The Paralyzed Man's Revenge

Fangs Behind a Smile

The pale morning sunlight filtered through the gaps in the hospital curtains, illuminating dust particles dancing in the air. Two days had passed since the incident at Angus McGregor’s apartment and the bloody night an intruder tried to end Arthur’s life. Thanks to the system, his wounds were closing faster than medical logic could explain, yet he still had to play his part. He remained the paralyzed, broken, and helpless Arthur McAlister.

Beside his bed, Lily was still fast asleep. Her pale face looked slightly more peaceful after Arthur had secretly administered the last drops of the Vial of Shadow Mending to her lips last night. Although the system stated a higher level was required to fully heal her nerves, at least her breathing was no longer labored.

Suddenly, the ward door swung open with a violent jerk. No knock, no manners. The sharp, expensive scent of masculine perfume immediately invaded the room, drowning out the clinical smell of antiseptic.

"Good morning, dear brother. My, you look... still alive," a shrill voice that Arthur knew all too well broke the silence.

Julian Vance, Arthur’s half-brother, stepped inside with an arrogant swagger. He wore a designer suit that seemed far too lavish for a hospital. In his hand, he carried a large bouquet of white lilies. He smiled, but his eyes radiated pure malice.

"Julian," Arthur hissed. He struggled to sit up with great effort, putting on the display of weakness Julian expected. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, come on. Am I not allowed to visit my poor brother?" Julian tossed the bouquet onto Arthur’s bedside table roughly, causing several petals to fall. "White lilies. Quite fitting, don't you think? Usually, these are brought to funerals. Consider this preparation for both of you."

He walked around Lily’s bed, tapping his gold-ringed fingers against the iron bed rail. His voice dropped, thick with disdain.

"Daddy sent me. He wanted to make sure you’d truly never get out of that wheelchair again. He said the sight of a crippled McAlister is a disgrace to the company. Do you know what that means, Arthur?"

"He wants me dead," Arthur replied flatly.

"Exactly!" Julian chuckled, a sound that made the hair on Arthur’s neck stand up. "But I told Daddy that letting you live like this is much more fun. Watching you crawl just to go to the toilet... it’s the best entertainment there is."

Julian then turned his gaze toward the sleeping Lily. His eyes glinted with sadistic lust. He stepped closer to Lily’s bed, his hand reaching toward her leg, which was wrapped in a thick cast.

"And this little one... what a shame. She used to have such beautiful legs. Now? Just a heap of crushed flesh and bone," Julian sneered. He began to press down on the cast on Lily’s leg with his thumb, hard enough that Lily let out a soft groan in her sleep.

"Don’t touch her, Julian," Arthur’s voice was heavy, carrying a threat that a paralyzed man shouldn't have been able to deliver.

Julian stopped, then turned to Arthur with an arched eyebrow. "Oh? And what are you going to do? Jump out of bed and hit me? Do it, Arthur! Come on, show me the strength of the primary heir!"

He pressed down on Lily’s leg again, harder this time. Lily began to whimper, her face contorting in pain even though her eyes remained closed.

System, Arthur called out internally. The rage in his chest felt like lava ready to erupt. Activate Aura of Mental Pressure. Target: Julian Vance.

[Activating Skill: Vengeance Pressure (Level 1).]

[Cost: 10 Hate Points per minute.]

[Effect: Inflicts primordial fear and shortness of breath on the intended target.]

Instantly, the atmosphere inside the room shifted. The sunlight seemed to dim, and the temperature plummeted so sharply that Julian’s breath began to mist. The shadows in the corners of the room appeared to lengthen, creeping toward Julian’s feet like invisible black fingers.

Julian froze. The hand resting on Lily’s leg began to tremble. He released his grip and took a step back, his eyes widening as he searched for the source of the sudden cold that pierced through to his marrow.

"W-what is this?" Julian muttered, his voice no longer arrogant. He clutched his chest, gasping for air as if the oxygen in the room had been sucked out.

Arthur stared at him intensely. He didn't move, yet in Julian’s eyes, he was certain he saw something far more terrifying than a mere paralyzed youth. Through the system, Arthur projected pure killing intent directly into Julian's central nervous system.

"You think you’re safe because you can walk, Julian?" Arthur whispered. His voice seemed to echo, as if thousands of tortured souls were speaking alongside him. "This world is vast, and shadows are everywhere. You will never know when those shadows will drag you into the darkness."

Julian panted. His face, previously flushed with arrogance, turned deathly pale almost as white as the lilies he had brought. He looked down at the floor, where the shadow of Arthur’s bed seemed to writhe like a living creature ready to pounce.

"You... you’re doing something..." Julian stammered. He tried to step back again, but his legs felt like jelly. He tripped over his own feet and slumped to the floor.

"Get out," Arthur commanded. That single word carried a heavy weight that made Julian feel as if the ceiling was about to collapse on him.

Julian didn't dare answer. With the last of his strength, he scrambled to his feet, nearly knocking over the vase on the table. He bolted for the door, flung it open in a panic, and vanished into the corridor without looking back. Arthur could hear the sound of his hurried footsteps receding, followed by the crash of something falling perhaps he had collided with a nurse’s cart in his terror.

As soon as the door closed, Arthur deactivated the system. The room returned to normal. The sunlight felt warm again, and the shadows retreated to their places. Lily stirred slightly, then fell back into a deep sleep, unaware of the drama that had just unfolded.

Arthur leaned his back against the pillow, his heart racing. A strange sense of satisfaction crept into his heart. Seeing Julian, the usually dominant predator, trembling in fear before him was the best medicine for his soul.

[Target Julian Vance: Fear Detected.]

[Analysis: Target is experiencing mild mental trauma and acute anxiety toward the Host.]

[Reward: +50 Vengeance Points.]

Arthur stared at the points accumulating on the transparent screen before him. Fifty points for Julian’s fear. It was a good start.

However, he knew this wasn't enough. Julian would return, or he would report to Alistair. Arthur had to move faster. He had to build his strength before they realized that the prey they had discarded in Glencoe had returned with sharper fangs.

Arthur reached for a single white lily from the bouquet Julian had brought. With one squeeze of his hand, he crushed the flower until its bitter sap stained his palm.

"These flowers are indeed fitting for a funeral, Julian," he whispered into the silence of the room. "But it isn't my funeral that is coming."

Suddenly, the system screen flickered with a purple hue Arthur had never seen before, delivering a notification that made his blood run cold.

[Emergency Mission Detected: Alistair McAlister has hired a private detective firm to completely forge evidence of your mother’s death. Destroy their data within 24 hours or Eleanor’s reputation will be forever tarnished as a traitor to the family.]

Arthur clenched his fist. They wouldn't even let his mother rest in peace.

"System," Arthur said, his voice filled with dark resolve. "Show me where they are keeping that data."