes to his bearing, Nathan couldn’t fathom what gave this upstart the gall to challenge them.
“Clap! Clap!” Two sharp claps pierced the night’s silence. Nathan’s face was a mask as he regarded Declan, held between two hulking men well over six feet tall. These two were clearly gym rats, their bodies seemingly chiseled from granite. Between them, Declan looked like a scrawny chicken.
They dragged Declan into the crowd, tossing him to the ground like yesterday’s trash.
Declan shook like a leaf, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the two giants in terror.
His face was a map of bruises, his once-pristine suit now a canvas of blood. The brutality of the previous night needed no explanation.
“What about those loyal dogs of his?” Nathan asked coldly, flicking away his cigarette.
One of the muscle-bound men replied, “Mr. Atkinson, they’ve been dealt with!”
Nathan gave a curt nod, then turned his gaze on Declan.
Under Nathan’s stare, Declan crumbled. He fell to his knees, groveling. “Mr. Atkinson, please, have mercy! I never meant for this to happen. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have dared cross you, not in a million years!”
He clutched at Nathan’s trouser leg like a beaten cur, whimpering pathetically.
Declan, once the South Goose Hall’s big shot, commanding thousands, had been reduced to this pitiful state overnight-a testament to Nathan’s savagery.
Without warning, Nathan drew a pistol, its dark muzzle finding Declan’s forehead. His face twisted with rage, he growled, “Yesterday, Declan whipped up the crowd to snap photos and videos, dragging the Atkinson family’s name through the mud. Now the whole damn city’s talking about how I got my ass handed to me. Everyone’s laughing, calling the Atkinsons yellow-bellied cowards. Well, I’m here to set the record straight. The Atkinsons are no cowards! From now on, anyone who pulls a stunt like Declan’s, this is what they get!”
The words had barely left his mouth when a deafening “BANG!” split the air. Declan’s head erupted in a spray of crimson. He twitched once, twice, then lay still.
Nathan’s move was lightning-fast, leaving the other bosses no time to react.
Black Tiger, Eagle, and Iron Ox stood slack-jawed. They’d thought Nathan was just flexing, never dreaming he’d actually pull the trigger. What’s more, he’d just offed Declan, one of Inassea’s Big Four.
Nathan’s message was crystal clear-kill one to warn more. This wasn’t just a wake-up call for the gathered thugs, but a stark warning to Kayden. Killing to prove a point was standard gang playbook, but taking out a fellow boss? That spoke volumes about Nathan’s hatred for Kayden.
Yet through it all, Kayden’s face remained a stone wall, as if none of this concerned him in the slightest.
Nathan’s brow furrowed. “This guy’s got nerves of steel,” he thought. “Surrounded, watching a man die, and he doesn’t even flinch.”
He sneered. “You’re something else, alright. One night, and you’ve turned my family into Inassea’s biggest joke. But mark my words, this is your last hurrah. Come tomorrow, no one will even remember your name.”
Nathan raised his gun, teeth bared in a snarl. “Your time’s up!” Without hesitation, he squeezed the trigger, aiming to end Kayden then and there. But wary of Kayden’s strength, he kept his distance.
In that split second, a voice like thunder ripped through the night. “Threaten Seclela’s commander, and you die!”
As the echo faded, something black, too fast for the eye to track, streaked towards Nathan.
With a sickening “thwack,” a bloody hole appeared in Nathan’s hand. Blood gushed from the wound.
In the next instant, a dark figure, moving like a panther, vaulted over the crowd’s heads. He seemed to materialize out of thin air, landing with catlike grace. His eyes blazed with intensity, brows knitted in a fierce scowl.