(Arc 2 : Blood and love) [ TW : Physical violence ]

“Let go of him!” Screamed the referee.

He and others were trying in vain to free Flash from his opponent. At the end of their match, the latter had suddenly lost control and pressed Flash against the ring grid, strangling him with rage.

Anyone who tried to separate them was violently repelled.

Fearing an attack from the enraged fighter, many spectators fled the scene in panic.

The state of madness in which the man was plunged into was strongly similar to Park Dae Jung's, but worse.

Endowed with a significantly different corpulence, the man was much more difficult to stop.

Other people entered the ring to arrest him, but they were expelled immediately.

The hands around Flash’s throat tightened more and more.

“GET OUT!”

With a striking kick into the thorax, Dark Angel made the man let go, who recoiled following the impact.

Flash collapsed while coughing. Due to a blow to the head and lack of oxygen, his head was spinning.

“Take him away.” Dark Angel ordered Ashlay.

Ashlay immediately complied with the intention of returning as quickly as possible. He brought Flash away from the bustle.

The others present were not asked, but left quickly with the wounded.

“Are you okay?” What happened?” Asked Ashlay.

The young man shook his head, having difficulty expressing himself.

“I… I don’t know… During…the fight, he was weird…From the beginning…, his blows…confusing…and violent. I… I still manage to…won, but that’s…when he suddenly became…aggressive…He was a completely… different person."

Ashlay was greatly worried by this story and wondered if Dark Angel would be able to manage on his own. From what Ashlay had observed, the madman was no longer aware of his physical limitations.

Ashlay immediately informed Hao Ming to contact the police. Yet, someone had already called them.

Meanwhile, the confrontation in the ring had become more brutal. It was no longer a match, but rather a fight to the death. The man wouldn’t listen to reason, and it was inconceivable to let him leave in this state.

Dark Angel followed up with precise blows, but his opponent didn’t flinch. He seemed immune to pain. No attacks had any effect on him.

The black angel inadvertently lost his balance and found himself trapped in a superhuman embrace.

CRACK!

A severe pain in the rib cage. Dark Angel was winded for a moment.

He continued to struggle and managed to deliver a well-placed kick to his opponent’s most sensitive part. He followed up with a headbutt, which allowed him to free himself.

But he was in trouble. The pain was intensifying. It prevented him from anticipating the rest of the fight.

Seeing his idol in bad shape, Ashlay joined the confrontation. Together, they gained the upper hand over the out-of-control fighter. After a series of perfectly synchronized strikes, Ashlay bent his knees. Dark Angel finished him off with a kick to the jaw. The man was finally down.

The black angel staggered. His vision weakened, and he felt himself falling. Ashlay caught him just in time.

"… Ash…"

While the black angel's gaze did not leave the young man, Ashlay understood.

“How could I not recognize you?”

There were a thousand and one questions in the young man’s head. However, they would have to wait.

“Ash, mobsters are trying to take the kid away!” Hao Ming alerts Ashlay from the earpiece.

“What?!”

Ashlay and the reaper immediately rushed to rescue Flash.

Although he was still unsteady on his feet, the black angel managed to knock out quite a few men in black. However, he knew he wouldn't be able to hold on for long. Ashlay and Flash were struggling to find a way out, too.

Suddenly, another group of about twenty masked men in black appeared.

“How many more are there?” Dark Angel complained painfully.

To everyone’s surprise, this new group attacked the gangsters, creating a passage for the trio so they could escape.

Upon exiting, a few masked men quickly bowed to Ashlay before dispersing inside and outside the building.

Dark Angel was too weak to continue moving forward, so he let Ashlay carry him.

At Ashlay's request, Flash opened the rear door of his car so he could put the injured man on the bench. Ashlay then went to his trunk, took out a bag, and gave it to Flash. He returned to Dark Angel.

He placed his hands on each side of the latter's mask.

“I will remove it. You will be able to breathe better.” Ashlay gently informed him.

The concerned nodded slightly in agreement.

Once the mask was removed, the fighter exhaled deeply and then coughed painfully.

“Gwen hyung!” Flash cried out.

“Il Young, there are wipes, water, and towels in the bag. Use them to remove your makeup and help Gwen remove his while I drive to the hospital.”

“Ok… Okay. Wait! How do you know—”

In front of Il Young's incredulous eyes, Ashlay removed the cap and mask that had covered his face since the beginning of the evening. There was nothing left to hide.

The businessman then took the wheel and headed to the hospital.

Everything became blurry for the musician, who lost consciousness shortly after doctors took charge of him.

_____

“I'm telling you, I don't know anything about it! They are new partners!"

The next day, tied to a chair in a dimly lit room, the boss of Nemesis did not understand how his situation had deteriorated so much. A masked man had been interrogating him for half an hour.

“Yes, it’s true. I gave them the list of fighters. They wanted to strengthen their ranks, so what? But drugs! That’s their thing! It has nothing to do with me. The Nemesis already brings in more than enough money for me!"

The masked man showed the boss his computer. It contained lists of clients, stocks, distribution schedules, the most profitable areas, and more. After a few seconds of reading, the boss became even more offended.

“They trapped me! I don’t even know those people. Listen, it was them who approached me, saying that they were interested in some fighters. I am certain that it is a foreign gang. I heard some of them speaking English or Thai. They want to establish themselves in the world of Korean underground fights. I was supposed to meet their boss soon.”

“When?”

“I don't know. We hadn't set a date yet. I have nothing to do with them! I swear to you!”

The masked man's phone rang. He got up, left the room, and isolated himself to take the call.

“So?” Began the person on the other end of the line.

“Very little useful information. He doesn’t seem to know anything. Everything has been organized to blame him in case of problems. I don’t think we get anything out of him.”

“Leave him with the police. We will continue to investigate on our side."

“Understood. And Altaha?"

“He has a cracked rib, but fortunately, it won't be life-threatening. He will need a lot of rest. Monroe came to bring him some things. Cha Il Young also spent the night at the hospital.”

“That’s good to hear. I’ll come by later to see him and get an update on the situation.”

Hao Ming ended the call. Afterward, the hacker came to see some men and informed them that they no longer required the fight club boss.

____

The Nemesis, which had been sealed by the police, attracted many curious onlookers, as well as journalists eager for scoops.

Kang Atlas and his team were assigned to the case.

The day before, the police station had received an anonymous call alerting them to what was happening at the fight club, as well as an email containing evidence of illegal activities at the club.

“Captain Kang!”

While Atlas was taking a tour of the place. One of his colleagues came running toward him.

“Have you found something?” The inspector asked.

The agent shook his head.

“There are no longer any CCTV images. The vault has been emptied.”

“What about the owner?”

“He vanished into thin air. None of the people we apprehended know where he is. However, several of them mentioned a second group that arrived before us and stood up to them.”

“A second group?”

“Yes, they're the ones who took them out. And, we recovered this from one of the mobsters.”

The officer presented a bag of evidence to the inspector that contained a small sachet with transparent pills engraved with a smiley face.

Atlas furrowed his brows.

“Have them analyzed by priority. I want the results as soon as possible. I also want us to check if the man we found unconscious in the ring last night ingested anything funny.”

Shortly after, Atlas received a call. The manager of Nemesis had reported to the police station.

Inspector Kang left the scene in a hurry.

____

Disturbed by a slow, regular beeping, Gwenval weakly opened his eyes. He was in a rather chic single room. Kaelan was sleeping on the couch in the room.

Gwenval tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in his chest made him stay still.

Upon sensing movement, the painter awoke with a start and jumped off the couch when he saw his friend. He rushed over to him and straightened the back of his bed.

“Gwen! How do you feel? I’ll call a doctor!”

“Kae… Wait. First, tell me what happened after I arrived here."

The painter gathered his thoughts.

“You were taken care of quickly. Apart from your right arm needing rest and a cracked rib, you don't have anything serious. Thrills should be avoided for at least a month. Nienrao stayed by your side all night. He has been absent for a little over an hour now. He had some business to attend to. The Nemesis is closed until further notice.”

“I see.”

“As you asked, I called the police as soon as I saw there was a problem. By the way, I thought Nienrao could not accompany you. Imagine my fright when I saw him come out of the chaos with you, barely conscious.”

“I didn't think he would be there either.”

A doctor entered the room.

The musician blanched.

“Hae Won Noona¹ ?!”

“I didn’t realize we were in HER hospital.”

“Gwenval, do you want your brother to have a stroke?”

“Does he know I’m here?”

“Not yet—”

“Don't tell him! Kae told me that it's nothing serious."

Gwenval began coughing repeatedly. The doctor moved closer and massaged his back.

“A fall down the stairs is not “nothing”, Gwen. You should have come see me when you injured your arm. That would have prevented this incident.”

“” A fall down the stairs”?”

The musician glanced at his friend, who nodded.

No fights. No gangsters. Ashlay and Kaelan had officially agreed to tell the doctors and nurses that Gwenval had fallen down the stairs. Due to his injured right arm, he had not managed to catch himself in time and had hurried down the steps.

They knew explaining that they had just escaped an underground fight club after fighting crazy fighters and mobsters would not go over well.

“I’m sorry, noona. I’ll be more careful.”

The young woman straightened up.

“I won't say anything to Lioren. But you have to promise me that you'll stay completely at rest for the next few weeks."

“That's a promise.”

She smiled and then looked at Gwenval and Kaelan in turn.

"Still, it's quite a coincidence. I didn’t think you knew about Dr. Kwon’s patient.”

Kaelan and Gwenval looked at her, confused.

“Nienrao Ashlay.”

Gwenval opened his eyes wide.

“Is this where he was hospitalized?”

Kaelan felt like he had missed an episode.

At that moment, the door opened. Ashlay entered, followed by Hao Ming.

“Speak of the devil.” Declared Hae Won in a mischievous tone.

____

Glossary :

1. Noona: A Korean name used by men to refer to their older sister or a woman older than them whom they are close to.