?


    Inside the rundown shack, the old man brought a worn stool for Frank. "Please sit, young man. I''m sorry but there''s little hospitality to offer here..." Frank nodded and said, "I''ll cut to the chase, sir! I''ll rent yournd!"


    The old man named Miles Chand did a double take but soon waved him off. "No, no, no... Absolutely not! This old man won''t be a burden!" Frank was unsure how to react just then. "Sir, Ms. Chandler has already told me about your situation. Since I''m willing to help, you can bet that I''m ready to deal with those loan sharks."


    "Yeah, don''t worry!" Whitney agreed. "He''s a university student. Those fools would never dare to mess with him."


    However, while Miles was left hesitant, someone shouted outside, "We''re back, geezer! Bring out the snacks!"


    Whitney was at once furious, striding out of the shack and standing akimbo as she snapped, "Who let you brats off the leash?"


    There were eight thugs outside, leaning against the wall and leering at Whitney in amusement.


    "Oh, if it isn''t the famous vige chief!"


    "How''s it going? Got a new boy yet?"N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    "Fuck off!" Whitney snapped, picking up and throwing a stone at them.


    However, she was just too weak, and the thugs dodged it easily.


    One of them even joked, "Damn, girl! You have no stamina at all-must have used up everythingst night!"


    The thugsughed out loud right then, though their smiles stiffened when they saw a blur shooting out of the shack, seizing the joker by the neck and lifting him into the air!


    "Who the fuck are you?! Mind your own business!" one of the thugs snapped as he threw a punch at the blur, since they had numbers on their side! Bang!


    Nheless, he was sent flying and mming on the wall the next instant, leaving everyone dumbstruck for a moment.


    They all scattered and ran without hesitation right then-that was beyond scary!


    Meanwhile, the joker whom Frank


    was still holding cried, "Please,


    friend! We''re just following


    Gwe all just talk abo


    UMS


    "I don''t need your friendship," Frank growled coolly. "Now run along and tell your boss that he''ll die if he


    keeps messing with the people


    UMS


    here!"


    And with that, he threw the thug over a dozen feet away.


    "Just


    wait!


    his make you pay!" the


    thug


    d as he then pushed ele


    up despite the pain and fled down the alley.


    Frank turned toward the shack and found Whitney''s jaw dropping so wide that it could fit a car.


    "What?" he asked, shrugging.


    "A-Are you even human?" she asked, gaping at the man she was just thinking about jumping not so long ago.


    Frank chuckled in wry amusement. "What are you even talking about?"


    "Oh, well. No one''s going to cause trouble for Old Miles with you around."


    Still, Whitney soon recovered from her shock and led Frank back inside the shack, telling Miles everything that happened.


    Miles proved knowledgeable, immediately sensing that Frank was more than what he seemed.


    "A-Are you a martial artist?" he asked.


    "A self-taught one," Frank replied humbly. "I can handle a few average Joes, but not the elites."


    "Oh!" Miles eximed in awe. "You''re a good kid, and you''ll definitely go far in life. You can have mynd for free!"


    "No, that won''t do!" Frank promptly refused. "I will pay you as I should!"


    "Exactly, Miles," Whitney agreed. "He can afford it—he''s not pinning all his hopes on farming!"