In the lounge.Tiger furrowed his brow briefly. He knew Eric had more strength than he was showing, recognizing Eric's usual fighting style.Eric typically observed his opponent's moves first and then exploited their weaknesses with counterattacks.Some in the audience thought about throwing water bottles at Eric due to his constant evasion, possibly influenced by the reputation Roland had given him. Still, they refrained from reckless actions on Roland's turf.Roland's daughter, Valerie Draco, stood next to him. "Dad, who is this masked person?" she asked.One reason Roland had agreed to cooperate with Eric was Valerie's safety. Having a family meant considering them in every decision, unlike Tiger."I don't know," Roland replied.Roland only knew Eric came from Salt City and had killed a Petterson boxer and nearly beaten Lucas to death. Eric's first name and face remained mysteries to Roland.During their conversation, the arena situation abruptly shifted."You're a fighter
Although the voices were hushed, news of the incident reached the Pettersons.Frederick's face darkened, and he turned to Lucas, asking, "Did you orchestrate this?"Considering the circumstances, even he suspected foul play.Lucas appeared confused. "Dad, I had no idea! Roland set this up!"Frederick shifted his gaze to Roland, who seemed momentarily perplexed but then stood and urged, "Everyone, please remain calm."His words only exacerbated the chaos in the arena. What did "stay calm" mean? The disgruntled bet losers were far from satisfied."Are you trying to stir trouble in my arena?" Roland's face flushed with anger."Mr. Draco!" A voice protested. "You can't deny it! It's clear you prearranged this!"Roland glared at the accuser until they reluctantly sat down."Is there anyone here familiar with advanced martial arts?" Roland asked."I am," a man replied.Roland turned to him and asked, "At a martial arts' highest level, can a single punch penetrate through the chest
Tiger's driver parked the car in front of the hotel.Eric stepped out of the car and headed toward a nearby spot.Grace's bodyguard, who had been trailing behind, gave a small nod. However, he didn't anticipate Eric's sudden attack.Eric threw a punch at the bodyguard, who managed to block it with his fist and took a few steps back. He urgently shouted, "Sir! It's me!" Since he had never met Eric before, the bodyguard quickly clarified his identity.Eric raised an eyebrow, surprised that the bodyguard could withstand his powerful punch."Why didn't you go to King City to help Madam Montgomery?" he asked before turning away.The bodyguard hurriedly caught up and explained, "Sir, Madam Montgomery instructed me to protect you."Eric didn't say much, realizing this bodyguard wouldn't easily be dismissed. Having an expert around could be beneficial.Tiger was also perplexed by the bodyguard's skill and wondered why he suddenly appeared with Eric. The group now had an extra member.
During that period, Sylvia had had a poor appetite, so Amelia was thrilled to see Sylvia actively seeking food now.Sylvia nodded and said, "Mom, I'm hungry."Unfortunately, the refrigerator didn't have much food, and the leftovers from the lunch had been tossed. There were some desserts, but Sylvia wasn't a fan.Amelia rushed to the living room and said, "Brook! Call the restaurant and order Sylvia's favorite dishes!"Brook promptly stood up and made the call. He was concerned Sylvia couldn't wait, so he offered to pick up the food himself.The gloomy mood in the Williams residence lightened considerably.Sylvia used to have a hearty appetite, but it had waned since her face was disfigured. Hence, her sudden desire to eat was a pleasant surprise."Great!" one of the experts remarked. "A positive mindset can aid recovery. Plus, it's essential to shed fewer tears."Sylvia nodded, determined not to lose weight before Eric's return in two weeks.-At Dortmund Grand Hotel.Rolan
The scars on Eric's face were terrifying. Roland finally understood why Eric wore the mask now. Additionally, Eric's ability to defeat the top fighter of the Pettersons with just one punch revealed his ruthlessness.Valerie covered her mouth, clearly startled by Eric's appearance. It turned out Eric had a genuine reason to hide his face."Do you still want to see my face?" Eric asked Valerie.She quickly looked away. "Who'd want to see such an ugly face? Plus, scars can be treated. Dad, we have a skilled holistic physician in Dortmund City, right? Why not have him take a look?"Roland agreed, saying, "That's what I had in mind. I'll arrange for the holistic physician to see Mr. Johnson tomorrow morning."Initially, Eric wanted to decline but thought about some holistic physicians' unique skills and agreed in the end.As it was getting late, Roland and Valerie left. Roland said in the car, "I told you not to come, but you insisted. Are you scared now?"Valerie stuck out her ton
This was really adding insult to injury."Dad..." Lucas looked puzzled. "When I went to King City, I behaved well! I didn't harm any woman, and I certainly didn't have the courage to...""Hmph! You touched Sylvia Williams but not other women? Stop lying! Tell me, who did you upset in King City?"Frederick unfastened his belt as he scolded."Frederick!" A woman quickly held him back. "Lucas is in no condition. Do you want to hurt him?""He deserves it!" Frederick pointed at Lucas. "Without him, we wouldn't be in this mess!"He wanted to beat Lucas, but the Petersons managed to stop him.-Late at night.The Petersons had left the hospital, and Lucas was half awake. The ward was dimly lit."Lucas... you're still alive, huh?" A cold voice echoed."Who's there?" Lucas trembled. He tried to sit up, but moving hurt and made him grimace.He spotted someone wearing a Ghostface mask in a chair across his bed. It looked scarier in the dim light.Eric rose and leaned over Lucas' bed.
"Let me check your pulse first," said the elderly holistic physician calmly.Eric extended his hand, and Gilbert examined it carefully before speaking slowly. "Your heartbeat is strong, and your blood is abundant. While this is usually advantageous for martial artists, it might pose a significant challenge for you."Eric and Roland were impressed.Eric lacked the typical calluses on his hands that martial artists often had, and Roland had never mentioned his martial arts practice. Yet, Gilbert deduced it just from Eric's heartbeat. His skill was truly remarkable.However, everyone remained puzzled. How could something typically beneficial become an obstacle?Gilbert continued. "This appears to be a blade wound. If I'm correct, it's likely self-inflicted."Eric's admiration for Gilbert deepened. "You're right, Hol. Walker," he admitted. "The scars on my face are indeed self-inflicted."This revelation left Roland and Valerie even more perplexed. They had assumed someone else had
Tiger smiled bitterly and said, "Let's not dwell on the past."The brief exchange between Roland and his daughter revealed to both of them that Eric was married, and he might have harmed his face for his wife's sake.Eric had decided to take Sylvia to King City after he got his revenge. He was willing to try, even if success wasn't guaranteed.Roland got straight to the point, saying, "Mr. Johnson, Frederick called me while I was on my way here. He mentioned that his son, Lucas, is convinced someone in a Ghostface mask is trying to kill him."Roland suspected that Eric had visited the hospital the previous night, terrifying Lucas. He continued. "Frederick wants to know when you're available. He's willing to host a dinner as a sincere apology."From Frederick's words, Roland realized that Eric's fake identity was working. Frederick was wary of Eric's fictional friend from King City and sensed that the Pettersons were truly in decline.It surprised Roland that they were frightened