Chapter 13: What Did You Say? I'm Listening
Pain, dizziness, and nausea—this was Jeremy's condition after taking a punch from Jino.
The young man lay sprawled on the ground, his shirt stained crimson with blood.
His face was swollen, his brain felt like it was filled with lead, leaving him woozy, and blood trickled from his nose and mouth. Jeremy fought back the nausea, struggling to open his eyes, which were red from a concussion. "It's you!"
He looked at the expressionless Jino, who stood with his arms crossed, gazing down at Jeremy.
"This is impossible!" Jeremy clutched his forehead, staring intently at Jino.
That punch just now—no ordinary person could have done that.
Jeremy had checked his body after waking up, and the Electrical Power he awakened had greatly strengthened his physique; even a regular bullet might not pierce his skin.
Yet, Jino had broken several of his teeth with just one punch.
Eliminating all other options, the remaining one was the truth.
The other person had also awakened a Superpower!
"What? You look surprised?" Jino sneered. "Did you think that because you awakened a Superpower, you'd have some terrible idea like, 'I'm the chosen one'?"
Jino's eyes held a playful glint. "Too bad, the reality is, I'm far stronger than you."
Jino's words successfully broke Jeremy's composure. The man's pale face turned red, then subtly darkened, clearly infuriated.
"Shut up!" he roared, raising his arms and unleashing accumulated Electrical Power.
CRACKLE!
Thick currents, like roaring thunder dragons, each as thick as an adult's arm, struck Jino with violent force.
"Hahahaha!" Watching the figure annihilated by the Electrical Power, a sickly gleam flickered in Jeremy's eyes. "Idiot, did you think I was arguing with you? I was just buying myself time!"
"This is the difference between us—a complete intellectual碾压!"
Jeremy's expression was distorted as he gritted his teeth and roared, "Go to hell! Soon your brother will join you there!"
Jeremy increased the Electrical Power output again.
Believing the situation was now completely in his favor, Jeremy became utterly unhinged.
Just as Jeremy was fully indulging his emotions, a voice calmly drifted from within the Electrical Power. "Jeremy, it's too soon to celebrate."
"What?" Jeremy froze, the lightning in his hands gradually dimming. "How could you..."
"Why didn't you dodge!?"
As the smoke cleared, the blonde young man stood perfectly unharmed, though his custom white shirt was unfortunately reduced to rags.
"Did I need to dodge?" Jino said flatly.
"You thought it was an intellectual suppression?" Jino patted out a small flame on his shirt, raising an eyebrow. "In reality, your attack posed no threat to me."
As he spoke, Jino slowly approached Jeremy.
He truly couldn't understand where Jeremy's confidence came from. Perhaps that last punch had damaged Jeremy's brain.
"Do you know?" Jino said unhurriedly, like a cat toying with a mouse, "Originally, I planned to keep you alive and take you back, but now..."
As his voice faded, Jino instantly transformed into an afterimage, suddenly appearing in front of Jeremy. Before Jeremy could even react—
SMACK!
An iron hand, as if cast from steel, mercilessly gripped Jeremy's neck. Jino's azure eyes stared emotionlessly at Jeremy's pale face.
"I will not allow anyone to threaten my family."
"So, you might as well die!"
After saying this, Jino raised his other fist and swung it fiercely.
THUD!
His arm muscles tensed, and terrifying force tore through the air, creating ripples. The violent fist, carrying a strong gust of wind, struck Jeremy's left cheek.
CRUNCH! The fist easily shattered bone.
A crisp cracking sound echoed. Jeremy's gaunt face visibly swelled at a rapid pace, and several broken teeth mixed with blood fell from his mouth.
Jino's punch worsened Jeremy's concussion. The young man only saw three Jinos smiling at him.
A buzzing sound filled his ears.
"Ugh~" Jeremy let out a meaningless groan.
Jino's expression didn't change as he raised his fist again. Watching Jino slowly lift his fist, Jeremy's heart trembled. If he took another punch, he would die!
Fighting back the nausea, Jeremy spoke with difficulty, "I'm sorry, I'm very sorry."
"Please, let me go."
Under the threat of death, the previously arrogant and stubborn Jeremy immediately caved.
"I'm willing to work for you!"
He didn't want to die by Jino's fist. A fawning smile appeared on Jeremy's face. "Jino, you're right. The strong should humiliate the weak. I am weak."
"Heh." Jino watched Jeremy soften, then slightly loosened his left hand, allowing Jeremy to catch his breath.
Seeing Jino's ambiguous smile, Jeremy quickly pleaded again, "Letting me live is more valuable than killing me!"
"I can control Electrical Power, and I have Super Speed—I'm very strong!"
Jino tilted his head, nodding in agreement. "You're right. A living person is better than a dead one."
Seeing Jino's attitude soften, Jeremy breathed a sigh of relief, a smile spreading across his face. "Yes, it was all a misunderstanding before. I'm very sorry."
"But..."
Jino tilted his head, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "I don't need you alive."
"Why didn't you say sorry when you went after my brother?"
"It's too late for apologies now."
Jino stared coldly into Jeremy's eyes, which were filled with cowardice.
Jino sneered, "If it weren't for the Luthor Family's funding, you would have died long ago, euthanized because you couldn't pay your medical bills."
The American healthcare system isn't as cheap and affordable as advertised. On the contrary, in America, only the rich can afford to get sick; the poor can only numb themselves with painkillers.
"So," Jino said, drawing out his words, "a dead Jeremy is a good Jeremy."
As he finished speaking, Jino casually raised his fist.
"What!?" Jeremy's face drastically changed. His previous joy was instantly replaced by anger and resentment. The man roared, his face contorted in fury, "F*ck! You demon, I curse you—"
At this moment, Jeremy was enraged. The other party had been toying with him! He had intended to kill him from the very beginning.
Bang!
Jeremy's words were cut short as an iron fist, far more terrifying than last time, slammed into his head.
His hard skull instantly shattered under the iron fist, like soft tofu being ground.
Some blood splattered onto Jino's face, making his expression appear even more sinister and terrifying.
Bits of white matter mixed with skull fragments scattered across the floor, leaving only a headless corpse twitching wildly, demonstrating the unwillingness of its former owner.
"Sorry, what did you say?" Jino held up the headless corpse, his other hand cupped to his ear.
When no one responded, Jino shrugged regretfully. "Next life, remember not to threaten other people's families on a whim. They don't have my good temper."
Yes, the kind of good temper that explodes heads.