Chapter 7 Arthur Strikes Back

Instead of being shackled by morality, why not cast it aside? Xavier sneered darkly. "Arthur, you’ve brought this beating upon yourself!" He gestured with a sharp wave of his hand. "Attack him! Don’t hold back!" His underlings charged forward as a group. Arthur swiftly dodged to the side, spinning around and executing a flawless over-the-shoulder throw. The first lackey to charge him was slammed into the ground. The crowd froze in astonishment at Arthur’s moves. How had Arthur changed so drastically in just two days? He was standing up for himself, and his combat skills were fast and precise! Before they could process what was happening, Arthur struck again. Moving quickly, he sidestepped and took advantage of their hesitation, effortlessly knocking down several thugs surrounding him. Then, without pausing, he bolted towards Xavier. Xavier was frozen in place, utterly stunned. Arthur closed the gap in seconds, throwing a powerful punch that smashed directly into Xavier’s face! Arthur had put all his force into that blow, and Xavier hit the ground hard. Finally, Xavier snapping out of his daze, tried to retaliate, but Arthur was already on top of him. Arthur unleashed a barrage of punches, his fists like hammers, landing blow after blow on Xavier’s face. The rest of Xavier’s gang snapped out of their shock and rushed forward to intervene. As their fists were about to land on Arthur, a sharp and authoritative voice echoed from the alley entrance. "Stop! What are you guys doing?" The group froze mid-motion and looked towards the source of the voice. It was Ashley, known alongside Hannah as one of the school’s most beautiful girls! If Hannah embodied cool elegance, Ashley was a fiery and passionate queen. Ashley’s fiery personality was infamous. She had a quick temper and was not afraid to settle disputes with her fists. Her reputation for being hard to approach was well-earned. Despite her stunning looks and an enviable figure that outclassed Hannah’s, no one in school dared to pursue her. The rumor was that anyone who tried to woo her would receive a severe beating. If it weren’t for her explosive temper, the title of school beauty might not have belonged to Hannah at all. At the sight of Ashley, Xavier’s gang immediately halted their actions. Arthur used the opportunity to stand up. According to Arthur’s research, Ashley’s family wasn’t particularly wealthy, certainly not in the same league as the Gray family. Yet, despite the countless people she had beaten up, no one dared to retaliate against her. She had a reputation for being a mystery at school. Even someone as bold as Xavier wouldn’t dare to provoke her easily. Today, Ashley wasn’t dressed in her school uniform. She arrived on a rugged off-road motorcycle. At just sixteen, her well-developed figure gave her an air of maturity, while her cascading, wavy hair made her look effortlessly cool and commanding. With a swift motion, she swung her leg over and dismounted the motorcycle. Cutting through the crowd with ease, she reached Arthur’s side and stood protectively in front of him. With her piercing gaze, she scanned the group and demanded, "What are you doing? Ganging up on one person?" If I wasn’t mistaken, this was the second time I’d caught this boy being bullied. The last time, she had helped him drive these thugs away. It hadn’t been long since then, and now they were at it again. Arthur looked at Ashley, who was standing in front of him, and felt a flicker of warmth in his chest. She was just a girl, not tall or not particularly strong, yet she had the courage to stand up for him without hesitation. Despite her small figure, the determination in her stance gave Arthur a feeling of comfort and strength. This was the kind of warmth Arthur had longed for but thought he would never experience again in this lifetime. Just as Arthur was about to say something, the blaring sound of police sirens came from the entrance of the alley. The police had arrived! Xavier and his lackeys, who were already back on their feet, froze in shock. "Why are the police here?" Even though they were the ones injured—especially Xavier, with his swollen and bruised face—the fact remained that they had surrounded Arthur with the clear intent to harm him. And just a couple of days earlier, they had beaten him up too. With the current crackdown on school bullying, getting caught would inevitably bring trouble for their families. Panic-stricken, they scattered without hesitation, Xavier leading the retreat. For years, these sixteen- or seventeen-year-old boys had bullied Arthur without consequences. But at the sight of the police, fear overtook them completely. Their panicked retreat was exactly what Arthur had hoped for. The officers stepped out of their vehicles and shouted, "Police! Don’t move!" There were plenty of officers on the scene, and seeing the boys flee instantly made the situation clear. Hearing the commanding shout, Xavier and his gang grew even more nervous. In the past, they had tormented others without fear, shielded by Zac's protection, and no one had dared to involve the authorities. This was their first time facing the police directly, and the sight of the officers left them trembling. The police’s shout left everyone frozen in place. Even Ashley, so bold moments ago, was caught off guard by the sudden turn of events.