The two remaining thugs wasted no ti dragging the three lifeless bodies into their car, their hands shaking and their bodies drenched in cold sweat as they worked in frantic silence, their minds still reeling from the absolute massacre that had just unfolded before their very eyes, an event so horrifying and unexpected that they dared not even speak to one another, afraid that even the slightest sound might provoke Liam into changing his mind and deciding to eliminate them as well.
Their movents were rushed, almost clumsy, as they struggled to hoist the corpses into the trunk, their nerves betraying them with every slip of their fingers, but they did not stop, they did not pause, they did not even breathe properly until the final body had been thrown in, the weight of their dead comrades pressing down on them like a haunting reminder of their own mortality.
The engine roared to life, tires screeching against the pavent as they sped away from the house, their minds consud with one singular thought—escape. They did not care where they were going, they did not care what awaited them beyond this mont, all they knew was that they needed to put as much distance between themselves and Liam Carter as humanly possible, for if they remained here any longer, they were certain that death would soon claim them as well.
And just like that, the house was left in eerie silence once more.
Then, as if perfectly tid, a sudden ringing sound echoed in Liam’s ears, the familiar chanical chi of the system notification snapping him out of the haze that had clouded his thoughts ever since the fight had ended.
[Ding]
[Mission: Save Your Woman – Completed]
Liam barely had ti to register the ssage before another notification appeared, displaying his updated stats before his eyes, the numbers increasing slightly as he felt the power settling within him, a subtle but noticeable difference in his overall strength, speed, and endurance.
---
[Liam Carter – Stats]
Strength: 10/1000
Agility: 9/1000
Endurance: 7/1000
Charm: 6/1000
Intelligence: 7/1000
The growth was small, almost insignificant when compared to the full potential he had yet to reach, but he could feel it nonetheless—the slight ease in his muscles, the way his body responded just a fraction of a second faster than before, the newfound awareness of his own physical abilities.
Yet, at the sa ti, as the effects of the temporary x2 stat boost faded, an overwhelming exhaustion crashed down on him like a tidal wave, his limbs suddenly feeling heavier than they had monts ago, his breath coming out in uneven huffs as a deep, burning sensation spread throughout his entire body, as if every fiber of his being was screaming in protest at the strain he had just put it through.
His muscles ached, his joints felt stiff, and his vision blurred for a brief second, forcing him to brace himself against the nearest surface just to keep himself upright, his entire form trembling from the sheer force of the fatigue threatening to pull him under.
But he couldn’t afford to give in. Not now.
Not when Ann was still standing in front of him, staring at him with wide, unreadable eyes, her expression torn between fear, concern, and sothing else that he couldn’t quite place.
She had co to his house because she hadn’t wanted to return to hers, because she had felt unsafe in her own ho, a place that should have provided her with security and comfort, and yet, the mont she had stepped through his door, she had been t with a sight far worse than anything she could have ever anticipated—a battlefield drenched in blood, bodies lying lifelessly on the floor, and Liam, the very person she had unknowingly placed her trust in, standing amidst the carnage with the unmistakable weight of death hanging over him.
And yet, despite the grueso reality before her, despite the undeniable truth that Liam had just taken the lives of multiple n within the span of a few minutes, she did not take a step back. She did not run. She did not scream.
Instead, she simply stood there, her chest rising and falling as she processed everything, as she tried to piece together what it all ant, what it said about Liam, what it ant for her.
Liam, seeing the turmoil flickering in her gaze, finally forced himself to speak, his voice quieter than usual, softer, almost hesitant as he called her na.
"Ann... I can explain."
She blinked, as if snapping out of her thoughts, and for a mont, Liam braced himself for whatever reaction she might have—fear, anger, disgust, anything.
But instead, she rely exhaled deeply, her shoulders relaxing ever so slightly as she shook her head, a small, almost tired smile gracing her lips as she spoke, her tone surprisingly calm despite everything that had just transpired.
"No," she said simply. "You don’t need to explain. They tried to kill you, and you fought back. That’s all that matters."
Liam stared at her, montarily taken aback by how easily she accepted the situation, how effortlessly she brushed past the horror of what had just occurred, and he found himself wondering—was it because she truly believed it was justified? Or was it because she, too, had seen enough darkness in her life that sothing like this no longer shocked her?
Before he could dwell on it any further, the sound of approaching footsteps suddenly cut through the silence, followed by a firm knock on the door, causing both Liam and Ann to tense imdiately.
"Liam! Is everything alright in there?"
The voice was familiar—deep, rough, and laced with genuine concern. It belonged to his closest neighbor, an old man who had moved into the area years ago, soone who had always kept an eye on him from a distance, never interfering too much, but never ignoring him either.
Liam’s heart pounded. The fight must have been loud enough to draw attention, and now, if the old man saw the state of the house, if he noticed the blood, if he asked too many questions—
Liam quickly forced his voice to remain steady as he called out, "Everything’s fine!"
But the old man wasn’t so easily convinced.
"Open the door and let see for myself," he insisted, his tone firm, his footsteps drawing even closer as he prepared to push further.
Liam’s eyes widened, panic creeping into his mind as he quickly glanced around, taking in the bloodied floor, the overturned furniture, the undeniable evidence of the chaos that had unfolded re monts ago—there was no way he could let the old man see this, no way he could explain any of it.
But before he could think of a solution, Ann suddenly stepped forward.
Without hesitation, she reached for the door, cracking it open just enough for her head to peek through, her face flushed, her breath still slightly uneven as she t the old man’s gaze, and in the most convincingly embarrassed tone she could muster, she panted, "Sorry, Nate and I were... a little busy just now."
The old man’s expression shifted instantly, his furrowed brows lifting, his lips curling into a knowing grin as realization dawned upon him—or at least, what he assud was realization.
"Ah," he said, nodding in clear amusent, his gaze flickering between Ann’s slightly disheveled hair and the way she was still catching her breath. "I see. That’s my lad, huh? You sure have the balls to win a girl as beautiful as her. Just like your father."
With a final chuckle, he turned and walked away, muttering sothing under his breath that Liam couldn’t hear.
But if he had, he would have been left with far more questions than answers—because as far as he knew, this old man had only moved in after his parents had already died.
So how did he know his father?
****
Support with Golden Tickets and Power Stones.
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