Downstairs, Eric didn't return home immediately. Instead, he snuck outside the apartment building and found a hidden spot where he could watch from afar. He was worried that the drug might not take effect right away, and if Jackson realized he had been tricked, he might come downstairs to cause trouble.
Eric remained extremely cautious when it came to knights. Although he had accidentally poured all three bottles of the drug into the water, he didn't think it would be fatal—after all, knights had strong constitutions and might still have some fight left in them. That's why Eric chose to wait outside for a bit before going back upstairs to check on the situation.
...
**In Room 201**
Jackson entered his room and hid the package, but suddenly his vision blurred. He shook his head, only to feel his legs weaken, and he nearly collapsed to the floor.
"Damn it!"
In that moment, Jackson's first thought wasn't of Eric, but of the Sun City Investigation Bureau! He believed they had finally tracked him down and had set him up.
But how had they done it? Jackson's mind swirled with confusion and fear. He was sure that after moving here, he hadn't been under surveillance. Every day, he'd carefully check his surroundings before going out, and he hadn't noticed anything suspicious.
It had been the same last time—he quickly detected the Sun City agents monitoring him. Besides, all he'd done this morning was go out to grab breakfast...
**Breakfast?**
Could they have drugged his food? But that didn't make sense—why was the drug only taking effect now, two or three hours later? Even in his groggy state, Jackson didn't suspect Eric. His mind was too clouded to think clearly, but he knew he had to act.
Feeling his limbs grow weaker by the second, Jackson realized he had to do something, fast! He bit down hard on his tongue, the sharp taste of blood flooding his mouth. Ignoring the pain, he staggered toward the window, dragging the package with him.
When he reached the window and saw the metal bars, a wave of despair washed over him.
"Damn it!"
Jackson's head throbbed painfully, and his limbs were now almost completely numb. The Sun City Investigation Bureau might already be waiting outside for him. He knew he couldn't escape through the front door, so his only chance was to flee through the window.
Desperately, Jackson crawled from his bedroom to the living room, hitting his legs with his fists in a futile attempt to regain feeling. The drug was too strong, and thanks to Eric's massive overdose, even Jackson's knightly physique couldn't withstand it.
As he finally reached the balcony, a knock came at the door.
*Knock, knock, knock…*
"Uncle, I'm here to watch TV."
"Uncle, are you home?"
In his drugged stupor, Jackson barely managed to stay conscious. He didn't want to deal with the kid outside—he had bigger problems. But then, a sudden thought struck him: **a hostage!**
Even if he escaped through the window, he wouldn't get far in his condition. But if he took a hostage, especially a promising martial science student, the Sun City agents wouldn't dare to make any rash moves.
Clinging to this desperate idea, Jackson turned and crawled toward the door with all his remaining strength. If he could take Eric hostage, he might still have a chance to escape.
...
**At the Door**
Eric kept knocking, but there was no response from inside. He assumed that Jackson had already been affected by the drug. Still, he didn't lower his guard. In his right hand, hidden behind his back, he gripped a thick wooden stick, ready for anything.
The best outcome would be if Jackson didn't open the door—then Eric could climb up from his backyard to check on things. But if Jackson did answer the door, Eric would assess the situation. If Jackson was drugged, Eric would hit him with the stick. If not, he'd make up an excuse about the pipes being clogged.
"Yeah, I'll say I'm here to fix the pipes," Eric thought, mentally preparing himself for all possible scenarios.
Just then, he heard soft footsteps from inside. Moments later, the door behind the security gate creaked open.
Jackson stood there, his eyes glazed over, clearly dazed. His voice was slurred as he said, "Come… come in..."
"Uncle, are you okay?" Eric didn't rush in. Instead, he took a cautious step back, eyeing Jackson warily. "You don't look so good. Are you feeling sick?"
Jackson could barely stay on his feet and had no patience for pleasantries. Struggling, he unlocked the security gate, panting heavily. "Come… come in…"
"Uncle, do you want me to call a doctor? Or the police? You don't seem right..."
Jackson was furious. *Call the police? Over my dead body!* He knew his time was running out. Ignoring his weakness, he lunged forward, trying to grab Eric.
But Eric had been prepared for this. He quickly stepped back, avoiding Jackson's grasp. Jackson froze for a moment, and Eric immediately realized something was wrong.
This guy had just tried to grab him. There was no way he was a good person! A normal person feeling unwell would ask for help, not try to take someone hostage.
In that instant, all of Eric's suspicions were confirmed. Since Jackson was clearly a bad guy, there was no need to hold back.
Without hesitation, Eric raised the wooden stick and swung it hard at Jackson's head!
*This little punk!*
That was the only thought that crossed Jackson's mind. Even in his disoriented state, he realized who had set him up.
He had been outsmarted by a kid! Not by the Investigation Bureau, not by an enemy, not even by another knight… but by a high school student!
Jackson was filled with rage and frustration, but he didn't have time to react. The stick came crashing down, and he barely managed to raise his arm to block the blow. Normally, he would have easily kicked Eric away, but now, with his limbs weak and numb, just standing was a feat of willpower.
...
*Thud!*
The stick didn't hit Jackson's head but landed on his arm. Eric's eyes widened in shock. If this had been a normal person, their arm would have surely been broken. But hitting Jackson felt like striking concrete—the stick even bounced back.
This made Eric realize just how terrifyingly strong a knight's body really was.
Without wasting a second, Eric pulled the stick back and swung it again!
*Thud!*
Once again, Jackson blocked the stick with his arm. The pain brought him a bit more clarity, and though his head was still foggy, his anger ignited his survival instincts. He bit down hard on his tongue, using the pain to give him strength. Jackson took a slow, laborious step forward and swung a fist at Eric.
"You think a knight will go down so easily?"
Jackson's fury seemed to fuel his final reserves of energy. His punch moved slowly, lacking any real force, but to Eric's shock, the wooden stick suddenly snapped!
*Crack!*
The stick shattered under Jackson's punch, and the force reverberated through Eric's hand, leaving his palm stinging and his arm numb.
But Eric gritted his teeth and kept going. He swung the remaining half of the stick at Jackson's head again. This time, Jackson had used up the last of his strength, and the stick hit him squarely on the skull.
Jackson's head was much tougher than a normal person's, and though the stick landed solidly, it only drew a small trickle of blood. Eric cursed inwardly, thinking, *This guy's body is as tough as a rock!*
Driven by fear, Eric continued swinging the stick until Jackson finally collapsed to the floor.
Even after Jackson fell, Eric didn't stop. He hit him a few more times just to be sure.
Jackson's body twitched slightly, but Eric was certain the man had no strength left.
Dropping the stick, Eric dragged Jackson into the room and quickly shut the door.
...
Inside the room, Eric looked around and found a bedsheet. He flipped Jackson over and wrapped him tightly in it.
This method of binding with the entire sheet was far more reliable than using ropes.
Worried that one sheet might not be enough, Eric searched the room again and found another bedsheet. He wrapped Jackson in it as well. Then, he grabbed a quilt and wrapped it around Jackson one more time, leaving only his head exposed.
Still feeling uneasy, Eric searched for ropes but found a bundle of wire instead.
Taking the wire, Eric wrapped it tightly around the quilt, securing it with several loops before twisting the ends with pliers to make sure it wouldn't come loose.
Finally, wiping the sweat from his brow, Eric panted, "If you can get out of this, you deserve it."
Jackson's arms and legs were likely broken, or at least fractured. Now that they were bound, he couldn't exert any strength, and with layer upon layer of binding, plus the wire on the outside, it would be impossible for him to break free.
Once Jackson was fully bound, Eric grabbed some duct tape and wrapped it around Jackson's mouth several times, sealing it shut.
At that point, Eric suddenly felt something was off.
Muttering to himself, he said, "Why do I feel like I'm the villain here?"