Just as Robin Bailey was about to take the next step and summon the wolf guards, a sound of chains reverberated through the Wraith family. In a corner, there were also some squeaking noises that made Robin Bailey pause, as he recognized this sound. It was the sound of Mr. Row.
Turning around slowly, Robin Bailey saw a figure curled up in a corner of the Wraith family, unnoticed by anyone. It was Mr. Row. But in this moment, he was filled with anger. Mr. Row was curled up on the ground, covered in tattered clothes, messy hair, and a chain around his neck restraining his movements. In front of him, there was a bowl of slop, reminiscent of pig feed.
Robin Bailey approached slowly. Mr. Row, upon seeing someone approach, showed a hint of fear in his eyes, immediately lowering his body, eating the slop in the bowl, and wagging his rear end, repeatedly saying, “Woof… woof… woof…”
This scene tore at Robin Bailey’s heart. Mr. Row was not supposed to be like this. Though he had been a wanderer before, he was not dirty. He was just a bit naive, not like this. Not like a ‘dog’.
“Mr. Row… it’s me… I’m Robin…”
Shaking, Robin Bailey crouched down and reached for Mr. Row’s shoulder. Mr. Row, trembling, continued to eat, and Robin Bailey spoke gently, “How did you treat my uncle?”
Robin Bailey turned to Joseph Wraith and his men with a chilling gaze. Joseph Wraith remained silent. And suddenly, Robin Bailey called out, “Jeff Reczek.”
“Boss, I’m here.”
With a thud, Jeff Reczek jumped down from the rooftop, a pleased look on his face, ready to make his move. He had been waiting to intervene, and he was eager to do so. Even though his expression was fierce, his demeanor reflected duty.
“Speak.”
Jeff Reczek looked at Joseph Wraith, knowing he was the one in charge. Joseph Wraith didn’t say a word. And in the next moment, Jeff Reczek appeared in front of Joseph Wraith, grabbing him by the neck, lifting him up, causing him to turn pale, struggle to breathe, and roll his eyes back.
“Speak! Say one wrong word, and today, you will die here.”
Joseph Wraith stammered out a few words, feeling a slight loosening of the grip on his neck. But he knew that any misstep would lead to his death. Jeff Reczek’s threat loomed large.
The onlookers cried out, but no one dared to step forward. They had witnessed the fate of a comrade who had challenged the ‘Wraith family’ previously. They lacked the courage. Mark Wraith, Joseph Wraith’s son, cowered in a corner, too frightened to utter a word.
“Don’t hit me… Don’t hit me…”
At that moment, Joseph Wraith felt a certain certainty. He was a key figure in the Wraith family, one of the overlords of Yushan City. How could he be forced into such a position?
But at that moment, Joseph Wraith felt that he was truly on the brink of death. His earlier silence was due to his standing in the Wraith family, but now he was wrestling with the reality.
“I… I’ll speak… The beggar in the education zone… He kept blocking us, claiming there were graves inside. Every time, he stopped us. So our family got angry and brought him back. We didn’t kill him, just played with him like a dog.”
Robin Bailey sneered at this response. “Playing with him like a dog? He is a human being, not a dog. But your words have made me reconsider killing you all. I want you to experience the same treatment you gave him. Let you understand what it’s like to be a dog.”
With a clang, Robin Bailey broke the chain restraining Mr. Row, helping him up. Mr. Row struggled at first, weak from being on the ground too long. But with Robin Bailey’s support, he stood up. “Jeff Reczek, disable one arm of each of them as interest. Mr. Row, let’s go.”
“Go?”
Mr. Row, a bit confused, repeated the word.
“Yes, go. You are a human, not a dog.”
Robin Bailey assisted Mr. Row as they left. Even though Mr. Row was filthy, Robin Bailey did not mind. Whether he was clean or not, Robin Bailey would never have rejected him.
“Years ago, you helped bury my mother. Today, I have returned. I will not let anyone humiliate you.”
With a thud, Jeff Reczek let go of Joseph Wraith, who collapsed to the ground, gasping for air, fear in his eyes. He had never experienced such a sense of imminent death in all his years in Yushan City.
Would he make it through this ordeal alive? The next moment brought a sharp crack.
“Ahh!”
Joseph Wraith screamed in pain, clutching his broken arm. Jeff Reczek had broken his bones, along with those of the entire Wraith family present. This was the will of the authority.
After this brutal act, Jeff Reczek simply stated, “Yes,” and left. But just before departing, he paused, turned back, and grinned maliciously, “By the way, the word of my boss has always been law. Enjoy your last few days of peace, or you won’t get the chance.”
“As for the other families in Yushan, I heard that you five major families were conspiring to develop the education zone. The five major families are nothing before my boss. You have no idea whom you’ve provoked.”
Jeff Reczek’s eerie smile sent shivers down the spines of those present. The Wraith family would not be spared, nor would the other four families. Robin Bailey would make sure of that.
“What kind of person is this?”
Joseph Wraith lay on the ground, fear in his eyes. He had spent many years in Yushan City, yet nothing and nobody had made him feel close to death. Until now.
In that moment, he pondered if their excavation had been a mistake. But without the events that had transpired, they would have succeeded. Now, there was a shadow of doubt looming over them. They had indeed dug the wrong grave. It belonged to Kisia, the first War God, Robin Bailey’s mother, Sophia Lindsay.