"Look at the lunatic's little boyfriend trying to get revenge for the beating we gave him," said the leader of the three boys, spitting to the side as he watched Liam with a mocking smile. The comment made the other two laugh, puffing out their chests as if they had complete control of the situation.
Liam, unfazed, stood his ground a few meters away. Although he had grown over the past two years, his 1.74 meters still made him look small compared to the boys, who were at least ten centimeters taller. Even so, his gaze did not waver. Liam's eyes were cold, clear… and dangerous.Behind him, Carrie clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles had turned pale.
"You even made it easier for us to bring you somewhere far from town where no one will know what happened here," the leader said, pulling a switchblade from his pocket with a slow, almost theatrical motion. He smiled, baring his teeth, his gaze shifting from Liam to Carrie with malice.
Liam tilted his head slightly and replied with an almost insulting calmness:"I agree with that. No one will know what happened here."
The girl behind them, the same one who had bothered Carrie before, let out a shrill laugh, one hand on her hip and an eyebrow raised."Hahaha, this kid thinks he's going to beat you, guys."
The other two joined in, bumping their shoulders against Billy's, openly mocking him.
Liam took a step forward, his shoulders tensing."Carrie, you can take care of the girl. I'll handle the other three."
Carrie nodded slowly.
"I'll make her feel what it's like to be unable to defend herself," she said in a low but icy voice.
The girl took half a step back when she heard that, her smile disappearing for an instant before returning, forced. She knew that without the others, she didn't stand a chance.
With that, Liam closed the distance, running straight at the three of them. His steps were fast, silent, efficient.
"Arthur, you help my girlfriend. Don't let her touch her," Billy ordered hurriedly, knowing perfectly well that the girl was done for if Carrie reached her.
"Got it, Billy," Arthur said, swallowing hard as he raised his fists.
"All right. Now let's clean this town of this trash," Billy added, trying to regain his confidence.
But before they even finished speaking, Liam was already on top of them.
The boy to Billy's left reacted first, throwing a straight punch with his right arm. His expression tried to be intimidating, but Liam read him easily.Liam tilted his head to the side, dodged effortlessly, then launched a low kick with brutal force at the boy's front leg.The impact made a dull thump; the boy let out a muffled grunt as he lost his balance and fell awkwardly to the ground, clutching his leg.
Liam didn't even look at him as he fell. He was already moving toward Arthur.
Billy stepped in front of him, waving the knife desperately. His eyes were tense, sweat dripping down his face.Liam ducked just in time, feeling the blade slice through the air above his head. As he passed by, he drove a precise elbow into Billy's ribs.Billy let out a choked groan, doubling over slightly.
That instant was all Liam needed to keep moving toward Arthur.
Billy's girlfriend, seeing how easily Liam had gotten past the other two, opened her eyes wide and instinctively took several steps back before turning around and running.
Arthur was already pale. Even so, he raised his left arm to strike, though his movement was clumsy and trembling.
Liam read him like an open book.He shifted half a step to the right, rotated his torso slightly, and delivered a clean, hard, perfect punch to Arthur's jaw.The blow cracked like a dry snap.The boy's head snapped violently to the left and his body dropped like a sack to the ground, not even putting his hands out to break the fall.
At that moment, Carrie ran past Liam, her hair streaming behind her like a shadow. Her eyes were locked on the fleeing girl.Liam, still in motion, couldn't help but smile with pride.
When he turned back, he saw Billy and the first boy struggling to get back up.
Billy attacked first, trying to stab Liam. Liam deflected the arm with one hand, preparing a straight punch to the jaw… but Arthur, driven by instinct more than strength, pushed himself up halfway and lunged to try to tackle him.
Liam muttered a short curse, aborted his punch, and stepped back just in time. Arthur's shoulder passed through the air where Liam had been a second earlier.Liam pivoted on his foot and slammed an elbow into the boy's temple.Arthur dropped to his knees first and then collapsed completely, unconscious.
Seeing this, Billy gritted his teeth and grabbed a handful of dirt, throwing it straight into Liam's face.
Liam raised both arms to shield his eyes.Billy didn't waste a second and rushed in with the knife.
Liam moved just enough to avoid a deep cut, but the blade grazed his forearm.A thin line of blood began to trickle down.
Liam glanced at the wound for a second, emotionless, as if used to injuries far worse.
Then he looked back at Billy… and his expression changed.Liam's jaw tightened. His eyes sharpened.The game was over.
Billy swallowed.
Liam surged forward.He deflected the next stab, grabbed Billy's attacking arm with his right hand, and using the momentum, struck the inside of Billy's forearm with his left hand.
The elbow bent at an impossible angle.
"CRACK"
Billy screamed, a raw, tearing scream."My arm! Aaaagh!"
The knife fell to the ground.
Liam picked it up without hesitation and advanced toward Billy, who stumbled backward, clutching his broken arm.
"No… don't come closer… I was just joking when I said you wouldn't leave here," Billy whimpered, his face drenched in sweat.
"What a shame. I wasn't joking," Liam replied with a calmness that froze the blood.
Billy turned and ran as best he could, but Liam caught him in seconds.He kicked the back of Billy's legs, sending him face-first into the ground.
"Nooo!" Billy screamed just as Liam fell on top of him.
"Puchi"
The knife slid into his neck with a wet sound.Billy's eyes went wide as he tried to stop the blood with his hands, but it poured through his fingers. Within seconds, his body stopped moving.
Liam stared at him for a few seconds, expressionless. Then he stood up and calmly walked over to the other two, still unconscious.Without drama, without emotion, he stabbed their hearts one by one.
He pocketed the knife and walked toward where Carrie was.
They had somehow ended up inside the burned-down cantina.
She was on top of the girl, punching relentlessly, her fists falling like hammers. Each impact made the girl's head bounce against the scorched floor. Carrie was panting, her eyes wide open, shining with restrained fury.
"No… please…!" the girl babbled, barely audible through sobs and blood. "Carrie, stop…!"
But Carrie didn't listen.Or maybe she did… and that was exactly why she didn't stop.
"This…" —punch— "is for…" —another punch— "thinking you were…" —another— "better than me."
The girl tried to turn her head to avoid a direct hit, but Carrie grabbed her hair with one hand, yanking it back with surprising strength for someone her size, forcing her to look straight at her.
"You called me crazy…" Carrie whispered, panting as she raised her fist. "Didn't you?"
One last punch straight to the nose made the girl let out a muffled shriek. Her body went limp all at once, unmoving except for an involuntary twitch.
Liam arrived at her side and stopped a meter away, watching without intervening. His face was splattered with drops of someone else's blood, but his breathing was calm, as if everything that had happened were just another routine task.
He watched her strike once more, even though the girl could no longer defend herself.He watched her tremble—not with fear, but with pure, accumulated adrenaline.
And he smiled, faintly, with pride.
"Carrie," he finally said, his tone calm but firm.
She stopped. Her fist hung in the air for a few seconds before slowly lowering. Carrie took several deep breaths, as if coming out of a trance, then turned her head toward Liam.
Her cheeks were speckled with blood; her expression a contradictory mix of rage, relief… and guilt.
"She… she's not moving anymore," she murmured weakly.
Liam walked over and extended his hand.Carrie took it without thinking.
When Carrie stood up, still breathing hard from the fight, Liam noticed something that made him frown. Red drops were falling from her skirt, staining the scorched ground.
"Carrie, you're bleeding," Liam said, pointing at the small drops pooling beneath her.
Carrie looked down and, seeing the trail of blood on her legs, flinched slightly."Huh?" Her voice trembled, and for a moment fear returned to her eyes, but this time not because of the fight—because of confusion.
Liam softened his tone when he saw her scared."Calm down, Carrie. I think it's your period. Do you remember what Mom explained to you?"
The word "Mom" made Carrie blink several times as she processed it. Her face, still splattered with someone else's blood, took on a childlike look of embarrassment.
"Oh… right. I almost forgot…" she murmured, squeezing her thighs slightly as if trying to hide the sensation. "It hurts."
Liam stepped toward her without hesitation, the hardness from the fight completely melting away. Without asking permission, he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her into the air as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Carrie let out a small, surprised gasp, her face turning a deep red.
"Rest for now," he said calmly. "We'll go home once the bleeding stops."
He carried her in a princess carry, holding her firmly as he walked through the burned remains of the cantina. The smell of charred wood and fresh blood still lingered in the air.
Liam set her down in a relatively intact corner, on a fallen section of wall that still seemed stable.Carrie lowered her gaze, fidgeting with her fingers, the blush reaching all the way to her ears.
"I'll take care of the bodies. You rest," Liam said, looking at her a second longer than necessary.
Carrie lifted her eyes just a little, her lips forming a shy smile."Hmm…" She nodded softly, as if she didn't dare look him straight in the eyes because of how flustered she felt.
Liam left the cantina, his posture returning to cold and controlled. He approached the girl's body, still lying on the ground, and dragged her by the arms to join the others.
He knelt beside her and checked her pulse, pressing two fingers to her neck.She was still alive.
Without showing any emotion, he took the knife, raised his hand, and plunged it straight into her heart.The body barely twitched.
At that same moment, among the trees about thirty meters away, two silhouettes were watching the scene.
The first was a tall, slender man with dark skin, a relaxed posture, and an almost elegant air even in the darkness of the forest. His hands were in his pockets, and a faint, amused smile rested on his face.
"Well, well…" he murmured in a smooth, silky voice. "We came for that massive steam we felt, and instead we found something very entertaining."
Beside him, the other man snorted, rubbing his temple. He was broad and heavyset, his belly protruding beneath his shirt. A scruffy beard covered half his face, and he was breathing a little faster than normal.
"The steam is enormous… it's coming from that cantina," he said irritably, his voice deep and hoarse. "It's giving me a headache."
The slender man's gaze sha
"Look at the lunatic's little boyfriend trying to get revenge for the beating we gave him," said the leader of the three boys, spitting to the side as he watched Liam with a mocking smile. The comment made the other two laugh, puffing out their chests as if they had complete control of the situation.
Liam, unfazed, stood his ground a few meters away. Although he had grown over the past two years, his 1.74 meters still made him look small compared to the boys, who were at least ten centimeters taller. Even so, his gaze did not waver. Liam's eyes were cold, clear… and dangerous.Behind him, Carrie clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles had turned pale.
"You even made it easier for us to bring you somewhere far from town where no one will know what happened here," the leader said, pulling a switchblade from his pocket with a slow, almost theatrical motion. He smiled, baring his teeth, his gaze shifting from Liam to Carrie with malice.
Liam tilted his head slightly and replied with an almost insulting calmness:"I agree with that. No one will know what happened here."
The girl behind them, the same one who had bothered Carrie before, let out a shrill laugh, one hand on her hip and an eyebrow raised."Hahaha, this kid thinks he's going to beat you, guys."
The other two joined in, bumping their shoulders against Billy's, openly mocking him.
Liam took a step forward, his shoulders tensing."Carrie, you can take care of the girl. I'll handle the other three."
Carrie nodded slowly.
"I'll make her feel what it's like to be unable to defend herself," she said in a low but icy voice.
The girl took half a step back when she heard that, her smile disappearing for an instant before returning, forced. She knew that without the others, she didn't stand a chance.
With that, Liam closed the distance, running straight at the three of them. His steps were fast, silent, efficient.
"Arthur, you help my girlfriend. Don't let her touch her," Billy ordered hurriedly, knowing perfectly well that the girl was done for if Carrie reached her.
"Got it, Billy," Arthur said, swallowing hard as he raised his fists.
"All right. Now let's clean this town of this trash," Billy added, trying to regain his confidence.
But before they even finished speaking, Liam was already on top of them.
The boy to Billy's left reacted first, throwing a straight punch with his right arm. His expression tried to be intimidating, but Liam read him easily.Liam tilted his head to the side, dodged effortlessly, then launched a low kick with brutal force at the boy's front leg.The impact made a dull thump; the boy let out a muffled grunt as he lost his balance and fell awkwardly to the ground, clutching his leg.
Liam didn't even look at him as he fell. He was already moving toward Arthur.
Billy stepped in front of him, waving the knife desperately. His eyes were tense, sweat dripping down his face.Liam ducked just in time, feeling the blade slice through the air above his head. As he passed by, he drove a precise elbow into Billy's ribs.Billy let out a choked groan, doubling over slightly.
That instant was all Liam needed to keep moving toward Arthur.
Billy's girlfriend, seeing how easily Liam had gotten past the other two, opened her eyes wide and instinctively took several steps back before turning around and running.
Arthur was already pale. Even so, he raised his left arm to strike, though his movement was clumsy and trembling.
Liam read him like an open book.He shifted half a step to the right, rotated his torso slightly, and delivered a clean, hard, perfect punch to Arthur's jaw.The blow cracked like a dry snap.The boy's head snapped violently to the left and his body dropped like a sack to the ground, not even putting his hands out to break the fall.
At that moment, Carrie ran past Liam, her hair streaming behind her like a shadow. Her eyes were locked on the fleeing girl.Liam, still in motion, couldn't help but smile with pride.
When he turned back, he saw Billy and the first boy struggling to get back up.
Billy attacked first, trying to stab Liam. Liam deflected the arm with one hand, preparing a straight punch to the jaw… but Arthur, driven by instinct more than strength, pushed himself up halfway and lunged to try to tackle him.
Liam muttered a short curse, aborted his punch, and stepped back just in time. Arthur's shoulder passed through the air where Liam had been a second earlier.Liam pivoted on his foot and slammed an elbow into the boy's temple.Arthur dropped to his knees first and then collapsed completely, unconscious.
Seeing this, Billy gritted his teeth and grabbed a handful of dirt, throwing it straight into Liam's face.
Liam raised both arms to shield his eyes.Billy didn't waste a second and rushed in with the knife.
Liam moved just enough to avoid a deep cut, but the blade grazed his forearm.A thin line of blood began to trickle down.
Liam glanced at the wound for a second, emotionless, as if used to injuries far worse.
Then he looked back at Billy… and his expression changed.Liam's jaw tightened. His eyes sharpened.The game was over.
Billy swallowed.
Liam surged forward.He deflected the next stab, grabbed Billy's attacking arm with his right hand, and using the momentum, struck the inside of Billy's forearm with his left hand.
The elbow bent at an impossible angle.
"CRACK"
Billy screamed, a raw, tearing scream."My arm! Aaaagh!"
The knife fell to the ground.
Liam picked it up without hesitation and advanced toward Billy, who stumbled backward, clutching his broken arm.
"No… don't come closer… I was just joking when I said you wouldn't leave here," Billy whimpered, his face drenched in sweat.
"What a shame. I wasn't joking," Liam replied with a calmness that froze the blood.
Billy turned and ran as best he could, but Liam caught him in seconds.He kicked the back of Billy's legs, sending him face-first into the ground.
"Nooo!" Billy screamed just as Liam fell on top of him.
"Puchi"
The knife slid into his neck with a wet sound.Billy's eyes went wide as he tried to stop the blood with his hands, but it poured through his fingers. Within seconds, his body stopped moving.
Liam stared at him for a few seconds, expressionless. Then he stood up and calmly walked over to the other two, still unconscious.Without drama, without emotion, he stabbed their hearts one by one.
He pocketed the knife and walked toward where Carrie was.
They had somehow ended up inside the burned-down cantina.
She was on top of the girl, punching relentlessly, her fists falling like hammers. Each impact made the girl's head bounce against the scorched floor. Carrie was panting, her eyes wide open, shining with restrained fury.
"No… please…!" the girl babbled, barely audible through sobs and blood. "Carrie, stop…!"
But Carrie didn't listen.Or maybe she did… and that was exactly why she didn't stop.
"This…" —punch— "is for…" —another punch— "thinking you were…" —another— "better than me."
The girl tried to turn her head to avoid a direct hit, but Carrie grabbed her hair with one hand, yanking it back with surprising strength for someone her size, forcing her to look straight at her.
"You called me crazy…" Carrie whispered, panting as she raised her fist. "Didn't you?"
One last punch straight to the nose made the girl let out a muffled shriek. Her body went limp all at once, unmoving except for an involuntary twitch.
Liam arrived at her side and stopped a meter away, watching without intervening. His face was splattered with drops of someone else's blood, but his breathing was calm, as if everything that had happened were just another routine task.
He watched her strike once more, even though the girl could no longer defend herself.He watched her tremble—not with fear, but with pure, accumulated adrenaline.
And he smiled, faintly, with pride.
"Carrie," he finally said, his tone calm but firm.
She stopped. Her fist hung in the air for a few seconds before slowly lowering. Carrie took several deep breaths, as if coming out of a trance, then turned her head toward Liam.
Her cheeks were speckled with blood; her expression a contradictory mix of rage, relief… and guilt.
"She… she's not moving anymore," she murmured weakly.
Liam walked over and extended his hand.Carrie took it without thinking.
When Carrie stood up, still breathing hard from the fight, Liam noticed something that made him frown. Red drops were falling from her skirt, staining the scorched ground.
"Carrie, you're bleeding," Liam said, pointing at the small drops pooling beneath her.
Carrie looked down and, seeing the trail of blood on her legs, flinched slightly."Huh?" Her voice trembled, and for a moment fear returned to her eyes, but this time not because of the fight—because of confusion.
Liam softened his tone when he saw her scared."Calm down, Carrie. I think it's your period. Do you remember what Mom explained to you?"
The word "Mom" made Carrie blink several times as she processed it. Her face, still splattered with someone else's blood, took on a childlike look of embarrassment.
"Oh… right. I almost forgot…" she murmured, squeezing her thighs slightly as if trying to hide the sensation. "It hurts."
Liam stepped toward her without hesitation, the hardness from the fight completely melting away. Without asking permission, he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her into the air as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Carrie let out a small, surprised gasp, her face turning a deep red.
"Rest for now," he said calmly. "We'll go home once the bleeding stops."
He carried her in a princess carry, holding her firmly as he walked through the burned remains of the cantina. The smell of charred wood and fresh blood still lingered in the air.
Liam set her down in a relatively intact corner, on a fallen section of wall that still seemed stable.Carrie lowered her gaze, fidgeting with her fingers, the blush reaching all the way to her ears.
"I'll take care of the bodies. You rest," Liam said, looking at her a second longer than necessary.
Carrie lifted her eyes just a little, her lips forming a shy smile."Hmm…" She nodded softly, as if she didn't dare look him straight in the eyes because of how flustered she felt.
Liam left the cantina, his posture returning to cold and controlled. He approached the girl's body, still lying on the ground, and dragged her by the arms to join the others.
He knelt beside her and checked her pulse, pressing two fingers to her neck.She was still alive.
Without showing any emotion, he took the knife, raised his hand, and plunged it straight into her heart.The body barely twitched.
At that same moment, among the trees about thirty meters away, two silhouettes were watching the scene.
The first was a tall, slender man with dark skin, a relaxed posture, and an almost elegant air even in the darkness of the forest. His hands were in his pockets, and a faint, amused smile rested on his face.
"Well, well…" he murmured in a smooth, silky voice. "We came for that massive steam we felt, and instead we found something very entertaining."
Beside him, the other man snorted, rubbing his temple. He was broad and heavyset, his belly protruding beneath his shirt. A scruffy beard covered half his face, and he was breathing a little faster than normal.
"The steam is enormous… it's coming from that cantina," he said irritably, his voice deep and hoarse. "It's giving me a headache."
The slender man's gaze sharpened as he watched Liam among the remains of the fight.His smile widened.