Chapter 9: Unleashing His Might

Liam Cutmore strolled out at an unhurried pace, and everyone present went stone-still, jaws dropping. Wait… Who the hell was this kid? He dared to meddle in Young Mr. Good's business? Was he looking to die? When Ruby saw Liam step forward, the prejudice she'd been holding against him eased at once. Then, the very next second, she shook her head. Even she, a Fifth-Grade Martial Artist, was no match for Trey Lawes. So how could a pale-faced sickly-looking guy like him possibly beat Trey Lawes? And this was the Fierce Tiger Gang's turf. Besides Trey Lawes, there were over a thousand thugs here, plus the bodyguards Jasper Good had brought with him. Against all that, one man could not win. Not in any universe. Stella Quiney's eyes, however, lit up. A thin thread of hope flared in her chest, and she blurted, "Sir, if you can get me out of here today, I'll repay you a hundredfold." He'd been able to call out the details of Ruby's fight with Trey Lawes. That meant he had real skill. She still did not truly believe Liam could stand against Trey Lawes and the rest, but she had nothing left to cling to except him. Liam said blandly, "No need. I'm only carrying out my master's order." When he left prison, his masters had warned him: out in the world, mind your own business. But if he ever saw a beauty being bullied, he had to help with everything he had. No matter what, he could not let a beauty fall into the hands of scum. "Kid, who are you? You've got the nerve to interfere with our Fierce Tiger Gang?" Trey Lawes demanded, chin lifted high. He'd assumed Liam was Stella's assistant. It looked like he'd been wrong. "You're not qualified to know who I am," Liam said coldly. "I'm giving you ten seconds." "If you keep acting the same way, I'll make my move." "When that happens, you'll bear the consequences yourselves." Jasper Good snorted. "What an arrogant little punk. You dare run wild in front of me?" "Ten." Liam ignored him completely and began counting down. "Kid, do you even know what you're doing?" "Seven." "You're courting death." Jasper Good's expression turned icy. He had not expected Liam to dare disregard him like this. "Five." Jasper Good finally exploded, his gaze turning venomous. "Trey Lawes. Go." "Break both his hands first. Leave him breathing. I want to take my time with him." Trey Lawes bared a savage grin. "Don't worry, Young Mr. Good. Watch how I carve him up." With that, he drove a punch straight at Liam. Liam did not move an inch. He kept counting. "Four." Ruby's face twisted with fury. "Are you stupid? What are you standing there for? Dodge!" Stella was furious too. At a time like this, he still had the leisure to count? Even so, she was grateful he'd stepped in for her. If he could not beat Trey Lawes, she still could not let him die for it. She tried to force herself upright to help, but the drug in her system was far too strong. Not a shred of strength answered her will. All she could do was watch, helpless, as Trey Lawes's fist thundered toward Liam's face. "Reckless fool, die!" Trey Lawes roared, his punch slamming in with brutal force. The wind of it shrieked. The power was terrifying. In everyone's eyes, Liam would be turned into a bloody pulp in the next heartbeat. Despair rose in both Stella and Ruby. There was no escaping this. "One." The final word fell. Liam struck. His fist snapped out like lightning and drove into Trey Lawes's lower abdomen. Bang! The impact boomed through the room. Trey Lawes flew backward and crashed hard into the ground. His body followed, deflating like a punctured bladder, strength spilling out of him in a mad rush. "No…!" "My Energy Center…" As he felt the True Energy inside him scatter into nothingness, Trey Lawes howled in sheer terror. He tried to clamp down, to force it back, but it would not stop. No matter how hard he fought, he could not suppress it. Everyone stared, eyes wide. One punch had blown apart a Fifth-Grade Martial Artist's Energy Center. What kind of strength was that? Stella's gaze sharpened, hope surging bright again. Jasper Good's heart lurched, but he was born of a great family and had weathered countless storms. He reacted instantly, turning to the elderly man behind him. "lion king, go. Kill him." "Rest assured, Young Mr. Good. At most, he's only in the Sixth-Grade Realm," the man rasped. "Watch how I deal with him." The blond elder behind Jasper Good stepped forward at a measured pace. "Kid, end yourself," he said. "Spare yourself the misery of having not even a whole corpse left." Hands clasped behind his back, he wore an arrogant calm. He did not even bother to look at Liam, as if Liam were nothing more than an insect. "Annoying," Liam snorted, and swung his hand. Bang! Before the blond elder could even make a move, Liam's slap sent him flying. He smashed into the floor and spewed blood in a violent spray. The next second, his eyes rolled back, and he went still. The entire place fell into instant, absolute silence. Trey Lawes being beaten in a single move was one thing. A Fifth-Grade Martial Artist was not weak, but it was not the pinnacle either. But that man had been the Golden Mane Lion King, Jordan Shayle! One of the Good family's Eight Grand Protectors, a genuine Seventh-Grade Martial Artist. He had once relied on his Seven Killing Fists to sweep the Northern Lands without a single rival. And he had just been slapped to death? Then what realm was Liam Cutmore in? Above Ninth Grade? A Martial Grandmaster? Only that made sense. Otherwise, there was no way he could have crushed a Seventh-Grade Martial Artist so effortlessly. The moment that thought took root, everyone present turned pale with shock, disbelief flooding their faces. How could there be such a young Martial Grandmaster in this world? Stella was stunned too, but excitement burned even hotter than her astonishment. She knew she was going to live. "Kid… who are you?" Jasper Good forced the question out, swallowing down his terror as he stared at Jordan Shayle's corpse. Someone with that kind of strength was no ordinary person. He had to be handled carefully. "I told you. You're not qualified to know who I am," Liam said coldly, his presence flaring outward like a blade. "You dare touch me?" Jasper Good's eyelids twitched violently as a wave of killing intent rolled over him. Liam did not answer. He walked toward him, slow and steady. "Fine. You've got guts," Jasper Good snarled. "Don't think this means you've won." "If I dared come here, it's because I came fully prepared." When Liam refused to give him any face at all, Jasper Good erupted. Click! The sharp sound of a round being chambered rang out. A pistol suddenly rose, aimed straight at Liam. Jasper Good gave a cold laugh. "Kid, I'll admit you're strong. You might even be Above Ninth Grade." "But within seven steps… tell me. Is the gun faster, or are you?"