Chapter 1 The Raging Beast Had Finally Emerged

“Sir, it's time to say goodbye. You must make your way out alive, locate the person who betrayed the Astral Clan, and avenge us!” a young man exclaimed. “Sir, I've spent my life in the gang without any regrets, and I'd still sign up to work under you in my next life!” The memory of the fighter with a childlike countenance lingered vividly in Yulian Lazzari's mind. The fighter, known for his innocent smile, stood amidst a gruesome scene, his uniform stained with fresh blood. Suddenly, he pushed Yulian into the dense jungle, deftly pulling the pins from all the grenades strapped to his body. With unwavering determination, he then charged into the enemy's encirclement without hesitation. Boom! Flames erupted everywhere, their scorching waves roaring, consuming all in their path, including the enemy forces. The air resonated with screams of agony, and burned bodies lay scattered across the field. Amid the chaos, the explosion also claimed the life of the nineteen-year-old who had been by his side through life and death for five years! “Tigris...” Sitting on the plane back to Hofcaster, Yulian gazed at the urn cradled in his palms, reminiscing the past, his eyes brimming with tears. The Astral Clan, the pinnacle of Lostaria's elite special clan, stood as the embodiment of the spirit of millions of gang members. In its five-year existence, the clan had conquered myriad obstacles and achieved remarkable feats. Yet, as formidable as they were against external adversaries, guarding against internal betrayal proved a greater challenge. Despite their power, the clan succumbed to treachery. Two months prior, during a border skirmish, all one hundred fighters of the Astral Clan found themselves encircled by the enemy. In a selfless act, the youngest among them, Tigris, sacrificed his life to carve a path to survival. The fate of the other fighters remained unknown. As the Astral Clan crumbled, so did Yulian's spirit. After enduring two months of hospital treatment and subsequent recovery, he firmly declined the enticing offers from high-ranking officials of the Big Five clans, who sought to lure him with lucrative positions. Instead, he made the resolute decision to retire from the gang and embrace civilian life. Carrying the ashes of his fallen comrade, Tigris, he returned to their hometown of Hofcaster. Now that his men were gone, he felt it was time to return to where they came from. “Tigris, Yarwood is chaotic now, and too many eyes are on me. I have to lay low for a while to investigate the traitor from the border battle thoroughly!” Yulian's strong arms held the urn containing his brother's ashes tightly. His determined face showed resilience, but also a cold determination. “They'll pay for it with blood. I swear!” Three hours later, the plane touched down smoothly in Hofcaster. Yulian, holding Tigris' ashes, hurriedly exited the airport. Surveying the bustling streets and towering skyscrapers, he felt a mix of emotions—complexity and unfamiliarity. Hofcaster was his hometown, yet after five years, everything had changed dramatically. Though the place remained the same, the people had changed. With a surge of emotion, Yulian navigated through the bustling crowd. Suddenly, screeching brakes shattered the air. A Range Rover, powerful and relentless, collided with a tricycle selling sweet potatoes, sending it crashing to the ground. The tricycle lay overturned, its cargo of roasted sweet potatoes and charcoal scattered across the pavement. The elderly rider, now fallen, bore deep wounds on his thigh and arm, blood streaming freely. Despite the crowd's gathering, no one dared to intervene, fearing false accusations from the injured man. Whoosh! The charcoal in the blazing roasting barrel on the tricycle glowed brightly, dangerously close to falling onto the old man's head. With lightning speed, Yulian surged forward in a few strides. His sturdy hand gripped the scorching barrel, swiftly pushing it back into place. The onlookers' eyes widened in disbelief. The barrel seethed with hot coals, capable of scorching skin with a mere touch, yet Yulian handled it effortlessly. The crowd wondered if he felt no fear of being burned. “Are you all right?” Unfazed by the crowd's uproar, Yulian helped the elderly man up and asked with concern. “I'm fine. Thank you, young man,” the elderly man said, his voice shaky but grateful. His eyes showed sadness as he stood, seemingly unaware of his injuries. “It's a shame the sweet potatoes are damaged. That's a week's worth of meals for my wife and me...” A pang of sorrow pierced Yulian's heart as he counted the money in his pocket. Meanwhile, a young man dressed in designer clothes emerged from the Range Rover, his face contorted with displeasure. “Hey, stupid old man. Did you not pay attention to where you were going? You've damaged my favorite car. Can you even afford to compensate for it?” The elderly man appeared terrified of the wealthy and powerful. Despite his injuries, he continued to bow and apologize profusely. “I'm sorry. So sorry...” “What's an apology worth? I just got this car, and look what happened. Talk about bad luck!” The young man grumbled, portraying himself as the victim in the situation. As anger surged within Yulian, poised to defend the elderly man, the window of the Range Rover rolled down, revealing the face of a delicately beautiful woman. She bore a striking resemblance to the wealthy young man, with about seventy to eighty percent similarity, though her complexion was even more radiant and smooth, akin to porcelain. It was evident that her flawless skin resulted from lavish care and maintenance. Despite her beauty, her face exuded indifference and arrogance as she impatiently addressed the young man. “Javier, are you going to delay Mr. Lazzari's welcome just to argue with a sweet potato vendor? Can you take responsibility for failing to give Mr. Lazzari the reception he deserves?” “Right. You're right. D*mn it, this old fool nearly messed everything up.” The rich young man slapped his forehead in sudden realization. The woman let out a cold snort. “Resolve this quickly. Mr. Lazzari comes from a mobster background, and he values punctuality. Dad won't be pleased with any delay.” After speaking, she closed the car window with arrogance. Throughout the exchange, she hadn't acknowledged the old man, nor glanced at him. She didn't acknowledge the accident or her responsibility. It seemed she considered it beneath her to do so. She exuded a sense of superiority as if she were a lofty being stepping on an ant. Why apologize to someone so insignificant? “Hey, old man. Be more careful next time if you don't want to meet a gruesome end. Here's eight thousand. That should cover your sweet potato sales for a few months. Take it and go!” After grumbling, Javier Caruso reluctantly produced a stack of money and flicked it onto the elderly man's face with a swift motion. The banknotes fluttered across the sky, scattering on the ground, mirroring the shattered pride of the elderly man. Meanwhile, Javier strutted forward with smug satisfaction, exuding an air of condescension. Yulian clenched his fists, anger welling up within him. With a swift extension of his sturdy arm, he gripped the other man's shoulder and forcefully pulled him back. Javier let out a pained howl, a mix of anger and apprehension coloring his voice. He glared at Yulian. “Who are you? What do you want?” “I want you to do something any decent human would do.” Yulian's voice stayed calm, but it was clear he meant business. “Apologize to the old man and get him to the hospital for treatment.” Javier laughed mockingly. “Who made you the judge? I've paid up, including his medical bills! Hey, old man, is the cash enough? If not, I can throw in more. Money's no issue for me!” “I-I don't need this much. It's my fault. I'll handle the medical costs myself. Just one of those bills will do,” stammered the elderly man, clearly overwhelmed. At that moment, the elderly man, trembling, gathered all the banknotes and handed them to Javier. Javier's arrogance swelled, and he burst into laughter. “See that? Even this old geezer knows his place.” As he spoke, the elderly man carefully picked up seven or eight roasted sweet potatoes, their skins charred yet tender, glowing with a golden-red hue as if they were precious treasures. He painstakingly wiped off the nearly invisible layer of ash, treating them with utmost care. Only then did he hand them to Javier, saying, “I can't just take your money. Here, these sweet potatoes are still edible. You can have them.” “Get those away from me, old man. I don't want to see those filthy things!” Javier pinched his nose, keeping his distance, his face contorted in disgust. “B-But these sweet potatoes aren't dirty. They're clean and still good to eat!” the elderly man protested. “Get lost! Stop testing my patience!” Javier bellowed. The elderly man grew more anxious, his voice pleading. “How could they be dirty? I baked these myself, and they're still in good condition. Please, take a few with you—” “D*mn it!” Javier forcefully shoved the old man to the ground, his rage uncontrollable. “Who the h*ll asked for your rotten sweet potatoes? You think they're in good condition, huh? I'll show you what I can do to them!” Thud! With one step, Javier reduced the sweet potatoes to mush. The elderly man's face drained of color. Despite a lifetime of enduring hardships without shedding a tear, he found himself welling up in that moment. What Javier had destroyed wasn't just a few sweet potatoes, but also the dignity of labor the old man had always relied on for survival. For over a decade, the elderly man and his wife had sold sweet potatoes to make ends meet. It was appalling for him to hear someone claim that his produce was filthy. How could he think my sweet potatoes are filthy? Yulian's rage boiled over, his fists clenched tightly as he cracked his knuckles with tension. Javier, however, still wore a smug and arrogant expression. “Are you happy now, you old fool? Don't you know how to appreciate kindness? From now on, every time I see you, I'll beat you up. What a piece of trash—ah!” Bang! Before he could finish his sentence, Yulian's fist, as hefty as a bowl, crashed directly into his face. Javier emitted a wretched howl, his teeth launching into the air amidst a spray of blood. He was propelled backward, completely disoriented. “You sc*mbag!” With unrelenting fury, Yulian's anger remained unabated. He raised his leg and delivered another forceful kick to Javier's abdomen. The impact was staggering, causing Javier's face to twist in agony as he crumpled to the ground, heaving violently. “How dare you hit me? Do you even know who I am? I come from the Caruso Clan. Jackie Caruso is my father!” Jackie Caruso was a notorious bully in Hofcaster. Simply hearing his name was enough to instill fear in anyone. Indeed, as soon as Jackie's name was mentioned, the crowd watching the scene scattered like frightened mice in the presence of a cat. “Jackie Caruso? I've taken on the son of a gang leader, let alone a small-time punk like him!” Yulian sneered coldly, delivering another punishing kick to Javier's chest. Javier felt as if his ribs were on the verge of shattering, writhing on the ground, emitting a pitiful, agonizing wail. The pain was excruciating, so intense that tears cascaded down his face. “Stop! I said stop!” Javier yelled in pain. At last, the beautiful woman in the car caught wind of her brother's agonizing screams. Hastily, she exited the vehicle, only to be met with a shocking sight that left her eyes wide and her mouth agape. Winona's mind went blank as she gazed upon Yulian's cold, stern countenance. In Hofcaster, the Caruso family held unrivaled power, bullying others without consequence. No one dared to stand against them. Yet here lay Javier, the sole male heir of the Caruso dynasty, now beneath the boot of this man, treated as nothing more than an animal. “D-Do you know who he is?” Winona's fingers trembled involuntarily, a fiery anger igniting in her beautiful eyes. “He's from the Caruso Clan, and Jackie Caruso is his father,” Yulian casually relayed, his eyes coldly sweeping over the latter. “I'm not deaf, you know.” Winona's mouth twitched visibly, but she swiftly composed herself, taking several deep breaths before adopting her haughty, arrogant demeanor once more. “Do you even understand the trouble you've stirred up? The Caruso family's power isn't something an outsider like you can challenge. Here's a word of advice, it's not too late to back off now. Otherwise, with just one word from our family, you won't last twenty-four hours before you're lying dead in the street.” “You'll end up torn to shreds!” she reiterated. Yulian gave a nod, and just as Winona let out a sigh of relief, thinking that she would have the situation under control if he had backed down. In a sudden and ruthless motion, Yulian's foot crashed down on Javier's knee with full force. The impact produced a crisp, bone-breaking sound as his right leg was instantly contorted into a severe V shape. Javier didn't even have time to scream in agony before the pain overwhelmed him, rendering him unconscious. His leg was utterly ruined. Even God couldn't save him now. “You—” Winona was utterly stunned. Yulian's kick not only crippled Javier's leg but also delivered a resounding blow to her pride, shattering her lofty arrogance into pieces. “I've got a piece of advice for you too,” Yulian warned calmly, his tone steady but laced with deep-seated arrogance and confidence. His words carried the weight of thunder. “Neither you nor the Caruso family should even think about provoking my wrath.” “I'm only crippling one of his legs as a warning. But if there's a next time, I won't hesitate to end his life.” As the words left his lips, a palpable surge of murderous intent emanated from Yulian, almost tangible in its intensity. The pressure he exuded was as fierce as a raging tiger. Thud, thud, thud... As Jackie's eldest daughter, Winona had naturally been well-traveled and knowledgeable from a young age, and it was no surprise that her hands were stained with blood from her involvement in many inhumane acts. However, in the face of Yulian's intimidation at that moment, she couldn't help but feel terrified. Her face paled, and she had to retreat four or five steps before she could barely regain her composure. The raging beast had finally emerged. Suddenly, a phrase echoed in Winona's heart, its significance undeniable as she could no longer ignore his existence. Since when did this formidable figure appear in Hofcaster? Winona's beautiful eyes were filled with complexity and uncertainty. By the time she regained her composure, Yulian had already assisted the injured elderly man and walked far away. “Miss—” A few minutes later, the driver emerged from the car, trembling with fear. He glanced at the barely conscious Javier, his expression fraught with concern. “Mr. Caruso's injuries look serious,” he said, “Should we take him to the hospital first, or—” “No, we must proceed to our destination!” Winona exclaimed, exhaling sharply as she glanced at her Patek Philippe wristwatch. A hint of cold determination flickered across her face. “Mr. Lazzari is an esteemed guest of the Caruso family. We cannot afford to keep him waiting.” The driver looked puzzled. “But Mr. Caruso's leg is badly injured. Who exactly is this Mr. Lazzari? Why does the Caruso family hold him in such high regard?” Winona's gaze wavered. “He's the commander of the Astral Clan in the underground scene of Yarwood; the fiancé of Selena Salvatore, the queen of the Hofcaster business world, and the future grandson-in-law of Old Mr. Salvatore, the richest man in Hofcaster! Isn't that influential enough?” The driver gasped in shock, scrambling in fear. He quickly hoisted the unconscious Javier into the vehicle, revved up the engine to its full power, and roared off into the distance.