The apartment fell into tense silence after Tommy's dramatic exit, broken only by the sound of Anna nervously chopping vegetables and Hannah pacing back and forth across the small living room like a caged animal."We're dead," Hannah said finally, her voice tight with panic. "We're absolutely dead. Do you have any idea what you've just done, Jack?"Jack settled comfortably into his chair, apparently unbothered by the brewing crisis. "I hit someone who needed hitting. Nothing more complicated than that.""Nothing more complicated?" Hannah's voice rose to a near-shriek. "You just assaulted one of Scorpion's crew members! In his own territory!"She genuinely believes this local gang leader is untouchable, Jack observed. The fear runs deep here."Hannah, calm down," Anna said from the kitchen, though her own hands were visibly shaking as she tried to continue preparing dinner. "Maybe we're overreacting. Maybe Scorpion won't—""Won't what?" Hannah cut her off. "Won't care that some stranger

The open area behind Mason Dormitory was exactly as Tommy had described—a patch of cracked asphalt surrounded by overflowing dumpsters and scraggly bushes that provided perfect concealment from the main street. Flickering streetlights cast irregular shadows across the makeshift arena where Jack Sullivan now faced ten armed thugs.Tommy positioned himself at the center of his crew, trying to project authority despite his grotesquely swollen face. "Last chance, Sullivan! Get on your knees and beg for mercy, and maybe I'll make this quick!"Jack studied the assembled gang members with professional interest. "Or what?""Or we beat you to death slowly!" one of the thugs shouted, brandishing a metal pipe with obvious enthusiasm."Yeah!" another added, swinging a chain menacingly. "We're gonna make you wish you never messed with Scorpion's crew!"They're all trying to work up their courage through group intimidation, Jack observed. Classic pack behavior before violence."You should have mind

At the center of the crowd of thugs stood a figure that commanded immediate attention. Brother Scorpion was everything his reputation promised—a mountain of a man wrapped in an expensive fur coat despite the warm evening, his face dominated by an intricate scorpion tattoo that crawled from his left temple down to his jaw.His presence radiated the kind of casual violence that came from decades of never being challenged."Oh my God," Hannah whispered, her voice barely audible. "That's really him. That's actually Brother Scorpion."Anna gripped Hannah's arm tightly. "Jack, what did you do? You said you paid them off! You said everything was fine!""It was fine," Jack replied calmly, studying Scorpion with professional interest. "This is something else entirely.""Something else?" Hannah's voice cracked with panic. "Jack, this is about Tommy! They know you killed him!""Killed?" Anna's eyes widened in horror. "Jack, you said you paid them! You said they just left!""Take it easy," Jack

Scorpion lay on the ground, blood trickling from his mouth as he struggled to process the magnitude of his defeat. Around him, his men groaned and writhed in pain, several attempting to pull themselves upright despite their injuries."Stay down!" Scorpion commanded weakly, his voice carrying just enough authority to stop his gang members from moving. "Nobody get up! Nobody do anything!""Boss?" one of his lieutenants called out in confusion. "We can still fight! There's still a hundred of us!""A hundred broken men," Scorpion corrected bitterly. "Look around you, you fool. This man just destroyed our entire crew in thirty seconds.""But boss—""But nothing!" Scorpion snapped. "You want to end up dead? Because that's what happens if you keep pushing this man!"The lieutenant fell silent, finally understanding the hopelessness of their situation.Scorpion struggled to his knees, wiping blood from his split lip as he looked up at Jack with newfound respect and terror. "I've been ruling L

Jack processed the revelation about Leo Lewis with growing understanding, pieces of a complex puzzle finally clicking into place in his mind."So Leo Lewis has been planning this for years," Jack said thoughtfully. "Using the Zhang family's resources to position assets like you throughout my territory.""That's right," Scorpion confirmed. "The Zhang family is one of the most powerful cultivation clans in the capital. They have money, political connections, and martial artists that make Ryan Robinson look like a street fighter.""And they've been backing Leo's revenge plan.""Every step of the way," Scorpion replied grimly. "Leo grew up with them, learned their techniques, absorbed their power. He's not like his brothers—he's patient, intelligent, and incredibly dangerous.""But you never intended to actually serve him," Jack observed.Scorpion's face darkened with old hatred. "Serve the Lewis family? After what they did to my parents? I'd rather die first.""Tell me about that," Jack