"Hey! Boss, I'm back!" Barrett Walker pushed the door open and entered the room filled with swirling smoke. A woman, half-leaning on a chair, with long leather boots resting on the desk, her slender legs covered in seductive black stockings. Upon hearing Barrett's voice, she pulled her legs off the desk and sat up straight, wearing a revealing white blouse that exuded allure.
Barrett immediately averted his gaze and exclaimed, "Boss, why are you dressed like this?"
"Hey, you little brat, I haven't even shown you anything yet! And yet you dare to pretend!" She extinguished her cigarette in the glass ashtray and spoke fiercely, "Where's my brother? Have you seen him?"
"Heh, you're still as rough as ever!" Her deep, husky voice was comparable to a man's, and combined with her actions, it was difficult to associate her with a beautiful woman. However, she naturally embodied this contradiction - a devilish figure with the spirit of a man.
"I asked about my brother! Don't change the subject, or you're in for a rough summer. You won't escape my clutches!" She smiled, which was quite charming, but coupled with her actions, it was akin to a grown man teasing a young boy. Obviously, Barrett Walker was not the latter, making the scene all the more bizarre.
"Come in! I can't handle this anymore!" Barrett turned his head and spoke.
"Sis, it's my fault. I shouldn't have driven away the only man who pursued you all these years..." Besides being a flower here, she also had another title - the Widow Overlord, with a reputation for being cursed, resulting in the deaths of several men who dared to pursue her. So, those in the know had refrained from pursuing her.
"What, finally a suitor comes knocking, and you dare..." She suddenly stood up, revealing her long, shapely thighs through her oversized shirt, her figure alluring and tantalizing. However, her exaggerated expression of anger led her to grab Mario's ear and execute a 360-degree spin.
As he looked at her alluring, exposed figure, Barrett couldn't help but think of a past episode involving an unknown man who was so captivated by her beauty and figure that he forced her to be his girlfriend. But as they were about to return to his lair, two large stones fell from a crane, breaking his leg. Just as he was suffering and feeling lucky, a steel bar fell from the sky and pierced his skull. Those who sought revenge for their boss investigated her background and discovered that every man in her life since the age of 18 had died from accidents. Unconvinced, they tried to capture her, planning a revelry of revenge. However, the house collapsed, leaving them dead or maimed, while she emerged unscathed. Since then, her reputation for being a husband-killer had spread far and wide!
Later, she adopted Mario, claiming that his fate was even more resilient than hers, and she planned a 'young boy development program.' However, these were all highly confidential, and were only occasionally heard through gossip by Barrett, the specifics remaining unknown to others.
"Ferg! That man is too despicable, I can testify!" Barrett watched Mario's pained expression and began to doubt the nature of their relationship. Why was one called Mario and the other Ferg?
"Hmph! As long as it's a man, it's fine. Right now, the only thing I need is a man!" Ferg Claire looked up at the ceiling with a lonely gaze, then released Mario, revealing an ambiguous expression. Turning to Barrett, she arched an eyebrow, her angelic face resembling a man consumed by desire, as she walked catlike toward Barrett, teasingly lifting his chin, as if she were a strange uncle tempting a little girl with candy: "Let sister see if you've grown up."
Hmm! Barrett shivered and, upon seeing Ferg's appearance, even a normal man would be enticed. However, upon truly understanding her terror, the spark of attraction was completely frozen by a chilling current, causing him to step back, knocking over the coffee table behind him as he scrambled to tidy up.
"Alright, Barrett! Stop tidying up and run!" Mario, seeing his sister's daze, grabbed Barrett and tried to make a run for it.
Barrett was unsure why Ferg suddenly fell silent, but as he looked at her profound expression, it seemed as if she held deep-seated resentment, as if she had suddenly gained the wisdom of an immortal. Quietly, Barrett and Mario slipped out, fulfilling their report, so to speak.
"You go play by yourself! I have to work!" Barrett patted Mario's head and said.
"Alright! I'll go check things out!" Mario, with a serious expression, put on a pair of sunglasses and adjusted his clothes, exuding the air of a mafia boss, only lacking a couple of henchmen trailing behind him.
As Barrett watched Mario's demeanor, he chuckled heartily. This little guy was truly wise beyond his years. Gazing at the office, he sighed softly and found his locker, changing into his work clothes, officially starting his shift. He grabbed his equipment and headed out to work.
"Barrett, over here! Hurry..." As Barrett stepped out from backstage, he witnessed a commotion in the dance floor. Mario was leading a group of youngsters and a few tough guys in a standoff. The bar manager, upon seeing Barrett, let out a shout and approached, "Andy, how have you been lately?"
Andy, once a genuine tough guy in Hero City, had disappeared after breaking his leg and took on the persona of an honest man, never retaliating, and dutifully helping Ferg Claire manage her small business. However, no one knew just how ruthless he had truly been.
"Hey, Mario! My big brother, Wang Dong Tiger, said that I rule over half of Wang Dong Street. How dare you mess with my bro? Have you got a death wish?" The young punk had a smug look on his face. While Wang Dong Street wasn't officially under his rule, his big brother, Wang Dong Tiger, had declared that it was, making it so. Now that his distant cousin had been beaten in his territory, he had to save face.
"Hmph! With a face full of acne, next time you join the underworld, grow out your hair first. You don't look the part at all!" Mario had been running around Wang Dong Street for years and never heard of a Wang Dong Tiger. With a group of rowdy kids behind him, he completely overshadowed the other guy's presence. This made the young punk's face go red with embarrassment. His voice was drowned out by the DJ's music, and seeing Mario's group, though small, being louder than his, made him lose face, which made him furious.
The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Furious at the fact that his voice was completely drowned out by the loud DJ music and seeing Mario's group, though small, having a louder voice, he lost face. He immediately ordered his followers behind him, "My big brother tasked us with overseeing Wang Dong Street. If we can't handle something this small, then what use are we? We start making an example right here in this bar today! Go, smash whatever you see!"
Even though the patrons in this seedy bar were from the slums, they could do nothing but watch when the situation escalated. Mario was anxious and waved his hand, causing his group of kids to charge at the troublemakers and engage in a fierce scuffle.
"Yellow hair, listen to Uncle Brook's advice. Don't start a war with your fellow countrymen for no reason!" Andy Brook stepped forward to intervene, but the young punk punched him in the eye, causing the former tough guy to faint, completely shattering his reputation in the slums!
"Ingle, hurry and fetch my battle knife. A bunch of bastards..." Mario confronted the yellow-haired punk, but his slender arms and legs put him at a disadvantage.
Barrett had initially wanted to step in and help, but the sudden appearance of a group of people made him think otherwise. It wasn't that he wanted to stand by and do nothing, but it was simply unwise to get involved. At the moment, he could only stand by and hope that things wouldn't escalate further.
Ingle had also lost his glasses in the fight and was searching for them, but upon hearing Mario's cries, he immediately responded, finding his glasses and running towards the back.
"Heh! You seemed to have a good relationship with the siblings. Why aren't you helping now? Are you scared stiff and wetting your pants?" A nearby waiter, with a tray in hand, sneered at Barrett, sparking a discussion among the onlookers.
Andy Brook regained consciousness and, seeing the chaos in the dance floor, rushed to intervene.
"Enough! Stop it..." Fuge Claire held a cigarette, now wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, accentuating her mature and alluring figure even more. Her voice, rough and powerful like the loess plateau, instantly silenced everyone.
Mario was biting the hand of the little yellow-haired boy, listening to his sister's terrifying voice. He let go of the boy and went to fetch his sword.
"Hmph! Cowardly men!" The waitstaff sneered disdainfully at Barrett Walker's disregard for them.
"That's enough! If you have the guts, why don't you step up?" Barrett Walker's words shut their mouths.
"Fuge Claire, long time no see." Among the group of people who had quietly entered, a short but very burly man, with two arms exposed in his tank top, each tattooed with a tiger, raised his eyebrows at Fuge Claire.
"Oh! I didn't expect the boss of the Tiger Gang to be Lakzo Minel. You found yourself a good employer, huh! And who's this young man, why does he look so familiar?" Fuge Claire blew a smoke ring in Lakzo Minel's face, causing him to step back in fear. Her reputation was evident.
"Fuge! I don't want to trouble you, from now on, this section of Wando Street belongs to me. As long as we are paid for our troubles, if anyone dares to touch you in the future, I, Lakzo Minel, won't allow it!" Lakzo Minel didn't mention a word about the person behind him, but stated his own terms.
"Tiger, give Uncle Brook some face, don't make things difficult for Fuge!" Andy Brook, sensing the tense atmosphere, hurriedly stepped in to defuse the situation.
"Hmph! And who are you, old man? Get lost!" Lakzo Minel pushed Andy Brook aside, causing him to stumble and go flying. This unexpected display of strength shocked the bystanders, as they had never seen anyone so powerful. Lakzo Minel must be a formidable warrior now!
Fuge Claire had intended to stop Andy Brook, but before she could, Lakzo Minel, in a show of dominance, attacked him. Seeing Andy Brook lying on the ground, Fuge Claire's expression changed. Andy Brook groaned, stood up, and, albeit unsteady, assured everyone that he was okay, despite the pain in his legs.
Lakzo Minel's face changed instantly. His attack was meant to be his crowning achievement, capable of shattering a sandbag, yet Andy Brook was unharmed. He even seemed more formidable than the little yellow-haired boy. Could it be that he was wearing some kind of protective gear?
Andy Brook hobbled over, smiling in an attempt to appease the situation: "Tiger, Uncle Brook is getting old, my arms and legs are getting weak, who knows when they will decay. I want to settle down and not get involved in any trouble."
"Is that so?" The young man behind Lakzo, fair-skinned and handsome, with long black hair casually flowing behind him, exuded an air of elegance and charm. His presence caused a wave of infatuation among the onlookers. Barrett Walker, watching him emerge from the darkness, involuntarily took a step back.
Seeing this somewhat sinister young man and hearing his nonchalant words, Andy Brook couldn't help but shiver. He felt as if his old leg was acting up again. Fuge Claire, on the other hand, was completely infatuated, almost drooling over the young man's appearance. Mario quickly pulled her back and handed her a smelly sock, saying, "Sis! Wipe the drool off, you're about to soak your clothes!"
Fuge Claire, without a second thought, used the sock to wipe her mouth. After catching a whiff of the strange odor, she came to her senses and threw the sock at Mario's face, scolding him: "Your sister has been single for 7 years, 7 years! Finally, a man tougher than me, and you're not trying to find a brother-in-law for me?"
Mario forcefully removed the sock from his face and wiped the sweat off his forehead. He really didn't want to know this woman, it was embarrassing!
Fuge Claire's words prompted a burst of laughter from the crowd!
The young man's face, always calm, now showed a slight frown. This woman was quite provocative!
"But he's not even an adult yet! He's only two years older than me at most!" Mario pointed at the young man.
"Perfect! He's just right to be your brother-in-law!" Fuge Claire retorted without hesitation.
"That's enough!" Unable to contain his anger any longer, he barked a command that silenced the entire bar. The once lively atmosphere was now replaced by a tense silence as everyone watched him, not daring to breathe too loudly.
"Why are you shouting so loudly? If you don't want to do it, then don't do it!" Fuge Claire muttered under her breath, but when she caught the young man's gaze, she quickly closed her mouth, pulled Mario behind her, and took a deep drag of her cigarette, glaring at him angrily.
Lakzo Minel had never expected to encounter such a skilled individual in the Shield Party he had joined. He had only vaguely known that this young man held a superior position within the party, assuming he was the son of some big shot. Now, he was even more admiring, completely yielding the stage to him, standing aside to watch the show. The Shield Party's days of unification in Hero City had arrived, and so had his days of unification in Wando Street.
"You, come with me!" He immediately spotted Barrett Walker hiding in the crowd and pointed at him.
The earlier intimidation had worked well, as the crowd watched breathlessly. Those who weren't the target of his gaze breathed a sigh of relief, especially the waitstaff who had disregarded Barrett Walker. They now gloated over his predicament. Barrett Walker slowly walked out of the crowd, looking at the man with a face that could be described as breathtakingly handsome, realizing that they were brothers from the same father but different mothers. The difference was too great, and perhaps his face resembled his mother's blurry face.
"What's the matter? Are you here just to show me your sour face?" Barrett Walker said nonchalantly.
"I came to see you, heard that you did very well in the exams!" Jatton Walker replied.
"Hmm! In front of you, can I dare to say that I did well? If you want to take the exams, you might even become the top scorer!" Barrett Walker said, with a hint of sarcasm. Yes, Jatton Walker's fate was in stark contrast to his. He had almost never experienced any hardships, while Barrett Walker had worked hard to achieve everything he had. With exceptional talent and a dignified appearance, he was the pride of both the Green and Walker families, destined to stand at the pinnacle of humanity and overlook the world.
"Why does that sound so bitter! Come on, let's go outside and talk?" Jatton Walker said, slightly furrowing his brow, and walked out.
The two stood at the street corner, watching the cars come and go under the neon lights. Barrett Walker's thoughts were drifting far away, and it was only when Jatton Walker spoke that he realized how much he had forgotten—how much he had intentionally avoided. Now, he was determined to reclaim what was rightfully his, only to face the harsh reality once more. In the face of it, he felt as weak as an ant, susceptible to being crushed at any moment: "One of the Federation's Top Ten Outstanding Youths, and you're only 15 years old. Truly impressive!"
"Grandfather wants me to take you back," Jatton Walker said calmly.
Hmm! Barrett Walker was slightly taken aback, his expression freezing instantly, and beads of sweat formed on his back. His movements stiffened: "Why didn't you act earlier? Were you afraid of embarrassing the Walker family?"
"What do you think?" Jatton Walker stared at Barrett Walker's eyes. They shared the same blood, and his mother had died 15 years ago, the same year he was born. So, there were many rumors in the Federation that if he were to die, those rumors might be forgotten. Now he was considering it seriously.
These examples reflect a wide range of literary vocabulary and more sophisticated sentence structure while maintaining the original meaning of the text.
"Barrett! Hand me my sword." As the two men stood facing each other, Mario suddenly appeared and threw a curved iron sword made of iron over. This completely disrupted the balance, prompting Gordon Walker to draw his sword like a soaring swan, the curved sword was twisted into a flurry of iron dust, like a floral language, extremely beautiful.