As we sat enjoying the reunion, our laughter and chatter abruptly halted as the door to our private room burst open, revealing a burly man who strode in with an air of authority. His presence cast a shadow over the room, and unease rippled through the group.
"Leave the room immediately, our boss needs it right now," he barked, his voice commanding attention.
Harvey, visibly irritated by the intrusion, stood up to confront the man. "What the hell do you want? I booked this room, which means it's mine. So piss off," he retorted, his tone laced with anger.
The burly man's eyes swept over the group, lingering on Mia with unsettling intensity. "Oh, so you're the one who booked this room. You seem to have quite a collection with you. The girl beside you looks sexy. Lend her to the boss for a day, and he may leave you alone," he sneered, his words dripping with menace.
Mia's expression shifted from shock to horror, and Harvey's anger flared, his face turning red with rage. "What the fuck do you mean? Do you want to die, you old bastard? I'll call the police and end your career," he threatened, his voice trembling with fury.
The burly man's laughter echoed through the room, mocking Harvey's threats. "Oh, yeah? Let's see what you can do," he taunted before swiftly striking Harvey across the face with a brutal slap.
The sound of the impact reverberated through the room, leaving us all stunned into silence. As Harvey staggered back, clutching his injured face, the System's voice suddenly cut through the tension.
"First story quest: Defeat Albert in an arm wrestling match. Penalty for not completing the quest will result in the decrease of cultivation from advanced mortal cultivation to mid-stage mortal cultivation."
Harvey, nursing his injuries from the powerful slap, seethed with rage. The System, meanwhile, dropped an unexpected bomb: a quest to defeat Albert in an arm wrestling match. The stakes were high, with the penalty threatening to reduce my cultivation level if the quest remained incomplete.
As the realisation of the arm wrestling challenge settled in, I couldn't help but think, "Couldn't the System have given me a less bizarre quest?"
Albert's eyes, gleaming with a mix of amusement and hostility, shifted to Dorothy. His inappropriate proposal to her had riled everyone in the room. Dorothy, however, fearlessly rejected his offer, causing Albert's temper to flare even more.
In a moment of audacity, I intercepted the burly man's raised hand before it could descend on Dorothy. His threat to slap her had triggered a protective instinct, and I couldn't stand by and watch harm befall my friend.
The burly man's anger intensified as he barked, "Who the heck do you think you are? Do you know my boss, Don Albert, the king of the underworld in Fragrant City?"
With a smirk, I replied, "Oh, so you mean Albert is here right now, isn't he?"
The burly man hesitated for a split second, caught off guard by my audacious response. His frown deepened, and he retorted, "You dare call him by his first name, you son of a..."
The burly man stood before me, his face still stinging from the force of my slap. My calm demeanour masked the storm brewing beneath the surface. With a stern gaze, I delivered a warning that echoed through the room.
"Don't ever mention my family from your stinky mouth ever again," I declared, my tone laden with intensity. The burly man quivered, and I seized the opportunity to assert my authority.
"Call Albert here and tell him a Martial Artist wants to meet him," I instructed, my confidence unnerving the burly man.
"M-m-martial artist?" he stammered, disbelief etched across his face.
A smirk played on my lips. "You think I'm joking?"
The burly man reluctantly agreed to fetch Albert, leaving the room in a hurry. In the ensuing silence, my companions bombarded me with questions, seeking explanations for my sudden confrontation.
"You are a Martial Artist?" "How did you become one?" "Do you really think the king of the underworld will listen to you?!"
Even Dorothy, my steadfast friend, voiced her concern. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
I reassured them with a calm demeanour. "Hey, listen. I know what I'm doing. Do you want to live, or do you want to end up like Albert's previous victims?"
The gravity of my words settled over the room, the unspoken understanding hanging heavy in the air.
"Okay, dude, we believe you." "Yeah, but if anything happens, we're going to haunt your ass after we die. Remember that."
Holding Dorothy's hand, I offered comfort. "Everything will be alright."
As the tension lingered, the door swung open, revealing Albert's imposing figure. Dressed extravagantly, he exuded an air of arrogance. The burly man pointed at me and declared, "He's the one."
Albert approached, removing his sunglasses and sizing me up. "So, you're the martial artist he was talking about?"
"Yes," I replied, maintaining an air of nonchalance. "I prefer remaining low-key."
Albert, cracking his knuckles, expressed scepticism. "I don't sense any martial energy from you."
With a chuckle, I responded, "I like to keep a low profile."
He leaned back, a smirk playing on his face. "So, how do you want to deal with this?"
Waving my hand dismissively, I proposed a civilised approach. "Hey, hey, we're gentlemen here. Fighting would ruin the hotel's reputation, and you don't want that, do you? Let's settle this with a wrestling match. If you win, you get to do whatever you want. If I win, you'll do whatever I want for a year."
Albert laughed heartily. "You think you're smart, don't you? You're just arrogant."
I grinned. "Scared, perhaps?"
The burly man, beside Albert, slammed his hand on the table. "Shut the fuck up, you arrogant bastard! You dare to talk trash in front of Don Albert!"