Edward spun around, eyes widening when he saw none other than Hugh Wood, Sarah's younger brother, flanked by his family's bodyguards.
Hugh was smirking with open contempt, his gaze dripping with disdain.
"This is the Treasure Market, open to anyone. What's it to you if I'm here?" Edward shot back, not a hint of hesitation in his voice.
Yvonne, equally livid, snapped,
"My brother's right. This place doesn't belong to your family."
Sally scoffed, her lips curling into a sneer.
"Ah, so this is the infamous troublemaker from the Wood family. I've heard the rumors, but seeing you in person is something else entirely.
If all the top families in New Hook City are like this, they're bound to implode and end up a bunch of uncivilized, barbaric fools.
No manners, no respect."
Her words were like a slap to Hugh's ego.
His face reddened with anger, and he glared at her, his voice a low growl.
"Who do you think you are, you little harpy? Daring to lecture me, and defending Edward, this worthless trash? You're just asking for trouble."
Hugh's gaze lingered on Sally, and for a moment, he forgot his anger.
Her beauty struck him like a bolt of lightning—her innocent face paired with a body that made his blood run hot. He swallowed, a lecherous grin spreading across his face.
"But, you're just a girl, a beautiful girl. I'll let this slide. If you kneel and beg me, show me a little... service, I might spare you. But of course, that depends on how well you... please me."
Hugh let out a loud, mocking laugh, and his bodyguards chuckled along with him, the mood quickly turning sleazy and uncomfortable.
Sally's fury boiled over.
"You've completely disgraced the Wood family's name! Humility, integrity, honor—do you even know what those words mean? How did your parents raise such a disgusting, shameless wretch like you?"
Edward remained calm, his voice smooth as he interjected,
"Relax, Shorty. Don't waste your breath on him. He's not worth it. Let's go."
He didn't want to make a scene, especially since Hugh was Sarah's brother.
Despite everything, he still hoped to make it clear with Sarah before dealing with this idiot.
"Ha, you coward, think you can just walk away?" Hugh sneered, blocking their path. "Do you remember what I said to you before?"
He chuckled darkly. "I told you—you, an unawakened loser, have ruined my sister's reputation. Every time I see you, I'll beat you!"
"Are you out of your mind?" Yvonne fired back, her voice sharp. "It was your sister who wouldn't leave my brother alone, trying to make him her boyfriend.
Then she dumped him just because he couldn't awaken his powers.
And now you're blaming him for ruining her name? Are you all insane?"
Hugh shrugged dismissively, a smug grin plastered across his face.
"Ha, yeah, we're all insane. What's it to you?"
He flicked his hair with a mock flourish, looking every bit the spoiled rich kid who'd never had to work for anything in his life.
"You think you can leave today? Not unless you crawl between our legs first. Boys, line up. Let them crawl through."
His bodyguards, eager for any distraction, immediately complied, standing in a row, spreading their legs like a gauntlet.
Hugh stood at the front, mirroring their stance, clearly enjoying himself.
"Go on, what are you waiting for, losers?" Hugh taunted, his voice dripping with malice. "If you want to leave, here's the VIP exit."
The crowd surrounding them burst into laughter, drawn by the spectacle.
It was a cruel kind of entertainment, the kind that filled their empty lives with vicarious thrills.
"Looks like the Wood family's troublemaker is at it again. And now he's going after that handsome guy, Edward."
"This should be fun," someone muttered.
"Edward's a joke, letting these guys push him around like that. Serves him right."
"Isn't this just the way of the world? The strong bully the weak, and the weak bully the powerless. If you were an orphan with no one to protect you, you'd be getting beaten even worse."
"True enough. I'm not here to be a hero. Just here for the show. Let's see what happens."
"Crawl! Crawl! Crawl!" Hugh's manic laughter echoed as he egged Edward on, the crowd eagerly joining in with chants.
"Brother, this is too much. Should we just let them do this?" Yvonne's eyes burned with fury, her fists clenched.
She was ready to fight, and Sally wasn't far behind.
"Edward, if you don't do something, I swear I'll teach these idiots a lesson myself."
Edward remained calm, his voice level.
"I'll crawl."
Yvonne and Sally froze, their eyes wide with disbelief.
"No, you can't! Where's the confident, fearless Edward I know?"
"That's right, Edward! If you go through with this, I swear I'll never talk to you again! The Edward I know would never back down like this!"
Hugh clapped his hands in amusement, a derisive sneer stretching across his face. "Oh, so the so-called 'waste' has some sense after all. Well then, crawl."
Edward shot Sally and Yvonne a sly wink, a mischievous smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Don't worry. I know exactly what I'm doing."
The girls exchanged a look of understanding, their anger melting into quiet confidence. They knew Edward had something up his sleeve.
As Edward moved toward Hugh and his men, the crowd's anticipation grew.
"Crawl! Crawl! Crawl!" they chanted in unison, the excitement palpable.
Edward couldn't help but smirk inwardly.
The crowd was nothing more than a bunch of puppets, mindlessly following whatever game the rich and powerful played.
He thought to himself:
A true "awakened" one doesn't rise by simply mastering martial arts or crushing opponents with brute force.
No, a real awakened one tears down the system itself and builds something new—something based on integrity, honour, and unity. A place where everyone stands together, in the light.
But he knew it was gory to glory and the road ahead could be anything but easy.
When Edward was within striking distance of Hugh, he allowed a smug smile to play across his lips.
"Let's see just how sturdy this little path of yours is."
Without warning, he kicked out, landing a brutal blow directly between Hugh's legs.
The sound of Hugh's high-pitched scream was drowned out by the collective gasp of the crowd. He crumpled to the ground, clutching his groin in agony.
"Get him! Tear him apart!" Hugh screamed, his voice hoarse with pain.
His bodyguards, enraged, surged forward, ready to pounce on Edward.
"Nice one, brother! Leave them to us!" Yvonne shouted, her eyes flashing with excitement.
Before the bodyguards could even move, Yvonne was already in the air, landing several rapid, powerful kicks that sent two of Hugh's men sprawling to the ground.
Sally, now fully recovered, unfurled her signature weapon—a whip of smooth, shimmering silk. It looked delicate, but in her hands, it became a deadly extension of her will. She cracked it through the air, the sharp snap echoing as it struck one of the bodyguards across the face, sending him reeling.
Within seconds, Hugh's men were down, clutching their faces in pain.
"You didn't make your path very sturdy, did you?" Edward mocked. "What's the matter, Hugh? Can you still get up? This is what happens when you bite off more than you can chew."
The crowd, which had been eager to watch Edward suffer, quickly shifted their attention to Hugh. The laughs and jeers were now aimed squarely at him.
"So, this is the so-called 'troublemaker' from the Wood family? All bark, no bite?" someone snickered.
"Thought he'd be tougher. Looks like Edward's not the only one who's a 'waste.'"
"Guess he's been set up for this. There's gotta be more coming."
"Look at him—can he even stand?"
Hugh, now humiliated beyond belief, struggled to his feet, his fury mingling with pain.
He was gasping for air, his face twisted with rage.
"Look, he's still standing! Maybe the fun's not over yet," someone in the crowd whispered.
Hugh pointed at the remaining bodyguards. "Get up! You useless fools!"
But the men, utterly defeated by Yvonne and Sally, stayed sprawled out on the ground.
"Your men are as useless as you are," Yvonne taunted, her voice dripping with scorn. "Perfect match—waste for a waste."
Sally grinned.
"Love that line, Yvonne. 'Waste for a waste.' Classic."