As the four masked men disappeared into the streets, Liam walked calmly toward the girl who had been shoved aside. She was on the ground, her helmet slightly tilted. He reached out his hand to help her up.
"You okay?" he asked.
She took his hand without hesitation. As she stood and pulled off her helmet, Liam blinked.
She was beautiful. But that wasnât what caught him off guard.
She was Korean.
Long black hair flowed freely down her back in soft, elegant waves. Her pale, flawless skin looked almost untouched by sunlight. Sharp, almond-shaped eyes held a quiet strength as she glanced at him, then toward the shop. Her high cheekbones, soft pink lips, and small, pointed nose gave her a gentle, delicate lookâyet she seemed composed, unshaken by what just happened.
What stunned Liam wasnât her looksâit was that the older woman inside had called her daughter. Maybe she was adopted? It crossed his mind for a second, but he didnât dwell on it.
"Seo-yeon!" the motherâs voice cracked from the shop doorway.
Liam stepped aside as the woman rushed out and wrapped her arms around the girl, trembling. "Seo-yeon, we lost everything... We lost everything..."
The pain in her voice stung more than a gunshot.
Seo-yeon hugged her mother tightly, her arms firm and comforting. But Liam saw her eyesâthere was a silent storm behind them. She was holding it together for her motherâs sake, but her pain ran deep. Deeper than words.
Liam remembered what the older woman had said earlierâshe needed that money for her daughterâs college. That safe probably held everything they had.
He stood still, watching the moment unfold. He knew what desperation looked like. Heâd seen it on the streets, in the gang wars, in Lilithâs eyes when she talked about her past. And now, here it was again. In a flower shop.
The mother looked at Liam after a few seconds, wiping her eyes quickly as if trying to collect herself.
"Iâm so sorry you had to see that, young man," she said with a trembling voice. "And thank you... for your service."
Liam was caught off guard. Sheâs thanking me? He hadnât done anything. The gang had walked in, robbed her blind, and he just stood there calculating outcomes. And still, this woman was thanking him.
He nodded slowly, then turned to Seo-yeon and handed her the bouquet he had picked for Lana. "Hold this for me," he said softly, "Iâll be back in a blink."
Seo-yeon blinked, confused, but took the bouquet with both hands. Liam was already walking away, his steps quick and firm.
The moment he stepped outside, he scanned the area. The streets were busy, but calm had returned like nothing happened. He approached the nearest seller beside the flower shopâan old man slicing apples beside a fruit stand.
"Hey," Liam said. "You see four guys come outta here? Hooded, fast-moving?"
The man didnât even hesitate. He pointed down the alley. "That way. They ran like rats."
"Thanks." Liam didnât wait.
He darted toward the alley and stopped just as he reached the corner. A tall wire fence blocked the end. No doubt the bastards picked this escape route on purposeâit wasnât an easy path to follow. Maybe they thought no one would dare.
But Liam wasnât just anyone.
Without even thinking, he crouched, pushed off the ground, and leapt highâclearing the fence in one smooth motion. His sneakers hit the other side with a soft thud. He straightened, eyes narrowing as he scanned the open space ahead.
Empty.
Nothing.
He turned slowly, his senses sharp. The sounds of the city faded. He was just about to move again whenâ
Ding.
The system kicked in.
[Analyzing terrain...]
[Tracing movement path â 23 seconds ago.]
[Tracking footprints...]
Suddenly, the world changed.
Everything around him turned a cool shade of blueâbuildings, walls, ground, trash bins, even the sky. But thenâfour vivid red trails appeared. Footsteps. Fresh ones. Glowing like heat signatures on a map.
Liamâs lips curled into a grin. "Freaking cool."
He followed the red tracks without hesitation, his body moving instinctively now. The system had been quiet in the beginningâmostly just giving notifications and stats. But now... it was helping him. Actively.
It wasnât just a tool anymore. It was becoming a partner.
Liam followed the glowing red tracks through the narrow backstreets, cutting across dumpsters, broken fences, and patches of overgrown weeds. The trail was fresh. They werenât far ahead.
After a final turn past a row of rundown garages, he spotted them.
The four men were hunched over the small safe, struggling to pry it open. One of them cursed as the crowbar slipped. Another one held a gun pointed at the lock, ready to fire.
They were going to shoot it open like idiots.
Liam stepped forward casually, voice calm and controlled. "Throw the safe over. All the money you robbed, and your gun."
The four of them snapped around at the sound of his voice.
Liam took a step closer, arms loose at his sides. "Actually... toss everything youâve got. Wallets, blades, loose change, whatever. Iâll consider letting you walk."
There was a moment of silence. Then one of them squinted, recognition hitting him like a brick. "Wait... thatâs the kid from the flower shop."
The others relaxed, laughing under their breath.
Another one stepped forward, cocky grin on his face. "Yo, listen. Go home, kid. This ainât the time to play fucking hero."
Liam just tilted his head, unfazed.
The man continued, tapping the gun against his shoulder. "Donât be stupid. Walk away now and you wonât get hurt."
Liam let out a short breath. Then, without saying a word, he reached for his hoodie and pulled it over his head in one fluid motion, revealing the tight black t-shirt underneath that clung to his lean, defined frame. His muscles flexed slightly as he stretched his arms. He crouched and took off his white sneakers, placing them carefully on the hood of a nearby car.
He didnât want them stained.
One of the guys blinked. "We told you to scram, not strip."
That sent the rest into laughter. Loud, obnoxious laughter.
Another added with a sneer, "Yo, maybe heâs got a fetish. Wants to be gangbanged by four guys in an alley."
They nearly doubled over from laughing. Holding their stomachs, bent over, slapping one another. They were too stupid to know what was coming.
And thenâthey looked up again.
Their laughter stopped instantly.
Liam was gone.
The spot he had been standing in was empty. No sign of movement. No sound. Just his hoodie and sneakers left neatly behind on the car.
"What the hell?" one muttered, looking around.
"Maybe he ran," another offered casually, shrugging. "Kid got scared."
The others nodded, dismissing it. "Yeah, probably. Smart move."
They turned their attention back to the safe. One of them raised the gun again, muttering something about blowing it open.
Then, out of nowhereâ
BAM.
A blur hit them like a bullet.
Liam appeared behind the nearest man, grabbing him by the collar and belt in one violent motion. The man didnât even have time to scream. With inhuman strength and speed, Liam hoisted him off the groundâand slammed him down.
The concrete cracked with the impact.
The thugâs body bounced slightly before it went limp. He lay groaning, breath knocked out of him completely, limbs twitching from the force. It felt like his entire insides had shifted.
When he looked up, barely conscious, he saw Liam standing over him.
And the look in Liamâs eyes?
Pure cold fury. No emotion. Just cold, dangerous focusâlike a predator.
To that thug, Liam looked like the devil.
The other three jumped back in panic, guns half-raised, eyes wide.
"What theâ?! Where the f*** did he come from?!"
They had no idea what they were dealing with.
And it was too late now.