He had returned this time precisely to be formally recognized by his clan.
A great many people were asking about him.
So, as the doted-upon mistress of Kevin Howell, Leanne Walsh was also receiving a great deal of attention.
Paige Summers had paid five Sixth-rank Crystal Cores to get all this information, but she felt it was well worth it!
The two of them emerged from the small room, Claire Chapman wearing a complicated expression. "Do you think itâs her?"
Paige Summers raised an eyebrow. "Is there even a question?"
There was no direct proof, but Kevin Howell, who lived in District 2, had coincidentally mobilized his men to come to District Four today... This couldnât possibly be a coincidence!
"Mm, I think so too." Claire Chapman clicked his tongue. "That woman is really something else! Not only did she escape that situation, but she also managed to latch onto such a powerful backer..." The implication was that she would be very difficult to deal with.
Paige Summers noticed someone walking toward them from the opposite end of the hall, so she just gave a cold smirk and said no more.
âNo matter who sheâs latched onto, if youâre determined to take them down, thereâs always a way.â
âI refuse to believe a woman who wanders into a bar when she doesnât have a man to keep her company at night would be without a single weakness!â
As she was thinking, the person from the other end of the hall drew near.
It was a tall, rather fat man. The corridor they were in wasnât particularly wide, but there was more than enough room for two people to pass. So, Paige Summers fell back a step.
Unexpectedly, as the fat man, reeking of alcohol, passed Claire Chapman, he suddenly reached out, knocked off his hat, and said, "What are you pretending for..."
His gaze fell upon that extremely handsome face, and he suddenly fell silent, a stunned and amazed expression appearing on his own.
However, his amazement lasted only for a moment before it was replaced by a suggestive and sleazy smile. "Hey! With a face like that, whatâs the future in being with a woman? Why donât you come with big bro to that room over there, and we can have a nice, long chat!"
Veins bulged on Claire Chapmanâs forehead in anger.
He used to have long hair and had been mistaken for a woman and harassed quite a few times, but that was mostly when he was deliberately trying to appear weak.
He was an expert at feigning weakness to get the upper hand.
But he had never encountered someone like thisâa guy who knew perfectly well he was a man but still said such things!
âThis is a complete insult, that bastard!â
He was just about to teach the guy a lesson when he realized Paige Summers was even faster.
A crisp SLAP echoed through the not-so-noisy corridor, leaving him momentarily stunned.
Looking at the fat man again, the five-fingered imprint on the left side of his face was already red and swollen, a testament to how hard Paige Summers had struck!
The fat man was also stunned. When he came to his senses, he immediately roared, "Youâyou dare hit me?! Do you have any idea who I..."
Paige Summers cut him off coldly. "I donât need to know who you are! But I know where we are, and we are guests here!"
The fat manâs expression changed, but he quickly composed himself again.
He turned his head and shouted toward the main hall entrance behind him, "Old Two, what are you waiting for? Come out and help! You ungrateful wretch, for me to take a liking to you is..."
He continued to curse, but his body had already started to back away.
Paige Summersâs feet shifted slightly as she prepared to step forward again. She despised lecherous, shameless scoundrels like him!
But Claire Chapman grabbed her arm.
The other party had companions. Making a scene here would be a huge hassle.
He would swallow this insult for now.
Paige Summers understood what he meant and could only let out a frustrated breath. "Letâs go!"
But by then, it was too late to leave.
From behind the fat man, four people sauntered out of the hallâs entrance.
The one in the lead was very young, a disdainful smile on his face. He first glanced at the fat man, not bothering to hide his contempt. "What? You run into a tough nut and suddenly you remember me? I recall telling you what I hate the most!"
The fat man shivered. In his moment of panic, he had completely forgotten that this kid hated being called "Old Two." He quickly sidled over with an appeasing smile. "Cole, I just lost my head for a moment. These two wretches actually dared to hit me, look..."
Cole Yeatsâs gaze shifted to face them.
When he saw Paige Summers at the front, his eyes blinked twice. A moment later, a sly smile spread across his face.
"Hey, whatâs your name?"
The fat man was immediately displeased. The woman had hit him, yet Cole Yeats didnât immediately help him retaliate. Instead, he had the nerve to try and flirt? This was a complete lack of respect for him, his supposed big brother! âCould it be heâs taken a fancy to that chick?â His shifty eyes darted over, and only then did he realize she was indeed quite attractive! âIf I could get my hands on both these little bunnies...â
His already small brain subconsciously began to fantasize about all sorts of scenes, and he immediately felt a stirring in his lower body.
"Thatâs right! Tell us your names! You dared to hit me, so neither of you is getting away! Come with me and apologize properly. If Iâm happy, maybe Iâll let it go. Otherwise... Hmph hmph..."
Paige Summers gave him an incredulous look. She used to think people like Evan Pierce were as weird as they came, but now she realized that even in the apocalypse, there was never a shortage of idiots!
âCompared to Evan Pierce, who just makes you want to beat him up, this fatso is probably more suited to having his corpse put on public display!â
She furrowed her brow in disgust. Noticing Cole Yeatsâs disdain for the fat man, she addressed him directly. "Are you sure you want to stand up for this piece of trash who harasses everyone he sees, wears a lewd expression, and is even more garbage on the inside?"
Cole Yeats couldnât hold it in and burst out laughing.
The fat man flew into a rage. "You bitch! You slut! Iâll f*ck your whole family! How dare you say that about me, you..."
He was halfway through his tirade when a deep, displeased voice cut him off. "Her conduct is not for you to lecture her about!"
As the voice spoke, three more people emerged from the entrance to the hall.
Paige Summers looked over in confusion, and her gaze immediately locked on.
The man at the front was very tall, his body a perfect inverted triangle without seeming overly muscular. A crisp combat uniform accentuated his lean and slender frame. His skin was a healthy, tanned wheat color, which further highlighted his sharp, sword-like brows, star-bright eyes, straight nose, and well-defined lips.
His looks were different from Claire Chapmanâs delicate handsomeness and Marcus Monroeâs mature appeal; his was a very heroic and dashing type of charm. His aura was somewhat forceful, with a hint of arrogance, yet it felt so natural to him that it wasnât the least bit out of place.
Paige Summers didnât consider herself one to be swayed by a manâs looks, but seeing this person, she couldnât help but be momentarily dazed.
Without a doubt, this was a rare and extremely outstanding man.
But she also sensed something else from him.
For instance, his gaitâhis steps were of almost perfectly equal lengthâand the murderous aura coming from the two men behind him all proved that this man was from the military, and his rank was not low.
Sure enough, the rage that had been about to erupt from the fat man was instantly extinguished without a trace the moment he turned and saw this person. He was even filled with bewilderment and an instinctive fear.
Taking in the fat manâs reaction, with her superpower having reached its current Level, Paige Summers could already tell that the manâs Level was likely even higher than her own.
âA person like this must be young and accomplished, someone with considerable status in Central City... But why would he speak up for me? And with that tone, as if we have some kind of history?!â
Claire Chapman quietly took Paige Summersâs hand, trying to pull her behind him.
Todayâs incident had started because of him, and now more and more people were getting involved. Although this man seemed to be on their side, you could never predict how things would turn out...
It was clear this matter wouldnât be resolved peacefully, and he didnât want her to get into trouble because of him.
His eyes gave her a silent hint: âIf thereâs a chance later, you have to leave, even if it means going alone!â
But how could Paige Summers possibly agree to that!
Besides, things might not even get that desperate.
She pretended not to understand and continued watching the scene unfold.
Unlike the fat manâs cowering appearance, Cole Yeats was perfectly calm. He wore a half-smiling expression, seemingly not at all surprised to see the man here, though his words suggested otherwise. "Yo! I was wondering who it was. Turns out itâs Young... Master Reid! What, do you know this young lady?"
The man called Young Master Reid looked at him expressionlessly. "Why ask what you already know? Youâre already aware of her identity. Since you indulged your older brotherâs foul mouth, I assume you wonât mind me teaching him a small lesson."