Tyson followed Dean Matt with a confident stride, as if nothing would happen to him.
"Look," Dean Matt said calmly, "I didn't call you out here to embarrass you in front of the other students. But don't ever disrespect me again. I don't care if your parents pay the school to tolerate your behavior—next time, I won't overlook it. Now leave."
Tyson smirked slightly and walked away.
When he returned to class, his gaze fell coldly on Chan.
He walked straight toward him and grabbed his collar.
"You're dead," Tyson whispered into Chan's ear.
"Hey, Tyson, that's enough," Mrs. Morrison said half-heartedly as the school bell rang.
Students began to leave the classroom.
Chan remained seated, trembling slightly, lost in thought.
A few of his classmates—his friends—approached him cautiously.
"Hey, man… are you okay?" one of them said. "Sorry we couldn't do anything. You know if we interfered, he'd come after us too."
"It's fine, Fred," Chan replied calmly. "I wasn't expecting anyone to stand up for me. We're all the same here… people like us don't matter to those spoiled brats."
Fred sighed.
"Do you want to hang out later?"
"I'd like to," Chan said, "but I've got something to do."
He walked out of the classroom as he made his way through the hallway, he spotted Tyson and his crew standing near the exit.
Chan's heart tightened, but he kept walking head down.
Step by step.
He already knew what was coming.
"Well, well, well… look who we have here—my precious puppet," Tyson said mockingly.
"Please, just let me pass," Chan said calmly. "I don't know why you keep targeting me. Just leave me alone."
Tyson grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall.
"What did you just say?" he growled. "Do I need to remind you that I own you? You don't get to tell me what to do."
He shoved Chan again.
"You're so light… do you even eat at home? Or do you feed from trash?"
"Let go of me," Chan shouted.
The hallway fell silent for a moment thenlaughter erupted.
Tyson clenched his fist.
"Did you just raise your voice at me?" he said slowly. "Answer me."
Chan's legs trembled, but he stood his ground.
"Yeah. Do whatever you want. All you do is pick on people weaker than you."
"That's enough"
Tyson punched him hard across the face, sending him crashing to the ground he jumped on Chan and began raining punches
over and over.
Chan's face swelled quickly. Blood filled his mouth as he struggled to breathe.
Finally, Tyson stood up, wiped his hands on Chan's shirt, spat on him, and walked away with his crew.
Fred rushed over moments later.
"Chan!" he shouted, helping him up. "Yeah… Tyson did this, right?"
Chan said nothing.
"Don't you think you should just leave this school?" Fred asked quietly.
Chan wiped the blood from his lips and stood up on his own.
Without answering, he walked into the restroom and cleaned himself.
He stared at his reflection in the mirror.
Fred's words echoed in his mind.
Leave school.
He knew Fred was right but he can't make such decision because he made a promise to his mother.
And now that he was studying for free, it was an opportunity he couldn't throw away.
After a moment, he washed his face again and walked out instead of taking a cab, Chan decided to walk home the long walk helped him think.
The job.
8:00 PM.
Even though he acted tough in front of Lee and the boss, deep down, he didn't want this life.
But then his mother laying helpless in a hospital bed. His thoughts were clear now.
Eighty percent said yes.
Twenty percent said no.
But the eighty percent was louder.
After an hour, he got home.
He sat on the couch, restless.
Then he stood up again.
He needed to see his mother.
Maybe one last time… before everything changed.
Chan took a cab and arrived at the hospital.
He walked straight to the elevator, avoiding eye contact with anyone.
As he reached his mother's room, the doctor walked in.
"Thank God you're here," the doctor said. "What happened to you? Were you in a fight?"
Chan stayed silent.
"I've been trying to reach you," the doctor continued. "Your mother's bills are extremely high now. We can't continue treatment without payment. Her condition is worsening. I've done my best—it's up to you now."
The doctor walked away.
Chan didn't stop him.
There was nothing left to say.
He sat beside his mother and held her hand tightly.
Tears rolled down his face.
He checked the time.
6:30 PM.
At that moment all doubt disappeared.
"I'll do whatever it takes," he whispered. "Even if I have to kill… anyone who stands in my way."
Exhausted, he slowly drifted into sleep.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Chan's phone vibrated.
He woke up instantly.
A message from Lee.
He checked the time.
7:45 PM.
Time to move.
Chan stood up, kissed his mother gently on the forehead, and walked out.
At the hospital exit, he paused.
His eyes lifted to the name on the building:
HONG KONG GENERAL HOSPITAL
He stared at it for a moment.
Not knowing if he would return the same person or return at all Chan got into a cab and headed to the address.
Ten minutes later, he arrived.
An abandoned building stood beside a warehouse the place looked dangerous he stepped inside the gate.
Lee was there—with three other men—checking weapons chan walked closer.
"Hey, you're here," Lee said, shaking his hand.
"Who's this?" one of the men asked coldly
"Oh, Han—this is Chan. A good friend of mine. He's with us," Lee replied.
"You mean he's joining this job?" Han said, looking Chan up and down with disgust. "He's a newbie. I thought this was just us."
"Relax," Lee said. "Your share doesn't change. What you take is what you earn."
Han stepped closer to Chan and stared him in the eyes.
"You better not slow us down," he whispered. "Or I'll kill you myself and dump your body where no one will ever find it."
Chan's expression hardened.
He had already made up his mind without hesitation he pushed Han away.