However, those words only served to enrage Robin Bailey. Darell Wraith could only watch in the pouring rain as Robin Bailey, covered in garbage and foul water, frantically dug into the earth. Slowly, he stopped and turned around, sending chills down Darell Wraith’s spine. Because those were eyes like no other. Blood-red eyes that seemed to hold the depths of hell within them. In a moment of terror, Darell Wraith involuntarily took a step back. But the next second, he found that the person was right in front of him, a hand grabbing his head and smashing it against a nearby rock with a loud thud.
“What did you say?” Angry words resonated from Robin Bailey’s lips into Darell Wraith’s ears.
“Ahh!” Darell Wraith’s anguished scream finally escaped, blood gushing from his head as he collapsed on the ground, looking up to see a face contorted with madness, eyes filled with fear and trembling.
“Please… no… please… please…” He begged for mercy. Meanwhile, his companions, realizing only now the turn of events, were quick to urge forward in an attempt to help.
But then came Jeff Reczek, his eyes like copper bells. “It’s better to fall before me than to die at the hands of generals,” he growled menacingly. And it was the truth. Even wounded, Jeff Reczek’s skills were unmatched by these mere bodyguards. In a matter of moments, the supposed protectors fell one by one at his hands, leaving Darell Wraith despairing.
None were a match. All had fallen. And yet, even then, he held on to a glimmer of hope, quivering as he stammered, “I am Darell Wraith, son of the Wraith family… the Wraith family rules the city of Yushan… you can’t touch me… you can’t touch me… you can’t touch me…”
But then, another resounding thud.
His head struck the ground once more, eliciting even more agonized cries. Then came a whisper in his ear, akin to a demon’s voice. “Where is my mother?”
How would he know? Darell Wraith’s mind reeled from the pain, unable to withstand the agony, let alone divulge the whereabouts of Robin Bailey’s mother. Everything had been cleared out, and he had no idea where she might be. Yet, he dared not speak the truth, sensing that his life was on the line with each word.
“Perhaps she’s at Wraith’s…” He managed to grit his teeth and say at last. He truly had no clue, but his only chance at survival lay in pointing Robin Bailey in the direction of the Wraith family. It was his territory, a place where he might find salvation.
And so, with Robin Bailey gripping his neck as if dragging a dead body, they made their way to Jeff Reczek, who stood waiting. “The Wraith family,” Robin Bailey pronounced.
“Yes,” Jeff Reczek acknowledged with authority. And with that, the trio – or rather, the duo, plus the near-dying Darell Wraith – headed towards the Wraith family, where Darell found a glimmer of hope in his dire situation, knowing it was his home turf with plenty of skilled individuals. Little did he know, his actions would bring catastrophic consequences upon the Wraith family…
In the grand courtyard of the Wraith family, the second-in-command Joseph Wraith was troubled as he fidgeted with prayer beads, his eyes twitching incessantly. Seeking reassurance from the head butler at his side, he questioned, “Left eye twitches for misfortune, right eye twitches for wealth… are we in for some trouble? I can’t seem to stop twitching.”
“Master Wraith, you worry needlessly. The Wraith family currently enjoys a position of power in Yushan City; even the other four major families dare not provoke us lightly. As for outsiders, in Yushan City, our territory, they pose no substantial threat,” the head butler reassured repeatedly.
“I suppose you’re right,” Joseph Wraith conceded. Indeed, the Wraith family’s influence was significant enough to deter any potential troubles. It must have been a case of overthinking.
“Speaking of which, has the young master returned yet?” Joseph Wraith inquired further.
“Not yet,” the head butler shook his head. At that moment, another man emerged from the house with a smile. “Father, don’t worry about Darell Wraith. He went to investigate something, two lunatics were digging in the dirt, easily manageable. Once he sorts it out, he’ll probably head to the nightclub or bar – he’s not one to endure loneliness.”
Mark Wraith, Darell’s cousin and fellow family member, shared these details with a casual tone.
“Ah, that boy, always up to no good. Last time he got involved in the death of a female student, I had to clean up after him. Can’t seem to get his act together,” Joseph Wraith sighed. Even though Darell was young, he held a special position within the family, earning the affection of its members.
“By the way, what about those troublemakers from last time?” Joseph Wraith inquired.
“Two took the money and quieted down, but the other two – we broke their legs. They’re still in the hospital and unwilling to settle. One claims it’s his father’s grave, another his deceased wife’s tomb. They refuse to back down,” Mark Wraith relayed the incident with a glint of malice in his eyes.
“It seems even money won’t suffice? Well, they brought this upon themselves. If they’re unwilling to settle, then perhaps a discreet resolution is in order. The matter of the school district cannot be delayed,” Joseph Wraith declared, urging for a swift conclusion to the issue.
Mark Wraith nodded in agreement, a trace of ruthlessness in his eyes. “To offer a toast unreciprocated is to invite punishment. They had their chance but squandered it. An old burial ground with a bunch of bones cannot compare to the importance of our school district plan at the Wraith family. They’re asking for trouble. Let’s hope there won’t be another troublemaker – or else blood may spill once more.”
“It’s not my intention for bloodshed; they bring it upon themselves,” Mark Wraith justified his actions. Yet, at that instant, a resounding thud echoed as a mangled body was thrown through the doorway, a voice calling out, “Looking for trouble? You haven’t even begun to see what trouble truly means to me.”