CHAPITRE 4
He hated him. Hated everything he stood for. People with no morals, no code. Just fists, cruelty and power used on the weak and innocent.
"You... ugh... piece... of... shit!" Erik snarled, his voice rasping through clenched teeth as he threw a punch straight into Jason's temple with all his might.
He had only just obtain his powers. He hadn't had a chance to test them out, to truly understand their extent or how to control them properly.
So when he threw that punch, he didn't realize just how much force he was unleashing.
BAAAM ! KRRRR !
The moment his fist connected with the man's temple, a sickening crack echoed through the room. The horrifying sound of bones being utterly shattered..
Then, in a split second came the recoil.
Jason was hurled backward like a rag doll and slammed against the nearest wall with brutal velocity.
The impact knocked the breath from his lungs. He crumpled to the floor in a heap, his neck twisted at an unnatural angle.
Pain flared, but confusion hit harder. His thoughts scrambled, flickering between panic and disbelief.. Trying to make sense of what had just happened.
"Ugh?! What.. is going on?" He thought, panic rising as his world suddenly flipped, everything around him appearing upside down.
He tried to move, to steady himself, but nothing responded.
Cough! Cough!
Blood erupted from his mouth, spilling out with every breath. His hands instinctively went to his temple feeling the cavity and the warm, wet substance that now stained it.
"Gurlg" He muttered, staring at the crimson streaks. Disbelief coursing through him.
Why... Why don't I feel my body? His thoughts spiraled as a numbing sensation took over his limbs.
His vision then blurred. The pain that should have been there was absent, replaced by a terrifying numbness.
His mind screamed for answers, but all that came was silence and the overwhelming realization that something had gone horribly wrong.
Am I dying? The thought echoed in Jason's mind as the cold realization settled over him.
His life flashed before his eyes, moments unraveling like a tapestry being torn apart.
He was an only child and at 18, his world had shattered when his parents died tragically in a car accident.
They had been his everything.. His motivation, his goals, his reason for living.
Without them, life had lost its meaning and he had spiraled into a deep depression, even attempting to end his own life.
But before he could try again, he met Lady Yuan.
She was cold and strict, but something in her reminded him of his mother.
Maybe she pitied him, this broken young man with nothing left to live for.
She took him in, trained him and gave him a new purpose. A reason to keep going.
She gave him something to fight for.
But now, lying there with blood pooling around him, he felt that purpose slipping away.
So why am I dying? He thought desperately. I haven't achieved anything yet.
He struggled to breathe, his body unresponsive as darkness edged into his vision.
I don't... want to... I... don't want to... Jason's thoughts fractured as he tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come.
He didn't want to die. Not like this, not without having fulfilled the purpose Lady Yuan had given him.
Not whitout having made her proud.
But as the last bit of strength drained from him, the reality he was desperately trying to deny became undeniable.
I... don't want to die.
He thought one last time before the world around him faded to black.
Erik stood motionless, staring at Jason's lifeless body, blood still trickling from the brutal impact.
The boy looked down at his now blood soaked fist, shocked by what had just happened.
One blow, That's all it took.. He muttered mind-blown, the realization slowly sinking in.
He had punched a hole in Jason's skull with a single punch. The sound of bones shattering replayed in his mind.
What do I do now? Panic rose in his chest as the gravity of the situation weighed down on him.
Can't hide this mess.. A kid... Killing.. An adult.. A Hole.. I.. I need something to cover for his injury. Erik tought, quickly rushing to the restroom taking a pipe from the broken urinal.
After bending the metal object, he dropped it in the pool of blood next to the body.
He had just killed a member of the Ten Rings. One of the most dangerous organizations in the world.
His mind raced with countless possibilities..
But then, he remembered Lady Yuan's words. The way she talked about them as assets to be molded.
She had said they were like clay, to be shaped into weapons, tools for the Ten Rings.
From what he knew, the Ten Rings valued strength above all else.
Power was everything to them. If they found out what he had done—what he was capable of.. They might see him as more valuable than ever.
Plus, if this place is a cover for trafficking children.. Erik thought.
There's no way Yuan would want to involve the cops. They wouldn't risk drawing any attention to what's really going on here.
The realization brought him some small comfort.
They won't kill me because I'm still an asset to them and they won't report me because it would expose everything.
Erik was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't even notice Lei and Lady Yuan approaching the scene.
His mind raced through possible scenarios and strategies, completely oblivious to their presence until Lady Yuan's cold voice cut through his thoughts like a knife.
"What have you done, Erik?" She asked, her tone sharp and cold.
Erik snapped out of his daze, eyes wide as he slowly turned to face them.
Lei's expression was unreadable, but the tension in the air was palpable.
Lady Yuan's gaze shifted from Erik to the lifeless body of Jason sprawled on the floor, blood pooling around his head.
"Explain yourself." She demanded, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene before her.
Lei approached Jason's body with measured steps, crouching down beside him to check for a pulse.
The room was silent, the tension thick as he pressed two fingers against his neck, searching for any sign of life.
After a few seconds that felt like an eternity, Lei glanced up at Lady Yuan and subtly shook his head indicating that Jason was gone.
Lady Yuan's expression remained cold and composed but a flicker of something, disappointment ? surprise ? Crossed her eyes.
She took a slow, deliberate breath before returning her gaze to Erik as if Jason's death was nothing more than a mere inconvenience.
"He tried to kill me, so I killed him first." He said, his tone terrifyingly cold as if what he had done was nothing more than a routine act.
He knew he had to act. Show no emotions. Not that he really cared about his death anyway.
Lady Yuan's eyes narrowed, studying him intently.
The room felt even colder as she processed his words, the weight of the situation hanging heavily in the air.
When Lei and Jason had initially told her that Erik had managed to evade them. Lady Yuan had dismissed it as a mere stroke of luck.
But now, standing before the aftermath of Jason's lifeless body, her perspective had shifted.
'Erik Stevens' She muttered to herself, her mind racing.
The name carried new weight. A significance that demanded closer attention.
From the tests we've conducted, he qualifies as a genius.. His knowledge far surpasses that of any child his age. And in the combat courses, he's proven to be the best among all the children. She thought turning her gaze back to Erik, her expression unreadable.
This boy was more than just another asset. He was a prodigy, a weapon in the making.
Lady Yuan observed the boy closely, noting his unnervingly calm demeanor.
He didn't seem even remotely disturbed after killing someone. A reaction that was anything but normal for a 9-year-old.
Most children would be in shock. Paralyzed by fear or guilt but Erik stood there with a cold detachment as if he had simply dealt with a minor inconvenience.
This isn't normal. She thought, her mind whirling with the implications. A child his age should be terrified, traumatized... But he's neither.
Lady Yuan's curiosity deepened. Erik's reaction wasn't just abnormal, it was dangerous.
It suggested a level of emotional detachment and psychological conditioning far beyond his years.
Whether it was due to his upbringing, the environment he was in or something innate.. It made him a potential elite asset. But also a serious threat.
This wasn't just a prodigy. This was a boy with the mindset of a soldier, possibly even a killer.
The situation had escalated far beyond her initial assessment.
Now, she knew she had to keep a even closer eye on him.
Erik Stevens was no ordinary child but the Ten Rings didn't deal in ordinary anyway.
Lady Yuan's voice was cold and authoritative as she issued her commands.
"Lei, call the cleanup team to deal with this mess. I want everything spotless by tomorrow morning." She ordered, her tone leaving no room for hesitation. "I'll close off the room to make sure no one else stumbles upon this."
Lei nodded and immediately took out his phone to make the necessary arrangements.
Turning to Erik, she said "You! Go to your room. And not a word of this to anyone !"
Erik simply nodded in acknowledgment and began walking towards his room without another word.
Lady Yuan watched him leave, her mind already calculating the next steps.