John's frail hands trembled as he reached for the document.
"Dad, no!" Lance grabbed his wrist, his grip firm.
But John shook his head. "Lance… we have suffered enough. If signing this means we finally escape their oppression, then so be it."
He bent down, stretching his hand toward the paper.
A heavy boot slammed onto the document.
John froze.
The chief loomed over him, a smug grin on his face.
"You think you can just walk away?" the chief said, his voice laced with mockery. "For the past ten years your family has barely paid any levy, countless resources were spent on this memorial hall… Your family owes the East District over two hundred thousand dollars."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
John's body stiffened. His frail fingers curled into fists as he lifted his head, his eyes blazing with defiance.
"You are all monsters," he spat, his voice hoarse but filled with fury.
"Wicked! soulless men. You will be punished in the afterlife!"
SMACK!
Alister's hand whipped across John's face, sending him sprawling onto the floor.
"Shut your mouth, old man!" Alister snarled. His hand shot out, wrapping around John's throat.
Evelyn and Rachael screamed.
"Let him go!" Evelyn cried, struggling against the guards holding her back.
"Grandpa!" Rachael sobbed, thrashing in fear.
John clawed at Alister's wrist, gasping for air. His face turned red, veins bulging in his forehead.
Alister sneered. "You want to talk about the afterlife? I'll send you there myself."
Lance's fists clenched so tightly that his nails bit into his palm. His entire body trembled with rage.
Alister turned to him, tightening his grip on John's throat.
"Sign the papers, Colton," he said coldly. "Or I will end this old fool right here."
Evelyn's voice pierced the hall. "Stop! Leave him alone!"
Alister's head snapped toward her. His sneer deepened.
"You… you immoral woman." His voice dripped with mockery. "Now that your so-called husband is back, you're pretending to be a loyal wife?"
His laugh was cruel, ringing through the hall.
"For the past ten years, you've been whoring around, jumping from bed to bed—"
He moaned loudly, mimicking obscene noises.
Lance's rage snapped.
Evelyn's face burned with fury. "Stop slandering me!" she screamed.
Lance's blood boiled and he had had enough.
He lunged forward, and the guards rushed forward—
Which was a big mistake.
Lance's fist crushed into the first guard's jaw. CRACK!
The second attacked. Lance sidestepped, grabbed his wrist, and flipped him over his shoulder. The guard slammed onto the stone floor.
A third rushed in with a baton—Lance caught his arm, twisted—SNAP! The guard screamed, his elbow bending the wrong way.
Alister's smirk vanished.
Lance locked eyes with him, he leaped into the air and his boot slammed into his stomach.
Alister flew backward, crashing through chairs.
Evelyn and Rachael immediately caught John to prevent him from falling to the ground.
There was silence as the crowd gaped.
Alister groaned, coughing up blood.
Even his family stood in awe by his moves. Rachael had the expression of yes, that's my dad!
Alister coughed up blood, his body twitching in pain. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"How..." "How dare you…" he gasped.
Lance's glare burned like fire. He stepped forward, his fists still clenched.
"Not only will I hit you," his voice was deadly calm, "I'm going to kill you today."
Evelyn's hands shot out, grabbing his arm. "Lance, please don't!"
Nicholas scoffed. "The audacity." His voice was dripping with disdain. "A mere deserter dares to raise his hand against us?"
The chief's expression darkened. "Lance Colton, you are a disgrace to Prescott."
"Go down on your knees, admit your mistake and beg for mercy for what you just did!"
Lance's lips curled into a cold smirk.
"Kneel?"
"None of you," he said, darting his fingers at the officials. "are even worthy to stand in my presence."
Alister's fingers twitched as he slowly pushed himself up, his body aching from the impact, but his face twisted in rage.
Lance's words cut deep, his pride shattered in front of everyone. His breathing was ragged as his fury boiled over.
His eyes darted to a fallen guard's baton.
With a snarl, he snatched it up and lunged toward Lance's back—
Which was a very big mistake.
Lance, ever alert, spun around in an instant. His hand shot out, grabbing the baton mid-swing.
The baton flew out of Alister's grasp as Lance twisted his wrist, forcing him to release it.
Before Alister could react, Lance's fingers clenched around his collar.
He yanked him close.
Their faces were inches apart.
Lance's eyes were dark, merciless. A chill ran down Alistair's spine.
"You tormented my family while I was away," Lance growled, his grip tightening. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't end your pathetic life right here."
Alister's throat bobbed. Sweat trickled down his forehead.
Nicholas's voice cut through the tension.
"Enough of this nonsense!" he barked. "You're a deserter, Lance! And yet you still have the guts to act like this in the Memorial Hall?"
Lance's gaze flickered toward Nicholas, his grip on Alistair unwavering.
"A deserter?" Lance scoffed.
"I've spent the last ten years in the military."
"I've never once flinched in battle." His voice dropped, each word laced with venom.
"Meanwhile, you people spent that time bullying and tormenting my family."
His eyes returned to Alistair, the weight of his wrath crushing.
"You all deserve a miserable death!"
Nicholas suddenly burst into laughter, his voice filled with mockery.
"A warrior?" "You?" He sneered, shaking his head. "You're nothing but a pathetic loser, Lance."
"Stop lying," Nicholas spat. "You weren't fighting battles—you were hiding like a rat."
His eyes gleamed with cruelty.
"You're just a poor, homeless nobody, that's why you came crawling back."
Lance's jaw tightened. His grip on Alister remained firm.
The chief stepped forward, his voice deep and commanding.
"Let Alistair go, Lance." His gaze was cold. "And your family should kneel before us."
A smug grin stretched across his face.
"Perhaps, if you all beg for mercy, I might consider sparing you."
Then his tone darkened. "Otherwise, when I decide not to show you any mercy, don't say I didn't warn you."