These were the words the white-bearded man managed to blurt out after finally shaking off his shock. Fear lingered in his heart and he fell into silence again.
On the Seclela’s side, Chairman Eduardo cast a calm glance over. The earlier disappointment and pain in his eyes had faded, replaced by a fierce spark of confidence. As he stared at the foreign council members, his eyes glinted with pure disdain, as if they were nothing more than trash.
Gasping for breath, one of the foreign delegates shouted at Colson and other Seclela council members, “This is murder! Your fighter intended to end his life from the very start. This is not a match; it’s blatant murder!”
A snort escaped Colson. He replied in a flat tone, “Rules go this way that fatalities are no one’s responsibility, and fists show no mercy. Deaths happen in fights; isn’t that just part of it? I remember you were the one who said that just a moment ago, weren’t you?”
Colson was turning their own words against them and revealing their hypocrisy.
The white-bearded guy gasped for breath, his chest heaving. His face twisted with rage, and he raised a shaky finger at Colson. “This is murder! It was merely an accident that our fighter caused those men’s deaths, but yours was deliberate. Your fighter launched a fatal strike, with no mercy! He wasn’t here to spar; he came to kill!”
Colson erupted into laughter, stroking his beard with amusement. “This is the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard! Ask yourselves why you dare to come provoke us first. Blame it on yourselves; you’re too weak! Let me tell you, anyone who dares challenge Seclela’s martial arts, this is the consequence they will face!”
Colson spoke as he pointed at the burly man sprawled on the ground! Now that the situation had flipped and Seclela was on the winning side, Colson felt his heart bubbled with pride.
His words cut like a slap, striking those foreigners’ faces with stinging force.
Their faces flushed with rage. The white-bearded elder gritted his teeth, asking in a steely voice, “Do you have any idea who he is? Do you even know who you just killed?”
Colson spread his arms in a show of indifference. “Does it matter who he is? He is the loser of this match. That’s all I need to know.”
The old man’s face twisted in anger. “Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he spoke in a low, chilling tone. “His brother is the top commander of our nation’s Battlefield. He oversees the elite forces in the army. He and his brother grew up together, and they’re inseparable. If his brother finds out what you’ve done, you will pay, all of you. No one will escape the consequences!”
Colson held his fist in the other hand, which was a signature gesture in Seclela’s martial arts. “Then I’ll be here, waiting for him!” he answered with an entirely composed look.
The foreigners’ fury simmered at his words. Colson’s response left them almost speechless with rage.
—
Meanwhile, in a small restaurant across from the boxing gym, two figures sat across from each other-Kayden and Coleman. As soon as Coleman realized Kayden was leaving the gym, he followed right behind him.
Kayden had done them such a great favor, and surely Coleman must show his gratitude, so he invited Kayden for a meal at this quiet spot.
Coleman raised his glass, smiling respectfully. “Defender, words can’t express our gratitude! Without you, Seclela would’ve faced utter disgrace today. Here’s to you!”
Kayden lifted his glass. He’s still wearing that expressionless look that made it hard to read his mind. “Just doing my duty.”
He couldn’t stand by and watch those foreigners create havoc on the land he swore to protect. It was his mission to step in.
Kayden had thought that three years of hardship might have dulled his sense of duty. But watching that foreigner cruelly hurt his compatriot, his instincts roared to life. He couldn’t hold back anymore!
This was who he was, a defender of this land. Loyalty was written on his bones.
Coleman was deeply moved by Kayden. He drained his cup in one go and said excitedly, “Defender, you’re an inspiration to all of us! Your devotion to the nation and people is nothing short of awe-inspiring.”
Kayden gave a brief nod, cutting short the pleasantries as he took a slow sip from his glass.
An abrupt ringtone interrupted them. Kayden’s phone rang.
He glanced down and answered it. Enoch’s urgent voice came from the other end, “Defender, I have the intel. The man goes by Poison Wolf-an S-class fugitive in Seclela as well as a notorious sniper in a mercenary group out of Asia. He’s a known troublemaker on a global scale, and he has crimes recorded across multiple countries. A few years back, he shot down an official in our Western Frontier. His current target in Seclela…is you. We even found a photo of you in his possession.”
“Have you found out who hired him?” Kayden asked calmly.
There was a brief silence on the other end before Enoch replied, “It’s likely someone domestic. We’re still investigating.”
“Good. Keep me updated with any new developments.” With that, he hung up without hesitation.
Coleman observed Kayden’s expression and asked, “Defender, is something wrong?”
“It’s nothing, just a minor issue. By the way, have you heard of an organization called Hellblazer?” Kayden inquired out of the blue.
Coleman paused, then shook his head. “Forgive my ignorance, Defender, but I’ve never heard of it.”
Kayden said no more, and the two lapsed into silence.
A few seconds later, Kayden glanced over at Coleman, noticing his furrowed brows as if debating whether to speak.
“Old Mr. Vincent, is there anything bothering you?” Kayden directly cut to the chase.
Coleman let out a startled sound, then replied with a sheepish expression, “As expected, nothing escapes your keen insight, Defender. There is indeed something I hoped you could help with.”
“Go ahead,” Kayden was genuinely willing to lend a hand if it was something simple.
Coleman let out a sigh and explained, “It’s relevant to one of my friends. His son has developed a rare disease. They’ve consulted countless specialists, but no one can cure it! I thought, with your expertise in medicine, you might be able to help. Oh, and don’t you worry. They’re prepared to offer a substantial reward for your services-a billion, in fact!”
Kayden’s gaze turned icy, and his expression darkened in an instant.
Coleman trembled with fear at the sight of his shift. He stammered out, “Defender, I know money means little to you! But that’s exactly what he said-I’m just relaying it word-for-word! This friend of mine, you might’ve heard of him. His surname’s John, Memphis John.”
“The John family of the East?” Kayden repeated softly, his eyes flickering with a hint of surprise.
Coleman nodded vigorously. “Yes, the John family of the East! They are known as the Eastern Commercial Empire.”
The John family is remarkably wealthy, steady in its expansion across numerous fields: oil, mining, entertainment, and real estate. They may trail the Four Great Families just slightly, but they’re positioned right below them. The Four Great Families included the Trevino family of Zlando, the Rocco family of the Western Frontier, the Scott family of the East, and the Alfredson family of the South.
These are Seclela’s Four Great Families-the most deeply rooted, powerful families in the land!