Now, Ren is standing amidst the wreckage, the room littered with broken bodies and bloodstains. Only the boss remains, frozen with wide, terrified eyes as he watches Ren, waiting for whatever twisted game comes next. The air is thick with fear, the scent of blood lingering like a miasma.
Ren flicks his fingers lazily, and with a sharp pull, the boss is yanked off his feet. His body flies forward, dragged through the air until he's dangling mere inches from Ren's face, suspended by the same invisible force that had crushed his group.
Ren tilts his head, inspecting the trembling man before him, as though he's considering what to do with him. His eyes gleam with cruel amusement as he murmurs,
"Now... how should I take care of you?"
The boss stares at Ren, his mouth opening and closing, desperate to speak but too paralyzed with fear.
Ren, bored by the man's silence, shrugs and turns, stepping to the opening at the edge of the room.
The boss is pulled alongside him effortlessly to the opening. Ren holds him outside, below him lies nothing but empty space, a drop that would certainly be the end.
The boss dangles helplessly in the air, high above the ground, his body shaking uncontrollably. He glances down, his breath catching in his throat as panic takes hold.
"P-please, don't kill me Please!" the boss pleads.
Ren's eyes darken, his voice cold. "Oh, shut up. It's your fault for coming here."
But the boss can't stop pleading, after all, this is his end. There's nothing worth worth dying for.
The boss's voice cracks as the desperation grows. "I-I have money, a lot of it! I can give you everything I have. Just... just let me go, please."
At the mention of money, Ren's expression shifts ever so slightly. He halts, letting the man's words sink in as a slow, wicked smirk creeps onto his face.
"Ohh... I'm listening. Tell me, how much do you have?"
"Please..." The boss whimpers his voice barely a whisper now. "Don't kill me."
Ren lowers the man ever so slightly, his voice sharp and filled with sudden impatience.
"Shut the fuck up. I didn't ask for begging. I asked for numbers. How much?"
The boss swallows hard, his voice trembling. "A m-million dollars. I swear."
Ren's expression flickers, just for a moment, his eyes narrowing as if considering something more seriously. He masks it quickly, letting out a low chuckle.
"A million? That's it? That's not much... but I suppose I could make it work."
Without warning, Ren yanks the boss back into the building, dragging him through the air until they're back half-inside.
The boss crashes to the ground at Ren's feet, gasping in pain. Ren looms over him, his smirk gone, replaced by a cold, predatory gaze.
"Now," Ren says, his voice low and dangerous. "Let's talk business."
Before the boss can respond, Ren's fist slams into his gut. The boss lets out a choked scream, collapsing further as Ren follows up with brutal punches, each one more forceful than the last. His knuckles crack against the boss's ribs, drawing out groans of agony.
Ren doesn't stop there. His blows rain down with cold precision, punishing the man, making it clear that any defiance or hesitation would be met with pain.
Finally, after what seems like an eternity from the boss's perspective, Ren steps back, watching as the boss wheezes, clutching his sides in a futile attempt to stop the pain.
Then, with an eerie calmness, Ren waves his hand over the broken body and a faint, glowing light pulses from his palm.
The boss's wounds begin to close, the pain ebbing away as though it had never existed. The boss blinks, dumbfounded, staring at his body in disbelief. Just moments ago, he was certain his bones were shattered, his body broken beyond repair. But now, all of a sudden, he feels... whole.
"W-what... how?" the boss stammers, staring up at Ren, eyes wide with fear and awe.
Ren calmly sits on a nearby concrete block, his movements relaxed as though nothing unusual had happened. He gazes down at the trembling boss, his voice deceptively casual.
"Now that we've gotten the formalities out of the way, let's set some ground rules."
The boss, still in shock, nods frantically.
Ren leans forward, his eyes locking onto the man with chilling intensity.
"First," he begins slowly, his voice dripping with authority, "you're going to send half a million dollars to my address, in cash. And you're going to do it alone."
The boss nods quickly, terrified to even breathe wrong. "Yes, yes, of course."
Ren's gaze sharpens. "Second," he continues, his voice dark, "if I find out you've told anyone about me... I'll know." His lips curl into a cruel smile.
"Believe me, I will find out. And when I do, I won't just come for you. I'll come for your family. Your friends. Their families." He pauses, letting the weight of his words sink in. "All of them... will disappear."
The boss trembles, his skin turning pale as Ren's words etch themselves into his mind.
"And those who dare to come near what's mine... especially Lina... they won't just die. No." Ren's smile widens, his voice growing more sinister. "
"They'll wish for death, but I won't give it to them. I'll keep them alive... tortured for eternity. They'll beg for death, but they'll never find it. I'll break them, piece by piece, until there's nothing left but their screams."
The boss's face drains of all colors. His entire body trembles violently, his eyes filled with nothing but pure, unadulterated fear. He opens his mouth to respond but can't find the words. His mind is clouded with the horror of what Ren has just described.
Ren leans back, a pleased smirk playing on his lips. "Good. It looks like you understand the gravity of your situation now."
He stands up slowly, walking toward the boss, who lies crumpled on the floor. Ren stops just a foot away, towering over the man.
"Now... give me your card," Ren orders, his tone almost casual again. "I'll call you if I ever need... anything."
With shaking hands, the boss fumbles into his pocket, pulling out a sleek black business card. He holds it up weakly, his hands trembling as Ren snatches it from him without a second glance.
Ren tucks the card into his pocket, his eyes flicking back to the two bandaged thugs who dared to lay their hands on Lina. A dark glint flashes in his eyes as he points toward them.
"And those two... make sure they're dealt with."
The boss's head snaps toward them, eyes wide with terror. He quickly nods, his voice barely a whisper.
"Y-yes... of course. I'll take care of them."
Ren's smirk returns, his tone light and casual once again, as if discussing something mundane. "Good, And remember, if I find out you've betrayed me... well, you know what will happen."
The boss swallows hard, nodding again, his body slumping in defeat.
Ren turns, heading toward the stairs, but before he leaves, he stops and glances back at the mangled, barely breathing thugs scattered around the room.
With a wave of his hand, he sends a pulse of healing energy toward them. The light is faint, just enough to close their wounds and ensure they won't die, but nowhere near enough to ease their pain. They stir slightly, groaning in agony, but their lives are spared... for now.
Satisfied, Ren descends the stairs, his footsteps echoing through the now eerily quiet building. Behind him, the boss and his men lie motionless, too terrified to move, their minds reeling from the nightmare they've just lived through.
As Ren disappears into the darkness, the boss lets out a shaky breath, his heart pounding in his chest. He glances around at the wreckage, at the blood and broken bodies of his men, and for the first time in his life, he realizes just how close he came to death... or worse.
His mind races, replaying Ren's threats over and over again. He does not doubt that Ren is serious—if he steps out of line, if he tells anyone, his life and the lives of everyone he knows will be over. The terror of that reality sinks in deeply, and all he can do is nod to himself, vowing to never cross Ren again.
In the building, the thugs begin to stir, their groans of pain filling the air as they slowly realize that, somehow, they're still alive. But as the shock wears off, a new emotion takes over—relief.
The nightmare is over.
For Now.