"You really have a death wish, stupid bastard!" the crooked-faced bastard laughed.

"Is it really necessary to be cocky in front of your bitch when you’re about to die?" he added, his grin widening.

"You should be worried about yourself," Kyle replied, deliberately provoking him. "Because I’m going to break more than just your wrist today."

The crooked bastard’s grin disappeared.

"You bastard got a sharp mouth!" he snarled. "Don’t worry. I will make sure you won’t stay alive long enough to utter such arrogance again. And after that, I’ll enjoy your bitch and send her your way too."

As he spoke, his hand slipped into the pocket of his hoodie.

*Click*

Kyle’s eyes immediately followed the movement.

The bastard pulled out a small knife.

’Fuck.’

Kyle clicked his tongue.

’Why did I think this was going to be fair at all?’

He had assumed they would come at him with their fists. After all, he was only one guy, and they already had him completely outnumbered. But apparently, the crooked bastard didn’t care about playing fair. He wanted revenge for the humiliation Kyle had inflicted on him at the store, and if bringing a knife into the fight made that easier, he was more than willing to do it.

Kyle’s eyes briefly dropped toward the knife.

’If he uses that thing, I’m dead.’

Five against one was already bad enough but five against one with a knife? There was no winning that fight. He would end up looking like a fucking block of Swiss cheese.

So Kyle did the only thing he could think of.

He smiled.

"Looks like you’re no different from a bitch either."

The crooked bastard’s expression changed.

Kyle continued, deliberately raising his voice.

"Pulling out a weapon when you’re already outnumbering me? For how much of a man I thought you were, I can imagine you having tits and a pussy instead of a dick!"

The crooked bastard’s face turned red.

Kyle kept going.

"Come on. What happened to all that confidence? You need a little knife to beat one guy?"

’Come on, take the bait!’

His heart was pounding so hard that he could practically feel it in his throat.

The crooked bastard stared at him for several seconds.

Then—

*Clink*

The knife dropped onto the concrete.

Kyle’s eyes widened slightly.

"Knife would’ve only made your death easier," the crooked bastard said arrogantly, rolling his shoulders.

"But looks like you want to leave this earth the hard way."

Kyle almost let out a sigh of relief. His provocation had worked. Exactly as he intended.

’Good.’

’Very fucking good.’

But beneath the confident expression he had deliberately put on, his hands were trembling.

’Why are my hands shaking?’

He clenched his fists harder.

’Fuck.’

Even after successfully getting rid of the knife, he couldn’t lie to himself. He was scared.

Terrified, actually.

He was standing in front of five men who had come looking for revenge, and unlike him, they weren’t hesitating. His body knew exactly how dangerous the situation was even if his mind kept trying to act brave.

One wrong move. That could be the end of him.

And if he lost...

His eyes briefly moved toward Lira.

She was still on the ground behind him, clutching her injured knees and watching him with fear in her eyes.

Kyle couldn’t even finish the thought.

’I can’t lose...’

His nails dug into his palms.

’Not while Lira is still here.’

He bit down on his tongue, forcing himself to stay focused despite the fear crawling through his body.

He could take damage, suffer broken bones, or even be killed—he wouldn’t give a flying fuck about any of that.

But he couldn’t bear the thought of even one of these bastards laying a finger on Lira if he lost. He didn’t dare imagine what inhuman shit these bastards would do to her.

’I can’t lose. Not while she’s behind me.’

His breathing steadied.

Suddenly, a system window appeared in front of his eyes.

[Emergent Quest: Survive!]

[Description: The group of goons is out to kill you and violate your girl. Save your girl and yourself at whatever the cost.]

[Reward: ??]

[Failure: Death]

Kyle stared at the final line.

’Failure equal Death.’

For once, even the system wasn’t joking.

[Go kill these bastards, brother!]

’I shall-!’

He didn’t have time to complete his sentence before one of the cronies suddenly charged.

"Get him!"

*thud*

The man’s fist came flying toward Kyle’s face.

Kyle leaned sideways.

The punch passed inches from his cheek.

*Whoosh*

Before the man could recover, Kyle stepped forward and drove his shoulder into the man’s chest.

*BAM*

The crony staggered backward.

Kyle immediately followed with a punch.

*CRACK*

His fist connected with the man’s jaw. The man stumbled but didn’t fall.

"Son of a bitch!"

Kyle barely had time to react before another bastard came from his left.

He ducked.

A fist passed over his head.

*Whoosh*

Kyle spun around and slammed his elbow into the man’s ribs.

The lessons he’d learned from the robot were finally proving useful, and he was putting them to good use in this fight against these goons.

"Gah!"

The man doubled over.

’It works!’

Kyle’s confidence surged for half a second.

But that half-second was enough for him to make a mistake.

The first crony recovered and grabbed him from behind.

"Got you!"

Kyle’s arms were pinned.

"Fuck!"

Another man rushed toward him.

Kyle twisted desperately, trying to break free.

The incoming fist was getting closer.

I can’t take that!

His eyes instinctively moved toward the attacker.

’Silk Touch.’

Kyle remembered the skill description. Hand or palm contact for at least 0.3 seconds.

He still had no idea whether it would actually help him in a fight. The description only said it would relax the target’s muscles, and there was nothing about paralysis or completely immobilizing someone.

But he had no other option.

’Please fucking work!’

Kyle suddenly stopped struggling and reached toward the incoming attacker just as the man’s fist came swinging toward his face.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!

Report chapter

Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter