Chapter 26: CH 026: A plan to betray
Across the table from where Dave and the two girls were seated, a small group of teenage boys sat, their eyes constantly flicking over to Dave.
Every now and then, one of them would glance away, as though trying to avoid the feeling of envy gnawing at them. But it was hard to ignore the fact that Dave had become the talk of the base ever since his stunning victory the day before.
The whispers of "One hit" reverberated in the air, carried from one conversation to the next, like an unshakable rumor that wouldn’t die. It was all anyone could talk about, and for the executives, it was starting to grow old. People had begun to grumble about it, the constant mention of Dave’s knockout victory was becoming an irritant.
One of the boys, a lanky figure with dark, suspicious eyes, leaned in and muttered with a sneer, "How is it even possible for him to defeat those people with just one hit? He must be faking it, right?"
Another boy, his blonde hair tousled and his voice edged with disbelief, chimed in, "Maybe he paid those guys to throw the match. I mean, that’s the only way it makes sense, right?"
Before the conversation could go any further, a voice broke in, sharp and direct. A figure who had been sitting just beside the group of boys stood up, his posture straight and his face set with quiet determination. He walked over to their table, and without any hesitation, addressed the gossipers.
"Will you all stop talking trash about someone who’s doing better than you?" the boy said, his voice low but carrying a weight of authority. He locked eyes with the first teen, glaring fiercely at him. "He’s strong, yes. And if that bothers you, maybe try matching up to him instead of whining about it."
"And you," he added, pointing directly at the boy who had spoken about the throwing of match, his gaze hardening. "After everything that has happened, you still think money is useful in this current state of world?" He asked. "What matters now is strength and survival. And clearly, Dave had won the fight with his own pure strength. Perhaps you should work on that tiny brain of yours if you can’t work on your strength."
The words hung in the air, a stinging challenge that silenced the group of boys. They watched as the boy, without waiting for a response, turned on his heel and started walking towards the exit. His shoes clicked sharply on the floor, echoing in the brief silence that followed.