CHAPTER 277: THE FIRST PUNCH

Aron remained at Max’s side in the hospital, refusing to leave. The steady rhythm of the machines, the soft hiss of oxygen, the faint antiseptic smell that clung to the air, all of it pressed on him like a weight. Max still hadn’t woken up from his wound.

The doctors had already assured him that everything was fine. In fact, they said Max was healing faster than expected, his body recovering in ways that almost defied logic. But even with that reassurance, Aron couldn’t shake the knot of worry twisting in his chest.

Because in the end, it was his fault. If Aron had been good enough, if he had been strong enough, Max wouldn’t have ended up like this in the first place.

’I don’t know why you’re so focused on these troubles outside of school,’ Aron thought bitterly, eyes fixed on Max’s still form. ’But once you leave school altogether, maybe it would be best to finally focus on Dennis Stern’s request. At least then... at least then I could protect you properly.’

The thought dug into him like a thorn.

’It would be easier for me to help you in the manor. Even if you were hurt, it wouldn’t be in the same way. If you managed to obtain the Stern family’s funds, then you wouldn’t be left vulnerable like this again. And whatever it is you’re trying to achieve now, it would be gone. You wouldn’t need it anymore.’

But even as those words repeated in his mind, Aron knew it wouldn’t be that simple. Things never were.

The Stern family weren’t ordinary. They weren’t waiting around to hand Max his inheritance. No, Max was competing against the others, and their battles weren’t fought with fists. They fought with influence, strategy, and money that reached further than Aron could comprehend.

If anything, Aron was more surprised than anyone that Max had been able to earn money at all. He couldn’t even begin to guess how Max had managed it. For Aron, fists were his only weapon. But Max? Somehow, he was building something bigger, piece by piece.

Aron sighed and pulled out his phone. The screen lit up with unread messages from Wolf. His stomach tightened as he scrolled through them. Wolf had sent his location, coordinates Aron recognized immediately, and claimed it was where the girl, Abby, was being kept.

Aron’s jaw clenched. He had told Wolf only to message him if it was absolutely necessary, if he was in real danger. Because the truth was, Aron didn’t have a concrete plan. Not yet.

Wolf’s last message had been the worst of all. A warning: there were around a hundred trained men stationed there. Not just gang members, professionals. Even the mercenary groups Aron could call on wouldn’t be enough to storm a place like that.

If he called too many, they might panic and use Abby as a hostage. Which meant, for now, while Abby was at least alive and untouched, Max had to remain his priority.

’But what if I find out she’s in real danger?’ Aron thought, his hands tightening around his phone. ’What if it’s a trap? Do I stay here by your side, or do I try to help him in some way? Which do I choose?’

The questions spiraled endlessly, leaving his mind tangled in knots. He was trapped between loyalty to Max and the promise of saving Abby, and both weighed on him heavily.

And the worst part was, there was only so much he could do without Max’s word. Without his authority, Aron’s reach was limited. There was only so much money he could move, only so much power he could wield, because at the end of the day, none of it was his.

At the Rejected Corps base, Wolf and Abby sat trapped inside the dim shipping container, listening to the commotion outside. The muffled shouts and movement of men made the metal walls vibrate faintly, and each sound only made Abby’s pulse quicken.

Worried that something was about to happen, Wolf reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. To his surprise, they hadn’t even bothered to take it from him when he was brought inside. It was as if they were confident he couldn’t do anything with it.

Wolf quickly typed out a message, his thumbs trembling slightly, but when he hit send, nothing. A small warning symbol blinked on the corner of the screen.

’What the...? Is it the hangar? Or just this container?’ Wolf thought, staring at the icon. ’Did they make it a dead spot on purpose? No, the other guys got their messages out fine. It must be this container. They planned it. In case she had another device on her.’

His stomach sank. For someone who usually saved his brain cells for fighting and grinding his gacha games, the idea that the Rejected Corps had planned this far ahead left him rattled.

"We have to get out of here," Wolf whispered urgently, leaning toward Abby.

Abby nodded quickly, her eyes wide and frightened, clinging to his words like they were her only chance. But when they tried to move forward, their path was already blocked.

Several shadows fell over the entrance as four men stepped inside, their grins sharp and merciless.

"Hey," one of them said, his voice casual but dripping with menace. "Didn’t you hear what the boss just ordered? We have to kill you."

"Kill...?" Abby’s voice cracked as the word left her lips. Panic swallowed her whole, her breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps. Her legs shook as if they couldn’t hold her weight, and she stumbled back against the cold metal wall.

Her whole world felt like it was collapsing inward, like the air was being squeezed out of her chest. She felt something crawling over her skin, invisible hands pressing down on her, smothering her. No matter how hard she tried to push the sensation away, it wouldn’t leave.

Her gaze darted upward and widened in horror. It wasn’t just the four men inside. More figures lingered just beyond the doorway, their silhouettes crowding the exit.

’Is this it? Is this how I’m going to die?’ Abby’s thoughts spiraled, a raw ache gripping her chest. ’Is this...how you felt, Mom?’

Wolf’s jaw clenched so tight it hurt. This was bad, worse than anything he’d ever been caught in before. The order was for Abby. Not for him. Which meant if he stood back and did nothing, they would let him live.

But if he tried to protect her... if he so much as raised his fists, he would be fighting not just four men, but everyone outside. He would be going against the entire Rejected Corps base.

There was no chance of help coming in time. No backup. No savior. The entire situation had flipped on its head in an instant, and now it was him against all of them.

One of the men brushed past Wolf, ignoring him completely, his eyes locked on Abby like she was already dead. His hand reached out toward her,

"Hey!"

Wolf’s body moved before his mind caught up. His fist shot forward, crashing into the man’s face with all his weight behind it. The sickening crack echoed off the steel walls, and the Rejected Corps member hit the ground hard.

Wolf froze for a second, staring at his own clenched fist, his chest heaving.

’What the heck... am I doing right now?!’