The five hundred thousand they had in the bag vanished before their eyes, and to make things worse, Lucian called them "stupid pigs" to their faces. It wasn't just a slap in the boss's face — it crossed a line for these street thugs.
Why had they busted their asses for hours? For money, of course. In a typical street brawl, they might not have had the guts to go all out. But now? Lucian had played them like fools, and the money that was already in their pocket had been snatched away. Nearly a dozen thugs in the room exploded with murderous rage. They were going to make Lucian pay in blood.
"You little shit! If you can't pay up, then you can pay with your life!"
Smack!
One of the thugs closest to Lucian pulled out a knife with practiced ease, his face twisted and feral, driven to the edge.
Standing beside Lucian, Julia turned pale at the sight. Sweat dripped down her back as terror gripped her.
They were trapped in a closed-off VIP room, with two furious thugs blocking the door. Clearly, they had no intention of letting them walk out alive. The tension was ready to snap.
"Lucian, what do we do now?" Julia was furious. Why did you have to act rich when you're broke? If worst came to worst, she could've swallowed her pride and begged her dad or mom for help! Now they were surrounded by knife-wielding thugs. Even if they survived, disfigurement seemed all but certain.
One of the injured classmates, despite his wounds, grabbed a spiked wine bottle and seemed ready to go down swinging.
"Hey, protect Julia," Lucian said calmly, rising to his feet and snuffing out his cigarette. His gaze swept over the advancing thugs, cold and unflinching. "These clowns? I can take them on my own."
"You're dead!"
A thug lunged, thrusting his knife straight at Lucian's face.
Whack!
Lucian moved like a shadow, slipping past the attack. His arm shot out like lightning, seizing the thug's wrist and wrenching the knife from his grip. A soft shhk echoed through the room as the blade sank into the thug's thigh. Blood gushed out instantly as the man screamed in agony.
"Kill him! All of us, at once!"
Seven or eight thugs lunged in the cramped, narrow space.
But Lucian's attacks were fast and brutal. Within seconds, he had taken down four or five of them with that seemingly ordinary blade. They lay sprawled on the ground, howling like pigs being slaughtered. If the nightclub's soundproofing wasn't top-tier, the noise would've alarmed the entire floor.
His strikes were merciless. Though he avoided killing blows, every stab left the target either bleeding heavily or paralyzed. Some cuts grazed nerves or scraped bone, producing a sickening screech that made the scalp tingle. The scene was a gory mess — blood everywhere.
The remaining three or four thugs, along with the chubby club owner, were paralyzed by fear. Lucian's ruthless efficiency stunned them into silence. They began inching toward the door, ready to bolt at the first sign of danger.
What the hell is this guy? Some kind of monster? His combat skills are insane!
And the fact that he could fight like this in such a tight space? No ordinary thug could pull that off. This guy clearly had a dangerous background.
Having only known Lucian for one night, Julia now looked at him like he was a rare gem. She dashed to his side, eyes shining with admiration, and grinned brightly.
"Brother-in-law, that was amazing!"
Rather than being disturbed by the violence, she seemed utterly captivated by Lucian's aggressive side. She even changed how she addressed him — that "brother-in-law" rang loud and clear, full of reverence and submission. Clearly, she had made up her mind about him.
"Bro, who the hell are you with? Which gang are you from?" the lead thug stammered, his face pale. Though he still held a knife, the swagger was long gone.
"I'm an employee at a company about to go public. I make a hundred grand a year. Solid social standing," Lucian said nonchalantly, lighting another cigarette. He waved the bloodstained knife in warning. "And you—Fatso—if you even think about unlocking that door, I'll stick this blade right in your ass."
The club owner jumped in shock and quickly took his hand off the doorknob, trembling.
"This... this is all a misunderstanding. I don't even know these guys," he stammered.
"You insulting my intelligence?" Lucian said, his expression darkening.
"No! No, not at all!" the man said, shaking his head furiously, drenched in sweat.
"Scamming students... You people are exactly why Solviva City has such a trash reputation," Lucian said, turning to look at Julia — who, despite surviving the ordeal, now wore a self-righteous expression like she was some righteous vigilante. "Quit posing. Get your brother-in-law a drink. That little workout left my throat dry."
"Coming right up, bro-in-law!" Julia cheerfully poured him a glass of red wine, then leaned in with a grin. "So, what are you gonna do with them?"
From her tone, it was clear Lucian had already won. The outcome was no longer in doubt.
"What do you think we should do?" Lucian asked.
"Do to them what they did to my classmates!" Julia snarled. "They dared to lay hands on my people? They must be tired of living!"
"Miss Julia, I swear, this was a huge misunderstanding," the fat club owner said, sweating bullets.
"Misunderstanding?" Julia sneered. "I've been a loyal customer for years. Not only do you not appreciate that, you tried to screw me out of money? A misunderstanding? Fuck you!"
"Enough talk." Lucian flicked some ash from his cigarette and handed Julia the bloody knife. "Here. Go stab him. Do it for your classmates."
"Huh? Me?" Julia's face froze.
"It's fine. Don't be scared," Lucian said righteously. "If he dares resist, I'll kill him myself."
Julia quickly hid her hands behind her back and shook her head vigorously. "That knife is too gross!"
"I'll get you a clean one," Lucian said, reaching down for a spare switchblade.
"No! No, don't!" Julia's face went white as she backed away.
"Don't worry. Just avoid the arteries and you won't cause massive blood loss. Stay away from the heart and neck — anywhere else is fair game. Chances of death are super low," Lucian explained in detail.
"But what if he does die?" Julia asked nervously.
"He's in a gang. What's one more death? Worst case, you run. After a couple years, things die down. Clean slate. Hell, with your family's money, hire a couple top-notch lawyers and you might not even have to run. Could walk away clean."
"No way!" Julia shivered. She wasn't scared of her dad's scolding — he was harsh with outsiders but always spoiled her. But the thought of facing her older sister Seraphina's icy glare made her stomach drop.
"With guts like that, how do you expect to make it in this world? How're you gonna be a boss?" Lucian frowned. "I'm honestly disappointed in you."
"Who said I want to be a boss?" Julia shot back. "I'm a student! I'm going to college! I'm gonna be a real professional someday!"
"Really?" Lucian looked skeptical. "With that attitude? I thought you were aiming to be a legendary gang leader or something."
"Nonsense!" Julia glared at him. "Let's go, brother-in-law. We've taught them a lesson. No point staying here."
The room stank of blood, thick and nauseating. It made Julia sick to her stomach — and opened her eyes to the reality of the gangster life she'd once found so thrilling.
So this was what real violence looked like?
Brutal, messy, ugly — and not the least bit glamorous.
And people could die.
Julia made a silent vow to study hard and leave this fantasy behind for good.
Lucian glanced at her conflicted expression and smiled faintly. He shut the knife with a click and turned a cold stare toward the fat club owner.
"I'll let you off this time. But if it happens again, I'll burn your damn club to the ground."
His voice turned sharp, full of menace. The bloody bodies strewn across the floor only added weight to his threat. None of the remaining thugs doubted he meant every word. Their legs trembled as they nodded frantically.
If Lucian wasn't worried about leaving a greedy impression on his sister-in-law, he would've definitely demanded medical compensation from the fat bar owner. Without at least a hundred thousand, the guy could forget about seeing Lucian walk out of that bar.
Looking at Julia's classmates, most of those who fled early only suffered minor injuries. With a few days of rest, they'd be fine. But some of them, who were among the first to throw punches and hit the hardest, became primary targets for the fat bar owner and his gang. One unlucky guy even got his leg broken. Without Lucian's help, he wouldn't even be able to walk.
"You should stay in the hospital for a few days and let that leg heal before going back to class," Julia said loyally after getting her injured classmate admitted. "Don't worry about the medical bills. I've got you covered."
The classmate didn't argue. He clearly couldn't afford the hefty costs anyway. He simply nodded gratefully, then turned his eyes toward Lucian, who was leaning casually on the front desk, chatting with the nurse on duty with a cigarette between his lips. Emotionally, he called out, "Lucian bro, can I follow you?"
"Huh?" Lucian turned around. "You want to follow me?"
"Yeah!" The guy nodded vigorously, his fists clenched with resolve.
Lucian's strength had completely fired him up. He was certain Lucian was some big-time figure in the underworld, a real street legend with power and reputation.
Lucian passed him a cigarette, smiling. "I work as a security guard at a company. Eight thousand a month. You sure you want to follow me?"
The guy froze, clearly stunned. "You're... a security guard?"
The gap between his imagination and reality was too much. In his eyes, even if Lucian wasn't some criminal overlord, he had to be someone with serious background. But a mere security guard? Making only eight thousand?
"What else?" Lucian said seriously. "Did you think I was some mob boss?"
A trace of disappointment flashed in the guy's eyes. He was helped into the hospital by a nurse, clearly disillusioned. Julia, who had been standing nearby, let out a sigh and said, "He's always wanted to make a name for himself in the underworld. He thought you were someone big... couldn't you have just lied to him?"
Lucian lit another cigarette, full of disdain. "Who still wants to be in the mob these days?"
Julia wasn't having it. "What do you mean, 'these days'? Even a hundred years from now, people will still be drawn to that world. Let's not go too far—just look at Maten Voss from Solviva. He's a real boss who rules both the legal and illegal worlds, with countless men under his command. A single sneeze from him sends people running in fear. Then there's Luca Wilson. He's more than a decade younger than Maten, but he's been making waves for ten years. His influence in Solviva City already threatens Maten's hold. He's the rising star of the next generation."
Julia spoke with ease, clearly knowing all the details about these underworld figures. It was obvious she admired them and was a devoted fan of that lifestyle.
As Julia talked about Luca Wilson's accomplishments, a flicker of complexity passed through Lucian's expression. He calmly poured cold water over her enthusiasm. "So what? This is a money-driven society. Even those in the underworld only care about profits now. Loyalty? Brotherhood? Try finding any of that when trouble comes. You'll be the first one to take the fall, rot in prison while your 'brothers' are out there drinking cocktails."
Julia opened her mouth to argue, but Lucian waved it off. "Talk to your classmate. Get him to give up on this pipe dream. Study hard, get into a good university, find a high-paying job with a good environment—that's the real path. Mix with the mob? You'll end up dead in an alley. No one will even pick up your body. What a way to go."
Julia pouted. "Fine, you're scared. But why should he listen to a coward like you?"
Lucian shrugged and strolled out of the hospital. "Just sharing some thoughts. Take it or leave it."
"Hey!" Julia jogged to catch up, tilting her head to look at Lucian's sharp features that, while not quite handsome, were at least defined. She muttered, "You move like a pro. Stabbed someone in the eye without flinching. And you clearly know a lot about the underworld. Don't tell me you've never been in it?"
"Ridiculous," Lucian said with conviction. "I was a model student growing up. Won so many awards I had to buy extra folders. If it weren't for fate playing tricks on me, I'd be a top lawyer or a famous doctor by now. I wouldn't be stuck hanging out with brain-dead students like you."
"Hmph! If you're so capable, why are you mooching off my sister?" Julia's mouth was venomous. "You knew being with her would save you thirty years of effort, right?"
Lucian's expression twisted with frustration. "Nonsense! Go ask your sister—see who's mooching off whom. She was the one crying and begging to be with me!"
"Begging?" Julia looked stunned. "You're saying... my sister threw herself at you?"
"Exactly." Lucian kept a straight face. "What, you think I'd give up the whole forest for one ironwood tree that barely blooms once in a thousand years? Do I look that dumb to you?"
Julia gave him a twisted smile. "Honestly, I don't even know if my sister likes men or women. You really expect me to believe your version?"
"If you don't believe me, go ask her yourself," Lucian said as he casually walked to the street to hail a taxi. He was in a seriously foul mood.
Middle of the night, dragged out by this little brat for a negotiation, and in the end, he lost a bank card with a few hundred bucks in it. Add in the taxi fare, and Lucian had blown nearly five hundred tonight. What a disaster.
Still, he had to admit—good thing Julia wasn't the timid, obedient type. In fact, she seemed to enjoy this kind of wild, chaotic life. Otherwise, given everything he'd done tonight, he'd have scared her half to death. At the very least, she'd be repulsed by the danger he represented. And if she ran home to tell Seraphina? Lucian would be back to living on the street.
On the way home, Lucian repeatedly stressed that this incident was strictly between them—just the two of them and the heavens above. No one else could know, especially not Seraphina.
Julia agreed right away, a bit embarrassed. "I was more worried you'd be the one to tell her."
And so, on the very first day they met, this brother-in-law and little sister-in-law already shared a secret. Their relationship took a big step forward. Julia even generously offered to lend Lucian a few thousand—maybe even ten grand—when her next allowance came in, to help him out of his financial troubles.
"People always say the sister-in-law is like a warm, caring little jacket for the brother-in-law. Turns out it's true," Lucian said emotionally.
"And they say a brother-in-law is like half a father to the sister-in-law," Julia replied. "If I get in trouble at school, at least now I've got Lucian to take the heat. Better than begging my sister. Ten grand well spent."
They each had their own little thoughts, quietly scheming in their hearts. Neither of them realized that standing between them was someone else—Seraphina. Trying to keep secrets from that icy queen, the big boss of Kynix?
Dream on.