章 7: Chapter 7: Taking a Firm Hand
The bidding price among the crowd continued to climb, causing many of the onlookers to shake their heads in disbelief.
Before she raised her head, the young maiden attracted little attention. Only a kind-hearted lad was willing to pay USD10 to settle her mother's funeral burial.
Now, with her exquisite face disclosed, some of the men who were initially reluctant to offer a penny had gone utterly loco.
"I bid USD100!"
Quickly, a portly man dressed in extravagant attire grunted and declared,
"If anyone bids higher than mine, I'll leave her to him! Otherwise, this maiden belongs to me today."
USD100!
Suddenly, the crowd who had been bidding before, shut their mouths.
USD100 was beyond their perceived value...
In their eyes, this maiden was not worth that much.
"Many thanks everyone, please stand down."
The rotund man in extravagant attire bowed to the crowd, a smug smile plastered across his chubby face.
"From now on, you will follow me."
Next, he gazed down at the young girl kneeling on the ground.
"I offer USD200!"
Just as he was speaking, an effeminate voice chimed in.
The crowd parted, allowing a sickly-looking, thin young man in brocade robes to come forward.
The young man squinted, his lustful gaze fixated on the maiden.
"Jackie Garcia?"
Wyatt Barnes recognized this indulgent lad. He was none other than the infamous son of the Garcia Clan Leader in Shady Winds.
Merely fifteen years old, he had already brought ruin upon many innocent girls. His notoriety in Shady Winds was widespread.
If it weren't for his complex identity, he would have been bludgeoned to death long ago!
"You, a coward, dare to offer USD200?"
The plump man in affluent clothes cast a disdainful glance at Jackie Garcia,
Completely ignorant of the fear visible on the faces of most people present when Jackie Garcia appeared.
"You are not from Shady Winds, are you?"
Jackie Garcia took a look at the plump man and inquired in a cold voice.
"Hmph! I am a well-travelled businessman from abroad. Don't believe I can't tell! Even in your brocade robes, I can't tell if they are stolen or not! Just one look at your pathetic demeanor, I can tell you are nothing but a pauper, a plebeian wearing a dragon robe doesn't make him the crown prince... As pathetic as you, I doubt if you could even cough up USD5!"
The plump man scoffed at Jackie Garcia, managing to maintain an air of superiority, conveying a clear message, 'I see through you, you better get lost now.'
"Pfff!"
Wyatt Barnes couldn't help but laugh, the surrounding crowd also turned red from suppressing their laughter, but out of fear of Jackie Garcia, they dared not laugh out loud.
"Fatty, your... your death is imminent!"
Jackie Garcia glared at Wyatt Barnes before returning his gaze to the fat man and took a deep breath.
"You useless lot, what are you standing around there for? Beat this fat man to death! How dare you insult me, Jackie Garcia... In Shady Winds, I am the one in charge!"
While the plump man was still in a stunned state, Jackie Garcia roared.
"Yes, Young Master Garcia!"
Three strapping youths about the same age as Jackie Garcia, stepped forward and surrounded the plump man.
Jackie Garcia?
Is he Jackie Garcia?!
The plump man was taken aback.
Although he had only arrived in Shady Winds a few days ago, he had heard of some infamous individuals, among them was Jackie Garcia, the son of the Garcia Clan Leader.
The notorious spoiled brat of Shady Winds, who, relying on the Garcia Clan's influence, bullies anyone he comes across. Few dared to provoke him.
"So... So it turns out to be Young Master Garcia, my eyesight failed to recognize you, please forgive my ignorance, Young Master Garcia... I'll give this woman to Young Master Garcia..."
The fat man's face changed drastically, his previously arrogant demeanor, nowhere to be seen. His forehead was coated with cold sweat, he spoke in a humble and respectful tone.
"Your pleading now is too late! Beat him for me!"
Jackie Garcia coldly huffed, giving the order once again.
"Spare me, Young Master Garcia... spare me..."
The three sturdy youths that had completed the body tempering realm struck swiftly, causing the plump man to roll and scream for mercy all over the ground.
The observing crowd intuitively backed away a few steps, watching from a distance, not wanting to be innocently implicated in Young Master Garcia's brutal actions.
Jackie Garcia paid no heed to the fat man's pleas for mercy...
"My beautiful maiden, come home with me. I offer you USD200 to give your mother a grand burial. From now on, you will follow me. I, your young master, will treat you well."
Jackie Garcia looked at the young maiden on her knees, a desperate expression on his face, he reached out his hand wanting to hold hers...
The maiden quickly got up in a panic. Perhaps from kneeling for too long her legs began to tremble due to poor blood circulation.
"Young Master Garcia, this young man purchased me for USD10 bidding hence I belong to him for the rest of my life."
The maiden cowered behind Wyatt Barnes and tremulously voiced.
"USD10? Did you not hear me bid USD200 earlier?"
Jackie Garcia's demeanor turned as he felt tricked.
"I've never permitted people to bid for me. Whoever was first to offer money to help me bury my mother is the one I'll follow."
The maiden's voice was filled with defiance.
"Well said, well said, I like your spirit! But if you want to follow him, he may not be courageous enough to protect you... Lad, isn't that so?"
Jackie Garcia shifted his gaze to Wyatt Barnes, his eyes flashing with an icy light, not without a hint of threat.
Even though Wyatt Barnes recognized Jackie Garcia, Jackie Garcia didn't recognize him.
"Young Master, save me..."
The maiden clung to Wyatt Barnes' sleeve as if holding onto a lifeline.
She had long heard of Jackie Garcia's infamous reputation in Shady Winds. Her fear of Jackie Garcia was deeply rooted... she would rather die than become his servant!
"Don't worry."
Wyatt Barnes gently patted the back of the girl's hand and reassured her with a smile.
His smile was like a refreshing spring breeze, it relaxed the tense expression on the maiden's face.
"Young Master, this fat pig has passed out."
The richly-dressed fat man was beaten bloody and back into unconsciousness, after which Jackie Garcia's three henchmen stopped their hands and reported.
"Let's not bother with him for now. Everyone, come take a look. Someone is trying to steal a woman from me!"
Jackie Garcia looked at Wyatt Barnes, sneering.
"Who is so bold as to dare to snatch a woman from our young master!"
The three henchmen of Jackie Garcia stared fiercely at Wyatt.
"Scram!"
Wyatt's voice was cold, as if coming from the depths of hell, chilling to the heart.
Jackie Garcia and his three subordinates were stunned, and the crowd of onlookers was stupefied.
Who was this fool?
"Kid, do you know who I am?"
Jackie Garcia sneered. He was now suspicious if this kid even knew who he was...
"Aren't you just the useless young son of the Garcia Clan? Relying on your family's power, you bully men and women everywhere. I wonder, if the Garcia Clan were gone, what would happen to you…"
Wyatt sneered, taking the tender hand of the girl and walked towards the crowd.
"Kill him!"
Jackie Garcia's face turned as purple as a pig's liver, and he bellowed with utmost fury.
"Yes, Young Master!"
His three subordinates charged towards Wyatt.
"You stay here and don't move."
Wyatt said softly to the girl, then bravely confronted Jackie Garcia's three underlings.
He'd noticed that the strongest of the three was only at the Second Layer of the Body Tempering Realm, posing no threat to him!
Wyatt made his move, dodging the attack of the strongest one, and swiftly went behind him.
He swiftly turned, his body leaning backwards and his arms back. His back trembling, he looked like a drawn strongbow that was ready to unleash its power.
Collapsing Fist!
Wyatt's right fist darted straight out, like an arrow leaving a bow. His full-body strength was poured into his fist, hammering into his opponent's back, hitting the spine...
Crack!
The opponent screamed terribly, was slammed to the ground, and fainted.
This scene was almost identical to Wyatt's defeat of Rudy Lee this morning.
The difference was that when Wyatt defeated Rudy Lee, he had shown mercy, only leaving Rudy incapacitated in one arm.
But this time, he had directly shattered his opponent's spine.
The other two of Jackie Garcia's underlings, seeing that their strongest had been taken down, had their faces turn pale and froze in place.
When they sensed Jackie Garcia's cold gaze, they still plucked up the courage to charge.
Bang! Bang!
Dealing with these two First Level Body Temperers, Wyatt made it seem like child's play.
He effortlessly sidestepped, and in lifting his hands his double fists came down, smashing onto the foreheads of the two, knocking them out as well.
Cleave Fist!
This was also one of the Five Elements Fist.
For a moment, only Jackie Garcia remained standing.
Although Jackie Garcia was still the son of the head of the Garcia Clan, his body, exhausted by licentiousness, was only on the First Level of the Body Tempering Realm, even weaker than his three henchmen.
"You....you don't come over...I am Young Master of the Garcia Clan, if you dare lay a hand on me, your whole family will die!"
Seeing Wyatt approaching him, Jackie Garcia turned pale.
"Indeed, Young Master Garcia, even at this juncture, still dares to threaten me!"
Wyatt sneered. He swiftly moved forward two steps and kicked Jackie Garcia, sending him flying.
Turning around, he took the beautiful yet astonished girl and left the crowd, disappearing at the end of the road.
"Young Master Garcia has met his match this time, attempting to take but instead suffering a loss!"
"I wonder what background that young man has. He doesn't look any older than Young Master Garcia and his men, yet his strength is so astonishing."
"He dares to hit Young Master Garcia; he certainly isn't an ordinary person."
...
As the crowd dissipated, most people present were happily discussing the incident.
Wyatt took the girl back to her shabby house and spent a few dollars to bury her mother.
"Take this money, use it for some small business."
Wyatt took the remaining dollars from his pocket and handed it to the girl.
"Young master, you… are you repulsed by me?"
The girl trembled, her face pale and helpless.
"Where has your mind wandered off to... You sold yourself to bury your mother out of desperation, I merely offered a hand. You don't need to devote your entire life to repay it."
Wyatt shook his head.
He never intended to have the girl become his servant all along.
"Young master, you are a good man, let me follow you… My mother is dead, I have no family left in this world, please."
The girl tugged Wyatt's sleeves again, pleading pitifully.
Looking in the girl's hopeful eyes, Wyatt thought for a moment...
"Alright, then come with me."
He finally made a decision.
"Thank you, young master!"
The girl immediately beamed brightly.
When Wyatt Barnes left the Lee Mansion, he was alone. But he returned with another person.
All the way, the girl's incredibly beautiful gaze attracted many of the Lee children, all guessing who she was and what her relationship was with Wyatt.
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