Jefferson wasn't intentionally torturing her. He was puzzled as to why, despite following the technique, he hadn't absorbed any life energy. Each time he applied the technique to absorb energy, it only made Mona climax more intensely, with no other effect on him.
He felt no relief, only increasing pressure in his abdomen and a more swollen penis.
Seeing that Mona's body had stopped moving, Jefferson finally stopped. Despite his inexperience, he knew continuing could be dangerous.
He pulled his penis out of Mona's body and saw that the newspaper beneath them was soaked. Mona's legs were wet with a sticky fluid seeping out of her.
Instead of feeling a sense of conquest or satisfaction, Jefferson felt empty.
It seemed that ordinary people and knights were indeed incompatible, their strength, endurance, and stamina too different.
A water bottle was on the bedside table. Not caring if the water was clean, Jefferson drank a mouthful and poured some on himself to soften his penis enough to put his pants back on.
Looking at the unconscious Mona, Jefferson could only smile bitterly. He had gained nothing from this and now had to carry Mona home; he couldn't just leave her there.
Mona's home was also in the old town. Jefferson had passed by a few times but never entered. This area was a poorer part of the old town, filled with single-room houses. The front door opened directly into the kitchen, with the living and sleeping areas in the back.
As soon as he reached her door, he heard a flurry of footsteps inside, followed by the door opening.
Four small children, two boys and two girls, ran out. The oldest was about ten, and the youngest three or four.
"Sister, sister, you're back. We're hungry. We're all hungry," the youngest one shouted.
The children saw a stranger standing at the door, but this stranger was carrying their older sister. They were all taken aback for a moment.
Finally, it was the slightly older girl who first reacted. In a soft voice, she asked, "Are you our sister's classmate? What happened to her?"
Jefferson immediately started stammering, unsure of how to respond. He couldn't exactly say that he had sex with their sister and that she had fainted from the experience.
Fortunately, he was quick-witted. With a swift turn of thought, he said, "Did your sister not eat anything today? She fainted from hunger."
"Yes!" the youngest child said, "We haven't eaten anything either. We're so hungry."
Being stared at by four pairs of pitiful eyes, Jefferson instantly felt powerless. He finally understood why Mona had done what she did.
"Alright, I'll go buy some food for you. What do you like to eat?" Jefferson asked.
"Chicken legs," "Steak," the four little ones replied, making Jefferson's face darken. It wasn't that he couldn't afford it, but he felt like he was being taken advantage of.
Despite the strict rationing system due to the war, one could still buy any food as long as they had money. After making some quick money, his mother had bought some ham and sausages to reward the family, so Jefferson knew where to get these things.
By the time Jefferson returned with large bags of food, it was already a quarter past eight. He knew he had to hurry because a curfew would be in effect after nine, and he didn't want to spend the night in detention.
Just as he approached the alley where Mona's house was, he heard a loud, piercing scolding voice, mixed with the crying of children.
A seventeen or eighteen-year-old guy with a buzz cut, an open collar, and a belt in hand was blocking the door of Mona's house, shouting curses.
Although many people heard the commotion, Jefferson clearly saw many indifferent faces hiding behind the windows.
There were many onlookers, but none dared to intervene or even open a window.
This fear and anxiety made the scolding man even more arrogant. From his words, it was clear that he was Mona's so-called protector.
Jefferson had heard of these so-called protectors, who were nothing but a bunch of hooligans and shameless leeches, most despised for their rabid persistence despite knowing they were outmatched.
Jefferson suspected that the same kind of people were behind the classmates who had troubled him in the past.
The small amount of money his family had wouldn't interest real thugs, but only these greedy and shameless small-timers would care about it.
Thinking about this, Jefferson felt a sense of shared suffering. He casually picked up a walnut-sized piece of rubble from a nearby wall.
Though his training had not yielded much in other areas, his strength had increased significantly, and his coordination between hand and eye had improved greatly.
Just like skipping a stone, Jefferson threw the piece of rubble horizontally. The piece whizzed through the air and hit the shouting man's knee with a light thud, breaking his leg instantly.
A heart-wrenching scream pierced the night, the pain of a broken knee being unbearable.
The scream immediately attracted the police.
Not wanting to get involved, Jefferson glanced at the food he was holding, realizing he would have to wait until tomorrow for Mona to give it to her siblings.
Suddenly, Jefferson remembered that he hadn't paid Mona yet! Mona had sex with him for free, which seemed unfair even though they were classmates.
It looked like the money would also have to wait until tomorrow.
...
Back home, Jefferson took a cold shower, barely calming his inner turmoil.
Having never been sex with a woman, he didn't know the pleasure it brought. After being with one, things got worse.
Enduring through the night, Jefferson finally came up with a plan. He would go straight to Mona during class the next day.
He wanted to ask if Mona would be willing to let him support her. If she agreed, he could help raise her siblings and provide her with protection.
It was something he had once dreamed of, and now it seemed within reach.
The next morning was filled with strenuous training. A preoccupied Jefferson nearly exceeded the time limit during the weighted run and made numerous mistakes during the blocking practice, resulting in many bruises.
Finally, when class time arrived, Jefferson entered the classroom, only to find Mona missing.
By the end of the first class, she still hadn't arrived.
Jefferson knew something had happened to Mona.
"Cover for me," Jefferson said to the class monitor, a girl who, like Mona, had once been the object of his fantasies.
However, he had never hoped to get close to the monitor. Unlike Mona, she came from a well-off family. Her father worked at a bank, reportedly as a junior manager. Though they lived in the old city, their home was on Springbrook Street, in a four-story garden apartment, considered a better place among the lower class.
Glancing sideways at Jefferson, the monitor coldly asked, "What's the matter?"
"Haven't you noticed? Mona hasn't come. I happened to pass by her house yesterday and saw something happening there. Unfortunately, I didn't pay much attention then, so..." Jefferson explained half-truthfully.
The monitor, who thought Jefferson was just like other boys trying to skip class, was surprised by his reason.
Being one of the top beauties in the class, she was also good friends with Mona. They, along with three other girls from their class and some from other classes, formed a small clique known as The Golden Phoenix Society.
"Alright, I'll cover for you. You go first, and I'll be there shortly," the monitor said.
Relieved, Jefferson didn't even take his things and quickly ran out of the school.
It was a short distance to Mona's house, and he arrived in no time.
At the door, Jefferson immediately knew something had happened. The door was ajar, and the nearby window was shattered.
He walked in, hearing sobbing from inside.
Following the sound, he turned past the kitchen and saw Mona's younger siblings crying by the bed, all with bruises on their faces.
As he entered the room, the children noticed him, their eyes filled with fear and unease, making him realize what had happened.
Looking towards the bed, he saw Mona lying there, pale, covered with a sheet that was soaked with blood at the knees.
Seeing Jefferson, Mona's face showed a mix of helplessness and deep shame.
"What... are you doing here?" Mona asked with a face full of sorrow.